|
|
| 19 December, 2006 |
I've just got off the phone with the printer, and we've worked out, I think, the
final issues with the label. I really screwed up this one. That'll teach me to
work on design whilst dealing with colds and/or flus. Sadly, it's too late to get it
ready for Christmas deliver, but it will be a perfect way to ring in, or wring in, the
new year! I've written a lot about this new blend, so I'll just share the label text
here.
“The very essence of the traditional English mixture; rich, elegant, refined, and exquisitely balanced. New World red virginias are enhanced with a gentle caress of bright leaf, then lavishly seasoned with rich oriental tobaccos and generous measures of noble Cyprus mountain Latakia. A satisfying blend, presenting layers of flavor to delight the senses as it develops in the bowl. The perfect every-day English.”
If that sounds good to you, don't hesitate to give it a try. I'm very pleased with
the results of this one, and think it's been well worth the year of development, and hope
some of you think it was worth the wait.
Thank you to all who have ordered
calendars. Sales have not been exactly what I'd call
“brisk,” but quite a few people now have them, and the feedback I've gotten
has been wonderful. Lulu Press are doing a great job on the printing, and the presentation
is really quite impressive. It's too late to get them for Christmas, but orders placed
soon may still reach you before 1st January. I will keep them available for a while, but
will probably retire this year's before February, so if you've been thinking about buying
one, you've still got some time. I'm already working on 2008's, and will make sure it's
available earlier this time.
|
| 26 November, 2006 |
I've received many wonderful comments, and several people have bought
one of the calendars. Thank you! I've been asked if a somewhat less expensive version
could be made available, so, again, through Lulu Press, a smaller format can now
be purchased. More details can be read on the preview page (click).
Additionally, I've made prints of the individual images available through
ImageKind, so if you just want one or two
of the photographs for your wall, you can get them. They're offered in several sizes,
on a variety of papers, and mounting, matting and framing is available at the click
of a button.
|
| 26 November, 2006 |
The calendar is now available for purchase. For more
details, check the preview page.
I'm very excited about this project! The portfolio form which the images
were drawn is a work in progress, and I will continue to produce
the calendars each year for as long as the portfoilo grows. Thanks to all for your
encouragement and support!
|
| 23 November, 2006 |
Happy Thanksgiving! I have so much to be grateful for, not least of which is
the wonderful support over the past 8 years from those who buy and enjoy my blends,
and the continued encouragement to keep going. Doing what I do is really a labor of love;
I'll never get wealthy from this business, but the riches I've gained from having
the opportunity to share my “work” with so many of you, from the kindness
you've shown, and from the
friendships that have developed over this time make be feel like the wealthiest
guy around.
Many of you have written about the photographs in the portfolio,
In Celebration of Briar,
asking if they were going to be available in any other form than on-screen. A few have
purchased limited edition prints, but I've wanted to make them more generally
available at an attractive price. So, at the encouragement of a few friends
(and the “get your
ass in gear” whack on the head from one special one), I'm putting
the finishing touches on the pre-production work for a 2007 calendar titled,
you guessed it, In Celebration of Briar. (See a
preview. I'll announce its availability when
everything is buttoned down, so keep an eye out.
I've fallen a little behind on getting Westminster out. The label is almost
ready for press, but I've been slow in finishing it up, and the pre-production
work for the calendar has taken a lot more time than I expected. I'll get back on
the labels, and finish them up in a couple days.
That's all for now! Hope you're all having a great Thanksgiving with friends and
family. I've got to go open a bottle of
Beaujolais Nuveau, something I look forward to every year at this time,
put the turkey in the oven, and get ready for company...
|
| 28 October, 2006 |
For a long time, I've wanted to find the right Peterson to add to my collection. I've
got a couple, but the one that has been most elusive has now found its way to me - a
sandblasted bent bulldog with a silver spigot mount. As an added bonus, this one sports
a brindle stem with a standard bit, rather than the more common “P-lip.”
When it arrived, I noted a slight hint of aromatic residue. Unlike some, I'm really not
a fan of mixing any kind of sweet aromatic with Latakia blends, but I've found that the
influence of those ghosts can be more harmonious with Virginias, so I chose Laurel Heights
for the pipe's first test flight. I'm glad I did! The combination has turned out to be magical.
Though a fairly recent example, this pipe exhibits some of the smoking characteristics
I've experienced in the old pre-republic examples I've tried. It presents a rich, deep
smoke, loaded with flavor and effortless to smoke. The combination was fortuitous, and
outstanding, and after a few bowls, the haunting has all but ceased, and I'm getting
some pure flavor and aroma. I can, at this point, see no reason to smoke any other tobacco in this
wonderful pipe! My thanks to whomever offered this one up, and to Mike Glukler at
Briar Blues for his assistance in getting it
into my hands.
I've received some wonderful email comment on Laurel Heights, and my thanks to those
who have taken the time to explore it, and the time to send their kind comments. A
few have said they don't really “get it,” but the vast majority of the email
has been from people who have fallen for its charms. I'm always grateful for feedback,
but the overwhelmingly positive response to a blend puts a smile on my face.
There are a couple very exciting projects in the wings, but I'm not quite ready to say
anything more about them, as there may be some issues that could prevent their
fruition. Suffice to say I'm seriously excited, and will share news as I can. (How's THAT
for a teaser?)
Several people have asked me about Westminster, and I keep finding myself saying the same thing:
It's coming. The release of new blends has been on-hold while we get caught up with
other production, but I don't think it'll be TOO much longer before this one hits the shelves.
I've wrestled with where it really fits in the product line. When I conceived the Classic Collection,
I had a certain idea in mind for the full series, and released all six
of the blends fairly quickly. There was nothing more I wanted to add to it, though
Westminster in some was does fit there, so I'm rethinking that. I'm also considering
reviving the Heirloom Series, which was developed to contain Bohemian Scandal, and some
other blends that would utilize the vintage Syrian leaf that was prematurely lost. In
some ways, Westminster, though not containing Syrian leaf, would fit there nicely. I know
that most people really don't care a whit about these things, and just want their
tobacco, but these are the sorts of
minutiae that sometimes keep me awake at night. (I'm typing this at 2:30...) I'm a stickler
for ALL the details, not just the blends. Maybe it's some manifestation of OCD. (I tend
to count things unconsciously and uncontrollably, too.)
Additionally, I'm putting some final touches on one, or possibly two additions to the Fog
City range that have been planned from the beginning, but are finally starting to take
shape. They are, like all the Fog City blends, dominated by Virginia tobaccos, but are
different from anything else in the line. I'll share more within the next few weeks
as they get closer to their final form. Additionally,
I've got one additional blend planned for this series, at which point it may be complete.
|
| 16 October, 2006 |
One pipe shape I've always liked is the little-appreciated, almost unknown “belge.”
When I was just getting started in the hobby, a few old-timers would talk about the shape, and I'd
see the occasional example. A couple even found their way into my collection.
What is a “belge,” you ask? I could try to describe it, but Corneel Vermeulen has
done such a wonderful job, my feeble attempts would pale. Read his interesting
article, and learn a bit about
this wonderful, traditional pipe shape. Perhaps it will make a comeback! There's one small
error regarding the pipe that inspired my own interpretation, more of a
“Short Belge,”
as produced by Larry Roush, but
as soon as I find it, I'll send Corneel a photograph to clear up this tiny misunderstanding.
That said, the pipe he thought MIGHT be similar to the one I have is a stunning piece in its
own right, though I believe mine may be a little truer to the form.
But, what about Westminster? Some prototype tins were released at the CORPS show this year,
and the reports have been positive. I'm still working on sime final details, and will be
getting the label art together for its release, now that the Fillmore situation is almost
under control... It's about time; Latakia season is upon us!
|
| 27 September, 2006 |
Wow. The news is
Fillmore!
This blend has apparently found favor with
quite a number of you VA/perique lovers, and the demand has taken us a bit by surprise,
resulting in a temporary shortage in the supply line. It takes time to produce this one.
It must be blended and conditioned, pressed and held, and finally cut and tinned. Each stage
of the production is exacting, and can not be rushed. We're on top of it, I promise, and
it will be returning to
the retailers' shelves as quickly as we can get it to them. (I guess this is another
good reason to stock up early!)
As always, my deepest thanks for your continued support, both through purchasing
the blends, and through the kind words and notes I receive almost daily. I love my job,
and after eight years, it looks like we just might make it!
|
| 18 September, 2006 |
What are people doing with all that special NASPC tobacco they bought
at the show? It's been almost a month, with nothing but the sound of crickets! I can imagine
some of it being kept around as a souvenir of the show (an empty tin would work as well, you know?),
or sitting on the speculators'
shelves, waiting for just the right moment to drop them on ebay for a killing profit, but,
SOMEONE must have tried the stuff! I went through a tin of each already - they're both super, but
I already said that. I'll have to brew some more up for myself... Still, I'd sure love to hear
how others are enjoying the stuff.
Like many of us, I have, in addition to a pipe collection, something of a tamper collection, as well. The ubiquetous Czech pipe tools are around in abundance, as well as some more elegant and elaborate pieces. Some get used a lot, some infrequently, and others are like museum pieces, and are there just to look at.
Recently, I picked up a couple of new pieces from Papa Duke. At the time I got mine, he had no website,
and was only selling pieces on ebay. That's changed, now, and while he's putting some on ebay,
his new page is live, and well worth a look. He's using deer and elk
antler sheds from a supplier in Montanna. They're beautiful, functional, and won't break the bank.
I have three, now. Someone, quick, buy “The Spike” before I add a fourth...
|
| 21 August, 2006 |
I've been enjoying my sample tins of the two blends I did this
year for the annual NASPC show,
Isengard and Shelob's Lair.
While last year, John Tolle
president of the NASPC, and I decided
to do a Virginia blend, “Wizard's Leaf White,” and a Latakia blend,
“Wizard's Leaf Black,” this year, we chose to do two styles of Latakia mixture instead.
Shelob's Lair is a rich Balkan style blend with
lots of wonderful oriental tobaccos, and a healthy percentage of Latakia, with enough
Virginia leaf to provide a solid structure. It's got a nice, somewhat subdued, natural sweetness,
and a wonderful richness that carries on throughout the smoke.
Isengard is dark, deep and mysterious in the tin, but beautifully mellow in the bowl. It's
the sweeter of the two, with the Virginias taking the more prominent role, just behind the
generous amounts of Latakia. This would be, to my mind, more of an English Mixture. It's
somewhat reminiscent of my old Raven's Wing blend. It's got wonderful big flavor, and
a delightful room aroma, at least to those of us who love Latakia.
For those of you who are fortunate enough to be going to the show - sadly, I won't
be there - stop by and pick up a couple tins of each - one to enjoy now, and another to lay down for a
few years. They're smoking great now, as they've been in the tins for a while, but will
continue to evolve, developing into something really exceptional over the next five to
eight years.
|
| 18 August, 2006 |
Today, I bring to your attention some “Links of Note.”
First is
Judson Mitchell's wonderful
Pipe Search
site. The site is young, but already has some great features, and I predict that it
will grow to become an important resource for all lovers of the briar and leaf.
Next up, on their home page, Uptown's has a wonderful
short video
of the late, great Bo Nordh that is well worth watching, whether or not you're an
aficionado of Bo's work. The video gives some insight into the art and mind of one of the
masters of the high-grade pipe. See Bo play table-piano, air-trumpet, and pull one of his legendary
“slabs-o-meat” from the grill. I'm told, too, that Uptown's will soon be redesigning
their site, so watch for it.
Finally, Corneel Vermeulen's new
Pipe Lore site is live. It's a blog style page
that hopes to one day bring together in one place much of the scattered information
on pipes and tobaccos that
is scattered all over the net. It's a tall order. I'm not sure the blog format
is idea for this
sort of project, but it's a great start, and well worth bookmarking or adding to your
personal feed-readers. I'm sure this one will evolve into something important. Check it out.
|
| 15 August, 2006 |
This is a brief one. I've put up a selection of stunning Teddy Knudsen
pipes for my good friend Steve Richman of The Piedmont Tobacconist. If you like Teddy's
pipes, these are really worth a look.
|
| 31 July, 2006 |
Well, here it is, Monday, the first day of the week, and the last
day of July. Every year, it seems like the interval that disappears too quickly becomes
larger. I recall wondering where the hours went, then the days, weeks, months, and now
years. With so much going on in the world, and our interests expanding to fill our waking
hours, we really need to figure out a way to slow time down a little...
I've enlisted the help of my buddy Mike Glukler, of Briar Blues fame, to offer some
of my pipe photographs via ebay. This is a series of limited edition prints as showcased
in the “Parting Shots” page of the past two issues of Pipes & Tobacco magazine.
They are signed, numbered and dated, and mounted and matted using the finest conservation
grade materials, and are ready for framing. If you want something to adorn your pipe cave,
check them out. I've
presented the current portfolio to a couple of the galleries that have represented my
work in the past, and the response has been predictable. “Pipes? That's like, uh,
tobacco, right? We can't show THAT. They're really beautiful, though. Why don't you make
a book?” Yeah. A book. Well, maybe... I'll get a show of these up, I'm sure, but
in the meanwhile, you can “Bid early and often” to get your own. (These would
sell in the galleries for at least $125, with the price increasing as the edition sells
out.)
The images are also available as postage stamps, believe it or not, available
from a Zazzle Gallery that I set up specifically
for this. They're a bit spendy, but they're large, they look great,
and it's a fun way to show support
for our hobby. And, yes, I get a percentage of the sale. If enough
people buy sheets of stamps,
I'll be able to buy a couple gallons of petrol with the enormous profits...
Mike's also got some really nice pipe on his
Briar Blues site, so take a look. If you
don't know Mike, he's a great guy to do business with.
Additionally, old friend Marty Pulvers (I say that because Marty and I have
been friends since I had long hair, and he had some,
not because he's old) has launched a new site,
Pulver's Briar,
and he's got some great stuff there, with promises of more to come.
I have a vague idea of how many amazing pipes Marty has in shopping
bags in his garage - I suspect Marty's notion is only slightly less
vague, and I can say this with some authority: This site's going to be
HUGE! HUGE, I say!
Fillmore is being well received. I've gotten some wonderful email about it, which
is always appreciated. Whenever I release something new, there's always a period
of nervousness, during which I bite fingernails and pace floors, hoping the new efforts
will play to an appreciative audience and not become the Edsel of the tobacco world. I'm
really pleased by what people have said about Fillmore, so I can stop worrying a little.
Buy a few - some to smoke now, some to enjoy in years to come. If you've not read my blog,
check out this entry on
“cellaring” tobaccos.
|
| 12 July, 2006 |
It is with great sorrow that I
report the passing of Bo Nordh early this morning. Bo was
considered by many to be the greatest living pipe
maker, but he was so much more. Bo was a quiet man, a little
shy, but get him talking about jazz and blues, and he'd
talk for hours; his knowledge was encyclopedic. He was
also a great cook, a lover of wines, and a delightful
and gracious host. He will be truly missed by all who knew
him. Tonight, I light a candle in his name, and for those
who will remember him. May he rest in peace.
|
| 11 July, 2006 |
If you've read the latest entry in the
Chronicles, you'll have gotten the hint
that I hinted at in the last news item about a new blend. I don't have a release
date scheduled, yet, but it's likely to be in the early fall.
On other fronts, as if RSS wasn't enough of a leap into the modern world,
I've set up a BLOG page at Wordpress.
For the two remaining people who don't know what a BLOG is (I was the third until a while ago),
it's a weB LOG, or sort of an on-line journal that allows some degree of interaction.
I'll put things out there that are specific to pipes and tobaccos, as well
as stuff that's of more general interest, at least to me. It will neither replace this page,
nor the Chronicles, which will continue to be updated with longer articles. Instead, it'll
be a place where random musings will be presented in a somewhat raw, and hopefully
timely fashion. You can also subscribe
to it via an RSS feed if you like. (There's that damned acronym again.) Joe Bob sez,
“Check it out,” so, I guess you'd better do it.
|
| 24 June, 2006 |
Fillmore, the latest in the
Fog City Selection, is now winging
its way to the shelves of your favorite tobacconist's. I suspect the first couple
months we'll be doing a lot of scrambling to keep the supply lines full - depending
on how well we predicted the intial demand, but we'll do our best to keep caught
up. I've got a couple new things in the works, too. Hints will follow.
|
| 9 June, 2006 |
As I type this, I'm puffing on the first of the production
tins of Fillmore, my newest entry in the
Fog City Selection, and I've
got to say that I'm right chuffed about it. I loved the pre-production prototype,
but made some small changes that have brought everything together into a
fantastic, cohesive whole. It's a
thick-cut broken flake of red virginia tobaccos and perique. Behing held in the
preses longer has brought out more of the wonderful fruity notes, and enhanced
the richness of the blend. Even right out of the presses, it's delicious; I can't
wait to see what a month or six in the tins will do for it! As I mention in the
description, there's an elegant sweetness, a developing richness, and a lot of
depth. A “stewed fruit” taste comes through in the background, while the
virginias and the perique remain forward. If you like blends
like Escudo, this one is a must try. I couldn't be more thrilled with it!
Now, all that we're waiting for is the labels to come back from the printer,
and we'll start shipping, hopefully by the end of the month.
Yeah, baby! I am right chuffed!
|
| 26 May, 2006 |
Well, Chicago has come and gone. What a show! I actually
ended up at my own table, surrounded by some amazing neighbors, including Per Billhäll,
Pia Eltang (and Tom, when he wasn't off snooping at other tables), Poul Ilsted, Manduela,
Gigi - the list goes on! So, what was that little surprise tobacco I was showing off?
Fillmore - a red virginia/perique blend, presented as a broken flake. We had some tins
available, as well as samples, and the response was very positive. We're working out some
final production details, but expect to be able to release the blend in late June, if
everything continuies to goes well. I'll have a more complete description up on the Fog City page
soon, and will keep my intrepid readers posted here.
I'm in the “Thinning the Herd” mode again, and will be adding some
pieces to the
Pipes for Sale page over the coming days or weeks.
There are four pieces there now, and I'll put more up after the weekend. As I focus
my collecting tendencies a little, some things just need to go to make room for others.
|
| 2 May, 2006 |
The wonderful Chicagoland pipe show is just a couple days away,
and I'm hardly able to contain my excitement. After missing last year's, I'm looking
forward even more to it. As usual, I'll be set up next to Cornell & Diehl with tobaccos
to sample, and something special this time; I'll have a dozen new pipes from Sweden's
Love Geiger. This is a fascinating selection, and I'm pleased to be able to make them
available. Love has been gaining quite a reputation in Europe, but this is the first time
his pipes will be represented in the US, and what better place to do it than Chicago?
You can see a preview of these pieces
here.
I'm not offering any new blends this time, but will have some prototype samples of
some things I've been working on, in addition to the full range of blends available for
sampling and for purchase at a special show discount. So, if you're coming to the show, please
stop by, say hello, check out the pipes, have a chat and enjoy a bowl or two.
|
| 19 April, 2006 |
Okay, so it's been a while. I often have so many balls in the air
that I forget to write anything about what's going on anywhere but in my lab notebook.
The Los Angeles show was a blast, and I am greatly honored by their presentation to me of
the “Outstanding Tobacco Blender” plaque. Dear friend Al Grosskopf was
given the award for “Outstanding Collector”, and the talented Jody Davis, sadly absent
from the show, was awarded the “Outstanding Pipemaker” plaque. The show seemed
smaller this year, but was no less enjoyable. I always like the Los Angeles show, and
it provides a good warm up for the extraveganza that is Chicagoland, which is only two
weeks away. I can hardly wait!
Now, what about that juggling? I'm presently working on several blends, some of which
will see production within the next few months. Of course, the next
Fog City blend has been consuming much of my attention, and is in the “fine
tuning” stage at this point. I plan on unveiling
prototype samples in Chicago, and am pretty chuffed about it, but for now, I'm
enjoying leaving everyone in suspense. There are a couple of details to be
worked out, but I am confident that the results will be quite exciting. No hints!
A while ago, I began working on a couple of classically styled English mixtures
that are starting to close in on what I'm after.
If it seems that I spend a long time developing new blends, it's true. Selecting the
right leaf, finding just the right balance, working out the processes that finally
result in a finished product and evaluating the prototypes all take time. It's quite
easy to throw some tobaccos together
and make something that is smokable, but I always have a spcific idea in mind while
I'm working, and until I reach the target, I keep working, changing, tuning, reaching for
balance, complexity, and just the right smoking experience. I also keep aging in
mind, striving to make blends that not only smoke well when young, but blends that will
age gracefully into
something wonderful, more elegant, more sophisticated. (My recent popping
of a six year old tin of Samarra was a
great experience, and I'm delighted to say that the blend
really hit the mark for aging potential!
The tin aroma was magnificent, and the smoke was sublime.)
So, while the development of each new blend is certainly informed
by the experience gained in creating those that have come before it, the
process of creation continues to always bring something
new and exciting to the table, and will always take time.
I love my job!
|
| 23 March, 2006 |
Finally, there's something new in the
Chronicles, albeit it's just some
chatting about Laurel Heights. The new blend has only just gotten out the door,
and the questions are already rolling in. I figured I'd answer the most
frequently asked one there. Anyway, it's
shipping, and has already reached a couple of the retailers. I'm still
very excited about this one, and hope you will be too.
|
| 2 March, 2006 |
What's new, pussycat? After many months of development, I'm happy
to announce that Laurel Heights, the newest blend in the
Fog City Selection
is nearing release. The labels have gone to the printer, and the recipe is finalized.
This one is a red Virginia blend, containing a large percentage of some fabulous
leaf from a 1998 crop that is extraordinary. As usual, I've been smoking a lot of it
for the past month or so, and have shared some tastes with friends. The response
to the blend has been excellent; I'm really excited about this one. This is a REAL
red Virginia for red Virginia lovers. Stylistically, it has reminded some of the way the
traditional English ribbons used to be, before their production was either halted
completely, or moved elsewhere. Laurel Heights will begin finding its way to the
retailers' shelves in a couple weeks. There are a couple other exciting
new blends in the pipeline, as well, so stay tuned!
|
| 2 February, 2006 |
There's a lot of news, and it will be forthcoming. Work progresses
on some new blends, and I'll talk about details and release dates soon. For now, I just
wanted to point you to the first of what will be a series of postage stamps with some of my
black and white pipe photos on them. They cost more than the postage, but I'm excited to
be able to offer them. Show those you corresponde with that you're a pipe smoker! The first
one depicts Will Purdy's lovely Alchemist pipe. Future stamps will also have some pro-pipe
text on them, but anything pro-tobacco or pro-smoking, or interpretable as such, will be
rejected by the powers that be.
So, if you'd like to have a look, and maybe order some for your correspondence,
check out
Pipe Stamps. They can be ordered in different demoninations, and are quite a bit larger than ordinary stamps, so they'll really make a statement. A statement of what, exactly, I don't know, but a statement, nonetheless.
|
| 5 January, 2006 |
It recently came to my attention that there are still a few out there
who aren't aware
of the wonderful resource for opinions and information presented in
tobaccoreviews.com. Here,
thousands of tobaccos from hundreds of manufacturers are listed along with the
comments of many who have tried them. Of course, being a democratic site, the
commentary runs a full spectrum from profound to silly, from the knowledgable
reports of those who really take some time with their blends and their words, to
simple “I like it” comments. There are even the occasional attacks
on a blend that almost seem more like an ad hominem diatribe against the producer
than on the tobacco itself. Still, there's a lot of good stuff there, and if you're
looking foor other impressions on a tobacco, it's a good place to start. It can
be especially useful if you find a reviewer or three whose tastes seem to parallel
your own, and read what they have to say about tobaccos you're considering trying.
My own range has been reviewed rather extensively, and you can get to the list
of blends directly
here.
It bears repeating, though, that reviews are just opinions, and that your own
personal likes and dislikes should be the final arbiter of what you put in your pipe.
This is really about the pleasure and enjoyment of pipe smoking, after all! Still
I know I'm not alone in my tendency to be an “information junkie,”
so if you're of a mind, and haven't checked it out, take a look. It can be quite
interesting!
|
| 3 January, 2006 |
Happy 2006! May it bring you all peace, happines, and
many pleasant pipe dreams, filled, of course, with your favourite, fragrant
tobaccos.
It's hard to believe that we are embarking on the seventh year of
G. L. Pease. Over that time, we've seen a lot of things come, and a few go.
As always, it's a constant adventure. For 2006, there are some big plans.
I guess it's safe to say that 2005 was the year for the
Fog City Selection. This year, a couple new blends
will be added to that range, and there will be some other exciting blends coming as
well. I'm keeping my lips sealed about the details until they are
much closer to reality, but watch this space, or,
better still, subscribe to my RSS feed. (There's a little blurb about RSS, and why
it's a “good thing” here.)
One thing that I've often been asked is, “What about Syrian Latakia.” I've
written a bit about it in these pages, but I might as well start this year's news
page out with an update, which isn't really much of an update for those who follow along.
Put simply, there is no Syrian Latakia available that is up to my standards. Period. And,
according to our contacts, this will not likely change in the forseeable future. In fact, we
have been unable to procure any Syrian leaf of ANY grade. There have been some European
blends produced recently that claim to contain Syrian Latakia. While I've not sampled
every one of them, a couple that found their way to me clearly contained Cyprian leaf; if
there was any Syrian in there, it was in such small measure as to be undetectable. So,
buyer beware. Of course, McClelland are still able to produce their Syrian blends from leaf
they have warehoused, and I can vouch for this as being the real deal, but, other
than that, the jury is out. In other words, don't expect to see my Syrian containing
blends returned to the shelves this year. Raven's Wing, and perhaps Mephisto, may return
in another guise - the Syrian component was important, but I've been playing with some
redesigns of the recipes - but, Renaissance and, of course, Bohemian Scandal will remain
history, I'm sorry to say. Of course, if things change, you'll read about it here, first.
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