This will be where I post my reviews of all the tobaccos I try. Don't be shy I welcome and encourage everyone to leave reviews of the tobacco you're smoking as well!
The aroma I get off of it is very dark Stone fruit plum, raisins, figs, earthy. It smells very sweet I don't know if Burley is a tobacco that's naturally sweet or it could just be a topping. I would say that the smell is wonderful.
To the touch the tobacco is slightly moist. If you prefer you could let it sit out for half an hour and it would probably be perfect but I'm impatient right now so I'm not going to do that.
Upon lighting it I'm immediately met with very earthy, nutty, slightly Sweet smoke. As I'm smoking it the room note is giving me a nice sweet smell slightly musky but in a good way.
Just got roasted marshmallows in the smoke.
The first half ot the bowl is and I know I sound like a broken record right now earthy, nutty, sweet, slightly musty, and a slight bitterness that compliments the sweetness so bittersweet.
The taste in the second half of the bowl is starting to remind me of some of the notes that I get out of orientals but sweeter. I'm getting a slight tea, floral, herbal, bittersweet, nutty, slightly sour flavor.
The room note? who cares about the room note this tastes amazing!
I just finished the bowl and it burned down to a fine white ash. I could definitely see this being an all day smoke. If you're a new pipe smoker and looking for a nice blend to start out with I could recommend this wholeheartedly.
@Smoug420 said:
This will be where I post my reviews of all the tobaccos I try. Don't be shy I welcome and encourage everyone to leave reviews of the tobacco you're smoking as well!
Putting all the reviews in the same thread is a great idea.
I know, You're a big dog and I'm on the list. Let's eat, GrandMa. / Let's eat GrandMa. -- Punctuation saves lives
@Smoug420 said:
This will be where I post my reviews of all the tobaccos I try. Don't be shy I welcome and encourage everyone to leave reviews of the tobacco you're smoking as well!
Putting all the reviews in the same thread is a great idea.
Yea it was recommend that i do this so I didn't clutter up the forms/threads.
The aroma that I get off of the bag is smokey, barbecue, vinegar, and slightly earthy
The tobacco is good to smoke right out of the pouch not too wet not too dry. I'm not quite sure what kind of cut this tobacco is it might be thin flake.
When I lit it up the taste was smokey, very sweet, raisin, and slightly pepper.
As I'm smoking the first half of the bowl the raisin flavor is switching over to a bright acidic flavor that I'm going to call lemon it plays very nice with the sweet flavor.
I know I shouldn't but I couldn't help myself I inhaled some it was very strong but I got a nice woodsy flavor out of it.
The smoke coming out of the bowl has a wood, smokey, sweet smell.
I'd say about a third of the way through the bowl most if not all of the pepper is gone and if you told me that this was a lemon flavored pipe tobacco I would believe you! A smokey, sweet, lemon but a lemon none the less.
At the second half of the bowl right now and it has gone completely and totally smooth, the smoke has transformed from a full-bodied smoke to very wispy light smoke and as it dances across my tongue it's leaving sweet, smokey, lemony kisses! (the change in smoke might be a product of me packing awkwardly as I'm not familiar with whatever kind of cut of tobacco this is)
As I'm coming to the end of the bowl I'm getting more earthy flavors, slightly smokey. The sweetness and lemon is starting to leave and is being replaced with a light raisin flavor.
It burned down to a nice white ash.
I will say the nicotine content is higher than than other blends I've smoked so if you're a new smoker be warned.
The room note is a woodsie, smokey smell like smoldering wood chips.
I'm extremely pleased with the flavor in this blend but don't think I'll smoke it regularly until I build up more resistance to nicotine.
The smell in the bag is slightly sweet, raisin, and a hint of smokey.
When I lit the bowl I got a sweet earthy flavor. The smoke coming from the bowl smells earthy and sweet.
Same earthy sweet flavor for the first half of the bowl.
The second half of the bowl is earthy-er, very slight pepper and the smell of the smoke got sweeter.
It burned cool, slow, and left a fine grey ash.
So out of the tobaccos I've tried so far this is the most "pure" I didn't get a topping flavor, smell, or aftertaste it was just a nice clean mellow tobacco flavor.
It's a great smoke. I might get flak for this one but I'd say it reminds me of a cigarette but leagues better. If you're a new pipe smoker switching from cigs then I think this one's got your name on it.
@silvermouse said:
pipe tobacco blender Greg Pease once mentioned that all pipe tobacco is cased and/or topped.
edit: I don't know for a fact if this is true or not but rather suspect it is true.
Cased yes
Topped no
a good way to look at it is, all tobacco is cased. whatever the blend make up, whatever the leaf variety, or blend classification.
but while all tobacco is cased, not all tobacco is topped.
casing happens early in the processing stages, to make the tobacco more workable and while it imparts flavoring, usually in proprietary recipes, it’s not the main focus of its use. it’s meant to unify the blend, to bring to high case, and this can be in varying degrees. some companies / blends may only employ a light casing depending on how much natural tobacco flavor they want to come out in the smoke.
whereas a topping, a syrup, is usually added in the blend at the end of the processing stages and before aging and packaging. this is mean to give the blend a dominating flavor profile such as cherry or caramel, or vanilla, and while these flavoring styles can also be found in a casing, it’s usually diluted more than you will find in a topping. a topping is more heavy handed in its use and usually makes blend more sticky / goopy, it’s noticeable you’re smoking an aro. but also, some companies / blends dial back the topping in an aro blend. - specialist ad 9419 on reddit
The aroma coming out of the bag is raisin, sweet, and dark stone fruit.
Upon first light I'm getting super sweet, lemon, and a bit of pepper.
The smoke coming out of the bowl smells of sweet citrus.
About 1/3 through the bowl and the pepper is coming through alot more, the sweetness is fading slightly, and the lemon is still going strong.
Half way through and the bowl and the lemon is even stronger, the pepper is fading, and the sweetness is still good.
Coming up to the end of the bowl. The pepper has gone down to a slight spice. The lemon has calmed down and is even with the spice. The sweetness is still nice and every so often overpowers the spice.
It burned cool and slow down to a fine grey ash.
A very nice smoke with wonderful flavor I can see myself smoking this every day.
P.S Why do we tell new pipe smokers to start with aromatics?
Every single blend I've smoked in the package I got has had more depth of flavor, is easier to light and keep lit, has no tongue bite, and doesn't ghost pipes at all/very little.
The smell in the bag is raisin, peppery, earthy, musky
The flake was wetter than what I normally smoke out of the bag you could let it dry for half an hour but I didn't.
When I first lit it I got a sweet creamy smoke with a good amount of pepper and some tang/citrus. The smoke coming out of the bowl is sweet and very slightly woody.
1/3 of the bowl in and the pepper is still strong but has mellowed out and is complimented by tart/tangy, sweet smoke. I'm getting a wood flavor as well.
About half way through now. The wood flavor is getting stronger, the pepper is still strong but mellow, the sweetness is fading and the tangy flavor is coming and going in pockets.
Coming to the end of the bowl now. The tangy flavor has over matched the pepper, the pepper is still going strong, the sweetness is lingering, the woody flavor is mixing with the tang to make what I'm gonna call raisin/plum. I'm getting Stone fruits smells like cherry and plum in the smoke coming out of the bowl.
It burned slow and a little warmer than than other flakes I've smoked and I had to relight a couple times. ( Probably because I didn't let it dry before I packed it)
It burned down to a mostly fine grey/black ash.
Nic hit is slightly stronger than I am use to but not bad.
The only way I can describe the sweetness in this blend is "deep" not sweeter but like almost perfumed with something I can't put my finger on it but I like it.
I'm going to assume that the Virginia in this blend is different that the ones I've been smoking as it was less sweet and less lemony more like a tangy lime.
The pepper is strong but it doesn't overpower any of the other flavors.
And the woody flavor mixes well with the tang and pepper.
Extremely pleased with this one I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a nice peppery blend.
The smell coming out of the bag is smokey, sweet, iodine, vinegar, bbq, and slight pepper.
Compared to the 5 year old tin I have this has many more aromas.
The 5 year old tin smell is a strong iodine, slightly sweeter, and has a much lighter pepper with no vinegar or bbq smell.
Upon first light I'm getting super sweet, lemony, musky, perfumed, vinegary, smokey, peppery, bready flavors in a creamy thick smoke.
The smell of the smoke coming out of the bowl is peppery, sweet, and woody.
1/3 of the bowl in and I'm now getting sweet lemon and tangy lime mixed with pepper, floral musk, slight wood and a bready sweetness.
About halfway through now and the flavors are constantly tipping between sweet, sour, tangy, slight spice, and strong pepper it a constantly evolving smoke, and a flavor bomb.
I feel like my tongue is a battlefield in world war I and is being hit by a creeping barrage of every single flavor in the book in a good way.
Nearing the end of the bowl now and it's finally decided on a woodsy, spice, slight pepper, flavor.
This is the first time I got the bread flavor from a blend.
It burned slow and cool down to a fine white ash. I did have to relight twice but it was well worth it.
Definitely my favorite bend as of right now. It's a good evening or contemplative smoke. but not something I would smoke all day or while I was doing something that required my attention.
On the other hand the 5 year old tin I have has more tang, extremely smooth smoke, and lighter flavors and is perfect for smoking while mowing, doing paperwork or reading.
The smell coming out of the bag is raisin, vinegar, plum, earthy, and slightly sweet.
The coins are thinner than I thought they would be and I'm not sure how I'm supposed to pack them. I rubbed 3 out like I normally do with other flakes.
On my first light I'm getting strong wood, sweet lemon, tangy lime, pepper, and plum. The smoke coming out of the bowl smells like sweet and smokey wood chips it's very nice.
The entire bowl from start to finish and the same flavor of tangy citrus and a lighty woody flavor with slight spice. Every so often I would hit a pocket of sweet lemon.
It burned slow and cool. Left a fine grey ash.
For me this was a meh blend. It just doesn't have enough going on to keep my interest. It's not bad by any means just meh.
This is the first blend I wouldn't recommend for anyone. If you are new and looking for a cheap bulk blend I'd recommend the Luxury Navy Flake from the same company it's much better.
The smell in this bag is unlike anything I've smelled in tobacco before. It smells strongly of tea and mint with a sweet undertone.
Upon first light I'm getting bread, tang, musk, lemon, and a grassy sweetness.
The smoke coming out of the bowl is carrying a sweet grassy smell.
The entire bowl I've been getting grassy, tangy and sweet lemon, slight bread, and a slight earthy flavor.
It burned slow and cool. Left a fine grey ash.
While I didn't get tea in the smoke the after taste definitely a strong tea flavor. A very nice tobacco flake. Smooth and with enough flavors to keep me entertained and happy.
I'd recommend this Flake for new and old smokers looking for a sweet mellow ride.
Now I'm gonna do something I normally don't do and probably shouldn't chew a flake it smells too good not to be back in 30-50 minutes.
Good chew natural tasting with a tea, herb, and classic raisin undertone gave me a good buzz.
The smell I get off of it is raisin, sweet, earthy, and a very slight vinegar/tang. The cube cut is firm and packs super easley into a pipe.
As I'm lighting it up I'm getting a deep earthy dirt flavor from burley, and tanginess from what I'm assuming are virginias. The smoke coming out of the bowl is earthy and slightly sweet.
About 1/3 through the bowl and I'm getting a nice Woody, deep earthy, tangy, and very slight plum/raisin taste. The smoke has picked up a tangy aroma as well.
Genuinely impressed with how cool it's burning.
The bowl kept the same Woody, earthy, tangy, Plum/raisin flavor all the way to the end of the bowl.
It burned super cool and slow down to a somewhat chunkier than fine ash.
As I'm new two to cube cut I found out that I needed to tamp more gently than normal or it would snuff the ember. But man was it easy to load in the pipe just pinch it in and light it up!
This is a great burley blend but it doesn't beat out Amphoras burley blend in my opinion.
I'd recommend this one for anyone curious about burley, or for people that like burley and have never had cube cut before.
The aroma is a slight barbecue, pepper, sweet, vinegar, smokey, earthy.
On the starting light I'm getting super strong pepper, tang, lemony sweetness, musk, and a nicotine buzz already? The smoke coming out of the bowl is very barbecue, smoky, and tangy.
Holy **** boys it's strong.
About 1/3 in and getting herbal, lemony, smokey, earthy, tangy, musky, slightly tea, almost floral notes.
And a nic hit bigg enough that I feel drunk.
Halfway through the bowl the sweetness has kicked up as well as the herbal, tea, floral flavors in the background I'm still getting earthy, tangy, musky, lemony notes.
I'm starting to think this **** is laced with nap time juice.
Coming up on the end of the bowl now. same wonderful bouquet of flavors and aromas.
It burned slow, clean, and cool down to a fine white ash.
This is the **** that Popeye the sailor man's father smoked and nobody can tell me any different.
I'm covered in sweat, feel like I've been on a binge drinking night with my buddies old man, and smell of shame and pleasure.
By far one of the best bouquet of flavors in any blend of tried period.
Be warned all ye who seek the treasure of old
A dragon waits guarding the flavor in this bowl
Not for the men of weak nor the faint of heart
If an adventure you seek then pack up and spark
I guess our new friend has wandered on after 44 posts in 12 days. Too much 420, maybe?
WARNING: The above post may contain thoughts or ideas known to the State of Caliphornia to cause seething rage, confusion, distemper, nausea, perspiration, sphincter release, or cranial implosion to persons who implicitly trust only one news source, or find themselves at either the left or right political extreme. Proceed at your own risk.
"If you do not read the newspapers you're uninformed. If you do read the newspapers, you're misinformed." -- Mark Twain
@Amos_Umwhat said:
I guess our new friend has wandered on after 44 posts in 12 days. Too much 420, maybe?
I dropped and broke my phone, couldn't remember the name of this website to save my life so i just never came back until i just checked my email and facepalmed. I've started trying to get into cigars so I might put a a stick review or two.
P.S incoming review barrage
i was curious about the ageing effect on va's and someone kindly sent me these and also some capstan blue.
The 2022 smells like vanilla, honey, marshmallow, extremely sweet, and slight grass.
Upon first light I'm getting sweet, grassy, and bready flavors.
The smoke coming out of the bowl is sweet and slightly bready.
It kept the same flavor the whole bowl simple and smooth.
The 2018 smells grassier and the sweetness is toned down a lot. The honey, marshmallow, and vanilla smells are gone. I'm assuming that they top/case this flake heavily.
On first light I'm getting a sweeter, grassy, bready, tangy lemon, fruity flavors.
The smoke smells sweet and bready.
once again kept the same flavor the whole bowl.
they both burned cool, slow, and left a fine ash. The aged flake was way better than the fresh one while both were a nice smoke the aged one was sweeter and had more flavors, and they were stronger tasting than the new flake. overall a great budget flake to stock up on and cellar for Virginia lovers IMO.
The 2022 smells grassy/hay, sweet, and slight vinegar.
on first light I'm getting bread. straw/hay, some light sweetness.
The smoke smells bready and sweet.
I got a slight lemon flavor in some pockets of the bowl while smoking.
The 2019 smells grassy, musty, sweeter, and stronger vinegar.
it was sweeter with lemon throughout the whole bowl, grassy, less bread flavor, and a smoother thicker smoke.
The smoke smelled sweet.
both really great smokes but the aged tasted better to me. i think I'll buy a few tins and start cellaring them!
if you like Virginias that are grass/hay forward this is a great flake.
The smell is tea, vinegar, BBQ, fermented sweetness, molasses, deep stone fruit cherry and plum specifically. smells wonderful!
Taste on first light is Extremely sweet, fig, lemon, cherry, cranberry, bread, dark sticky sweet flavor that I'm going to call molasses, and a verry light spice. Tastes wonderful too!
kept the same wonderful flavor from the first light to the end of the bowl. Smoked cool, slow, and to a mostly fine ash though it did leave a small amount of moisture in the bowl.
Verry Christmas/wintery feel to the taste the cranberry, bready, molasses, and spice make me feel like I'm smoking a cranberry gingerbread man, though i think that's just a coincidence.
Absolutely amazing smoke, I recommend it for anyone that can find it.
The smell is smokey, vinegar/sour, and musky. It kind of smells like a smokey pickle.
On first light I'm getting a smokey, sweet, incense, taste and the smoke is silky/velvety.
the smell of the smoke coming out of the bowl is floral, sweet, woody.
1/3 of the bowl in and I'm getting smokey, sweet, incense, some floral, musky, woody, earthy flavors have shown up.
kept the same flavor after the first third of the bowl.
burned cool, slow and to a fine ash. I did have to relight a couple times but nothing too bad.
a great blend that reminds me of a sweeter lighter plum pudding. defiantly gonna keep some of this around.
The Smell is extremely sweet, slightly grassy, and raisin.
on first light i get sweetness, slight bread, some spice, and a hint of coco/chocolate.
the smoke coming out if the bowl is bready with some spice.
1/2 way through the bowl I'm getting grassy, bready, some spice, and sweet flavors.
burned cool, slow, and to a good ash.
I dislike the super strong sweet smell from the topping but it's a nice straight forward smoke. If you like VA flakes this will do just fine.
The smell is sweet, woody, vinegar, earthy, smokey, and a slight musk.
on first light I'm getting sweet, smokey, musty, slight pepper, and bready flavors.
the smoke smells bready, smokey and sweet.
1/3 way through the bowl and a woody and slight incense flavor show up. The pepper is stronger and sweetness weaker.
burns cool, slow, and to a fine ash. Overall a great blend but it's missing my favorite part of latakia blends the strong incense flavor and smell that is my nirvana on retro hales. It seems to trade it off for a more bread forward Virgina flavor.
A great bready, smokey, sweet blend to unwind with. If you like this and want to try something similar but more smokey with a stronger incense and just a tad less sweet I'd recommend G.L Pease Quiet Nights.
This legendary cake is said to have been made from the finest handpicked tobacco available in all of creation, blended by the automatons of a tinkerer gnome in the hills of Old Lamplight packed into creates and shipped to the ÿat-ga a capital class blockade runner crewed by the strong and feared Gijimani tribe. Carried through the war-torn waters of the Sea Of Fallen Stars to the shores of Calgrim where it was escorted to the deep roads of the dwarves. Taken down and down further and further into the pitch black, cold, damp crust of the earth and put into molds by the dawrven priests who placed the molds under the heart of the earth. They sang to the heart until it sang back. It sang a song of shaping, stone giants knelt, mountains moved, sinkholes opened on the surface swallowing villages, towns, and even whole kingdoms, most importantly in pressed the tobacco into cakes. After the world settled the priests removed the cakes from the molds packed them back into their creates, and carried them back to the surface which is conveniently Beaglesandbowls back yard who did a brief quality check and then sent me one.
smell is BBQ, vinegar, sweet, wood.
on first light I'm getting sweet, tangy, deep earthiness, slight wood, and some pepper.
the smoke smells peppery, woody, and sweet.
kept the same flavor the whole bowl. smoked cool, slow, and to a nice ash. verry nice flavors and one of my favorite tobacco blends.
I know Beaglesandbowls posted the recipe for these somewhere on here but I can't rember where.
the smell is boozy, wine/grape, and raisin.
on first light I'm getting sweet, sour, grape/wine, slight orange oil, bread.
the smoke smells bready, slightly musky, and has a perfumed quality.
1/2 way through the bowl and the sweet, sour, bready Virginias are the main flavors but the grape/wine, orange oil topping is still here and shows up every puff and sip.
burned cool, slow, and to a fine ash. it did leave a small amount of moisture in the bowl.
great aromatic blend where you can taste the tobacco, the topping is strong enough to taste from start to finish but doesn't overpower the tobacco.
recommended for Virgina lovers trying to branch into aromatics or newer piper smokers looking to branch from aromatics to Virginas.
gonna try to get a few tins to cellar.
IT WILL GHOST A PIPE so use a corn cob if you just want to try it.
It smells smokey, sweet, woody, slight vinegar, and a slight musk. smells almost "silky" witch is weird but the only word i can think of to describe it.
On first light i get smokey, sweet, incense, bread, and tang.
the smoke smells smokey and sweet.
burns cool, slow, and to a nice ash.
A good smoke that reminds me of a slightly sweeter and more balanced Night Cap. I might get some flak for this one but I don't think that this blend is worth the hassle or time needed to find and stock it.
Smells like strong vinegar, bbq, smoked meat, sweet, raisin, stone fruit cherry/plum.
On first light its salty, tangy/sour, meaty/savory, deep strong earthiness, slight coco/chocolate, and a dark undertone flavor I can't identify.
Smells earthy, woody, and salty like sea air.
1/3 the way in the bowl I'm getting nutty, salty, meaty, deep earth, smokey, slight pepper, a dried fruit flavor, and pockets of slight sweetness that help highlight other flavors.
At the end of the bowl the smoke is creamy and thick. A buttery and bread flavor are now present.
smoked cool, slow, and to a mostly fine ash. I did have to relight 4 times but that could've been the way I packed/tamped.
Nic hit was a little strong but not too bad.
I'd recommend this blend for anyone that likes bold, deep, strong flavors, even if you don't like tobaccos like that this blend has a way of growing on you. definitely going to buy some of this to keep in my cellar.
P.S I listened to a short story called "Old Dagon Dark" the tobacco in the story reminds me of this blend worth a listen if you like this blend or Lovecraftian stories.
Smells sweet, vinegar, raisin, stone fruit, cherry/plum, fig, dried fruit. Verry sweet and tangy fruit smells.
On first light I get sweet, bread, and slight grassy flavors.
Smoke smells sweet and bready.
1/3 of the way in and a slight spice/pepper shows up with some tangy, sweet, fruity flavors that taste like cranberry.
I'd call this a natural aromatic tobacco but aromatic in the sense that the smell of the smoke is enhancing flavors I'm already tasting. I'm getting verry slight notes of almost vanilla, cherry/cranberry, sugar cookie/sweet bread in the smell of the smoke I only get them every once in a while, and its verry light.
burns cool, slow and to a mostly fine ash. It did leave a little moisture in the bowl and stem.
A great smoke and one that Virgina lovers should seek out and covet. I still like Christmas Cheer 2000 better but this is an amazing smoke as well.
This blend has verry fine long strands of tobacco somewhere between shag and ribbon cut.
On first light I get deep earthy, sweet, verry slight coco/ chocolate, toasty/nutty.
the smoke smells earthy and smokey.
1/3 of the way in I'm getting bready, slight pepper, some dried fruit, earthy, sweet flavors
I'd recommend lighting this blend with a match as the fine ribbon/shag cut tobacco can be easily scorched leaving you with a horrible taste and smell.
you have to baby this blend to get the best flavors out of it but it's a danm good smoke and well worth it.
The closest thing i can compare the deep earthy flavor to is Old Dark Fired.
In my head ODF and Kendal Dark are married. ODF is the husband stronger nic hit, savory, salty, and slightly sweet. Kendal Dark is the wife sweeter, lighter nic hit, more pronounced fruit flavors, and a nuttiness. Both have a coco note on first light and both get creamy smoke towards the end of the bowl but ODF is creamier to me.
burns slow, cool, and to a fine ash.
great blend everyone should try. going to get some of this to go in my cellar along with ODF.
Comments
Noob reviews- Amphora Burley Blend
The aroma I get off of it is very dark Stone fruit plum, raisins, figs, earthy. It smells very sweet I don't know if Burley is a tobacco that's naturally sweet or it could just be a topping. I would say that the smell is wonderful.
To the touch the tobacco is slightly moist. If you prefer you could let it sit out for half an hour and it would probably be perfect but I'm impatient right now so I'm not going to do that.
Upon lighting it I'm immediately met with very earthy, nutty, slightly Sweet smoke. As I'm smoking it the room note is giving me a nice sweet smell slightly musky but in a good way.
Just got roasted marshmallows in the smoke.
The first half ot the bowl is and I know I sound like a broken record right now earthy, nutty, sweet, slightly musty, and a slight bitterness that compliments the sweetness so bittersweet.
The taste in the second half of the bowl is starting to remind me of some of the notes that I get out of orientals but sweeter. I'm getting a slight tea, floral, herbal, bittersweet, nutty, slightly sour flavor.
The room note? who cares about the room note this tastes amazing!
I just finished the bowl and it burned down to a fine white ash. I could definitely see this being an all day smoke. If you're a new pipe smoker and looking for a nice blend to start out with I could recommend this wholeheartedly.
Putting all the reviews in the same thread is a great idea.
I know, You're a big dog and I'm on the list.
Let's eat, GrandMa. / Let's eat GrandMa. -- Punctuation saves lives
It'll be fine once the swelling goes down.
Yea it was recommend that i do this so I didn't clutter up the forms/threads.
Noob reviews- Amphora Kentucky Blend
The aroma that I get off of the bag is smokey, barbecue, vinegar, and slightly earthy
The tobacco is good to smoke right out of the pouch not too wet not too dry. I'm not quite sure what kind of cut this tobacco is it might be thin flake.
When I lit it up the taste was smokey, very sweet, raisin, and slightly pepper.
As I'm smoking the first half of the bowl the raisin flavor is switching over to a bright acidic flavor that I'm going to call lemon it plays very nice with the sweet flavor.
I know I shouldn't but I couldn't help myself I inhaled some it was very strong but I got a nice woodsy flavor out of it.
The smoke coming out of the bowl has a wood, smokey, sweet smell.
I'd say about a third of the way through the bowl most if not all of the pepper is gone and if you told me that this was a lemon flavored pipe tobacco I would believe you! A smokey, sweet, lemon but a lemon none the less.
At the second half of the bowl right now and it has gone completely and totally smooth, the smoke has transformed from a full-bodied smoke to very wispy light smoke and as it dances across my tongue it's leaving sweet, smokey, lemony kisses! (the change in smoke might be a product of me packing awkwardly as I'm not familiar with whatever kind of cut of tobacco this is)
As I'm coming to the end of the bowl I'm getting more earthy flavors, slightly smokey. The sweetness and lemon is starting to leave and is being replaced with a light raisin flavor.
It burned down to a nice white ash.
I will say the nicotine content is higher than than other blends I've smoked so if you're a new smoker be warned.
The room note is a woodsie, smokey smell like smoldering wood chips.
I'm extremely pleased with the flavor in this blend but don't think I'll smoke it regularly until I build up more resistance to nicotine.
Noob reviews- Mac Baren HH Burley Flake
The smell in the bag is slightly sweet, raisin, and a hint of smokey.
When I lit the bowl I got a sweet earthy flavor. The smoke coming from the bowl smells earthy and sweet.
Same earthy sweet flavor for the first half of the bowl.
The second half of the bowl is earthy-er, very slight pepper and the smell of the smoke got sweeter.
It burned cool, slow, and left a fine grey ash.
So out of the tobaccos I've tried so far this is the most "pure" I didn't get a topping flavor, smell, or aftertaste it was just a nice clean mellow tobacco flavor.
It's a great smoke. I might get flak for this one but I'd say it reminds me of a cigarette but leagues better. If you're a new pipe smoker switching from cigs then I think this one's got your name on it.
pipe tobacco blender Greg Pease once mentioned that all pipe tobacco is cased and/or topped.
edit: I don't know for a fact if this is true or not but rather suspect it is true.
Cased yes
Topped no
a good way to look at it is, all tobacco is cased. whatever the blend make up, whatever the leaf variety, or blend classification.
but while all tobacco is cased, not all tobacco is topped.
casing happens early in the processing stages, to make the tobacco more workable and while it imparts flavoring, usually in proprietary recipes, it’s not the main focus of its use. it’s meant to unify the blend, to bring to high case, and this can be in varying degrees. some companies / blends may only employ a light casing depending on how much natural tobacco flavor they want to come out in the smoke.
whereas a topping, a syrup, is usually added in the blend at the end of the processing stages and before aging and packaging. this is mean to give the blend a dominating flavor profile such as cherry or caramel, or vanilla, and while these flavoring styles can also be found in a casing, it’s usually diluted more than you will find in a topping. a topping is more heavy handed in its use and usually makes blend more sticky / goopy, it’s noticeable you’re smoking an aro. but also, some companies / blends dial back the topping in an aro blend. - specialist ad 9419 on reddit
Noob reviews- Peter Stockkebye Luxury Navy Flake
The aroma coming out of the bag is raisin, sweet, and dark stone fruit.
Upon first light I'm getting super sweet, lemon, and a bit of pepper.
The smoke coming out of the bowl smells of sweet citrus.
About 1/3 through the bowl and the pepper is coming through alot more, the sweetness is fading slightly, and the lemon is still going strong.
Half way through and the bowl and the lemon is even stronger, the pepper is fading, and the sweetness is still good.
Coming up to the end of the bowl. The pepper has gone down to a slight spice. The lemon has calmed down and is even with the spice. The sweetness is still nice and every so often overpowers the spice.
It burned cool and slow down to a fine grey ash.
A very nice smoke with wonderful flavor I can see myself smoking this every day.
P.S Why do we tell new pipe smokers to start with aromatics?
Every single blend I've smoked in the package I got has had more depth of flavor, is easier to light and keep lit, has no tongue bite, and doesn't ghost pipes at all/very little.
Samuel Gawith St James Flake
The smell in the bag is raisin, peppery, earthy, musky
The flake was wetter than what I normally smoke out of the bag you could let it dry for half an hour but I didn't.
When I first lit it I got a sweet creamy smoke with a good amount of pepper and some tang/citrus. The smoke coming out of the bowl is sweet and very slightly woody.
1/3 of the bowl in and the pepper is still strong but has mellowed out and is complimented by tart/tangy, sweet smoke. I'm getting a wood flavor as well.
About half way through now. The wood flavor is getting stronger, the pepper is still strong but mellow, the sweetness is fading and the tangy flavor is coming and going in pockets.
Coming to the end of the bowl now. The tangy flavor has over matched the pepper, the pepper is still going strong, the sweetness is lingering, the woody flavor is mixing with the tang to make what I'm gonna call raisin/plum. I'm getting Stone fruits smells like cherry and plum in the smoke coming out of the bowl.
It burned slow and a little warmer than than other flakes I've smoked and I had to relight a couple times. ( Probably because I didn't let it dry before I packed it)
It burned down to a mostly fine grey/black ash.
Nic hit is slightly stronger than I am use to but not bad.
The only way I can describe the sweetness in this blend is "deep" not sweeter but like almost perfumed with something I can't put my finger on it but I like it.
I'm going to assume that the Virginia in this blend is different that the ones I've been smoking as it was less sweet and less lemony more like a tangy lime.
The pepper is strong but it doesn't overpower any of the other flavors.
And the woody flavor mixes well with the tang and pepper.
Extremely pleased with this one I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a nice peppery blend.
SPC Plum Pudding
The smell coming out of the bag is smokey, sweet, iodine, vinegar, bbq, and slight pepper.
Compared to the 5 year old tin I have this has many more aromas.
The 5 year old tin smell is a strong iodine, slightly sweeter, and has a much lighter pepper with no vinegar or bbq smell.
Upon first light I'm getting super sweet, lemony, musky, perfumed, vinegary, smokey, peppery, bready flavors in a creamy thick smoke.
The smell of the smoke coming out of the bowl is peppery, sweet, and woody.
1/3 of the bowl in and I'm now getting sweet lemon and tangy lime mixed with pepper, floral musk, slight wood and a bready sweetness.
About halfway through now and the flavors are constantly tipping between sweet, sour, tangy, slight spice, and strong pepper it a constantly evolving smoke, and a flavor bomb.
I feel like my tongue is a battlefield in world war I and is being hit by a creeping barrage of every single flavor in the book in a good way.
Nearing the end of the bowl now and it's finally decided on a woodsy, spice, slight pepper, flavor.
This is the first time I got the bread flavor from a blend.
It burned slow and cool down to a fine white ash. I did have to relight twice but it was well worth it.
Definitely my favorite bend as of right now. It's a good evening or contemplative smoke. but not something I would smoke all day or while I was doing something that required my attention.
On the other hand the 5 year old tin I have has more tang, extremely smooth smoke, and lighter flavors and is perfect for smoking while mowing, doing paperwork or reading.
Peter Stockkebye Luxury Bullseye Flake
The smell coming out of the bag is raisin, vinegar, plum, earthy, and slightly sweet.
The coins are thinner than I thought they would be and I'm not sure how I'm supposed to pack them. I rubbed 3 out like I normally do with other flakes.
On my first light I'm getting strong wood, sweet lemon, tangy lime, pepper, and plum. The smoke coming out of the bowl smells like sweet and smokey wood chips it's very nice.
The entire bowl from start to finish and the same flavor of tangy citrus and a lighty woody flavor with slight spice. Every so often I would hit a pocket of sweet lemon.
It burned slow and cool. Left a fine grey ash.
For me this was a meh blend. It just doesn't have enough going on to keep my interest. It's not bad by any means just meh.
This is the first blend I wouldn't recommend for anyone. If you are new and looking for a cheap bulk blend I'd recommend the Luxury Navy Flake from the same company it's much better.
Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake
The smell in this bag is unlike anything I've smelled in tobacco before. It smells strongly of tea and mint with a sweet undertone.
Upon first light I'm getting bread, tang, musk, lemon, and a grassy sweetness.
The smoke coming out of the bowl is carrying a sweet grassy smell.
The entire bowl I've been getting grassy, tangy and sweet lemon, slight bread, and a slight earthy flavor.
It burned slow and cool. Left a fine grey ash.
While I didn't get tea in the smoke the after taste definitely a strong tea flavor. A very nice tobacco flake. Smooth and with enough flavors to keep me entertained and happy.
I'd recommend this Flake for new and old smokers looking for a sweet mellow ride.
Now I'm gonna do something I normally don't do and probably shouldn't chew a flake it smells too good not to be back in 30-50 minutes.
Good chew natural tasting with a tea, herb, and classic raisin undertone gave me a good buzz.
Lane's Burley Light Without Bite
The aroma is sweet, earthy, raisin, and vanilla. I'm assuming it's a aromatic blend. The tobacco is cut up into fine little bits.
On first Light I'm getting a earthy, vanilla, and light sweetness. The smoke coming out of the bull smells like sweet vanilla.
The whole bowl is the same smooth, sweet, earthy Burley flavor.
It burned down to a fine white ash. It burned faster than anything I've smoked before the whole bowl lasted maybe 20 minutes.
Overall a solid aromatic blend and the fact that it burns so fast could be a plus if you're looking to get a bowl in on lunch break.
I'd recommend this blend for new pipe smokers looking to get away from the heavier, stickier, goopie aromatics.
Peter Stockkebye Cube Cut Burley
The smell I get off of it is raisin, sweet, earthy, and a very slight vinegar/tang. The cube cut is firm and packs super easley into a pipe.
As I'm lighting it up I'm getting a deep earthy dirt flavor from burley, and tanginess from what I'm assuming are virginias. The smoke coming out of the bowl is earthy and slightly sweet.
About 1/3 through the bowl and I'm getting a nice Woody, deep earthy, tangy, and very slight plum/raisin taste. The smoke has picked up a tangy aroma as well.
Genuinely impressed with how cool it's burning.
The bowl kept the same Woody, earthy, tangy, Plum/raisin flavor all the way to the end of the bowl.
It burned super cool and slow down to a somewhat chunkier than fine ash.
As I'm new two to cube cut I found out that I needed to tamp more gently than normal or it would snuff the ember. But man was it easy to load in the pipe just pinch it in and light it up!
This is a great burley blend but it doesn't beat out Amphoras burley blend in my opinion.
I'd recommend this one for anyone curious about burley, or for people that like burley and have never had cube cut before.
Mac Baren HH Rustica Flake
The aroma is a slight barbecue, pepper, sweet, vinegar, smokey, earthy.
On the starting light I'm getting super strong pepper, tang, lemony sweetness, musk, and a nicotine buzz already? The smoke coming out of the bowl is very barbecue, smoky, and tangy.
Holy **** boys it's strong.
About 1/3 in and getting herbal, lemony, smokey, earthy, tangy, musky, slightly tea, almost floral notes.
And a nic hit bigg enough that I feel drunk.
Halfway through the bowl the sweetness has kicked up as well as the herbal, tea, floral flavors in the background I'm still getting earthy, tangy, musky, lemony notes.
I'm starting to think this **** is laced with nap time juice.
Coming up on the end of the bowl now. same wonderful bouquet of flavors and aromas.
It burned slow, clean, and cool down to a fine white ash.
This is the **** that Popeye the sailor man's father smoked and nobody can tell me any different.
I'm covered in sweat, feel like I've been on a binge drinking night with my buddies old man, and smell of shame and pleasure.
By far one of the best bouquet of flavors in any blend of tried period.
Be warned all ye who seek the treasure of old
A dragon waits guarding the flavor in this bowl
Not for the men of weak nor the faint of heart
If an adventure you seek then pack up and spark
P.S I'm **** FLYING weeeeeeeeee
I'll put up some more reviews tomorrow. Had to take a break after the Rustica review not trying to get a nicotine addiction.
I guess our new friend has wandered on after 44 posts in 12 days. Too much 420, maybe?
"If you do not read the newspapers you're uninformed. If you do read the newspapers, you're misinformed." -- Mark Twain
I dropped and broke my phone, couldn't remember the name of this website to save my life so i just never came back until i just checked my email and facepalmed. I've started trying to get into cigars so I might put a a stick review or two.
P.S incoming review barrage
Peter Stokkebyes Luxury Twist flake 2022 & 2018
i was curious about the ageing effect on va's and someone kindly sent me these and also some capstan blue.
The 2022 smells like vanilla, honey, marshmallow, extremely sweet, and slight grass.
Upon first light I'm getting sweet, grassy, and bready flavors.
The smoke coming out of the bowl is sweet and slightly bready.
It kept the same flavor the whole bowl simple and smooth.
The 2018 smells grassier and the sweetness is toned down a lot. The honey, marshmallow, and vanilla smells are gone. I'm assuming that they top/case this flake heavily.
On first light I'm getting a sweeter, grassy, bready, tangy lemon, fruity flavors.
The smoke smells sweet and bready.
once again kept the same flavor the whole bowl.
they both burned cool, slow, and left a fine ash. The aged flake was way better than the fresh one while both were a nice smoke the aged one was sweeter and had more flavors, and they were stronger tasting than the new flake. overall a great budget flake to stock up on and cellar for Virginia lovers IMO.
Capstan Blue 2022 & 2019
The 2022 smells grassy/hay, sweet, and slight vinegar.
on first light I'm getting bread. straw/hay, some light sweetness.
The smoke smells bready and sweet.
I got a slight lemon flavor in some pockets of the bowl while smoking.
The 2019 smells grassy, musty, sweeter, and stronger vinegar.
it was sweeter with lemon throughout the whole bowl, grassy, less bread flavor, and a smoother thicker smoke.
The smoke smelled sweet.
both really great smokes but the aged tasted better to me. i think I'll buy a few tins and start cellaring them!
if you like Virginias that are grass/hay forward this is a great flake.
Mccelland's Christmas Cheer 2000
The smell is tea, vinegar, BBQ, fermented sweetness, molasses, deep stone fruit cherry and plum specifically. smells wonderful!
Taste on first light is Extremely sweet, fig, lemon, cherry, cranberry, bread, dark sticky sweet flavor that I'm going to call molasses, and a verry light spice. Tastes wonderful too!
kept the same wonderful flavor from the first light to the end of the bowl. Smoked cool, slow, and to a mostly fine ash though it did leave a small amount of moisture in the bowl.
Verry Christmas/wintery feel to the taste the cranberry, bready, molasses, and spice make me feel like I'm smoking a cranberry gingerbread man, though i think that's just a coincidence.
Absolutely amazing smoke, I recommend it for anyone that can find it.
G.L Pease Quiet Nights 2017
The smell is smokey, vinegar/sour, and musky. It kind of smells like a smokey pickle.
On first light I'm getting a smokey, sweet, incense, taste and the smoke is silky/velvety.
the smell of the smoke coming out of the bowl is floral, sweet, woody.
1/3 of the bowl in and I'm getting smokey, sweet, incense, some floral, musky, woody, earthy flavors have shown up.
kept the same flavor after the first third of the bowl.
burned cool, slow and to a fine ash. I did have to relight a couple times but nothing too bad.
a great blend that reminds me of a sweeter lighter plum pudding. defiantly gonna keep some of this around.
KBV Mr. Christian's Brown Flek
The Smell is extremely sweet, slightly grassy, and raisin.
on first light i get sweetness, slight bread, some spice, and a hint of coco/chocolate.
the smoke coming out if the bowl is bready with some spice.
1/2 way through the bowl I'm getting grassy, bready, some spice, and sweet flavors.
burned cool, slow, and to a good ash.
I dislike the super strong sweet smell from the topping but it's a nice straight forward smoke. If you like VA flakes this will do just fine.
Night Cap 2018
The smell is sweet, woody, vinegar, earthy, smokey, and a slight musk.
on first light I'm getting sweet, smokey, musty, slight pepper, and bready flavors.
the smoke smells bready, smokey and sweet.
1/3 way through the bowl and a woody and slight incense flavor show up. The pepper is stronger and sweetness weaker.
burns cool, slow, and to a fine ash. Overall a great blend but it's missing my favorite part of latakia blends the strong incense flavor and smell that is my nirvana on retro hales. It seems to trade it off for a more bread forward Virgina flavor.
A great bready, smokey, sweet blend to unwind with. If you like this and want to try something similar but more smokey with a stronger incense and just a tad less sweet I'd recommend G.L Pease Quiet Nights.
Hazel Cakes
This legendary cake is said to have been made from the finest handpicked tobacco available in all of creation, blended by the automatons of a tinkerer gnome in the hills of Old Lamplight packed into creates and shipped to the ÿat-ga a capital class blockade runner crewed by the strong and feared Gijimani tribe. Carried through the war-torn waters of the Sea Of Fallen Stars to the shores of Calgrim where it was escorted to the deep roads of the dwarves. Taken down and down further and further into the pitch black, cold, damp crust of the earth and put into molds by the dawrven priests who placed the molds under the heart of the earth. They sang to the heart until it sang back. It sang a song of shaping, stone giants knelt, mountains moved, sinkholes opened on the surface swallowing villages, towns, and even whole kingdoms, most importantly in pressed the tobacco into cakes. After the world settled the priests removed the cakes from the molds packed them back into their creates, and carried them back to the surface which is conveniently Beaglesandbowls back yard who did a brief quality check and then sent me one.
smell is BBQ, vinegar, sweet, wood.
on first light I'm getting sweet, tangy, deep earthiness, slight wood, and some pepper.
the smoke smells peppery, woody, and sweet.
kept the same flavor the whole bowl. smoked cool, slow, and to a nice ash. verry nice flavors and one of my favorite tobacco blends.
I know Beaglesandbowls posted the recipe for these somewhere on here but I can't rember where.
oh here
40% rc515
40% ps314
20% dark birds eye
Bagpipers Dream
the smell is boozy, wine/grape, and raisin.
on first light I'm getting sweet, sour, grape/wine, slight orange oil, bread.
the smoke smells bready, slightly musky, and has a perfumed quality.
1/2 way through the bowl and the sweet, sour, bready Virginias are the main flavors but the grape/wine, orange oil topping is still here and shows up every puff and sip.
burned cool, slow, and to a fine ash. it did leave a small amount of moisture in the bowl.
great aromatic blend where you can taste the tobacco, the topping is strong enough to taste from start to finish but doesn't overpower the tobacco.
recommended for Virgina lovers trying to branch into aromatics or newer piper smokers looking to branch from aromatics to Virginas.
gonna try to get a few tins to cellar.
IT WILL GHOST A PIPE so use a corn cob if you just want to try it.
Frog Morton On The Town 2017
It smells smokey, sweet, woody, slight vinegar, and a slight musk. smells almost "silky" witch is weird but the only word i can think of to describe it.
On first light i get smokey, sweet, incense, bread, and tang.
the smoke smells smokey and sweet.
burns cool, slow, and to a nice ash.
A good smoke that reminds me of a slightly sweeter and more balanced Night Cap. I might get some flak for this one but I don't think that this blend is worth the hassle or time needed to find and stock it.
Mac Baren Old Dark Fired
Smells like strong vinegar, bbq, smoked meat, sweet, raisin, stone fruit cherry/plum.
On first light its salty, tangy/sour, meaty/savory, deep strong earthiness, slight coco/chocolate, and a dark undertone flavor I can't identify.
Smells earthy, woody, and salty like sea air.
1/3 the way in the bowl I'm getting nutty, salty, meaty, deep earth, smokey, slight pepper, a dried fruit flavor, and pockets of slight sweetness that help highlight other flavors.
At the end of the bowl the smoke is creamy and thick. A buttery and bread flavor are now present.
smoked cool, slow, and to a mostly fine ash. I did have to relight 4 times but that could've been the way I packed/tamped.
Nic hit was a little strong but not too bad.
I'd recommend this blend for anyone that likes bold, deep, strong flavors, even if you don't like tobaccos like that this blend has a way of growing on you. definitely going to buy some of this to keep in my cellar.
P.S I listened to a short story called "Old Dagon Dark" the tobacco in the story reminds me of this blend worth a listen if you like this blend or Lovecraftian stories.
McClelland 40th Anniversary
Smells sweet, vinegar, raisin, stone fruit, cherry/plum, fig, dried fruit. Verry sweet and tangy fruit smells.
On first light I get sweet, bread, and slight grassy flavors.
Smoke smells sweet and bready.
1/3 of the way in and a slight spice/pepper shows up with some tangy, sweet, fruity flavors that taste like cranberry.
I'd call this a natural aromatic tobacco but aromatic in the sense that the smell of the smoke is enhancing flavors I'm already tasting. I'm getting verry slight notes of almost vanilla, cherry/cranberry, sugar cookie/sweet bread in the smell of the smoke I only get them every once in a while, and its verry light.
burns cool, slow and to a mostly fine ash. It did leave a little moisture in the bowl and stem.
A great smoke and one that Virgina lovers should seek out and covet. I still like Christmas Cheer 2000 better but this is an amazing smoke as well.
G&H Kendal Dark
It smells earthy, woody, sweet, squash/pumpkin, slight vinegar, smokey wood chips.
This blend has verry fine long strands of tobacco somewhere between shag and ribbon cut.
On first light I get deep earthy, sweet, verry slight coco/ chocolate, toasty/nutty.
the smoke smells earthy and smokey.
1/3 of the way in I'm getting bready, slight pepper, some dried fruit, earthy, sweet flavors
I'd recommend lighting this blend with a match as the fine ribbon/shag cut tobacco can be easily scorched leaving you with a horrible taste and smell.
you have to baby this blend to get the best flavors out of it but it's a danm good smoke and well worth it.
The closest thing i can compare the deep earthy flavor to is Old Dark Fired.
In my head ODF and Kendal Dark are married. ODF is the husband stronger nic hit, savory, salty, and slightly sweet. Kendal Dark is the wife sweeter, lighter nic hit, more pronounced fruit flavors, and a nuttiness. Both have a coco note on first light and both get creamy smoke towards the end of the bowl but ODF is creamier to me.
burns slow, cool, and to a fine ash.
great blend everyone should try. going to get some of this to go in my cellar along with ODF.