Smoking my First bowl right now....in a Peterson Tankard. Not going to do much of a review because I'm no good at it. Will say I smelled the Rum much more than I tasted it, which was just fine by me, but if I really looked for it I could taste it too, which was also OK by me. Someone else mentioned that it seemed like standing downwind at a BBQ, and I see where they were coming from. (Sorry, but I can't remember or find who said that).
Greg mentioned on his sight that the flakes are not firmly packed. Since Key Largo and Quiet Nights already have a tough time of remaining as flakes in the tin, I wasn't too surprised, but a little sad, to see almost all of my flakes already quite broken once I opened the tin. I am hoping that I'll be able to pick away at the chunks carefully enough to uncover a full flake at some point. Regardless, I wanted the flakyest experience I could manage so I took a number of pipe height chucks and stuffed them in next to each other.
OK, half way threw now, and just had to re-light (had set it down for a bit) and new stuff keeps popping up. Again, I'm not the best at reviews as it takes me awhile to pinpoint what I'm tasting, so I'll be back in a few days to comment on what I think in that regard -- suffice to say I'm enjoying it.
I did want to mention my journey acquiring the stuff. I was a little surprised with some of the shops I attempted to pick this up from.
First I visited shop A. This was by far the most surprising. I am from Crystal Lake, IL (Northwest Suburb) and there aren't too many pipe shops too close to me. But this one isn't one of the cigar places nearby that have some pipes and pipe baccy, this place is assuredly legit in the pipe department. When I arrived I walked over to their GLP section, and didn't see any sextant, so I asked one of their employees "Hey, do you guys have any of GL Pease's new Sextant?" And to my big shock they didn't even know what I was talking about. Wasn't this a big release that sold out in like a day? Oh well, perhaps this particular employee just isn't too up w/ his pipe events, so he asked the next employee, who was even more confused and asked me what I was talking about. I explained it his new blend, came out a few weeks back, has been selling out places......he still was unawares so he went in back for a seemingly long time, to come back and report they had none
A strange experience, but acceptable.
However I'm going on vacation to Florida for a friends wedding next weekend and really wanted to get some, so today I called around, anywhere less than 90 minutes from me was fair game. So I called pipe places B, C, D, E,and F. None of them had any, again, not incredibly surprising, especially as some ARE the cigar place that happen to have some pipe things. However, again, one of the bigger pipe focused shops was utterly baffled by my request. The employee on the phone didn't even recognize "GL Pease" Some of their interpretations where "OLP" "GL" "GL Please" and I think 2 others. Now this was bothersome as I know GL Pease has quite a reputation, and it made even less sense when they finally "Discovered" that they have a rather large GLP collection in stock. But alas no Sextant.
I was a little disheartened by the seemingly evident fact that I wouldn't have any for my trip, but more so that some of the shops that I frequent or that I know others frequent and should have knowledge of both Pease and his new blend apparently didn't.
Then LaGrange Premium Tobacco saved the day. I called, asked their hours, and once discovering I would have enough time to make the 70 minute trip asked, like with all the others "Do you have any of GL Pease's new blend Sextant" "Sure Do!" "Excellent, will you put aside a tin for me, Anthony, and I'll be there in about an hour and a half" "No Problem" ... well I ended up getting two. And I really liked the place. It's rather small, but has a front and back smoking area. Two chairs in front ($5 purchase required to smoke) and 2 chairs, couch, and TV in back ($15 purchase required to smoke). The employee there (owner maybe) was very nice. We talked for a bit, and then I decided I'd rather come home and smoke on my couch with my TV then stay there, but I would happily go back with a friend sometime.
ANYWAY - got the stuff, enjoying the stuff, found a new shop I like, and have a 3 day week before I'm off to Florida, so all is good!
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