Pickled tobacco??? This I had to try, so I cracked the tin to find It full of 1x2", slightly broken slices of dark reddish black flake. The smell was that of Perique on steroids. Way more of a vinegary, Ketchup smell, yet appealing. I pulled 2 of the slices out and prepared them in the cube cut method and loaded my Savinell Long John. It took 3 char lights to get it ready for the true light and you could very much taste the ketchup flavor come through but it was smokey and nice.

True light: Very much the same as the char light only very heavy with a tangy, almost Perique note as the main component. There was also a slight sweetness that came through. Maybe a hint of leather too. As I got into the heart of the bowl the sweetness came out more and more but was far from sweet like the typical Virginia. The tangy flavor still took center stage and continued to take center stage throughout the whole bowl.. I wish I could be more descriptive but it is certainly its own flavor. I can't think of anything to compare it to other than A really strong Perique but a lot more sour and tangy and less spicy. You could tell you were smoking a Virginia, but it was way in the background. You could also tell it was a Virginia in a subtle way by the way the smoke felt on your tongue. It was making my mouth water excessively. I had to stop smoking several times to wipe my stem.lol

The end of the bowl took on a little different flavor. The components all kind of ran together. It was more mild on the tang and you could tell you were smoking a Virginia even more except it was still not very sweet. It calmed down and finished a lot like most other Virginias I have smoked. I was surprised that it smoked really cool and dry. I am going to cellar the remainder of the tin till I get a more refined taste. It was enjoyable, but in the same way an amusement park is enjoyable. Its great to go to every once in awhile, but not an every day thing. I would recommend it as something to at least try.

I know this has been a bit of a confusing review, but its a very complex smoke and I'm a very new smoker. Happy smoking!!

Judging by the inability to find any Pelican or Kingfisher, and the overwhelming availability of Royal Vintage, it's obvious what people really want. It's simply unnecessary to rebrand an endless array of McClelland blends when people are pining for something more native to the Butera name. That's not an insult to McClelland, they make many fine blends.

So how about devising something more derivative of the Pelican and Kingfisher formula? Or increasing the supply? If I wanted to purchase McClelland blends, then I would. Can't you people be a bit more creative?

When Dark Stoved is good, it’s very good. The tin aromas come through nicely in the smoke and I’m reminded of plum pudding with brandy-spiked hard sauce. That’s a pretty impressive aromatic complex for a tobacco that claims to be pure, stoved Virginia.

But this is also a fussy tobacco. The first bowl I smoked wasn’t dry enough and I was left with a hot, tasteless smoke that almost had me throwing in the towel. Slower smoking and proper drying are essential for all Virginias, but I think Dark Stoved could act as the yardstick for that advice. Throw this at a new smoker interested in Virginias and tell him to come back when he’s getting nice smokes from it. I completely understand those reviewers who complain that this is nothing but hot air or that it’s tasteless. I had a few smokes that confirmed those comments.

But I’ve also had some very nice smokes, especially toward the bottom of the tin I jarred up a couple of years ago. Consistency is important, of course. But I’m going to rate this based on the best bowls it gave me, not on the worst.

Although this is, in many ways, Dark Star's twin, I found Dark-Stoved to be much easier to break up and keep lit in the bowl. If I had to choose between the two, I would probably favor Dark-Stoved for its "ease of use."

My review is based on a 5-year-old tin.

Often compared to Dark Star, that tobacco's flavors of grape must and roasted nuts are here, though there is a bit less of the fruit character and more emphasis on the mellow, roasted flavors. The caramelized sweetness is deep and rich.

Overall, this is in the same vein as Dark Star. The broad flavor profiles are rather similar, though the balance is slightly different. With a touch less focus on the fruit tones than Dark Star, Dark Stoved becomes a more reserved and meandering smoke and perhaps even a bit more sophisticated and contemplative. Taken on it's own merits, this is a rewarding and worthwhile experience. This goes best in narrow gauge chambers.

Aroma: Some of the McC vinegar upon first opening, which goes away after a few days. Then you have the smokey/sweet smell of the heavily stoved Va.

Packing: Usually needed to be somewhat broken up for easy packing, but NOT fully rubbed out. When rubbed out, it loses flavor in the pipe. (Again, like DS)

Lighting: Slowly, needs two matches for a good charring light. Initial flavor: A tad sharp at first light, then tones down into a mélange of tastes. There is a wide range of high and low notes, characteristic of a stove lemon Virginia. Less dramatic than Dark Star, but also less tempermental.

Mid-bowl: Lovely complexity of flavors when enjoyed slowly. When puffed too quickly, only the high notes come through, and the pipe will smoke wetter. Relax and enjoy.

Finish: Just a little stronger at the end of the bowl. When enjoyed slowly, there will be nothing but ash in a dry pipe.

Summary: I think it?s enjoyable any time of day, under the right condition. Absolutely perfect for an evening companion.

I found this blend very enjoyable. A bit of a chore to rub out, but it burned slow and long. The gentleman that sent the sample has very similar tastes as mine, but absolutely hated this blend. We both enjoy Darkstar and 2035, but our opinions differed greatly with this blend.

I recommend giving it a try. If you don't like it, I'm almost positive you will find someone who does. Such is the wonder and joy of our glorious hobby (obsession).

Zero of Five stars

How the makers of the excellent blends above can create, much less market Dark Stoved is beyond me.

Avoid this blend at all costs. Just awful.

When the mood calls for a silky, buttery finish but with just a little less in the all-out flavor and mouthfeel adventure that is Dark Star, Butera Royal Vintage Dark Stoved is the ticket. Butera's flake is just toned down a bit. It's an excellent, breezy smoke that is still full of flavor and interest.

When you feel like Dark Star might be a bit much, reach for this instead. Save the Dark Star for a more suitable moment.

The initial tin aroma has an acidic characteristic that is a good indication that this blend was indeed produced by McClelland. The aroma in itself is dark and tangy with a spicy background. This blend is simply a deeply stoved lemon Virginia leaf. The basic color of this tobacco is dark with lighter shades distributed randomly throughout. The tobacco contains a fairly large amount of sugar crystals.

The cut of Dark Stoved is a rather ragged medium-thick flake cut. Dark Stoved tends to rub out easier than its flake counterparts such as Dark Star. No real tearing is needed. The initial moisture is medium-high and removal of some of this moisture improves the qualities of the smoke.

If dried properly, Royal Vintage Dark Stoved lights fairly well and has a slow, consistent, and mostly complete burn. The burn spreads quite well. The room note is similar in many respects to the average dark stoved Virginia blend in that it is strong but pleasant.

The taste of Dark Stoved is dark, tangy, and slightly spicy. This flavor becomes less tart, sweeter, and creamier as the smoke progresses. The bite can be considerable but if the flakes are brought to the correct moisture level, and the blend is smoked slow and smoothly, than the bite can be minimized a good deal. The smoke given off is smooth and medium thick.

Butera?s Royal Vintage Dark Stoved is very similar to McClelland?s Dark Star although it seems slightly less refined and not as complex in flavor. Dark Stoved is of a high quality tobacco and is a pleasant rendition of a stoved Virginia blend.

As Beer says, this is obviously a McClelland product. But the beauty of Dark Star is the combination of zesty/tangy, leathery, sweet, savory, caramel/toasty and rich elements, all combined in perfect balance. Dark Stoved lacks this balance, having none of the darker tones. Like a tannic red wine with no follow-through. There is no pay-off. It also bites the tongue. With Dark Star, Blackwoods Flake and 2035 available, I don't see any need to keep this around.