I'll be keeping a pouch of this handy for when I can't decide what type of tobacco I'm in the mood for.

I usually smoke St Bruno Flake but this is being phased out in the UK because of new EU laws (pipe tobacco now has to have a minimum 1.5mm width), so I was forced to buy the Ready Rubbed as that's all the (supermarket) tobacconist had. The flavour of this one is not up to the St Bruno Flake, and it burns cooler and tastes milder. Having said that, it's perfectly acceptable and does have taste somewhat characteristic of St Bruno, and a reasonable amount of nicotine. However it's not worth really seeking out this ready-rubbed version as you won't get the famed St Bruno experience from it. The room note is fine but it has less subtleties in it that the Flake.

Interestingly, I didn't find it too moist to smoke right out of the packet. The Flake does benefit from being left out to dry a little, and improves a bit after a few months of being kept in a jar. This one probably is as good as it's going to get, straight out of the packet. I thought this one had a very slight vanilla note too (at first it did, then it vanished), so perhaps the mixture/formula has been changed slightly. Overall it's enjoyable and worth smoking, but I would prefer the flake again.

Even though it's ready-rubbed, it's somewhat gummed together sometimes and benefits from a little further rubbing. However the convenience of this is offset by the loss of the experience of rubbing the Flake, which becomes springy and fluffy due to its extremely thin cut. Although unlike the Flake, there will not be a dearth of crumbs near the bottom of the supply when it's running out.

Quite good, not at all bad and you could get a lot worse tobaccos than this. But the Flake has the edge over this one.

I'm glad I did. I remember waiting for the punch in the face I'd come to expect from a new pouch of Condor Ready Rubbed, but it never came. Instead, I was led by the hand to a calm river in a small forest whereupon I was invited to relax for a while. This, of course, being a metaphor. There was no harshness, no bite, no rancid flavour, the tobacco wasn't too moist or too dry, and it certainly didn't try to attack me. Instead, it just filled my face with a polite, yet exceedingly pleasant, flavour that almost felt like it didn't want to be overbearing but at the same time it wanted me to experience -something-. I wasn't entirely sure what the something was, though. It certainly wasn't soap, and I was grateful for that. It's the only new tobacco I have enjoyed so much that I had a second bowl only a few minutes after finishing the first (with a different pipe, of course). St. Bruno is certainly a multi-pipe tobacco and unlike Condor Original Ready Rubbed, there should be no ghost of St. Bruno left in the pipe afterwards.

I still don't know what that special something is. I doubt I ever will. The journey to discover it is an enjoyable one, though, as St. Bruno has now become my any-time-every-day tobacco. There's enough strength to keep me satisfied, and pleasing enough to allow me to smoke it around half-a-dozen times a day at least, often more. Even my non-smoking house mates aren't offended by it, although the one who smoked it originally now rather smugly claims me got me in to it in the first place. I would recommend St. Bruno to others. Maybe not as a first tobacco, but certainly as an enjoyable regular smoke once you've found your feet or a fall-back if a favoured tobacco is not available.

Pack smell: a smokey, peaty smell. Reminds me of a peaty malt like Isle of Islay. Lacks the rich plum/fruit pudding fragrance of flake.

Flavour & Taste: Pleasant when smoked by sipping, and can taste the malty peatiness - very enjoyable, especially compared to Mellow Virginia. Not as rich as flake though - no fruitiness.Great with a glass of whisky to chill out with.

Room smell: Quite pleasant. I often smoke in the entry/utility room. So I return to the entry after smoking and check the after smell.

Flavourful and sweet. A lot smoother than the flakes...

A cool, "meaty" and satiating smoke: I'm just satisfied with it. For sure, it would be in my steady rotation if just were available in Italy... nevertheless, the flake wins the match!

Now: the so-called Ogden Mixture of old (Gold Block/St. Bruno 50/50). Very nice combination, indeed ! Gold Block properties smooth down the hints of soapiness of its big-brother and adds some sweetness/grassiness. Burns easy and cool, but needs a slow smoking pace to avoid tongue bite. The strength is toned down the right measure to make Ogden Mix perfect as all-day blend for whose liking a medium blend in the English Tradition.

Sorry for my off-topic, but I could not resist to tell just a word after Big-Chris-UK's interesting story (see Gold Block) and Dr. Dyson's

A long standing British supermarket blend. If sipped, it's a steady smoke that edges towards a full flavour.

Not much more to say, other than the old TV ads with the St Bruno dog were entertaining.

I guess there's a reason it's been around for so long. Be careful though, a lot of the time if you are going to buy it OTC, ask the person how long it's been there, as often it's been there a while and can be dry..

Readily available in almost every newsagents up and down Britain. I guess this is the UK's 'Prince Albert'

The ready rubbed seems to be just that - St Bruno flake rubbed out. It's not a ribbon cut or anything - it really looks and feels like flake that's been rubbed out, which counts for something. My pack didn't have any stems, was suitably moist and had the St Bruno smell, which I like. And I've found it to be a very accommodating smoke; easy to light, easy to pack, nice moisture content, nice taste and stays lit easily. So, these are the reasons why it's so popular and has maintained all these years. I'm grateful.

I don't find it anywhere near as strong as the flake though and that's a bit of a mystery but also quite a good thing as I found the flake to be overwhelming.

It is still a very good tobacco and anyone who really hates rubbing out flakes will do well with this one. I smoke it when the flake is unavailable and I don't feel cheated but in a back to back comparison the flake just has the edge.

I don't know if it's because the tobacco stays fresher in a flake or if (Heaven forefend) the blenders take the opportunity to sneak something else into the ready rubbed or maybe it's psychosomatic.

Anyroad, this is a great tobacco which doesn't earn my top rating purely so that I can draw a distinction between it and my preferred version. Unfair? Possibly.

It's still a British institution.

You should still buy it, smoke it and love it.

Highly recommend as its a tasty blend that is cheap enough and easily accessible.

St Bruno in either of its forms is a worthwhile and satisfying smoke, though perhaps not one for the beginner. I find, incidentally, that DGT is very rewarding with St Bruno. If you come back to a partially smoked bowl, you find that the casing has gone and you're getting a very full and rich pure Virginia flavour.

St Bruno (perhaps jointly with Three Nuns) is in my view the best of the everyday 'supermarket' tobaccos. If you don't have a specialist tobacconist nearby or just want to walk to the corner shop for some baccy, St Bruno (either flake or ready rubbed) is about as good as you can do. Because it is packaged in a plastic pouch that might have sat on a supermarket shelf for weeks, it can be pretty dry when you buy it; but this is a common problem: a nuisance, but easy enough to remedy, when all's said and done. Good value for money; recommended.