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Wessex Brigade Campaign Dark Flake First Impressions

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krizzose

krizzose

Lifer
Feb 13, 2013
3,126
18,182
Michigan
Short version: outstanding.
There’s a very general similarity to Marlin Flake, but with some significant differences. Similar in sweetness, with WBCDF a hair sweeter. Maybe that’s the topping talking. MF has a tangy, malty breadiness, whereas WBCDF has a more prominent dark fruitiness, a bit brighter. A sweet oats kind of taste versus sweet bread (not sweetbreads, which would be nasty). I don’t want to say WBCDF has more hay, I think a better term would be sweet silage. Again, just a bit brighter than MF. Sorry for approaching the tasting notes cliff of douchebaggery there.
The burning qualities are fantastic. I’m smoking from a fresh tin, with some flakes I would have preferred to dry a bit more. Even with getting some gurgle, it burns very cool with no bite whatsoever.
I’m impressed. A bought a few tins on reputation alone, and I made the right call. This stuff is right in my wheelhouse: mild to medium in strength, but rich in flavor with palpable sweetness.

 
cigrmaster

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
Nice review. BCDF is one of my all time favorite blends and I have more tins of this one than any other blend in my cellar. It does age very nicely.

 
E

elpfeife

Lifer
Dec 25, 2013
1,289
479
I'm with the others. Like Harris, I probably have more of this put away that anything else.

 
peckinpahhombre

peckinpahhombre

Lifer
Dec 24, 2012
7,195
456
I have a fair bit of it as well, and enjoy it, but at times it is so sweet that it is like smoking hot chocolate.

 
npod

npod

Lifer
Jun 11, 2017
2,942
1,024
For the past two years I’ve had a two way race between Wessex Campaign Dark and Astley 44. Both are very similar to me (with slight differences of course). Honestly, I rotate both the same and both scratch the same itch for me. Neither wins yet. Both great. I agree with peck, sweet and chocolate are what I crave when I want these flakes, vs say Marlin Flake or Solani Silver or Golden Sliced. Capstan Blue is very different in my opinion. That one stands alone as more dark fruit or something. I have no substitute for the blue.

 
sparroa

sparroa

Lifer
Dec 8, 2010
1,466
4
I enjoyed this but I think too much sweetness derives from the dark molasses-like casing as opposed to the leaf.
I only have some aged stock since this one is fairly unobtainable now but I'd be interested to give it another shot. I haven't smoked any in years.

 
seacaptain

seacaptain

Lifer
Apr 24, 2015
1,829
7
Nice review. BCDF is one of my all time favorite blends and I have more tins of this one than any other blend in my cellar. It does age very nicely.
Click to expand...
A couple of years ago, someone posted a pic of dresser drawers full of BCDF. Was that you?

 
R

robcapp

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 8, 2017
193
62
Massachusetts
Anyone have thoughts on the new stuff, versus the stuff from say, 5 years ago?

The labels have very different descriptions, and would lead one to believe them to be a different blend.

 
peckinpahhombre

peckinpahhombre

Lifer
Dec 24, 2012
7,195
456
Interesting. All my stash is from 2012/13. Have not tried anything more recent than that. Would be interested to know if the blend has changed.

 
R

robcapp

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 8, 2017
193
62
Massachusetts
The old label:

"Dark brown Virginia, full bodied and smooth"
The new label:

"A fairly strong, dark Virginia Flake, which is promising a special seasoning in the English tradition, which is created by the aroma of the Virginia tobacco, dark fired Kentucky and a full-bodied Perique"
Go figure!

 
sablebrush52

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,747
45,288
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Very interesting. I like Campaign, but never thought that it tasted like a straight dark Virginia flake, like everyone said it was. I'll have to pop an old tin after picking up a new tin to open, then do side by side smoking to see if anything major has changed. Either Campaign has been reformulated, or there's always been a little bit of something and K&K is just now including it in their description.

 
seacaptain

seacaptain

Lifer
Apr 24, 2015
1,829
7
The one tin I have says "Dark brown Virginia, full bodied and smooth" and I bought it earlier this year. Not sure when it was manufactured though.

 
peckinpahhombre

peckinpahhombre

Lifer
Dec 24, 2012
7,195
456
Could it be that robcapp is talking about a different tobacco:
http://arangocigarco.com/cart_product.cfm?prod_id=142822

 
R

robcapp

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 8, 2017
193
62
Massachusetts
Interesting, Peck.
I checked my tin of Campaign Dark and it definitely has the same description.
Arango also has the Campaign description as:

http://arangocigarco.com/cart_catalog_prod.cfm?prod_id=142816&cat=20335
Click to expand...
My tin has flake slices, not ready rubbed flake as the Classic Virginia would.
Definitely starting to,suspect something wrong with the labeling, rather than blend change.

 
peckinpahhombre

peckinpahhombre

Lifer
Dec 24, 2012
7,195
456
Interesting. The plot thickens. I have never tasted any perique in BCDF but if the new version has perique, I want tro try some.

 
R

robcapp

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 8, 2017
193
62
Massachusetts
It would be great to get Arango to comment on this... 2 different blends with the exact same tin description... doesn't sound right!

 
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