Better than many tobaccos which are out there...has kind of a unique taste which is very pleasant....but still...just not enough of anything to really make me buy more. If you prefer something milder than the GH&C ropes, yet which possesses the high-quality of GH&C tobaccos, you'll like this.

Can't say anything bad about this....I just prefer their stronger stuff. Overall, a very good middle-of-the-road medium smoke.

Note: Another reviewer said that this is the same tobacco as Dark Flake. It is not! DF is a Viginia/burley mixture- this is pure Virginia. While I love virginias, I do prefer Dark Flake to this- as it is a little stronger and tastier.

UPDATE: This tobacco has rteally grown on me! As one gets used to it, the subtleties of it's flavor become more apparent (and that includes just a hint of that famous Lakeland essence) and I have to say that it is really unique and comforting. I ended up ordering more of this, and always enjoy smoking it; and while I do usually prefer GH&C products, I must say that I have since tried Sam Gawith's Lakeland Dark, which is very similar to this Kendall...only even better! But you can not go wrong with either tobacco- they are both great.

I'm convinced that the effects of nicotine in a blend are subjective,--but this is among the strongest (if not the strongest) I've smoked. Not a bad thing.

The cut is what I would describe as "fine ribbon". It's certainly not a regular ribbon; but its not so fine as, say, Kendal #7. I like this style of cut quite a lot. Easy to light and keep lit--and I like easy.

Again, this is certainly subjective, but I find that this tobacco is harsh on my throat in a way I haven't with any other tobacco. It's almost a constrictive effect. I can't imagine smoking bowl-upon-bowl of this.

I may experiment with this as a blending tobacco. I do like it. But I can't handle it in quantity.

This is certainly a strong tobacco both in terms of taste and nicotine hit, but it is incredibly mild and provides a wonderfully full smoke. It goes well with a cup of coffee, each bringing out subtle flavors in the others and I found it smoked easily to the bottom of the bowl where it left a wispy white ash.

I've been experimenting with different tobaccos lately thanks to the terrific mail order service supplied by UKTobacco.Com and out of the many different varieties I've tried lately this is so far my favourite. My mix was supplied in a shag cut and although it felt a little moist in the pack it lit well and needed no drying out. I'm sure I detected a little Burley in the mix but the overall taste is that of classic Virginia leaf.

Tastes - oatmeal definitely and also a little almond and as I neared the bottom of the bowl the overpowering flavour became what I can only describe as a chocolaty rum. The nicotine hit is immense so I don't think I'd use this as an all day smoke, but rather one to settle back with of an evening while reading a good book. I also tried the tobacco mixed with a little English Cherry Tobacco from the same blender and found the result to be even more del

I must say I enjoyed this one and have to award it a five pipe rating, five out of five of course

It is tasty stuff, and loaded with both flavor and nicotine. I do like it, just not as much as the more civilized Dark Flake Unscented.

This tobacco is a bit of a trip down memory lane for me as it smells just like the tobaccos my Grandad used to smoke. I'll try to not let that cloud my judgement, much.

It smells nice in the bag (like all G,H&co. pipe tobaccos, it seems you can only buy this weighed out loose in England) and has an attractive, uniform, burnt umber colouring. Despite the shag cut I found this tobacco to be easy to deal with and lacked both the wimpy ability to put flavour across and the temperamentality I usually find in this kind of tobacco.

The flavour has been well described here; being (to my tastebuds) rich, slightly earthy with a hint of spice and softened with a natural muscovado sweetness.

Although this is a fairly strong tobacco I had no probelms with the occasional inhale because of it's seemingly complete lack of additives or flavourings (which always seem to irritate my lungs). I also tried rolling it in a cigarette paper and found it an enjoyable experience - retaining it's full flavour and being of a much higher quality than any other hand rolling tobacco I've ever tried, which is admittedly, a limited number.

I can't fault the stuff. If you like smoking full flavoured, natural and high quality tobacco and you don't like paying huge amounts of money for the privellage why wouldn't you smoke this?

Another tobacco based on Dark Plug, or Dark Flake. I detect little of the lakeland floral scent. Burns well, a strong, cigar like smoky taste that the dark fired, air cured tobaccos are known for. You won't have to check to make sure its actually lit.

Its a very strong tobacco, very high in body. Even in a small pipe, carefully smoked it can be overwhelming. Because of its cut (fine relative to the flake/plug) it tends to burn faster and deliver more smoke.

I can't help thinking the a tobacco much like this would have been smoked long ago in England, in a little clay pipe. Its strong enough to have reduced Sherlock Holmes' "Three pipe problem" to only a single pipe.

My 4* recommendation is based on the type of tobacco. If you want to fill a large pipe and smoke it for a long time, this isn't your blend. A small pipe, very carefully and slowly smoked, is really nice. Not to mention that your pouch could hold several weeks or months supply!

No doubt this is high quality tobacco but.... and here come the buts... I just can't get much appreciation worked up for this stuff. I have to say this was an unexpected result for a Kendal tobacco offering but there it is. I am a big fan of the stronger blends like Dark Flake and the Twists and Ropes (as well as the lighter blends and even a few of the medium ones) but this one just doesn't seem to make it with me. I'm not sure if it is the cut of the tobacco which is a very fine string cut that burns quite fast or the component tobaccos that gives this result.

If it as has been suggested it is Dark Flake but to me it doesn't taste the same. It burns hotter than the others (Sliced Black and Brown and even Kendal Light).The flavor is passable and the nicotine and strength are as well. I am not all that fond of "passable" though and from a quality manufacturer like Gawith and Hoggarth (or anybody else for that matter)"passable" is barely acceptable.

For the first time I've given a Kendal tobacco a "Somewhat Recommended" rating and that's what I suggest for those who want a change of taste and/or pace. In truth it is not a bad tobacco just not the one for this smoker on a regular basis.

The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (somewhat disappointed)

Update:5/9/2010,

Have since smoking Kendal Dark returned to my Dark Flake stash and I have to say that if this Kendal Dark is the same tobacco but in a fine shag cut it still does not taste the same. The Dark Flake which I enjoy is a much more accomodating smoke. I am not a novice pipe smoker and the difference in the cuts was allowed for as I went through the bowls of each and the result was the same.Dark Flake--an "8" or possibly an "8.5" on the 1-10 satisfaction scale and Kendal Dark still only about a "3" for me personally. Sorry,G&H, I do understand that every blend has its promoters and its detractors and a few neutral reactions but this one is not in the same class as Dark Flake.

The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (still somewhat disappointed)

I think this is mostly a dark-fired African "burley", as I don't taste anything resembling virginias sweetness in this mix. I like the shag cut, as it gives a shorter smoke, and I smoke a lot of Kendal Kentucky on my lunch hours. But this one took the saliva from my mouth and gave me hiccups even when I puffed overly slowly. I find nothing to save this tobacco from a one star rating. If you're looking for a nicotine hit, here you go. If you're looking for something refined and complex (or even tasty), look elsewhere.

Unfortunately being a shag it burns hot and fast. I recently received advice that this mixes well with Haddo's Delight to create a blend called "Haddo's Dark" and this is how I use it now.

3 stars on its own, 4 as a mixer.

This Kendal's Dark is delicious!

Once again, thanks to a fellow reviewer (DrDNA) for gifting me some of this delightful weed. It is a long stranded shag cut that has a deep, dark presence with an enticing odor that somehow conveys the fact that it needs to be smoked. I obliged quickly and I'm glad I did.

Kendal's Dark is reportedly a Virginia with no mention of any Burley. I know that Esoterica's Stonehaven is a mostly Burley blend.... Yet, these two are very similar with Kendal's Dark being a "revved up" version of Stonehaven, IMO.

It burned dry and clean all the way to the bottom of the bowl. I did not use one single pipe cleaner during my smokes (two bowls back to back). I realize some of that had to do with the outstanding Ruthenberg I had the 'baccy loaded up in, but the tobacco itself also played a part in the dry smoke.

This tobacco, in addition to being full and loaded with semi-sweet flavor, also had a spicy note that leads me to believe there is some hint of added flavoring.

I don't have a clue who Kendal is/was.... But, I sure thank him for sharing his Dark.

Wow! What a delightful, full, peppery, mature, smoke! Caution to the fast-puffer however, this Virginia will incapacitate you if you go too fast. Blowing some through my nostrils I find my eyes opening wider and I slow the pace even more. Halfway through the bowl the smoke really settles down to a mezmerising, almost meditative experience. A slight cigar-like flavor permeates more the farther down the bowl I progress.

It burns to a fine grey-white ash. I did not need a pipe cleaner the run of the bowl, (Probably due in large part to my slowing down as I progressed), and it left just a small dottle at the end.

This is definitely, IMHO, not a smoke for the beginner or first time Virginia smoker.

My first time I smoked this in an older Charatan Extra Large Pipe. Hmmm, maybe this is why after finishing it around Midnight, it took me roughly 2-3 hours to get to sleep. I plan to smoke it again in a large pipe but will do so in the early afternoon, not late at night!