There have been some discussion as to whether Penzance and other blends, especially by Esoterica, are over-hyped. In brief, my answer is yes.
I received a generous sample of Penzance from an equally generous member and have smoked Penzance regularly for a few days. I agree that Penzance is a very fine tobacco. The tactile feel and appearance of the broken flake is equaled by no other tobacco. It smokes beautifully and offers a subtle profile. The Latakia is present, whispering in the background.
However, I've smoked many other tobaccos that are just as gratifying. Last night, I decided to compare Penzance and GL Pease Quiet Nights back-to-back. I loaded a MM General with QN and thoroughly enjoyed the blend. It burnt well, requiring no relights, as usual. The jar aroma was rich. I smoked half a bowl, then set it down, and loaded Penzance into a MM Patriot.
It was also a very fine smoke. But it wasn't as rich nor had the depth of flavor of QN. I'm surprised to say that in my one back-to-back comparison, I was preferring QN over Penzance. After finishing the bowl of Penzance, I went back to the QN and finished the bowl. My Opnion didn't change. At least for the one night, in that environment, I chose QN over Penzance.
I am not saying that QN was better than Penzance. They are both exceptional blends. My preference was just a matter of personal taste. I'm not saying they're the same. But they are different blends in the same family, like Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra and Fat Head's Head Hunter are different beers but are both IPA brews.
And for my tastes, if I want a light, well balanced, English blend with Latakia, that satisfies my like Penzance, I would reach for Squadron Leader and be as satisfied.
So, in summary, there may not be an equivalent to Penzance but there many just as good in the English Family - maybe a lot just as good. There are about 300 English blends on the market containing Latakia,Oriental/Turkish, and Virginia tobaccos, and about 50 come in flakes, broken flakes, plugs or kakes.
So, if I stumble across an opportunity to purchase Penzance at a reasonable price, I'll still jump on it. But I'm no longer going to spend a lot of time searching for it like Ahab for the White whale.
Pax
I received a generous sample of Penzance from an equally generous member and have smoked Penzance regularly for a few days. I agree that Penzance is a very fine tobacco. The tactile feel and appearance of the broken flake is equaled by no other tobacco. It smokes beautifully and offers a subtle profile. The Latakia is present, whispering in the background.
However, I've smoked many other tobaccos that are just as gratifying. Last night, I decided to compare Penzance and GL Pease Quiet Nights back-to-back. I loaded a MM General with QN and thoroughly enjoyed the blend. It burnt well, requiring no relights, as usual. The jar aroma was rich. I smoked half a bowl, then set it down, and loaded Penzance into a MM Patriot.
It was also a very fine smoke. But it wasn't as rich nor had the depth of flavor of QN. I'm surprised to say that in my one back-to-back comparison, I was preferring QN over Penzance. After finishing the bowl of Penzance, I went back to the QN and finished the bowl. My Opnion didn't change. At least for the one night, in that environment, I chose QN over Penzance.
I am not saying that QN was better than Penzance. They are both exceptional blends. My preference was just a matter of personal taste. I'm not saying they're the same. But they are different blends in the same family, like Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra and Fat Head's Head Hunter are different beers but are both IPA brews.
And for my tastes, if I want a light, well balanced, English blend with Latakia, that satisfies my like Penzance, I would reach for Squadron Leader and be as satisfied.
So, in summary, there may not be an equivalent to Penzance but there many just as good in the English Family - maybe a lot just as good. There are about 300 English blends on the market containing Latakia,Oriental/Turkish, and Virginia tobaccos, and about 50 come in flakes, broken flakes, plugs or kakes.
So, if I stumble across an opportunity to purchase Penzance at a reasonable price, I'll still jump on it. But I'm no longer going to spend a lot of time searching for it like Ahab for the White whale.
Pax