Wessex Brigade Campaign Dark Flake First Impressions
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Fresh off the truck, literally. My tobacco order arrived Tuesday from SPC and it included 2 tins of Wessex Campaign Dark Flake. I'm smoking it now from the new tin. It tastes the same as always to me, but now that Kentucky and Perique have been mentioned, I sure do taste it. But who knows, my mind may be skewed a priori. Still great stuff.
I certainly never got much Kentucky or Perique from the Dark Flake but K&K often uses them with a pretty light hand so I would not be surprised if there are small amounts in there.
Orlik Golden Sliced and some C&D blends had inaccurate labels on them for years so this kind of mistake isn't unheard of.
Either way, the old label isn't very descriptive so they probably just made it more accurate.
"Dark brown Virginia, full bodied and smooth"
Being dark brown doesn't make it a straight Virginia - they likely just omitted the rest of the recipe information for some reason.
Orlik Golden Sliced and some C&D blends had inaccurate labels on them for years so this kind of mistake isn't unheard of.
Either way, the old label isn't very descriptive so they probably just made it more accurate.
"Dark brown Virginia, full bodied and smooth"
Being dark brown doesn't make it a straight Virginia - they likely just omitted the rest of the recipe information for some reason.
My gal is working late tonight, so I am bored. Took the time to explore this some more.
1. Wessex Campaign Dark Flake - January 2017
vs
2. Wessex Campaign Dark Flake - September 2018
And yes, I broke out my cobs for this comparison!
Conclusion (keeping in mind I suck at tobacco reviews): Pretty much the same blends. HOWEVER, the 2018 tin did have a much more noticeable Perique bite at first light. My nose tingled and I definitely noticed Perique. But after a full bowl side to side, by the last third of the bowl, they pretty much tasted the same. I did notice the Burley in both. Not significantly different between the two. Also, the flakes look similar. The 2017 is on the left and just slightly darker, but it has been in a jar for 1.5 years so who knows.
In summary: Yep, Perique is in both blends. Much more prominent in the current 2018 blend. I am reminded why I love this tobacco so much! I never thought of it as a "VaPer", but going forward, that is what my mind will think.
1. Wessex Campaign Dark Flake - January 2017
vs
2. Wessex Campaign Dark Flake - September 2018
And yes, I broke out my cobs for this comparison!
Conclusion (keeping in mind I suck at tobacco reviews): Pretty much the same blends. HOWEVER, the 2018 tin did have a much more noticeable Perique bite at first light. My nose tingled and I definitely noticed Perique. But after a full bowl side to side, by the last third of the bowl, they pretty much tasted the same. I did notice the Burley in both. Not significantly different between the two. Also, the flakes look similar. The 2017 is on the left and just slightly darker, but it has been in a jar for 1.5 years so who knows.
In summary: Yep, Perique is in both blends. Much more prominent in the current 2018 blend. I am reminded why I love this tobacco so much! I never thought of it as a "VaPer", but going forward, that is what my mind will think.
Great photos and thankyou, npod! Looks awesome.
Interesting the label descriptions for the Classic, and the Campaign are the same.
Interesting the label descriptions for the Classic, and the Campaign are the same.
OK, I just smoked a bowl of mine and I taste no perique whatsoever. Not sure about Kentuckey but I don't think there is any of that either.
Not to challenge npod, but I wonder if they put the label for the classic on the BCDF by mistake.
Not to challenge npod, but I wonder if they put the label for the classic on the BCDF by mistake.
seacaptain,
In regards to 2012/2013 BCDF, it is a straight Virginia with a molasses like topping. I have smoked a whole bunch of tins of this one and never got a hint of perique or burley. Looking at the flakes of the 2017/2018 batch it looks completely different than my BCDF. Mine are all wrap around flakes of dark tobacco with barley a hint of a lighter color tobacco. Those new flakes are totally different shapes and colors.
It may be that K&K couldn't get the same type of leaf and decided to re work the blend?
That was me and yes I have BCDF all over my house.
In regards to 2012/2013 BCDF, it is a straight Virginia with a molasses like topping. I have smoked a whole bunch of tins of this one and never got a hint of perique or burley. Looking at the flakes of the 2017/2018 batch it looks completely different than my BCDF. Mine are all wrap around flakes of dark tobacco with barley a hint of a lighter color tobacco. Those new flakes are totally different shapes and colors.
It may be that K&K couldn't get the same type of leaf and decided to re work the blend?
I'll have to pick up a tin for a comparison. Campaign never tasted like a straight brown Virginia to me, so it will interesting to see if I pick up a definite difference. There might have been 1% of these other varietals in the blend and you wouldn't notice it. A slight difference means nothing. Blends vary slightly batch to batch, year to year. A slightly different look to the flake also means nothing. especially when you're comparing aged flakes to new flakes. Unless there's a marked shift in the flavor profile, this is probably more about a change in the label description than anything else.
But then again, K&K has changed the composition of the Astley's blends, so it's not out of the question. Sources do dry up, stop growing tobacco and start growing something else.
Well, if Wessex Campaign has been changed...
I'll just have to sit on my stash for a few more years and then sell if off at $1000 a tin. It's the least I can do to give something back.
But then again, K&K has changed the composition of the Astley's blends, so it's not out of the question. Sources do dry up, stop growing tobacco and start growing something else.
Well, if Wessex Campaign has been changed...
I'll just have to sit on my stash for a few more years and then sell if off at $1000 a tin. It's the least I can do to give something back.
Jesse, take a look at your wrap around BCDF and compare it to the pic above, it is more than a slight difference. Also the colors are very different. Our BCDF is definitely the more valuable and I think a grand a tin is more than fair.
I'll have to pick up a recent tin. I haven't bought any since 2014. When I do pick one up, I'll take a look. If the presentation of the flakes has changed, that would be consistent with what happened with the Astley's line. K&K made some major changes there, and then changed it again since fans of the blend had a negative reaction to the first change.
Blends are always getting readjusted because the flavor of the constituent tobaccos vary slightly year to year. The goal is to keep the end product consistent.
OK, I pulled one if the 188 tins I have remaining to take some shots of an older tin. Definitely a different cut as the old stuff was essentially one massive flake folded over.
The fact that the tin description is word for word the same as the Classic Virginia indicates an error somewhere.
Is it just different presentation in the tin... is it a different blend.... If so, which blend is superior.... So many questions.....
Is it just different presentation in the tin... is it a different blend.... If so, which blend is superior.... So many questions.....
Send samples to Jim and ask him to smoke them back to back. If anyone is going to taste the differences, it will be him.
I’ve only smoked from a new tin. I am not a fan of too much DFK, and if it’s there it’s extremely light. I won’t even opine on the perique since I experience it so much differently in the blends where it’s used. In any event, I’m buying more cause it’s fantastic
I did find some this week and ordered 5 Tins...They are out there...Just need to look. I get the
order Wednesday and will Post.
order Wednesday and will Post.
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