Damn You, LJ Peretti!

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Dec 24, 2012
7,195
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This will be a long and tawdry tale. Go load a bowl and grab a libation and then come back. There, are you more relaxed?
When I first started smoking a pipe, I smoked English blends almost exclusively. Eventually, I gravitated toward VA flake blends, and have smoked VAs pretty much exclusively the last 7 months or so. As you might expect, the vast majority of my cellar consists of VA blends. However, several weeks ago I tried a sample of an English blend called Princes Street Mixture that was sent to me by Dick Silverman at Chief Catoonah Tobacconists, and I really enjoyed that sample for a change of pace from the VAs I was smoking.
Since then I have been craving English blends more and more.
That was background. Now we get to the meat of the story.
So, today I am in Boston and several hours ago I walked from my hotel down to the highly regarded LJ Peretti. Here's a shot I took on my blackberry as I approached:

Sidebar: Who in God's name would ever buy yellow running shoes and actually wear them in public?
In any event, I entered the store and was greeted by a couple of gentlemen. Now, I don't mean "greeted" in the Canadian sense of the word (i.e. a very polite exchange of pleasantries) - no, Bostonians are a tad more brusque than we are used to north of the border. In any event, I lived just outside of Boston many years ago when I went to university there, so I am quite familiar with the Boston vernacular. I didn't flinch, lol. Once we started chatting about pipes and tobacco, everything became much more pleasant.
Now, why the thread title?
Because I sampled a whole bunch of Peretti tobaccos while I was there - all English blends - and I absolutely adored almost all of them. They certainly weren't shy about giving you samples either - I had my Castello stack billiard with me (a very large bowl indeed) and at first I was a bit shy about putting tobacco from the sample jar into my 10 gallon pipe. The gentleman could obviously sense my reticence and said "Our tobacco is your tobacco, fill 'er right up." And so I did.
But wby am I so upset you ask? Because I think I am probably going to continue to smoke English blends on a regular basis along with my beloved VAs as part of my normal rotation. This means my cellar is vastly unbalanced, and the last thing I want to do is to started buying more tobacco.
And what exactly did I do as I was leaving LJ Peretti? You guessed it, I bought five of their 8 oz tins - Tashkent, Omega, Royal Blend, Oriental No. 40, and Cuban Mixture.
Damn them!

 

boudreaux

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 7, 2013
676
1
:P
...the last thing I want to do is to started buying more tobacco.
Peck, if you buy any more for your cellar, I think they won't have to dig you a grave or build a mausoleum for you when you pass. They'll just mound it all of your tobacco and dig down into it, then place you in it!

 

dmcmtk

Lifer
Aug 23, 2013
3,672
1,685
Peck, Great story! If I ever get up to Boston, I will have to visit Peretti. I was a long time customer of Erhlich's back in the '80's, alas they are gone. Going into this type of tocacconist is like walking into history. Hearing your story makes me want to check out Barclay-Rex next time I'm in NYC.

 
Dec 24, 2012
7,195
456
2 1/2 pounds
You are exactly right as to how I plan to get it back.
I have only tried the sample of Princes Street Mixture. I was going to add some to my last order, but Dick had already sent it out. I want to smoke through some of the Peretti blends and then I'll decide whether I'll stick to Peretti or whether I'll add some PSM as well.

 

docwatson

Lifer
Jul 2, 2009
1,149
9
New England
Nice story Peck. As you know, I am a regular at Peretti's and have known the folks there for decades. There isn't another tobacconist on the East Coast that compares to them for tobacco in my prejudiced opinion!! LOL

You even bought two of my all time favorites, Tashkent and Royal. Both sublime blends for sure.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Thanks for the photo, and yes, who the hell would buy those lemon colored sneakers and smoke a cigar in public as well??? Nothing like trying to make a statement, eh?

 

easygoer

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 31, 2013
215
2
Great stuff Peck. Thanks for sharing. I would be interested to know your thoughts on the Cuban Mixture as I was thinking of that for my next order. It' looks like I'm going to have to add the Chief to the shopping list also. The Wellington Blend looks interesting. Is that Harris on the left side of the photo?

 

brian64

Lifer
Jan 31, 2011
9,602
14,666
You’re obviously left with no choice but to double both your cellar and # of bowls per day...congrats!
Bostonians are a tad more brusque than we are used to north of the border. In any event, I lived just outside of Boston many years ago when I went to university there, so I am quite familiar with the Boston vernacular. I didn't flinch, lol.
I pretty much think of everything east of the Mississippi in that manner.

 

gwtwdbss

Lifer
Jun 13, 2012
2,945
16
53
Haha, sounds like a a great experience Peck. It's going to take a lot of work to balance that cellar but I have faith in you buddy!

 
Dec 24, 2012
7,195
456
Heh heh, I was a little over dramatic. I still plan to smoke 80 percent flakes - so I just need a bit more English blends around to balance it out.

 

rebornbriar

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 21, 2013
250
1
United Kingdom
Probably why I have never built a cellar and just smoke what I have opened. My tastes have swung back and forwards from Virginias to English and back to Virginias again, this being the longest time I have been on one type of blend. Perhaps I might swing back towards English again in the winter - I don't know, which is why I just buy the tobacco as I fancy it.
I really need to be able to sample some aged blends to see if the effort and waiting time is worth it before deciding to finally put some tobacco aside.

 
Dec 24, 2012
7,195
456
Easy - the Cuban Mixture is mixture is great, thought I should clarify that unlike the others it isn't an English blend. Burley is the star in that one, and it has a pleasant nutty taste. There is very little cigar leaf in this blend.

 

pitchfork

Lifer
May 25, 2012
4,030
605
Great story, Peck.
I went through a similar phase where I only smoked VAs and burleys, but in the last month or so I've sort of "rediscovered" English blends. I find they can be more relaxing, in a way, than the flakes -- especially the more subtle blends like EMP. Don't get me wrong, I love the full, rich flavor of VAs and Vapers, but English blends force you me to slow down and I love the clean, refreshing aftertaste they leave. Plus there's so much variety -- and so many new tobaccos to purchase!

 

easygoer

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 31, 2013
215
2
Good to hear another Peretti blend I'm excited to try. The Catoonah Tobacconists looks like a good place to deal with also. I just bought some of Pease Robusto and Key Largo but it's probably best to let them sit. I keep hearing good things about the Largo but very little about the Robusto.

 

bullbriar

Can't Leave
Mar 6, 2013
495
9
Great to hear. I try a different blend every time I go to Boston. It wouldn't be right to return home without a yellow paint can!

 

alex87

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 30, 2012
194
0
Brilliant, I was there last weekend and I loved my exp with them. I love, and that is a strong word, Tashkent...probably the best blend I have had to date. I find the complexity perfect....just so damned good. Glad you had a good visit and let us know what you think about the new blends!

 

pruss

Lifer
Feb 6, 2013
3,558
370
Mytown
Atta boy, Peck!
Great story and congrats on rediscovering some old tastes and some new blends.
Can't wait to hear your reports on which route you take to expand your cellar.
-- Pat

 

rickpal14

Lifer
Jun 9, 2011
1,432
2
And what exactly did I do as I was leaving LJ Peretti? You guessed it, I bought five of their 8 oz tins - Tashkent, Omega, Royal Blend, Oriental No. 40, and Cuban Mixture.
Excellent blends all, peck!!!!!! What a small world too. I was in Peretti's prior to going to Saturday's Red Sox game..... 8)

 

allan

Lifer
Dec 5, 2012
2,429
7
Bronx, NY
So, you too, Peck, are returning to the dark side.
There is just something about the 'English' blends that is so flavorful, rich, full etc.
I love the Va's, but I find myself often leaning towards the English more often now.
Great story, and I think you probably photoshopped the color of the sneakers. I mean really, in front of a smoke shop??

 
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