Barling Tradition
(3.22)
Cyprian and Syrian latakias, spiced with strong Kentucky and rounded off with a little, broad cut Virginia. Full and strong in taste. Traditional English.
Details
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable to Strong
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 04, 2018 | Medium to Strong | Medium | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
Found a couple of fresh tins at a favorite tobacconist and grabbed one out of curiosity. It was fresh and smokably moist in its well sealed tin and plastic baggie. This packaging seems typical of German blended products and it seems to work very well. This blend appears to have been off the market for several years. The appearance is alarming for one used to English blends, its large coarse chunks and flakes with coarse ribbons are sort of unusual. The tin note says heavy topping or casing but such doesn’t appear to be the case when smoking it. It’s a tasty, mild smoke with ample flavor and no bite. I was smoking it in a Nording freehand with plenty of bowl capacity to accommodate the coarse cut and that seemed to work out OK. Burned clean to the bottom leaving a nice gray ash, no moisture and very little unsmokable stuff. I sorta like it and wish I could get more as it’s a nice departure from many common blends...Syrian Latakia mixed with Cyprian Latakia, Burley and ? If you run across some, I think you’d be wise to buy it and try it.
I went back to the tobacconist and bought the other tin. I revised my strength and taste opinions and will add that it’s best in a well broken in or otherwise cool smoking pipe.
I went back to the tobacconist and bought the other tin. I revised my strength and taste opinions and will add that it’s best in a well broken in or otherwise cool smoking pipe.
Pipe Used:
Nording Freehand
PurchasedFrom:
Local tobacconist probably an Estate resell
Age When Smoked:
Unknown
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 11, 2017 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Heady tin note of campfire from the Latakia. DFK adds a spicy note as well. Dark mix cuts of the afore mentioned weeds with flecks of Virginia disbursed throughout. Moisture content good, packs well and burned at a slow rate as well. Flavor profile in my view is more from the DFKwith a spicy, earthy note. The Latakia is obvious but not over reaching by any means. The Virginia is just enough to provide a tad of sweet citrus. Not a lat bpm like Old Ironsides by any means. Burned well and proved consistent through the bowl. No weak or dull spots. Little Dottie and burned with little moisture. All in all a good smokei in what I call more of a non traditional English blend.
Pipe Used:
Oversized no name German
PurchasedFrom:
Smoking pipes
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 16, 2023 | Medium | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
So much better than the Garnet, this almost, but not quite, gets four stars from me. I take it that neither are being distributed in the U.S, any longer, but if you happen to see any old stock at a B&M it’s well worth giving this a try.
What I liked about this – past tense, as I just finished my last bowl – is the savory meaty quality that smokes like a meal. I will often note a chargrilled meaty flavor in certain Latakia blends, but this is meaty without the heavy char. I suspect the Kentucky dampens most of the grill soot taste that I get from Cyprian Latakia, a smoky earthiness without the creosote. The blend is a little lacking in sweetness, the choice of Virginias going more for savory than sweet. And I do miss at least a touch of some Turkish variety which would have added a nice sunflower seed nuttiness to the recipe.
So, not quite four stars, because, as one other reviewer noted, it doesn’t really develop much in the bowl. I started smoking this in a rather large Barling bulldog (because I thought the two were meant for each other!), but ended up favoring a much smaller bowl. This is because too much of any one thing can get tiring. Sort of like eating a nice savory steak but without any veggies or condiments on the plate.
What I liked about this – past tense, as I just finished my last bowl – is the savory meaty quality that smokes like a meal. I will often note a chargrilled meaty flavor in certain Latakia blends, but this is meaty without the heavy char. I suspect the Kentucky dampens most of the grill soot taste that I get from Cyprian Latakia, a smoky earthiness without the creosote. The blend is a little lacking in sweetness, the choice of Virginias going more for savory than sweet. And I do miss at least a touch of some Turkish variety which would have added a nice sunflower seed nuttiness to the recipe.
So, not quite four stars, because, as one other reviewer noted, it doesn’t really develop much in the bowl. I started smoking this in a rather large Barling bulldog (because I thought the two were meant for each other!), but ended up favoring a much smaller bowl. This is because too much of any one thing can get tiring. Sort of like eating a nice savory steak but without any veggies or condiments on the plate.
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