GLP Westminster – A Review

[Vito]

I'm just now getting around to writing a review of GLP's Westminster for a very good reason: I've never smoked any before now. The reason is some bizarre combination of "economic factors", and hopeful confidence that the weed would continue to be available until I could get a round tuit...by which I mean enough budgetary breathing room to treat myself to a tin. And I suppose there's a bit of the incorrigible contrarian behind my decision to spring for some at this time, now that we have an Official Pronouncement of Tough Times. Screw that. Nothing locks in the impoverished mentality like conceding it. We are more than what the talking heads say we should be.

...(ahem)...er, sorry for the mini-rant, mah brothahs. This isn't the Rubber Room, after all, and what matters now is that the weed is in the pipe at last. Ah, yes...the pipe...

The Pipe
I figured I'd need a special pipe for Westminster. I've suspected for a long time which pipe it would be: a Mastro de Paja 3C "Rounded Dublin"...at least that's what I call the shape, although I believe Alan Schwartz and others have referred to it in the past as a "scoop". Here's a pic:

One imaginative person called it "a Pesaro take on the bulldog", but I suspect he was smoking a very different kind of pipeweed when he coughed that one up, if you catch my drift.

Anyhow, I broke in the MdP Rounded Dublin some 8 years ago on a potpourri of Hans Schürch classic English blends—principally Onyx, Amoun, and Mogano—which I think has been part of the secret of this pipe's wondrous smoking qualities since then (...a tale that might be worth telling another time). Soon thereafter I dedicated the pipe to GLP's Caravan for many years—until recently, when I burned a couple of bowls of Penzance in it. Any ghosting of those blends in this initial bowl of Westminster is likely to be minimal, but they'll soon be chased out in any case; I intend to dedicate the pipe to Westminster henceforth.

Westminster's tin aroma immediately spoke of the same refined balance and deep, smoky essence characteristic of the Schürch blends, which immediately confirmed my suspicion that the MdP Rounded Dublin was the pipe of choice. Not that Westminster's Cyrian Latakia is in any way equal to the Syrian Latweed in the classic Schürch blends, but it's equivalent in its role as more than a "mere" condiment. The Latweed is prominent, and its natural sweetness and rich flavor are a big part of Westminster's taste.

Moisture content is, predictably, perfect. No need for a charring light, or annoying "drying time". One light and the pipe is humming. The MdP has always been a dry smoker with good weed, and Westminster is no exception. I'm down to mid-bowl and there's not a hint of gurgle. And the burn is cool; the pipe is barely warm.

The Smokage
I can describe Westminster's smoke in one word: voluptuous. If this smoke were a woman, I'd have to change my pants. I know...that sounds like crude, boorish, off-the-charts hyperbole, but I emphatically deny the hyperbolic part.

Perhaps the more cynical observer might think I'm just another GLP drone who lavishes praise on every one of Sir Zero's creations. 'Tain't so; there are some I've never smoked—notably the LOTR-themed weedages, and the earlier Friedman & Pease blends. Nevertheless, to those who are tempted to venture an unkind cut or unbrotherly jab at my affinity for Greg's weedage, my simple reply is, "No one can accuse me of being a Peaseweed worshiper and get away unrewarded."

Although I'm never at a loss for words in describing the experience of smoking Gregorio's masterpieces, I must admit that he has made it increasingly difficult to be specific when I'm ranting about his most recent creations. Indeed, in the first half-bowl of Westminster, I've been able to do little more than sit here and blather on while enjoying the smoke.

But the second half of the bowl is another matter entirely. There are flavors here that are unexpected in a traditional "imperial" English blend. There's a toasted sweetness that is identifiably Virginian, but there's also a nutty fullness that I wouldn't expect without a Burley component; yet, Burley is notably absent from the list of ingredients. How does he do that? Beats me. Some calculated or serendipitous interaction between the elegant Orientals, on the one hand (whose precise origin he justifiably guards), and the red and bright Ginnyweed leaf on the other hand?

Who can say—but knowing something of Greg's meticulous methodology, my money is on "calculated". He's sufficiently attuned to the unexpected to recognize a happy accident when it occurs, but I don't think there's a whole lot of the accidental in his blendmeistering. The man has utterly uncanny gustatory and olfactory talents. I've watched him sniff jars of weedage whose contents were unknown to him, and nail their contents with unerring accuracy. It's flat-out scary, but we're all the happy beneficiaries of those talents.

I'm down to the last 1/4-bowl now, and Westminster's powerhouse of flavors is an explosion of sensory delight with every sip and puff. Still no gurgle, and it's clear that this bowl will smoke right down to ash and leave the pipe bone-dry and begging for another bowlful. It's bloody counterintuitive, I tell you. How can such a satisfying smoke leave me contemplating a refill? Dammit...this stuff is so good it's almost evil. There's no other way to describe a weedage that has me not caring whether I ever smoke another bowl of Penzance. I'd have never thought I'd ever utter such sacrilegious words, but there they are. I won't recant them. If this is heresy, then I am a joyously unrepentant heretic.

[Pause to reload and apply flame]

Round Two
OK...so now I'm on to the second straight bowl. For those who are wondering about the nico-strength of Westminster, that tells the tale. I admit it; I'm a nico-wimp, with the unhappy result that there aren't many tobaccos I can smoke in back-to-back bowls without copping a serious nico-buzz. Westminster is obviously one of the happy exceptions. The same is true for the dreaded Zorch-o-Tongue<img class="emojione" alt="" title=":tm:" title=":tm:" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/emojione/assets/png/2122.png?v=2.2.7"/> and Poached Palate<img class="emojione" alt="" title=":registered:" title=":registered:" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/emojione/assets/png/00ae.png?v=2.2.7"/> phenomena; they're entirely absent here.

That's undoubtedly due in large part to the hefty quantity of Cyprian Latakia in Westminster. I've elsewhere ranted (probably ad nauseum) about CypriLat's virtues as a naturally sweet, surprisingly gentle tobacco—one that has unjustifiably earned a false reputation as a "strong" or "harsh" tobacco. It is nothing of the kind. In fact, all it took was one bowl of pure Cyprian Latakia to open my eyes to the virtues of that superb weed.

As anyone who appreciates the GLP mastery might expect, Westminster shows CypriLat to its best advantage. If you are an unreconstructed Latakiaholic (I am) who craves the spice and perfume of that noble weed, you simply must not deprive yourself of this succulent smoke. I did...for too long. I swear on the bones of Big Ben that I shall atone for my transgression in the only fitting way—namely, by adding major Westminstral poundage to my cellar. Fortunately, Greg has recognized the inevitably insatiable Latweed lust Westminster engenders; it is available in 16-ounce tins.

I'm down to the midpoint of bowl #2 now. The air is suffused with the opulent fragrance of Cyprian mountain Latakia, fed by consistently irresistible puffs of Westminster's smoke. It's difficult to believe that this stuff is legal, especially here in the People's Republic of Californicaty, where the entrenched socio-political mentality is increasingly characterized by the über-statist mantra, "Everything that is not permitted is forbidden." With all due disrespect, they can bite me. For all like-minded contrarians, I encourage y'all to be smokin' Westminster regularly. Let it be your own personal Declaration of Independence. (Paid for by the Smokage for Sanity Coalition, a time-honored organization I just made up.)

I doubt that I can add much else to the volumes of rapturous praise that already have been heaped on Westminster. What I can say unabashedly is that every bit of it is true, and well-earned. The "traditional English mixtures" genre is arguably overpopulated, confusing in nomenclature, and it presents a dizzying array of blends—one that the newcomer would be hard pressed to sort through without many, many years of personal trial-and-error tasting. At today's weed prices, that would involve a formidable commitment of funds.

So, to any pipers who are looking to find the quintessential representative of the genre, look no further. Glom onto a tin of Westminster and experience the cool, deeply flavorful, marvelously complex experience of traditional English tobacco at its finest.

:joker:

 

[ftrplt]

You're gonna' force me to go open one of my aging tins of this weedage :no: I would except it's to damn cold and icy (1/4" or more) outside!! Nice review; it's a truly superb tobacco :king: ipe: FTRPLT

 

[briarcollector]

Hands down the best tobacco flavor I have ever experienced. I just tasted it for the first time about a week ago and unfortunately it is one of the first run tins that was reported to be a little wet. It's been hell to keep lit. I've now dried it and chopped it and am hoping for a better smoke tonight. It is, without question, the best flavor of any tobacco I've ever smoked. I am going to stockpile the bejeepers out of this one - I'll just have to push that quarter ton of Haddo's to the left a little...

 

[Pleckzepiper]

I can describe Westminster's smoke in one word: voluptuous. If this smoke were a woman, I'd have to change my pants. I know...that sounds like crude, boorish, off-the-charts hyperbole, but I emphatically deny the hyperbolic part.

Totally agree and haven't come across a better turn of phrase to describe the overall joy in consumption of this wonderful concoction. Congrats on rendering into words what left me speechless.

:cheers:


ipe:

 

[rick]

Ive gotta quit reading these reviews...................... enguin:

 

[ftrplt]

Yes, reviews like this are very bad for TAD and commensurate shortages in one's bank account!! However, it does "spread the wealth around," thereby aiding the economy :lol!: FTRPLT

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, reviews like this are very bad for TAD and commensurate shortages in one's bank account!! However, it does "spread the wealth around," thereby aiding the economy :lol!: FTRPLT

I've been trying to splain that to the wife, but she ain't buying it. :bounce:

 

[kilted1]

My own review of Westminster re-printed from review of same on tobaccoreviews.com 06/03/2007

Greg Pease has established himself as a “premier micro-blender” of many fine mixtures. His original series are often listed highly in many a smoker's favorite, with entries from the “Classic Series” and notably the now legendary “Bohemian Scandal” his talents in blending English/Balkan mixtures are well known.

Various blenders have attempted to re-produce classics such as Balkan Sobranie's 759 mixture with moderate success in my estimation. Greg has broken new ground in an attempt to re-create the long loved and often smoked London Mixture. To the best of my knowledge, he is singular in the attempt.

Dunhill is a much respected purveyor of Pipes and Tobacco products the world over. During the 28 years I have smoked pipes, many a bowl of Dunhill tobaccos have passed through my pipes. Several of Dunhill’s mixtures have been “standards” of mine over the years; My Mixture 965, London Mixture, Nightcap, with several making the “once in awhile” slot in my rotation; Dunbar, Standard Mixture.

Dunhill tobacco mixtures have suffered from what we might call “outsourcing”. Other blenders have suffered similar fates, while others have “been there, done that” and found satisfactory “outsourcing blenders” to carry on a fine tradition. Murray's production has been the last of “Dunhill mixtures” that I have smoked. I still maintain several tins of Nightcap for “special occasion” pleasures and a couple of tins to open in my retirement years.

To my palate of the Dunhill mixtures that have suffered the greatest casualties; London Mixture and My Mixture 965 are the most gravely wounded.

With these things in mind, I will review GLP Westminster:

One should NOT approach this mixture expecting a “typical GLP” mixture, it makes no such attempt. If you were looking for something similar to other GLP mixtures, please look elsewhere.

Appearance: A beautiful mixture of light and reddish./brownish Virginias, Latakia and Turkish leaf presented in ribbon cut form of nearly uniform cut. I can detect at least 6, and perhaps 8 different hues of leaf. Having read Greg's public notes about blending this mixture I know he spent hours pouring over various productions of Dunhill London Mixture learning what he could of the composition of this classic. This is very appealing to the eye of one looking for a “typically English” tobacco mixture.

Tin aroma: Exactly what one would expect upon cracking open a tin of English tobacco, a nice blast of smoky Latakia, followed by the raisin/fig sweetness of Virginias and a musty leathery Turkish undertone. There is a deeply peaty quality which seemed absent from later samples of “London Mixture” and very welcome here. The mouth-watering scents of an adult pleasure with anticipation of roughly an hour’s escape from “modern life”.

For purposes of review, I’ve loaded a bowl (using the “once like a baby, once like a lady, finally like a man” method of packing) into a Armellini rusticated Lovat of roughly Dunhill group 3/4 capacity. This pipe has been exclusively an English/Balkan smoker for several years, and should introduce no prejudice to the smoke. I have pre-smoked 4 non-reviewed bowls of Westminster with this pipe to assure what I'm tasting is actually Westminster. This mixture seems a bit moist to me upon cracking a fresh tin, I generally let a “smoking portion” air for about 15-30 minutes prior to packing and smoking.

Upon lighting, I greeted with a blast of Latakia/Turkish smokiness with leathery/musty undertones, with the mild sweetness of Virginias just under the surface. Good so far, there seem to be no faults in proportions of the individual components thus far, everything seems where it should be, with a complexity and “competition” for attention by each tobacco.

Mid Bowl: Approaching mid-bowl, the complexity and intensity as building nicely, the Virginias are a little more pronounced and assertive, while the Latakia and Turkish have settled into a nice middle palate place. The peaty quality noted in the tin aroma is very much there, though a subtle statement. When exhaled nasally the Turkish has a familiar “drying effect” on the throat and dominates the soft palate areas of the mouth. This mixture (thankfully) has seeming little/none of the Cavendish confusion of My Mixture 965 or other “later production” Dunhill mixtures, just a very cool and dry smoking one associates with a truly great English mixture of rather full body. The fine balance of leather/smoke/must/nuttiness and raisins builds slowly with each puff. Each component flavor remain distinct, yet blend together into what eventually becomes a truly outstanding finish. London Mixture has always had a roundness and softness absent in many other mixtures of this fullness, and Westminster captures this quality very well indeed.

Home Stretch: As end of the bowl approaches, each component tries to re-assert dominance which seems destined to ultimately fail, not in a “bad way” however. The flavors are at their peak and cooperating with each other, yet somehow like gelatin the seem to eventually give up their “individuality” to become a very rewarding “whole flavor” which I remember fondly about Dunhill London Mixture of “old” 1970's - 1980's . The volume of smoke from each puff is phenomenal, and the palate is intense and broad indeed. The flavors are in perfect cooperation at this point, a superlative effect. The complexity has faded a bit, joined slowly into one. An absolutely amazing finish, cool and dry with a muted, and melded complexity! One has the impression that IF tobacco could taste as velvet feels this would be the velvet in a truly royal gown.

Supplemental Notes: Now sadly that Dunhill have moved on to “bigger and better things” like menswear (insert maniacal laughter here) Greg has taken up where they left off (years ago) and re-produced as closely as humanly possible a true Classic mixture. Absolutely an astonishing effort Greg! ***** FIVE (count them) HUGE stars

 

[LL]

It seems everybody was moved to write about this blend. :lol:

Here's a review I did for the old Knox board not long after Greg released it. Seems like the right moment for a reprint.

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From an article in Karl Kruszeinicki's, Great Moments in Science:

Traditionally, we humans have five senses - they're smell, hearing, vision, touch and taste. But only two of these senses are based on chemicals - smell and taste. Smell and taste let us sample the chemicals around us for information. But smell is different from all the other senses in a very special way. A smell from your distant past can unleash a flood of memories that are so intense and striking that they seem real - and we're getting close to understanding why.

This kind of memory, where an unexpected re-encounter with a scent from the distant past brings back a rush of memories, is called a "Proustian Memory". It's named after Marcel Proust, one of the greatest novelists of the 20th century. He describes this phenomenon in the opening chapter of his novel Swan's Way, the first novel in his mammoth seven-part work, Remembrance of Things Past.

Proustian? How about, "Tobaccoian?" This little tour-de-force of our limbic system deserves no less an honor, in my mind. Forget swans and keeping scientists entertained, it has been one of the pistons in the engine of pipe tobacco marketing for the last quarter century... smokers lamenting the passage of their Great House favorites, and small-batch blenders trying to replicate them. It has proved an impossible thing to do, however. Proof? Today, the prices paid for tins of tobacco that can trigger a Tobaccoian Memory are higher than ever, routinely ten to fifteen times that of an equivalent-sized tin of current manufacture.

The reason for the digression before even starting the review is because Greg Pease willingly set himself up to be measured by this ruler. He openly declared that his latest blend, Westminster, was intended from the outset to be something his customers had demanded he attempt since his earliest days: a Tobaccoian Memory inducer. A mixture whose ingredients and processes didn't matter, only the result. Something that when lit would transport them back to 1973, hanging out with friends in that long-gone favorite smokeshop. Or re-live the best moments of that road trip in 1966 when the question was asked, "Will you marry me?" and she answered, "Yes... of course!" and cried.

If you've ever wondered why some people are willing to pay so much for an old can of pipe tobacco, that's why. Memories.

The blend that Greg chose for his project was the original, Dunhill-blended London Mixture. Both because it was one of the most popular blends of its day, and so would be welcomed by a large number of today's smokers if successfully replicated; and because he loved it himself. He's not known as the "Dark Lord" for nothing. Full English blends are part of his DNA.

So. Did he do it? Was he successful? More on that later. First, a tour of the tobacco itself.

The tin aroma of full and medium-full English blends usually falls into one of three groups. The fruity/fermented undertone; the burnt/toasty undertone; and those with a dry-ish, "sour and musty in a good way" scent. Westminster falls into the last group. Unloaded into a quart canning jar and fluffed a bit so it could breathe, I enjoyed simply smelling it as one does a snifter of brandy or glass of fine wine. Even though there's little correspondence between tin aroma and flavor when burning for any tobacco, that never stopped me from enjoying it for its own sake when it's pleasant. For me it is a component of the complete smoking experience.

Westminster's moisture level is on the high side, especially for a Pease blend, but that's easily remedied and certainly preferable to the opposite. If I were Greg I'd be mildly concerned that a smoker who was new to pipes might fill his bowl without letting it dry a bit, though. Steam-induced tongue bite, taste dilution, and overly frequent re-lights might then be blamed on the tobacco itself, instead of its readiness for smoking. (UPDATE: This is no longer an issue. Greg informed me that the moisture level of the initial production batch was indeed too high, and adjusted it immediately.)

The first pipe I chose for this review was a fully broken in, large and tall bowled Dunhill XL billiard that is used only for English blends. The filling method was a combined Frank/Ehwa one, where pressure is always applied at near right angles to the tobacco chamber, and the tangle of palm-held tobacco "worked" in from the sides, as opposed to pushed straight down.

The charring light was easy, and the weed was off to a steady smolder with three matches and two tamps. My first thought was, "Oh my!" Think Old Ironsides depth of flavor at 60-70% strength, with the remainder of the spectrum occupied by layers of exotic flavors and dark Virginia richness. It was also much "rounder and softer" than such flavor intensity would imply. Other reviewers have called Westminster a medium English, but my 30 year-long love affair with the style said Full.

As is the way of pipes, once full operating temperature was reached the flavor rounded still more, and then stayed steady. Cruising altitude. I had no problems keeping it lit even in the large bowl, and as the tobacco level dropped to below half, kept waiting for, but never experienced "turning the sour edge corner" that is usually part of the English world. With a good tobacco, it is never strong enough to be objectionable, just interesting; and with the best tobaccos it is barely noticeable. Westminster didn't do it at all, however, reason unknown. The flavor remained sweet (in its English way) to the end of the bowl, though naturally it got stronger near the bottom. All ash was fine powder, and there were no clinging bits to the bowl walls. It was a very "clean" smoke. The entire process was repeated in another Dunhill two hours later, a group 5 half bent this time, and nothing changed. Another wonderful smoke.

So. The $64,000 question. Did Westminster evoke the Golden Age of the great British blending houses, and induce the memory trick? The answer is YES, it did. Such a response cannot "lie," either. No amount of desire or will power can effect it. Everyone has many of these olfactory wonderlands buried away, whether the smell of your grandmother's perfume, or decaying weeds on a lake shore... and when triggered they have a mind of their own and take complete control. Off you go. For those who have smoked pipes long enough, the time machine awaits. For those who are younger and have no memories to trigger, you have something that's arguably better: Their initial creation.

Conclusion: This blend is Greg Pease's best English to date. He accepted the challenge of re-creating a beloved Golden Age flavor profile---Dunhill London Mixture circa 1960's/70's---and pulled it off. Smooth, round, huge flavor, full body, outstanding "flavor linger factor", no odd or "off" flavors, and the balanced combination of those things sufficient to trigger the memory trick. 10 out of 10. Naturally, the odds are that it will only improve with keeping, so what the smoking world will have then is maybe the best of the style that has ever been. This, in my opinion, is a remarkable achievement.

It would be foolish to recommend any full English to a new smoker or one who dislikes other examples of the style. The best Roquefort cheese is the world is still Roquefort cheese. But if you enjoy blends like Samuel Gawith's Commonwealth, Esoterica's Margate or Penzance, Butera's Latakia #1 or #2, or Pease's Odessey or Abingdon, you will like this one. I guarantee it. It is a masterpiece.

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Follow-up 2-13-07: I was so thrilled by this blend that I have (big surprise) smoked it heavily since writing the original review. Several dozen bowls in over a dozen pipes. And each light-up is the same: supposedly a man can tell when he's truly in love with his wife by his unconscious response in the first instant he sees her. She takes his breath away, anew, each time. Westminster is the tobacco equivalent. Not only does the memory trick happen, but you realize what caused such a "life memory" to become fixed in your brain in the first place... the flavors are simply amazing; and the depth, richness, and "roundness" of the delivery are unique among today's English offerings. In short, as astounded and delighted as I was upon first reviewing this tobacco, my opinion of it has only gone UP after extensive smoking. Not just world class, this mixture, I believe it sets a new world standard.

 

[kilted1]

Too much more of this and the Dark Lord's head will pop! :darklord:

:lol!:

Greg seriously, you know we love you!

 

[Trout Bum]

Thanks for all the great reviews on Westminster. I have been meaning to try it, now it sounds like a no brainer.

 

[ftrplt]

First...Great reviews to each of you!! My congratulations, well done!! That said, it's reading stuff like this that continues to get me in trouble!! FTRPLT

 

[gospelman]

I'm nowhere near the reviewer as are the fellers that have already penned such wondrous descriptive tributes to this fine blend, but I'll say it's one of the most flavorful, satisfying and alluring tobaccos ever to fill this man's pipe.

I was a big fan of London Mixture (sadly I never got to smoke the original incarnation) and if Mr. Pease has re-created this esteemed mixture, I say congratulations and thanks!

Mike

 

[kilted1]

This is a small 'supplement' review to my earlier review:

I popped a tin of late production Dunhill (Murrays 2006) London Mixture in honor of John Loring's passage.

I now have opportunity to do a direct comparison weed for weed. I have to say this, GLP Westminster is superior to London Mixture (late production) both in subtleties and in over-all balance of flavors. My earlier observations had been largely from memory. When I first began smoking Dunhill mixtures late 1970's early 1980's before the gradual fall in quality o the blends, London Mixture was a favorite of mine, being somewhat softer and leathery than later productions. Later productions lacked this velvet/leathery sensation, which I'm now reinforcing. It's still a fine mixture even this late in production, but a shadow of its former glory, which Greg has restored in Westminster.

If you are truly a fan of big flavored English blends, which are a little more refined, smooth and leathery, you really should try this mixture, it is astonishing.

 

[Kapnismologist]

Kilted - thanks for the very informative update. This confirms a whole lot!

 

[kilted1]

Thanks Kap,

I could never in 10,000,000 years ever top this descriptive phasing though:

The Smokage
I can describe Westminster's smoke in one word: voluptuous. If this smoke were a woman, I'd have to change my pants.

 

[Kapnismologist]

Thanks Kap,

I could never in 10,000,000 years ever top this descriptive phasing though:

The Smokage
I can describe Westminster's smoke in one word: voluptuous. If this smoke were a woman, I'd have to change my pants.

That is one for the ages.

 

[happypipester]

I just tried Westminster for the first time a few days ago... this stuff is GREAT!!! I've been trying to find some good English mixtures I could smoke all day, and man if this didn't hit the nail right on the head.

I'm planning to stock up on the baccies I like just in case the FDA (dirty SOB's! :x ) decides to attack our beloved hobby, and this will no doubt be one of the blends I stock up on first.