And the Winner Is…

14th April, 2010: Posted by glpease in Product News

It’s been a couple weeks since the “Not Contest” was run. I was a bit surprised by the enthusiasm and participation, and there were lots of great suggestions, but in the end, there can be only one winner, and it’s time to announce it. But, not quite yet.

It’s taken a while to get through all the entries. I really liked a lot of the suggestions. Some really put some thought into this, and came up with some wonderful and creative ideas. Some, I admit, I was less enthusiastic over. The real trick here is that the name not only must fit the blend, but it also has to flow with the narrative description that I presented, and that will be printed on the back of the label. This is a bit more difficult than pulling a great name out of a hat, or looking at a map of London and choosing something that sounds romantic. Whitechapel, for instance, has a lovely ring, but let’s not forget what happened there, or what the district is historically know for! And, there are parts of London that even I wouldn’t choose to wander after dark!

But, after a lot of deliberation, a name had to be chosen, and that name is…

Right. Quiet Nights!

Really, it does express this tobacco well, at least to me. And I’ve smoked it. A lot of it. It’s not saying that this is a blend meant only to be smoked at night, but that in the moments of reverie that a great smoke can provide, it takes me there, to quiet nights of contemplation. I’ve always found those late hours to be special. In a way, it’s when I come most alive, when I’m most creative, when I can be alone with my deeper thoughts. And, it’s a time when I’m not transported anywhere in particular - not out and about in even the most prestigious of Old London boroughs, or wandering through the parks. Of course, this is just me and my reaction to the blend. Others will have their own experiences, or will just enjoy the smoke. Vive la difference!

The hardest part, was thinking about each entry, and understanding why some of those that I was not considering weren’t right to me. That’s what took the most time, and I could likely spend hours writing about each one, boring you to tears with the machinations of the process. I won’t do that. I’m probably already boring most of you, but here are some general thoughts.

Some of the suggestions were too similar to blends that are already in existence, or would be to difficult to remember, or hard for some to pronounce, or too long to fit comfortably on the tiny little parcel of real estate on the front of a 2oz tin. You get the idea.

There were ideas that were really good, but didn’t jibe with my own experiences as an ex-resident of London.

There were some really great suggestions that may find their way to future blends, so the chance for immortalization on the label of a tobacco tin is still in the offing! And, there are still going to be prizes. Yes! Prizes! More than one! It seems only fair, since I ended up using the original name.

I decided to make it five, in fact, rather than the original one, and choosing these five was very difficult. Here they are, in no particular order:

  • Frenchy - for Night Whispers, which almost made it. I really like the name, but not for this particular blend.
  • Jon Burton - for his unbridled enthusiasm.
  • Neill - I really loved his suggestions of Hyde Park and Lambeth Bells.
  • Matt Miller - Temple Inn and Waterloo Sunset both struck a chord with me, the latter, possibly, because I’m an old Kinks fan.
  • Jimbo - Mayfair Evening is wonderful, and may find its way to another blend. And, thanks for remembering the original rules.

So, winners, expect an email from me. I’ll need your addresses so I can get the prizes off once the blend is released. To everyone else who played along, I hope it was as much fun for you as it was for me.

15 Responses

  1. Jimbo Says:
    April 14th, 2010 at 12:03

    Thanks Greg, Good call though with Quiet Nights.

  2. Frank Tehan Says:
    April 14th, 2010 at 14:06

    The tobacco knew its name, and you listened.

  3. Shad Says:
    April 14th, 2010 at 16:29

    Cool beans. I liked Quiet Nights from the get go. Not every blend needs to be named after a place or sound uber slick.

  4. John Herring Says:
    April 14th, 2010 at 18:10

    I just can’t wait to get my hands on it. Quiet nights is just fine!!!!!!!
    Hope the cash registers make lots of NOISE.

  5. Bruce Says:
    April 14th, 2010 at 19:11

    Quiet Nights was best all along. I have a hunch I’m going to like this blend quite a bit. Congratulations on the new blend.

  6. G.L. Pease Pipe Tobacco: Interview with Greg Pease of G.L. Pease Tobacco - Part 1 | With Pipe and Pen Says:
    April 15th, 2010 at 11:02

    […] [Editor’s Note: During the production of this article, the name of the new blend has been chosen. It is “Quite Nights”. You can read more about it on Greg’s website here: And The Winner is…] […]

  7. Marcin Says:
    April 15th, 2010 at 11:32

    That’s cool! Congratulations to the WINNERS :)
    Great “not contest” Greg.

    Marcin

  8. Deirdre Says:
    April 15th, 2010 at 15:37

    Glad you followed your instincts, Greg. Can’t wait to sample it!

  9. Anghirrim Says:
    April 16th, 2010 at 3:02

    Hi Greg,

    I know Frenchy and he currently is in Japan with no access to e-mails.

    I will make sure he will send you his mail address later.

    By the way, that’s a good final name, looking forward to smoke it!

    Regards,

  10. K. A. Adams Says:
    April 17th, 2010 at 12:47

    Congratulations to the Not Winners !

  11. Rob Bullington Says:
    April 17th, 2010 at 20:33

    Good choice, Mr. Pease!

  12. don1688 Says:
    April 19th, 2010 at 17:11

    Congrats to the “winners”!

  13. Allen Says:
    April 20th, 2010 at 22:00

    :) that’s why it wasn’t a contest!!! LOL ;)

    It’s been a great couple posts here, Greg! Thanks for giving us a chance at a difficult task! I agree, the 5 picked were excellent!

    Cheers!!

  14. Tom Servo Says:
    April 27th, 2010 at 22:16

    Wish I would have seen this earlier. “Soho by Gaslight” maybe - but whatever. I can’t wait to try it on a “Quiet Night” soon.

  15. David O'Flaherty Says:
    April 28th, 2010 at 16:35

    Thanks for letting us play along, it WAS fun. I look forward to picking up a few tins of Quiet Nights.

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