Penzance substitute?

[zanthal]

Seattle Pipe Club makes Plum Pudding. I think you can get it in bulk now, too.
I've tried SPC Mississippi River too, and it isn't bad but not up to par with Plum Pudding.
Plum Pudding has a very minor bit of sweetness to it that makes it pretty unique amongst English blends, if you ask me. I recommended it because like Penzance, it has a lot of Latakia in it.

 

[rickpal14]

...and now let us all say goodbye to the once easy to find Latakia Flake #9!

:rofl:

 

[aristokles]

I just now finished my last bowl of Penzance. I stretched my meager stock as long as I could. Yesterday I smoked Penzance for half the day and Star of the East (not the flake version) for the other half. Although they did not conflict, I do not find them similar enough to consider each the substitute for the other. SOTE with 50% Latakia and its heavy Red VA is a different blend from Penzance which seems to have less Latakia and Esoterica's usually impressive blend of a number of different VAs.

That said, in the past I have often read of the similarity of Esoterica's Margate to Penzance. IMO, they display only a sibling similarity. However, (and I know this will seem scandalous to some) last year as I worked my way through an entire 2oz. tin of Esoterica's And So To Bed I was impressed at how similar it was to Penzance once the tobacco was allowed to dry a bit. By the end of the tin I began to suspect that our venerable Penzance is in reality the components of ASTB heavily pressed and aged. But then, it could only be me...

 

[juvat270]

I worked my way through an entire 2oz. tin of Esoterica's And So To Bed I was impressed at how similar it was to Penzance once the tobacco was allowed to dry a bit. By the end of the tin I began to suspect that our venerable Penzance is in reality the components of ASTB heavily pressed and aged. But then, it could only be me...

A year ago I would have disagreed. When I first opened a tin of ASTB, it smelled like a jar of Spanish olives. However, its been in a mason jar for the past year and after reading your post, I cracked it open and took a whiff. Well I'll be damned! I think you might be on to something here.
I haven't touched this blend since I jarred it, but I'm gonna smoke a few bowls of this over weekend and see how it tastes in relation to Penzance.

 

[captainprophesy]

...and now let us all say goodbye to the once easy to find Latakia Flake #9!

:rofl: ... wait! why am I laughing?

 

[gageploungin]

Thanks for the all input guys, that #9 and ASTB will be on my next TAD order for sure. For the time being I'll just have to get my Lat fix with Larry's, MacB's Vintage Syrian, or Pum Pudding...... boo-hoo right? ::