Leonard Dingler LTD Nineteen O'Four Original

Small rectangular tin of the kind used for flakes, containing 20grms of tobacco.

Brown label for the "Original", violet for the "Rum & Raisin" version.

Opening the tin: the tobacco has not any inner packing, just a printed cardboard lid.

The weed is mostly medium brown, with darker & lighter minor parts. The cut is medium ribbon. Regarding the humidity, oh! it was bit wet at the opening, after one month it's just OK... still very soft, pliable and springy. The components seem good quality and I have not found any stick.

The blends share absolutely the same base. I guess we are talking of some masculine African Burleys with something else (a touch of Virginia, and some fired leaf). The tin smells some chocolate for the original (after one month it's almost gone); some alcoholic topping has been used for the "R&R" instead (still there).

They light and stay lit easily. They don't burn hot, nor bite. Care must be given to not rush the smoke to avoid some gurgles, plus the smoke turns unpleasantly bitter.

The smoke: mainly earthy, a bit musty, some sweet notes of fruits in the far distance, some salt as well. Vitamin N in fair quantity, my stomach says...

I'm smoking both back to back, not great things are happening, or ... I'm simply unable to trace much more. These things are so "regular", I would say of the same league of the so-called Continentals but without the subtle variations of the latters. The flavouring/casing is very ethereal, one will never say he's smoking some aros.

For the moment being, my main staple in the Burley dept. is Burley London Blend by McBaren, which is far more flavourful (and sweet). Nevertheless I cannot say these two Dingler's are something to steer clear from.