Creamier than one might expect without being overly sweet. (2009 update) Arrgh: trouble in paradise. Soft crumbly brownie like mixture of broken pieces. My tin was old and very dry-ish. The Cyprian Latakia turns me into a Smokeasaurus with dragon breath! The Virginias are steadily backing up the Oriental varietals. Then it came to me, but first I asked my wife to smell the tin and asked her opinion. I must add Ive smoked Penzance 2001-2005 & 2008-2014.all were just what I would consider an okay smoke. Anyway, that smell. I gave it a good whiff and was put off even more so by its aroma. can anyone tell me more about this aspect of climate & tobacco taste? Hurray! Most of the time, I do not enjoy heavy latakia tobaccos, but Penzance is the exception. I'm not a fan of pineapples on pizza btw. This has been my most enjoyable smoke to date. Sure. Based on the reviews here, you'd think this was the holy grail of English blends. This is Premium Quality stuff! The flavor never once got bitter or overly smokey. As mentioned by other reviewers over the last few years there is a problem with quality control. It smokes cool and dry with no bite. A load needs to dry out for 30 minutes or so before smoking. It's very easy on the palate, always a cool & dry smoke that burns beautifully into a very tidy, fine grey ash. For me Penzance is milder, mellower, and more refined. Taste on the palate may well still be 'just another English'(definetely good, though) to me(my apologies to it's many fans), but that's not where Penzance shines. The heavier chunks must go in first on all the way up the bowl with the smaller pieces till finally the shreads at the top of the bowl have almost a worm dirting texture to them. An easy smoking Virginia and oriental blend with latakia in the background. Provides a full, creamy and tasty smoking experience for the latakia lover. This presentation comes quite moist in the tin and the flakes are quite dark in colour. This truly is a complex blend. Fast forward two years and here I am, really enjoying this stuff. This is a Virginia Latakia blend with a cult following. I find it hard to keep lit,and if you put the flame to it too often and long,youll get a sore tongue, and a bitter tobacco. It then burns evenly and completely to a fine ash, often without any relight. Honest disclosure here- I bought a tin of Penzance because I'm a confirmed Anglophile and I love Gilbert & Sullivan. The Orientals provide an experience that is sure not to disappoint. The smokiness never disappears, but does pop in enough to remind you of It's presence.