Esoterica Tobacciana Kingsbridge

This was a sample sent to me by a friend. I have been smoking it in a Grabow pot. It came at a pretty good level of hydration for me.The pouch note is licorice.

Smoked this is good. It is a slightly heavy sweet with fruit notes. The licorice comes out in the flavor, and there is a subtle herbal note I can't quite identify. Smoking qualities were good. It stayed lit and left the bowl dry.

This one is a 2.5 for me. I am unlikely to ever buy a tin, bu this is an enjoyable smoke.

This very dark blend is probably my favorite Virginia tobacco from Esoterica that I have yet tried. Dark, full, and complex, it matures nicely during smoking and is mostly bite-free from start to finish. The bag aroma is dark and a bit sweet, with a slight musty odor present as well. The tobacco is nearly totally black, only a few bits of dark brown varying the appearance. The moisture level in the bag is average to slightly dry, and the cut is short with some small bits that have crumbled off of the larger pieces. It packs easily and lights well, burning to a very white, pure ash. I first tried this blend in a deep, narrow Stanwell estate pipe that I like to use for dark Virginia flakes, and I recommend such a bowl for maximum flavor and enjoyment. In the first third of the bowl, the flavor is dark and earthy, a mature Virginia taste with a hint of sweetness. There is no bite at first and the smoke is smooth and tasteful. It isn't a full-flavored blend at this point, but the taste is still good. Moving on to the second third, the flavor has matured quite a bit. The darkness has deepened, and the flavor has become much more full. There is still that hint of sweetness present, but the tobacco taste is the most important part of the mix. The level of complexity has also increased, and bite is still not a problem. Onward with the third 1/3 of the bowl, and the flavor here is rather similar to the second part of the bowl. The dark, mature complexity of the tobacco is pretty much unchanged, or perhaps a tiny bit darker, and the sweetness has decreased somewhat. There is no moisture at all, and tongue bite remains nonexistent. Overall, This is probably the best Virginia tobacco I have yet tried from Esoterica. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys dark, bite-free Virginias based on high-quality leaf. I will likely be buying a tin when my sample runs out.

I am not an aromatic smoker on most days. I find it hard to call this an aromatic, although I understand why it is called one. Bag notes Raisins. Raisin Bran, raisin bread, raisin jelly. Just raisins. This smokes like a stoved VA. Earthy, with subtle sweetness, some toasted bread and a hint of sourness (if you puff like you are trapped under ice with a straw to the surface as your only breathing device). Unidimensional, but in a good way. Top to bottom, start to finish a consistent good smoke.

first of all, i like the packaging and the cut of this. i found that it required very minimal rubbing out before packing and that it lit very easily. the color is dark due to the pressing and it has a bit of spiciness of leaf and processing. the flavor variations are there but to really find and enjoy them i had to smoke this slowly and with intent. the true test of how well you like a tobacco is whether you return to you tobacconist and purchase it again, i did with this one and probably will again.

I received in a trade a few oz's of Kingsbridge. My go to Esoterica has been Pembroke.

The flakes are really dark but obviously a broken up dark flake. Reminded me in appearance of Dark Star.

I found it easy to pack in my Canadian and was easily burning on the first light.

Taste wise I pick up on the anise/licorice that others have mentioned. Its not overwhelming by any means. I was able to taste the sweetness of the base tobacco.

To me, this is one of the hidden treasures of the Esoterica line.