Orlik Tobacco Company A/S Dark Strong Kentucky

Ok, this may not be the most premium tobacco out there and what more it is flavored, but boy is it tasteful!! Casing is supposed to be licorice which, with a little help from my imagination, lets say I detected. What I did detect for sure was molasses. It was a little hard to separate the flakes from each other without breaking but this was not a problem. Flavor came through from the get go, a molasses infused nuttiness. Very satisfying and great with coffee too (cappuccino rather than espresso). Now this tobacco is strong only in its flavor, otherwise it is medium at most. It burns well with just a few relights and does not get wet. I am in the process of trying new tobaccos but this is a strong candidate for my everyday go-to tobacco. My only reservation is that while finishing the tin and the flakes drying a bit I lost some of the flavour. Highly recommended especially among those who have a slight sweet tooth.

Update: it's too much flavored to become an all day smoke for me and I grew out of it gradually. It's uncomplicated and easy, but not a four-star tobacco, three stars suits it better I think.

To start, this blend is not for me personally, but I endeavor to judge it fairly.

When opened the tin note is that of the sweet Virginia with a very noticeable Licorice topping, not overpowering but it is there. The tobacco in my tin was more moist than I'd like it and I left it in the tin to dry for about a week.

It comes in wide flakes that have a characteristic dark/brown/dark pattern. They fold and stuff well, and rubbed them out before jarring them.

The flakes pack well, and needed no more than the average amount of relights. When it comes to taste the licorice topps the Virginia nicely without covering too much of the inherent flavors of the tobacco. There is a hay like quality and overall the smoke is pleasurable. Personally I just don't find much about this specific flavour profile to get me to buy another tin, but I fully acknowledge the quality of the tobacco in this tin.

Would I smoke this again? Probably not. Would I reccomend this for other people to try? Most definitely. It's a good blend, but just not what I look for. Happy smokes.

The review. I never tried the old one so this is reviewed for its own merits and not compared to Heinrich's or old Orlik.

Beautiful little short squared cut flake pieces with a bright stripe of grassy bright Virginia through the middle. Dark stripes of Kentucky dark fired mixed with black Cavendish to sweeten a bit surrounding the bright stripe. Smell from a freshly cracked, slightly aged tin is of a little fermentation smell mixed with licorice. Taste profile is well balanced grassy VA, dark fired Kentucky, and a hint of Cavendish to round it out. The licorice hangs in the flavoring at just the right amount throughout the whole bowl. The Cavendish just helps to round it out and falls a bit in the background. This is excellent stuff.

I picked up a tin of DSK for Christmas and tested several bowls.

First, this is beautifully presented pipe tobacco - thin sliced flakes in three colored layers; correct moisture content; a lovely nose. You can read about that in many of the reviews here.

Second, and the heart of my review is to write that this IS strong tobacco. But what does "strong" mean? For me it was deceptively strong. It smoked like many other VA/Burley Flakes with a nice balance. It didn't burn hot and do likewise to tongue and palate. Nor did it give a huge nicotine hit. My best analogy is that it's like sipping Ardbeg or other Islay Scotches which have a very full and long finish. Like Ardbeg Ugendahl, I could still taste DSK the next day.

There is nothing wrong with this. I like Ardbeg when I want a very rich and full drink, perhaps after a steak dinner. However, it's not, my go to everyday drink. Likewise for DSK. That's just me.

So I am not marking this down in stars. It's quality baccy, just not an easy light smoke. So, be aware. I would think this flake would age well.

Nice smoke! I never had the opportunity to try the first release of this tobacco but I'm certain I would have liked it. I am not convinced as to the strength of this blend. I find it closer to medium strength. To look at the flake you would think you would be blown away by nicotine, such is not the case (for me anyways). Nonetheless Its a nice flavorful blend with some anise overtones but an overall nutty burley flavor. I can also detect a mild anise flavored casing I have not experienced until the release of this product. Folded or rubbed out it smoked at a nice and even burn from top to finish rich and satisfying. If you enjoy medium to strong burley based blends you will like Orlik DSK.

The title of this blend is highly deceiving. Dark? No! Strong? Not at all! Kentucky? It looks like Kentucky but smells and tastes like something else.

You may wonder why I rated it "recommended." Well, even though there's a rift between the description and the actual product, in the end, you get a tasty blend. That said, if you are after smoky scent, vibrant, robust taste, well forget about it. In its place, you will find apricot & peach-scented marmalade. The majority of reviews mention about molasses. However, I've got notes of something similar to sun-dried fruit strips. Being a huge, huge fan of licorice, I can easily say I agree with fellow reviewers. Licorice is barely there, and you will get a whiff of it only if you smoke slow and cool. In my opinion, Dark Strong Kentucky by Orlik is in the same class as Erinmore flake. Similar qualities, different casing. Though, I find Erinmore slightly superior to Dark Strong Kentucky in comparison.

Wouldn't buy again, but if someone were to gift, I wouldn't say no to a pipe full of Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky. Great for those times when you need a change in your mood and rotation.

I had avoided this one because of the name. I was expecting a true nic-hit instead of what I found.

I like the combination of flavors. The licorice definitely comes through in my opinion along with some other sweetness that could be molasses as others have suggested.

The flavors tend to override the background tobaccos to me, but I found the sample I had to be an enjoyable smoke.

I'm with the people who say this isn't as strong as they were expecting.. the dark fired component actually seems to highlight the Virginia more than anything else.. as a Virginia guy this made me quite happy.. very mild.. a little sweet a little tangy and spicy.. if you are looking for a bold Kentucky nic bomb this might not do it for you.. just a nice mellow smoke.

DSK is a charming flake offered at a charming price! The Kentucky is included in sufficient proportion to release a nice spiceness that interacts nicely with the sweetness of the stoved Virginias. The molasses and brown sugar top note brilliantly complete the high quality tobaccos, leaving a pleasant aftertaste and does not ghost my pipes. The flakes always are at the right moisture level for immediate packing, burn extremely well and the nicotine is medium, making it an ideal all day smoke for the Kentucky amateurs.