Since it Doesn't Look Like I Will Ever Get to Try Penzance

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NomadOrb

(Nomadorb)
Feb 20, 2020
1,673
13,650
SoCal
As others stated, nothing really comes close to Penzance's creamy well aged taste.

I actually prefer Quiet Nights, but they both occupy their own space. Star of the East Flake is also a great blend in a similar style, but it's noticeably different and inferior to Quiet Nights in my opinion.
 

renfield

Lifer
Oct 16, 2011
4,231
31,383
Kansas
I don’t find Quiet Nights much like Penzance, either. They’re both enjoyable but QN has the distinct advantage of availability.

I can understand the desire to try a blend that is so often mentioned but after smoking through a pound of Penzance I don’t think the hype is justified, IMO. Don’t sweat it if you can’t get some. Hope you can get a chance to try it, though. FWIW I thought it was better when fresh.
 
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Jan 30, 2020
1,850
6,086
New Jersey
While in no way a replacement, I’m smoking a bowl of 2.5 year old Plum Pudding Special Reserve and there are some fleeting moments that remind me of Penzance even though this has some perique and cavendish. It’s a bit dryer and doesn’t have that creaminess, but there’s something there.

I don’t smoke Latakia/oriental heavy blends much but I circle back to this from time to time. On the other hand I gave away like 7.5 of my 8 ounce bag of penzance because it just didn’t hold me. The is a uniqueness to it that I couldn’t get into. That uniqueness will ghost your pipe like an aromatic does.
 

shikano53

Lifer
May 26, 2015
2,060
8,084
I thought I would add my two cents worth to this particular thread. Back in 2015 - 2017 I was fortunate to be able to obtain several 8oz bags of Penzance through pipeandleaf.com and always had a full supply of it on hand.
I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that it quickly became (and still is) my all time favorite tobacco. One of it's distinctive characteristics was it's creaminess.
Since Penzance has gone the way of the dinosaurs, I live with what I can get. I've read with interest the previous threads similar along with this one as well.
I always keep a good stock of G.L. Pease Quiet Nights and Seattle Pipe Cub Plum Pudding Special Reserve.
My opinion is that Penzance was Penzance and nothing comes close.
I like Quiet Nights And Plum Pudding but they are in no way similar to Penzance. I guess you can pretend it is, and attempt to trick your palette into thinking so, but when the dust settles them is them and Penzance is, well, Penzance. Lancer Slices are good as well but I've never found any of these particular blends to be remotely like Penzance. Don't get me wrong, please. I love those three tobaccos very much and they are also in my weekly rotation.
If someone were to ask me for closest match, I would say Esoterica Margate which I still have in good supply.
Will I ever obtain or taste Penzance again? I don't know and I really don't care. I quit chasing tobacco fads a few years back.
Anyway, that's my take on the whole 'most like Penzance question.'
 

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
When I was smoking English blends Penzance was easy to get for around 5 bucks a tin. I also smoked a lot of Two Friends Deacons Downfall. That is still easy to get and it is a tasty blend.
 

badbriar

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 17, 2012
675
1,196
Suncoast Florida by the Beach
Penzance is an emotional buy now for those that have to chase unobtaniums. I like it quite a bit, but pass it up to open other blends that I like a lot better that are available every day and often on sale. YMMV.
 
Mar 29, 2016
1,006
5,540
Penzance and Lancer's Slices are among the worst tobacco I' ve tried and I really wanted to like them. Now G.L. Pease Quiet Nights and Odyssey are what Penzance should have been, fragrant, full and very incense like.
 

hauntedmyst

Lifer
Feb 1, 2010
4,006
20,750
Chicago
Penzance and Lancer's Slices are among the worst tobacco I' ve tried and I really wanted to like them. Now G.L. Pease Quiet Nights and Odyssey are what Penzance should have been, fragrant, full and very incense like.
Are you sure you were smoking Penzance? Are you sure it wasn't the Chinese knock off Esopherica Penance? Identical packaging but Penance is made with stale Captain Black grape, wood shavings, dried corn husks and their "Latakia" is smoked over bat crap from bats fed with left overs from a Wuhan wet market.
 
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