Butera Kingfisher

For lovers of va/per blend this may be a bit of disappointment; but only because it's not a standard va/per blend. It's va, burley, and perique blended, pressed into cakes, then sliced. The slices break apart just trying to get them out of the tin, but that's what it's meant to do.

I won't go through all the description of tin appearance and aroma, as that has been done aplenty by other reviewers. However, I think it may be worthwhile to explain how I got this tobacco to become one of my favorite all time smokes after trying it, and being sorely disappointed.

First off, you might want to try a smaller pipe. Take two or three of the slices, and crumble them up as fine as possible, then use the gravity feed method to load your pipe. You may want to insert a pipe cleaner through the draw hole as you massage the tobacco into the pipe. The idea here it to have a very fine mixture packed very tightly into a small space.

I have found that, using the above method, this tobacco is extremely tasty and slow burning. It is one of the most enjoyable tobaccos I have ever encountered.

Kingfisher is the blend I use as a vacation from Latakia. It is all-around delightful and takes full advantage of the possibilities in Burley. It does so, first, by using really high-grade tobacco. At its best, as here, the much-maligned Burley gives you the essence of nuttiness and honey. It is never cloying, like an aromatic, but there?s nothing even slightly bitter about it. Kingfisher balances the Burley with warm, stoved Virginias for complexity and backbone. It tastes to me like a 50/50 combo: neither predominates, but the flavors marry for a smoke that is robust but light, all day long. There's Perique in there, too, floating around in the background.

Butera has another Virginia/Burley blend: Stonehaven, produced under the Esoterica label. While Stonehaven has a better tin aroma and comes in wonderfully menacing long black slices, it?s actually pretty boring to smoke. I used to cut it with Wessex Burley Slices until I found Kingfisher. Now there?s no need. Kingfisher is less interesting than Stonehaven in the tin, but in the pipe the situation is reversed.

Kingfisher comes in the same tins as the better-known Penzance and is cut the same way. It arrives a bit dry, and crumbles at the touch ("Krumble Kake," they call it). A bit of rubbing and you?re good to go. It burns quickly, but not hot, to a fine ash (surprisingly fine, for a flake). I smoke this blend in Dublins, as the slight taper to the bowl intensifies the flavor in the second half.

This is yummy stuff. There's enough written here to make my comments redundant, and I don't have any jokes this morning, so I'll keep it short. Perique content is not too high, just right for me, but it does seem to vary throughout the tin, from cake-flake to cake-flake. I like this. Every smoke is equal in quality and flavor strenght, but the taste profile wanders enough from bowl to bowl, to be ever interesting. Again,yummy. . .better than P.S. Bullseye, or 2015. (I know Bullseye has Cavendish, and 2015 no burley. . Kingfisher is still better). could use more nicotine.

I must say that I liked the smoking characteristics of this blend....rubbed out in an instant, lit well, smoked cool but I did not take to the strong presence of the perique. This was the first time that I know of trying a blend with perique and though I find it interesting, it was too much for me. UF was once my favorite after dinner smoke but I found it way too stong with ammonia and nicotine for my tastes....though I remember the Burley/VA flavor fondly. I like the perique in Dunhill's Elizabethan Mixture much more than this blend.

Update 03/06/2011:

Wow its been years since I have tried this blend. I must say that my tastes have changed greatly...or maybe the blend has changed? Either way this is a mild blend as far as taste is concerned with a nice full aroma however. The perique is very mild and over the years I have grown to like greater amounts of perique. The burley is the most pronounced component and I had a hard time detecting the virginias. I do like this blend and will probably cellar a few tins. I have changed this from a two star baccy to three...pretty darn good.

A couple of notes - others here have done good jobs describing this blend.

1. I've determined that I do NOT like "krumble kake" as a cut of tobacco. The ashes end up everywhere, it's a mess.

2. This tobacco just tastes bad. The leaf quality is (as all Germain/Esoterica blends) excellent, this has nothing to do with quality. It's a personal thing and I just don't like this blend.

3. I've tried old Kingfisher, new Kingfisher.. big pipes, small pipes.. all with the same results. The tobacco tastes bad, it's not a blend that is for me.

I *may* be enticed to try this again ONE MORE TIME but I honestly think not. I wanted to like this blend. The quality is good! However, life is too precious short to smoke pipe tobacco that doesn't agree with your tastebuds. It's a preference thing.

I can't think of another blend with the same taste as Kingfisher so no need in attempting to compare it. Good luck!

Kingfisher is the VA/Burley/Perique version of Penzance. In other words, the cross-cut crumble cake that you either love or hate. I personally like the cut as it stays nice in the tin for a long time, but is easily crumbled and packed into the bowl (try running a cleaner into the bowl after packing as it helps clear out the little bits that sometime clog things).

Wonderful musty, dried-fruit aroma from the Perique. I thought I was in for a treat.

Sadly, the flavor was marginal. It was just too one-dimensional and strong. Now I like strong tobaccos, so don't get me wrong. It is just that this stuff was too basic, so it was only strong with nothing else to hold my interest.

If you like strong flavored VA/Perique blends you might try it. It just didnt do anything for me.

(From blind tobacco tasting review)

Appearance: A mottled broken flake, perhaps 15% bright, 60% brown & 25% black. Good smoking moisture level (on the dry side).

Tin Aroma: A natural Virginia smell, with a mildly fermented, wine-like quality. I pick up a hint of unburned clove cigarette and a hint of non-Latakia smokiness.

First Smoke: New corn cob pipe. Started on a dog-walk, ~36 F. No fear of light-up bite, has a matured tobacco smoothness and lack of bright flavors. Pleasant flavor, but no Wow! reaction here. Very nice sidestream aroma, and a nice medium taste and body.

DGT for 5 hours, then smoke on front porch, ~27 F. The flavors begin to expand slowly, haltingly, with a muted top note browned marshmallow, and a ginger-like ?tang? and not-unpleasant bitterness. The middle range has a nice toasty sweetness and a subtle campfire element. The lower range is nicely creamy but muddled, and I occasionally pick up a camembert twang. The blend lacks any clear, contrasting flavors, and changes very little as the bowl progresses. The strength and flavor don?t really change during the smoke, except for a sourness that develops near the end of the smoke, overwhelming any other flavors. My guess is that this blend uses a goodly amount of matured, non-American, Red Virginias producing a creamy but dull blend. The sourness is probably "burley curse."

Second Smoke: Two days later, in a perfectly-caked Comoy Silver Cloud. This smoke is almost identical to the first.

Summary: I don?t want to create the impression that I dislike this flake. It is a nice, smooth, easy-smoking blend - it?s just not thrilling. If there weren?t so many tobaccos that I love, I would smoke this without much regret. Matured Virginia fans may love this. I will happily keep my sample to use for blending.

Greetings and Salutations fellow imbibists. I thought I'd share my thoughts and experiences on a 'try' with Buteras's Kingfisher tobacco. tin: Rectangular, Beautiful picture on the cover Label: claims Virginia, Burley & Perique. Also proclaims "Double Cut, Krumble Kake. Opening tin: Found wrapped similar to Penzance, with white paper seemingly grease attached. Sniff test: Mild figs and raisins aroma, also deep undertones of Burley following the perique figgy smell. Color of Baccy: Dark Brown with 'spots' of light gold pieces scattered throughout. Texture: Lives up to the name of Krumble Kake. Noticed it to be slightly overmoist. with and hour or two left open, it could come down to the moisture level of MacB Navy flake. Flakes are twice the thickness of Navy Flake, But disintegrate quite well into the Krumble. Rub Out: Leaves lots of crumbles, with a few shags left for packing. Definitely NOT needed to reserve crumbs for charring. Packs: Packs tightly a little too quickly for my tastes. Smoking flavors: First Light brought the Wonderful spice of Perique, which held predominate for the first third of the bowl. Had to slow down, pack tighter to stay lit, and to have even burning. Second Light Minimal taste of perique, noticing the undertones of a darker 'chocolaty' leathery flavor building behind the fruity perique. Wondering where the sweet Virginia is at this point. Middle third of the bowl: Burley, shining in great detail here. That dark, wonderful fullness is definitely on top of the smoke here. Beautiful burn, smoking well, OH is this the zone? Listening to the raindrops hitting the porch roof, and mesmerized by the slight breeze wrestling with the clouds of smoke rising from the bowl. Aroma: Very mild, almost fruity smell. Sweet lingering after taste forming in mouth from Nostrils. Bottom third: Burley still going strong, Hmm, slight sweet VA taste. Perique makes second appearance, but still behind the burley. Bowl had to be heavy tamped at the end to facilitate even, and complete burning. Smoked clear to heel, with dark grey ash left. Bowl slightly warm in hand finished bowl, left with sweet Virginia aftertaste that reminds me that the label was correct. Pipe cleaners removed gunk similar to a heavy Latakia smoke, and took two to come clean. FYI I smoked it in a 95% broken in Sasienni 4 Dot rusticated Bent Brandy, that is reserved for VA or VA/P blends. I used a zippo to light and had no problems all the way to the heel. Trick was packing hard and tight once lit. Otherwise in the first light, she was burning in the center, and not the edges. Overall result, I like it. I'm going to be buying this tin for some stockup. Might see how she fares as an all day smoke.

Hope you enjoyed reading my review... Trael

Well here goes a review for a tobacco apparently no longer made, earthy burley dominates the show with the Virginia and perique weaving in and out, the nicotine is presents itself a quarter into the smoke and a glorious amount of smoke is produce this could have been and all day smoke back in the day of production if it was easier to find (it never was).