Uptown's Smoke Shop Black Lung

The Syrian latakia is very smokey and woodsy with a dry slightly sweet quality of wine and mustiness. It overwhelms the grassy, citrusy Virginia to the point you hardly notice it. There is a obvious spiciness to the Oriental in the background. There's very little complexity in this lat-bomb. The tobacco is a little moist, if dried a little, the Virginia peeks out a little more, but not enough to be anything beyond a condiment. Has a medium nic-hit. Won't bite, but does have a little roughness at times. Burns clean and moderately cool, but a tad slow with a very deep, consistent flavor. Leaves a little moisture in the bowl, and needs a few relights. Has a rich, lingering after taste, and strong room note that will chase anything away that breathes. Certainly isn't an all day smoke.

-JimInks

I was sent a sample of Black Lung to sample and review by one of my customers just a few months ago. It sat in a baggie for awhile before I got to it, so the moisture content was not high as indicated by some other reviewers. Syrian Latakia quality can vary greatly and I am not sure Black Lung contains the A-grade stuff. It was less sweet and a bid more "woodsy" than I like. The Virginia component did give Black Lung some strength, but the Latakia in this blend is unquestionably at the forefront and hard to get past. I think this is a fine blend for those who take their Latakia in IV drip doses. Just a little over the top for this cowboy.

Yet another latakia blend...ok as far as that goes.

NR highly for name alone...ignores the suffering of miners and their families. Uptown's should be ashamed to put forth this named blend...in a day when smokers are under a microscope, such selfishness does nothing but darken the smoker's image.

Monumentally stupid...as is ignoring the insensitivity in any review. What are we becoming????

This blend was gifted me to try and review and I have to say, it quite a nice blend to sit and relax with on a cold day with a cup of good hot tea in your hand. It is a strong latakia blend with VA mixed in for sweetness. It is a dark rough leaf with some medium brown flakes. It smells leathery and spicy in the pouch and mine came in the perfect moisture level to load easily and was very easy to get lit with the two match technique. Once lit, it bursts with flavor, a rich, creamy, Latakia taste with a touch of sweetness. It is a bold yet non biting blend with lots of flavor and as it burns down, it stays this way all the way to the bottom of the pipe. It burns very dry and just leaves a fluffy gray ash in the bottom of the pipe, no moisture or dottle. This blend uses Syrian tobacco so it has a sweet, spicy and mellow taste. Not one of the very best Englishes I have smoked, but darn near. I recommend it.

A great Syrian bulk blend. Arrives a little wet and needs some airing out before smoking. The taste is heavy on Syrian, but there isn't much balance in the flavors -- latakia domination. I think the only thing this blends really lacks is a bit sweeter VA to really put it over the top -- that said, it's still far superior to Bohemian Scandal and Rose of Latakia for sheer Syrian taste, IMO. I still prefer 763 or FMAP, but this isn't a bad alternative. If you want to try it, try a few others or just order a bunch to get the price break.