Wessex Campaign Dark Flake

It's always a treat to smoke this dark Virginia flake , one most often reserved for later in the day or evening . This is what I would call a full Va. flake , and I mean really full . It seems to be very much like Astley #109 if not exactly the same . Dark flake , aptly named , it one of the best after dinner smokes you can have . Full and rich this satisfies in the P.M. like a full English blend Clearly not an all day go to smoke , this is more of a day topper . Burns great outdoors but a little cloying inside . A truly unique taste . 2019 - 8 - 28 K & K has changed the format of this tobacco and it's mate , Astley's 109 . Both used to presented as a long cut broken flake . Now they are folded flakes like F & T flakes or Silims flakes . Not a good change . The long flake format was unique and a pleasure to pack and smoke . This new folded flake format foes not get the best out of this tobacco . I believe the blend is the same but it loses something with the new presentation . Dito for 109 .

This one started out real poorly for me. It has to be the wettest tin of tobacco I've ever popped. Upon loading my first bowl my fingers were so wet and discolored it gave me real concern—what is this I'm smoking? PG city, folks, PG city. It took me forever to get it lit, but, once I got it going the experience improved.

Wet, absolutely, yet at the same time it's one of the best tasting baccy's I've puffed in quite some time. The snork on this baby was outstanding! A hint of raisins and mushrooms weaved throughout, unfortunately, a real heinous backwash built up along with this, too (another gurgle fest). When I puffed fast, it bit me (I didn't find this blend 'smooth' as the back of the tin suggests). However, as the bowl went along, I learned this blend needs, nay, requires it to be sipped and not chugged. It's overall smoking characteristics reminded me of MacBaren's Virginia No.1 (if you chug that one, you also get nipped).

Bowl number two, and three, four and five, I dried out. This takes some time, more than an hour, in fact (and sitting atop my dehumidifier at that!). Drying it out improved the experience, but only marginally. All in all, I didn't like this tighrope baccy, too finicky. The tastes, for me, were very unique, though, in the end, I found this blend too strong (it actually gave me a headache).

To those who like strong leaf, this one will be a keeper. For those who do not like strong blends, not so. No regrets in trying this one, but I'll not be smoking it again. I've already passed this one on to someone else. I'll give it a strong 2 stars (2.65 of 4).

Keep on Pipin'!

Nutty, woodsy nose with a touch of pine needles. Very complex aromas. I find it delicious & it will be on the rotation.

This is an exceptional Virginia blend, period. I concur with other reviewers in that it smells almost identical to Marlin Flake & IMO, taste is similar...very much like my first 50 Gram tin of aged MF. However, it does not have that initial harshness & bite that I noticed when smoking Marlin Flake. BCDF is totally biteless, smooth & cool with plenty of smokey, VA tobacco flavor.

Long, dark mottled flakes with minimal golden leaf break up easily for stoking & it burns slow & cool. I also noticed it may be a tad stronger than Marlin Flake. We like to make comparisons, don't we? What more to say...probably one of the finest VA blends on the market! Virginia fans will want to stock up on this one for sure & I'm confident it will age well. Time will tell. Therefore, IMHO, Wessex Brigade Campaign Dark Flake merits four ****s+!

Smoking now:

Bag note is sweet dark sugar, stewed and dried fruit. Rich. Flakes are almost black.

Ah yes. A dark straight Virginia. Natural sweetness, fruit preserve, tangy. A little grass and hay on the retrohale. A little fermented hay but mostly sweet dark fruits. Almost no after taste, very slight mouth tingle, no bite. Does get a little more vegetative and woody as the bowl progresses, the sweetness stays but does diminish.

A wonderful Virginia .

After a long search I managed to buy two cans of this tobacco, but finally it was worth the wait because its quality is considerable.

When I opened the tin I found two blocks of flakes a little dark and slightly damp but not so much that they cannot be loaded directly without waiting to dry. Flakes crumble and rub off easily.

The fruity, prune aroma predominates over other Virginian nuances, but I am struck by the pleasant cellar smell that differentiates it from other blends and reminds me of Dunhill's Dark Flake, (later manufactured by Peterson), although this was a mixture of virginia and perique. Considering that Dark Flake is no longer manufactured, I think this one from Wessex could be a good replacement for those looking for that reference, as is my case.

Once the pipe is lit, the aroma in the tin is reproduced during smoking. With a mild flavor, the notes of raisins and something similar to wine are the predominant ones. Some reviewers have found slight coverage here that I don't catch. The flavor seems very natural, tasty and smooth at the same time, which can invite you to repeat it during the same day.

I had been smoking some virginia that seemed to me of great quality, until I got to this one and then they lost with the comparison. I have enjoyed the pleasure of smoking a flake every day until the tin ran out. In my opinion it does not resemble FVF, which is sweeter and more intense in flavor, as well as having different notes. Like I said, I find it to be quite similar to Dunhill's Dark Flake.

Ignoring the wise recommendation of "musicman", I am going to be unconscious and against my interests I am going to recommend it because it seems to me a great tobacco. I do this out of gratitude for the recommendations of many people thanks to whom I have been able to smoke very good tobaccos. But don't get used to it badly ...

Wessex Campaign Dark Flake - A lot of dark fruity flavor with some citrus and a little grassy . A Molasses like sweetness . More of a tangy red with a little bright leaf . A little spice and some floral notes .Needed a little dry time . Very easy to work with . Fold and stuff works great . Burns nice and slow and even . No bite at all . Gets better as it burns down the bowl . I think it should age nicely . A very light sugary topping is probably in play but it adds to the blend , you can taste the tobaccos . Natural tasting flake . I like it and would buy again . 3 1/2

This is a good example of a dark Virginia as it checks all the boxes of what you would expect from this type of leaf. It has that dried fruit sweetness, very monotone in taste and light in nicotine. It can use a little dry time as mine was a little moist out of the tin.

It is not the best dark virginia I have ever had, but I wouldn't hesitate recommending it to someone who wanted to try a dark virginia as this one behaves quite well and is easy on the tongue.

This is K&K trying to make FVF. They don't have the tobacco for it. Honestly, what this tobacco makes me think is Marlin Flake stoved to within an inch of its life. I like Marlin Flake, I like this somewhat less. It fails to come up with any toffee-like sweetness, the Va isn't rich and malty, it's just not very good for what it's trying to be.

The older I get, the less I appreciate the Virginia tobaccos and blends produced by K&K. They're kind of like Europe's Cornell & Diehl. Big catalog, not many standout blends.