Seattle Pipe Club - Pike Place

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jackswilling

Lifer
Feb 15, 2015
1,777
24
So a member here tipped me/us off to a crazy good sale on Seattle Pipe club 8oz tins from Cigar International. I had the usual suspects, Deception Pass, Plun Pudding, Mississippi River, so I bought a few pounds of Pike Place. A 'Balkan" described as:
"An abundant balkan mixture of latakia, turkish orientals, luxury burleys and perique... Joe Lankford created our Pike Place blend. Joe’s twist on his popular Balkan includes Cyprian Latakia, Spicy Orientals, Luxury Tennessee Burley, a touch of bright Virginias and Perique."
Well it is a winner. The Orientals are front and center and the perique is noticable, but not too noticable. A light hand on that element. I think the Burley really smooths it out. I may never have tried it but for the sale. Now I will be adding more. No bite, burns well, and full flavor. I can't do it justice in a review, so I am stealing Pipe Stud's 4 star review from Tobacco Reviews as it is spot on. What he is calling a mystery element, I am just calling it a tobacco synergy from a deft blender at his best:
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note

Pipestud (1450) 2016-06-08

★★★★

Medium None Detected Medium Very Pleasant

This, to me, is an upscale version of the old HOW Barking Dog. I loved the cut, ease of lighting and quietly impressive variety of leaf. The Burley provided strength, the Latakia was noticeable but not overwhelming, ditto the Perique, and the added spice from something of mystery made this absolutely wonderful. I think Joe Lankford is the world's finest small batch blender and the Seattle Pipe Club is lucky to have him around!

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I just bought a tin each of Potlatch and Plum Pudding, not yet opened, but I'll keep this in mind for next time. I'm glad there are several blenders who know how to use burley, which is one of my favorites, single leaf or in a blend. Thank you for this good review, to the point yet detailed.

 

kiel

Starting to Get Obsessed
May 27, 2016
208
2
This is good news. I haven't tried any of the spc blends, but thought the deal was too good to pass up too. Only problem is I live in China, and have never had a good experience with anything sent to me here from overseas. I have a trip planned home in July, so I had my mom place an order for me. Bought four different spc blends, and pike place was the only blend I was having doubts about. Thanks for this post!

 

pappymac

Lifer
Feb 26, 2015
3,273
4,268
I have a tin of Pike's Place I haven't opened yet. Having previously lived in the Seattle area for 6 years and visiting Pike's Place numerous times, the lingering memories of the market and the odor I mean aroma has given me a certain trepidation about opening the tin.

 

jackswilling

Lifer
Feb 15, 2015
1,777
24
"...the lingering memories of the market and the odor I mean aroma has given me a certain trepidation about opening the tin."
I left this part out of their description and I can only guess that the market has a "special" aroma.
" PIKE PLACE ~ our famous Public Market is an honest farmer’s market. Wonderful aromas waft from a hodgepodge of open air fruit & vegetable stands, cheese & butcher shops, oyster bars, even fish mongers tossing salmon."

 

pappymac

Lifer
Feb 26, 2015
3,273
4,268
I opened the tin of Pike Place I bought last May the other day. I used it to christen the 1940s era Kirsten Companion I rescued from a "antique" mall two weeks ago.

I can't remember the last time I smoked a Balkan blend and this is currently the only tin I have. I will remedy that the next tobacco purchase I made. It has a wonderful aroma with the Cyprian Latakia really standing out. I did find it a little moist at first and it definitely need drying out some.
The first bowl was in the Kirsten using the briar bowl it had when I bought it. (I had gave it a good reaming & cleaned it twice using the salt method.) It took three matches to light and my first thought was I had packed it too tight. The second bowl was in the Kirsten but with a Meerschaum bowl I purchased on-line. I had let the tobacco dry out for about 45 minutes and this time it lit easily and I smoked the whole bowl without relighting.
While I do smoke some English Blends containing Orientals, I don't smoke Oriental heavy Balkan Blends. I found this one to be intriguing. The latakia and burley combined to make a smooth smoke with no bite while the perique added just a touch of pepper. I want to say the Orientals gave it a nice spiciness - but not in the hot category of spicy - which gave it an almost floral note.
Compared to the two other SPC blends I've tried - Seattle Evening and Deception Pass - Pike Place is my preference and I will buy more of it.

 

jackswilling

Lifer
Feb 15, 2015
1,777
24
Have not checked of late, but it got disappeared due to trademark fight. I was blown away by the Burley Balkan. If it is still disappeared, I may be able to part with some of my stock. It even got disappeared from Tobacco Reviews.

Good to see some love for this fantastic blend

 

pappymac

Lifer
Feb 26, 2015
3,273
4,268
Yeah. I just found out it is no longer being produced and sold.

I hope the Seattle Pipe Club comes to their senses and bring it out again under a new name as I assume it was a problem with the name Pike Place and not the blend itself.
I lived in the Seattle area for 6 years back in the 70s. I can suggest a few names for them if they are interested. Maybe something like Ballard Locks or Gray's Harbor...

 

coldsmoke

Starting to Get Obsessed
Nov 29, 2016
125
2
Nunavut
I'm a huge fan of all the Seattle Pipe Club blends. I spent ages trying to find a can of Pike Place from a dealer who might ship to Canada but with no luck. It all dried up before I got a chance to give it a try.

That still rankles ...

 
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