Greg Pease and Drucquer & Sons

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Dec 24, 2012
7,195
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On September 15th, Cornell & Diehl posted this on their facebook page.
Every journey begins somewhere. For Greg "G.L." Pease it was the back room of Drucquer & Sons in Berkeley, CA, and now we're pleased to be producing the blends that started a career - reformulated by Greg for the modern pipe smoker.
Greg introduced these blends a while back, in small quantities, and now we're gearing up to restock them as of the 23rd of September. Get ready, it's time to go back to where it all began.

 

igloo

Lifer
Jan 17, 2010
4,083
5
woodlands tx
Royal Ransom - slightly more than half Latakia, with Turkish and Virginia (including black Virginia to mellow the Latakia). Similar to Sobranie black and Nightcap.

Levant Mixture - full strength English-Balkan mixture. Possibly like Royal Ransom but with a bit more Turkish.

Mixture 805 - the classic English mixture, half Latakia with the remainder evenly divided between Turkish and Virginias (comparable to Sobranie white and 965).

Trafalgar - a classic Balkan, the oriental balanced by enough Latakia to be noticed (around 37.5 percent?) and Virginia to support.

Red Lion - about forty percent Latakia, the rest a mixture of Virginias, no Turkish (I wish I could remember what the Virginias were - it tasted complex enough that I didn't miss the Turkish.

Arcadia Mixture - lower on the Latakia totem-pole than the blends mentioned precedingly, with some dark Virginias to boost the Turkish, ribbon Virginia to lighten the load, and a hint of toasted Cavendish.

Temple Bar - no Turkish, a blend of light and medium Virginias spiced with Latakia (probably slightly over a third of the total), and maybe (?) a touch of Perique.

Inns of Court - a complex mixture containing the full range of Virginias with some Burley and Maryland, plus Latakia (less than Temple Bar) and Perique.

Prince's Blend - a Virginia Mixture with minor amounts of Latakia and Perique as spice, some air-cured (?).

The Devil's Own - a Virginia base with depth, spiced with less Latakia than Inns of Court.

Ye Olde London Baccy - a Virginia and Burley mixture which I found hard to like (hardly any Latakia).

Blairgowrie - matured Virginias with some Perique, somewhat dry.

St. James - a classic Scottish mixture with both Oriental leaf and Perique.

 
Dec 24, 2012
7,195
462
Interesting, I have an 8 0z unopened tin of one not listed here; all I remember is it is a Va blend and has a bunch of Xs in it.
Obviously there would have had to be some sales for these new blends before August 8th. I assume that is the reference to: "Greg introduced these blends a while back, in small quantities".

 

jerwynn

Lifer
Dec 7, 2011
1,033
14
fasc.jpg


 

huntertrw

Lifer
Jul 23, 2014
5,887
7,640
The Lower Forty of Hill Country
igloo:
In addition to those which you listed above, Drucquer & Sons also produced two Burley blends described in a 1995 blend list as:
"Smuggler's Blend: The rough-cut Burley tobacco is grown in Virginia rather than Kentucky, the 'home' of Burley. The Virginia soil gives this tobacco qualities of both Virginia and Burley. With a natural, mild flavor and a neutral aroma, Smuggler's Blend is suitable smoked straight or used as a blending base."
"Windjammer: Especially blended for the outdoor smoker, slow burning with lots of smoke, Windjammer is a natural, undisguised blend of Virginia, Carolina and Burley. Good also as a blending base."

 

igloo

Lifer
Jan 17, 2010
4,083
5
woodlands tx
Hunter I am no expert . The only blend from Drucquer I have ever had was Red Lion .I believe that they started across the big pond and where known as Drucquer and Brothers . It is still a little early and this is only my second cup of coffee .

 

skraps

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 9, 2015
790
6
Interesting to see these blends coming back. If it winds up being mostly the list that Iggy posted, I will pass. Latakia in every single one. No thanks.
The two blends that Hunter mentioned sound interesting though. Hopefully those make the list.

 

glpease

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 17, 2010
239
96
California
Might as well chime in...
Cairo was my original blend. Nothing to do with Drucquer's. In fact, the only reprise of old Drucquer blends is Samarra, which is a recreation of a blend I did for D&S back in the 1980s called Sublime Porte.
The seven I've recreated are Prince's Blend, Inns of Court, The Devil's Own, Red Lion, Blairgowrie, Trafalgar and Levant Mixture.
It's true. They all contain latakia, from a little to quite a bit. These were my faves back then, and are therefore the only ones I have a real, deep connection with. Smuggler's and Windjammer were discontinued before I found my way to the shop. I wanted to do Royal Ransom, but the specific black virginia in it was so unique, and an essential component to the blend's signature, has not been available for decades. If I couldn't do it well, I didn't want to do it, and I knew that every time I smoked the stuff, I'd miss that distinctive taste.
As for this being like the movie industry, well, maybe. But, these are the only "recreations" being done in which the blender (that would be me) actually has a direct lineage to the originals. I was there. I didn't create them back in the day, but I made hundreds of pounds of them. That might offer a little credibility to the new ones...

 

gsmunoz

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 30, 2016
153
0
I think the commentary about the movie industry comparison is a bit undue, especially considering the FDA's move on tobacco. Blenders are about to be hobbled for good and we're bitching about too many blends. REALLY???
I say "good on ya" Greg.

 

tobaccojoe

Starting to Get Obsessed
May 30, 2016
220
0
USA
gsmunoz: I believe the movie industry dig that guyrox made was alluding to the current trend to remake and reboot, while mainly caring about cashing in. The difference here is that the tobacco will still actually be very good, as opposed to so many remakes, reboots, re-imagines, etc.
(still mad because Blair Witch was over hyped and underwhelmed)

 

tobaccojoe

Starting to Get Obsessed
May 30, 2016
220
0
USA
Just looked through the old D&S catalog. This picture fills me with a heavy dose of nostalgia and awe. Now *THAT'S* a classy tobacco shop!
druq12.jpg


 

mikestanley

Lifer
May 10, 2009
1,698
1,128
Akron area of Ohio
"Might as well chime in...
Cairo was my original blend. Nothing to do with Drucquer's. In fact, the only reprise of old Drucquer blends is Samarra, which is a recreation of a blend I did for D&S back in the 1980s called Sublime Porte."
Sorry, I knew that. Love them both. I was standing in the rain at work when I typed that/ust have gotten a little water on the brain.
Mike S.

 

dottiewarden

Lifer
Mar 25, 2014
3,053
58
Toronto
Well, I will have to pass.

The pipe tobacco world is starting to sound more and more like the movie industry.
I'm more interested in the tobacco than the marketing, otherwise I'd never have tried the Froggies.
Never tried a Pease blend, but I'd be surprised if I didn't like most of them.

 

pagan

Lifer
May 6, 2016
5,963
28
West Texas
Well, I will have to pass.

The pipe tobacco world is starting to sound more and more like the movie industry.
and I was wondering how to chime in without sounding like an ol curmudgeon, luckily some beat me to it

 
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