Virginia /Perique Tobacco » G. L. Pease Haddo's Delight Tobacco Reviews

I Love a Good Mystery

I must begin by saying that this is one of my all time favorite tobaccos.  So, Haddo's Delight gets five stars. It is also one of the most difficult tobacco blends I have attempted to review.  The reason being is I have been smoking it regularly for several months.  Like many pipe smokers I was sent a sample by a friend and immediately fell in love. I have attempted to cellar some, but with predictably limited success.

G.L. Pease Haddo’s Delight is a wonderful blend of Virginias and Perique with “Unflavored Black Cavendish, and a little air-cured White Burley ribbon”. Without delving into quoting others too deeply; it has been stated: “Finally, an exclusive process darkens and marries the mixture…” The process is, to me, a mystery and I hope it remains a mystery. I am afraid, if I learned the secret of the mystery, this marvelous blend may… I don’t even want to contemplate that prospect.

I have tried to determine who or what Haddo is or was. My research has produced several possibilities. But, like the process… The name is a mystery. Is it a WWII submarine or the salmon it was named for? Is it a farm or, possibly Edward Alexander Crowley?

The tin note is one of surprising potency when first opened, and over time diminishes only slightly as the tin is consumed.  It is a heady aroma of raisins, figs, and a little alcoholic, earthy and sweet; simply wonderful. Haddo’s Delight is a relatively dark tobacco, but not uniformly so. There are lighter and darker shades of course but as a result of the mystery, the brighter tobaccos are darkened down a shade or two. The ribbon cut is easy to pack. The moisture content does dictate a brief drying time. You will not want to dry it because it smells so good. You will want light it up immediately. The room note is very good as well. Surprisingly; unlike many tobacco blends this actually tastes like the tin note, raisins, figs, a little alcoholic, earthy and sweet. It is a little spicy as well, and quite potent. The mouth feel is rich, substantive, and truly luxurious.

I find the smoke to be consistent throughout the bowl. The perceived flavors are quite clear and resonant upon the char and true and continue right through the bowl to the bottom. I have never been able to identify the Virginias, the Perique, the Burley, or the Cavendish flavors independently.  The mystery really does marry the flavors giving it a consistent and rich flavor. I find that I have a little dottle left at the end of each bowl. The dottle is my fault because I can’t wait to smoke it, instead of allowing it to dry properly. As to what type or style of pipe I prefer to smoke it in. It varies; sometimes a tapered apple, sometimes a small bowled churchwarden, sometimes a large framed free form. I t smokes well in all, and the flavor is consistent from pipe to pipe.

I highly recommend G.L. Pease Haddo’s Delight to any fan of VaPers, or pipe tobacco. It has earned a permanent place in my stash, and a not so permanent place in my cellar… I know. I am weak. 

Haddo's Delight

Opening this six month old tin of Haddo's Delight revealed loose varied cut ribbons in different shades of brown, black, and orange.  The tin aroma was of figs, raisins, and chocolate covered cherries.  It had a good moisture level and was clean to the touch.

An unlit sip brought the raisin and fig taste to my palate.  Overall the raisin and fig tastes seemed to dominate.  I could also grasp the brandy flavor that other reviews I have read have mentioned.  It was very full bodied with a wicked hit of nicotine.  This blend burned to a dry gray ash, leaving a nice room note, and a short finish.

This blend may have been too complex for me to give an adequate review.  I have been used to smoking more straightforward tobaccos of late, and I was not ready for what this blend had to offer.  I enjoyed the nice sweet flavors I could detect, and the cool burning of this blend.  I wouldn't smoke this blend on an empty stomach.  I tried it once, and it left me feeling queasy.  I think this would be a great after lunch smoke to carry one through to the end of the work day.  I also think anyone who enjoys a full bodied, high nicotine blend with perique will enjoy this smoke.  I have another tin in my cellar I'm going to let sit for a few years, and then tackle this one again.

Haddo's: fruity VaPer with great body.

My supply comes from an 8oz. tin that has been cellaring for exactly one year. To the previous two reviews of this blend I can only offer my complete agreement with just about every observation and personal reaction. An apt description of Haddo's would be ambrosia for the pipe.

Three additional observations come to mind. On the heavenly tin note, I detect an ester or organic volatile that reminds me of toluol (like the old plastic model airplane glue.) I find this quite soft and agreeable, and suggestive of a nicely fermented product. Elements of this aroma can be found in over ripe bananas too.

Also, from the tin and while smoking I detect a very rich wine-like taste that fades in and out. Again, most agreeable. Lastly, I believe this blend is topped with a ginger liqueur -- quite similar to its cousin, a Latakia-laced offering from Two Friends called Valle Crucis. Like this latter blend, Haddo's reminds me of Juicy Fruit gum, in a way.