Briar Fox - Some Information

[peckinpahhombre]

I have grown to really love this blend. It is a kake, more in the Night Train mould than the Anniversary Kake mould (i.e. the kake is very hard). Someone gave me an aged sample with about 18 months on it and it was sublime. Since then, I have bought some fresh stuff and it wasn't as good, so I have around 4 lbs in the cellar waiting to get as good as that first sample I tried.
What is odd about this blend is that it has a very pronounced nutty flavour, which I quite love. It has been suggested on some reviews that this must be due to some form of topping, since the tin mentions only Virginia tobacco and a nutty taste isn't normally something one associates with VAs. Intrigued, I actually sent Chris Tarler an e-mail asking him whether there was any topping on Briar Fox. For those interested, his very gracious response is below.

Dean

Glad you are a fan of Briar Fox! There is no topping on that one. It is all natural tobaccos that are pressed. When the pressing occurs it creates a nutty flavor because there is a little burley in it.

Chris Tarler

Cornell and Diehl

 

[docwatson]

This is a really nice blend that I could smoke all day. My friend Peter Heeschen's signature blend. Not only does Peter make a fine smoking pipe, he blended a superb smoke as well.

 

[judcole]

It is tasty. A very nice crumble cake.

 

[mikestanley]

I have a tin sitting in my cellar from 2004. Looks like I'm going to have to move it nearer the front of the line for smoking.

Mike S.

 

[philobeddoe]

Briar Fox is one of my go to blends, for when I don't want to fuss with a flake, yet I want a full Virginia flavor. It is also the blend I use for breaking in a new or estate pipe, as it is strong enough to overcome light ghosting, without imparting any ghost of its own. Very highly recommended to those who enjoy Virginias.

 

[mso489]

So much good tobacco, so many good blends. I'll put this on my list. My CD favorites so far are are blending

Latakia and Perique. Dust a little of one or both of those in with some Virginia and burley and it's a whole

new day. I mix in a ceramic bowl and can get a real variety of blends. Usually cut down the Lat or Per with

scissors, pretty small, to get it to burn in with the other cuts. Fluff it up with my fingers to get it together,

then pack it up.

 

[mustanggt]

This an outstanding smoke. I gotta get some more.

 

[drrock]

Good stuff, Briar Fox. Reminds me I have a tin with a little age on it around here someplace. Probably should order more. Great Virginia pipe tobacco

 

[smokershaven]

This is one of my favorite Virginia Blends. With a little work on rubbing it out, it will provide a real nice burn and flavor.

 

[brian64]

Another for the TAD list for sure.

 

[nzpiper]

My apologies for straying off topic a little, but I tried C&D's Sam's Blend today. Wow, what a great smoke! It's IMO very similar to FMOTB, a really nice baccy, I could smoke this all day!

 

[eightywon]

Just acquired some BF in a trade and am really digging my 1st bowl. Mellow, sweet, no fuss smoke. The tin is fairly young and since I have so many open blends I will be jarring this up and eagerly anticipating it's return into my rotation.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

This one had to grow on me. The first fresh bowl just reminded me of a better quality Carter Hall, which I like also, but it didn't floor me. But, after a week or so, I was starting to get some tastes of Virginia in there. By the end of the jar, I was really enjoying it. I just wasn't crazy about how fast it caked my pipes though, ha ha. I had to scrape them down by the end of the jar. I put a few pounds back for later, maybe that waxy burley taste will get pushed back a bit with age. ::

 

[peckinpahhombre]

Cosmic - I tried some with 2 years of age on it and I loved it way more than I did when it was young. BF has the biggest place of any C&D blend in my cellar. When it as young, I was a bit mystified - I hated one bowl and then loved the next. However, with the older stuff, I loved far more bowls than I disliked.

 

[conlejm]

Smokingpipes has been giving out samples of it lately, and I've smoked about 2oz of it so far. I think it is a fantastic smoke, and I intend to buy a few "bricks" of it soon.

 

[murf]

Haven't had it aged yet. Had a few bowls awhile back. Stuck it in a mason jar and forgot about it. Found it recently and decided to order some fresh and let the other stuff age. Tried it fresh again, was pretty good. Tin note reminded me of a horse barn. Can't wait to try it aged

 

[virginiacob]

I received a sample of Briar Fox the other day with a TAD purchase and I must say that I found it to be a very enjoyable and flavorful smoke. I think I may just have to pick up a tin or two with my next TAD purchase.

 

[mrsal]

I have a pound of this jarred up, but will it keep if I just stack the bricks in a box?

 

[saltedplug]

BF is one of the many tobaccos that I keep meaning to try but that never finds its way into my pipe.