30.11.12 Update: I put a new, sealed 25gm pouch of this away for 9 months whilst exploring other tobaccos. Opening it recently, it had aged well, becoming the texture of beef jerky. I could see sugar crystals on the surface, and it was readily smokeable out of the pouch. Maybe a tad mellower for the maturation. Beautiful. I like, too, that it is not expensive, and available in corner shops everywhere - no need to pay exorbitant postal rates.

This is a tobacco I found myself eventually gravitating toward for the folowing reasons -

1) My grandfather smoked this ( and Warhorse )

2) Out of all the "over the counter" brands in the UK, this is the only one I ever really rated.

3) Lovely nicotine kick.

I'd recommend this. Not for the newcomer or those who don't like a strong smoke.

P.S. As for the room note...I am designated to the garden by the wife if I try to smoke this in the house :)

This review completes my experiment with the three major commercially available tobacco brands in rubbed form here in the UK - those being Clan, St. Bruno, and Condor. The latter is, without a doubt, the best, and proves that there is some credence in entrusting your choices locally, as opposed to the specialist. 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.

Addendum:

The flake variant tastes slightly fuller, with a more pronounced sour note. It's moderately moist, easy to rub out and light, and it's particularly noteworthy as a consistent smoke, with a full body of flavour being generated in the second half of the bowl. Again, a great smoke that burns to a voluminous plume, and a fluffy ash of less quantity than it's rubbed version.

Overall, I think I prefer the balance of the ready-rubbed over the long cut, but the two are so very similar that you could probably juggle them in the same pipe. It's a testament to the blender that they've made a rub that can still hold it's own against the flake. Two ace cuts - and the champion of commercial smokes.

This blend was a long time favorite of mine, that is now sadly no longer exported to the USA. I first tried this blend at a Yorkshire tobacconist's recommendation while purchasing a new pipe. I had never encountered a flake tobacco before, so I had to ask him how to use it. I have a good friend in the UK who can keep me supplied with Condor, and there are several tobacconists who will ship to the USA.

Fortunately, I've found that SG Bracken Flake is quite similar to Condor at least as far as a substitute goes when I can't reliably get my hands on it.

Appearance: A mostly black with some brown and tan mottling leathery flake of varying thickness.

Aroma: The first thing that is apparent when opening a pouch of Condor is that it is fairly heavily scented. What kind of defies me is to decide what that scent is. I pick up tones of black cherry, something sweet and vaguely like molasses and hints of rose. Rose you say? Yes rose, as in Greek Rose Petal preserves (not a regular on many an American table). I can also detect deep air cured Virginias and an underlying nuttiness, and musty quality. Put side by side with SG Bracken Flake they smell very similar. This tobacco seems perfect for smoking as soon as the seal on the pouch is broken. As with most flake tobaccos I simply take several flakes together, fold them in half and insert them length-wise into the bowl trimming off the excess. I find it has a much better burn this way and makes for a long enjoyable smoke.

For this review, I've chosen an Edward's Husky Canadian which is dedicated to scented flakes.

A first light is brings billows of rich white smoke, followed with a brief visit of the tamper and then a tamping light. The topping or casing is immediately there and while a bit odd at first becomes a nice compliment to the fine quality leaf underneath. Flavors of cherry, rose and a deep nuttiness are exhaled with increasing pleasure. This is a delightful flake, which rather rapidly dispels myths of 'English Soap'. The flavors are intense and build rapidly while the topping or casing gradually fade into the background. Many Americans will not likely enjoy this flavor, but I do.

Mid Bowl: Approaching mid-bowl, the fullness tends to build and while I wouldn't call this mixture particularly complex, the topping or casing gradually fade completely into the background but never leave the scene. The Virginias build in depth and character while the topping/casing gently fade. This blend can get away from you if you are not careful with technique. That is not to say that it will bite, I've never experienced tongue-bite with this blend. Rather, the tobacco is a bit temperamental and can be over-puffed to the point of extreme bitterness. If one takes the time to smoke this slowly and methodically a sweet, rich and flavorful voyage is there for the taking.

Home Stretch: As end of the bowl approaches, I find that it becomes more intense though never overpoweringly so. The tobacco eventually becomes the most dominant component with the topping/casing fading in intensity. Deep and resonant forest, leather and cigar tones emerge from the heart of this blend. The sweetness and topping/casing never fully leave, yet their initial flavors have matured and ripened into a fascinating mixture of stewed fruits and rich adult pleasures.

Supplemental Notes:

I must add that now being in possession of both SG Bracken Flake and Condor Long Cut at the same time, my observation remains, they are very similar and for me at least BF is a good substitute though not a direct 1:1 'copy' of each other. BF will defiantly scratch the itch for me.

The flakes need to be dried as they reach in a well moistened grade. Lights easily and it is easy to keep it lit. It burns very slowly and offers a long lasting pipe smoking experience. It has a good nicotine kick which overwhelmed me in the big bowled pipes when I've reached the bottom.

The robust and soapy taste/smell of the tobacco gets into your pipes and stays there even if you puff a half bottle of pipe cleaning spray into these pipes. So I recommend using dedicated pipe(s) for this blend. Do not use your best pipe before you assure yourself if you are going to be a fan of Condor!

I personally like tobaccos with much more classical Virginia sweet, true tobacco taste. So Condor is out of my list for now.

Condor probably suits a small-bowled pipe better than a large one: the nicotine content is high, and it'll sit you down hard if you don't treat it with circumspection. 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. To me, it's intensely nostalgic: the smell of yesterday. Condor also gives you a delicious moment when you open the pouch. it used to be available in sliced, bar, twist and pigtail forms (the last two were pretty hairy, I remember), but I think these have long gone. I haven't seen them in England for years, anyway. Condor will leave a mighty ghost in your pipe, BTW.

I have to admit that Condor a little strong for me, but I'm happy to recommend it to people who like a tough, masculine baccy. On the whole, I think it's the best of the OTC blends (though St Bruno Flake runs it a pretty close second). Some pipemen are a little snooty about it; it's a blue-collar smoke available in most B&Ms. So what? It's good stuff, and let's be thankful that, unlike many old favourites, it hasn't disappeared. Yet.

Update, 5 March, 2012: If you fill your pipe[s} about 12 hours before you want to smoke it/them and just let it/them sit, the difference to the quality of the smoke that Condor LO will give you is truly amazing. I stumbled across this trick by accident, but I guess it'll work for anyone. Worth a try, anyway.

This is a full bodied, slow smoking blend that one must sip to appreciate. It slowly burned down to a light grey fine ash with no dottle or moisture left in my pipe. It did leave a ghost in my pipe that made my next two bowls of PA taste like a wonderful British Blend with a burley base, but that has been a good thing for me. Then this late evening, after leaving a few flakes sitting out in fron of my air conditioning intake, I again lit a fresh pipe of this wonderful blend again, of course in a British pipe, and was gain was rewarded with a wonderful smoke that was easy to light and every bit as satisfying to me. I sure wish that this brand would be imported to the states, as I just love the stuff. I think I could live on just it. I highly recommend trying this blend and I put it as one of my favorite tobaccos.

Then we light up. Flavour-wise a cousin of St Bruno and an older brother of Grousemoor, there is a large dose of "floral British", as I like to refer to it. It starts from the first light and, although softens down the bowl, never really fades.

In fact, if this is your thing, you will love Condor Long Cut. For the flavour is not overpowering and beneath it there are high quality dark tobacs. Cool, slow, even burning, this tobacco behaves very well throughout the bowl.

It is an acquired taste, nothing more or less noble than that. If you don't like that "floral British" flavour, you won't like Condor - that doesn't make it a bad tobacco. In fact, if you do like it, this will be close to perfection.

For one who wants to begin to understand this tobacco at its best, I recommend getting to grips with Grousemoor first, to sort of tune in your tastes to this unique flavour profile. Then you can fully experience the might that is the one and only...CONDOR!

- Orlik Golden Sliced

- Condor Long Cut

- McBs HH Vintage Syrian

Here my impressions about the second one.

Two pouches of CLC came to me from JJFox in London (alongwith a couple of St. Bruno and one of Players Navy Flake). I have strongly desired to taste these oldies again, and still remember the small rectangular tins of Condor, Sweet Dark Honeydew (not to name the pure Latakia) and their rusted inner edges. They still were under the Gallaher's brand... and I was just twenty. The latest experience I got with Condor was with the RR form in the very beginning of the nineties. So, the new meeting with CLC was simply a sentimental matter, a very pleasant situation.

CLC comes in a sealed plastic pouch of brown colour (the tin was greenish), the rear showing a terrific photo of a wide open devastated mouth at a dentist! After the breaking of the seal, the inconfondible aroma: soapy, flowerish, fruity. The colour is dark and very dark brown with bright specs inside. Some 20/25 flakes, thin and quite short. I guess that if offered in loose cut, CLC would be a shag.

I have prepared a couple of slices and had them airing out for half an hour, folded them and rubbed a bit, loaded into an old sandblasted Savinelli Punto Oro no. 105 (small bowl billiard), which was previously used for University and Irish Flake. Just the shape of pipe a true Englishmen would use for CLC... Upon lighting the tobacco surface has a violent reaction and need a couple of energic tamperings, relight and&peaceful slow, cool smoke.

A soapy smoke, or better, the perfumes we do associate with soap on a sweet base. Very refreshing indeed, with citrusy notes over a flowery base. This is steady through to the end of the pipeful. A deserving experience, maybe not for the summer season. We are talking of a scented flake of old school, strong but no too much strong (it starts understatingly medium and steadily proceeds - puff after puff - just to the strong, never reaching the brutality of and Irish Flake).

Regarding the weed, I guess we are talking of heavily stoved Va's, but I suspect some Ky is also in the play. Who cares ? It's the whole thing which counts here. Dedicated pipe(s) is a must, Condor will be indelibly ghost your pipe. Daily use? Not for me, thank you. Do you drink liquors daily ?

Scented flakes is a genre of its own, if I am to rate it for the TR community guide, I would give two stars. But, I have said above this is a sentimental matter of mine, and the rating is just for my appreciation: four stars.

CLC is something love-or-hate: I simply love it.

Sometimes, it's not absolutely awful. And, then again, sometimes it tastes like you're sucking on a burning sock soaked in liquid hairspray. I'll never buy this again.

I was sitting on a bench in the garden the other day, smoking my pipe and studying a rare, abstruse text, when a large magpie fell from the tree branch directly above me, paralyzed from the beak down. You see, I was not smoking any ordinary tobacco - I was smoking the mighty Condor.

This was the only tobacco that struck terror into the heart of my great-uncle Jack - an inveterate St Bruno smoker.

Upon opening the tin (or pouch these days), one is greeted by a very pleasant aroma of something perfumy, which I have never been able to positively identify. The flowery aroma is different, and less pronounced than that found in Coniston Cut Plug. It is also nicer (but perhaps that is due to its familiarity over so many years). There is also an aroma of good, rich, potent tobacco, which leaves the sniffer in no doubt whatsoever that a substantial smoke lies ahead.

The flakes are dark and foreboding; just nicely moist and of consistent dimensions - three flakes for a large billiard (I just can't bring myself to smoke a smaller bowl of this).

Once the smoker has plucked up the courage, girded his loins and applied flame, the very traditional, correct and proper, British, perfumy (delightfully so) taste is to the fore. However, this soon withdraws to the wings, leaving a very full, rich tobacco flavour centre-stage. It is at this point that many reviewers will begin to describe their favourite tobaccos with adjectives such as 'nutty', 'leathery' and goodness knows what. Suffice to say that this tastes of rich tobacco and it is heavenly (blast - an adjective).

It lights easily and burns slowly right down to the bottom, leaving a fine, white ash.

Ladies love the smell of Condor, by the way.

Condor - the King of pipe tobaccos.

The magpie flew away after an hour or so.

The flake is soft, pliable, and moist, about 1.0" x 2.5", very thin, dark with a few lighter streaks. As for the pouch aroma, I thought of several mild to medium English blends. I was expecting something like Ennerdale after reading a number of warnings in the Condor Ready Rubbed reviews.

Initially, an extremely cool, sweet, Lakeland whammy. There is more of that Lakeland essence than is suggested by the pouch, but it is no Ennerdale. By the way, I like Ennerdale. Mid-bowl it is still predominately sweet and very cool, but slightly bitter, in a good way. My wife makes a soup out of a green, cucumber-sized, hard and bumpy object that contains white pumpkin seed sized seeds that she hollows out and stuffs with ground pork, black flat mushrooms (fungi?), clear noodles, onions, and black pepper. The broth (pork) is delicious, but the melon, she calls it bitter melon soup, is, well, bitter. If you have spent time in SE Asia you probably encountered this soup. Condor is that kind of bitter, not nearly as bitter, but that kind of pleasant bitter taste. Yet, sweet.

Condor, in this flake format, burns cool and dry to a powdery off-white ash. No tongue bite, no palate coat, no overwhelming nicotine, no negatives for me.

The Lakeland essence does not disappear like I predicted it would. So you end up with a sweet English/Balkan with Lakeland essence, and this interesting, mildly bitter finish. It is full and medium to strong, but no ringing of the ears like with 1792 and some twists or ropes. I think I taste a mature and sweet VA, Orientals, a little Latakia, a little Turkish, and of course, the Lakeland essence.

Condor is easily obtained from an Otley, UK internet tobacconist, and several other UK shops. Condor, St. Bruno, Warrior Plug, Yachtman Navy Plug, Mick McQuaid Plug, and more delivered to your door in one week. I overlooked the Revor Plug, dangit. Note to self: must try the Black XXX Gawith Hoggarth twist.

07/27/09 UPDATE: I am revising some of my reviews. I have given out more 4 star ratings than anything else. That practice is probably not helping. So, I am reducing Condor to 3 stars, not because I like it less than I did before, but because I am limiting 4 stars to fewer than 25% of all my reviews. One day I may use the 4 star rating to designate my top five.

I've known this tobacco for nearly 50 years and it's always been a basic flavoured English tobacco, very popular hence why it still survives.

Of all the Condor varities available here, I think this one is way out the best. It's a flake of course as opposed to the ready rubbed and I prefer the fuller flavour and the longer smoke that results. For those of you who havent tried it, it is very dark in appearance with a strong leathery scent, stronger than St Bruno though not unlike it actually. It does have the effect of leaving its mark on the pipe it's smoked in...so it's best to dedicate one to it. Taste wise; it's strongish in Vitamin N, it brings a full virginia taste with the topping still there of floral/leather hints. It's a solid no nonsense tobacco though, if you are not used to strong English flakes, be ready for this. I give it full marks. It's a classic...I just hope it survives a bit longer.