Some years ago, I got a 2005 tin of Samuel Gawith's Perfection in a trade. And it's been cellared since then, as I never really knew if I was in the mood for an English blend with the added touch of vanilla. I recently gave in and opened the tin and I've been enjoying it ever since.
At the outset: Despite the addition of vanilla, this is by no means an aromatic blend. It is, in fact, a solidly middle-weight (edging toward heavyweight status) English blend of the typical Virginia, latakia, and oriental leaf. The leaf has been steamed, which to my palate brings out a darker, more robust quality to the blend, and then a bit of vanilla is added. The vanilla is never in the foreground; it's only barely noticeable in the aroma and, even less so, on the palate. Rather than giving the blend the feel of an aromatic, the vanilla simply adds a certain depth or roundness to the overall smoke.
It smokes well, if fast. No matter how tightly I packed this one -- and it can take very tight packing -- a single bowl in even a large Group 4 pipe won't likely stretch beyond 25-30 minutes. Despite the fast burn, though, it is not hot.
Over the course of a bowl, it simply feels like a solid, heavier-bodied English, with the latakia and Virginias being the dominant flavors. Only rarely does the Turkish/oriental leaf poke through -- and only then for an instant.
I was struck by how similar Perfection is to McClelland's Frog Morton on the Town. Although the latter is a smoother and sweeter blend (helped immensely by the Froggy treatment of the latakia and the wonderful sweetness of the Basma), the flavor profiles are not that far apart. Where the Basma and sweetened latakia give FM on the Town its sweet roundness, Perfection gets a similar result from the added vanilla. But Perfection is a stronger smoke, and it lacks the Frog's soft roundness. If I had to choose between these two blends, I would favor the Frog; it always makes me want to go back for pipe after pipe. Perfection's strength makes that less appealing, even though I do like it. (By the way, when I say "strength," I'm not referring to nicotine levels; I'm talking about the body of the smoke and the overall mouth feel.)
For me, Perfection isn't perfection, per se. But if you're looking for an enjoyable, change-of-pace English with some backbone to it, I definitely think it's worth checking out. It would definitely smoke best in pipes dedicated to English latakia blends, and you need have no fear of the vanilla tainting an "English" pipe.
Bob
At the outset: Despite the addition of vanilla, this is by no means an aromatic blend. It is, in fact, a solidly middle-weight (edging toward heavyweight status) English blend of the typical Virginia, latakia, and oriental leaf. The leaf has been steamed, which to my palate brings out a darker, more robust quality to the blend, and then a bit of vanilla is added. The vanilla is never in the foreground; it's only barely noticeable in the aroma and, even less so, on the palate. Rather than giving the blend the feel of an aromatic, the vanilla simply adds a certain depth or roundness to the overall smoke.
It smokes well, if fast. No matter how tightly I packed this one -- and it can take very tight packing -- a single bowl in even a large Group 4 pipe won't likely stretch beyond 25-30 minutes. Despite the fast burn, though, it is not hot.
Over the course of a bowl, it simply feels like a solid, heavier-bodied English, with the latakia and Virginias being the dominant flavors. Only rarely does the Turkish/oriental leaf poke through -- and only then for an instant.
I was struck by how similar Perfection is to McClelland's Frog Morton on the Town. Although the latter is a smoother and sweeter blend (helped immensely by the Froggy treatment of the latakia and the wonderful sweetness of the Basma), the flavor profiles are not that far apart. Where the Basma and sweetened latakia give FM on the Town its sweet roundness, Perfection gets a similar result from the added vanilla. But Perfection is a stronger smoke, and it lacks the Frog's soft roundness. If I had to choose between these two blends, I would favor the Frog; it always makes me want to go back for pipe after pipe. Perfection's strength makes that less appealing, even though I do like it. (By the way, when I say "strength," I'm not referring to nicotine levels; I'm talking about the body of the smoke and the overall mouth feel.)
For me, Perfection isn't perfection, per se. But if you're looking for an enjoyable, change-of-pace English with some backbone to it, I definitely think it's worth checking out. It would definitely smoke best in pipes dedicated to English latakia blends, and you need have no fear of the vanilla tainting an "English" pipe.
Bob
