What Is Penzance?

Brothers of Briar

Help Support Brothers of Briar:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
jvillaveces

jvillaveces

Active member
B of B Supporter
Joined
May 9, 2010
Messages
34
Reaction score
0
After reading all sorts of glowing, ecstatic reviews, I bought a tin of Esoterica Penzance a couple of years ago. I liked it a lot, so I wanted to replace it, but found it was out of stock. Eventually cupojoes.com had some back in stock, so I purchased 5 tins about ayear ago. I just opened one of them, my second overall, and I'm really intrigued. It is really delicious, but not quite like anything else I have ever smoked. You can clearly taste the sweetness of Virginias in it, but I can't tell about the other components - is that latakia? Orientals? Perique? It will never be my main smoke, but it seems like something I do want to keep in my rotation. Penzance is out of stock again, and has been for several months. I don't know if or when it will be available again, but if I find it, I will definitely stock up.

Does anyone know what the explanation is for the spotty production? Or is it a distribution issue like Dunhill? The stuff seems to have a cult-like following, so I would have assumed that demand is enough to justify a steady supply!

Cheers!

Juan M. Villaveces
 
Juan, over in another topic (about a different Esoterica tobacco), one of the Brothers asked Germain's about the shortage: there's an oriental tobacco in Penzance that's been in short suply.
 
Thank you Doc for the reference to the other thread! I just got off the phone with cupojoes.com, where Penzance isn't even listed any more. The rep I spoke with told me they have so many back orders that they expect their next shipment won't be enough to cover those. She wouldn't take my back order, either. I had to console myself with some Cumberland and Westminster, as well as trial cans of Chelsea Morning and Quiet Nights!

I thought it appropriate to puff on some Penzance while I made that call, and I still am as I try to type this. It really is good stuff, and I keep wondering, what is in it? The Cyprian weed in such short supply surely can't be Latakia, for you can just barely suspect its presence on and off, plus plenaty other blends with Cyprian lat are readily available. Anyone know what varieties are in Penzance? Would you classify it as English, or as something else?

Happy puffing!

Juan M. Villaveces
 
It's an English for sure (although I wouldn't be surprised if if had a mild topping), possibly heading for Balkan due to the orientals, but there is nothing quite like it. Other tobaccos that I find I enjoy in that heavy smooth vein are Commonwealth from Gawith, though that lacks the oriental component, Cooper from Low Country (smokingpipes.com), Pelican from Butera (way under-rated), and you might try one of the big Peases.... Abingdon or Odyssey.

Krumble Kake (can't remember who sells it) is similar too.
 
Sasquatch":33i9v5f4 said:
...you might try one of the big Peases.... Abingdon or Odyssey....
Click to expand...
After my first taste of Odyssey, my first thought was... no need of Penzance ;)
 
Thanks for all the tips! Odyssey is already in my cellar, so I'll crack one open when I finish this tin of Penzance. It will have to be just that side of fantastic, though, to live up to the hype that surrounds it. AFAI Krumble Kake has become unobtainium, same as Penzance. The others will definitely be on my next tobacco shipment...

Juan M. Villaveces
 
Krumble Cake and Penzance are the same tobacco, sold under different names.

:face:
 
Top