Tobaccos Seattle Pipe Club - Plum Pudding Special Reserve

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3046)	2016-09-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Though it is true that the smoky, woody, earthy, musty sweet Cyprian Latakia is the most important component, the other constituent tobaccos synergistically combine to form a cohesive, multi-dimensional flavor. The black stoved and red Virginias are also upgraded leaf especially for this Reserve blend. They offer earth, wood, and a little grass and bread, fermented tangy ripe, stewed dark fruit, and tart and tangy citrus with a light barbecue essence. The sun cured Orientals not present in the original Plum Pudding add a bit more sweetness, depth and dimension to the complexity. The dry, buttery sweet and sour, wood, earth, herbs, vegetation, floralness, spice, and smoke from the Orientals also sport a pinch of salt in the background, a little less so than they do in the other version due to the upgraded Turkish leaf. There is a continual undercurrent of spice, raisins, plums, and figs from the earthy perique, though the spice is lightly more obvious. The unsweetened black cavendish provides a brown sugary smoothness in a small support role. The nicotine status is a shade closer to medium than it is to mild. The strength and taste positions are medium. It won’t bite, and any chance of harshness is tamed by the black cavendish. The pressed kake plug is easily broken apart. The tobacco is a little moist, but I did not feel the need to dry it. I recommend not totally rubbing it out. I broke off small pieces and dropped them into the bowl. It burns a bit slow, cool and clean with a very consistent and intricate, deeply rich and creamy smooth, smoky, woody, spicy, sweet and savory taste from start to finish. It requires some relights, and leaves just a little moisture in the bowl. It sports a very pleasant, lingering after taste with a stronger room note. It’s not quite an all day smoke, but is certainly repeatable.

Aside from the previously noted differences from the other Plum Pudding, PPSR is a little sweeter, deeper, smoother and richer in flavor, with nearly the same strength and taste levels. Its sweetness has a mildly more fermented character, and the “barbecue” note a tad more pronounced. Well balanced, you’ll notice virtually all of the inherent aspects of the tobaccos in every moment of the experience.

-JimInks

80 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HabaneroHardy (401)	2017-12-28		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Unnoticeable

I just received this today and no time like the present. It is one solid black and brown block that smelled very earthy and somewhat spicy. I sliced some off with a razor blade, crumbled it and went to town. It is smooth, creamy and spicy and very well blended. The perique must have kicked in because my nostrils even tingled. I have never had the original Plum Pudding but I am definitely going to buy some of that also in the future. It is a tobacco that makes me wonder why am I smoking the other stuff with this around. Not an all day'er but top notch for me. While smoking this I felt like I should be on some British outpost in India a hundred years ago with the sun setting in the background, that exotic.

Pipe Used: PREBEN HOLM PRIVATE A101

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

19 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	nkulk8r (90)	2018-12-30		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Seattle Pipe Club Plum Pudding Special Reserve:

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways . . .

This stuff makes me want to blast Macklemore from my rooftop at 2 a.m., move to Seattle and root for the Seahawks.

Plum Pudding: What’s in a name?

To most pipe smokers (especially those partial to English or aromatic blends), just the name “Plum Pudding” sounds like something that needs to be smoked (even for those of us who have no idea what genuine plum pudding actually is). So why would Joe Lankford choose to give this blend such a tantalizing, mouthwatering name? Clearly it was a reference to authentic plum pudding, as described here below in this post from Wikipedia:

“Despite the name ‘plum pudding’, the pudding contains no actual plums due to the pre-Victorian use of the word ‘plums’ as a term for raisins. The pudding is composed of many dried fruits held together by egg and suet, sometimes moistened by treacle or molasses and flavoured with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and other spices. The pudding is usually aged for a month or more, or even a year; the high alcohol content of the pudding prevents it from spoiling during this time.”

“Raisins,” “dried fruits,” “treacle,” “molasses” – get it? Just those words alone are enough to kick up a fuss of teasing and tempestuous torment to the taste-buds of we who are conversant in a certain class of combustibles. With no cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves or ginger readily detectable in Plum Pudding or its first cousin, the Special Reserve blend, both versions are quite pleasantly spiced with excellent Orientals and Perique.

Presentation: Big, beautiful, deep-dark (very) brown plug/crumble.

Tin note: Wonderfully sublime bouquet of dark earth and spice, indicative of a masterful mélange of high-quality leaf.

Taste: Extraordinarily remarkable. The Black Cavendish, Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Perique, and Virginias all come together, perfectly arranged to create a symphony for the senses. Rich, sweet, creamy-smooth smoke; woody, zesty, tangy, piquant, with dark fruit essence, raisins (as the appellation implies) with brown sugar and fig.

In all honesty, I must confess – if everyone will permit me this bit of blasphemy -- I actually enjoy Plum Pudding Special Reserve as much (or even a tad more) than I do Penzance, and Penzance is pricier than PPSR, even at the retail level (28¢-per-gram for Penzance; 22¢-per-gram for PPSR).

With the fairly recent passing of McClelland and Dunhill tobaccos, and with the exorbitant prices being charged for those hard to find blends, where demand exceeds the existing supply, I have become something of an inveterate, degenerate -- and shamelessly unrepentant -- hoarder of all things exceptional when it comes to the best vegetation to be found in the bowl of a briar. Consequently, I have a sufficient supply of Plum Pudding Special Reserve on hand to last a lifetime (even should I live a few years past my projected expiration date).

Fabulous Balkan blend.

18 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Valdus (1)	2019-06-01		Very Mild	None Detected	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Pleasant

Am I missing something? Did I get the wrong tin? Are my pipes all messed up in the shank or bowl?

I just don't get it. I mean literally, I don't get the flavor of this tobacco, at all. Don't get me wrong, when I open the tin, or when I now open the jar, I get what everyone is talking about, the raisins, the figs, the plums, even the texture I want to dig in with a serving spoon. Sensational. I carried the tin around the house shouting in my best southern drawl "Who wants ploooom puddin'?"

Then I put it in a bowl, lit it and smoked it.

The dreams of dessert were all gone. All I got was empty pipe taste. I tried it with an MM, that was a bit better. I tried it with a tilshead upshall, nothing, could not taste. Only the smoke leaving the pipe had anything that I would call a taste at all. In fact, to its credit, this was the heaviest and bluest smoke I have ever known. This would not be such a bad thing if it were not for the fact that this was the 'Special Reserve' at almost double the price. If not for that, I do not think that I would have cared- and I got two!

Somebody tell me, is there something amiss in my pipes, in my tobacco, in my palate, in my reality? Is this but a smoking nightmare?

Or is that, after actually reading about the tobacco, I just hate subtle latakia?

Pipe Used: MM, upshall tillshead,

Age When Smoked: current

Purchased From: tobaccopipes.com

Similar Blends: Nothing that I would want to smoke..

14 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dr.James (39)	2018-09-20		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

Seattle Pipe Club’s Plum Pudding Special Reserve is a work of art, presented in a 4 oz. cake, it’s richness is evident. Versatile in how you choose to slice or break apart, it may need some drying time. The velvety smooth Cyprian Latakia is the major component bringing smokey wood to the foreground. Red and stoved Virginias support the Latakia with sweet stewed fruit and a light vegetal nuance. The choice sun dried Orientals add a sour, dry resinous and nutty quality on the palate with a pleasant fragrance on top. Perique adds it’s spicy dark fruit dimension and is perfectly balanced by the malty rich Black Cavendish. The result of all these components working together is a wonderfuly smooth, complex and full bodied smoke, requiring above average relights as it burns clean and somewhat slowly leaving a bit of moisture behind. Won’t bite the tounge. Strength is a solid medium. Leaves a pleasant sweet lingering finish on the palate.

Pipe Used: Various

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Similar Blends: Plum pudding.

14 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Aquinas (11)	2016-09-23		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

OMG ! Just one big 4 oz hunk of flavor Hope nobody buys any of this because it is a limited quantity and I am fixin to stock up.

Pipe Used: 1962 Dunhill Shell

Age When Smoked: Freshly opened

Purchased From: P&C

Similar Blends: Plum Pudding.

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Keith in NB Canada (4)	2019-11-26		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Unnoticeable

I loved it at first. I'm not sure why but mid way through my first tin I could only get this string sulphur taste from it. Nothing else just sulphur. Tasted like I lit a bowl of match heads. I had the regular Plum Pudding before this and I didnt notice anything odd like this. I stopped using my first tin and the other sealed one will go in the cellar. Maybe a decade will make it work but I doubt it. Plug tobacco is neat and all, but it's just not worth it in my opinion. Too much hassell. I tried all ways to prepare it, dried it, everything. It never smoked easy and was always hot. It doesnt rub out well and if you rub too much it ends up as powder. Too little and its like little rock chunks. Doesn't pack well. After this one I got the new Peterson Dunhills and I'll never go back to anything but ribbon. Nightcap is new English of choice for me. Its simply superb.

Pipe Used: Brigham

Age When Smoked: New or less than a year old.

Purchased From: 4 noggins

Similar Blends: regular PP.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JohnH (24)	2018-06-18		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Everything about this tobacco looks enticing, from the 4oz tin design, to the hefty plug waiting, as if in slumber, like a genie in a bottle, to awaken. And awaken it does!

I cut a thickish slice which crumbled off to leave a crumbly flake. I rested it for a while (2 to 3 hours) before crumbling it out further and packing it. In truth I felt it could have had more time to dry, for me it still felt a little wet, but that is by no means a complaint, I wouldn't change the tin moisture, just leave it out a little longer in future.

On lighting this delightful tobacco the Perique pronounced itself in a fresh manor straight away. After the first light the bowl begin to calm and reveal a host of wonderful unique flavours more in line with what I was expecting from this plug. Smoking through the bowl it continued to deliver one of the most moreish smokes I've ever had, it has everything you want and likely expected, a truly wonderful smoke, that can only be described as 'Plumb Pudding'

Edit - 24th November 2018 I've been smoking this occasionally since the inaugural review, so around six months now, and I can't help but notice a slight vinegar note to it. It's only been stored in the original tin, so I doubt it's from an outside element. Whilst I'm still enjoying it, tonight when I really didn't want to smoke anything else I found it a little disappointing. To give it a fare trial I'll try smoking it exclusively over a week or so soon, but for now I have to dock a star.

Pipe Used: Various

Age When Smoked: Fresh - 6 months

Purchased From: Smoking pipes

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	The Sunday Evening Pipe Smoker (54)	2022-02-24		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

I once asked the question, "what's the difference between Special Reserve and the regular Plum Pudding" and the answer was "it's like regular Plum Pudding only moreso flavourwise." While this description was accurate it wasn't very illuminating, so I will attempt to explicate on it a bit more.

Plum Pudding has this "chocolate brownie" like depth as you smoke down the bowl. That flavour appears in the latter half. The first half is a smokey flavour with hints of chocolate.

So how does Special Reserve compare? The best way I can describe it is by analogy: it is to regular PP what dark chocolate is to regular chocolate. Regular chocolate has its flavour and Dark Chocolate takes that flavour, amps it up in strength two fold. This is how I'd describe Special Reserve. Take regular PP flavour and double it like you'd expect if you took your favourite chocolate bar and put it into a dark chocolate version.

What really comes out in Special Reserve are the orientals. If you ever wondered what people mean by "spicy orientals" this blend will finally give you the answer. It is spicy, not in the way people talk about perique, but in flavour -- and I am not a fan of perique please note, but this was extremely pleasant.

I would also say that Special Reserve goes the opposite direction as you go down the bowl from most blends. It starts out strong but as you go down the bowl, your palette adapts to the strong flavours and in the latter half to third of the bowl, it will start to taste a bit more like regular Plum Pudding, but with that extra oriental spice.

Really quite a fine blend -- and I would daresay much better than the Bourbon Barrel Aged version which I've personally found 'meh' despite usually preferring those crossover type blends. I'd trade every bit of it in my cellar for Special Reserve.

Similar Blends: Plum Pudding.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DeathMetal.org (231)	2021-05-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Strong

Summary: Cavendish dominates the flavor of this Balkan English which ends up being too busy to deliver much of a distinct profile.

For those familiar with Peterson "My Mixture 965," the approach behind "Plum Pudding" will be familiar: you mix Cavendish into an English blend and intensify the sweetness with slightly fermented, vinegar-flavored Virginias, and what ends up is a blend that mostly tastes sweet but has a chaotic patina of flavor onto which people project mythical visions of its greatness. We shared some of this at the local pipe shack, and it reminded me of most of the entry-level English blends, with relatively uncured leaf in a mixture that presents a flavor with lots of random moments of each varietal coming to the fore, letting people believe that they are experiencing something profound. It lights easily enough, burns down consistently, but has excessive jags of vinegar and other acidity and an inconsistent flavor profile in which the elements shout at each other rather than sing together. The vaunted Orientals drown in an onslaught of leathery Latakia, grunting Burley, and an agave-like infusion of Virginias with Black Cavendish bulking up their sugar content. I always think of the Tulip Mania when I see a trend drive people into tasting something that is not there simply because of the sheer amount of hype from industry and influencers. This blend convinces people to buy $2 per ounce bulk tobaccos at $8 per ounce, which delights an industry which has given up on its future and simply wants to squeeze as much money as possible now from the "internet pipe smoker" audience. For the price, you can purchase large amounts of far better English and Balkan mixtures.

Similar Blends: Peterson - My Mixture 965, Peter Stokkebye - English Oriental Supreme (No.306).

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	gladi8tor96 (143)	2017-02-20		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

This was graciously gifted to me by a very amazing pipe maker (DragonBriars). It smelled amazing in the bag. It was a generous chunk off the main cake/plug. It seemed to be the perfect level of moisture. I could smell the latakia but also some spice from the orientals, plenty of wood and earth, and a hint of tang.

It was easy to rub out and load into my pipe. Two matches/lights is all it takes to get this one rolling and keep it going. I didn't have to relight once.

I'll state this upfront. This is a very good tobacco blend, but it seems too mild. I don't know how to describe it other than it left me wanting it to be more bold or rich, less soft and elusive. The flavors are more than well balanced and it reminded me of Margate or Penzance, but more subdued and reserved. It is very oriental forward though the latakia is present in the smoke and plays well off the oriental spice, sourness, and woody flavors. There is some sweetness to it, but very naturally light. The flavors are so good and compliment each other so well. With each puff I just kept on waiting for it to really 'open up', or deliver, and sadly it never did. I tried multiple pipes with the same result. Don't get me wrong, this is an amazing tobacco and I do recommend it. I'm still can't quite give it 4 stars, but it's more like a 3.5+ to me.

It reminded me of Neo in the movie 'The Matrix', when he is talking with the Oracle. He says, "I'm not The One...." and she responds with, "Sorry kid! You've got the gift, but it seems you are waiting on something.".

I'm going to try Plum Pudding soon so I can give a comparison between this blend and that one.

Pipe Used: Dragon Briar Poker, Sav. billard, Hawkbill

Age When Smoked: Unknown

Purchased From: Gifted

Similar Blends: Peter Stokkebye - English Oriental Supreme (No.306).

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Bkobe (4)	2022-05-28		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Tin note: Smokey beef jerky. Smoke: slow cool. A little difficult to start but then the ember stays lit very well. Extremely smooth. First impression is strong incense. Minty orientals. Surprisingly sweet. Medium nicotine (noticeable but definitely not going to knock you down). Umami. Less heavy than I expected. You need like 2 hours to smoke a bowl. Also smoother and more complex. Downside: makes you smell like a smoker.

Pipe Used: Brigham 47, Rossi 8626, Ropp billiard

Age When Smoked: New tin

Purchased From: Online

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Exiled Michigander (26)	2021-11-24		Very Mild	None Detected	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a subtle, sophisticated blend for pipe smokers with a refined palate. Unfortunately, that is not me.

The good news first: this is a remarkably smooth and mild blend (could easily be smoked before a meal) that smokes astonishingly cool. I don't think it warmed up my briar much more than room temperature after smoking it for 45 minutes. It also burns long--a half bowl will burn as long, if not longer, than a full bowl of most tobacco.

The bad news: I had a difficult time detecting much flavor at all from this. I got the delicate orientals, but that was about it. Every so often I would get the faintest touch of Virginia or Latakia, but it was very ethereal. I couldn't detect any cavendish, and certainly no perique spiciness. It was a overall a pretty dull experience.

I've smoked several bowls now, each time hoping to find what so many are raving about. I haven't found it. I have no doubt that the true tobacco connoisseur will be able to detect and enjoy what my boorish palate cannot. As for me, I'd take a "beat me over the head" lat-bomb to this blend any day.

Edit: After trying this off and on for a few more months, I'm dropping it down from 2 stars to 1. I've tried it at every time of day, in every weather, in every pipe I own, and every time I am extremely disappointed. I may be just a palate-less sheep, but I get almost no flavor or enjoyment from this. Both "Seattle Evening," with its oriental sourness, and "Hood Canal," with its heavier Latakia, are far superior Seattle Pipe Club blends.

Age When Smoked: Fresh

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Planet Scott (66)	2017-02-07		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Another well balanced blend. Has a combination of sweet, spicy, robust and smokiness, that as I mentioned is very well balanced. If you are into English blends, you should like this one. If you are not into English blends, you should try this one as the latakia there, but not in an overwhelming manner. I won't say this is a gateway English, but it would be a great introduction.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Matsutake Slayer (11)	2023-01-19		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

All that I will add to the body of praise for this blend is that after five years of aging, I find it far more satisfying than similarly aged Penzance — so much so that my stock of the latter will gather dust so long as I can reach for this instead!

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pmonroeb (18)	2022-09-17		Strong	Very Strong	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

One of my regulars, but this is actually a review of the Bourbon Barrel aged. The Plum Pudding Reserve is great. The Bourbon variety is too. The virtue of the Bourbon Barrel is that there aint nothing else I am aware of that has this combo. It is an excellent change of pace and I love it. Be aware that the Bourbon flavor is not subtle. At first it can dominate. I tend to smoke this sort of thing in a big pipe. I find that as I work down that the Bourbon moves into the background. This will never be a daily smoke, but I like it so much as a change that I recently stocked up.

Age When Smoked: At least a year

Purchased From: ?

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pappy1975 (13)	2022-07-13		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Very Mild	Pleasant

I’ll not add anything to the reviews as far as the roles the various components play or their respective flavors. The other reviews are more than sufficient for that. The tin note is wonderful. The look and condition of the pressed leaf is consistent with the high quality as advertised. The aroma is fine. The only element missing for me is strength of flavor. The flavor is incredibly nuanced as described by the other reviewers, there’s just not enough of it by half for my tastes. Even after a few years of aging, the flavor is weak. The perique, specifically, does tend to come through more strongly as you get near the end of the bowl. It’s its most redeemed quality that earns the third star. If you like a gentle, subtle symphony of Balkan goodness, this will be your 4-star blend. Respect. If, like me, you want flavor on your tongue as much as in your nostrils, it’s not quite worth the premium, but blended with something with strong flavor can become something great.

Pipe Used: Several

Age When Smoked: New to a few years

Purchased From: Pipes and cigars dot com

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	GeoffS (29)	2022-06-06		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

The world does not need another Plum Pudding review. I was ready for this to be overrated. But honestly it's like nothing I've ever tasted before, and just left me wanting more. So much going on, but in a perfectly balanced way that just works. Maybe someday I'll get bored of it. As for now it's my go-to when I want a special, complex tobacco.

The Special Reserve is everything great about the original, but smoothed out. It's the 18 year old version of that 12 year old scotch you love. Deeper and richer, but also somehow muted. Not necessarily "better," but the original is hard to improve upon.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mijnnif (130)	2022-05-04		Medium	Mild to Medium	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Tin note is wonderful sweet Latakia and spice. Thoughts of and anticipation of the great smoke immediately come to mind. I had to cut my plug into pieces to fit it in a jar. Its actually is a lot of tobacco. I rubbed out enough for a bowl and let it sit out for a few hours. It was still a bit moist but fine to smoke. This is one of my top 4 blends of all time. If you like Latakia this is for you. Too many flavors for my palate to distinguish but this is a very complex blend with a lot going on. It defiantly takes Plum pudding to a whole new level. Smokes great, hard puffed or sipped it wont bite. Nic hit is medium, flavor is full and amazing. In reading the other reviews. This is a true English blend all tobacco flavors with some Virginia and cavendish for sweetness I would probably suggest this for non aromatic smokers and Latakia with Oriental lovers. I have many tins stored and aged 2011 vintage its perfect. For me its an all day smoke and well worth the extra cost. If I could give it 5 stars I would.

Pipe Used: custom cob

Age When Smoked: 12 years

Purchased From: friend

Similar Blends: plum pudding but much more flavor.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gr8tefuldawg (87)	2019-10-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

SPC- Plum pudding SR

What’s left to say that hasn’t already been said, this is a magnificent blend that gets all the components down perfectly, it smokes like a dream if you let it dry for a good 45 minutes to and hour. Breaks apart easily, and packs easier. The flavor profile is a rich culmination of everything I’ve been looking for in an English/Balkan especially with the sweetness playing with the Latakia and orientals. Glad I have another tin just in case, but will grab another before the winter months as I can see this being a regular winter time smoke. Been smoking this one for last 5 months here and there. Love the red VA’s as it has a true taste and doesn’t feel like an artificial vinegar sweetness.

3.3 out of 4

The price point is the only thing that gives this a lower rating.

Pipe Used: Various, review H.I.S churchwarden

Age When Smoked: 5 months

Purchased From: Tobaccopipes.com

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	King Weed (228)	2019-05-14		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Before opening the tin and and experiencing this blend, I wondered if it was going to be a punched-up version of Plum Pudding. That did not turn out to be the case. In fact, I found Plum Pudding Special Reserve to be weaker than it's stable mate, Plum Pudding. In this, I share sentiments and observations with both reviewer gladi8tor96 2017-02-20 and Criblo 2019-04-10. Like them, I waited for something above the ordinary to happen, but, it didn't. Like them, I thought it was too light a smoke to make a niche for itself in my regular rotation. Slightly confused as to what this blend was trying to be, I reached into my stash and brought out a tin of standard Plum Pudding for a side-by-side comparison. In the tin, both blends look approximately similar. I felt that the standard PP contained a slightly greater amount of the blonde component and that the background matrix was slightly darker than in PPSR. I don't know if this is significant or not, but, I noticed it. The tin aromas were very similar, but, I felt I was detecting a slightly stronger Perique aroma in the PP. Both blends have a deep base aroma with higher register aromas on top. The difference I thought I detected in those higher aromas was Perique dominated in PP and Oriental dominated in PPSR. As to their smoking qualities, I had to work harder at extracting flavor from the PPSR with no such difficulty in the PP. I finally decided that PPSR was an attenuated version of PP. Whether the blenders intended it or not, I don't know, but that's what I found. Although not bad, Plum Pudding Special Reserve does not have the magnitude nor the subtle nature of Plum Pudding and I'm sticking with the original blend - three stars.

Pipe Used: Ashton/NASPC Octagon Dublin Quaint

Age When Smoked: current

Purchased From: an Ebay seller

Similar Blends: It's sibling, Plum Pudding, but weaker; Sillem's Commodore Flake, but weaker, and, finally and most of all, the last version of Smoker's Haven Krumble Kake with it's extra Latakia added..

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pryhosm (248)	2017-12-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a beautifully presented tobacco. A dark rich "brownie", dense and fragrant. The tin note is sour orientals and smoked Latakia in the background An exceptional Oriental forward blend. The Orientals are woody (cedar, white pine and Cyprus) they have a sour note that is more in the aroma but is also present in the smoke. The red Virginia's and I believe stoved Virginia's blend with the orientals to create a singular flavor that is quite amazing and a testament to the artistry of the blender. The sweetness and spicyness from the VA's support that woody orientals to create a fantastic flavor. This is one of a very few blends that seem to create ONE flavor as opposed to the teasing out of the individual tobacco's. I haven't mentioned the ever present Latakia and it is also expertly blended into this singular flavor, sweet and smokey Cyprian Latakia is right "behind" the Orientals but again, is really a singular flavor. I may sound as if the smoke is not complex, maybe it isn't, it doesn't seem to be the right word. The flavor is deep it deserves attention and is really a world class blend. The expert blending does seem to remove the need to search for nuance or hidden flavors (although I really can't detect the Perique but it may be there supporting the other flavor's, once again part of the artistry of this blend). This is a fantastic blend and one of my personal favorites. It barely resembles its namesake, Plum Pudding, as it to me seems far superior (and I like Plum Pudding). Get this while you can

Pipe Used: Briar's, Meerschaum's and Cob's

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Landsurfer (11)	2022-10-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

(For Special Reserve Flake): As others have also mentioned, the hype peaked my curiosity, so I took the plunge. The perception of various tobacco notes and nuances is a very subjective thing. For this blend, we all seem to recognize certain dominant notes consistently, and I concur with many of the positive points. However, based on my palate and tobacco-tuned taste buds, I noticed a few negative points throughout several bowls. At the top of the bowl, everything seemed chaotic and uncertain. Like a shape-shifting creature trying hard to not be detected. What dominated for me at this early stage was 'soap'. No matter how hard it tried to mimic something more naturally floral and agreeable, it didn't succeed in convincing me. It tasted artificial. This continued through the first 2-thirds of each bowl. Thankfully, the last 1-third is far more pleasant, BUT, in my opinion, there are better Balkans out there that deliver a more consistent and pleasing experience from top to bottom. I'm going to let this age for a few more months and then try again later.

Pipe Used: Lorenzetti Constantine bent apple

Age When Smoked: 2-3 months

Purchased From: Walper Tobacco Shop (Canada's oldest tobacconist)

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Vic (3)	2020-04-24		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Aged this tin out for 5yrs. Needed a great smoke out of my bulldog clinger pipe. And this tobacco delivered. This tobacco could have gone in so many directions but it did not disappoint me one bit. Had a few bowl of mmmmhhhh mediocre blends in the last few days, maybe got my pipes wrong, but I got to tell you with a Pale Ale Beer and Plum Pudding in the pipe - I had my faith renewed in great tobacco. Wish you the same. Cheers.

Pipe Used: bulldog clinger

Age When Smoked: 5

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

Similar Blends: Rose of Latakia, Davidoff Red, but much better..

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CountryPiper (19)	2020-01-13		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

As the name states this is a “Special” blend. This is a very rich blend with many flavors to keep your mouth dancing. While the Cyprian Latakia is sweet, smokey, woody, and definitely commands the taste buds attention the top quality stoved Virginia’s provide a lot of dark fruit, citrus, and grass. At times this blend reminds me of that dark burnt corner off a steak that we love so much. I also really like the presentation of the tobacco. It comes in one large cube that you then break down, it’s a little moist but not too crazy, could use a few minutes to dry. This is a great blend but it’s not an all day smoke for me and definitely not for the beginner. I enjoy this after a good meal with a little bourbon. May require a few delights depending on the allotted drying time. If you like the original Plum Pudding (most do) you’ll love this.

Pipe Used: Abe Herbaugh Bent Brandy

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

Similar Blends: Plum Pudding.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	WoodcraftSmoker (21)	2020-01-01		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

What makes for a superb tobacco? A smooth, silky smoke where all the elements combine to create an experience that is beyond any they can produce on their own, like a symphony producing a perfectly harmonious sound. I think that is my experience of Plum Pudding Special Reserve. Other reviewers can give you the details of the different elements and their presentation. My experience is that this tobacco is complex and full of dynamic flavors, with no flavor dominating. I have not smoked the regular Plum Pudding, but will give it a try for comparison. I think the aging of some of the tobaccos lends itself the the subtlety and smoothness of this blend. Plum Pudding Special Reserve produces an incredible smooth, complex and interesting smoke till the end. A true pleasure.

Pipe Used: SMS Meerschaum

Age When Smoked: 1year

Purchased From: Tobbacco Pipes

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	J-P (11)	2019-12-05		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This blend really is quite fantastic. I received a square 4oz cube in my tin, a solid crumble cake (slightly moist, but ready to smoke) and you can really see the compression assisted with a mingling of flavours.

So far I've had 4 or 5 bowls over the last fortnight.

Dark fired Virginias and a hint of Perique provide a sweet tang to the smoke, but the main character comes from the cavendish and sweet orientals the Latakia comes in as a smokey side-note.

I get a sweet, woody (almost porky) BBQ in essence and taste at the start of the bowl. Then the orientals power in with hints of dried fruit and brown sugar as the flavour builds. When it reaches full strength you can detect the figgy, peppery perique.

Smoke is indeed thick and creamy. I had to relight a few times (due to an inconsistent rub), but I'm going to try cube-cutting it on my next smokes. You definitely get a sweet woodsy aroma and I was complimented on the room note.

The flavour once built up is medium to full (in my opinion), and it remains consistent to the end. A really solid flavourful smoke. Not for every day, I don't think, but definitely a regular rotation. I will be ordering another few of these cubes. It would pair very nicely with a spiced or dark rum.

Pipe Used: Savinelli Mega 320EX

Age When Smoked: New tin

Purchased From: 4noggins

Similar Blends: Mississippi River, Plum Pudding.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pastor Padron (4)	2019-07-09		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Inside the tin is a single 4oz block that looks like a gigantic brownie. It breaks apart easily enough so that you don't really need a knife for it and it rubs out with little effort. Special Reserve is extremely smooth and balanced. It is smoky, salty, has notes of mesquite, and some citrusy tang from the Virginias. There's also a dark, earthy, chocolate undertone and a little raisiny spice with a savory finish. There is a fair amount of tangy spice in the retro as well. Special Reserve is a decadent treat for the English and Balkan blend lover. If that is you, I highly recommend it.

Pipe Used: Savinelli Clark's Favorite

Age When Smoked: New

Similar Blends: Seattle Pipe Club - Plum Pudding.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	43Bulldog (5)	2019-07-03		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

Floral perfumy sweet and smokey. I have only tasted plum a couple of times.

Mouthful is thick, with lots of smoke produced.

A favourite, I detect more flavour through french inhale rather than retro-hale.

Dry it out properly.

Pipe Used: Missouri Corncob - Bulldog

Purchased From: 4 Noggins

Similar Blends: Plum Pudding.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	mikey d. (2)	2019-06-03		Medium	Strong	Full	Pleasant

I completely agree with Valdus - he wrote my exact thoughts about this tobacco and I wondered what was wrong with me when I first tried it out. I had smoked the regular Plum Pudding and rated it highly so you can imagine my disappointment with the Special Reserve. Its difficult to prepare because it doesnt rub well or cut well being very densely packed. It didn't burn well, bites like anything and after reading the mostly glowing reviews at Pipes and Cigars it left me wondering how my opinions could be so contrary. I write this with regret because its a truthful evaluation and I hoped I wasn't alone.

Pipe Used: MM Mark Twain, Kaywoodie Saxon

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: pipes and cigars

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2019-03-03		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A little better than the regular SPCPP. I noticed the lightly apportioned Cyprian Latakia flavor was in the forefront but very soon thereafter, melded with the other varietals in this blend & stayed that way to the very end but was always feintly noticeable. It is a fairly strong blend that smokes mildly & produces plenty of smoke & I was really surprised at the delicious flavor this blend had to offer & the aroma wasn't bad... added that extra dimension.

No Latakia overload but an exceptionally, well balanced blend. I've craved a good Balkan blend ever since sampling a ten year old pouch of Gallaher's BSOM that was still fresh... that was back around 2012. There's a light, sweet fruity taste in this blend from the Perique, a little sweetness from the VA & Cavendish & some slight, sour saltiness from the Orientals when certain taste receptors are hit. The Perique seems to have that "Chameleon" effect, ie., hiding in the background. Too much & it is like chili pepper & just the right amount adds a fruity sweetness.

This blend won't bite, smokes mildly but is closer to the strong end in the medium to strong spectrum. It has a long burning rate, requires some relights & one is able to produce some heavy duty smoke rings. PPSR did not leave a burning campfire smell in my room but rather a feint scent of Latakia and an ordinary aroma of regular tobacco. This mixture never became harsh & the flavor kept improving until the very end, produced very little condensation & left a dry, gray dottle. To make a long story short, this is "special." I Also bought a spare tin for the cellar. Great stuff.

Pipe Used: Cavicchi Dublin & D. S. Huber Bent Dublin

Age When Smoked: fresh Tin

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	mark81253 (18)	2019-01-21		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Tobacco bliss!!! This is the closest I'v found that emulates McClellends Bombay Extra which is or was my sublimity on Earth. A myriad of flavors. Sweetness, tang of the Perique, the Virginia's and the others are a pallatte of pure enjoyment. The perfect blend of various characters that entice the tongue. The flavors change on every puff. It's a smorgasbord of delight that will please the true connoisseur of pipe smoking . This one is a keeper. This is heaven in the world of tobacco. My heart was broken to learn that McClellend was going out of business. This blend has restored my faith and enjoyment in pipe smoking. I I beg you not to buy any so that I may obtain every last tin that exists.

Pipe Used: Savinelli

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Whaley (4)	2018-07-22		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A Balkan beauty. If you like plum pudding then don't miss this one. To me I get just a hint more of a tangy taste then I do from the regular plum pudding. It's smooth and delicious.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Clencher (5)	2018-03-03		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

This is what a tobacco should be! Rich and buttery with dried fruit and spice that hits both the palate and the nose. This is an amazing tobacco that has quickly made it to my favorites list.

Pipe Used: GBD Varichrome; Grenci Volcano

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Pipesandcigars.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tschenyinkoh (51)	2018-02-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

The smokey Latakia, earthy dark Virginia, sweet Black Cavendish, sour Oriental and spicy Perique warmly shine like one thing. Even though the base is Oriental and Virginia, all the ingredients come simultaneously. Crazily good.

Another tricky thing is how he deals with Latakia, as same as the way McClelland - Anniversary 1977-2017 deal with Latakia.

The plug is more like a crumble cake, easy to pack

Age When Smoked: nearly two monthes

Purchased From: pipesandcigars; tobaccopipes

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tmick990 (5)	2017-12-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

So when i got this in the mail the other day i was super excited to try it. I had heard and read such glowing reviews about this tobacco and really wanted to see what all the hype was about. Tin aesthetics- Let me just say the burgundy and bronze color scheme has always been very attractive to me so there doing good so far appealing to my shallow side. Tin Note- Wow. The musty, sweet, and personally intoxicating latakia shines through here and my mouth waters a bit. Packing the pipe- I've never had a tobacco that i've had to cut and then rub out and it was a gratifying experience. Something more personal about it. It rubs out easily into small chunks of varying size with some longer pieces here and there. Since it wasnt ribbon cut i was honestly worried that i was going to pack it wrong somehow. It filled easily and had a good draw on it with nothing getting in my mouth haha.

On to the important part, the smoke.

On the initial attempt of lighting i was having a very hard time getting this to stay lit, mostly my fault for trying to keep the flame on the match from getting too large. Thats what i needed though, more heat. Like more cow bell but less exciting. Once i got it lit to my liking i was greeted by the perique giving that slight tongue tingle and the latakias and orientals playing niceley together. The virginias seem to play the support role in this blend, almost as if any of the other tobaccos had any rough edges the virginas are there to smooth things out giving it a overly ripe dark fruit notes. The cavendish lending a sweetness that just tops it all off for me. Halfway through the bowl i needed another relight. I was impressed with how well this burned despite my lack of drying. Next time i will dry it maybe five minutes more. I think the total dry time i gave it was about three minutes this time. The tobacco seemed to burn very evenly and thoroughly this far. Halfway through the bowl i cant really tell what flavor is coming from where. Its smooth, smoky, just the right amount of spice and a smooth sweetness. The vitamin N is starting to become more apparent, filling me contentment and a little bit of head buzz. Not too much, for me its the perfect amount before i head off to bed. Well this glorious experience is coming to an end. It has smoked down to a white ash with a little gurgle in the begining but i think that has to do with this being the third bowl i've had out of this pipe, so not too shabby. Conclusion- This for me was a very good smoke, to be honest probably the best one i've had in a few months. A quality blend and it bears repeating. I dont know if this could be an all day smoke or not, but definitely more than once a day. i very much look forward to getting to know this blend better.

Pipe Used: Savinelli St Nicholas 2016

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Boswell Northwoods?.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2023-04-14		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I think my expectations were too high for this one, I expected something magical. It did not deliver on that, but was a good smoke. I tasted some of the notes that other reviewers listed but none of it was earth shattering. For the $28 at my local cigar shop I would have rather picked up two tins of gaslight. It's not the same as gaslight but to me these two are in the same class of flavor profile and both equally as good. I only somewhat recommend it because your time and money could go farther elsewhere. At the same price as other tobaccos it would be a solid three. You really gotta sell me on it to convince me to buy half as many tins of tobacco with the same wad of cash.

Pipe Used: Briars and cobs

Similar Blends: Gaslight in some ways.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TheOtter (70)	2023-02-17		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Smoky, sweet, with a touch of spice. The inspiration from the plum pudding dessert is apparent. This is an interesting take on the Balkan genre, and lacks the typical barbecue flavour I find in most Balkans. The tobaccos in the special reserve are very high quality. It's easy to crumble the flakes off the plug, but they need a little time to dry. The blend packs a solid nic hit that is never overwhelming. I should also mention it has a surprisingly pleasant room note that even my girlfriend could appreciate (and she is rarely a fan of any room note). Plum Pudding is a definite homerun, and a must for anyone's cellar.

Pipe Used: Peterson Christmas Pipe Bent Rhodesian

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	GreybeardPiper (7)	2021-06-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

After having normal plum pudding and being thoroughly impressed - I had to try the special reserve to know how much better it got.

The core flavors are the same as the base version, but the special reserve is far more smooth, smokes cooler, and all around is a better experience

With the cooler smoke, the reserve loses some of that spiciness that the normal has. For me this is a good thing. Given the choice I'd take the reserve over the original every time.

I will cracking the tin on the bourbon barrel aged soon. Most have said it's the best variation. I'll be posting my final thoughts there soon and will determine which plum pudding ultimately makes my cellar.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rayzor (16)	2020-10-20		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

So much has been written about this that I wanted to add some additional notes about the experience of smoking this.

Firstly it's the Magnum Opus of pipe tobacco. There's so much going on: amazing tin note of stewed fruit and dried apricots mixed with a fortified wine or Port--seductive not pungent. This amazing smell would have you thinking it's an aromatic. I kept thinking how did the blender get this without adding any topping or casing? But the compressed cake may be allowing the various juices and flavours to meld together to produce this aroma.

When I lit it, that stewed fruit smell hung in my nostrils making me smoke it faster on my first bowl. It's that seductive. Don't smoke it too fast or you'll ruin the experience. When I slowed down I was able to keep it cool, enjoy the smell and appreciate the complex flavours.

The Latakia is mild and smoky. The Orientals are mild but offer a spicy cinnamon smell mixed possibly with some type of incense. The perique is there to offer a stewed fruit experience. Perhaps that combination is what gives off the cinnamon/incense smell.

PPSR comes in a plug form described as a "brownie". It's moist. I broke off a chunk and rubbed it out. It's a bit wet so now I rub out a portion and keep that in the tin. I store the rest of the cake in a plastic baggie in a bell jar to keep it moist.

The other note to interested pipe smokers is that to truly appreciate THIS blend you have to have experience smoking a number of other epic blends: Margate, Dunbar, Pembroke, Peterson's Sherlock Holmes, Star of the East, Peterson's Irish Oak.

Once you understand the range of great pipe tobaccos and try this, you'll be able to see the genius that went into creating it. I don't find this to be like any other tobacco I've ever smoked.

It's an advanced pipe smoker blend otherwise it's like drinking 25 Year Old Single Malt scotch for the first time. You'll never truly appreciate the nuances unless you've had a range of other quality whiskies.

I wouldn't make this a daily smoke but I would like this as a treat or once a week to relax.

Despite the range of tobaccos there's no nicotine hit. The two Peterson blends I tried: Sherlock Holmes and Irish Oak have a nic hit that requires you smoke them on a full stomach and take them slow. Not so with PPSR.

The mouth-feel also leaves you with a flavour that echoes the smell: rich, creamy, fruity, spicy, fortified wine or Port Sherry.

Why this blend is so epic is that if you appreciate pipe smoking and like the various flavours from various tobacco types and blends you will appreciate the craftsmanship of this.

If you smoke this too much or make it a daily smoke you'll grow tired of it. Smoke this as a special treat, make time for it, tease out the flavours throughout the bowl and you'll "get" what this blend is all about.

Pipe Used: Stanwell bent Dublin #63/ Stanwell Royal Briar #3

Age When Smoked: 1 year +

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Defies explanation..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PipeTobaccoReviewer (12)	2020-03-04		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Unnoticeable

Frankly another review of this blend probably isn't necessary, nor is it going to add a whole lot to the conversation. However, it's really good. I was a fence sitter for a long time about SPC, mostly because it seemed both expensive and overhyped. And I had a sample of PP regular when I was first starting and was severely underwhelmed. Probably the fault of a new smoker. In any case, I finally decided to take the plunge with some whole tins and man am I glad I did.

The thing about PPSR and MRSR is that they are so beautifully balanced it almost boggles the mind. Where many English/Balkan blends bomb you out with lat to cover up the other components, SPC gives you quality leaf all around. Yes, PPSR has lat, front and center, but everything else in the blend serves to balance and enhance that leaf. I don't get "lat tongue" from this blend. I don't seem to get tired of it. It's sweet, a bit tart, smokey, spicy, fruity... In short, it's everything one could hope for from a lat centric blend. In contrast MRSR smokes almost like a straight VaOrPer- the lat there is condimental at most. So, on the surface, it looks like SPC is selling two pretty similar Balkans. Not the case, at all. This isn't a mildly tweaked version of the other.

Yes, it's on the expensive side, but man, that perfect brownie which is so close to a true plug that it boggles the mind... it's worth it. The flavors are unreal. This might be the closest thing to a perfect latakia blend currently in production. And yes, I'm including Penz, BS, et al in that calculation.

Buy it. You'll be happy.

Strongly Recommended.

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2019-04-17		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

A little better than the regular SPCPP. I noticed the lightly apportioned Cyprian Latakia flavor was in the forefront but very soon thereafter, melded with the other varietals in this blend & stayed that way to the very end but was always feintly noticeable. It is a fairly strong blend that smokes mildly & produces plenty of smoke & I was really surprised at the delicious flavor this blend had to offer & the aroma wasn't bad... added that extra dimension.

No Latakia overload but an exceptionally, well balanced blend. I've craved a good Balkan blend ever since sampling a ten year old pouch of Gallaher's BSOM that was still fresh... that was back around 2012. There's a light, sweet fruity taste in this blend from the Perique, a little sweetness from the VA & Cavendish & some slight, sour saltiness from the Orientals when certain taste receptors are hit. The Perique seems to have that "Chameleon" effect, ie., hiding in the background. Too much & it is like chili pepper & just the right amount adds a fruity sweetness.

This blend won't bite, smokes mildly but is closer to the strong end in the medium to strong spectrum. It has a long burning rate, requires some relights & one is able to produce some heavy duty smoke rings. PPSR did not leave a burning campfire smell in my room but rather a feint scent of Latakia and an ordinary aroma of regular tobacco.

This mixture never became harsh & the flavor kept improving until the very end, produced very little condensation & left a dry, gray dottle. To make a long story short, this is "special." I also bought a spare tin for the cellar. Great stuff.

Pipe Used: Cavicchi Dublin & D. S. Huber Bent Dublin

Age When Smoked: Fresh Tin

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

Similar Blends: SPC Plum Pudding, Ten Russians.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Transylvan (5)	2019-03-21		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A noble tobacco blend. Just extraordinary. Earth is richer for having produced the ingedients for this masterpiece. Thank you SPC. Everything else was said already. Please buy responsibly (don't hoard)

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2018-12-28		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I'll start this review by saying that I like most all types/styles of tobacco blends except English with the usual, heavy Latakia infusion. I also like straight Virginias, strong Burleys on occasion, VA/Pers, VA/Burs, etcetera... even a good aromatic like Stokkebye's Family Reserve which is exceptional. Doblone d'Oro is one of my favorite tobacco blends these days. This info is incorporated so other reviewers might have a better understanding of where I'm coming from. Starting off with the tin aroma: The best way I can define that is the aroma of spareribs cooking over an open grill basted with barbeque sauce & the plug is easily broken up & doesn't take long to dry.

This mixture is easy to overpack or pack too tight & my first attempt at sampling this blend was a complete failure but I endured & finished the first bowl but couldn't base my review on that mishap. The second time around turned out just right, so, here I go. As noted in other reviews, I'm unable to distinguish every single tobacco that is mixed together in a blend or offer any singular taste impression of the various tobaccos. Initially, I did notice the lightly apportioned Cyprian Latakia flavor was in the forefront but very soon thereafter, melded with the other varietals in this blend & stayed that way to the very end but was always feintly noticeable. It is a fairly strong blend that smokes mildly & produces plenty of smoke & I was really surprised at the delicious flavor this blend had to offer & how well I liked it, being tastier than anticipated & I liked the aroma very well... added that extra dimension.

About one third of the way through my sampling, a sweetness developed as one would expect in a good Balkan style mixture & overall, I thought this was a very tasty blend... no Latakia overload but an exceptionally, well balanced blend. I've craved a good Balkan blend ever since sampling a ten year old pouch of Gallaher's BSOM that was still fresh... that was back around 2012. There is some sweet, fruity taste in this blend from the Perique, sweetness from the VA & Cavendish & some slight, sour saltiness from the Orientals when certain taste receptors are hit. The Perique seems to have that "Chameleon" effect, ie., hiding in the background. Too much & it is like chili pepper. Just the right amount & you have a fruity sweetness & sometimes a mild peppery effect. This blend won't bite, smokes mildly but is closer to the strong end in the medium to strong spectrum. It has a long burning rate, requires some relights & one is able to produce some heavy duty smoke rings.

PPSR did not leave a burning campfire smell in my room but mostly an ordinary aroma of regular tobacco which indicates a lesser amount of Latakia. This mixture never became harsh & the flavor kept improving up to the very end. Depending on the type of pipe you're using, it might produce a little condensation. To make a long story short, Seattle Pipe Club's Plum Pudding, Special Reserve is an excellent Balkan style blend that I'll be smoking from time to time as long as I'm able to stay above ground. This rates very high in my Balkan blend rotation... probably in the top five range or thereabouts with Crystal Palace being my #1 favorite Balkan at present because I like the sweetness it possesses & I'm sure it will always remain my #1 & to me, it is so much like the BSOM that I smoked many years ago.

Pipe Used: Country Gent MM, 1/4 Bent Danmore Dublin

Age When Smoked: Fresh Tin

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

Similar Blends: Rather unique but similar to Plum Pudding, maybe a little like Mississippi Mud Difficult to pin down as I've been away from the hobby for five years...

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rustedrailsmokes (293)	2018-10-13		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I received a sample of PPSR in my tinsociety box this month. It had been on my list to try since I enjoy the regular PP and have been in an oriental mood recently.

the sample was mostly broken up already when received but still had a few chunks of the crumble cake. The tin/bag note was great. Campfire plus spices from the orientals.

Easy to load as I crumbled up the remaining chunks and loaded a larger Morgan Bones Billiard. I did a char light then let it set for about 30 mins before smoking. It was really easy burning and only required one relight at the bottom of the bowl.

Through the entire bowl it was great. The orientals in this version are a big step up from normal PP. They added some sour notes which complimented the smoky latakia wonderfully. No one flavor dominated and it gave a truly balanced flavor.

This is probably my new favorite oriental. I hope to stock up some for my rotation.

Pipe Used: Morgan Bones Large Billiard

Age When Smoked: Unknown

Purchased From: TinSociety.com Box

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JaWiBr (558)	2023-05-02		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Tin note of mildly tangy smoke, earth and sweet spices. Tobacco is a 3/4-inch wide marbled Krumble Kake of dark brown and black with a little brown. Moisture content is great. Krumble Kake breaks apart and rubs out with a little effort. Burns slow with a few extra relights. The strength is medium to strong and nic is medium. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium to full and very consistent, with notes of floral, smoky incense, orange zest, tart and tangy citrus, wood, stewed vinegary-sour dark fruit, herbal vegetation, spices, toasted bread, musty dry hay, earthy, a lemon grass background note, and a peppery retro. Latakia is leading with Cavendish, Oriental/Turkish, Perique, Virginia supporting. Room note is tolerable to strong, and aftertaste is great.

Pipe Used: 1998 Ashton Old Church XXX Billiard

Age When Smoked: 6 years

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Quiggifur (99)	2023-03-22		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Very light Latakia in the scheme of things, getting some fruit as well. If I search, I think I can detect some VA influence. I'm pegging this as an exceptionally smooth and mild Latakia-forward blend, where the Latakia smokiness will never get lost as it has with a couple other blends (ex. Bankside). Even so, I think there will be times when I crave a stronger Latakia presence, maybe something like Pirate Kake.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Juandpadua (2)	2023-03-04		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant

for me it is a complex mixture A delicious mix with an endearing aroma and a flavor that wraps you up, I recommend it. Buy it.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Greybeard (66)	2021-03-25		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Plum Pudding being one of my English blend favorites, I got a tin of the Special Reserve. I was a little shocked that the price was almost double a normal PP tin. It is just as good as normal PP, and maybe a little bit on the sweeter side and slightly less of the floral from the orientals that normal PP has.

Given the extra price, I thought it would really be quite a bit better than normal PP, so in that I'm slightly disappointed, but only slightly. I may purchase this occasionally in the future, especially if I find it cheaper, but for regular purchases I'll stick with normal PP. Still, highly recommended.

Pipe Used: Benton Select

Age When Smoked: Fresh out of the tin

Purchased From: The Governor's Cigar Lounge

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	kbosi (16)	2020-08-22		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I paired this with a dram of Macallan 12yr. I really enjoy the regular Plum Pudding but I have not smoked that in a while so I can't compare it to this. It was not to moist right out of a freshly opened tin and held quickly to a match. Goes very well with the Macallan , the flavors bounce nicely off each other. If you like English blends give it a try.

Pipe Used: Savinelli 701 with filter

Age When Smoked: 1 month

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

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