W.O. Larsen Old Belt Ready Rubbed

This is an extremely mellow, smooth and soothing Virginia blend. High grade leaf, very well processed and with the right amount of moisture (typical Larsen quality), it has a gentle, almost hidden almond like sweetness that, nonetheless, retains all the natural flavour of tobacco.

Ribbon cut, with some broken flake, it is a pleasant combination of mid to light browns, with some reddish hues. Opening the tin you get a very faint whiff of that tangy Virginia smell (close to, but not as evident as Rattray?s Old Gowrie or Brown Clunee, and definitely more subtle than any McClelland?s). It is very easy to pack (gravity method) and lights quickly and well. It smokes cool and dry and leaves the pipe walls and inner stem clean. The whole experience is very mild, fresh and palatable, with no tongue bite.

The only drawback I fin in Old Belt is that it lacks a bit more of body and punch. Other than that, I agree this could be an all day Virginia smoke: discreet, refined and amiable.

Appearance: the can I opened had been on the shelf for almost 11 years, with a release date of April 9, 2013. I know very well that this tobacco in fresh has almost orange color, but over the years, of course, it has darkened quite a bit, although it has retained the uniformity of the color. The manufacturer's description is quite accurate - the tobacco is a roughly chopped (ready-rubbed) ribbon, sometimes there are pieces of unbroken flake. The consistency of the tobacco is fluff, the humidity is perfect, the presence of glycerin is extremely low, there is no dust.

Flavor: a moderately dense bouquet of hay and woody tones, with a slight citrus flavor, some dried fruit and yeast dough. It seems that originally some honey was added to the tobacco as a casing, but as the tobacco continued to age, it was completely blended with the Virginia sugars.

Taste: among pipe smokers who have tried this blend there is an opinion that Old Belt should be aged for at least five years, because the initial taste of this blend is quite harsh, and the tobacco itself is extremely sensitive to the temp of smoking, and bites at the slightest overheating. The years of waiting have added sweetness to the tobacco, indeed, removing the excessive, in my opinion, acidity, and made the overall taste of the blend significantly softer, and the blend itself much more tolerant to overheating. Moderately sweet, with dominating woody notes, along with a light fruity note, the tobacco also acquired hazelnut notes and a barely noticeable drop of honey. However, when overheated, the honey and hazelnut notes are the first to disappear, and the blend itself, although now not biting, becomes harsh on the palate. In bents, the main, woody notes, being already in the foreground, sound even brighter. The strength of tobacco is noticeably lower than average. Being fluffy, the blend burns a bit faster than other Old Belt Virginias, and its burn temperature is slightly higher. The tobacco burns to a light gray ash with no lumps, leaving a little moisture in the pipe. The aftertaste is weak, unstable, woody-sweet.

The smoke from the tobacco, unlike its German “relative”, Pfeifen Huber Virginia Old Belt, is more abundant and noticeable in the room, and its woody flavor lasts longer.

The bottom line. As an everyday tobacco, it's very good. Fans of Old Belt Virginias have a choice between three similar, but still different tobaccos: the relatively dry-tasting Danish or slightly sweeter and milder German. Which one to choose? Let everyone decide for himself.

This is indeed a light, fresh, Virginia blend. It is very easy on the palette. I believe I detect a light apricot topping, and something else I can't quite define. It is very discreet, and in no way ruins the mild, sweet, tobacco taste. I can see this as an excellent hot weather smoke, but would be good at any time. If you crave full, rich, or very sweet Virginias, this is not for you. This stuff arrived at the perfect moisture content, and smoked cool, dry and biteless. It is not complex, but it does have subtle nuances. The room note is very mild and fresh as well. I will definitely pick up some more. This reminds me very much of what a McClelland blend would taste like, without the vinegar.

A straight forward, "straight virginia".

Ever so slightly sweet that vanishes quick.

Somewhat dry ready rubbed. Easily packed. Easily lit. Easily smoked.

This Va has a good "kick" to it. ...Pure honest natural taste all the way down.

A very very good all day VA. Good working/fishing smoke. This one is close to being a favorite of mine; if it already isn't.

Hey Maynard! ...The Colonel's right!