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Kevin Godbee - Jun 3, 2011
- 6 min read
Last year when I spent 10-days traveling all over Denmark, I noticed that 90% of the pipe smokers I encountered were smoking Orlik Golden Sliced. It appears to be one of the most popular blends to smoke in Denmark in the Summer. Now that it’s hotter than heck here in Florida, it seems like the right time to pop open a fresh new tin. I had never tried Orlik Golden Sliced until I went to Denmark. I even got to see them making it in the factory. It is interesting seeing some of the cultural differences when you travel, and it is also interesting observing the marketing and packaging differences. Two of the largest, (and I mean HUGE), pipe tobacco processors in Denmark are Mac Baren and Orlik.
What’s interesting is that both of them market their blends domestically in pouches, but export to the U.S. in metal tins. I believe the simple reason for this is that in the U.S. many people perceive tobacco in pouches to be of lower quality than that of tobacco in tins. At least in Denmark and Russia, this is not the perception, as both Mac Baren and Orlik ship pouches to those countries. I don’t know which packaging is used in other countries, so if any of our international readers would like to post in the comments, that would be interesting.
Update June 9, 2011 – Orlik Golden Sliced – No Burley, Yes Perique
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Another note-worthy difference between Orlik Golden Sliced in pouches and tins is the big variation in the size of the flakes. In the pouch, there are two giant flakes that are 16-inches long, and then folded into thirds. Whereas the flakes in the tin are what us American guys are used to seeing, which measure just shy of 3-inches. (This is actually the first time I ever got out a measuring tape for doing a tobacco review.)
Orlik Golden Slices is described on the tin as a "… delightful blend of golden and full body Virginia tobaccos with a touch of Burley. A fine natural sweetness in taste and aroma characterizes Orlik Golden Sliced. The cut is the traditional Navy Cut Flake i.e. pressed tobacco and cut into slices. Rub the tobacco slices gently before filling your pipe." Not only do they tell you about the blend, but suggest a way to rub it out. I usually do prefer to fully rub out slices, which is what I did for this review. Another way to do it is the "Fold & Stuff" method, which cause the tobaccos to burn slower and cooler, but can also make for a more challenging smoke as to the draw. Some people prefer the fold & stuff method, especially for Virginia-heavy blends, which naturally smoke hotter because of the higher natural sugar component inherent in flue-cured tobaccos.
My tin is fairly new, having been purchased about 6 months ago, and just freshly opened. This is my first time smoking from a tin. I have been smoking from the pouches I brought back from Denmark. Upon opening the tin, you can hear the quick swish of air from the vacuum-seal being broken. They do a fine job of packaging the flakes exquisitely with a beautiful fine paper insert that is sealed with an Orlik sticker with the judge character on it. The sticker is reminiscent of an elegant cigar band. Many reviewers describe the tin aroma as "hay-like". It is somewhat hay-like, but to me, just slightly with some nice sweetness as well. If you look for it, you can pick up a faint aroma of citrus that is a cross between orange and lemon. The tin aroma is quite mild, sweet and conveys images of being outdoors in the countryside. It kind of smells like a farm, hence the hay aroma so often used to describe this blend.
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The colors are a mixture of browns, light-browns with little bits of beige and butterscotch that all combine into making Orlik Golden Sliced dirty-blonde in color. To the touch, the moisture level feels perfect. I don’t detect any moisture at all, and it is not dried out as it is springy after being rubbed out. The feel of the tobacco is typical for Danish-style tobaccos. It is a little bit coarse, unlike American-style tobaccos which usually feel soft. The small size of the flakes is deceiving. I rubbed out two flakes and loaded up my new Comoy Tradition Canadian, and it seemed like I still had half the tobacco left over. Based on past experience with other flakes, I think you usually need about 1.5 flakes to load an average size bowl.
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The rubbed-out tobacco still smells like the tin aroma, except a little bit stronger. I find it intriguing that the rubbed-out tobacco reminds me of the pack aroma of fine cigarettes. I mean that in a good way. Although I do not smoke or enjoy cigarettes, I do like the unlit pack aroma. It’s not really surprising since many cigarettes use a similar recipe of Virginia and Burley tobaccos. The pre-light draw is almost tasteless. I’m not picking up any flavor at all, so it’s time to finally light this baby up. The tobacco lights up quite well since I made sure to put the finest broken up particles on top.
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Orlik Golden Sliced is extremely mild and slightly sweet. If the tin description didn’t say there was Burley in the blend I would have never known it. It tastes like a 100% Virginia blend as the Burley content is quite small. The Burley subtlety does it’s job of taming the Virginia tobaccos which can sometimes get a little hot.
If you either like or love Virginia tobacco blends and you haven’t tried Orlik Golden Slices, then you must. It’s a simple-tasting, mild blend that just tastes darn good. Even though the flavor is mild and the taste simple it is exceptionally enjoyable. Orlik Golden Slices is like the plain vanilla ice cream of the pipe tobacco world. It does get more flavorful as the bowl progresses and the citrus notes are much more obvious on the finish.
This is a tobacco that you can smoke all day, every day, at any time of day, and since it is not complex, it is also a good one to smoke when you are engaged in other activities. If you are a newbie, just remember to smoke it slow. I also recommend rubbing out the flakes so you have some bigger pieces of tobacco and some fine pieces. Put the bigger pieces on the bottom and the fine pieces on top, and don’t puff too hard.
Brand: Orlik Tobacco Company A/S
Blender: Orlik Tobacco Company A|S
Tin Description: A blend of golden, fully ripe virginia and a little burley. Naturally sweet.
Country of Origin: DK
Curing Group: Flue Cured Virginia, Fermented Perique
Contents: Virginia, and just a touch of Perique
Cut: Flake
Packaging: 50g & 100g tin (40g pouch outside US)
Give us your review, or read others reviews – Orlik Golden Sliced Tobacco Reviews
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SPONSORED LINK: Orlik Golden Sliced – Click Here to Order Now!
Written by Kevin Godbee
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Soon now, supposedly, our neighborhoods will shift from grinning pumpkins, skeletons in various assortments, and zombies dashing about to pretty reindeer, angels, and flashing lights illuminating homes with sparkling stars and laughing, scurrying Santas. But, lest we forget, there is the turkey season, fancy pie aromas wafting from kitchens, and a national pardon of a big Tom Turkey. Remember, now, that only one of these holiday personalities is a pipe smoker. And that is the hefty, bearded fellow in a bright red suit sitting in a sleigh with a herd of deer hitched up and ready to streak across the globe, bringing tidings of joy and many presents. Ok, the scene is set for the next couple of months, right? So, before we get too far off the beaten path, let’s just take a deep breath of fresh autumn air, shall we? Ahh. That’s better, isn’t it? What’s got the Pundit in a snit is not all the Halloween spooks who came a-jostling for candy. 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Great review Kevin.
One question that I’m sure a lot of people are wondering is; does it taste the same in the pouch as it does in the tin?
Bob, yes, to me it taste the same, as it should for good product consistency.
Definitely a smooth smoker and one that I try to keep a tin of in my cellar. I’ve tried both packing methods (rub out & fold) with this tobacco and I definitely prefer the fold and stuff method. By doing this, in my opinion, the tobacco flavors seem more concentrated. Yes, it’s a little harder to keep lit with the fold and stuff method, but after a little practice, you start to figure out the nuances and your own preferences. As you said, a great tobacco for just about any time of day.
Ok Kevin… you can quit twisting my arm…. UNCLE!
I’ll have to give it a try.
Great review.
Very nice review. I’m a big fan of danish pipe tobacco. Just wondering, do you notice any casing when smoking?
Just out of curiosity, here in Portugal most pipe tobacco is sold in pouches. Tins are usually more expensive. Also, it is not very easy to find a lot of the popular brands (such as GLPease, McClelland or Cornell & Diehl).
Bruno, there was no noticeable casing. Thanks for the information that pouches are the prevalent packaging in Portugal.
Great review, Kevin!
OGS is GREAT STUFF! It is my current favorite tobac.
I have bought both the 50gr. tin (square, shown) and the 100gr. round tin. I much prefer the smaller tin as the flakes are easier to separate and “guage” for rubbing out the amount I need to fill a bowl. With the big, round tin, the flakes are pressed in a spiral, which I found are harder to separate (they tear easily) than in the square tin.
Super review Kevin, especially since I just ordered my 1st tins of Orlik just a few hours ago, based on other reviews(TobaccoReviews.com)and a passion for other flakes like Erinmore and McB Navy!
You said it all with this brand, great smoking tips and really solid,interesting info. Not to mention the beautiful helpful photos!
I have to clean up the drool now that you’ve inspired,can’t wait to try it and I look forward to more of your most interesting comments on our fun passion!! Expo
The composition sounds similar to Stonehaven. Does anyone know if the taste is similar? I really like Stonehaven but it is difficult to obtain. I’ve got a tin of Golden Slices that has about a year of aging on it. Maybe it’s time to crack it open and try it.
dave potts: Golden Sliced and Stonehaven are on opposite sides of the Virginia-burley flavor scale, the latter having deeper, darker, earthy flavors with a cigar-like note occasionally. Stonehaven is heavy in the nicotine department, too, and is uniformly a dark chocolate brown color. The added flavorings are quite different. Stonehaven seems to have a bit of tonkin extract added.
Great tobacco i agree – was smoking it two days ago despite my complete assurance that the room note aroma was great yet some friends commented on the smell negatively –
Rubbing the flake (not too much though) made it a very enjoyable cool slow burning smoke
highly recommended
Orlik has been a favorite of mine for years. As jimbo noted, the 100g tins have the large slices (4 of them), I find that it’s best to pull the whole paper insert out of the can before trying to unfold them. The round tins re-seal very tightly, I suspect that they would keep the tobacco fresh for months after being opened. I say “suspect” because I’ve never been able to keep my hands off an open tin for long enough to be sure.
Hmm, I still have a tin of this to open.
superb review kevin–another virginia to go in the cellar!
Thanks for the review Kevin, Orlik is a must try tobacco.
It would be hard to not like the stuff!
Very informative review Kevin, thank you. I will def. have to give this flake a try. I have found myself trying more flake blends for the past year or so now.
Great review Kevin. Your review regarding this tobacco is extremely informative. Orlik Golden Sliced is indeed a must try for Virginia lovers. As a matter of fact, it is one of my favorite flakes (along with Samuel Gawith’s Full Virginia Flake, Esoterica’s Penzance and Stonehaven, and Capstan). I do keep a few tins in my cellar. By the way, do you have any suggestions where I may procure 100 gram tins of this tobacco? Like bootlegbonvivant, I’ve tried both rub out and folding methods. I will concur that folding and stuffing does create a more intense flavor. Now for whatever purpose this following information may serve, I do have a third method which is kind of a spin off from the folding method. I’m not sure if anyone has tried this. What I do is I “roll” the flake. Prior to stuffing it, I slightly mash the bottom of the rolled flake. I partially insert the rolled flake into the chamber leaving about a forth from the top. I mash the top of the flake tobacco to ribbon consistency and insert the tobacco into the chamber. Creating a ribbon consistency allows for easier lighting of the tobacco. Another variation is to take half a flake (or a portion), rub it to ribbon consistency and place it on top of the flake. The rubbed out flake will serve as tinder to allow even lighting of the tobacco.
Fantastic review! Iv’e really been enjoying OGS. So much so, I’m going to have to start ordering more for cellaring purposes.
I’ve heard that with about 4 or 5 years its out of this world! Kevin is that Comoy a shape 299?
Mine is, and looks really similar to the one in the pics here. Beautiful pipe!
Cheers,
Thanks for the excellent review, and the time and effort you put into the pix. It adds so much to the review! I have a tin of OGS aging, and your article presented a powerful temptation to pop it open today; but I think I can recover my composure and hold off a bit longer. 🙂
Hello,
here in Germany I’ve occasionally seen and bought OGS in 50g pouches, but most of the time I buy it in round 100g tins. The striking difference between the two is that in the 50g pouches, the flake of tobacco is neatly folded, whereas in the round tin, it looks as if a long flake of tobacco was just somehow rolled together and crammed into the tin. Crammed so hard, that the band won’t come out intact. Instead, you can only pull single strands of tobacco out of the tin, thus tearing the band apart.
But I have no complains whatsoever, as I halfway rub out my flakes anyway, and OGS is indeed a pleasant smoke. Like others, I’d call it a benchmark among VA flakes.
Best wishes, and thanks for your review
Markus
@RAM – “By the way, do you have any suggestions where I may procure 100 gram tins of this tobacco?”
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http://www.4noggins.com/orlikgoldensliced100g.aspx
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@AstroMan – “Kevin is that Comoy a shape 299?”
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Yes it is! Good eye! I love this pipe.
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@cortezattic – “Thanks for the excellent review, and the time and effort you put into the pix. It adds so much to the review! I have a tin of OGS aging, and your article presented a powerful temptation to pop it open today; but I think I can recover my composure and hold off a bit longer.”
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Thanks for your appreciation of the effort Larry. Most people probably don’t realize that to create the article from start to finish takes the majority of the day.
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I started at 8:00 am setting up lights and the little mini photo studio. I published the review around 3:00 pm. (There was a 1-hour break for shower and lunch, so 6-hours was invested in that review … and I loved every minute of it!
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You should pop that tin now and do your onw review on LTR. You always do great reviews and it would be interesting to see how your experience may compare to mine.
I will definitely work-up a review of OGS for LuxuryTobaccoReviews.com
But first, I have to finish off the tailings of some other blend to free-up a Mason jar — to which I always transfer newly opened tins. Then, of course, I’ll need some time with OGS to figure it out and organize my impressions.
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BTW, I think the LTR.com website is a fantastic tool because it groups tobacco into categories and has the deep search. Not only is it a fine archive for reviews, but it’s a great tool for organizing and exploring.
Hey RAM,
I saw you mentioned Capstan as a favorite. Do you live in the US? I do and I haven’t seen Capstan in 10 years… either the Full or Medium varieties. I didn’t think it was still being made. Same with another old favorite of mine, St. Bruno slices. Where can you find them?
@jimbo – Capstan is still being made, but it is not being imported into the U.S. I was gifted a tin while touring the Orlik factory, and haven’t open it yet. So it has 11 months of age on it right now.
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There were some attempts to get an order going for the U.S., but it seems to have fizzled out.
Thanks for that info, Kevin.
I’d like to see Capstan (and St. Bruno) in the states again.
Hello Jimbo,
I do live in the US. I was gifted a few tins a year ago. Sad to say, I only have 2 left. You may want to check Synjeco (http://www.pipesandtobaccos.com/pataall/taba/4040.php?i5s9). As for St. Bruno, I really have no idea. Sorry.
Kevin: Thank for the information.
I always thought that OGS was what a tobacco should smell like. Enjoyable read. Thanks.
Seen this tobacco in the shops quite a bit but never tried it. After your review think i might have to pick up a tin.
Oh and in the UK it the 50g tin which is sold (round tin not square)
Excellent review, Kevin, I enjoyed reading it. OGS is one of my all time daily favourites. I do find it sweeter than you did but that might be effected by the fact that I smoke my flakes only after letting them sit in my cellar for a few years to mature.
There is quite a bit of mystery surrounding the “secret ingredient” in OGS. Some said that Coumarin was (and, possibly, still is) being used in OGS adding that hint of sweet smell contributing subtly to the taste. Others said that it was the Perique impact. In fact, Peter Stokkebey Villiger International site referred to Perique as one of the components of OGS for a long time (the reference had been removed a few months ago). But, in general, even as it’s made today with a touch of Burley, it’s still a great daily smoke.
Best,
Naum
P.S. Capstan flakes could be purchased in Spain for a small fraction of European selling prices; but they don’t take online orders, unfortunately (I had a friend over there buying some for me directly and shipping it privately). St.Bruno Flake can be purchased directly from a couple of tobacco suppliers in UK. However; I didn’t find them similar in taste to OGS though. Fairly different tobaccos. St. Bruno has a good portion of that “lakeland” stuff in it, while Capstan has some sort of blueberry aroma in it. Both very good but different from OGS.
UPDATE guys – Orlik Golden Sliced Update – No Burley, Yes Perique
https://pipesmagazine.com/blog/kevins-blog/orlik-golden-sliced-update-no-burley-yes-perique/
Good work on the Burley-Perique angle! What about the casing? I think it is cased with licorice with a touch of honey. I will dissent from the prevalent opinion and say that this blend is bland. I can think of a dozen other Virginias I would rather put in my pipe.
Dr. Scott – I didn’t detect any casing, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one. Many times, casings are not intended to be detected. I do not know if it is cased, and if so, with what. However, your suggestion of “licorice with a touch of honey” is certainly plausible as they are commonly used.
Interesting read, especially the breking news about Perique! In Sweden you can only(?) buy the square 50g tins AFAIK. A friend of mine bought a pouch for me when he was in Denmark, and I was as surprised as you to find the difference in flake length. Same flavour and taste though.
Hi therem
Great review, thanks a lot!
Well here in Germany, as already mentioned, you will find both: Tins for 100gr and Pouches for 50gr size. My perception is that the pouches are easier to get, means those are more wide spread and can be found even in shops which do not have the great pipe tobacco selection. And as mentioned above the tabacco in the pouch is intact band whilst the one in the tin seems crammed quite hard in order to fit in. As I do like my flakes smoked as such I do prefer the pouch…
Cheers
Sound like a good tobacco need to get my hands on it thanks!
Saw and read this review; ordered a tin. Just finished my first bowl. Mild is the word I would used to describe this tobacco. Yet it was full of taste as well. Sweet and mild with no bite at all. It got better and better the deeper in the bowl I smoked. Last 1/3 of bowl was the best taste; usually others are best at the 2/3 level. Thank you for the review and recommendation.
@hermanhodges
Glad you enjoyed it. Orlik Golden Sliced is one of my favorite Virginia tobaccos.
I acquired a tin of Orlik Golden Sliced in “Film City”, Pristina, Kosova. The flakes inside the tin were of the 16″ variety and curled in rows. I found it to be a very mild smoke, a hint of honey, and little to no bite at all. Overall a very fine Virginian.
Richard B. Jones
ITT Exelis
I acquired a tin of Orlik Golden Sliced at “Film City” Pristina, Kosova. The tin contained Flakes in curled 16″ strands. I found it to be a very mild smoke, with a hint of honey, and little to no bite. Overall a very pleasant Virginian.
Richard B. Jones
ITT Exelis
Kosova