Review: Haddo's Delight (GL Pease)

Blend: Haddo's Delight
Brand: G.L. Pease

I would normally shy away from sharing my official thoughts on any tobacco until I had finished three or more bowls. As any pipe smoker knows the palate must adjust before it can determine the more subtle nuances of a blend and I am loathe to publish any information in which I am not certain.

With Haddo's Delight, however, I feel like I must share my thoughts or else I would be performing a great disservice, both to myself and to any potential readers. For the record I've finished two rather large bowls (a Savinelli 1616) and have something I want to say:

This is a fantastic blend.

There, I've said it. But if you'll indulge me I have a few other thoughts that might be of interest.

Arguably the quintessential moment of trying a new blend is that of breaking the seal on the tin. For me this brief fragment of time is the most exciting. Tin in hand, muscles poised with sufficient strength as to separate lid from vessel, lungs emptied in preparation for that initial olfactory impression, unsure of what to expect but eager to form an opinion. Limited experience says that this first step is crucial to the initial enjoyment.

Haddo's Delight certainly makes an impression. Right out of the tin the smell is almost overwhelming. Fruity alcohol is the first and foremost smell, followed by cocoa, then the perique makes itself known. I wasn't sure what I was in for, but I was more than willing to find out.

Loaded pipe in hand I was expecting an aromatic on the first match. Haddo's Delight, contrary to my first nasal impression, is far from an aromatic. With the false light behind me and the room full of billowy plumes I found myself wrapped in a blanket of smoke that promised a complete sensory experience. But what was it? It's not an English, it's not an aromatic, it's somewhere in between, much like my current favorite, Rum Flake (Gawith Hoggarth).

The perique is there, the Virginia is there, and underneath it all is a very mellow cocoa and yes, even some fruit. I was in briar heaven from the very start and by the time I dumped the ash I was wanting a second bowl.

Everything about this blend is strong. The room note, the flavor, the volume of smoke, and even Vitamin N. Yes, Haddo's Delight carries a massive velvet hammer and it's not afraid to use it.

Fast forward to bowl number two. It's late in the night, close to bed time. My stomach is empty to the point of discomfort and as I later found out one of my fans was pointing into the room instead of out of the window. Halfway through the bowl I found myself with cold sweats. By the three-quarter mark I was shaking and nauseated. By the end of the bowl it was all I could do to walk out out of the room. It was like I was smoking 1792 all over again. But unlike 1792 I wanted more, even with my ailing sense of health.

To wrap this up I can see Haddo's Delight becoming part of my regular rotation, right alongside Rum Flake and Nightcap. Enjoy its many attributes, but smoke it with respect. This one can sneak up on you, and by the time the nicotine makes itself known it may be too late to turn back. My third bowl will be after a meal or at least a snack, and I'll be certain to point both fans outside. Perhaps I'll even be outside. Loathe as I am to lose that delicious room note it might be easier on my stomach.