Orlik Tobacco Company A/S Dark Strong Kentucky

What’s in a name, especially when considering pipe tobacco blends? The contemporary STG/Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky is a case in point, being neither what it once was, nor is it notably dark or strong, as KY blends go. I suppose it doesn’t matter, really, at least if a blend is especially good; and it probably shouldn’t matter at all if one reviews each blend on its own merits. IMO, DSK is good but not great by contemporary standards, and for me this owes more to its present qualities (or qualities wanting), not to mention the pesky competition, which seems to keep getting better, for all it’s ever-changing, too

In the modern tin are 3 small piles of short, +/- square flakes, each of which is dark with a yellow/gold stripe down the middle. The dark parts are Kentucky and Cavendish, and the light stripe is flue cured, lemon VA. Tin note is mostly soft, dark chocolate over soft licorice, along with molasses and a breath of vanilla. The tobacco smells are quite faint and indistinct by comparison, with the earthy, semi-pungent KY on top, and grassy/bready VAs on the bottom. This blend can be smoked folded and loosely stuffed straight from the tin, and IMO it tastes best like this, albeit it then requires several relights, if one’s pace is thoughtful. It burns better if it’s dried in the sun for a bit, and it burns better still if it is rubbed out then dried before smoking it, but either of these approaches costs in terms of lost or muddled aroma and taste. For those with the patience, it takes less than a week in a re-closed tin for the tobacco to dry enough that its combustion is no longer such an issue, and this tact seems to preserve most of its flavor and aroma, as well. Scents and tastes at the match are like the tin note, soft and darkly round. The VA soon sharpens and it and the Cav sweeten, and the Cav also sours, as it is smoked down. Meanwhile, the KY gets earthier and smokier, and it adds a very slight bitterness. Though it’s not really “dark”, and it’s not really strong, there is a “suggestion” of these qualities, with the VA playing counterpoint up the scale. Strength is medium. Tastes are more medium than full. Room note is tolerable. Aftertaste starts out slightly ashy but soon levels out as best-of-the-smoke, redux.

Sorry if this review is rather tepid, because this is not bad tobacco, at all, and I do recommend it. In fact, in the past I would have given it 4 stars. However, with the rapid proliferation and widespread availability of numerous stellar VA/KY blends, DSK now has a much harder row to hoe.

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Been quite a long time since I'e done a review. Landlords have been making life living hell and try imagining a landlord anywhere now who would allow pipe-smoking? Personally, I have to be comfortable while smoking, or I'm just not going to bother. I'm not the kind to stand around shivering outside while attempting to smoke. That's a 5 minute deal and smoking a pipe is NOT a five minute affair. What I did was largely abandon Latakia- because that's a stench that will take you nearly weeks to get out of your house. I went back to my own private blend and other more aromatic things.

These days almost no one remembers what pipe smoke might even smell like. I smoke very little anyway now- mostly I'm down to one small bowl a day with my morning coffee, and then I burn a bath and body works candle (Eucalyptus spearmint) given me by my ex. That really seems to clear the smoke from a smallish bowl.

I was surprised by the contents of my tin. It was not like the pic above; rather it was 4 cubes of tobacco made up of layers of flake. Each flake consists of two different colors: the Virginia and the Kentucky.

A licorice flavor prevails. It smells nice and looks nice, but I've found it to be a little moist. A few months later the tobacco inside the tin was just as moist as it was. A person who has no problem setting their tobacco out to dry ahead of time may have no problem with DSK , but I enjoy readier to smoke tobacco. Don't get me wrong. this is not bad smoke. It's just rather sweet, and to make sure it would be, they added black cavendish.

I'm rather surprised at this tobacco, because for something called Dark Strong Kentucky I really expected something different from what I found in the tin. What the tin contains is a neat stack of two-toned flakes exactly the same as the flakes contained in a tin of Heindrick's tobacco of the same name. The difference is that these Orlik ones are clearly perfect flakes, whereas the ones from Heindricks are the broken ones, possibly those rejected during the manufacturing process.

In my two tins of Orlik, the flakes came absolutely smothered in a molasses style topping almost exactly the same smell as Lane's 1Q. Very wet tobacco and needs drying time. The Heindricks version is drier and because of that smells less aromatic.

I found that this tobacco delivers a smooth, medium strength smoke, plenty of nice clouds to enjoy. However the underlying tobacco is not what I would call strong. The flavoring is certainly strong.

So: not what I expected, and this is a very wet aromatic delivered in flake form. The tobacco tastes rather cheap and has an awful lot of the molasses topping. Having said all that, I quite enjoyed smoking it, and it has qualities that would make it a good Autumn/Winter smoke. But don't buy it thinking you're going to get the Kentucky experience - instead you'll get a medium strength flake very wet with Lane 1Q style molasses flavorings.

The tobacco is very beautiful looking flakes and the tin aroma is heavy on the top note. It’s quite moist out of tin and I’ve had this jarred for 6 months and visiting it today the moisture is still there just as the day I opened the tin. It breaks up easily and packs fine. It takes a little bit to start burning, and you’ll find you have to puff a bit to keep it lit. I find the top note to take over most of the natural tobacco flavor , but it works pretty well. I find it a tad airy, like you want more of something here. Progressing down the bowl I find the second half more satisfying. There is not much nicotine I notice in this one. It never calls me to reach for it. I only smoke it to change the pace once In A while from my non aromatics. I won’t personally be buying it again, but I guess it’s something to try. If i named this tobacco I would call it lite aromatic Kentucky. 2 stars tops in my book.

Not as strong as I would have liked. Was expecting something along the lines of a rope, or a Burley flake. Also, the flavor was just OK. I continue to not like the Orlik blends which goes against the grain of popular opinion.

I totally agree with JimInks' review.

The Licorice or herb topping is just too much for me and already become the star of the show. No molasses taste even though it is very sweet. No bite. But It smokes like a mess.

One star for me.

Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky is presented as medium width flake with distinctive light Virginia and dark Kentucky striations. Virginias are grassy and mildly sweet with citrus background while the Kentucky is nutty and woodsy, also dry with a sharp note. When folded there is more variation in flavor than when rubbed out. The casing is mainly licorice extract with a touch of molasses and imparts an earthy sweet taste, a light complex aroma. Requires average relights, more so when folded. Burns cool and leaves little moisture behind. The strength is medium and builds in the bowl. Room note is pleasant and has a lingering sweet aftertaste. Two and a half stars

Moist, spongy, and almost a little sticky in the tin. Great aroma. Very malty smelling. I didn't know this had a licorice topping and interpreted the taste as a fermented yeast, malt, and molasses like in a dark bread. If you've ever had B&M canned raisin bread, they are near identical in flavour and in smell- with a faint brightness and grass from the Virginia.

Burns very slow and cool with a couple relights. May need a little drying. I set my slices out for about 15 minutes and then just fold and stuff.

No bite and a generous 'nic-kick'

Not sure how I feel about this one. I thoroughly enjoyed the first couple bowls, then kind of lost interest. I am sure many people go to this as an all day smoke and I can see it's appeal in that capacity, but there are just so many other interesting tobaccos out there. I'll keep a tin around for when the craving strikes and a couple in the cellar to see how it ages.

If you are a lover of Virginias, but want something velvety and less bright, I'd say this could be precisely the smoke you're looking for. For me, I'm thinking blending in some Perique or Oriental to spice and liven this out of it's gravy-like malaise may be the key to turning it into something I really like.

If a friend asked what he should try, I can't imagine this being on my list of suggestions. For that reason, I am giving it one star, though I'd not argue with a VA lover who insisted it's a three.

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Revisited

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I have smoked this blend a few times since the first review and it's low, thick, malty flavour is kind of growing on me. Like a less-sweet molasses. I think this may find a more permanent place in my rotation after all. Great after-breakfast smoke with a cup of black tea. Bump me up to a solid two on this one. Maybe I'll see ya back here in a year with another star.

Great blend, good tin note and presentation with the bicolored look of Ky and Va. tobaccos. Rubs out to a good pacaksble product for a semi shorter smoke and works well folded and stuffed. Takes to the match well in both preps. Taste is both sweet and nutty and has just a hint of anise in the smoke and on the younger. Strength for me is a medium and the nicotine is medium for me as well. All in all a good solid smoke. Have smoked this at new stage and at over a year, while it was wonderful right out of the tin it has improved with a little age and I believe that it will cellar well, at least I hope so as I have two rolls of the weed laid back. Well worth a try if you like dark ky.