GL Pease - Cumberland

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May 3, 2010
6,423
1,461
Las Vegas, NV
Picked up a tin a while back and finally got around to cracking it open. It's dated 12-27-17 so it's a bit over a year age on it.
After two bowls the overall consensus on it so far is... it's quite spicy. The red VAs are really nice rich dark fruit notes. The Perique is a nice figgy kind of note that it's known for. The Dark Fired is definitely that salted meats, woodsy, earthy, nutty profile it's known for, but I think the Dark Fired on top of the Perique is a bit too much spice for my palate. I'm curious to see if the spice calms down at all as I get through the tin and it's been open for a bit longer.
If you really enjoy spicy blends, then definitely pick up a tin and give it a try.

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,247
108,334
The Virginia and Perique are the backup singers in this band. The Dark Fired is the star here. Spicy stewed fruit and nuttiness all the way through. When I crack a tin of this one I smoke it until it's finished. Nice and mild with a few rough edges, easily a lazy day all day smoke.

 
May 3, 2010
6,423
1,461
Las Vegas, NV
I agree if the VA was in a higher percentage it'd probably calm down the spice a bit and I'd enjoy it more personally.
Maybe this was a blend to fill the niche of speesy spicy in the lineup.

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,247
108,334
Probably Greg's attempt at a bolder burley forward blend. Mission successful if so.

 

brian64

Lifer
Jan 31, 2011
9,602
14,666
I like it a lot...have gone through a few tins in the past and have some cellared.
And what makes Cumberland very unusual is as of last time I checked, it was one of the few remaining blends on the planet that Jim Inks has yet to review.
EDIT: correction...Murphy's law...apparently he has reviewed it now. Jim is a wonder.

 
May 3, 2010
6,423
1,461
Las Vegas, NV
The first few bowls were in bigger chambers. One was in a Carolina Gent from MM which is a bit of a roomy chamber. The other was in a Don Warren which the chamber is similar to the Carolina Gent. Today's morning bowl was Cumberland in a Scottie Piersel short pencil shanked blasted Dublin. The chamber is a bit smaller than the other pipes I've used so far and the spice is definitely calmed down noticeably. It would appear for me this blend is asking to be in a smaller chamber. I have a Dr Bob pot that's a similar chamber size and I think the afternoon/dinner bowl will be in that one to see if I get similar results.

 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
60,846
553,665
Brian64: the reason it took me so long to review is because of my initial experience when the blend was first released years ago (2001, I believe). Out of a freshly opened tin, the tobacco was so young, I thought its flavor was well below what it should have been, given the ingredients in the mix. Border line mild to flat. That was quite surprising to me. When I started reviewing years later, I felt my experience was not fair enough to write a review. Recently, Sablebrush has been smoking it, and I related my disappointment in the blend to him, and why I didn't feel I could write a fair, objective review. Jesse offered to send me a sample so I could take another pass at it. What you read, of course, is a more informed review than I could have possibly done with my prior experience.

 

brian64

Lifer
Jan 31, 2011
9,602
14,666
Thanks for chiming in Jim. I'm not the least surprised that there was a very good reason. I much appreciate all your reviews.

 

brian64

Lifer
Jan 31, 2011
9,602
14,666
And for the record, Jim's Cumberland review:
The earthy, very woody, rather spicy, mildly floral and lightly sour, lightly nutty, dry dark fired Kentucky is the lead component. The tangy ripe dark fruity, earthy, woody red and matured Virginias are important supporting players, and also provide a touch of stewed fruit. The peppery, rainy, plumy perique is just above being a condiment, but seems a tad more impactful than the percentage added to the mix. The strength is in the center of medium to strong, while the taste level is half a step past that mark. The nic-hit is just past medium. Won’t bite, but has a light rough note here and there, and super fast puffing may get you a little tongue tingle. Burns cool and clean at a moderate pace with a nuanced, reasonably consistent, lightly sweet and fairly savory flavor from start to finish. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. The potent after taste does pleasantly linger a bit, and the room note has a little pungency. Not an all day smoke, and I wouldn’t use a big bowl for it either. Three and a half stars.

-JimInks
http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/1766/g-l-pease-cumberland#review103107

 
May 3, 2010
6,423
1,461
Las Vegas, NV
Tonight's bowl is in a Sam Adebayo blasted horn. Chamber is on par with the Scottie Piersel & Dr Bob and it's acting very similar about 10 minutes in. I'd highly recommend trying different bowl sizes with this blend cause when you find the right chamber for this it really is a good blend.

 

trubka2

Lifer
Feb 27, 2019
2,470
21,640
I'm curious to see if the spice calms down at all as I get through the tin and it's been open for a bit longer.
That was definitely my (limited - only 2 tins) experience: it mellowed WAY out by the end of the tin. Those tins were fresh out of the store, so I didn't even check the age stamp. They were both open about a month or so. It took me a bit to warm up to it, but I really like it a lot now. If anyone has any suggestions for readily available blends that would be sort of a logical next step from Cumberland, I'm all ears and gratitude. I have Triple Play on the list, and I'm waiting on some C&D Burley Flake #1 and some Jackknife Plug, which are sort of similar on paper, I guess.
 

brian64

Lifer
Jan 31, 2011
9,602
14,666
If anyone has any suggestions for readily available blends that would be sort of a logical next step from Cumberland, I'm all ears and gratitude.
If by chance you haven't tried the original Old Joe Krantz my guess is you'll probably like it if you like Cumberland.

 

krizzose

Lifer
Feb 13, 2013
3,100
18,012
Michigan
@Lordofthepiperings:
I remember you posting not too long ago that you were smoking through a tin of Mac Baren Club Blend. How would you compare the amount of DFK in Cumberland to that in Club Blend? To my taste, the DFK in Club Blend is front and center in terms of its rich flavor, but with no rough edges. I also really like Hal o’ the Wynd, though the DFK is not quite so prominent

 
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