Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Kentucky Bird

I largely agree with Jim Inks' review. Unlike him, I do get some bite, but that's true for most of the OTCs I've tried. Unlike some of those OTCs, the bite was on the light side, if still noticeable. Yes, you can see bits of white rose petals in the blend, but this is a moderate and not an overwhelming aro, just with a very different topping than most botanically flavored blends (unless you smoke GH Grasmere Flake). The rose flavor is present throughout the bowl, but it's rather mellow once you get going. It burns a little on the quick side, but not overly so. If you are looking for a solid but different OTC aro and somehow run across this (I believe it's only available in Europe? certainly not in the US), it's worth trying.

That´s a nice easy going blend! Leaves a sweet floral room note! The taste is sweet and mild. What makes this tobacco unique is the added Kentucky which gives it it´s distinct character and a little smokyness here and there. Good for smokers that are tired of tongue burning, chemical aromatics but like mild and tasty blends. Recomended!

In the beginning i bought this tobacco and disliked it. after i went through other tobaccos i tried this one again and to my surprise, it is really nice floral taste. the taste is also consistent through out the whole bowl. if you are a beginning pipe smoker i highly recommend this and if you just want a nice soft floral taste.

Very gentle and mild tobacco, I remembered it as smell of spring and flowering fields. Good for weekends, sunny days and for smoking while free walking.

I found this pouch of tobacco in a tobacco stand in Germany on a recent trip and was told it was quite popular. It states on the label "with natural flowers" and contains Bright Virginia, Sun cured Kentucky, with natural flavors. Upon opening the pouch aroma is very sweet and tart. No scent of flowers. The tobacco itself is a rough cut ribbon in a mixed variety of browns and is on the moist side. It packs easily into the pipe and lights easily. Upon lighting, immediately one becomes aware of the flavor of dried flowers though the room note is more like walking into a shop selling dried flowers for perfume purposes. It is the most unusual flavor for a pipe tobacco I think I have tried. It is very interesting at first but quickly gets to be too much. I could never smoke this as a regular smoke but on occasion it is interesting. It also smokes rather on the hot side. Smoke it fast and you fry your tongue, smoke it slow and it will reward you with the taste of roses. I am not really fond of this flavor so only smoke it mow and then and can't really recommend it unless you want to try something very different.

This blend is to be seen in almost every tobacco store in Austria as well as in Germany so i'm guessing it has its fans. Or, every shop owner gets suckered into stocking it for its "uniqueness" of having Rose pedals in it. Personally i think it is the latter ;o)

Pouch aroma is of some undefined sweetness, certainly not any rose scent. And it also tastes of some undefined sweetness which is very strong and outright obtrusive. The smell also sticks to your clothes, hair and pipe in a rather unpleasant and thick way. The smoke is voluminous and somewhat sticky-dry on your tongue. Speaking of which: you really have to smoke this blend very slow or it *will* bite your tongue, even tho its not in itself a harsh blend.

The Virginia shines through every now and then as well as the Kentucky. I couldn't make out alot of the Burley.

I somewhat recommend this blend if you feel like smoking something that contains not just tobacco but some other plant as well. If you don't feel that adventurous then stay clear from this blend.

Almost everyone agrees: "This is a bad tobacco". Well I don´t. It´s not the best tobacco I´ve smoked but neither the worst. It´s an unexpensive aromatic flavored virgina with a traditional aromatic taste. I´ve always have an open pouch of this blend. Just one recommendation to smoke it: Remember you are NOT a locomotive.

For many years I've avoided OTC blends, most likely because I grew so accustomed to smoking premium blends. However, I never forgot my origins, and this particular blend got under my radar mostly due to its flavor profile, as I enjoy floral notes quite a lot. And so, it was worth giving a shot.

Came pretty moist, but pipe ready. The cut is pretty loose and quite choppy, but still easy to work with. Mechanically, it's very straightforward: easy to pack, light, stays lit well, doesn't smoke hot, nor does it bite.

Flavor-wise, the floral notes are the star of the show, but it doesn't feel like smoking flowers. The petals definitely contribute to the floral taste, but I'm pretty certain that it's augmented in the form of a topping, especially since I also pick up a pretty noticeable taste of vanilla. Most importantly, the flavoring doesn't feel artificial. The component tobaccos have a token say and they are definitely of high-quality, beyond your average OTC. Both the flavoring and the taste remain consistent throughout, whether smoked in a large or a small bowl.

This was a very impressive blend and it convinced me to start giving OTCs another chance every now and then. They serve their purpose and this is no exception. Perfect blend to start the day with a cup of coffee and with enough sweetness to satisfy your aromatic tastes. It's no Lakeland, but it doesn't try to be. As it is, it's a good, high-quality aromatic and I will certainly buy it again in the future.

My girlfriend goes to visit her home country of Spain from time to time and when she does, she gets me a few pouches of Kentucky Bird. The local tobacconist in Madrid recommended this with Half & Half and said that one customer mix the two blends 50:50. I've tried that and I do think that mixing the blends definitely adds a lot and is better than just Kentucky Bird. It brings together the floral of Kentucky Bird together with some added body and flavor from Half & Half.

But, this review is for Kentucky Bird alone.

Out of the pouch, I mostly get natural floral note, fresh out of the shower floral shampoo. Incredible notes.

In the smoke itself I get a very unique experience with this blend. As a child I used to go with my parents every summer to Eilat, the most southern city in Israel. It's surrounded by desert, except for the tip of the Red Sea. The combination of summer sea breeze, the experience of the hotel, the overall aroma of the city, this is what I get here. Kentucky Bird reminds me of the swimming pool, of the hotel shower soap and shampoo, of new clean sheets. Yes, very strange. But that's what I get from this. It is absolutely possible that this is a very subjective connotation and other people would view this as a standard over-the-counter blend. But this is the fascinating thing about the connection between smell and taste, and memory. Needless to say, this is a very comforting blend.

The smoking notes are again mostly floral and soap (in a positive term). The Dark Fired Kentucky only adds a bit of body and slight floral notes (yes, I tend to get floral notes from DFK as well).

Mechanically, it behaves very well. Easy to pack and smoke, minimal relights, doesn't get too hot, moisture level is perfect. Smoking pace is moderate and can easily be an all-day smoke. No tongue bite whatsoever.

It is mild-medium in body (on the milder side) and mild in strength. Not a complex blend, but definitely brings notes that are more unique than the ordinary burley cocoa and nuttiness with the typical molasses, licorice topping.

Excellent to smoke on its own, even better when added to Half & Half or other similar blends. Four stars. Please bring it to the U.S.!