My First Tin of St. Bruno Flake.
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Dry it and smoke it. It is an easy flake to handle, so fold and stuff, cube cut, rub out or whatever you prefer, and fire it up. It is absolutely delicious IMO.
I smoked a tin of that last year and did not have problems with ghosting. Room note is lingers and not in a good way.
I smoked this last week for the first time. I got a sweet flower taste out of it with a touch of fruit here and there. It seemed to taste better with slow sips. I liked it but wasn't overwhelmed with the taste. I thought some aging might make it a great smoke so I tucked it away for a while.
I didn't have any issues with ghosting.
I didn't have any issues with ghosting.
Thanks for the responses. I rubbed some out onto a paper towel and let it dry for about 20 minutes. I'm smoking it now in a Falcon as I type this mini-review. I get a faint floral taste and an occasional sour taste. It burns nice, no relights and I'm digging the aroma. I'm going to have to smoke several more bowls before I know for sure if this will be part of my regular rotation.
I've smoked St Bruno for years and really love it! The old Ogdens product was a more elegant tobacco than the Mac Baren version, but I like the current one as well. Definitely give it a little drying time, but not so much as I usually recommend or the topping will lose some punch. I get cider vinegar, leather, a little bit of a floral note, and camphor, in addition to the tobaccos. Sounds horrible, but tastes great!
It will subtly ghost a pipe, but it's a ghost that goes away with a good cleaning and a few bowls of something else. I've never thought of it as a Lakeland, though it does share some similarities to Lakeland blends, just not so much of the Grannie's Panties.
It will subtly ghost a pipe, but it's a ghost that goes away with a good cleaning and a few bowls of something else. I've never thought of it as a Lakeland, though it does share some similarities to Lakeland blends, just not so much of the Grannie's Panties.
Just Like mr.Sable stated above,I use to dry it a bit and pack on the lighter hand, and most probably may subtly ghost a briar but not overwhelmingly so
There are basically only two moist blends that I DO NOT DRY, St. Bruno being one and Condor being the other. Those two smoke perfectly right out of the tin/pouch. But of course, do what works best for you, I find I get the most flavor out of those two when smoked the way they come and surprisingly, I have no problem with the burn. VA based blends with no toppings I tend to dry the hell out of and get more flavor that way. English blends smoke great dry as well, Billy Budd is at its best (for me) when it’s so dry most people would probably toss it or rehydrate it. Anyway however you choose to go about St. Bruno, I really hope you enjoy it, it’s one of my all time favorites, perfect all day smoke, yessir.
And I’m with Weezell, I actually prefer the ready rubbed Beuno to the Flake. You can tell it’s the same stuff, they just put the flakes in a tumbler, put it in a pouch and sell it for cheaper. Condor is a different story, I much prefer the Flake and Plug to the RR, albeit, I still love the RR and it’s still better than most tobacco’s ever dream of being. :P
Oh and it will ghost after 200 consecutive plus smokes in one pipe but one here or there won’t give ya any problems.
And I’m with Weezell, I actually prefer the ready rubbed Beuno to the Flake. You can tell it’s the same stuff, they just put the flakes in a tumbler, put it in a pouch and sell it for cheaper. Condor is a different story, I much prefer the Flake and Plug to the RR, albeit, I still love the RR and it’s still better than most tobacco’s ever dream of being. :P
Oh and it will ghost after 200 consecutive plus smokes in one pipe but one here or there won’t give ya any problems.
The sour taste you notice is probably the vinegar that many baccies have to retard mold.
Drying is a personal decision, but I find it dries out quickly enough on its own. If you are having a problem with too many relights, consider rubbing it out into very small pieces.
It may ghost a pipe if you smoke several bowls a day, as I did in my youth, but an occasional puff should not harm a pipe. Condor is much more likeley to leave a calling card.
The combination of St Bruno and a Falcon is classic Brit. I have dedicated a Falcon to SB in memory of my pipe mentor, who had only one pipe - a Falcon, and only one baccy - SB flake.
The flavour, scent and cut of SB is straight out of the 19th century.
I hope you like it - but it is OK if you don't. It is one of those blends that rouses feelings both pro and con.
Drying is a personal decision, but I find it dries out quickly enough on its own. If you are having a problem with too many relights, consider rubbing it out into very small pieces.
It may ghost a pipe if you smoke several bowls a day, as I did in my youth, but an occasional puff should not harm a pipe. Condor is much more likeley to leave a calling card.
The combination of St Bruno and a Falcon is classic Brit. I have dedicated a Falcon to SB in memory of my pipe mentor, who had only one pipe - a Falcon, and only one baccy - SB flake.
The flavour, scent and cut of SB is straight out of the 19th century.
I hope you like it - but it is OK if you don't. It is one of those blends that rouses feelings both pro and con.
It's one of my favorites and you can tell by looking at my cellar.
I like both, the flake and ready rubbed, but I probably reach for the ready rubbed more often, probably due to convenience.
It does ghost a little, but it's a ghost I like!
I like both, the flake and ready rubbed, but I probably reach for the ready rubbed more often, probably due to convenience.
It does ghost a little, but it's a ghost I like!
Such enthusiasm for St Bruno. We even brought hawky454 back from exile! (I had missed that doggie avatar)
I had bought a tin of St Bruno over a year ago, and this thread made me finally try it. Not bad. I can see myself getting hooked on this stuff. Too many relights, though, but I reckon that's my fault.
I don't rate it as a Lakeland at all.
I had bought a tin of St Bruno over a year ago, and this thread made me finally try it. Not bad. I can see myself getting hooked on this stuff. Too many relights, though, but I reckon that's my fault.
I don't rate it as a Lakeland at all.
@ Hawky454 and StBruno70, Thank You for these valuable pieces of information,it is always nice to learn something new on tobaccoes,You boys decidedly are way more familiar with these (SB+Condors)blends than me the undersigned.Will keep observations in my mind,Best Regards,
@ Paul - not at all.
Condor is more perfume-like and sweeter. I once had a bowl after devouring a firey Vindaoloo curry and thought to myself: Bloody hell! This is like having a desert! While I prefer SBF, I do smoke Condor on occasion for old time's sake. Now there is a baccy that will definitely ghost your pipe.
Back in the day when British Snail was the soul of UK travel and before shillings and pence were retired, pipe smoking in pubs was quite common. I remember spreading SBF on the table, sticky with beer, to break up the flakes which doubtless got even moister on that surface. But I was most likely too numb after a few pints to notice or care. Bitter ale and sweet SBF was a glorious combination.
I restock on SBF every time I go back to Blighty, and have mates there send me packets as well. For the longest time SBF was not found in America but reappeared in a square tin a few years ago. I have not yet tried the American import. Has anyone compared SBF from the UK side by side with the American import? Is it the same or has the recipe been altered for the overseas market?
Condor is more perfume-like and sweeter. I once had a bowl after devouring a firey Vindaoloo curry and thought to myself: Bloody hell! This is like having a desert! While I prefer SBF, I do smoke Condor on occasion for old time's sake. Now there is a baccy that will definitely ghost your pipe.
Back in the day when British Snail was the soul of UK travel and before shillings and pence were retired, pipe smoking in pubs was quite common. I remember spreading SBF on the table, sticky with beer, to break up the flakes which doubtless got even moister on that surface. But I was most likely too numb after a few pints to notice or care. Bitter ale and sweet SBF was a glorious combination.
I restock on SBF every time I go back to Blighty, and have mates there send me packets as well. For the longest time SBF was not found in America but reappeared in a square tin a few years ago. I have not yet tried the American import. Has anyone compared SBF from the UK side by side with the American import? Is it the same or has the recipe been altered for the overseas market?
St. Bruno has been made by MacBaren since 2006, or thereabouts, so what you're buying in the UK is supposedly the same product as is available in the US. I used to get it from the UK by running the blockade. Then, when St Bruno started being imported to the US I tried one against the other. My impression was that the topping had been reduced for the US market. But more recent purchases have been plenty pungent. So maybe it was just a batch to batch difference.
I still have a few tins of the weed I bought from the UK, US import tins, and I've got a tin of late '90's Ogden made St. Bruno that I'm going to open in the near future. Might be interesting to smoke a few bowls of each to see if they're remarkably different.
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