I enjoy smoking this tobacco while fishing. Although, the nicotine level seems to be rather high. It gives me a heady buzz if I puff too much. That buzz causes some discomfort if I am wading in a particularly craggy spot on the river (I got tripped up several times on the jagged rocks of the Hooch).

There is not much more to say about this blend. I find it easy to approach, with little complication. It is a nice addition to my cabinet and weekly rotation.

The smoke is smooth with medium density and just a hint of the topnote is present. It smokes well to the bottom of the bowl, though like many burley blends can be a little one dimensional, so it might not be everyone's all day smoke.

IMO reasonable value and well worth a try.

Cavendish and Burley can be boring- Orlik has changed that with a unique blend here. Certainly one to try. On my rotation, though not smoked regular. Mild, Smooth, Bread Dough, Nutty. It is unilateral, not complicated.

BETTER PICK: GL PEASE BARBARY COAST

I have been familiar with Stokebye tobaccos for quite sometime, being a ryo smoker, and I didn't think this blend would be disappointing. It wasn't. Dark (Stong) Kentucky flakes aptly describes what this blend is.

The tin aroma was strong, but pleasant; none of that overpowering sweetness like I found with MacBaren's London Burley Blend. It was a little like dates, but not like the stewed prune smell I expected. And the flakes are beautiful; nice golden tobacco sandwiched between chocolate colored layers. It's almost a shame to rub it out (or cross cut into cubes, your choice).

This stuff tastes like no other burley/va blend I have tried. It tastes like no other tobacco blend period. It definitely tasted of burley, and there's just enough of the virginia to sweeten it, but it has a nice aged character and aroma. The best way I can think of to describe the smoking experience is that it tastes "manly". And the aroma is manly, in a flannel shirt and pickup kind of way. My wife absolutely detests the lingering odor of it in my truck, but she is overly fond of flowers and girly things.

When I asked the gentlemen who recommended this blend to me what it was like, I was told that it couldn't be described. But, I was assured that it would be good if I liked burleys. I found them to be correct. Dark Kentucky has to be experienced. Buy a tin; put on your best flannel shirt and hiking boots, and tramp out into the woods with a bowl full. But, leave the wife at home.

DSK is in a class of its own. It is an exceptionally fine, full bodied and satisfying tobacco with a very light casing that adds a most satisfying flavor.

Fresh from the shelf, DSK is a great tobacco. Left to age even a few months provides a more mellow smoke and a slightly enhanced flavor.

There a still a couple of burley based tobaccos I have yet to sample, but for now, DSK is the one of the best of the lot, second only to Stonhaven.

Update 8/9/06 This blend reminds me of Espterica's Blackpool and Ramsgate notwithstanding that the Esoterica blends are Virginia's. If you enjoy the anise topping, you will be sure to enjoy

Ps: I have contacted Orlik to figure out what the can says. It truely does defy all online translators. The phrase "Er Yderst Sundhedsskadelight" The mystery was too much for me. 'is harmfull to health'

The tin aroma is nothing less than pure sundried raisins. The flavour combines the virginia and burley so well with a flavour ranging from nutty to raisin and fig. There is a tartness and sweetness from the virginia, balanced with a fullness and rounding imparted by the burley-- which I don't believe is flavoured much if at all. The aroma emminating from the bowl is not really inviting or lady friendly, but outdoors it is a lovely rich tobacco farm fresh smell, not at all like cigarettes as some plain virginias can emulate. This is a must try for those who favour natural blends with medium-hi nicotine and without Latakia. Definitely a change of pace from plain jane virginias. Not for the aromatic lover or those who need to smoke like a blast furnace, though it doesn't really bite.

The bottom line is: it's mild tasting, it has some sweetish topping on it, and that's it. There is a moderate amount of nicotine, but nothing special for a straight burley. There is absolutely nothing objectionable about it, except that it's BORING. The taste of this blend so uneventful that I find myself wondering when it's going to be finished by the time I'm a third of the way through a bowl. I've smoked about half of the 100g tin I bought, and I'm ready to give the rest away. Box pass, anyone?

Update: Now that I am nearing the end of this tin, I've changed my opinion of DSK. Surely, it's no Edgeworth Slices, but it is a very good blend on its own merit. The flavoring reminds me of licorice and I have come to like it very much; the flavoring comes across stronger in the tin than when lit. The tobacco burns very well, rubbed or by folding the flakes. I have bought a few tins for the cellar and plan to keep a tin open as part of my regular tobacco rotation. When you're wrong, you're wrong, and I was wrong about this very nice tobacco blend!

I was sure this was lightly cased until one day I mixed some rubbed out Stonehaven with light Virginia and realized it was a bit like Orlik DSK. Otherwise, there is nothing else like it.

Appearance: This one gets the nod for ?oddity? if anything ever did. When whole the flake look something like an Oreo cookie with Dark Kentucky on the outside and light colored Virginia in the middle, strange yes, but very appealing. One true bonus of this feature is that you can ?customize? a bowl easily adding more of either componant simply by adding more of the appropriate color.

Aroma: This mixture has a deep sweet aroma very enticing. Immediately one smells a deep hay-like quality, cocoa, molasseses, coffee and maybe a hint of cherry or some other fruity essence. Deep, sharp and earthy, carmel tones and nuts are evident.

This tobacco is nearly perfect in moisture though sometimes I allow it to air a bit before use. Most often I simply fold the flakes up and insert them into the bowl un-rubbed, affording me a long burning bowl each time.

Lighting usually is a single fairly laborious as this leathery flake is slow to burn and slow to properly light. As expected, the initial flavor very Burley, with a thick silky mouth feel, notes of butter and nuts. Hay-like tones and smells and flavors of Autumn are abundant with deepening flavors of nuts and butter interplaying in a fascinating way. Deeper tones of chocolate and the occasional taste of cherry is there. The Virginia adds a very pleasant tangy top note to the whole affair.

Mid Bowl: Approaching mid-bowl, the fullness tends to build the toothsome mixtures of butter, nuts and Burley develop in strength slowly along predictable lines. A slight builds throughout, cigar-like flavors come in from time to time. The nuttiness becomes more pronounced and the Virginia drones on adding sweet and sour which is very agreeable. DSK is not very complex, not requiring deep concentration to smoke and enjoy.

Home Stretch: As end of the bowl approaches, the bowl never really changes other than it gradually deepening. This blend remains consistent throughout. The final third has matured nicely with all the flavors working in deepening harmony. Well behaved and cool smoking this mixture satifsys my sweet tooth and passion for Burley all at once. The final third is very rich tasting, but IMHO it is not strong. While not quite a masterpiece of a blend, it certainly has a lot going for it. As a crossover blend (between natural and aromatic) it is unique, there is nothing that I know of that tastes quite like it, though there are some that are similar.

Supplemental Notes: I recommend this blend to those who enjoy Burley and to those who've never tried Burley but are curious to do so.. Rating for those interested in numbers *** stars

Well, here is my first sample review. I was given a 100g tin of this, and am not normally a big fan of burleys. The reviews here had me very leery of trying things, making me think of powerful Burley. Powerful I don't mind, I like stout tobaccos, just like my beers. However, the reviews had me concerned.

Ah what the heck, a friend said I should go for it. OK, I cracked the tin. This is some interesting looking tobacco. I like the color of the flakes, black & tan, reminds me of one of my English pub favorites - something with a stout in it. The tin note is very coffee-like with a dark molasses sweetness to it. However, it does not seem to be cased in any way. This smells like pure tobacco.

Rubbed some of it out as I like to try a flake the first time completely rubbed out to get its full measure. It rubs out easily into a very fine cut. Nice! I like that. Pulled out a cob, just in case it was a flavored tobacco, filled it and we were off.

OK, it was a little moist and needed three lights to get going, but I knew that before I started. Hmm, nutty, sweet, and very tasty - not complex, just tasty. Strong? Well, not yet anyway. I like the flavors here. This is some excellent tobacco. There is a hint of coffee, someone else mention caramel - maybe. Brown sugar? Possibly. Molasses? Could be it. It is just naturally sweet, no detectable flavorings. This was incredibly cool.

Inhaled a couple times to get a feel for the nicotine content, it is supposed to be "strong". While it is bold, it isn't nicotine strong so that it is going to leave you woozy. The room note was very pleasant for what I am still believing to be an un-cased tobacco.

OK, let's see how this stuff burns. I am looking for a blend I can smoke without thinking about it. When I do that, I tend to get bit badly as I puff more forcefully. So, I forced it. I tried to get this to burn hot - didn't happen - couldn't make it happen.

Again, I want to return to this. Is this an aromatic? Well, if it is, it is only mildly so. I get the feeling this is just a very tasty, full-flavored tobacco. This isn't a contemplative blend, you know, the type that needs 100% of your concentration to experience all the subtle nuances. This is just a very solid taste treat, rich and sweet.

If you haven't guessed by now, I thoroughly enjoyed this first bowl. That is saying quite a bit. Usually I reserve any judgement until I have had a couple pipes. Now, there is every possibility that all things were hitting on the right cylinders and I just got into the groove on this baccy in this one bowl. And, it may miss entirely after this. I doubt it, doesn't normally work that way.

So, I wanted to say thanks to the friend who encouraged me not to trade off this tin without opening it and giving it a whirl. Wow, what a mistake that would have been.

4.8 of 5 halos.

UPDATED - January 9, 2005

I didn't expect to like this blend much. My first review of it was after a sample. I have since gone through two 100g tins and have three more in the cellar. For me to have that much of a "burley" in my cellar says quite a bit. In fact, I don't have three tins of a whole lot in my cellar.

If you like aromatics, give this a try, this might be something to lead you into straight tobaccos. If you like Virginias, and think that Burleys aren't for you, this might change your mind. I have tried a few other Burley blends since this to see if my tastes have changed, I never finished one of them. I was hoping that Solani Silver Flake might be in a similar vein as this - no such luck.

Still agree with my original assessment.

This is a nice Burley experience with a lightly sweet topping. The room note is pleasant.

If you're a Burley lover, it's worth a try.

If you're interested in a GREAT Kentucky Burley experience, I recommend Cornell & Diehl's Easy Times.