Gallaher Limited Condor Long Cut (Brown)

Although I have been a reader of reviews on this site for several years, this is my first review so apologies if it’s a bit of a ramble.

I smoked Condor Long Cut exclusively for many years and was happy to do so. Then I had issues getting it and stumbled onto this site and discovered the wonderful world of pipe tobacco, especially those available to my European and American compatriots.

It was again several years before I returned to my old favourite recently and was I in for a shock! Some hasty investigation informed me that Condor production has moved to Poland. Well the production may have moved but someone lost the recipe in the process!

The following is my take on a 2021 pouch compared to my recollection of the tobacco I had previously grown to love. My sense of taste and smell is not the best so I will limit this to generalisations rather than details:

Packaging – It’s so covered in health warnings now it’s not really relevant but what little branding is left is the same.

Presentation – Although the size and thickness of the flakes are much the same, the old version was a neat collection of whole stacked flakes. The new pouch contains a mess of flakes that appear to be have been randomly thrown into the packet resulting in something one step up from a broken flake.

Aroma – Where’s the Soap! That glorious detergent-like smell I had grown to love has all but disappeared. A hard sniff with my nose in the pouch reveals a slight hint of previous glory but only just. Don't get me wrong, it does have a smell, I just can't work out exactly what it is!

The Smoke – This is not the Condor I remember. The smoke is much thinner, the thick, almost cloying mouth feel has gone. The ‘soapy’ strong flavour has gone. Even the nicotine hit has diminished significantly. This is now a so-so tobacco with no real identity of its own. That is something, like it or not, you could not say of the old version.

Conclusion – Condor Long Cut has gone. This new version is not even a poor imitation of its predecessor. I will mourn its loss but am cheered by the number of wonderful tobaccos I have discovered thanks to this site and will get over it quickly I’m sure.

If you read all of this – thanks for your patience!

I am flattered to be the first to review this legend. I think my review of the ready rubbed version applies to this blend too. Mo, South Africa

I bought this in desperation from a supermarket (my local 'tobacconist' (a non smoker) can't be persuaded to order decent stuff and I tire a bit of mail order 'baccy). 'Oh, perhaps it isn't all that bad' I thought, and bought 25g on spec.

Sometimes, it's not absolutely awful. And, then again, sometimes it tastes like you're sucking on a burning sock soaked in liquid hairspray. I'll never buy this again.