Trial by Fire: Esoterica Penzance vs. Sterling/1776 American Patriot

[clanobucklin]

Smoked Penzance (thanks to MJTannen) and followed it with a bowl of American Patriot. Hmmmm...very good. The tobaccos have remarkable similarities which I may post later. While Penzance is Penzance - there is a darker "brooding" quality - compare to a older leather(ly) taste that leaves an aftertaste. Yes it is very tasty. While the American Patriot is almost the same except there are brighter notes in it. The tobacco does not leave the after taste.
If we compare the two side by side - the mid range notes - think of a stereo - the Penzance has more bass - while the American Patriot has more treble. The overall sound/taste is similar with the mid range notes. I think this is why there is some contoversy here. To my palate these 2 fine tobaccos deserve a place in everyone's cellar. If you can get Penzance - store and smoke it sparingly - who knows how long it's going be around. Meanwhile get American Patriot and smoke that - whenever you feel like getting that Penzance kind of experience without smoking Penzance.

 

[marmal4de]

Lucky you, I even in side by side tasting, and American Patriot paled in comparison to Penzance. Thanks for posting you results!

 

[clanobucklin]

I wouldn't say Patriot necessarily paled in comparison - but smoking them side by side gave me a better perspective of why some members "groused" upon trying it. I personally think of them as similar - not identical. To get back to the music analogy - if I load a cd in a player and play the same song - with treble up - I will hear different notes. Same if I drop the treble and oompth up the bass. American Patriot is amazing in that it does hit some of the notes Penzance does - like I said in the mid range though.
I personally don't think any blend is going to "Match" Penzance. For one - The tobaccos seem aged. My sample looked totally different from the Penzance I smoked years before. When Steve R. offered me a sample of it to try - back in 1988 - the flakes were golden with veins of latakia running through it. The sample I got - was almost black - leading me to think that - maybe - this was a very aged Penzance blend. Think of all changes a tobacco goes through when aged and this perhaps is why there is a "brooding/well oiled leather" quality to the taste. Secondly, any tobacco is not going to be the Holy Grail of Penzance - and no matter what I say or anyone else - the obtainment of getting one's hands on some Penzance is going to have a certain brag factor to it. "Hey look what I got!"
Another way to look at it - American Patriot is a tribute band doing a cover of beloved, legendary song. May not be the same thing...but a damn good stab at it though.

 

[davebell30]

I just ordered American Patriot from Jack and will give it a side by side with the Penzance I purchased about a month ago. I'll leave my findings in this thread. By the way, anyone reading this thread should be made aware of the great service and down-to-earth business that Jack Peterson practices at Sterling Tobacco Company. Always helpful and generous with serving up samples of his blends.

 

[my19]

+1 on Jack Peterson's great service. Received a couple of samples in the mail yesterday -- 1776 Tavern and his Bargain blend -- and hope to try one with my lunchtime pipe today. A very kind and generous guy, without a doubt.
Somewhat coincidentally, I smoked my first bowl of Penzance yesterday, and WOW!, that stuff is great! Wonderful subtle flavors that I can't begin to describe, but truly enjoyed. I worried that it might be overwhelming -- especially given my practice to smoke and stroll in the Texas heat -- but I only remember thinking that this blend was everything people have claimed. Superb, without a doubt.

 

[teamhavoc28]

I already have a case of PAD, with bare knuckle reviews such as this one I'm going to resign my self with TAD soon. Thanks for the comparison, always so much to learn.

 

[mjtannen]

If you love Penzance you must try Jack's American Patriot. A word of advice. Penzance is a regular for me but it is a flake and it is difficult to carry pouched because it crumbles into dust. On the go, carry American Patriot in your pouch and you will thank me. The same absolute pleasure and a pleasure to carry along with you, out and about throughout your day. I reserve the Penzance for the easy chair at home. American Patriot was blended for me at my personal request and I never leave home without it or my Amex card.

 

[bubbadreier]

clanobucklin, I like the idea of the music analogy but I would compare it to a cover of a song. You have the original song and the cover of the song... Some would say that they are the same song while others would say that they are two completely different songs! Some like the original and some like the cover....

 

[hobie1dog]

clanobucklin, I like the idea of the music analogy but I would compare it to a cover of a song. You have the original song and the cover of the song... Some would say that they are the same song while others would say that they are two completely different songs! Some like the original and some like the cover....
Then for me ( just my crappy opinion ), American Patriot would be like having Boy George try to sing Highway to Hell. He might get through the song, but with less than desireable results. :rofl:

 

[jimbo]

To me, Penzance is YUMMY. You want to chew the smoke! It's like chewing a bite of steak that has a mild char on the outside. That's the way I describe it.
I'll have to try American Patriot and see if it gives anywhere near this amount of satisfaction.