Kane's of New Zealand Lamb Cake Slices

(2.68)
Blended to accompany New Zealand's famous red wines, these meaty slices rub out easily to facilitate filling. Matured Virginias with Burley and a touch of Perique. An added essence gives Lamb Cake Slices it's rich and satisfying character. Add some Lamb to your line up.
Notes: Contains real lamb juice and a hint of mint.

Details

Brand Kane's of New Zealand
Blended By Rutheford G. MacGillicuddy
Manufactured By  
Blend Type
Contents Burley, Virginia, Perique
Flavoring Mint
Cut Broken Flake
Packaging 50g Tin
Country Unknown
Production

Profile

Strength
Mild to Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Medium to Strong
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Very Pleasant
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Full
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

2.68 / 4
10

6

5

7

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 28 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 01, 2008 Mild Very Strong Very Full Pleasant
It has been quite some time since I last tried a tin of a Kane's of New Zealand tobacco. I was delighted when I recently discovered that their signature blend, Lamb Cake Slices, is back in production. The MacGillicuddy recipe for Lamb Cake had been lost years ago in a barbecue pit when heirs of Rutherford G. MacGillicuddy were having a family reunion by roasting lamb chops. From what I understand, it was an annual family tradition to work up a batch of Lamb Cake Slices in the same pit that Rutherford used to make this tasty blend. While putting together the ingredients, a strong wind blew the recipe out of the hands of a granddaughter right into the fire. My tobacconist tells me that after more than 20 years of trying to recreate the original, a great grandson was able to reconstruct the components to perfection.

What makes Lamb Cake Slices so unique is, of course, the casing sprayed liberally on the Old Belt Kentucky leaf which is then mixed with quality Virginia and Perique before being pressed into cakes. I remember how cautious I was in trying my first bowl after learning that the topping used was actually freeze dried leg of lamb (roasted and triple basted), that had been crushed and sprinkled throughout the tobacco. Once I finally lit up, I was glad I did!

Lamb Cake Slices is a very mild combination with a very strong essence of lamb taste. The combination somehow works as the smoker detects a meaty taste throughout the bowl. It does stay lit well and burned evenly down to a clean, snow white ash. Highly recommended!
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 03, 2009 Strong Very Strong Extra Full Overwhelming
IMO, pure rubbish, FTL. Utterly unpalatable and nauseating, with all the subtlety of a hoof to the head. I smoked this in a gorgeous S. Bang 7/64 bent zulu that is now fit only to be a chew-toy for my blue heeler.

IMHO, a much better pick for lovers of lamb (settle down, denizens of College Station, TX, not that kind of love) would definitely be Galafianakis' Gyros Flake, a masterful Balkan blend which beautifully balances several high-grade orientals (Katerini, Xanthi, Shawarma, etc.) with the drippings of succulent spit-roasted lamb and a delicate top-dressing of Tzatziki and cucumber. IMHBAO, a much more sophisticated blend.

Recommended.

Not.
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 21, 2009 Mild to Medium Medium to Strong Full Tolerable to Strong
I am in full agreement with the previous review regarding the difference in this and the original blend. Also, this version needs some serious drying prior to being pipe ready. I usually smoke it after some stoving by spreading the flakes on a cookie sheet and placing in the oven at 450° for 30 to 45 minutes.

The taste is predominantly Virginia with a hint of mutton. Only at mid bowl does the mint start to make it's appearance. There will be dottle in the bowl to some degree, but the stoving lessens the amount.
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 20, 2009 Overwhelming Extra Strong Overwhelming Overwhelming
I know its poor form to review a tobacco that you haven't tried but stiff. Back in the early 70?s Mum and Dad used to take us kids to visit Nanna and Pa out in the Yarra Valley of Victoria, Australia. It was the bush back then. Dry sheep paddocks, horses, worn out ute?s and tractors, left where they stopped, and outside dunnies. All 6 crammed in a Morris Major and a seat belt was what you got if you played up. I remember Pa couldn?t see too well and he accidently cracked open a tin of Ham thinking it was his Kane?s lamb slices. He sliced off a chunk, as usual, muttered expletives as he rubbed it out, as usual. It took him about 5 minutes to get it burning right in his Barnsbury billiard, which was basically a Dunhill 35 shell knockoff. Amazingly the room note was very similar to what we were used to and as described in the reviews below, but maybe slightly richer and no minty background. He seemed quite happy until he got to the dottle which promptly caught fire. He stuck mostly to Erinmore mix after this, as you can only mistake that tin for boot polish, which is another story. I can only go on childhood memories as you can?t get this tobacco for love or money, old blend or new, even this close to our cousins across the ditch (choice Bro?s). I?ll keep an eye on eBay and if I?m lucky I?ll update this review. Whenever I smell an unattended BBQ I think of old Jim and his Kane?s lamb slices. Maybe I?m being foolish, but tonight I might thinly slice some Spam, dry it and add some mint flakes and
I?ve got to go. I?m getting all teary.
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 08, 2008 Mild Medium Mild to Medium Very Strong
The first thing I noticed upon opening the tin was the mint. Truly a testament to the master blender's use of a restrained hand. I also detected something else in the scent...similar to the McClelland "ketchup" smell but this was more like KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce. Spicy goodness!

The moisture content was more than I am used to as the slices seemed wet. Once I removed a couple of the slices I saw that the cause of the excess moisture was the beige water-like substance pooled at the bottom of the tin. This is more than likely the lamb juice. What a grand presentation!

The flakes are easy to compress and fill the pipe with. I used some of the juice to put on the top of the bowl for "kindling". At first match the lamb introduced itself (its name was "Lambchop") and soon the mint joined in. The room note was pleasant and my wife commented that she kept thinking it was Easter Sunday. This is definitely not your drugstore variety, but very top shelf USDA Grade-A lamb!

The bowl ended in a small pile of grey ash with no dottle or bone fragments. Very nice smoke but certainly not an all-day as I was too full after smoking one pipe that I skipped dinner and went to bed.

On a side note, I understand that Greg Pease is working on a lamb blend as well but his will incorporate Cyprian Latakia, some dark rum, Latakia and more Latakia. It is to be the first in the new "Muttons and Maidens" series.
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 07, 2014 Overwhelming Extra Strong Overwhelming Overwhelming
**I have searched high and low for more Lamb Cake Slices on Etsy, Ebay and Pipestud's consignment shop (which has every vintage tin you could ever desire) to no avail. It's a shame as I always thought LCS needed a little something extra, in this case a pinch of Vauen's Black Pepper blend really perked up the Slices and added the perfect spice. Now if they would only make a Kosher Salt Blend to add to my remaining LCS I'd be a happy camper.**

I purchased this in bulk so YMMV, you'll have to use a sharp knife if you purchase Kane's before it has been tinned. Once I got him in my house I attempted to rub it out to no avail. Being a product from New Zealand offer him a little Vegemite and it'll calm things down a bit, careful though, puff too hard and it will become aggressive and bite your tongue (or worse). This is not an indoor or all day blend, the room aroma was of barn and hoof in which the wife was not pleased as I attempted to light it in bed and I got cotton mouthed... They say never look a gift horse or in this case lamb in the mouth but honestly the other end wasn't pretty either... Maybe next years batch will be more behaved or a little more age on this years batch will "tame the beast"...
Pipe Used: Griddle, Charcoal Grill
PurchasedFrom: Kane's of New Zealand
Age When Smoked: 5 months
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 06, 2009 Mild to Medium Medium Mild to Medium Very Strong
Well, I'm going to have to be the voice of dissent. Aside from the tin aroma, this bears little resemblence to the original MacGillicuddy blend, which was heavenly. I would hazard a guess that Kane's is substituting Cavendish for the Virginia, as there is quite a bit more sweetness than I recall. The mint flavoring is also suspect. The original contained actual mint leaves, aged and kiln dried. The mint in the Kane's recreation tastes very much as if it came out of the same artificial flavoring bottle used to make mint chocolate chip ice cream... not that that's a bad thing per se. This is smokable, and even enjoyable to a certain degree. Admittedly, they did do a fair job of approximating the unusual "lambish-ness" present in the original, but if you're hoping to faithfully recapture the singular experience of MacGillicuddy's Lamb Cake Slices, you will undoubtedly be somewhat disappointed with Kane's version. Sadly, if you are a devotee of that blend, this is the closest you're going to get, so close enough has to do. Oh, and I almost forgot... you might want to smoke this in a cob as it will ghost the heck out of a briar.
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 11, 2008 Extremely Mild Extra Strong Overwhelming Overwhelming
Quite unique drugstore blend. I cellared some and it doesn't age well, as the lamb flavor developed into a mutton taste, with some notes of goat.

I can't taste no Perique here, but some Kentucky and a hint of cigar leaf. The mint is hardly noticed, but some pineapple that reminds of Erinmore and some EMP-like chicken taste.

Best enjoyed during meals.
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 09, 2008 Mild Medium to Strong Full Very Pleasant
I was fortunate enough to come across this in bulk, so I bought a half-pound to smoke right away, and had the other half-pound freezer wrapped. I found it was very difficult to rub out, and in the end used the coffee grinder method. The taste was fine and meaty as others have noted, with a minty aftertaste, (think menthol cigarette). Unfortunately I was interrupted by animal rights activists going door to door. When I invited them in, they commented on the delicious room note - I didn't have the heart to tell them what it was. A word of warning - if you choose to DGT this, be sure to refrigerate because it starts to develop a funk after only a few hours at room temperature.
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 06, 2008 Mild to Medium Medium to Strong Medium Strong
I hardly detect any flavoring at all.

I far prefer Gravy Flake - much saltier and just a lot more satisfying.
3 people found this review helpful.
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