Tobaccos Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Kendal Kentucky

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-05-12		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I don't normally write reviews based on a 5-bowl sample I was gifted, preferring to smoke an entire tin or a couple oz of bulk brands before I really get to know it. But this tobacco won me over immediately and it just keeps getting better. That 5-bowl sample was parlayed into a 2 lb purchase.

Dark and toasty, with hints of cocoa and sweetness, this beautiful shag cut blend of African Kentucky leaf smokes cool and rich (and fast!) from beginning to end. The taste does not change down the bowl, and I found that rewarding because it starts off wonderfully. It's a fairly strong, nicotine-laden tobacco but the shag cut produces a quick burn, and even a large pipeful tends to finish quickly. Speaking of "finish", the finish on this one makes me immediately want to fire up a second bowl (resist that temptation unless you have the nicotine tolerance of a 2 pack a day Marlboro Man). And speaking of cigarettes, this is a great blend to start the reformed cig smoker on his way to pipe enjoyment. Excellent room aroma as well. I'll be smoking this one very frequently, as I find the overall quality to be the equal of any blend out there. Tired of boring, bland burleys? Here's your cure.

38 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3047)	2012-09-25		Strong	Very Mild	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

It's boldly earthy, woody, floral, herbal, vegetative, nutty, toasty, with a light brown sugar sweetness as well as a hint of cocoa, a lot of spice, and notable sourness without the sludge taste of a strong tobacco. Has a lot of strength and a very full taste level. The nic-hit is potent, and I recommend a small to medium bowl at best. It burns perfectly even, clean and cool, with a very consistent flavor from start to finish. Won't bite and only sports a slight harshness if you puff too fast. Has some roughness. Being a shag cut, it burns a bit fast, but clean with a very consistent, deeply rich and rugged flavor that translates to the long lingering, pleasant after taste, and pungent room note. Requires an average number of relights, and leaves very little moisture in the bowl. Not an all day smoke, but you can always have a bowl later on in the day or night. Also makes a good mixer for a blend that needs help.

-JimInks

36 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2012-04-14		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I can't believe I haven't reviewed this blend as it has been a staple in my cellar for the past three years. I don't regularly smoke a lot of Burley but I can't get enough of Kendal Kentucky. The shag cut makes for a very easy pack and burn; so easy that one has to be careful not to let it get too hot. I am going to go against the majority on this one as I do feel that there is a very, very light flavoring agent used in KK. It is also one unique tasting Burley. It's smoky, slightly sweet and not for beginners. KK is sneaky strong as it starts out medium in the strength department, but by mid bowl the power of KK really makes itself known. I don't find it to get bitter unless smoked too quickly. This is one of those blends that makes me wish for a five star system as it's not quite a four star blend for me, but better than three stars.

19 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2007-12-24		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

For Burley lovers who prefer strength over topping. This one is a powerhouse and perhaps, no, without question, the strongest Burley I've smoked.

Kendal Kentucky, being a Burley, burns with no problem as you might imagine. It is also easy to pack. I usually smoke Burley crimp, ribbon or cube cuts in larger pipes because they burn so fast. With Kendal Kentucky, you may want to try a smaller bowl. If you are not used to blends that impart a powerful dose of nicotine, don't drive while smoking.

15 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	A. Morley (97)	2016-08-17		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

The standard by which all fire cured burleys may be judged. Kendal Kentucky is roasty, toasty, smokey, and strong. It manages to be all of these things without being harsh or biting. It doesn't seize you by uvula or make your head spin or your throat tighten. It just has good, tangy tobacco flavor, but with a wooded earthiness than makes it more than apparent that you are smoking burley and not Virginia.

Few burleys and few other tobaccos of this depth and weight manage to be so stout while still being complex and soft on the taste buds. Kendal Kentucky is like the male protagonist in many a Tennessee Williams play: hulking, broad-shouldered, and brooding, but with a definite depth, complexity, and more than a little personal darkness.

If you like Cornell & Diehl's Old Joe Krantz, you're likely going to like Kendal Kentucky. The fact that it manages to be all that it is while still consisting of a single tobacco is a testament to the artistry with which it was produced.

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SouthBound (10)	2012-12-26		Very Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Tolerable

Being a shag, KK is fairly easy to pack and very easy to light. Usually, one charring light gets the ember going perfectly. I never bother to dry it at all. It just seems to taste and burn better straight out of the jar, and that taste is why I'm bothering with a review at all.

KK doesn't change much at all during the smoke. What you get at the light pretty much stays the same all the way down. The overall flavor may get a bit richer and fuller, but the profile doesn't change. The flavor, you ask? It's like describing the flavor of your favorite candy bar without being able to actually see the components. From KK, I get a sweet nuttiness like cashews. I get slightly bitter cocoa. There is a spiciness that tickles my tongue occasionally. If anything actually changes with this blend, it would be that the spiciness becomes more pronounced as the bowl progresses. And lingering in the background is that Gawith Hoggarth flavor that I can detect in almost every blend they make. In some it's pronounced, and in others, such as KK, it's very subdued. The overall effect is a beautiful taste that just makes me want to smoke bowl after bowl. Another thing worth mentioning is the sidestream on this one. The sweet chocolaty cigar-like notes that emanate from the smoldering bowl will make your eyes roll back in your head with ecstasy.

Lastly, the end of a bowl of KK will make you feel awfully good about your pipe smoking prowess. Even a novice such as myself can pretty easily smoke it down to the proverbial white ash. The only possible drawback to this blend is the amount of nicotine it imparts. To call it substantial would be a bit of an understatement. Just keep a glass of tea or soda next to you, and you'll be fine.

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	meerkat (64)	2010-04-14		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This tobacco is a bit of a trip down memory lane for me as it smells just like the tobaccos my Grandad used to smoke. I'll try to not let that cloud my judgement, much.

It smells nice in the bag (like all G,H&co. pipe tobaccos, it seems you can only buy this weighed out loose in England, so no nice tins) and has an attractive, uniform, burnt umber colouring. Despite the shag cut I found this tobacco to be easy to deal with and lacked both the wimpy ability to put flavour across and the temperamentality I usually find in this kind of tobacco.

The flavour has been well described here; being (to my tastebuds) woody and toasty with a hint of spice and a slight bitter dry edge softened with a natural and delicate muscovado sweetness.

Although this is a fairly strong tobacco I had no probelms with the occasional inhale because of it's seemingly complete lack of additives or flavourings (which always seem to irritate my lungs). I also tried rolling it in a cigarette paper and found it quite enjoyable - retaining it's full flavour and being of a much higher quality than any other hand rolling tobacco I've ever tried, which is admittedly, a limited number.

I can hardly fault the stuff. If you like smoking full flavoured, natural and high quality tobacco and you don't like paying huge amounts of money for the privellage you could do much worse than to smoke this!

Very similar to Kendal Dark so if you're interested in this you may also wish to read reviews of the other.

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ducksbreath (125)	2014-04-07		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I've been smoking this now for over six months and it is a permanent part of my rotation. Rich, creamy mouthfeel that only Kentucky/Burley can give. Smoking this always makes me think of the 19th century, of dark oily locomotives, farm houses full of tools and old hay. It's like entering a time machine. I like it better than the more modern H&H Old Dark Fired which is so popular now, but this is mainly due to the fact that KK is less processed, and has more N, is more straightforward and...well old fashioned. Not a modern smoke at all. Not to knock Old Dark Fired, which may have greater taste depth.

Aging this a bit (and/or microwaving it for a short time in a mason jar) smooths out most of the edges for me.

The shag cut enhances this in ways I do not understand, as a shag cut can often make other tobaccos difficult, fast burning or harsh. Not this one, as long as it's packed correctly and not dried out too much. Wonderful stuff.

Pipe Used: many pipes

Similar Blends: H&H Old Dark Fired, Irish Flake.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Falkirk (1)	2020-10-22		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

I am honored to have this blend be my first review and, tragically, be the first reviewer in a year!

Piping, what a wonderful hobby. Being relatively new to it, I feel as if I live in a constant rabbit hole; continously chasing extinct tobaccos and trying to identify subtle flavors from countless kitchen sink blends.

Not here. Not with Kendal Kentucky. This here is no frills, in your face perfection. The tasting notes are simple; a wonderfully "one-dimensional" tobacco. No guess work. No confusion. Just pure tobacco that asserts its presence and keeps a smile on your face.

All this craziness about being too strong. blah blah blah. Grow a set of balls and experience what our forefathers relied on to build the wonders of the world. Puff slowly, pack loosely and use a conservative bowl size and you will be well rewarded. This is what tobacco should be. Long live Kendal Kentucky!

Pipe Used: 1946 Dunhill Billiard _ Group 3 Bowl

Age When Smoked: 2010 vintage

Purchased From: Bartered

Similar Blends: Le Brumeuse minus some of the nutty characteristics.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2006-08-11		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Smoking Kendall KY, for the first time, is like going to the senior prom with the bouffanted barmaid from the local taproom and she's driving her '72 Eldorado with the leopard skin seat covers. This is a serious experience, not to be taken lightly and not to be forgotten. It is life transforming rite-of-passage. KKY pushes the limit of the matured smoker. It is a mostly black fragrant shag cut tobacco blend of cosmic strength. I was fortunate enough to have ordered my staple 5Bros from Marscigars. Small samples of Kendall KY and the GH Dark shag were included, clearly for seduction purposes. 5Bros is legendary for strength and flavor, full-bodied and unpretentious shag cut for pipe or chew. Kendall KY is about halfstep above 5Bros in taste and burn, with the added charm of a roomnote like all-night smoking Parodis little cigars. Not unpleasant but real tobacco. After I smoked all of the sample, I bought another 8 oz, perfect with an apple meer of great reliability. Kendall KY doesn't burn clean or smooth, or handle relights well. But, it provides a thoroughly enjoyable experience to the bottom of the bowl, and a wonderful lingering aroma to your clothes. If this were a movie it would clearly be NC17. Good stuff for the experienced pipesmoker.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DeathMetal.org (231)	2015-09-30		Strong	Mild to Medium	Very Full	Strong

Summary: A shag-cut dark fired tobacco that mediates the smoky flavor with some sweetness for a satisfying full-power all-day smoke.

Most dark fired blends overdo the "fired." This smoke-cured tobacco mediates the dominating flavor of the fire but keeps its fullness, sweetening it somewhat as a result and allowing for a melange of flavors instead of an oil-on-water separation. As a result, this makes for a good all-day smoke without becoming overwhelming in flavor like many dark fired blends. The shag cut -- while often associated with cheap tobacco in bags -- packs and lights easily and burns well, cooler than many of the other shags I have tried. What makes this blend stand out is its ability to balance the smoky flavor and as a result allow it to stand on its own in contrast to the underlying tobacco taste, creating the enveloping sensation of smoked tobacco instead of nearly burned tobacco.

Similar Blends: Mac Baren - HH Old Dark Fired.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SecretAgentMan (27)	2013-12-10		Very Strong	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This came in a ziploc baggie. Shag cut, pulls itself out of the bag if you grab a few strands. Umber with flecks of sienna and ochre. Smells like cloves, cinnamon, dark virginia and cigars. The shag cut made it feel more moist than it really is. I let it dry for 20 minutes, and it was crisp and crumbly. Took more out and let it dry about 15 minutes, much better. Smoked it in an MM Washington.

This is strong tobacco. For me it was water-sipping strong. Tasted cocoa, espresso, crushed red pepper, with light flowery notes throughout. This was wery enjoyable. I could easily see ordering a few pounds and cellaring them.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Danno (106)	2018-02-14		Strong	Mild	Full	Tolerable

Over the past few weeks, I have been waltzing my way through a trio of the G&H shag-cut offerings. I'm enjoyin' 'em all, but Kendal Kentucky is the real bell-ringer.

Pouch note is slightly floral, a bit musty, and reeks of something like rancid chocolate. I realize that might not be everyone's idea of fetching, but it works for me.

Pack it tight, easy to light. The taste reminds me of Dark Flake and Dark Plug, with some woodier notes creeping in. Lots of flavour and nicotine. Burns well, and if you don't tug too hard, is lightly spicy on the tongue and through the nose.

Very good all by itself, but makes a terrific mixer, too. I have been adding pinches to some lighter English mixtures, which fills them out nicely.

Firmly recommended for those who like this sort of thing.

Age When Smoked: Newish

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2016-06-08		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

I had been wanting to try this for some time, but it seemed to be out of stock every time I checked. Then I met a new friend who gifted me a very generous sampling. Many thanks, Dustin.

I really enjoyed my first bowl of this. At the time though I was both smoking and talking and was unable to fully concentrate on it. I would have given it 4 stars based on that bowl. After having had several more I have to downgrade it to three. The problem is my normal pace which can be rather quick. At that pace it's slightly acrid due to the nature of a smoked tobacco. I do get some very nice nutty notes and a fair amount of earth and smoke. It taste very good, but that slight acrid note is a little distracting from the pleasure. Not terribly so. Just enough to detract. It can be avoided by adopting a slower pace and then it's an outstanding smoke. Problem is, I have to force myself to do so.

Smokes very much the same in cob or briar. The nuances are a little clearer in a clay. I like this best as a blender. A dash of this with some Bright Virginias is delicious.

Body is medium to strong. Taste is full. Has a near perfect burn, although a little quick. A very nice smoke.

Pipe Used: Ropp pot, MM Little Devil Cutty, Tavern clay

Age When Smoked: unknown

Purchased From: gifted

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	fr_tom (393)	2017-04-06		Strong	Very Mild	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

The cut is not so thin as 5 Bros or something like Drum. I would characterize it as very fine long ribbon. The color is a uniform dark brown, and the pouch note is smokey and slightly sweet. Mine was delivered slightly moist, but I smoked it as delivered and did not worry about drying it. I was careful not to pack it too tight initially but found it smoked better firmly packed.

The first observation is that this is a strong tobacco. For me it is stronger than OJK, and up there with Irish Flake. The flavors are very good, and there is spice and toast. It is (as expected) smokey, and a little thick in terms of mouth texture or "feel." There is a flavor in it I can't quite identify, and it is a heavy fruit with just a whiff of Lakeland sauce every now and then.

I liked this, and I found it smoked best in a wider bowl. This quality combined with the strength means it may not be suited to every smoker. It is expensive for a cheap guy, but I do find I am very fond of it. It is a solid 3. If you need a "fix," this will do it with style.

Edit 9/12/17: I am half way through a 500 g sack of this, so it is really a 3.5 on my scale.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2013-12-25		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Unnoticeable

Looking threw my cellar for something for xmas morning I discovered a 6 yr old gallon jar of this blend pop the lid and was greeted with a nice moist & sweet burley smell very unique, knowing shag cut I grabbed a fair amount for a couple of bowls , let it air dry on my tobacco bowl(paper plate) for 30 Min. stuffed my favorite chimney meerschaum & 2 charing lights& some steady puffing,was hit with a smooth & more mellow KK then when it was young very nutty ,sweet & much more mellow no tongue bite no matter how aggressive I smoked ,detected a sweetness that was not there before ,what can I say if you like 1 diminutional tobacco (not a bad thing in this case) with a little N kick in the pants this is a good blend for that but I would recommend put some in the cellar(office closet)for several years.

Pipe Used: Tall chimney meerschaum

Age When Smoked: 6 yrs

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2004-12-02		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant

I recently picked up two ounces of Kentucky from my local shop. I love burley and, this variety will surely please those smokers who favor the natural essence of dark cured burley. Although there is no scent added to this variety, a wonderful aroma of charred vanilla and pepper are released during the first few pulls after the initial light. Following this initial phase, the robust characteristics of full-strength burley dominate the pallet the entire life of the bowl. This is one of my favorite's that I smoke straight or, use for my own blends that are burley based. When used as a base for blending, its shag-like consistency makes blending a bit difficult with cube and square cut tobaccos. Although most of the reviews that you made read for Gawith-Hoggarth tobaccos refelct an air of dominating strength and potency, I viewe them as a throw back to the old days of uncased, well cured, natural tobaccos that yeild pleasure for all pipe smokers.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TW (38)	2019-10-04		Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A blend consisting of African grown Kentucky cured burley and nothing else. In the UK this tends to be sold in bulk form as “dark Kentucky shag”.

I can detect no additional flavouring at all in this blend, other than the smoke that was used to cure the tobacco. I detest some of the floral scents used by G&H and I can’t detect any in this tobacco.

I sometimes wonder if what people identify as “Lakeland soap” is actually the result of the wood and other plant materials used to make African dark fired tobacco. The process is very much the same as the way latakia is cured.

Anyway, on to the tobacco. It’s a shag cut, which means it’s not really a proper shag but more of a narrow ribbon - EU regulations mean any tobacco cut as fine as a traditional shag attracts a higher tax rate as a “cigarette tobacco”. I don’t think the narrow ribbon cut makes any difference to how it smokes in a pipe compared to a true shag cut other than slowing the burn rate a bit. It handles easily, packs easily and lights easily even straight from the pouch. Moisture level is fine as supplied.

Taste-wise this is a typical old-fashioned Kentucky tobacco. Elements of woody smokiness, a touch of spice, some herbal elements and the nutty burley itself blend really well together. It reminds me of the little Italian Toscanino cigars which are made from a similar tobacco. Only this is better. I smoke quite a lot of this and the Virginia based G&H Dark Birdseye, which it resembles except the Kentucky is less brash and assertive. It’s not much like the Dark shag/flake, which has a tang all of its’ own.

The flavour is definitely full - I’ve a serious cold at the moment, can’t taste anything - except this tobacco which has the worst the cold bugs can do beat. It’s a good outdoor tobacco as well, retaining its flavour in a way many tobaccos somehow don’t. Aging doesn’t add anything to the blend, but so long as it’s kept well sealed and moist doesn’t seem to harm it either.

It also packs quite a nicotine punch. Like a lot of traditional old-fashioned British tobacco blends it’s one for pipes with small bowls.

I can’t recommend this enough if you are looking for a straightforward, full flavour, full strength tobacco that you can just load into a pipe and light up.

Pipe Used: Petersons, cobs, Falcons, Invicta...

Age When Smoked: New to as old as three years.

Purchased From: mysmokongshop.co.uk

Similar Blends: Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Dark Bird's Eye, Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Kendal Dark Shag Unscented , Peterson - Irish Flake, Mac Baren - HH Old Dark Fired, Samuel Gawith - Brown No. 4.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2081)	2017-10-09		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Strong

Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Kendal Kentucky.

The blend is fairly coarse for a shag, nicely hydrated, and dark brown.

I don't find this too bad a smoke, but not that appealing. There's lots of Kentucky flavour, which is pleasant unless the pipe's puffed with too much force; it can become a touch acrid if it's pushed, but gentle sips bring out the best. The burn from it's good, giving a cool smoke.

Nicotine: strong. Room-note: strong, also.

Kendal Kentucky: a good blend, but too heady for my taste.

Two stars.

Pipe Used: Peder Jeppesen

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: My Smoking Shop

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (633)	2016-11-22		Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I was given a sample of this with several other shag cut GH blends. All of the samples were large as the person who gave them to me used to use them all for RYO and he no longer wanted to be reminded of his cigarette habit.

To start, I don't like a shag cut. It has nothing to do with the actual smoking of the blends although with the additional surface area, I do find these blends to burn quicker. They are really, to me, a pain in the ass to pack. You take a pinch and you have this large clump that won't even fit into the bowl. On the fact that it is a shag cut alone keeps it from me truly recommending the blend, but I will say that this one is a pleasure to smoke.

It is tasty, strong and has a rich sweetness to it. Underlying all of this is that slight Lakeland floral touch that is almost undetectable in this one. I really like Gawith, Hoggarth and if this were more a standard ribbon cut or a flake I think I would love this one. It is a little like Rich Dark Honeydew in taste to me, but not as aromatic as that one is.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	krog (22)	2021-10-11		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Admittedly a must have baccy for every cigar aficionado. Its very very very cigary. If u like cigars then this blend is perfect for you. Personally, i hate cigars so this blend is not my cup of tea.

Pipe Used: Corn cob

Age When Smoked: new

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HabaneroHardy (403)	2021-02-23		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Unnoticeable

I wanted to post this one before I forget. Once again, a generous sample that I really enjoyed. This one reminds me of Dark Bird’s Eye, maybe not as fine of cut as this is suppose to be a shag also. As Dark Bird’s Eye has VA/Burley this is pure Burley and not cut from the whole leaf. Other than that, I get a similar dark fired taste and quite the nicotine hit from this one. A really good smoke if you want to get your batteries recharged but might want to enjoy after a meal.

Pipe Used: KB&B Capitol

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	King Weed (228)	2018-09-29		Medium	Strong	Medium	Tolerable

Back in April of this year, I bought three pint canning jars with 2 oz of the seller's bulk stash in each one. One of them turned out to be Gawith, Hoggarth Kendal Kentucky. When I first examined it I was taken aback at the very fine ribbon cut of this blend and it reminded me of cigarette rolling blends I have handled over the years. I showed this blend to other experienced and long-term pipe smokers and they had the same reaction as I did - It looks like a cigarette rolling blend. The jar aroma was wonderful and I felt I was sniffing a quality Burley forward tobacco. Interestingly, I detected no Lakeland essence in the jar aroma. Then I lit it and all became clear. The floral perfume of the Lakeland essence hit and that was that. This G H & Co blend has this perfume at a moderately strong level and it persisted from beginning to the end of the bowl. I also was able to detect a rich Burly dominated aroma that I constantly wanted more of all through the smoke. Unfortunately, the Lakeland essence masked this wonderful aroma at all stages. I wanted very much to smoke that Burley forward tobacco, but, was thwarted at all times by the unnecessary and unpleasant perfume. This very sentiment is stated as a "clash" in the review of Emeritus Account 2011-07-30 and I concur with his statement completely - two stars.

Pipe Used: Steve Wiener Bing Crosby Dublin

Age When Smoked: six years old

Purchased From: an Ebay seller

Similar Blends: I have no idea..

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DenizBeck (323)	2017-10-03		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

A nice shag from fine ribbons, looks similar to Kendal Dark, but smells and taste very different. Whilst Kendal Dark is nutty and has some sweetness, Kendal Kentucky is a very hearty smoke.

The scent from the sample bag is smoky, earthy and little nutty. Dark brown in color.

Packed some of it into my Corn Cob and went on a journey to Kentucky...!

Already on first few puffs I got greeted by a decent smokiness, that intensified a bit more as I progressed. A nuty undertone joins in, as well as hint of sweetness, but really just a hint. Maybe some dark (70-80% cocoa) chocolate to it, too and a minor toasty quality. Earthy, woodsy and smoky with nutty, chocolaty undertone this is full-bodied and has quite some flavors to offer for a pure Kentucky blend... hearty and a top-notch Kentucky blend. The first pure (dark fired) Kentucky blend I came across, and I'm excited to get more of this!

Wonderful smoke, best to be enjoyed in small bowls, as it carries some "oomph"! As it has only one ingridient, it doesn't need wide bowls to develop imo, and is a neat, hearty filler for inbetween or as a night cap in bigger bowls.

4/4 stars, excellent blend!

Pipe Used: Corn Cob

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Smokedinacob (10)	2014-06-30		Extremely Strong	None Detected	Full	Very Strong

I just finished a two-month stint of smoking a quantity of Dark Birdseye, Kendal Dark, and Kendal Kentucky in rotation at various moisture levels, times-of-day, etc. in an effort to decide which one to start buying in bulk. In the end, although they seem quite different when smoked back to back, I can honestly say that if only any one of the three were available, I would lay in a large stock of it and be thankful.

The middle part applies to all three:

The cut is what I would call an "ultra-fine ribbon." Just wider than a true shag, but handles like a shag. I like how it dries out. I like packing it into the pipe. I like how it burns. It can burn really really fast if you truly pay no attention at all, and with tobaccos of this strength it can be unpleasant, but I am lazy and like how easy it is to get these ribbons to smolder compared to larger stuff. Just let it dry until nearly breakable, squeeze it, light it, and puff easy.

Nicotine. There's a lot in here. It awakens the senses, calms the mind, and coats the mouth.

The flavor of these is decidedly dark and strong. Meaty, tangy, oily, a little sweet, fermented, a little smoky. Smoking these is not a multi-dimensional experience like a symphony. More like Sacred Harp sing--4 notes, wild and good and loud. Full on dark tobacco taste. For real. Rough around the edges, raw, old-timey. I have nothing to compare it to, really. I can only say that I really like it and will keep something like this around at all times.

Dark Birdseye is my favorite. Kendal Kentucky is the only one of the three in which I can detect zero non-tobacco flavorants, but it is still tastier than Kendal Dark. It has a raw woody taste (absent in the others) that reminds my of Burley, which is very pleasant. It is decidedly the old-timey-est of the three.

Pipe Used: cob

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: smoking pipes

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	fredkao (11)	2013-12-08		Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A very good tobacco from GH.
It's TOBACCO!
A good nicotine hit, light very easily, no tongue bite. The taste is full.
It's a very interesting tobacco if you need to add a nic hit to another ribbon tobacco by blending it by yourself (it's the same for Dark Flake unscented to mix with other flake).
It's a need in my cellar.

Pipe Used: Charatan, Peterson, ...

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Smoking Sam (20)	2013-05-31		Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Kendal Kentucky has a lot of positive attributes, and very few negatives. I like the shag cut, which makes packing a bowl very easy. It lights and burns effortlessly. The shag cut makes it burn almost too quickly, and as a result, a bowl won't last too long. I liked the straight Virginia taste, which yielded some delicious nutty flavors. It smoked cool. Zero tongue bite. I did not find this tobacco to be overpowering in the nicotene component, it did put me in the bathroom once, but it did not bother me otherwise. Kendal Kentucky burns to a fine white ash, and leaves the bowl clean of dottle. A pleasant, no nonsense, smoke - recommended for those moving up from aromatics and those desiring a change from English blends. Recommended.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Knightsmoker (218)	2012-11-02		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Great straight VA/Burley? here. The flavor is unique at least to for me right now but I really like it. It has an oak and hay-like taste for me and is not sweet like other blends of this type. Something makes we want more of it. It is in my regular rotation now and I would like to see how it ages if I can keep it around long enough. The shag cut is also a plus as it burns quickly great for a mid-morning smoke before getting back to work.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-05-29		Very Strong	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I received this from a fellow forum-ite as a sizable and somewhat aged (over a year old) sample. Please bare with me as this is my first pipe review here.. and I've only been smoking pipe seriously for about 8 months now so my palette is still in training. GH Kendal Kentucky is in a single word.. STRONG.. It's flavorful, and packs a strong dose of nicotine. I prefer this blend in a smallish pipe, especially a cob or my smaller SMS Meer. There is only the slightest hint of lakeland-like essence to it.. It gave me no tongue bite and I smoked it slowly to make sure it didn't turn bitter as some burley based tobby's are want to do. I find its a great "After a big meal" or last smoke of the night blend.. Highly recommend this to those with strong nic tolerances who actually want great flavor too!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-07-30		Very Strong	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Dr. Scott's review nailed it. The only thing I might add is that I find the Lakeland essence a bit obnoxious here, in the sense that I think it tends to clash with the natural taste of this tobacco. The shag cut and massive nicotine hit come together to make this a great quickie smoke when you need one. This blend definitely has it's place, which for me will be at the back of the shelf, to be broken out on rare occasion rather than regular.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	newmission (14)	2009-12-25		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Its Christmas 2009 and one of my presents was a 4oz bag of KK. Smoking it right now in a custom made free form with a Dublin style bowl. This is everything that I hoped for and more. It brings back memories of walking through the woods of Northern Michigan. The smells of cedar, maple and oak filled the damp air with a touch of fern under foot. Smells of a log cabin with a fire roaring in the Franklin stove and a coffee pot brewing on top. What a great smell. This one may not please everyone but its a nice reminder of what pipe smoking can be. Happy Christmas to all and to all a good smoke !

EDIT: Two things that I have experienced that I think I should pass along. 1. Dont smoke on an empty stomach

2. This tobacco is strong enough to do a basement or garage run when in the company of non-smokers and still get your 'fix'.

Happy Smoking all !

Its now 2010 and I have a new shipment of KK. Surprisingly its a bit stronger than the batch that I had last year, but still delivers. Got some Dark Birds Eye this time too, I seem to like that a bit better than the KK. Going to jar up a few oz's of the KK and see what happens in a few months.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	lvpipe (13)	2009-04-14		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

No nonsense full rich tobacco taste, if you like straight tobacco and some strength this could be for you. Only thing that may be a negative for me, it is a fast burn. I give it a full 4stars on its own merit and not comparing this to any other tobacco that I have had, as it is clearly unique in my opinion.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-01-25		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Well this is a new addition to the rotation for sure.

Deep, tobacco flavor without hint of adulteration or additive. Sweet with toasty notes it burns like a dream. Innocent looking with a hidden intent to lull the unwary to indulge.

Burns clean, pure and no threat, hint or thought of a burn. Although containing a substantial amount of nicotine, it isn't a killer, at least to these seasoned taste-buds. Not a good first choice if one is in transition from aromatics, unless you really believe in the old sink-or-swim school.

Love the fluffiness that makes a pound seem like so many more. Makes for some interesting mixtures if combined in the leftover jar. Will put balls on even a mango!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-08-13		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Fluffy shag.... that's for sure. This is my first experience with something so.... well, so shaggy! This makes it easy to pack, stays lit and smokes down without any need to mess with it. It has a pleasant, straight forward taste. Tastes like tobacco! Imagine that, in a world of any flavoring available. With Kendal Kentucky you get a straight forward smoke. I seem to get quite a nicotine kick out of this stuff too. We live in a great time, with so many varieties of tobacco to choose from. I strongly recommend that you give this one a try - you won't be disappointed.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-07-13		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Thanks to all of you tobacco mavens.......and you know who you are. I got around to trying K.K. What took me so long? I've been on the Virginia super hiway...and what a hiway it is. The description above says content "Virginia", but the best I can tell is this is pure Burley. For someone that in the past didn't think they liked burley a few blends that were recommended here have certainly changed my mind ie. Stonehaven, Aged Burley Flake, etc. Now comes this fine blend. Besides the price for this bulk blend, I find that this is "bout as good as it gets!

This is a "lazy mans" smoke. No drying, rubbing out.....just untangle, stuff, light, and enjoy. Strong for sure....loads of flavorfull smoke.reminds me somewhat of another favorite Irish Flake. This is a great buy, and a great smoke from one of the oldest tobacco houses around. I rate this onbe

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	reconboa (1)	2007-06-20		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

As with all comfirmed pipe smokers, we have all countless hours, money and time in search of the perfect tobacco that matches their taste. This is the one for me. Straight up stoved burley tobacco. This is not for the beginner and is most surely a aquired taste. For me the taste and aroma are outstanding. The shag cut is easy to pack but be cautious don't tamp too hard or it will not draw. The flavor stays consistent to the bottom of the bowl to a fine white ash. No tongue bite at all. A very smokey taste and aroma due to the stoving process. This is now my all day smoke.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Darth 69 (117)	2005-02-10		Strong	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong

- A mixture of various dark fired leaf from Africa in a shag cut

First off, really great! Harmonious smoking qualities with characteristics of slight smokiness (from it's curing method), mild nutty and cigar-like overtones, enough natural sweetness to just round out flavor and aroma. This may be mild on the palatte but has a goodly amount of nicotine, as to be expected from fire cured types. Being so satisfying in that regard this may be descibed as "A bowl will do ya'." By the way, smokes dry and very easy to keep lit via shag cut. This is similiar to Gawith's "Dark Birdseye" which is more smoky, intense and stronger than Kendal Kentucky. This is most likely will become a regular smoke for me. Straight burley smokers should try this along with cigar aficionandos.

- Highly recomended

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2004-12-15		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

I agree with just about everything in Paddy's review. Kendal Kentucky has the same miniscule shag cut as Dark Birdseye. It's about the same strength, and I find it more flavorful.

I've put this in my regular rotation for evenings when I don't have time for a full bowl of a dark Kendal flake such as 1792. The cut of Kendal Kentucky makes for a less densely-packed pipe, so the smoke goes faster than with a flake.

I perceive the "nuttiness" that Paddy describes also in the aroma, both in the room note and in the aroma the tobacco imparts to the briar or meerschaum as it's smoked. I haven't seen this latter pheonomenon discussed on Tobacco Reviews. I have the (perhaps strange) habit of smelling the briar or meecschaum bowl as part of the enjoyment of a pipe. Each tobacco imparts a unique aroma to the pipe during the smoke. Each of my favorite briars also seems to contribute something unique to this aroma, while all meerschaums seem to contribute about the same pleasant patina. My favorite pipes and favorite tobacco blends are ones that excel in this quality.

Does anyone else experience this, or am I just weird?

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Paddy (127)	2003-09-30		Strong	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is very similar to G&H Dark Birdseye which is a favorite of mine among the English "dark" tasting tobaccos. This is a personal classification of mine which would include G&H Dark Flake, Sliced Brown Twist, Sliced Black Twist, et. al. I like this one, perhaps, a little bit better than Dark Birdseye because the Kentucky adds a very nice, but muted, nutty flavor to the smoke. This tobacco will find a place among my tobaccos for the occasional smoke. Highly recommended. Paddy.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ScienceSmoker (60)	2022-01-17		Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Tolerable to Strong

I always make sure the jar of Kendal Kentucky in my cellar is topped off. It's one of those blends that I consider essential to my smoking rotation, even if I don't smoke it all the time. It's rich and robust with a strong, potent earthy flavor, but at the same time, there are lots of delicate fragrant flavors in there too. Some floral, some herbal and spicy. And some sharper cigar notes. It's a surprisingly complex blend for being just straight Kentucky. This is odd, but I always get the scent of my father's old cologne, Pierre Cardin, when smoking Kendal Kentucky. I know that sounds awful in a tobacco... but I mean in it in the best possible sense. It's a musty, herbal, very pleasant scent.

Despite the shag-cut, it burns fairly cool with zero bite. Also, as everyone else has said... it's strong. There's a good amount of nicotine here. So keep that in mind.

Bottom line: A really wonderful tobacco. Potent and rich, it's extremely flavorful and perfect for when you want a good strong smoke.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tomcat (224)	2021-05-13		Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Unnoticeable

Gawith Hoggarth Kendal Kentucky- I liked this tobacco from the moment I first put a match to it It looks just like Dark Birds eye and tastes very similar although this one is much sweeter . Smokey toasty woodsy nutty with a hint of cocoa and brown sugar . I feel like it must have a light flavoring to it and maybe licorice? I may be wrong but it’s mighty sweet . It’s a great smoke for sure and no lakeland to be found yet but I was hoping for maybe a little . I’ve been coverted to Lakeland Essence ! Gawith and Hoggarth make some fine blends . Be careful with this tobacco as the sweetness can fool you into thinking it’s medium strength nicotine. At least it did me . It may be a while before I can stand up here with a quarter bowl left in the pipe ! 4 star tobacco for the taste . Strong nicotine!

Age When Smoked: Fresh bulk

Similar Blends: Dark Birds eye.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	LOGS (4)	2021-01-15		Extremely Strong	Very Mild	Very Full	Pleasant

Very full flavored smoke with a savory gusto and umami aftertaste. Has light topping with an herbal quality and a minor floral note (though not the traditional lakeland one might expect). The main show is the pure tobacco flavor--in this case 100% dark fired made from several African grown varieties of leaf. I'm not typically a dark fired fan but GH does it better with than most and it's also a rather different dark fired experience, much richer than just a monotonous blast of BBQ smokiness. It's hard to understand how they could arrive at such an interesting blend without including VA, cavendish, perique or condiment tobaccos. Exceedingly strong in nicotine. A small bowl pipe works best. No tongue bite but does have a tendency to fatigue the palate. Not an all day smoke.

- Logs

Similar Blends: GH Dark Birdseye.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2020-11-16		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

This is a magnificent tobacco. Lovely smokey smell.big hitter on the nicotine. I have blended it with some original flake because although not fast burning it seems to fine for a pipe. It would actually make a brilliant stern roll up. Because it's cut so fine it looks like you get twice as much. It's difficult to knock this. It's a rich manly tobacco. Puts hairs on your chest.

Pipe Used: Nording 1995 Neumarkt special

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: My smoking shop

Similar Blends: Kentucky.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2019-05-23		Strong	Extremely Mild	Very Full	Tolerable

I wish this had been the first pipe tobacco blend I ever tried. Could have saved me a lot of time and money. Once I smoked Kendal Kentucky I pretty much stopped wanting to smoke anything else. Of course the problem remains, I haven't tried everything else. Maybe there's a blend out there on par with this, or somehow surpassing it, but I haven't found it. I haven't tried Dark Bird's Eye yet, so we'll see. I suspect I'll like that too. Kendal #7 is very similar to this, though in that blend you can taste a little fruitiness from the Virginia which this is lacking. This is spicy, smoky, earthy, a little sweet, leathery, a little incense-like (the faintest of Lakeland essence far in the background), and a bit chocolatey. I imagine it tastes like the tropical sun and ancient soil of East Africa. It does taste somewhat cigar-like to me.

I was always a huge fan of Drum tobacco when I used to smoke RYOs, and that contains to my nose, the same Kentucky leaf as this. What I love about this though is it contains nothing but Burley, and yet the flavour is deep and complex. Who needs Virginia? The shag cut burns perfectly every time too. Who needs flakes or ribbons?

The nic hit is pretty heavy so use a small bowl. I purchased a Peterson Belgique with a .60 inch bowl specifically for smoking KK. Love it.

Pipe Used: Peterson Belgique (usually)

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Kendal #7.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	gahdzila (61)	2017-03-20		Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Fairly uniform in color, medium-dark brown, fine shag cut. Bulk only, so YMMV on moisture, but my sample is fairly moist. It burns ok as is, but does benefit from some drying. The moist fine shag cut is all too easy to clump into a big plug when filling the pipe - filling a bit looser than normal is necessary. Drying it a bit helps with this issue, though.

I've tried KK in a couple of different pipes (cobs and briars) and notice no appreciable difference. This stuff is supposedly 100% dark fired Kentucky leaf. I catch hints of that signature DFK flavor, but it's not nearly as intense as the flake DFK blends I've tried. Overall, the tobacco flavor seems rather bland to me. There is a Lakeland floral component - others report this as being a very light topping, but it comes through quite distinctively for me. I wouldn't say it's a particularly heavy topping, but it's very obviously there. Perhaps I'm overly sensitive to this topping (in a word, I despise it), but I would not recommend KK to a smoker who doesn't like Lakeland perfume flavors. Nicotine is towards the strong-ish end of the spectrum, but isn't overwhelming.

Overall, I don't care for it. GH&Co bulks aren't particularly inexpensive, and there are much better dark fired Kentucky blends out there for just a few pennies more. Maybe Lakeland fans will like this one more than I do.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	dixcreek (184)	2016-11-02		Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Toasty, nutty and fairly strong. KK is a no frills smoke! This one takes me back to my days of working on the tobacco markets! Full flavor burley tobacco of a flue cured nature. No in wanted casings or toppings. This one lets the tobacco talk. Consistent flavor and burn from top to bottom. Burns cool for a shag with no bite. Does well with a sprinkle of Scotch Snuff on the top! Will buy more to age! Smokes well in a cob as well as a briar. One side note: this tobacco does well in roll your own cigarette to boot. All around blend if you hanker for a fairly strong dose of Vitamin N!

Pipe Used: Various briars and cobs

Age When Smoked: New to 2 months

Purchased From: Smoking pipes

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipesolitude (23)	2016-09-10		Strong	Very Mild	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

I think someone wrote that this is like the espresso of tobaccos. I agree, in fact, that is pretty much how I like to smoke KK. Unlike other strong tobaccos the effect of this one is more mental than bodily; it perks you up rather than make you feel heavy or drowsy. Tastewise, this is a very stout tobacco. If smoked carefully, KK is tasty, full and rich. But on the downside, if puffed to hard the smoke can easily turn acrid; and the shag cut also makes the burning a bit sensitive. It burns a bit fast but all the way to the bottom leaving a fine grey ash.

This is not an all day smoke. And for my personal taste the stoutness can be a bit owerwhelming. I therefore prefer to use a filter pipe to reduce the unwanted acrid taste. Also, it is good with a sweet drink to keep the tastebuds in balance. I do get a taste of lakeland essence, only mildly present but enough to ghost my pipe. The lakeland taste first made me hesitant to use KK for blending. But I tried blending it with other tobaccos and the result is ok in lesser dosage.

I think this is a tobacco that is fit for its purpose, it has an inspirational quality that can comes well to hand when I want to be perked up. And it is also ok for blending if you want to add some extra streangth to a milder tobacco. But be careful not to light up a big bowl of KK before having gotten to know this tobacco, because it has a lot of nicotine in it.

Pipe Used: A filter pipe

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Skando (203)	2015-11-03		Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Tolerable to Strong

My review comes again from a very generous gift from a friend, some 6 bowls coming from a bulk.

Maybe during the time the cut has been changed a bit, my sample is a thin ribbon not a shag. Apart from that, I do completely share the review of the esteemed DK: this is how I like Kentucky to be. Strong but not too much, cool (exagerately cool), smokey but in a very rounded way, with sweet facets. It has some Lakeland remembering in the far distance, maybe just because it’s stored near some scented. Burns like heaven (not too quick).

Italy is one of the producers of Kentucky (to the purpose of manufacturing the “Toscano” cigars) and I’m just wondering why some of this beautiful weed cannot be processed the way the Lakeland manufacturers do, for us poor pipsters.

In the top list of my preferences as pure Kentucky.

Pipe Used: Radice, Castello, Dunhill

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: received as a gift

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Hilltop Smoker (1)	2015-10-07		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I bought this in bulk and smoked a little bit of it when I received it. Then and now, the smell of the unlit tobacco is such a strong, room filling essence of smoke and fermentation as to induce head spinning. A minute after opening the container I had stored it in my wife said to me "I can't sit here!" and we were on an enclosed porch with the windows open!

As terrifying and hyperbolic as Bob Runowski's (RIP, Bob!) review sounds, when lit, all things considered, this is really a remarkably well-behaved burley bordering on possible desert island smoke status. It's wonderfully full-flavored, honest, clean, smokey goodness. It's not the smoothest burning tobacco and does require a few relights despite the shag cut but it is really, really good and although when you are done you know you smoked a pipe there is no reason to fear this excellent tobacco.

Although the contents of my gasketed plastic container was pretty dry the tobacco seems to age really well. I have another nice stash of this still vacuum sealed and am looking forward to enjoying many flavorful bowls of this in some of my larger cobs.

Most surprising of all, my wife who was unable/unwilling to sit on the porch along with the opened container of tobacco was perfectly happy to come back and sit with me and eat her dinner after the container was closed and the pipe was lit. When I asked how the room note was she said it was fine. There you have it, gentlemen!

Pipe Used: Karl Erik cognac

Age When Smoked: Seven years

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com in Albany, NY

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrT999 (318)	2014-02-08		Strong	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Too finely cut for me to keep a decent light, and just a bit too much to really enjoy straight, for me this is a great tobacco to have to add a bit of Kentucky 'edge' to the milder blends and OTCs. On its own, not for me.

Pipe Used: briars, MM Cob

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: 4 Noggins

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Smoke_Ring (158)	2013-07-24		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

Kendal Kentucky;

Star Rating = 3.85;

Rating Scores - 10 is the Best and 0 is the Worst;

Pouch Note = 10;

Room Note = 10;

Flavor = 10;

Bite = 10;

Burn = 10;

After Taste = 9;

Raw Score = 59;

Rated Percentage = 98%;

Comment = Very Smooth, Medium Strength, Nice Full Body Natural Tobacco Flavor, White Ash Burn.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dr. Scott (82)	2010-12-03		Strong	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I love Gawith, Hoggarth & Co.'s shag cut. Perfect lazy man's smoke. Packs easily. Smokes easily. Burns well.

There is some sort of topping and/or casing (or that famous Lakeland essence) that gives a very pleasant herbal-spicy aroma. KK has a floral taste with occasional soapy tones. The Lakeland essence fades with a little time to air out, and is not nearly as pronounced as in other G, H & Co. blends.

But the main attraction in KK is its powerful nicotine hit. It has one of the strongest doses of nicotine available.

If smoked too fast, the flavor is lost and the smoke becomes bitter. The floral taste gets a little old by the bottom of the bowl. And your pipe will smell like Lakeland "essence" for a long time after the tobacco is gone.

I wouldn't buy this one again. I will probably mix it with some weaker and milder aromatics or Virginias that need a little kick.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-08-11		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

This is an okay tobacco to spice up something bland, but doesn't really amount to something that I could puff on regularly. To me, it tastes like burley, with a little acrid bitterness. After a couple of bowls, I added it to a mixture of some burley and aromatic tobaccos that I've compiled from blends I've not fancied. It did improve this, perhaps by balancing out the effect of the aromatics.

Great if you love burley and a little strength. For a Virginia lover, it was a little off base for me.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-12-09		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I didn't like this at first, and it seemed like it was going to be boring, but after a few bowls it got to me and I finished the rest of the pack with gusto. Not the best start after lighting in that it seemed to have a sort of stinging bitterness, but that soon gave way to a good, steady, tasty smoke with plenty of strength. No fuss to pack, kept fine and went far. I got mine loose, as this seems to be the way they sell it all around these parts; I live 20 miles or so away from Kendal.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2006-07-04		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Mild	Tolerable

This really isn't the type of tobacco I normally like so I'm not too suprised that I don't. I've tried to like it and it doen't seem like a bad tobacco, nice fine shag that packs well and burns ok, smells interesting in the pouch a sort of smokey chocolaty manure. Once you've had a few puffs though you're left with a dry mouth that tastes something like an ashtray. The sample i'm reviewing seems very dry so perhaps I just have a bad batch, this one is going to the back of my draw.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JaWiBr (562)	2023-03-21		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Package note of mildly sweet barbeque. Tobacco is a shag cut of dark brown. Moisture content is ok, most pipe smokers will want to dry it a bit. Burns moderately fast with few relights. The strength is medium to strong and nic is medium to strong. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium to full and very consistent, with notes of fermented sour, musty herbal vegetation, almost creamy, brown sugar, dry bitterness, molasses. cocoa, spices, sweet toast, wood, rich earth, floral, a mildly savory and semi-sweet nutty background note, and a mildly peppery almost smooth retro. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.

Pipe Used: 2016 Northern Briars Premier Rox Cut #4 Prince

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Quiggifur (99)	2023-02-27		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

20230314: Revising my review. For an autopilot smoke, I think I prefer this to John Cotton, certainly over Kendal Dark (which occasionally will have Lakeland notes). This is brighter, more grassy with an implied florality almost. This isn't strictly superior to dark bird's eye, which is more fruity/molasses/toasty adjacent. Both get top marks from me.

Tin note: barbecue without smoke. Smoke: some barbecue (again non-smoky), burley character, slight cream. Searching for cocoa as was mentioned by others, and not finding any to speak of. Maybe a little dark sugar. Tough on the mouth (I have a sensitive mouth). Nicotine level is very high. It's a good option for a strong and fairly uncomplicated burley with exceptional burning characteristics, and no preparation required. Personally I'd prefer Kendal Dark for the smokiness and increased sweetness, or John Cotton's double pressed dark fired when I want a strong, non-smoky burley-forward experience.Would even prefer Prince Albert when I'm not looking for nicotine. I can't imagine ever getting a craving for this specifically, but it is very good.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	riobrew (80)	2022-10-03		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Strong

This review is for both stag cut and vintage cut. Both are the same tobacco just cut differently. The stag is easy to pack and light, but burn quickly. The vintage cut is too easy to pack and light but much slower and cooler. The taste is straight up Kentucky. A mix of different types but a rich fire cured smoke. Very strong taste but still smooth smoke. Nicotine wasn't as strong as some say but strong enough for a beginner.

Pipe Used: Cob

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Smokingpipes

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimPM (155)	2021-09-11		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

My simple excursion finds me with my Comer’s Deluxe 225 Pot, (an estate pipe that I recently restored myself) smartly clutched, rolling with a vigorous bowl of Gawith, Hoggarth & Company’s Kendal Kentucky. And in case you didn’t notice this one either, KK doesn’t mess around.

Coming at you in one of finest shag cut configurations of swarthy tobacco you’ll ever encounter; KK is a full-bodied robust adventure made for strong knees. Composed entirely of 100% non-bastardized heady African grown Burleys, be prepared for a formidable smoking experience.

Although the nic kick presents me with a tad bit of the heebie-jeebies, the classic Dark Fired Kentucky flavor is exceptional for the genre. Offering deep, deep tones of dark earthy wood, lightly accented by notes of muscovado-like sweetness, cocoa infused nuts, and an awesome smoky explosion of herby spice that makes the retro-hale literally felt more than tasted.

So let it all hang out and make this blend a pleasurable delight, I am.

Pipe Used: Briar & Cob

Age When Smoked: 5 months

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JJ Sir Emmitt (40)	2021-07-09		Strong	Mild	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

This is a dark bold blend with deep rich flavors of chocolate, earth, pepper, coffee, wood and molasses. With some supporting notes of vegetal, bitter and whisps of plum. I absolutely love the shag cut. Makes it super easy to pack, light, and smoke. For me it needs dry time. Smokes great but will leave some moisture in the bowl. It has a great thick smoke output this is a big plus for me. I love blends that yeild thick copious smoke. This blend is a absolutely win for me. Works great as a blending tobacco as well.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gordo (6)	2018-09-21		Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Strong

A fantastic blend that has all the flavours and aromas I enjoy in a smoke. Full bodied, I get leather, tobacco, wood, campfire, and a slightly salty almost seaweed presence. The smokiness is just right for me: I found nightcap too overpowering. From the first puff, I was relaxed, mellow and in my happy place: perfect!

Pipe Used: Stanwell

Age When Smoked: New purchase

Purchased From: 4noggins

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Calamiti (86)	2018-04-23		Very Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I like that family of three strong shags by GH: Dark Birds Eye, Kendal N7 and Kendal Kentucky. They are all different, each one is distinct and all three are ideal for a quick nicotine fix from a small-chambered pipe.

Kendal N7 is probably the nicest of them all, Dark Bird is the noblest one, and Kendal Kentucky is the last of the three when I choose between them.

As much as I'm hypertolerant to Nicotine and smoke almost exclusively very strong tobaccos, I find Kendal Kentucky a bit too much in the strength department. I don't enjoy much smoking it "as it is" because of its excessive harshness, so I use it mainly for blending (where even a dash of it to an otherwise bland mixture makes wonders).

Anyway, it's a very good tobacco and I recommend it to those who like it stronger. Yes, I would buy another tin of Kendal Kentucky, just in case I crave its punch again.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	GabrielCRT (115)	2016-10-12		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

I like this one just fine and I think diehard Kentucky fans will find this a to be a four star blend. Kendal Kentucky starts with a little sweetness that continues to fade in and out throughout the bowl. It is tangy, very nutty, and a little spicy. The retrohale is tasty and smooth. I pick up a few chocolate notes here and there. The strength is the highest level of medium-full possible and slightly overwhelming in the morning. The shag cut burns well and not too fast. It's great for building cake as it burns to nothing but ash. I will continue to enjoy this as a mid day smoke break or after dinner bowl.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ap (57)	2012-04-14		Very Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Pure bliss for lovers of Kentucky Burley , strong and full bodied smoke that burns clean and dry! Very satisfying.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-01-21		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I bought this because I wanted to smoke a shag cut. The tobacco strength is medium but the nicotine strength grows from medium to strong when the bowl hits about midway through. I detect no added or artificial flavor. The room note is pleasant to me I do not have any other person's input on this category. The taste is good as long as I do not smoke the tobacco fast. My definition of fast means to heat the bowl beyond a comfortable touch. When I have fast smoked it becomes bitter. I highly recommend this tobacco to smokers that want a cool full flavored high nicotine smoke. It lights and stays lit very well.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Budman (25)	2010-11-26		Strong	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This Tobacco is like Espresso in a full size coffee mug! It's strong, flavorful and will wake you up! I have smoked this in various size bowls and the smaller ones fair better. KK is not for the light at heart. Sipping is required and pushing it will result in a bitter pipe.

This is also a good Tobacco to clean out a smelly pipe the has to much aromatic flavor in it.

I took a star away due to the shag cut, as I think this would be a 4 star if the cut were ribbon.

Still a good choice if you want a good strong unadulterated Tobacco.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-10-20		Medium to Strong	Medium	Full	Very Pleasant

Not far from three nun taste, but really better. It's like cream on your tongue. The strength of this tobacco don't affect the taste, but you feel full of nicotine after one little bowl. fours stars !

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-08-22		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Very Pleasant

Gets me in the jowls and pectoris occasionally, but it has the nose and flavor I expect. Surprisingly finicky to keep lit for a shag but this may be due to the high humidity this late August.

Ground to a fine dust, this is stuff the English of yore snorted deeply and that made it into the novels of Sterne and Swift. So I find it's wonderfully evocative of a lost time and culture. Like Murads, Fatimas, Henry Clays and Don Alfredos.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-06-13		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Excellent for a quick smoke. Burns well and rarely requires a relight. If you are in the mood for a strong tobacco that will relax your senses, this is the one. You'll want to remain in the company of its fumes long after the bowl has been used up. Not recommended for new smokers or aromatics.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-04-26		Strong	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I recently stumbled across my 4oz sample of KK dated 11/2008 so it was, what, about 16 months old before I tried it. I had done nothing special to cellar it. It was still in it's zip-lock shipper. I almost just tossed it but the bag felt spongy so I opened it. Still moist (almost too much so) so I figured, what the heck, why not?

Great smoke. It will be part of my rotation. Requires a fairly steady sip and frequent tamping (very lightly) to keep it lit but this a minor inconvenience compared to the full tobacco taste and round smoke it provides. I experience no after taste even though it takes two or three pipefuls before I feel like I've had enough. I recommend a tall cup of strong black coffee to accompany this smoke and don't try to stand up immediately afer you finish your pipe. It has given me reason to consider other shags which I have historically avoided.

I will always forgive a tobacco other sins when it smokes down to a fine white ash. Makes me feel like I've done somwthing right.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kilmarnock Piper (251)	2009-10-04		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

Not my favorite style, but I see how others could like it. It can come across as deceptively mellow at first, but unless you smoke it in a small bowl very slowly, it lets you know otherwise. Gave me hiccups, and I'm not kidding! This is one of the tobaccos I'll keep in a jar for a while to see if it improves with age; improve, I say, but that isn't quite right. It's great stuff, just a little too much for me. I have had some success using it to spice up less interesting blends. Though African in origin, this is Ur-Kentucky. I do think I would like it better blended with some milder, sweeter Virginia. Shag is also not my favorite cut.

1-24-10 Mixed in 30% or so of Nicotiana Rustica. If you don't know what that is, google it, or see my review, "Nicotiana Rustica Bundles." Quite the nicotine bomb. Neither Kendal Kentucky nor Rustica are elegant tobaccos. KK by itself leaves a funky taste in your mouth. It has its charm, though, and will certainly satisfy your nicotine cravings.

4-11-11 Still strong, but at this point, I've had stronger. I like shag now. This has mellowed with age.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-09-23		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a unique blend, shag cut, very fine. The flavor is dark, deep and earthy sweet. One of my favorites.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	kg0mz (54)	2009-09-02		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable

The bag aroma reminds me of Brown Irish Twist, but it tastes like Irish Flake as someone already noted. There are light, dark, and medium brown tobaccos in the shag. I'm thinking I taste each one, but I would be hard pressed to defend that assertion. It impresses me as medley of Kentucky flavors. In Irish Flake I get a monolithic, but delicious flavor. I think it is fair to say not all burleys taste the same, and this is composed of multiple Kentucky tobaccos. This resembles a variety of Gawith Kendal tobaccos flavors.

I have had good luck with a range of bowl sizes with this shag. This is not a patio smoke for me, not in this windy city. Actually, it burns too fast inside for my liking. I invariably find myself loading multiple bowls in the evening when I settle down with a pipe. Otherwise, the burning characteristics are great.

I give this one a qualified 4 stars. It is delicious, but I don't like shags.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Xeneize (275)	2008-12-13		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

There's no much I can add to the great reviews below. If you want to know what Kentucky tastes like, this is the blend to try. The shag cut makes it very easy to pack and to stay lit, providing a cool smoke with no tongue bite at all.

If you like burley, you're gonna love this. Try to avoid big bowls thou, as this is much stronger than regular burley.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipe4ever (204)	2008-11-23		Very Strong	Very Mild	Full	Tolerable

Natural and wild taste and flavor, deep and tasty, powerful and virile. A true tobacco for veteran piper, Nicotine, Nicotine and Nicotine. Take good meal before you start your bowl.

This is not the type of tobacco I smoke frequently, I always prefer mild straight blend since I am very sensitive to nicotine, but I enjoy 1 bowl of this nicotine bomb when I have the mood for it.

This is the real tobacco.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-11-09		Very Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant

This one is quite special. More smokey and woodsy than you might expect, really strong. A definite sweetness/niceness there, man. This one will delight. No toppings, nothing but the fire cured Kentucky. For those who know, you're the lucky ones. For those who don't like latakia, try this, don't be putting down the fire cured just yet. Gawith Hogarth wins again. Oh, and no trace of the "lakeland soapiness," if you're worried about that.

Update: Well, I had to vacupack a bunch of this that I could not feature smoking any more of at the present time. Let me tell you, it was weird, I thought I had found a favorite tobacco, and suddenly, one night when traveling, I could hardly tolerate the stuff. Next morning same thing. I just haven't been able to deal with it since. Something just built up to the point that all I could taste was this cloying smokiness and little else. I cleaned my pipes and tried again, and it was almost worse. So, I guess the jury's still out on this one for me, two too divided experiences. I'll have to get back to it someday.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-09-02		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This tobacco is great by itself, and also great as a mixer for your virginias when you want a little smokey tang added to them. The taste is straight-forward, smoky kentucky. Try it... you'll probably like it.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-05-13		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A fire-cured burley,same cut and burn as DBE,but less of a nic-kick.I dont detect any of the "Lakeland essence" that is normally found in Va.'s cured in this manner,(hung to dry over smoking leaves) Excellent body,smooth,never harsh or bitey and always a pleasure morning or night.Definitely one to try if you enjoy fire cured leaf,burley or stronger blends!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-10-29		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

A very nice straight forward tobacco, which is what I like! The shag cut make for a shorter smoke, so this is great for breaks and lunch at the office! To me, this is a nice all day smoke. None of the "soap" taste in this fine lakeland blend, it is a regular in my rotation. If you like straight forward pure tobacco, you can't go wrong with this blend!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Effluvinator (60)	2006-04-12		Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

I have not smoked my entire 2 oz's of this, but liked it right from the start, and I still do. This is a very fine, string cut, so no difficulties packing or keeping it lit. It has a full, burley flavor and should be sufficient for most people in the nicotine department. If you have tried the Dark Birdseye, think of this as a lighter version. I tend to smoke a pipe of this, then follow it with the Dark Birdseye. You might like this even if you have not liked other burley tobaccos in the past. This is one of my regulars, along with Peterson University Flake and Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky.

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