Tobaccos Peretti - Tashkent (English Blends)

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2015-01-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have been on a bit of a Peretti binge lately. Truth be told, I think they blend some of the finest English mixtures that I have ever had the pleasure of smoking. The first time I smoked this one, I felt like jumping for joy over what I had just experienced. By default, I gravitate towards naturally sweet tasting mixtures. The problem for me has been finding a blend with that perfect elusive combination of sweetness, spice, complexity and latakia flavor. When it comes to latakia, I prefer blends that are fairly complex but not so much that it's impossible for me to pick out some of the individual flavors involved. A blend with good balance in flavor, tilting just a bit towards the sweet side of the spectrum is what I prefer, and let me tell you, this one delivers the goods.

Tashkent has a lively mouthfeel and it literally sparkles on the palate. The flavors are clean, fresh tasting, balanced and distinctly Oriental. There's a spicy quality to the smoke which adds both complexity and mouthfeel. At the core of Tashkent's flavor is a curious sweet note, and by "sweet" I don't mean aroma, but rather a distinct light sugary taste that it leaves on the tongue. Tashkent burns well with very few relights and in my humble opinion, smokes sweeter and with more clarity in a narrower bowl. I mention this only because I typically smoke more complex mixtures in pipes with a wider, shorter bowl (Pots, Princes, etc).

Once in a blue moon I will run into a blend that will almost redefine the way I look at other mixtures in a particular class. This is a superb example of such a blend.

An easy four stars. I'd give it five if I could.

Pipe Used: Briar

36 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3047)	2014-06-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

The dry, woody, earthy, floral, herbal, spice and sourness from the Izmir is not as potent as it is in some other blends, which is an observation and not a complaint. It’s perfectly used here and plays well with the rich spicy, tangy, woody, earthy, floral, vegetative, dry and lightly buttery sweet, herbal Orientals, which is the star component. The Cyprian Latakia provides smokey, woodsy, earthy, musty sweet bass notes, ably complimenting the mixture without taking over. I rate it as medium in strength and taste mainly because of the spice content. The nic-hit is medium. Won't bite or get harsh. Burns at a moderate pace, cool and clean from start to finish with very consistent flavor from start to finish. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and needs an average number of relights. Has a slightly lingering, pleasant after taste and stronger room note. It’s not quite an all day smoke, but you may find you’ll want it more than once a day.

-JimInks

32 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2014-06-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Standard looking for an English, but cut on the chunky side. Typical musty smell in the 8 oz paintcan. I smoked about 2 oz so far. Loads and lights easily and stays lit quite admirably.

An oriental with latakia and no Virginia or other base tobacco seems counter-intuitive. But indeed I did not taste any Virginia, at least not the kind with which I'm familiar. There may be some Indian Mysore-type Virginia in this blend but I'll go with what the blender states. The flavor of this one shows little in the way of Virginia-type sweetness but there is some oriental perfume-like wisps of sugar among the spice. The orientals are front and center, showing a piquant sour note that was quite prevalent along with a sidecar of spiciness. The latakia was present but fell to the rear as the bowl progressed. Still it lent its spicy, smoky character throughout the smoke.

I was curious to experiment with this one and indeed I preferred it when I mixed it 3:1 with McClellands Rich Virginia Ribbon. The latters sweet spiciness merged quite nicely with the sour tang of Tashkent and created something more in my wheelhouse. However, smoked straight up, this is an interesting and unique blend that I will smoke on occasion. Try it if you're bored with typical Balkans - it'll definitely show you something new.

Pipe Used: meerschaum and morta

Age When Smoked: New

21 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2009-06-28		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

About a year or so ago fellow reviewer OSR gifted me a couple of bowls of Tashkent. After smoking it I tried to steal the rest - but, being a decade younger than me, he ran faster and got away.

I enjoyed the taste of this Peretti offering, which reminded me to some extent of Sullivan Powell's Gentleman's Mixture, except this one was milder in strength. In fact, Tashkent is REALLY mild. It also burns cool and has a hint of sweetness from the Izmir that I found to be delightful. Puff as fast as you want because this one won't bite a bit.

17 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	OSR (78)	2009-06-23		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Umpteen Stars Rating; This is one of the finest blends you'll ever sink your teeth into!

Orientals galore are matched with latakia; no virginia to be found though with the mild and rich orientals, the VA's aren't missed at all.

I have no tobacco to compare this to. The oriental twinge here seems to remind me of Balkan Sobranie White yet there is no Virginia.

The smoke is cool, dry and minimally sweet with a roundness that you'd expect from a blend containing virginia. Pick up a big pipe and this is the one blend you'll find yourself attempting to light the dregs - it's that good.

Overall and oriental/latakia blend with plenty of "oomph" but could be smoked all day. Whomever came up with this one knew what they were doing. Smoked in large pipes, this is sublime.

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Perique (163)	2017-01-01		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Extraordinary. A masterpiece of Oriental blending.

Peretti's Tashkent presents as a roughly cut ribbon of light to dark brown with a deliciously distinct nose of floral & spicy Orientals, and a touch of Latakia smokiness. Tashkent arrives quite dry, seemingly absent any artificial humectants, and is ready for immediate smoking. The charring light brings a hint of sweetness that is soon overshadowed by the true light's exquisite array of exotic spice and herb, black & white pepper, and soft, easy smokiness. The tobacco has a hand-rubbed texture, and expect to find the odd bit of pressed flake or even a crumpled leaf.

The mouthfeel is extraordinarily creamy and full, yet the smoke is crisp without any superfluous weight or the dank, damp flavors that Latakia can produce when inexpertly paired with Virginia. The burn is slow, cool and very dry. Smooth smoking all the way down, with no mess or damp left in the pipe.

The natural sugars from the Orientals provide just a hint of sweetness in the background of this spicy, smokey blend. The Latakia makes its presence known without overwhelming the Orientals. And the Izmir shines in all its glorious flavor complexity without having to compete with Virginia. There is intense flavor here, and you'll be tempted to break out of your normal cadence into a puff. But there's no bite or burn to this blend. Indulge.

A truly world-class blend - an absolutely incredible smoke, and among the top of my top favorites.

Peretti, like Pipeworks & Wilke, is an American custom blending house that deserves the serious pipe smoker's attention: hand-blended, proprietary mixtures that are in a league of their own.

(As a side note, I don't see how this is described as an "English Blend", absent Virginia. From my perspective, this is a masterpiece of an Oriental blend.)

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SmokeKing David (134)	2011-05-22		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is a really unique blend...no Virginia, plenty of Orientals plus Latakia. Occasionally, some floral notes appear with the mildly spicy and smoky characteristics. Easy burning but not bitey. Has both "high" notes and depth of flavor.

This blend has a good amount of Izmir, but I like Tashkent far better than the Cornell & Diehl blends that also utilize Izmir. It is a little hard to describe, and because of its uniqueness and its emphasis on Oriental leaves, it is difficult to compare to other latakia mixtures.

This is my first experience with Peretti tobacco. I tried a sample at the Chicago show and just had to order some more along with a few other tobaccos from this blending house. Try some of this interesting blend for yourself!

Govern Yourself Accordingly!

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2011-08-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

It isn't often that one finds and English blend without any Virginia's. (The TR contents line says that there is some at the time of this writing, but Peretti's says no). Lacking a Virginia component, the blending needs be done with skill and Tashkent is well done. Smokey, somewhat sour with a touch of sweetness is how I would describe Tashkent. The tobacco arrives with a moisture content that is ready to smoke. It's cut a little rough and I prefer to rub it out just a bit. I enjoy Tashkent most in a wider bowl.

It's nice to see one of America's few true pipe shops creating such interesting blends. It would be nice to be able to order on line rather than calling the order in. Recommended.

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tomcat (224)	2021-05-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Peretti Tashkent - I can’t say enough about this blend but I’ll try . Outstanding natural flavor bomb . This is what Oriental - Turkish tobaccos are all about . Sweet ,buttery and creamy . Nutty , herbal and floral . The spices are amazing. Curry and others I can’t identify but seem like I’ve tasted before . The Latakia backs up the Orientals perfectly. The Turkish and Orientals coat the whole palate and tongue. I will buy more of this blend for sure . The nicotine is very mild . No rough edges and after a large bowl my mouth is not even feeling dry. Burns as good as any tobacco I’ve ever smoked . Highly recommend. - 4

Purchased From: L J Peretti

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HabaneroHardy (403)	2020-01-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Unnoticeable

One of the interesting things I like about this hobby is looking up info on blends that I try. I have never heard of Tashkent but learned that it means Stone Village and is the capitol of Uzbekistan, which appears to lie north of Iran and Afghanistan. This blend was re-gifted to me from a good friend of mine at the pipe club. Can’t say he did not like it but it was not his cup of tea. The note out of the bag is an interesting sweet spicy smell and is a true Oriental/Turkish blend in the sense there is no Virginia added. I have noticed a lot of reviews mention this caveat but for me I find it a plus as it really enables you to focus on the Izmir aka Smyrna tobacco. According to pipesmagazine.com, “The primary difference between Smyrna and Izmir is that they're grown in different areas, but are essentially the same plant ….” Regardless this is an exceptionally smooth spicy smoke with the Latakia blended in as to where I could not really detect it but I am sure it added some body to the blend. As it was somewhat chilly outside where I smoke this was a nice pleasant winter blend but can be enjoyed obviously throughout the year. Not much more to add as I cannot really dissect this blend anymore other than it is a fantastic Oriental blend.

Pipe Used: Ben Wade Danish Pride

Purchased From: Gift

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	1979 (62)	2017-10-12		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Peretti's - Tashkent

I was a little taken aback to see that this highly regarded mixture is simply a combination of latakia and izmir per the descriptive.

Now for some semi-useless trivia.  Izmir is a modern day city in western Turkey, but in antiquity it was known as Smyrna.  As an aside, Smyrna is the addressee of one of the seven letters in the Book of Revelation.  As the cities Izmir and Smyrna are one in the same it stands to reason the respectively so named tobacco varieties are also.

I've always viewed izmir as being the most "normal" of the oriental varietals, kind of like how The Eagles are "normal" within the genre of classic rock...they're good musicians, good songwriters, but not really known for being daring or revolutionary.  And so Tashkent has caused me to rethink my viewpoint of izmir as a "filler" oriental.

So what about Tashkent?  It's a bit leathery, kind of cedary, a touch spicy, and a little to the sweet side.  I'm not finding it to be highly nuanced but its virtues are many: the latakia portion is well done and well balanced, the mixture is flavorful, has nice body, and smokes smoothly, a fair hit of nicotine, always burns completely to the heel and if I did okay on loading it never needs a relight. Another good, solid blend from Peretti's, simple but very nicely done.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-07-01		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Strong

A wonderful mixture for the true Balkan fan. This actually has a sweet-spiciness to it. I love ALL TURKISH blends and this one was really good.It is far superior to Oriental #40 which I think is already an outstanding blend. Tashkent smooths out the rough edges of their #40 creating a very full and contemplative smoke. Where #40 is a full frontal Oriental assault on the palate, Tashkent just draws a line in the sand and lets you know that it is there to be reckoned with. Latakia is in the forefront and ever present throughout the smoke. Very nutty and meaty. It also has a Peretti signature "English" taste to it. I think they add a certain brown cavendish to their blends. It might remind you of a harmonius marraige of Dunhill's two popular blends- DURBAR & My Mixture 965. Sweeter than most Balkans but unmistakably ORIENTAL in essence. A full 4 stars for this one.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	O. D. Jones (25)	2021-06-03		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

The gold standard of currently available Oriental tobacco blends. I can think of no other tobacco like this. Honestly, I wish there were more tobaccos like this, and I would love to hear of any as good as this that I might have missed! Opening the rather impressive old school paint can fills the room with the smell of the Sears auto department... I know I can't be the only person that used to like to go and sniff the tires on the way to the Craftsman tool department... " ' )... In the pipe, the Latakia is a little more in the background and a little more complex than the tin note might indicate, and the other tobaccos bring a sweet and sour piquant quality throughout the smoke. With a complex flavor, and fine burning qualities, Tashkent can be smoked straight down to pure white ash, no moisture no gurgle. This is a rich smoke just this side of full, and for me, fairly mild on the nicotine. You owe yourself a chance to try this if you're remotely interested in Oriental blends. There aren't many places still hand blending tobaccos, and Peretti, along with John Brandt at Wilke, deserve pipe smokers support. I've gone through so many blends from so many companies over the years, some good, some not so good, but Tashkent is one of the greats that is still currently available. Straight Orientals may not be everybody's taste, but I don't think I would ever like to be without this one in my rotation.

Pipe Used: Peterson 406 Spigot, Nording Bent Bulldog, Sav 315

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: LJ Peretti

Similar Blends: I would like to know.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ChollyWheels (12)	2021-05-05		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

If you need re-assurance the world of Balkans didn't end when McClelland shut, this is it. Possibly the finest tobacco I ever smoked with the possible exception of Compton's of Galashiels "Balkan" (which is long unavailable), and I am old enough to remember when Sobranie of London was sold in the "cutter" tin.

As others have noted

-- very smooth, biteless, kind on the tongue

-- arrives smokeable -- no drying needed, packs well, tolerant of being put down between puffs

-- the flavor changes a little as the smoke progresses -- gets smokier (more clearly reveals the Latakia, which never dominates).

- No Virginia, and it's not missed - it's sweet without it

Pipe Used: Savinelli - large bowl - grezza - carbon filter

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Peretti

Similar Blends: McClelland's Balkan Beauty, Compton's of Galashiels Balkan, Wilke #10, McClelland's Grand Oriental series.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	WillBrown (137)	2018-08-18		Medium to Strong	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I really, really liked this one. To my palate this was a somewhat different English Blend. Mind you, all the taste profiles of your typical English blends were present, but this one had something extra, something I couldn't put my finger on. The baccy burned nicely, maybe slightly fast, but the taste held throughout the bowl—no dottle. I would consider this a great English blend, and may increase it's rating later on, but, for now, 3 solid stars!

As for Peretti, the shop itself, I've been told it's the second oldest ongoing pipe shop in the USA—second to only Iwan Riess. It's obviously a Mecca for anyone living in the NE corridor, I hope this shop goes for another century! Peretti is definitely a feather in Boston's cap, to be sure.

Keep on pipin'

Pipe Used: Canadian Butz-Choquin

Purchased From: Peretti's Boston, MASS

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	qmechanics (7)	2010-09-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Fairly experienced in the pleasures of pipe and cigar smoking, I found Peretti's shop to be a one of a kind treasure. Entering the door a wonderful aroma pleasantly greats you tickling the senses, one's eyes dart back and forth as the mind searches back in blissful anticipation of what is to come. Shelves filled with a great selection of tobaccos and pipes are placed on either side as an old fashioned balance sits at the shop's end to weight out your pipe tobacco pleasure. This is simply classic and makes me long for shops like this closer to home. I requested three of their English blends (one ounce each for starters).

This tobacco was one of those blends and the best of the three (the other British and Royal). Latakia is ever present, however I have never tasted an English(or perhaps more properly Oriental) blend quite like this one. It is a bit sweat (though no Virginian tobaccos are present),a note of burley, and has a consistent complex flavor (interplay of orientals and latakia with no casing detected) throughout the bowl. It is a must try especially for consistent great taste. Seriously no matter what I eat, drink etc. the flavor appears to always be there and does not disappear or change to any great degree;A rare commodity with many other blends....

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gew1898 (8)	2021-03-06		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Based on reviews from this page I decided to order Peretti’s Oriental Nr.40 and Peretti’s Tashkent. I love the tobaccos grown in the area of the former Ottoman Empire. The problem is that I don’t very much like the Virginias with which they are most often paired. I began searching this site for recommendations for blends that feature the “oriental” tobaccos sans the Virginias and I stumbled onto the reviews for two all “oriental” blends by L.J. Peretti. They are just the blends for which I’ve been searching. The quality of the tobaccos used is exceptional. And both blends have unique flavor and aroma characteristics. Of the two, Oriental Nr.40 is the lighter in flavor and is more complex in its fragrance and taste. Though it’s lighter in flavor it’s still jam packed with complex, though more delicate, flavors. As I was smoking my first bowl my wife remarked, “It smells like we're in church”. There is indeed a fragrance similar to frankincense when you fire this blend up. The light use of latakia never overwhelms the delicate taste and fragrances of the more mild leaves used in the blend. I’ve never tasted anything quite like this, I love this blend. The Tashkent is more bold and less delicate due to its being heavier handed in its use of latakia. It also has a much more spicy taste and the frankincense aroma is much less pronounced as the latakia tends to dominate quite a bit more. I am totally enamored of both blends and thank those that have posted here for steering me in the right direction.

Pipe Used: Design Berlin (Diana) and Bari (Excellent)

Age When Smoked: Newly Delivered

Purchased From: L.J. Peretti Co.

Similar Blends: Peretti’s Oriental Nr.40.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (633)	2021-03-03		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I just finished up the one ounce sample of this I bought about four years ago and I am surprised to report that I liked it. This is not the type of blend I would normally gravitate to as The ingredients billed out in the description include only oriental and Latakia. This brings to my mind an image of a sour smoky mess lacking in sweetness. I only purchased it because I have seen so many wonderful things said about it in the various social media groups/forums of which I frequent.

I tend to like my lat blends with a healthy amount of virginia to offset the sour and smoke. Unless the blender is not being completely transparent with the ingredients listed in the description (I am not sure any of the blenders actually are), this blend is certainly the exception to that preference as it has enough inherent sweetness to ease in the sour and smoke of the orientals.

This blend is also very smooth and creamy which is another surprise to me as I was also expecting alot of sharp edges. It almost goes without saying that this does not bite and that it is pretty low in nicotine as that is a guarantee with the ingredients listed. I am glad that I ended up buying this as my preconceived notions would have prevented it otherwise. If I did not already have too many latakia blends in my cellar, I would certainly buy more of this. Three solid stars.

Age When Smoked: 4 yrs

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CarlC (18)	2019-06-29		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Full of flavor,yet not heavy or overbearing.I like it very much.Humidity level Out of the tin was perfect,with no pre smoke drying needed.That’s not to say That an hour’s drying time won’t produce great results,too.In fact,I will try drying it a little,just for fun.Lighting up just filled my room with smoke.This cut packs,ignites,and burns well.Better than Dunhill 965,which isn’t bad,either.Not heavy like Nightcap.Well Worth your money.

Pipe Used: Straight Apple, Connoisseur pipe shop

Age When Smoked: Fresh out of a new 8 oz tin

Purchased From: LJ Peretti of Boston,Massachusetts.

Similar Blends: Can’t think of any quite like it.Full of flavor,yet not heavy., Well,maybe Dunhill 965..

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	drdave (17)	2019-05-30		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

Other descriptions here have very accurately outlined the looks, smell and taste of this stuff. So it will only take a few words for me to easily describe this unique blend from the master blenders at Peretti - This stuff is the pinnacle of perfection.

Pipe Used: 14 different pipes

Purchased From: L.J. Peretti

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	riobrew (80)	2016-07-24		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

A very interesting blend. No Virginia. On first light a little sweet. I wrote in my notes that it reminds me of leaves burning in the fall but in a pleasant way. Has floral note as well. The Turkish and Orientals are the stars of this blend. Latakia has a playing role. A great change from the basic English blend.

Pipe Used: Peterson Aran Pot and Stanwell bulldog.

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: LJ Peretti

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Flatticus (24)	2015-04-30		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A strange blend, certainly, for the lack of Virginias, but you'd never notice. Delicious leathery flavor throughout the very cool burning smoke. No bite whatsoever, little drying time required, despite a cut that's chunkier than you'd expect. A nice subtle sweetness despite the lack of Virginia leaf. Milder than I prefer, but tasty enough that it still occupies a regular space in my rotation.

Pipe Used: Meerschaum, briar, cob (good in anything)

Age When Smoked: Fresh to a year

Purchased From: L. J. Peretti

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JB (44)	2014-01-28		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

When I think of a Turkish blend, this is it. There is a sensation of dryness and the smell of leather. It is really delicious...IF you like the taste of Turkish tobacco with a base of Latakia. Personally, I think this blend is wonderful.

If you order 8 oz. of any Peretti blend, you get it in a sealed tin...great for cellaring.

12/15/2014 Tashkent has become one of my top five favorite blends of any kind. If you love orientals, this is the go-to blend IMO. It is a coarse cut which may turn off some folks, but it doesn't bother me a bit. The taste and the nose feel are perfectly on point. So many of the great oriental blends of the past have disappeared...this is one to get and enjoy now, as well as years from now.

Pipe Used: Ashton LX Brindle

Age When Smoked: right out of the tin

Purchased From: Peretti

Similar Blends: Some old blends that I haven't smoked in 20+ years...but it does remind me of some of those old Turkish blends..

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Wellpipe (66)	2012-09-28		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Another gorgeous English blend from Peretti. If you are a fan of English blends then you really owe it to yourself to try this one. Like all of the Peretti blends I have smoked this is the perfect moisture level right from the package and high quality leaf indeed. Where do they find these perfect tobaccos to blend with in this day and age? Seems like they must have found a way to travel back in time. My personal tastes long for a little more sweetness (as in Royal Blend) or roundness (as in Omega), but this is an excellent and flavorful blend and just might be the perfect match for you as it is for my son Christopher. 3.5 stars.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cakeanddottle (105)	2011-07-09		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Well if anything is going to pull me away from Cambridge Flake, it's Tashkent. No Virginia, seems to be mostly Oriental but with I'm guessing about a third Latakia.

This is tangy and sour and it's cheaper than Cambridge Flake, it burns cool and smokes great to the heel. Just enough Latakia to keep it from being one dimensional, and it's probably better than Cambridge Flake in this respect.

This and Omega make a killer one-two punch. What'll it be tonight, smoky Cyprian campfire or tangy Orientals? Omega's more meaty, Tashkent really pleases your taste buds with it's sour tang. Don't worry about picking one, they're both worth stocking up on.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Trumpetboy (19)	2011-05-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

What a unique totally satifying blend this is! A little bit different in character and most definitely less sweet than many "medium" English blends, most probably due to the fact there's no Virginia in this one, but it has a really beautiful, almost salty "tang" to it which I'm really enjoying. A great combination of Turkish and Latakia. Slight family resemblance to Omega, but less sweet and perhaps more Balkan- great with some strong black tea! Love it!

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tripjoker (65)	2011-04-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Finally got around to ordering some Peretti blends and have been test driving them this week. Several reviews will follow this one in the next couple of days.

I was so excited to open my can and see a beautiful blend that smells so balanced with Latakia and Turkish richness. I have never tried a blend of just these components and it is the reason for my order. Plain old curiosity to experience what I had not. And boy howdy! What a flavor profile this blend has!

The tobacco is a fairly even mix of Latakia and Turkish to the eye. Easy packing. Two false lights. Off to the races with a full Latakia smokiness and the immediate hit of astringency from the Turkish. That slight numbing sensation on the tongue. Only slightly. Just lets you know without a doubt that there is turkish here and high quality at that. The latakia is of the highest quality and melds with the Turkish to produce a creamy flavor with caramel, slightly burnt marshmallow, some coffee hints, and the spiciness of desert culture spices. Smokey in a good and reasonable way. Not a Latakia bomb by definition, but you won't worry about having enough.

The smoke is cool and rich. No sign of sweetness at all, even with the before mentioned flavors. They are all conveyed in such a way as to remain sec or brut in presentation. Just amazing to get those flavors in a satisfying way without a hint of sweetness. Just awesome.

Smokes clean and dry to the bottom of the bowl. If you keep an eye on your cadence this will not show bitterness in any way. Pushed, you will get a little. No bite at all. The less experienced may tend to confuse the astringency effect on the tongue as the beginnings of bite, but it is not.

I'm very pleased overall with this blend. I would recommend anyone at least try it. English smokers should give it a run particularly if they are partial to the drier tasting blends.

Not something that will make my regular lineup, but I will always keep a supply for the occasional three or four bowls. Just for that reason, I can give only 3 stars. Although I totally agree with the 4 star reviewers, it just didn't hit that mark for me. Missed by just a tad.

Cheers!

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	htduck (28)	2009-12-15		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

UPDATE : 01/29/10

The thing that I like best about tobacco shop blends is you can have them tweaked just to your liking. I called the Peretti folks, visited a bit and one week later I had a 1# can of Tashkent "made my way" sitting safely in my smoke locker. Sure, it's not exactly the same but boy it hits the sweet spot for me. Four stars. Thank you Peretti. I miss the old days of pipeshops on many street corners.

Ok, so beat me for not giving this 4 stars. I'm betting it is 4 stars but I haven't found the correct pipe to puff this in as of yet. It is very good, it is a smooth fullfilling smoke, it leaves a great after taste and my angel of of wife tells me she likes the "leathery" room note. So what is my problem anyway? Perhaps I just like Orential #40 a bit more, who knows? If this type of tobacco blend is something you lean towards you will want to order a pound.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	AMDG (3)	2022-07-05		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Rich in the mouth, full of flavor from the orientals and latakia, spicy hit on the tongue and the back of the mouth. Gets more concentrated as you get to the bottom of the bowl. Love it.

Pipe Used: Savinelli 320 KS

Age When Smoked: One month

Purchased From: Peretti

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pryhosm (248)	2018-09-21		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

UPDATED April 2020: Now that I have had more time with this I think I am going from 3-4 stars. I will start by saying that the blend hasn't changed, I have. I have noticed that pipe smoking is an evolution. What you enjoyed when you started doesn't seem to stay the same over time. Some is maturity and experience, some is taste changing and frankly, it appears that some blends appeal to certain seasons. For me, the appreciation of Burley and Oriental forward blends came with experience. I now LOVE Oriental forward blends and they are my first smoke of the day almost everyday I have a pipe. Tashkent and Coffee in the morning is a winner every time., The subtle, more subdued flavors of the Turkish/Orientals along with their spice are easy on the palate and although a "dry" smoke there is sweetness to it. I cannot pin down the source, I would normally say a Virginia like sweetness, but there is no Virginia and it really isn't quite that type of sweetness. Cyprian Latakia also has a sweetness, but this doesn't quite seem like that either, but that is what it must be. Fantastic complex blend. Top to bottom consistent, burns extremely well. 1st class.

ORIGINAL: Have you ever run into a blend and after smoking the equivalent of a tin still not know what to make of it? Well for me that is Tashkent. Let me start by saying that like all Peretti blends this is a true work of seasoned, master tobacco blenders. The tough part for me is that this has no equal (at least in my smoking experience) in flavor profile. At the risk of making a bad comparison, this to me is like the LaCroix (sparkling soda with essence) of the tobacco world. The flavor is bright, even effervescent, with woody, spicy flavors with hints of smoke and hints of cream without the creaminess. It is both complex and flavorful. Where I struggle is that it feels like a great sauce with no pasta. The lack of a Virginia or Burley base, well, basically confuses the sh*t out of me. I keep getting these great flavors of the Orient but they seem to beg for something else...except when they don't. Let me try it another way...do you know how after mowing the lawn on a hot day how even a PBR tastes like the best beer you ever had? Well Tashkent hits the spot when you are "in that kind of mood", when I am not I am finding myself enjoying the flavors but wondering where the rest of it is. I have never smoked this and not enjoyed it, I want to be very clear there, but it seems that this could be a transcendental smoke if it had a bit of Virginia...or Burley...or both.

The flavors are really fresh and this to me defines "spicy" in the tobacco sense. It has both an element of pepper spice but also spices yet unnamed (like a hybrid of sage, tarragon, paprika and rosemary). The Oriental/Turkish also bring a woody and vegetal quality to the smoke. The Latakia is a minor supporting element and does add some smoke and cream to the experience. If you are a hardcore Oriental/Turkish lover, this is a must try. I am glad I bought the 8 oz paint can of this as I am guessing that 2 oz was not quite enough for me....I also see some Orlik Golden Slices or Dunhill Flake finding it's way into this on my alchemy days (maybe even Uhle's Precision Plug Burley). I will add that if you puff too fast past the mid bowl point this has a tendency to get a tad harsh, the spice becomes overbearing, so keep to a moderate cadence. Bravo Peretti

Pipe Used: Briar's, meerschaum and cobs

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Clencher (5)	2018-06-25		Medium	None Detected	Full	Very Pleasant

Tashkent is simply a beautiful smoke. The scent on opening is of spice, leather, and campfire with some sweetness. In the bowl, those notes continue with pepper, candied citrus fruit, and smokey leather while the thick smoke wafts around you with that campfire scent. I know that many would say that smell is perhaps tolerable, but I find it extremely pleasing.

Tashkent gets a solid four out of four from me.

Pipe Used: Yello-bole Chesterfield Premier

Age When Smoked: One year old

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	derlict311 (71)	2011-06-18		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

"Now for something totally different". For what it is, Tashkent is a very good exotic mix and a nice substitute in the Oriental slot of a rotation. I like an occasional bowl of this in the evening to soothe the palate before calling it a day. As the bowl's flavors intensify, there is no sign of sweet, nothing nutty, nothing layered in complexity, just an lingering smokiness and a gentle spice. Tashkent is ultra smooth, so if that's your thing, then this is for you. Mild, two dimensional and unique are words that I would use to describe it. I find it another fine Peretti blend to have in my current rotation but unfortunately I think it lacks the intangibles to consider a staple smoke. I'll probably branch out to other Peretti offerings when my supply runs out. Can't go wrong with Peretti, though. (Royal Blend is to die for).

P.S. It refuses to bite your tongue, no matter how feverishly you puff.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tom Bombadill (121)	2009-08-21		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This is an excellent balkan/oriental blend and I'll leave the details to my more experienced brother smokers below.

I do find the blend to be very subtle and smooth. The latakia is present but not front and center. There are several Peretti English/balkans I enjoy more but this is a wonderful variation on those type of blends. As noted, very subtle and smooth.

I especially like blends like this in the morning with my coffee.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stuffin McPipey (11)	2019-01-20		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

Such a wonderful, deep flavored, bright tobacco. I went in to check out pipes and after talking with their master tobacconist and the wonderful guys behind the counter, left with what I thought would be plenty. Turns out I was wrong, I’ll need to go back for more.

Pipe Used: Dunhill Apple

Age When Smoked: New from the shop.

Purchased From: Onsite in Boston.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. K (1)	2017-09-26		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Quite simply stated this is a blend of excellent tobaccos married for a lifetime of pleasure. If you enjoy Engish blends you will navigate thru a flavor profile of incredible satisfaction without a strand of Virginia influence.

Pipe Used: Andrew Marks billiard Becker pot

Age When Smoked: Fresh to 1year

Purchased From: LJ Paretti

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Theodore Moore (14)	2014-12-27		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Tashkent is much like its Peretti cousin, Royal, less the Virginia. It definitely has has those characteristics which one would expect from an oriental forward blend: dry, semi-sour and spicy. Tripjoker's review nails this one perfectly so I yield to his excellent review below.

Similar Blends: Peretti's Royal Blend - less the Virginia..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Flugplatz (4)	2010-05-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I love Latakia! I love this type of blend.

If you are a big fan of the Latakia leaf, then you definitely have to try this. I however, have some sort of brand loyalty to McC's and would rather buy their stuff in the tin after it's been aged a few years. If I wanted to make changes to McC's stuff, then I would call Peretti's. I haven't gotten to that point yet. I would compare this to McC's Bombay Court or Bombay Extra.

Bag aroma is great, no "ketchup" smell as some would call it. Packs well, lights fantastic. Not too wet, maybe a bit on the dry side. Doesn't bite back. Good flavor all the way down with a slight turn about halfway through the bowl. But you have to be gentle with it to notice it. I think it's when the moisture catches up to the flame in the bottom that causes this change. Very nice. But as with all good delicate, un-cased pipe weed, it acts accordingly. Very much recommended.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-09-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Im surprised that there aren't that many smokers who know about this blend, but MAN is this a must try if you like Latakia. This is is a Latakia/Oriental without any Virginias, which is exactly why this blend stand out for me. That and my family is from Tashkent, Uzbekistan. It is an exotic blend nothing too fancy, but a must try for those who love the genre.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stah (152)	2023-03-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

The appearance: A two ounce bag, not worth talking about its age (because of the freshness of the tobacco), contained about a quarter of the mix, and the rest was orientals, dominated by turkish ismir. That was it. No Virginia. A roughly chopped sliver of three shades of brown, from slightly yellowish to dark coffee. The tobacco was a little dry, but quite acceptable for pipe filling.

Flavor: fairly dense notes of suede, spices (turmeric, allspice, the lightest note of cloves), sandalwood and musk dominate the peaty note of latakia, pushing it to the background. Along with it, also at a distance from the main notes, there was a light acidity inherent in Izmir. Herbal, floral, bread notes were completely absent. The overall bouquet is quite atypical, but pleasant.

Taste: The lack of Virginia had an impact on the flavor as a whole, and on the sweetness of the tobacco. Apart from the latakia, there was virtually no sweetness in the taste. But the subtle creamy sweetness of the latakia and its light smokiness was perfectly balanced with the spicy, woody notes of the oriental. A slight spiciness was also present, but it was different from the spiciness of the perique, having a support of spicy woody rather than fruity notes. To top it all off, I felt a slight slightly astringent taste on my tongue with a sourness, like biting into a leaf petiole. Gradually, the smoky notes of the latakia began to come in force, but the oriental flavor did not weaken, and the blend gained density and volume, being further unchanged in flavor. The latakia seems a little more noticeable in bentas than in straight pipes, but in both cases the blend smokes harmoniously, cool, slow and even, without any roughness or distortion of flavor. I would classify the strength as medium or slightly higher, in a very large pipe nicotine kick is possible. Oddly enough, the tobacco has a light and unstable rye aftertaste.

The smoke is spicy, dense, and quite plentiful. It has the scent of spice, cedar and sandalwood, and takes its time to weed out of the room.

What's the bottom line? As one Soviet famous song sings - "shine Tashkent, Star of the East!" A strikingly beautiful blend, created by a master of his craft, specifically for evening coffee. Even the fact that I prefer sweet blends, does not detract from its merits - a deep, dense, mild flavor with a relatively simple composition. Not much chance to try it, but if someone you know happens to be in Boston, Massachusetts, near 2 1/2 Park Plaza, ask them to stop by the Peretti store and get you Tashkent and a couple or three other blends to try. It's worth it.

Pipe Used: Peterson 69, 106, 150, XL23

Age When Smoked: Fresh or some around

Purchased From: Peretti

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-10-05		Very Strong	Strong	Very Full	Tolerable

The 2nd best tobacco available on the planet---Omega is #1.

Nobody has rated this review yet.