At first I found the taste quite remarkable, but not in a good way. However, I had read that the first few bowls of any pipe tobacco are rather... odd to anyone who's never smoked a pipe before (or in my case, never smoked anything before) so I stuck with it. I had no idea about technique or pacing myself, so the strength of this brand kicked me about a fair bit. After a good many bowls of unpleasant smoking and nausea, I threw the rest of the pouch away and vowed never to return.

Eight years later, and my local tobacconists was closed (cursed Sundays) so I had to go for something 'off the shelf' to smoke. I decided, having learnt somewhat about pipe smoking, to give Condor Original another try. My first mouthful of smoke tasted of nothing but soap, which did fade away after a while but was still a little surprising nonetheless. The taste was otherwise exactly as I remembered it - thick, quite meaty (as in, you almost felt like you had to chew - steak flavoured tobacco would be a strange experiment I'd certainly like to try though), but this time quite pleasing. A cool smoke throughout, which packed easily and needed no re-lighting once it had gotten going. Taking great care, I really enjoyed the smoke and this time made it all the way through the pouch without feeling ill once.

So, Condor Original (Ready Rubbed) is a strong experience that will knock your socks off if you don't treat it nicely. Certainly not one for a timid beginner, but maybe a good start for a beginner who has a guide on hand to teach them the proper way of doing things. There's plenty for the seasoned smoker to enjoy, though the soapy start could be the part that ruins the experience for most.

Loads stronger than St Bruno though equally as soapy. Really does pack a punch if you inhale this stuff.

Again not bad for what it is, and I'd smoke it if I couldn't get hold of say Petersons IF, or Gawith's dark flake.

Not bad..

The smell and first taste is just .. strange. I dont know enough about tobacco to say its 'this' or 'that' flavour. Once you get over the initial strangeness it is not a bad smoke and the you get used to the flavour.

As for that 'Condor moment' unfortunately I didnt find it.

It is still worth a try and readily available

My wife describes the scent as "incense-like", and she could live with it if she had to. I find the blend to smoke very smoothly, taste as it smells, and leave you wanting more -- perhaps you won't get around to it for another week or three, but you'll want more. Smoke this slowly or with some food in your stomach, though, or you'll spend the next half-hour sitting.

This blend is best smoked in a pipe that is used for Condor or for sampling new blends, because you'll taste its ghost for a while.

Without a doubt, this is a classic Lakeland style tobacco, but although the usual floral scent and soapy taste that usually fires a warning shot is present, I find the casing to be much more acceptable and palatable than that found in many other brands - notably the Gawiths. Indeed, it's a good deal more nectarous, slightly spicy, and a damn sight more unusual, without impinging on what seems to be a naturally sweet Virginia base.

I don't find this to be particularly overly cased, nor that potent, if truth be told. The flavours seem well-balanced and seemed a far cry from the "Condor Moment" which smacked of the sourness you'd expect from some of the more pungent Burleys in the Peterson line. It does contain a good dose of the old Vitamin N, but it's well managed.

The only downsides are really the ghosting and the need for several re-lights; though it's a moist tobacco that burns surprisingly well, it becomes a bit top- heavy with ash. Furthermore, the room note is a tad monotonous and a touch off- putting for some, but everything is there in the smoke itself, which really sings. I can't dedicate a pipe to this, so I'm anticipating some aftercare with my Peterson System, but it's a small price to pay for a quality smoke that I can purchase where I want, when I want - and in smaller pouch sizes that neither break the bank, nor become boring.

Condor is cool, slow burning and consistent, and the flavour gets markedly fuller and 'rounder' from about half-way down the bowl. Despite a rather moist appearance, it burns well and consistently. It has a rather sour note somewhere in it that some people dislike, though my impression is that this note is present more strongly in the flake version.

The room note is pronounced and characteristic: pleasant if you like the smell of pipe-smoke, but perhaps a bit hard on innocent bystanders who don't. You certainly can’t smoke Condor without drawing attention of some sort to yourself. It also gives you a delicious experience when you open the pouch – everybody mentions the ‘Condor moment’ that featured in Ogden’s television commercials back in the day before we were treated like idiots (i.e. when tobacco advertising was allowed). The pouch note is perhaps the best part of it!

Be warned, though: the ghost that Condor will leave in your pipe will take a lot of shifting. Personally, I think the flake form gives a slightly better smoke, but the ready rubbed is good stuff also, and both are readily available. There are differences between the ready rubbed and the flake, but they're very small. Condor is a popular tobacco in the UK. Newspaper-and-cig shops that still sell pipe tobacco at all will have Condor if they have nothing else. I suspect that, as more and more old favourites cease to be available and we move slowly towards prohibition (in the UK), Condor will be one of the last blends to go: which is one good reason for developing a taste for it. It's a little strong, but I'm happy to recommend it to people who like a tough, masculine baccy.

Oddly enough, more than with any other baccy I have to be in the mood for Condor, and my response to it can vary pretty widely: sometimes I like it a lot, sometimes I don't. The point, I think, is that it isn't at all subtle. Sometimes this is OK, sometimes not. Condor is what I would call a winter smoke: good on cold days, maybe with a strong back coffee. In summer, I tend to want something a little more sophisticated.

Irish flake by peterson is probably and no doulbt a finer smoke with a similar nicotine hit but it's twice the price; twice the price,a pack of ready rubbed is €8or9 and irish flake is around €17,for the same amount here in ireland so no contest, Another interesting point,I smoked University flake and I kid you not a half a pipeful would sicken a dog,my stomach was growling for two days on this stuff and it's not even strong but there's some poisen spit coming back out of the bowl,a chemical no doulbt,the stuff is ''pure poison'' You should try it sometime!

Still all is not lost, because one thing Condor has in spades is strength and if blended with a mild but easier smoke the results can be quite good. My favourite combo is a 50/50 mix with Kendal Black Cherry. The B.C. is fragrant and very gentle but lacks a kick of any sort but when you throw in the Condor then you have strength and flavour aplenty. The Condor help dry out the wetness of the B.C. too and a good slow, even burn is what you get. Try it. p.s. anyone who cannot get hold of Condor email me at(aliasme@mail.com) for a U.K. supplier who will send to the USA.

Primarily fire-cured virginias and burleys, the flavor is very rich and moderately sweet. The floral topping compliments the flavor nicely.

A flavorsome and companionable smoke, Condor would be a dependable all-day choice for those who's tastes run to the richer end of the scale. It will quickly ghost a briar. This went well in a chamber of any gauge.

Back a few decades ago it was kinda looked down on, sneered at a bit....but it's outlasted a whole lot of fancier brands and it's here still.

If you're going to smoke Condor, and you should, then go for the Long Cut..ie the flake version; it's definitely better. But when needs must, then ready rubbed will do.

I have loads of different blends all of which have their place, but like my other reviewers I come back to good old Condor.

All this and no description of the actual tobacco...tsssk.

Leathery earthy soapy strong and nary a hint of bite...will definitely ghost your pipe, that's about it really. Get you some.

I have to order it from England by transferring funds from my bank to theirs. (apparently the credit card companies in England don't want to be involved in tobacco sales. But that won't stop me!)

Every pipe smoker owes it to themselves to try Condor at least once in their life!