When looking at the leaves it seems to be a nice chunky cut of medium brown with a very small smattering of darker leaves which seem to be the latakia and perique. I couldn't for the life of me find the turkish in there but it may just be hiding. Although C&D lists this as an "English" blend it is most certainly not and if you buy this thinking that you'll be horribly disappointed. It is a through and through burley blend with strength in flavor and I would rate it on the medium-high scale for nicotine but nothing that would give me the spins or create a flip flopping stomach. Just treat it with respect and slowly enjoy it by sipping away on a quiet afternoon. This is not a blend to be rushed.

The taste is pretty straight forward and I read one review that nailed the taste profile exactly: "chocolate covered dirt." It's earthy with a beautiful burley/chocolate taste and an ever so slight sweetness that you can coax out through sipping. The condimental tobaccos rarely ever poke their head out and only briefly can you catch the perique. Even so they add interest to the blend and move it from just a plain burley into something that is blending genius. If you enjoy burley then you can't miss this one. Just treat it with respect and make sure you're not hurrying through the bowl.

The packing is not a problem because the leaf is so silken and soft to work with. The lighting is easy and the smoke is thick and rich. The acridity of the burley is not tamed completely here. That is what I meant about the condimental tobaccos. This could be smoother and more tasty if just a tad more Latakia and Turkish were added. The perique is not a problem here, the level seems just right.

For what it is worth, I will not be buying more. I think they missed (IMO) with this one by the slimmest of margins. I could add the extras myself, but that isn't why I buy tinned blends. I don't want to do the alchemy myself. Sorry to rain on the admiration parade here, but I just think this was meant for the ardent Burley fan alone. Cheers!

reminds me of what the 'old geezers' used to smoke in the old general stores, or the barber shop in my old hometown back in the '40s and '50s--i've been looking for this one for a long time-- can't believe it took me this long to try it--

if you don't like fairly potent tobacco, give it a miss; otherwise buy and pound and settle in for some good smoking-- __________________________________________________________ EDIT:after six months in the jar, this wonderful burley blend has done nothing but improve--the flavors have melded, and the rough edges have smoothed greatly--it's almost sweet(subtly sweet)and oh so enjoyable to sit back on the porch with; kicked back in the rocker and just relax and unwind while sipping on what may be the best burley based blend in the C & D stable--

It's got nicotine for sure, but i'm addicted to nicotine, so it works out for me. As a reformed cigar nut, I can taste maduro cigar notes in this tobacco from time to time. The latakia and others are decernable, but the burley is the big hitter in this blend. If you are smoking danish blends, you might want to skip this one, but I find it a good alternative to english type blends, a great change of pace. Highly Recommended

It burns well, relights even better. The texture of the leaf is very springy and a pleasant light brown, it comes ready to smoke.

The taste can leave you hesitant at first as it is apparent that this is a potent blend, but a little bit of faith and slow deep smoking is rewarded with an unbelievably rich taste. The orientals add an exotic and lovely spiciness but the real reward is the smooth and heady nutty taste that comes through, especially on relights and deeper into the bowl.

The room note is atrocious for anyone but the smoker. I smoke it in a cob but would consider using a forever churchwarden stem on it because unlike some other blends where the smoke compliments the taste, this one does not.

EDIT: Downgraded this to 3 stars as I've developed my tastes and found blends to which this does not necessarily compare. It is still exceptional in its function, that is to provide a hook to the face when you're looking for that. I keep a jar now for when I'm feeling particularly manly.

UPDATE...Left the bag open overnight so it would dry out a bit. I was a litle "harsh" on it yesterday. This tobacco has to be sipped though!! It is NOT Prince Albert! This is a manly smoke. Room note isnt too bad. Taste pretty good actually. Just stout. It will be occasional for me. I prefer my baccy a little smoother. But after a big meal of elk steaks and fried potatoes...this ought to be great on a cold night. Just make sure to sip it like hot coffee.

Pouch aroma: sweet, musty, woodsy

Consistency: light, springy, packs easily just right

1st puffs: smooth, pleasant, good strength, chocolate flavor evident immediately

Smoke character: thick, rich, satisfying

2nd half: the nic kick is intense; the flavor never wavers or changes – big, mellow, with chocolate tones riding above the nutty sweetness

Aftertaste: Pleasant, echoes the taste of the smoke

Overall: Too much nicotine for this boy, otherwise, excellent quality and enormous flavor.

C&D lists this under "English Blends." What? Whaaaat!? I have smoked english blends, I own english blends, I often enjoy english blends. You sir, are no English blend. Perique? If you say so, but I cannot taste it unlike, say Old Joe Krantz which C&D sees fit to list as a burley. Turkish? Umm, ok. Latakia? My tastebuds nor my visual acuity (Latakia is a dark old leaf) can detect any.

Nope, this is Burley! Earthy, chocolatey, delicious burley. I could, and often do, smoke nothing but this all day. Think Wessex Burley slice (which I incidentally love) that knew somebody. Puffed hard, it unfolds like chocolate covered balls of earth in the mouth. Smoked respectfully, it adds some higher, sweeter notes. Smoke however you like as my body chemistry absolutely cannot make this stuff bite or even tingle.

I have taken to ordering this stuff by the pound as I read Dunhill, etc. horror stories.

Whatever the case, if you like burley, you owe it to yourself to try this.

The "Big" part of the name is also appropriate. This has a HUGE burley taste! Even the cut is big. Big n' Burley, indeed!

No shortage of flavor here. This is burley at its finest, from the folks who know how to blend it. If you're looking for a "set it and forget it" smoke, forget it! Too much flavor here to sit back and not notice. If you're squeamish about nicotine, look elsewhere. But if you love the taste of burley, look no further. This is an excellent tobacco and I can't believe it doesn't have more followers. It's made a fan of me!

Big & Burley never turned bitter and is easy to keep lit. The latakia is way in the background and is faintly noticeable.

I never thought that I would like this, but recent reviews inspired me to give this a whirl. I am glad I did. Perhaps Cornell & Diehl are making me a bit of a burley fan.

Govern Yourself Accordingly!

I love this blend and smoke it often. Lots of Burley flavor and heavy on the nicotine... What's not to like?

This one arrives rather dry in the tin and delivers a knockout blow with every swing. I never taste the Perique and the Latakia is so far in the background that it too, can be missed.

You want to grow a moustache overnight? Smoke a bowl of Big and Burley just before bedtime.

For me, a very dry smoke with hardly any bite at all. I was surprised to read that there was Latakia in here as I couldn't taste it.

This is my first burley tobacco. I honestly didn't know what to expect when I purchased my first 1 ounce sampler. I smoked my first bowl, and finished that ounce in less then two days. Since then, I've smoked 3 more ounces and am currently working on a 4 ounce bag.

If B&B represents what burley tobacco is, then I think I'm hooked. The taste is not too sweet, and it's strength lets me know that what I'm smoking should be respected and enjoyed.

The nicotine content is quite high, but for me it's the right amount. I do highly recommend that you have something to sip while smoking this as it does tend to dry out the mouth. Also, be prepared for the occasional strong hit. The nicotine somewhat sneaks up on me. I'll be fine one minute, and then next thing I know I'll have the hiccups and my throat will start to "tighten up."

For those of you who are looking for a no-nonsense tobacco to be a daily staple and who also enjoys a relatively high vitamin N kick, I strongly recommend this blend!

- February 26, 2010 update - I'm still smoking this wonderful weed. Weed - that term does not do this tobacco justice. I purchase this in bulk, a pound at a time, and make it my all day smoke. Never once has this tobacco bitten me, and it always satisfies no matter what pipe I'm smoking it in. I can say that after three months of smoking this daily, this is still my favorite tobacco blend. If I could, I would rate this a 20 out of 10! Highly recommended!

Big N? Burley takes my love for Burley and it kicks it up into new realms. This is a beautifully crafted tobacco. Burley is certainly in the forefront with wisps of chocolate and softwoods. The Latakia is applied with a delicate hand, augmenting rather than masking; the Turkish adds the soft flavour of spice rather than heat and the Perique offers a lovely interplay with the Latakia, bringing a sweet mustiness to the mix.

At times, there is a singular note to the bowl (a sweet, musty cedar with a glimmer of cigar) while at other times, the individual components dance and swirl over the palette. It?s easy to slide into the zone with this bite-free blend.

This is a fuller smoke and yet, for me, it could easily be an all day adventure. I often enjoy Big N' Burley as my first pipe of the day (usually mid-morning) and yet it is just as delightful at night.

Strongly encouraged to lovers of Burley and English fans looking for something with a solid Burley base. Wonderful in medium sized pipes with longer stems.

Big N? Burley has a permanent place in my rotation.

Highly recommended.

The cut is wonderfully broken with some quite large flakes. Even the cut is manly.

The pouch aroma is alluringly nutty with some grassy notes.

Easy to load, light, and only a few relights. I too find it beneficial to tamp at it during your smoke.

From your first puff, the flavor is profound. On the strong side, the dominating flavor is indeed the burley. The skillful addition of the remaining tobaccos is what sets Big 'n Burley apart from the pack. The Turkish and Latakia support the burleys just enough to keep the smoke tantalizing without stealing the show. If I didn't read it for myself, I wouldn't know the perique was in the blend. There is a cigar-like experience with this pipe-weed, but it does not taste like a cigar. It is stout, rich and fulfilling. I smoke each bowl to the very bottom.

As others have warned, so I warn -- smoke this blend slowly and grant it respect. I suggest smoking it with your favorite beverage at hand. Tea or bottled water worked well for me. The smoke is cool, but this is burley and tends to dry the mouth.

It works well in the p.m. and evening. I've not noticed any benefit to smoking it in a particular type of pipe, or a particular size of bowl.

My review in a word would be -- Brilliant!