GL Pease Embarcadero - A Blend I Enjoy

[NomadOrb]

GL Pease blends are tricky things sometimes. Pease himself suggests letting newly opened cans of tobacco sit for a week or two before smoking for best experiences. It's been discussed on this forum for a good while as well.

So all that is to say that when I first tried Embarcadero, I really didn't think it was that good. I was excited to try it based on the description, so I opened it up and filled a bowl... just to be disappointed. Everything tasted muted, and the blend had too many rough edges.

So about 6 months later, I saw the jar while organizing things and filled my pouch with a day's worth and went about my day.

Review spoiler: it became my favorite non-burley morning smoke.

What do you get with Embarcadero? Red virginia and Izmir turkish from C&D.

Seems like a simple blend, but it comes complex with the flavors and keeps it interesting throughout the bowl.

Things start out with an exceptionally bright tangyness. The red VAs are here, and they will not be ignored the blend says. As you continue the journey, things get spicy. The Izmir responding to the VAs that they too are present, and will no be denied.

The VAs and Izmir then duke it out for a small time and you get a blend of the sweet tangy and spicy, almost like a sweet and sour sauce.

Then, negotiations. The Izmir and VAs have settled and decided to cooperate with eachother. And the resulting flavors, which are majority and my favorite part of the smoke, are toasty coffee with a drop of sweetness. It tastes exactly like a perfectly roasted cup or medium coffee should taste. Nutty, toasty, and in this case, slightly sweet with that bitter tang in the background of every sip.

So you may understand why this blend has been one of my favorite to have with coffee in the morning. It makes a strong contender among the many burleys that I love.

Thanks for reading, and go try some Embarcadero if you haven't. Be patient with it, and it will reward you.

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

Fantastic blend, especially after a little age. If ya like that, ya may give Temple Bar a try as well.

 

[NomadOrb]

Fantastic blend, especially after a little age. If ya like that, ya may give Temple Bar a try as well.

I have a jar of that and Regents Flake somewhere that I'll eventually get to.

 

[Ahi Ka]

I have just finished smoking through a sample of this. I was very impressed. It reminds me quite a lot of Marsala wine.

 

[kcghost]

Embarcadero is a good blend like most Pease blends. Some of his blends I don't care for, but they are still quality blends,

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

I have a jar of that and Regents Flake somewhere that I'll eventually get to.

Regents Flake didn't do much for me. I have an old jar somewhere I should revisit. But Temple Bar is fantastic

 

[NomadOrb]

Regents Flake didn't do much for me. I have an old jar somewhere I should revisit. But Temple Bar is fantastic

Interesting, aren't they basically the same?

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

Interesting, aren't they basically the same?

The red VA and oriental aspect. The Temple Bar has some gold VA and a little perique. I think TB, especially with a little age but even fresh, is a little sweeter.
I guess you could say the two have similar qualities, but are indeed different. Both are fantastic, but I'm partial to Mr. Pease's red VA blends. The Fog City Selection blends are a fantastic line. Union Square may be my favorite. Montgomery is one that took me a while to get into but I now really enjoy it.

 

[cranberrysauce]

I love Embarcadero. I don't do well communicating my tasting experiences, but I love that tangy plum flavor it is (to my senses), and the back and forth between the Virginia and the Izmir. Once in awhile, a goat wanders through the smoke - in a good way (the first time it happened, it surprised me and made me laugh). Embarcadero has never bored me. I just love the stuff.

 

[ThermionicScott]

@NomadOrb since this thread got bumped, have you gotten around to trying géométrie yet? Interested in your thoughts.

 

[Oddball]

So I don't know the blend ratios or anything but Regents Flake by Pease(C&D) and Sunday Picnic by C&D are both VaOr blends. They both sucked right out of the tin. They both became two of my favorites a few weeks in the jar later. They good.

 

[ParkitoATL]

I'm closing in on the end of my first tin of Embarcadero. It's lovely stuff, the flakes rub out perfectly every time. I particularly like to smoke this in my ginormous Altinay billiard meerschaum, although it has served me well in every pipe: the hallmark of a great blend.

 

[NomadOrb]

@NomadOrb since this thread got bumped, have you gotten around to trying géométrie yet? Interested in your thoughts.

I haven't gotten around to trying it yet actually, but I do have a couple of tins waiting with some age.

Still smoking Embarcadero and Briar Fox almost daily.

Embarcadero with 4-5 years of age on it is really hitting the spot for me these days.

 

[NomadOrb]

I'm closing in on the end of my first tin of Embarcadero. It's lovely stuff, the flakes rub out perfectly every time. I particularly like to smoke this in my ginormous Altinay billiard meerschaum, although it has served me well in every pipe: the hallmark of a great blend.

It really does well in a meer, doesn't it? But then again, what blend doesn't do well in a meer?

 

[krizzose]

I dig Embarcadero. There’s nothing earth-shattering about it, just a great smoke.

 

[Warlee]

Embarcadero really is a fantastic all around blend. Not a chance of bite or harshness, burns effortlessly, enough flavor to keep me interested, enough nic to satisfy but I could still smoke multiple bowls if I felt so inclined without having any issues.

Have to tip my hat to Mr Pease for creating such a well behaved, balanced blend.

I probably should order more haha!