Orlik Tobacco Company A/S Dark Strong Kentucky
(3.26)
Virginias with dark fired Kentucky tobacco. Tobacco selection: Blending fine black cavendish with the irresistible qualities of Kentucky burley gives this flake a look, taste and feel uniquely its own.
Details
| Brand | Orlik Tobacco Company A/S |
| Blended By | Orlik Tobacco Company |
| Manufactured By | |
| Blend Type | Virginia/Burley |
| Contents | Black Cavendish, Kentucky, Virginia |
| Flavoring | Licorice, Molasses |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 50 grams pouch, 50 grams tin |
| Country | Denmark |
| Production | No longer in production |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.26 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 65 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 07, 2012 | Medium | Medium | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Original review: It came in a medium wide strips that were very easy to rub out or fold and stuff depending on your preference. I tried it both ways and noticed no flavor difference. There was some natural sweetness that complimented the deep Kentucky taste, but I would not label this a sweet tobacco, per se'. It did have some nuttiness, earth, wood, spice and a floral note from the Kentucky, though it was not as bold as other Kentuckys I have smoked. The Red Virginia was tangy dark fruit sweet with wood and earth as a supporting player. The bright Virginia offered tart citrus, slightly grass and mild floralness in a secondary role. The sugary black cavendish is mostly a condiment. The licorice topping conjoined with a hint of molasses to moderately sublimate the tobaccos. No bite or harshness. The nic-hit was a step past the center of mild to medium. The strength and taste levels were medium. Burned cool, clean and slowly with a very consistent sweet flavor, and left just a little moisture in the bowl. Needed some relights. Had a nice after taste that pleasantly lingered. Not an all day smoke.
Peter Heinrichs Dark Strong is a good substitute, but I thought it not quite as complex as the Orlik, though it looks exactly the same. I doubt I'd have noticed much difference at all, except that I taste tested back in the day. Orlik's blend was just a tad more complex, slightly nuttier, and very barely sweeter than the Heinrichs' mixture, and had a touch less molasses. Also had just a shade more red Virginia and licorice.
Updated review 7-10-2015: The new version of Dark Strong Kentucky is different than what I used to smoke in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The flakes are shorter and not as wide as they had been. This version has virtually no red Virginia that I can see or really taste. There is a hint of tangy dark fruit, earth and wood that may come from it, but if it is present, it's certainly well hidden. I don't think it's here. There's much more tart and tangy citrusy, grassy, floral, bright Virginia in here, probably to replace the red Virginia content. The amount of Kentucky is just slightly less than before, though it has the same flavors I attributed to it in my earlier review. The sugary black cavendish is mostly a condiment. The licorice topping is stronger, and sublimates the tobaccos much more so than in the earlier incarnation. Can't really taste any molasses in this one either. No bite. The nic-hit is in the center of mild to medium. The strength is almost medium and the taste is medium. Burns the same, and the after taste is stronger due to the toppings. Needs some relights, and leaves little moisture in the bowl. The pleasant after taste is short lived. Can be an all day smoke for the veteran.
Peter Heinrich's version has changed, too, and in the same way the Orlik has, except the topping is mostly molasses with a touch of licorice.
Due to the changes in ODSK, I've changed my rating. Four stars for the older version and two and a half for the new, which I rounded up to three.
-JimInks
Peter Heinrichs Dark Strong is a good substitute, but I thought it not quite as complex as the Orlik, though it looks exactly the same. I doubt I'd have noticed much difference at all, except that I taste tested back in the day. Orlik's blend was just a tad more complex, slightly nuttier, and very barely sweeter than the Heinrichs' mixture, and had a touch less molasses. Also had just a shade more red Virginia and licorice.
Updated review 7-10-2015: The new version of Dark Strong Kentucky is different than what I used to smoke in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The flakes are shorter and not as wide as they had been. This version has virtually no red Virginia that I can see or really taste. There is a hint of tangy dark fruit, earth and wood that may come from it, but if it is present, it's certainly well hidden. I don't think it's here. There's much more tart and tangy citrusy, grassy, floral, bright Virginia in here, probably to replace the red Virginia content. The amount of Kentucky is just slightly less than before, though it has the same flavors I attributed to it in my earlier review. The sugary black cavendish is mostly a condiment. The licorice topping is stronger, and sublimates the tobaccos much more so than in the earlier incarnation. Can't really taste any molasses in this one either. No bite. The nic-hit is in the center of mild to medium. The strength is almost medium and the taste is medium. Burns the same, and the after taste is stronger due to the toppings. Needs some relights, and leaves little moisture in the bowl. The pleasant after taste is short lived. Can be an all day smoke for the veteran.
Peter Heinrich's version has changed, too, and in the same way the Orlik has, except the topping is mostly molasses with a touch of licorice.
Due to the changes in ODSK, I've changed my rating. Four stars for the older version and two and a half for the new, which I rounded up to three.
-JimInks
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 07, 2011 | Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
Just finished a 3.5 oz tin from 2002, so consideration must be given to its age when reading this review. On the other hand, I didn't notice this tasting much if at all different from my tin of Peter Heinrichs blend of similar name.
Both were dark colored flakes with a deep, rich aroma and fairly moist in the tin. I dried this out slightly, but not as much as most flakes. The flavor was also deep and rich but interestingly enough, not strong. The flavors were of various spices and nuts, with a nice dark molasses background. It was lightly sweet but leaned heavily toward the spicy side. No problems keeping it lit and it wasn't overly heavy on the nicotine. As for strenth, don't let the "Kentucky" fool you. This is not a robust-tasting tobacco as some are that have a high concentration of kentucky leaf. Some casing appears to have been added but it was not intrusive.
This is not readily available in this country but don't despair -the above mentioned PH blend is, and I doubt I could tell the difference in a blind taste test.
Both were dark colored flakes with a deep, rich aroma and fairly moist in the tin. I dried this out slightly, but not as much as most flakes. The flavor was also deep and rich but interestingly enough, not strong. The flavors were of various spices and nuts, with a nice dark molasses background. It was lightly sweet but leaned heavily toward the spicy side. No problems keeping it lit and it wasn't overly heavy on the nicotine. As for strenth, don't let the "Kentucky" fool you. This is not a robust-tasting tobacco as some are that have a high concentration of kentucky leaf. Some casing appears to have been added but it was not intrusive.
This is not readily available in this country but don't despair -the above mentioned PH blend is, and I doubt I could tell the difference in a blind taste test.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 25, 2003 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
First-rate fire-cured Kentucky burley, baptised with a little Virginia to keep it from being wholly back-roads wild. Robust, plain, clean and honest.
VERY nice.
VERY nice.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 28, 2009 | Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
I would not classify this as a burley though it does contain some. It still has the hay like VA note in it and a very sweet one. The tobacco has a sweet/musky oder to it and is absolutely beautiful to look at in it's broken flake state. some strands are very dark brown and some at a light to medium brown. Reminds me some of the barber pole cigars out there. I let mine dry overnight in a tray and rubbed it out somewhat and loaded it in my old large Peterson billiard. It took a couple of light, tamp, light rituals but one fired up, it only need one relight. It has a very sweet and rich taste and I think the room note is very pleasant. I sipped this with my morning tea and it was a very enjoyable hour of sweet tobacco flavor but with no bite at all. I find that a lot of VA based blends can bite if not aged, and as I did not age this before trying, I was very pleased with how gentle is is. It burned all the way down to a grey and black dottle and left no moisture in the bottom of my pipe. Only reason I did not rate a four is that it does not have a lot of phases to it, same flavor from start to finish with no increase in flavor as it burned down. Not that this is really a bad thing as the flavor is very nice.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 09, 2017 | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Pleasant |
Due to many reviews below i was tempted to try this blend.when you crack the tin a sweet licorice and sugary smell comes out.the flakes are short cutted combing bright virginias and kentucky in right moisture.the flakes are very manageable and soft either to rub or fold as they are.i tried both and i prefer the rubbing method.lights almost easy (rubbed) and several relights are needed.while burning the flavours are rich and tastefull combining licorice notes,sweet notes,nuts,citruces and very rare some dark fruits with spices come out.the flavours are combined very well though the licorice topping some times is more present than the tobacco compoments not in a bad way.burns slow and medium hot to total ash with a bit moisture at the end of the bowl.the nicotine level is almost medium.no tongue bite for me.the room note is pleasant.depending on my mood it can be an all day smoke or not.a very descent blend but nor something unique.recommended
Age When Smoked:
When opened
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 28, 2015 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Orlik DSK is only the 2nd flake tobacco I have tried so far. I really like the presentation of the tobacco in layers. It easily shows you what you are getting ready to smoke.
Upon opening the tin the sweet aroma is licorice-like but I can also smell the tobacco goodness as well. The flakes are slightly rubbery in texture, but rub out nicely & seem to dry quicker afterwards. Once dry the tobacco loads quite easily & burns fairly well with a couple relights. I had more relights until I started to let it dry out a bit more, about 30 to 45 mins. worked for me. The taste is just what I was hoping for from this tobacco. It's not overly sweet, just right with good tobacco flavor from start to finish. I got overzealous the 1st couple bowls, didn't really get a bite, just less flavor & a lot of heat. You can taste the dark fired but it's not overbearing. There is a touch of smokiness but rounded out by the tanginess & sweetness of the Virginia.
I've tried this in a couple different size cobs & it smoked well in both with very little dottle. It's a great smoke & I will be buying more!
Upon opening the tin the sweet aroma is licorice-like but I can also smell the tobacco goodness as well. The flakes are slightly rubbery in texture, but rub out nicely & seem to dry quicker afterwards. Once dry the tobacco loads quite easily & burns fairly well with a couple relights. I had more relights until I started to let it dry out a bit more, about 30 to 45 mins. worked for me. The taste is just what I was hoping for from this tobacco. It's not overly sweet, just right with good tobacco flavor from start to finish. I got overzealous the 1st couple bowls, didn't really get a bite, just less flavor & a lot of heat. You can taste the dark fired but it's not overbearing. There is a touch of smokiness but rounded out by the tanginess & sweetness of the Virginia.
I've tried this in a couple different size cobs & it smoked well in both with very little dottle. It's a great smoke & I will be buying more!
Pipe Used:
MM cobs
PurchasedFrom:
pipesandcigars.com
Age When Smoked:
fresh to 2 weeks in a jar
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 27, 2015 | Medium | Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
This one hit the spot for me. After going through a few tins of Golden Slice I was ready for a bit more body. When I popped the lid to DSK I thought I died and gone to tobacco heaven where all the angels are two toned in cream and brown. There is a topping for sure that carries over to the room note, but I think Maple is added to the licorice.. could be both which would explain the difficulty in pipers describing the smell, but I do smell licorice but there is something present that is sweet. The tin smell is unique but divine. This is a burley blend. The burley does overshadow the va but does not taste like a straight burley smoke. Between the topping and the VA addition it really makes the smoke much milder than expected and is a nice mild to med smoke... looking for something stronger than mild but not heavy, but yet with flavor? This is a good one. Not your usual burley blend, recommended, and I would buy more.
Pipe Used:
Kaywoodie 16, Peterson XL305
PurchasedFrom:
pipesandCIgars.com
Age When Smoked:
a new tin 2015
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 18, 2015 | Medium | Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I am smoking through a generous sample given to me by a friend. It has been an enjoyable smoke. I have been rubbing it out.
The Virginias are sweet and a little heavy. There is a mild topping I claim bringing out the sweet, but it does not contribute a honey or similar taste. The description says licorice, but my tastebuds are not good enough to pick that out. The bowl has a distinctive "flash" of sweet on first light. The DFK gives it some spice and a full, slightly earthy flavor.
In terms of flavor, it reminds me a little of a smoother, more refined Superior Round Slices. The flavor profile has a little more depth.It is a great blend, and I found the smoke improved in the course of the bowl, becoming fuller and less edgy. There was no bitter in the profile, and it never tasted ashy.
The Virginias are sweet and a little heavy. There is a mild topping I claim bringing out the sweet, but it does not contribute a honey or similar taste. The description says licorice, but my tastebuds are not good enough to pick that out. The bowl has a distinctive "flash" of sweet on first light. The DFK gives it some spice and a full, slightly earthy flavor.
In terms of flavor, it reminds me a little of a smoother, more refined Superior Round Slices. The flavor profile has a little more depth.It is a great blend, and I found the smoke improved in the course of the bowl, becoming fuller and less edgy. There was no bitter in the profile, and it never tasted ashy.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 26, 2016 | Medium | Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
When I opened the tin I got a strong note of molasses and sweet hay. I like to rub these flakes out as they come a little moist and need a little drying time. When set to a match it brought back fond memories of my Great Grandfather and his pipe. This would be a blend he would have loved. The room note, which is something I seldom smell when smoking was very nice. Taste, the molasses top note was present but there is a nuttiness and sweetness to the KY, the VA had some notes of hay and there was a non citrus fruit like sweetness that may have been from KY. A very good blend that is not overly complex and slightly sweet. Do smoke this one slowly as the VA's can bite if you push too hard.
***Update*** 2022-03-28 Opened my final tin of this one with 6 years on it. It is a little drier in the tin and the VA's are darker. The tin note has changed before it was molasses forward now the licorice is way out front and it did translate into the smoke as I don't recall it being all that noticeable when 1 yr old; otherwise the taste is the same overall. A good smoke. I am glad I had picked up a couple of tins of this. I think I prefer it at the 1 yr mark personally.
***Update*** 2022-03-28 Opened my final tin of this one with 6 years on it. It is a little drier in the tin and the VA's are darker. The tin note has changed before it was molasses forward now the licorice is way out front and it did translate into the smoke as I don't recall it being all that noticeable when 1 yr old; otherwise the taste is the same overall. A good smoke. I am glad I had picked up a couple of tins of this. I think I prefer it at the 1 yr mark personally.
Age When Smoked:
1 yr.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 18, 2017 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
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.
.
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.
.
Pipe Used:
best in an old, thin-walled Belgique
PurchasedFrom:
Liberty tobacco
Age When Smoked:
a couple of months, out of a current tin
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