E. A. Carey Carey's Bruno Special

Carey's - Bruno Special.

Ogden's S.t Bruno was the initial tobacco to make me fall in love with pipe smoking. I remember when I was about 10 I loved the TV adverts we had in the UK, they were really comforting! So, when I read that this is Carey's equivalent I really wanted to try it!

The first thing that jumps out to me is the size of the rubbings, they are a fair bit smaller than the Ogden's original. The smell is a little similar but it lacks the florals of Ogden's Bruno. A more impressive point is the moisture, sometimes in the sealed Ogden's pouches the blend can be a little moist but this has a great amount of hydration.

It lights simply and once it's lit the burn is a steady one. The flavour is a nice one but it lacks some of the Ogden's flavour. The biggest missing link is the florals, where are they?! The second problem lies with the tobacco choice, as it's a cavendish blend the taste is a lot softer than Ogden's own. Don't misunderstand me, the flavour is a good one but it isn't like the St Bruno 'clone' I was expecting. The nicotine is about the same strength as the original, a medium amount. It doesn't bite any, I can give my puffing some extra vigor and I still don't get any bite. The room note is an OK one, it's not great, not offensive, just quite simple.

To be fair, this is a good blend in its own right, hence the three star award but I find the title miss-leading.

A nice blend but don't try to recreate a legend!

This is a nice, flavoursome smoke that burns slowly enough (if you pack it well and don't rush it) to give you an hour's pleasure in a medium-size bowl; cool and well behaved, with only ash left behind; rubbed out a touch finer than St Bruno Ready Rubbed; certainly not 'aromatic' in any bad sense. Also, Carey's European mail order facility is exemplary, if a little slow: you couldn't have better service, and we're really going to miss it when the UK government bans online toacco sales. I don't really see the point of marketing a St Bruno sub when the original St Bruno is so readily available, though, and the resemblance between this and the 'real' St Bruno is (to my palate at least) very tenuous. A fine tobacco, and certainly recommended; but I think it ought to be called something else.

I recently read in an online pipe smoking forum that EA Carey UK made a match for this tobacco. I found their web site and ordered a pouch (along with 3 other blends to be reviewed later). Not only was I able to order with a credit card, but I received my order in 10 days time. Simply first rate service! It came packaged in a 50g pouch that was labeled "Carey's Bruno Special." The pouch aroma was heavenly. There was the smell of maple, a hint of vanilla, an an undetermined fruit essence. It came as a Cavendish style mix - no sign of flakes rubbed out as found in the style of Mac Baren. I packed it in a cutty nose warmer that I use for new blends and it took to the match readily. Now I have to say that I have never had the original St. Bruno in any of its available forms, but if this is a true match, I have been missing something! This is no aromatic in the American sense. It is sweet tasting, although it may be a bit cloying for some as it was quite sweet. Although it managed to remind you that you were smoking tobacco and not candy, I would have preferred more in tobacco flavor and less of the sweetness. 3 P's is far superior in that respect. It is not floral or Lakeland-like in the pouch nor in the smoke. While discerning its sweetness/Virginia profile, I found it similar to Erinmore Flake without the Erinmore flavor (apricot and prune), but Erinmore retained more of its tobacco presence - a good thing for me. It smoked cool and dry to the heal without the slightest nip. It reminded me of Peterson's 3 P's (which happens to be a favorite of mine), not quite as strong in nicotine or tobacco flavor. In some ways, it reminded me of many Danish-style aromatics I used to smoke in my early days of pipe smoking that could be had from the Tinderbox and the likes., but way sweeter. I urge anyone that has wanted to try St. Bruno but has had difficulty locating some (USA especially), to visit EA Carey at eacarey.co.uk and go from there. They have blends that are not available from their American store, and not overly priced either. Although a lot sweeter than I would have liked, I am very satisfied with this tobacco and do recommend it.

This is one of my three Carey blends that I receive regularly now from their Tobacco Club. Having loved their Dark Flake and Ready Rubbed, both No. 7s, I thought I would try this, as St. Bruno is a staple of mine going way back to my first pipe smoking days as a young man barely out of his teens. This Carey blend has all the quality that you would expect from them. Finely cut, aromatic in the pouch, smooth, cool, creamy and mellow smoke when lit. Quite sweet, a little less fruity than the Bruno, but still fragrant enough to satisfy. It packs well, lights well. I found my latest pouchful to be a touch on the dry side and as such burned a little faster and hotter than the Bruno itself. That said, it still gave a good, pleasing smoke, with a nice roundedness to the flavour. I find a slightly more earthy feel too and there is a noticeable strength which is very pleasing. The aroma is engaging. Overall, a tobacco worth trying and getting to know. Being ready rubbed and not a flake, ( and I have avoided the Bruno Ready Rubbed since its cut width was altered some time ago) the strength and depth of this Special are lighter. I think it will sit nicely alongside the St. Bruno, though the original will always retain its favoured place in my repertoire of blends.

Every piper who as smoked the original of this blend needs to try this careys version, its outstanding full of beautiful flavours,i think its alot better than the original,even if you have never tried the original try this 1st 5+++++