Burley, Yay or Nay
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Wiz, I do believe that Burley does indeed have a decent quantity of nicotine in it compared to say Virginia.
Regards,
Jay.
Regards,
Jay.
..." burleys" have more nicotine. But, there are many burleys that do not have very much nicotine at all, if any.
Like I said, burley is not just one tasting or level of thing.
Like I said, burley is not just one tasting or level of thing.
Most of my Burley consumption is in the form of VaBur blends and a fair few of those are with Kentucky. The only straight Burley that I have tried and smoke often is Aged Burley Flake. We just don't see straight Burley blends in the UK. Well, I don't know of many. Generally, I enjoy Burley but I can't ever recall tasting this nutty thing people almost always mention when they talk of this leaf. To me, it is loamy and sometimes chocolate-like and even though I'm a Virginia guy, for the most part, I find Burley to be quite delicious. I'd like to explore this particular leaf more at some point but that means getting hold of some of those American tobaccos that you just don't see here. You chaps over the pond appear to have so much more choice than the rest of us.
Jay, you may find PipeMagazine's tour video of the Orlik Factory with Troels Juul Mikkelsen interesting. Particularly at the 11:00 time mark, where he states that Burley doesn't necessarily have more nicotine than Virginia, but it may have a greater effect.
http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/pipe-manufacturer-retailer-spotlight/orlik-tobacco-company-video-tour-part-i/
http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/pipe-manufacturer-retailer-spotlight/orlik-tobacco-company-video-tour-part-i/
This is me. Too much burley and my mouth gets sores. I've never noticed Kentucky or perique do that to me, maybe something about the processing. Some burley is okay, but a lot makes my mouth hurt. No issues with HH Acadian Perique, HH Latakia Flake, HH Bold Kentucky, or Irish Flake and they all have burley.
I like a number of different blends with burly in it.
Stonehaven
Mac Baren ODF
Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky
GL Pease Navigator
Peterson Univiristy Flake, Irish Flake, Perfect Plug
Solani Silver Flake
Not a fan of stand alone burly blends such as Solani Aged Burly Flake and Wessex Burly Slices.
Stonehaven
Mac Baren ODF
Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky
GL Pease Navigator
Peterson Univiristy Flake, Irish Flake, Perfect Plug
Solani Silver Flake
Not a fan of stand alone burly blends such as Solani Aged Burly Flake and Wessex Burly Slices.
Thanks for the link Cortez, I'm abed now but shall view it in the morning over my coffee.
Wiz, nice to see you have an avatar...and a damned nice one too but surely a white rose would be more pertinent?
Regards,
Jay.
Wiz, nice to see you have an avatar...and a damned nice one too but surely a white rose would be more pertinent?
Regards,
Jay.
Burley needs an image lift, if you ask me. Sure, some of those OTCs get blasted for using cheap Burleys, but more likely, the problem is fast processing and drenching in goop. And some are not even half bad, if you like that sort of thing.
I have been experimenting with Burley as the majority of a smoke and I like it because the absence of excessive sugar means that the smoke is light and pleasant, with a rich flavor that I personally enjoy. Generally, a blend that is 70-85% Burley -- mixed white and dark -- works well as a canvas on which to splash condimental tobaccos, including Virginia as a sweetener.
In addition, it is impossible to tire of the eternal blend of 3:1 or 3:2 Burley to Virginia, which produces a warm caramel-honey flavor with bready undertones. Add in some Perique to give depth and tang to the sweetness. The Va/Bur/Per may be one of my favorite types of blend, if the Virginia portion is kept low.
As far as straight Burley goes, try Cube Cut Burley. You can smoke this all day for the flavor equivalent of a freshly mowed field. Or Cotton Boll Twist, which is not the monster that some have portrayed it to be, but an enjoyable smoke with flavors of nuts and hay dried in the August sun. MSO489 mentions La Brumeuse, which is really excellent once you get over how dry it is, and some of us are fans of Five Brothers, a dry shag-cut Burley which is great on its own but venerable in its ability to shore up other blends.
Right now I am burning down a bowl of 60% Five Brothers and 40% Early Morning Pipe, a combination that has fascinated me recently. I taste more of the salty Balkan blend that is the EMP, and it gains a roasted and sturdier flavor from the Burley.
I have been experimenting with Burley as the majority of a smoke and I like it because the absence of excessive sugar means that the smoke is light and pleasant, with a rich flavor that I personally enjoy. Generally, a blend that is 70-85% Burley -- mixed white and dark -- works well as a canvas on which to splash condimental tobaccos, including Virginia as a sweetener.
In addition, it is impossible to tire of the eternal blend of 3:1 or 3:2 Burley to Virginia, which produces a warm caramel-honey flavor with bready undertones. Add in some Perique to give depth and tang to the sweetness. The Va/Bur/Per may be one of my favorite types of blend, if the Virginia portion is kept low.
As far as straight Burley goes, try Cube Cut Burley. You can smoke this all day for the flavor equivalent of a freshly mowed field. Or Cotton Boll Twist, which is not the monster that some have portrayed it to be, but an enjoyable smoke with flavors of nuts and hay dried in the August sun. MSO489 mentions La Brumeuse, which is really excellent once you get over how dry it is, and some of us are fans of Five Brothers, a dry shag-cut Burley which is great on its own but venerable in its ability to shore up other blends.
Right now I am burning down a bowl of 60% Five Brothers and 40% Early Morning Pipe, a combination that has fascinated me recently. I taste more of the salty Balkan blend that is the EMP, and it gains a roasted and sturdier flavor from the Burley.
:
perdurabo, yes! Going back to its founder and beginnings, C&D reinvigorated burley in the blending community. Others do good things with burley and have for years, think Iwan Ries. But C&D took it to a whole new level both as a base and as a condiment leaf, with high artistry and good sense. Right now I think of them as the masters of burley blending, the way I think of McClellands with Virginias. No one owns any particular leaf, but these are standouts. Russ O. does lovely things with burley, too, and others as well.
This is not bad. In my view, this is a good time for a Burley revival.
Is there a definitive "Russ list" of tobacco blends he has created? It seems like there are more than these.
I like burley mostly by itself in Carter Hall or in the many blends in with it is used in combination such as Haddos and I believe MB Latakia Flake. Broadly, burley is strength and Virginia finesse.
Brett, you're search(es) at TR.com should include "Hearth & Home" (92), and "pipesandcigars.com" (78). Even then, you probably wouldn't catch all of of them because he has developed blends for clubs, contests, and labels such as Missouri Meerschaum and Standard Tobacco. The guy is simply amazing. Someday, I hope, the industry will fête his rare combination of talent and work ethic.
80% of my smokes has are burley dominant tobaccoes,and the remaining are Virginias with some Kentukcy dark fired in them ( St Bruno or Solani Silver) or occasionally Virginias with some perique addition(My Summer time blend such as Solani 633 or Orlik)
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