Favorite Dark Fired Tobacco???

[bowler1]

This is somewhat of a follow up to my previous post about favorite burley. I am starting to different burleys. I now have a whole list of burleys to try.
How about those burleys (and others) that are dark fired? I really like Old Dark Fired. What others do you recommend that are similar?
Also, I noticed that at least one of the tobaccos mentioned in my post was a dark fired Virginia (Dark Birdseye). I was not aware that Virginias also were sometimes dark fired.
Any other light you can shed on the subject of dark fired tobaccos would be appreciated, and on what exactly a "Kentucky dark fired" is. Is this a specific type of burley that has been dried as a dark fired? Or is the drying technique "fired" and the term dark referring to the strain of tobacco. I also notice that some of the tobaccos that they mention as being "Kentuckys" are grown in Africa. That seems odd to me. Again, any other info you can provide to alleviate my ignorance on this subject is appreciated.
thanks!

Matt

 

[torque]

I grew up in Kentucky and worked in tobacco as a kid to make some extra summer cash. "Dark" is a type/strain. All the tobacco that was grown in the area where I grew up was air cured but I believe the term "fired" means it is cured using a heat source in a closed barn instead of opening the barn and allowing natural cross-currents of air to dry the leaf.
I remember that any rain during curing time would make the farmers cuss as this would slow the curing time down and take longer for the leaf to be "in order" due to the added humidity in the air. Now I wish I had paid more attention when I had the opportunity to learn. Wasn't that interested as a kid though, lol.

 

[conlejm]

Well if you want to go "hard core" you can try pure "Dark Fired Kentucky in two blends that I know of:
Gawith, Hoggarth, & Co. Produce a Kendall Kentucky
Peter Stokkebye produces a 314 Dark Fired

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Personally, I like the flavor of PS Dark Fired. But, there is also GW&Co's Dark Flake unscented which has a very cosmopolitan flavor. I can't say what exactly is in the blend, but it is definitely in the dark fired genre.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Personally, I like the flavor of PS Dark Fired. But, there is also GW&Co's Dark Flake unscented which has a very cosmopolitan flavor. I can't say what exactly is in the blend, but it is definitely in the dark fired genre.

 

[cortezattic]

Some other blends to consider:

• Mac Baren HH Acadian Perique
  
  Three Nuns
  
  Newminster 403 Superior Round Slices
  
  Peterson Irish Flake
  
  Pease JackKnife (plug or rubbed), Triple Play, and Cumberland
  
  Hearth&Home Freight Train
  
  ...and I think Rattray's Hal O'The Wynd

Some older threads addressing dark fired kentucky:

• http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/best-dark-fired-kentuckynon-aromatic-burley-blends
  
  http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/farming-in-the-black-patch-video-on-dark-fired
  
  http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/hamph-freight-train
  
  http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/tanzania-fired-leaf
  
  http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/tobacco-basics-nicotine-amp-sugar-content-curing-methods

G.L.Pease on dark fired Kentucky:

Briefly, dark-fired is both dark and fire-cured. These tobaccos, casually referred to as "darks," begin life as a different cultivar from the regular burleys, and include the Green River and One-Sucker varieties. Roughly 90% of these darks are grown in a small region of south-western Kentucky and across the border in north-western Tennessee, with the rest coming from Virginia, and are brought to market either air- or fire-cured.
Fire-cured darks are stalk harvested and air dried until the desired level of yellowing occurs, usually for between five and eight days, before controlled fires are built from hardwoods and sawdust. The yellowed leaf is locked away in the smoking barns to be fumigated, through as many as three distinct firings, until the desired level of color is set, the correct moisture content is achieved, and the right amount of smokiness is produced. The production is a delicate balance of art and science, as there are a lot of variables to consider during the process, such as maintaining correct humidity and temperature, and just the right smoke levels.
The finished result is a strong, dark, slightly sweet and smoky, with a distinctive tobacco, with an almost floral character. Dark-fired is not as pungent as its sun-dried, fire-cured cousin, Latakia, but it is much stronger, in general. Much of the world’s production finds its way to snuff, chewing tobacco and dry cured cigars, though it’s always been an important component in some traditional UK pipe tobaccos. There’s quite a bit more to the picture, but I hope this little thumbnail offers some insight.

 

[disinformatique]

Interesting post, getting some GH&Co. Dark Fired.

 

[derfargin]

I'm a big fan of H&H Freight Train, you wanna might give that one a try.

 

[woodsroad]

4Noggins and P&C both sell straight, genuine Kentucky Dark Fired as a blending tobacco. THAT is the real deal. It is my understanding that most of the world's production of wood-fired tobacco originates in Africa, but is still called Kentucky Dark Fired, so keep that in mind. Russ assures me that the KDF that he sells at P&C is hickory-fired in Kentucky, and I can assure you that it is some tasty stuff. Buy a half pound and just mix it in with your fav VA.
The African Dark Fired that I've had is also very good, but very different from the real, made-in-USA KDF. It is heavier and darker.
More KDF Info Here

 

[settersbrace]

I'm currently smoking my first ever bowl of ODF (bulk) and although I'm still only 1/3 of the way in I can say that I'm beginning to 'get' what all the hype is about. This is a very deep, rich smoking blend that has me salivating heavily. I'll be setting the pipe down soon to allow for DGT and to give me time for note taking. It's the many discussions including this one that has led me to once again step out beyond my comfort zone and explore the vast array of offerings that stare back at us every day.

 

[settersbrace]

I'm with Trailboss on the value side of bulk purchasing. I love tins from an asthetic point of view but today's pricing leaves me seeking out a more bang for the buck bulk version or substitute when possible. With the pending FDA rulings potentially making the taxation even higher, I'm finally on the "get it while you can" bandwagon.

 

[settersbrace]

Again with SG's Balkan Flake, I'll concur that it's delicious and slooooow smoking. Once you get a good cherry going its one of those smokes that you never want to end.

 

[cpbiw]

My favorite blend with dark fired Kentucky is GL Pease Navigator. When I'm looking at my open tins, deciding what blend I feel like that day, I almost always have to restrain myself from picking up the tin of Navigator.

 

[saltedplug]

GH Dark Flake is a combination of Malawi Dark-Fired and Indian Dark Air-cured. I've been smoking it with gusto for 10 years. It's one of those tobaccos that appeals to me around the clock, but also especially in the evening. Cumberland, depending on unknown factors, can ascend to the top-dog position, but only for a bit. I also smoke a good bit of Dark Flake as I have over 40 lbs. cellared.