REVISITED | Peterson/Dunhill "Early Morning Pipe" 

It’s actually a testament to how accurate Peterson is in nailing the original. Great reviews and your consistency is one of many reasons I’ve bean a long time sub

Finally!! Someone has been able to describe exactly how I feel. I never could understand why I never liked it. "A lot of hot air that doesn't do anything for me" that's it! Thank you!

Love me some EMP! The woody, herbal, tart orientals and the subtle dash of peaty, smokey Latakia is so perfect with a cup of black coffee in the morning. Delicious. Try packing your pipe about half as tight. That may open up the flavor profile for you and eliminate the harsh sour note you described.

I remember when you put out the first video, I said “awesome, I love this blend”, it was my first favorite dunhill blend and couldn’t believe that you didn’t like it. I am not really surprised your pallet hasn’t changed too much. Thanks, I do like the revisited videos!

I actually loved this blend. To each his own. Love your reviews. Most of the time I can agree...this one shows my pallet is different from yours.

Maybe the blend is meant to be smoked literally. If it's the first thing you taste in the morning when your palate is fresh, in that case might it leave a stronger flavor impression?

I tried it 5 years ago. It wasn’t my cup of tea. Tried another tin (new, not aged) about 7 months ago. I loved it. Smoked that tin up and ordered a few more. It is now in my top 5 tobaccos. Everyone is different :)

Not one of my favorites either. But I've always loved that tin art.

Side note: *Great* Cowboy Bepop shirt you had on in the beginning. Nostalgia

I liked EMP from the first time I had it basically because it’s really mellow smoke. As the name suggests it is a morning pipe tobacco so it prepares your tastebuds for some more pipe smoking throughout the day. I like to smoke it and sip some Earl Grey tea with it because it really compliments the flavor. Also I do suggest using differemt pipes (shapes) because what tastes bad in one pipe, can be a wonderfull smoke in a different one.

Huh. I am brand new to pipes. I’ve only tried four different tobacco blends so far. Cavendish and Burley. I cracked my first tin of Peterson early morning pipe this morning. I was blown away by the smell of the tobacco in the tin, I thought it was a very heavy bold scent. Smoking it, it was much more mellow than the actual tobacco smell. But I absolutely love it. I’ve got a lot more tobacco‘s on the way so I’m getting this journey started. But I’ve got two thumbs up for early morning pipe!

It's interesting how different people's paletes are. For me, this blend has SO much flavor, and I absolutely love it. It's one of my go to blends and is a staple for me. To each his own i guess lol

I think your review is spot on, but I found that it was best with a cup of coffee in the morning, as it's name implies, as a subtle way too start the day. Great video Brad!

Dude, I believe this may still be the only assessment on which you and I have disagreed. I continue to be troubled by it all these years later.

I totally agree with you on this one. When I started smoking pipes in the mid 1980's I never enjoyed the Dunhill Early Morning blend, but did find Late Night very good.

This is really interesting to me. Mainly because I’ve been good on about 90+% of your reviews. Thanks btw. But in my journey de tobac I’ve learned something weird. Many tobaccos require kind of specific loading/packing to get all the Amazeballs experience and flavoroology that others seem to be getting. After trying and loving several different tobaccos I happened upon an air pocket instruction. I had learned a long time ago how to load in the baby, mother, father method. I thought it’d be interesting to try something new. I did and it was ok. Nothing really different. Then I tried it with a tobacco I don’t really like and … it was pure heaven. I have since learned that most tobaccos have a sweet spin on packing density and that I can adjust this with the ‘Twist’ using the AP method. My usual methodology now is to place a small, loose amount in the bottom and the twist to the tobacco’s sweet spot. EMP is my poster child for this. I hated it and thought it was gassy or steamy and didn’t taste like much. Now, with the right twist density I call it it is so wonderful. It’s really everything the pipe is supposed to be (for me). Finally, my mindset now is that many of the tobaccos people like can be delicious, tangible smoke. It requires changes in loading density, pocket size, if any and occasionally allowing it to cool after your second or third light. Adaptation and repetition has let me like many more blends than I thought.

Nothing splits the pipe smoking community completely in half like EMP does.

Early morning pipe is a light English tobacco I am cellaring very heavily for a rainy day x delicious blend. Like a very light mellow Smokey whiskey 🥃 with incense oriental elements, each sip takes a slightly different note, easily an all day blend - adore it - if you are used to a strong English or strong flavours this might not hit the spot hence why I can understand this review - it’s subtle - EMP is ideal for new English blend smokers

I remember trying this years and years ago and thinking it was just OK. I loved Nightcap though, and back in the day, I could get it in bulk. Would you be willing to crack open that 4 year old tin and compare it aged to fresh? Maybe the Virginias have matured and made it better. Another two that you might want to try are Mac Baren's HH Old Dark Fired Ready Rubbed and Cornell & Diehl's Billy Budd. Fair warning on the HH, I had to smoke 3-4 bowls of it before my palate adjusted to it. The first bowl tasted like straight unflavored burley. By the 4th bowl, I was really enjoying it. I sealed up 3/4 of a pound yesterday for cellaring and left about 1/4 lb out for enjoyment.

To me, EMP is like the tobacco version of just a good solid basic pilsner compared to some of the bolder, crazier craft beers. It's not "an experience" or anything but it's a damn fine pounder and is something I can puff on all day in my shop.

This is my favorite tobacco blend of all time! 🙀

This happened to me the first time I smoked a bowl of a fresh tin of EMP. I put it on a sealed jar and wait for some weeks. After this and whenever I've smoked it was amazing. The same for NC, MM965, etc. I think they need to air out for a while before start smoking well.

I'm confused how a tobacco that smells so strongly of peated islay scotch can have no flavor but it really doesn't. I tasted mineral water and that was about it.

Try to smoke it first place in the morning. And somewhere outside. Watching sunrise with this blend is a perfect experience. And try to inhale it with the fresh morning air.

I think the Dunhill English blends weren’t designed to be smoked right from the tin as they improve immeasurably if jarred for a month.

I absolutely agree! I've been saying EMP just tastes like smoke for ages, but I couldn't quite get the point across. I don't think it's a particularly bad blend at all, but in terms of flavour it just cannot stack up against Nightcap, Durbar or any SG blend

Lol “just a lot of hot air”

Would love to see a Squadron Leader revisit (not that the company changed) but moreso to see if your tastes/opinion have changed. Perhaps a series of “Classic/Popular Blends Revisited” and you could also do Orlick Golden, Presbyterian etc. Just and idea! Great vid

How about a revisit of Chelsea Morning? I think that might be interesting given this re-review.

Maybe the "lack of taste" was a deliberate choice by Peterson. Some people get nauseous from too many flavors early in the morning (in fact I know a lot of people who refuse to eat breakfast for this reason). A dry, tasteless smoke first thing in the morning might be up some people's alley.

for me, this is more oriental forward more than latakia! maybe just a hint of smokiness, but I can taste sweet, floral, herbal , earthy and leathery notes which I enjoy them

EMP is my favorite English blend so far as a new pipe smoker. Haven’t tried the standard mixture yet

That's very interesting. I don't find Early Morning Pipe to be full of flavor, but definitely not hot air. I get a lot of the same flavors that I get from Kramer's Father Dempsey, but maybe turned down a notch or two. Cool to see you revisit it though just to see.

I’m relatively new to “real” tobacco coming from aros, but I like it. Nightcap is a bit heavy so I jarred it for now. So far so good here. I am also digging the Escudo a lot and the Presbyterian right now. Gonna crack the 965 later.

I had that same effect when I smoked Dunhill Ye Olde Signe.

Exactly. Hot but fragrant air. No body, not a ton of flavor obviously and absolutely no kick. If kids were allowed to smoke, EMP and would be Peterson's best marketing bet.

Interesting. I'm not as experienced in my pipesmoking journey as you are. I had heard so much about EMP I just had to try it (being mostly an aromatic piper). After watching your review I was a bit discouraged and thought it would be a dull experience. Now after having a few bowls I find quite pleasant. Perfect to have in the morning after chasing away the family to work and school with a nice cup of coffee. Much lighter in the taste than Old Dublin which almost gave me that cigar sickness. My next project is to try Night cap.

I only smoke it with coffee , it gives the coffee a unique flavor after some early morning pipe smoke

I think one of the coolest things about pipe tobacco is that everyone has different tastes and observations when it comes to blends. I personally love early morning pipe, I actually have it just about every morning with me coffee. Do you think having been a cigarette smoker has had an effect on your tastes and preferences? I only ask because I’ve never been a cigarette smoker, but I have used chewing tobacco my entire adult life, and as stated before, EMP is probably my favorite English blend.

What about the aged??

It's one of my favorite non-aromatics. The scent you get when you light it is my favorite, the smoke smells lovely. My initial opinion was surprise ~ it was indeed so mild that I wondered why I was even smoking it! I didn't feel anything, either. Yet, I always feel the nicotine about an hour later. Truly a pipe to start the day! The taste is a bit leathery. Sounds bad, but I like it! As time goes on the flavor has become more apparent to me. Unique and light, it's one I'm going to restock on whenever I run out!

Perhaps it would pair well with coffee? Thinking that because it is holding back in taste allows for a pairing.

Last time I smoke EMP was an early morning on the creek fishing for trout. It was beautiful 😄 🎣

My dear sir I truly enjoy your videos and you are a fun person to watch I have what you talk about Elizabethan blend and I have finally gotten my hands on some to try I would most definitely agree with your impression of it being a meat-and-potatoes kind of blend I really do enjoy it it fit my needs and it is a really good smoke

Thanks for the informative review B. I’m now glad I decided to order Presbytarian instead...and can’t wait. So hard to find in Australia.

That shows that taste is truly, truly subjective.

My first experience with an English blend was with Plum Pudding, and as an aro smoker, my first impression was "what is this? Smells like a horses's ass!" Lol But the smell and the taste grew and grew on me, now I like a bowl every night. I just received my second English blend today and Early Morning Pipe was it...Huge disappointment, your review is on point! I was expecting some sweetness and complexity, but it was just like smoking a bad cigar mixed with cigarette. I was about to order Night Cap and Presbyterian this week but I am now on a fence. What would you recommend to an aro smoker who likes an occasional English and loves Plum Pudding? I would want to try something different than Plum Pudding obviously, but with a little bit of sweetness and richness.

Back when you made the 1st vid I used to really like EMP. I found if I let the tin cellar for a bit I liked it even more. Don't ask me why, it may have been just in my head. Fairly recently I popped the last tin I had from 4 years ago, and I was not sure why I liked it so much. I didn't get any off or bitter flavors, it just didn't have much flavor. Probably not going to pick up anymore of it. I usually just smoke Nightcap, Star of the East Flake, 10 till Midnight, and my all time favorite Black house for my English blends, so I'll just stick with those. Maybe My Mix BB1938 if they start making it again.

I got some if these a few months back and have been really enjoying its suddle smokyness and sweetness

I get that odd oriental discrepancy with a new tobacco called, " wild man ", by Seattle pipe club! After smoking a bowl my tongue felt infiltrated by microscopic razor blades! It ruined my pipe smoking for a week each time!!! Now I have been following your expertise for the last 4 years when buying a new blends...99.9 percent of your recommendations we're spot on except for one. ELIZABETHAN! That was the 1 percent I emptied my bowl and never smoked it again! To each their own I say! Glad you are there to nudge us along in a great field of flavors! John. P.S. oh yeah....EMP had the same effect on me...a no smoke! John

I am so sad that you didn't like this Bradley! I actually LOVE this blend, I got some because of you too haha Also, maybe all that stronger full tasting baccy has spoiled your taste buds for tasting lighter blends XP hahaha jk hope you're doing well! Cheers! :)

I feel the same way about the strangeness 😂

Bradley, too bad they're no longer available, but Balkan Sobranie used to put out an unfiltered Turkish Yenidji cigarette that was absolutely delicious. They came ten to a tin, and sold for $1.00, which made them about six times more expensive than a pack of 20 American cigarettes. Oh, those were the days!

I've never had EMB I started smoking after Dunhill gave up the Ghost. And now I know I'll stear away from this blend instead I've just opened a new tin of Presbyterian Mixture. Kudos from the Hills of NC.

Early Boring Pipe. But to each their own .....

the Robert mcconnel line of substitutes for the dunhill blends is way more better than the originals.

Also a fan of Latakia-forward blends. I was excited to try EMP after hearing everyone recommend it. I found it to be fairly harsh and didn’t enjoy it. 🤷🏻‍♂️

They must have changed it because the Dunhill EMP I am still smoking has a very prounouced and unique funk from the orientals.

I will say that I have had a tin of it and the best experience I had with it was actually smoking it in the early morning and in most times a cool September morning. could it be that tobacco flavor can be affected by the time of day? I know that my taste can change based on the season Fall, Winter/Spring, Summer. Anyways great video!

BE the smoke Bradley!!! 😁

Well, I have on Dunhill EMP tin cellared for about 7 years now. Think I'll give it a couple more...😆

*chanting* royal yacht! Royal yacht! Royal yacht!

That's funny, I have just smoked a couple of bowls of Early Morning Pipe, and it is yet the only english I've tried. As a beginner pipe smoker I like it. I like that the latakia does not take over, but is more a condiment to the other tobaccos. I especially like how it's bitterness curtails the sweetness of the virginias, while preserving their nice flavor. I do agree that the bitterness in the aftertaste can be a bit too much though. But overall I like the blend and how it works together. Maybe I will change my mind once I try other english blends or develop my pallet, but right now I like it and would recommend it to other beginners that wants to try an english.

I’m with you. Never been a fan of EMP. Elizabethan is always in my rotation (as is MB’s HH Acadian Perique). 965 is okay, but I think Westminster is much better. But EMP is exactly as you described it. Good review, sir.

I'm totally with you, Brad. My first ever English was My Mixture 965 and I fell in love with it. It was what I had been (not knowingly) looking for in a pipe tobacco. I was a believer straight away both in Latakia mixtures and in Dunhill. I liked Standard MIxture, later I fell in love with Nightcap which is a favourite of mine to this day. But EMP? I never understood its popularity. My reactions were the same as yours: bland, flat, tendency towards harshness, little flavour and an unpleasant "undertaste" lingering in the background. I think I threw away half of the tin. But there are ardent fans out there, so maybe it's just something genetic? That some (we) can't taste a key flavour that would make all the difference? Just like some people are colour blind. Something different: I've noticed that you often say "I can't really describe it" but your descriptions are very precise, I think. Like in this video when you paint a vivid picture of the chewable texture of pipe tobacco.

I have some Early Morning pipe by Dunhill that I bought at Tinderbox. I have yet to finish the jar because of the reasons you give here. It's good, but it seems much more bland than other Peter-hill blends. 😁👍

Here I have to pay about $70 US for a tin of tobacco so your evaluations are of great help for me when it comes to betting on a a tin I might like. I liked old flavour Camel cigarettes and Dr Pat Irish mixture by Lane but am looking for less toppings but not too strong. Thanks again...enjoying the whole show.

This may be the only blend that we have to agree to disagree on lol

It’s really pleasant for half the bowl and then it goes bitter and sour.

Great vid,elegant pipe Thought my love of peterson sig,etc.,was waning? I was smoking a lot from spare time,and lots of coffee When i felt green,tried to reset with my full va plug and bright cr In small bursts i'm good with the peterson,now! Feel same about nature of baccy,just lit up a peterson sig/touch of 656 solani Noticed it was burning like milk chocolate? Love seeing the fancy stuff you get out there.... Cad!

If you smoke Nightcap, or 965 for a long time, the EMP is really weak. If you only smoke Virginias or VA/PA for a while and then the EMP you are open to the spice of the Orientals again.

Appreciate your honesty. Emp is one of my favorites bc of the Orientals. To me that bitterness you describe reminds me of cinnamon. Perhaps that particular oriental isn't used as often? Interesting how taste can differ from person to person. Great seeing you again. My old handle was Doctor Grabow.

It’s an okay blend, I wouldn’t mind it at all. However I rather go with My Mixture 965 or better yet Three Nuns the original.

You should try it on a curn cub pipe. Its completely delicious.

For those looking for a mild English I’d recommend Rattray’s Accountant’s Mixture. Very very mild but just enough going on for it to entertain.

Great vid Bradley. Thanks. Have a great week.

I like EMP in the morning\afternoon, SG Skiff Mixture in the afternoon and Nightcap in the evening. That's a good menu! EMP is - in my opinion - very subtle and light, not so creamy, but full of flavour. Cheers.

as a new piper it is really weird to try this blend after hearing so much about it and it ended up being exactly like you say! it has no place in a rotation. it's bland and feels/tastes dirty while having zero redeeming qualities lol. i am confused as i enjoy 965 and nightcap as well. but i'm finding so many other blends that fill the niche that EMP wants to fill.

I agree 100%, for what it’s worth. I never got into EMP. It really is just superficially harsh smoke with no actual flavor or body.

I have to say I bought this because the name and tin art, but I'm having trouble enjoying it as well. I find it a little bitter, but I do like the lingering after taste of leather.

This one and Nightcap have their roles reversed with me lol. I like Nightcap in the morning with a cup of coffee and EMP in the evenings with a Guinness or a doobie.

I'm curious to know what you would think about this one if you smoked a tin that had some age on it?

See you around space cowboy!

Smells and tastes like cigarette tobacco. It's okay, really, but I'm more into heavily sauced danish tobacco. Just opened the tin, it's pretty dry. "A lot of hot air that doesn't do anything for me" on point, I totally agree.

This tobacco fills a very very specific niche, and then not all the time. I buy a tin every couple years for a morning smoke with tea when I get bored with Virginia in the morning haha.

Emp is probably my favorite go to tobacco. But I'll always be chasing the flavor of drew estate meat pie RIP

I add cigar leaf or dark fired coins to EMP to make it enjoyable.

It's one of the tobaccos that I use just to wake up. Not my favorite. I agree.

Much better when aged a little. Tastes like a sweetened virginia, with very light incense, almost like sweet tea with cinnamon. Enjoying a bowl now.

Try the aged one...just for kicks...you could just mention it in a later Sunday SAT

Amen

isn't it bland /weak because it's designed for the early morning?

I prefer much stronger Latakia forward English blends but...I really like EMP, in someways I don’t want to but I can’t help myself, it’s a really enjoyable first or all day smoke. I won’t store it as the Latakia will mellow to much for my liking so will smoke it tin fresh. I pack it lighter than other blends in small bowl pipes and find the flavours intensify as I get down the bowl. It’s not a sit back and relax smoke for me so I’m often chooching away whilst doing something else and it just works for me. We are all different though, I want to dislike it, can’t tell you why...but I just can’t 😂

I watched a live IG with 3 guys a few weeks ago. One of them said this blend ages incredibly well. Has anyone experienced this?

Emp is probably my favorite.

I agree with you 100% Bradley, EMP is seriously just “meh”, never understood why people like it so much, glad it’s not just me - gimme some Standard Mixture, 965 or Nightcap instead 👍🏽

I know what you mean!it just reminded me of cigarettes and I hate cigarettes.....

Davidoff Royalty is comparable but better in my opinion, also Presbyterian but they might have even less Latakia

Sometimes, latakia can have a metallic tone that can come across as bitter.

regarding the harshness, I do agree totally... I love English blends, but I don't like this blend, it's not fair to compare it to other dunhill English blends and there is no flavor to enjoy... that's my personal opinion