Peterson Tobaccos: A Guide to the Most Famous Tobaccos, Their Flavors and History I.

Peterson is among the most renowned brands in the world of pipes and pipe tobacco. Under one name, we now find mild aromatic blends, quality Virginia and Burley tobaccos, strong Irish Flake, and the legendary English blends Nightcap and Early Morning Pipe. Although Peterson is a symbol of Irish pipe smoking tradition, the current Peterson tobaccos surprisingly have primarily Danish origins. How to navigate their offerings and which Peterson to choose?

Peterson: An Irish Legend Whose Tobaccos Are Made Elsewhere

The name Peterson of Dublin is so strongly associated with Ireland that it may surprise you to learn that the tobaccos for the Peterson Pipe Tobacco brand are produced in Denmark. 

In July 2018, the Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) acquired the entire Peterson Pipe Tobacco business, including the brand and tobacco portfolio, from Kapp & Peterson. The actual production of Peterson pipes was separated from the original company and transferred to Laudisi Enterprises.

Even before 2018, however, the majority of Peterson tobaccos were not produced directly in Ireland. STG was already handling most of the production at the former Orlik factory in Assens, Denmark.

For current blends like Irish Flake, University Flake, Old Dublin, Nightcap, Early Morning Pipe, Elizabethan Mixture, or De Luxe Mixture, the manufacturer is listed as Scandinavian Tobacco Group and the country of production is Denmark.

Two Tobacco Legends United Under the Name Peterson

When looking at today's offerings of Peterson tobaccos, it's good to know that the selection unites two major tobacco traditions.

The first consists of the original Peterson blends such as:

Irish Flake, University Flake, Old Dublin, Sherlock Holmes, Irish Cask, Irish Mixture, or Connoisseur's Choice.

The second group includes famous blends that pipe smokers previously knew under the Dunhill brand.

When Dunhill exited the pipe tobacco market, Scandinavian Tobacco Group reintroduced blends like Nightcap, Early Morning Pipe, My Mixture 965, Standard Mixture, Elizabethan Mixture, Flake, Royal Yacht, and De Luxe Navy Rolls under the Peterson name in 2019.

For pipe smokers, this was very important, as some of the most famous blends in history did not disappear but continue under a different name on the manufacturer's tin.

The current selection is therefore extraordinarily broad. In the European market, you can find more than twenty 50-gram Petersons – from light aromatics to very strong natural tobaccos. However, the exact offerings vary by country and local regulations for tobacco products.

Strong and Natural Petersons: Irish Flake, University Flake, and 3P's

If you are interested in Peterson, where the tobacco itself takes center stage rather than flavoring, it makes sense to start here.

Peterson Irish Flake

Irish Flake is among the most famous and currently the strongest tobaccos from Peterson.

The base consists of Virginia, Burley, and Dark Fired Kentucky. It is a true flake – the tobacco is pressed and then sliced into flakes.

Kentucky dried over an open fire brings dark, smoky, woody, and sometimes spicy tones. Burley adds earthiness and richness, while Virginia contributes natural sweetness. Peterson Irish Flake is a full-bodied, dense, and nicotine-rich tobacco, best appreciated by experienced smokers. Tobacco Reviews classifies it as a strong blend with full flavor and currently lists it as produced by STG in Denmark.

If we were to choose a tobacco from Peterson that represents the old-world idea of honest strong smoking, Irish Flake would be one of the most serious candidates.

Peterson University Flake

University Flake appears somewhat smoother next to Irish Flake. The base is Virginia and Burley, which are pressed for several days and then cut into flakes. This blend thus acquires a gentleý plum-like nuance. Peterson University Flake is a fairly strong tobacco, which can be a very interesting intermediate step between aromatics and purely natural blends.

The flavor initially presents sweeter Virginia, earthier and drier Burley, and just a light fruity note above. As smoking progresses, the tobacco flavor usually becomes more prominent.

Peterson 3P's – Peterson Perfect Plug

3P's represents a slightly different world, as it is a true plug – a solid block of pressed tobacco, from which the smoker can slice off the necessary amount before smoking.

The blend consists of Virginia from Africa and Brazil and Burley from Malawi. The tobaccos are lightly treated before pressing, then pressed and processed for several weeks. The result is a dense, full tobacco with earthy, sweet, fruity, and sometimes coffee-like or woody tones. 3P's is a very good example of tobacco where the preparation itself is part of the smoking ritual.

Irish Mixture and Irish Cask: When Tobacco Meets Whiskey and Sherry

Peterson Irish Mixture – formerly Irish Whiskey

In Europe, this tobacco is now primarily found as Irish Mixture, but older smokers often know it by its original name Peterson Irish Whiskey.

The base consists of various Virginias complemented by Kentucky and Burley, to which a light whiskey essence is applied. The name change to Irish Mixture is related to European regulations for naming tobacco products. It is not an overly sweet "whiskey aromatic." The tobacco remains distinctly recognizable. Kentucky adds a smoky and darker aspect, Burley adds earthiness, and the whiskey tends to stay more in the background.

It is a good Peterson for someone who wants flavored tobacco but still wants to taste the flavor of the tobacco leaf.

Peterson Irish Cask

Irish Cask previously bore the name Irish Oak. Historical descriptions of the original Irish Oak speak of a blend of Virginias, Burley, Cavendish, and Perique aging in oak barrels after sherry. The current description of Irish Cask emphasizes primarily Virginias and dark Cavendish. A characteristic element remains a very light hint of sherry.

Irish Cask is interesting precisely because it is difficult to categorize. It is not a classic aromatic, but at the same time, it is not entirely a natural blend. The flavor tends to be dark, slightly fruity, earthy, and spicy, with strength ranging from medium to high.

Peterson and Latakia: From Old Dublin to Nightcap

Another significant type of tobacco at Peterson is blends with Latakia. If a pipe smoker is to evoke campfire, wood, herbs, or spices, we are likely in the realm of English mixtures.

Peterson Old Dublin

Old Dublin is one of the original Peterson classics. It contains Latakia, Virginia, oriental tobaccos, and Black Cavendish. The smoky character of Latakia is complemented by the sweetness of Virginia and the spiciness of oriental tobaccos, while Cavendish rounds out the blend.

Indeed, balance is the greatest strength of Old Dublin. It is a balanced tobacco, not as strong and dark as Nightcap, making it recommendable even for someone who is just getting acquainted with Latakia.

Peterson Early Morning Pipe

The name of this blend has become somewhat of a household term.

Early Morning Pipe originally belonged to Dunhill and was designed as a milder tobacco for the first smoke of the day. It contains Bright and Red Virginias, oriental/Turkish tobaccos, and a smaller amount of Latakia.

Virginia brings sweetness, Orientals provide a dry, aromatic, and spicy component, and Latakia adds a smoky background. The result is a mild to medium English mixture, which does not overwhelm the taste buds with Latakia.

Peterson My Mixture 965

My Mixture 965 is a step fuller compared to Early Morning Pipe. It combines Virginia, Latakia, oriental tobaccos, and Brown Cavendish. Indeed, Cavendish adds a rounder body and a light dark sweetness to the smoking mixture.

In flavor, one can find smoke, wood, nuts, spices, and sometimes even tones of leather. If Early Morning Pipe represents a gentle entry-level English mixture and Nightcap a heavy evening blend, My Mixture 965 stands very pleasantly in the middle.

Peterson Nightcap

Nightcap is a legend. The blend consists of Virginia, Orientals, Latakia, and Perique. It is a strong blend with full flavor produced by STG in Denmark.

Latakia creates a smoky, deep, and sometimes spicy base. Orientals contribute spice, Virginia adds sweetness, and Perique adds peppery and slightly fermented fruity zest.

Nightcap is suitable for moments when an experienced pipe smoker wants to enjoy a bold, slowly smoked evening pipe.

Peterson Standard Mixture

Another former classic from Dunhill. Standard Mixture is built on a simple combination of Virginia – Oriental – Latakia.

Compared to Nightcap, it is smoother and less aggressive. It does not contain Perique, and the individual components feel more classic and straightforward. It is a very good example of a traditional English mixture for pleasant regular smoking.

Peterson Balkan Mixture

The former name Balkan Delight was changed to Balkan Mixture in Europe. Interestingly, despite the name, the officially listed composition does not contain Oriental. The base consists of Virginia, a larger dose of Latakia, and a bit of Louisiana Perique. The result is a smoky and simultaneously peppery spiced blend.

The name "Balkan" may thus mislead someone familiar with classic Balkan blends based on prominent oriental tobaccos. Nevertheless, the flavor of Balkan Mixture is a very interesting alternative among Petersons compared to Old Dublin or Nightcap.

Virginia and Perique (VaPer): Peterson Without the Aromatic Mask

Not every Peterson needs Latakia, Kentucky, or prominent flavoring. Several blends primarily focus on the pure Virginia and Perique.

Peterson Flake

Peterson Flake is the successor to the original Dunhill Flake, previously known as Light Flake. It is practically a textbook Straight Virginia Flake. Brown Virginias are pressed and sliced into fine flakes. The flavor is naturally sweet, grassy, sometimes citrusy, bready, or slightly honeyed.

Do not expect an aromatic explosion. The charm of this tobacco lies in its simplicity and how the flavor of Virginia develops during slow smoking.

Peterson Elizabethan Mixture

Elizabethan Mixture is a classic VaPer, that is, a combination of Virginia + Perique. Darkened Virginias form a sweet base, and Perique brings fermented fruit, pepper, and spice. The current version is produced by STG in Denmark; before transitioning to Peterson, the blend was sold as Dunhill Elizabethan Mixture.

It is one of the best options to try what Perique actually does in Peterson's offerings without Latakia overshadowing its character.

Peterson De Luxe Navy Rolls

Another Virginia/Perique, but this time in a beautiful form of coins. They use hand-selected Virginia from Brazil and Africa, complemented by Louisiana Perique. The flavor is naturally sweet, slightly citrusy and fruity, while Perique adds pepper, dried fruit, and fermented depth.

Among the contemporary Petersons, De Luxe Navy Rolls is also among the very well-rated blends – on Tobacco Reviews, it has long hovered around 3.6 points out of 4.

Peterson Royal Yacht

Royal Yacht is one of the most distinctive blends from the original Dunhill. The base consists solely of various Virginias, to which a delicate aromatic component is usually described as plum. However, do not be misled by the idea of a fruity aromatic.

Royal Yacht is a very distinctive and surprisingly strong tobacco. The natural sweetness of Virginia combines with darker fruity tones and a relatively pronounced nicotine.