C&D Briar Fox Review

[peteyhan]

I've got a lot of new tins staring me in the face but had this up at bat for a minute so I did a full send after work yesterday. Here's how it went.

French Marinière No.4
C&D Briar Fox (030625)
Tin: Apple, deep fermented plum, dark stone fruit, hay, citrus/spice.
Smoke: Extremely smooth and balanced, crumble cake. Light & sweet tang from the grassy Virginia with hay and zesty earth offerings from the dark burley, white pepper forward. Puff and go! This smokes easy and surprisingly doesn't get hot. End of the bowl the spice is present but mellows into dry stewed fruit, leather & dark chocolate. Excellent. I'll be trying more cake in the future.

Drop your thoughts and experiences about this popular blend below - does the Briar Fox live up to the hype for you?

 

[FLDRD]

Tried it a couple years back. In the beginning I thought I liked it, however it eventually became quite harsh and I had trouble finishing it. Don't know what to do with the other tins I have...

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Don't know what to do with the other tins I have...

Jk... I like it, but it does loose that harshness with a year or so in the cellar. The problem is that as it ages up to ten or so years it delves into that earthy flavor and loses all sweetness, IMO.

 

[abecox]

I have a shortlist of tins that I wanna crack into once I finish some of the open ones and this is on it. Thanks for the review!

 

[FLDRD]

Jk... I like it, but it does loose that harness with a year or so in the cellar. The problem is that as it ages up to ten or so years it delves into that earthy flavor and loses all sweetness, IMO.

I keep thinking of trying it again, and could do so at say 3 & 5 years or so, but the memory of the bite keeps me from doing it so far. OTOH, my palate has changed and it might work for me.
And in that same note, since my palate has changed I'm concerned about opening some of the heavy latakia blends I squirreled away in the beginning - thinking that's all I'd ever want to taste. Which now it certainly ISN'T.
For example, Nightcap was such a delight I'd be horrified if now about 3 years later I opened a tin and didn't like it. My world would be turned upside down.....
It's a good thing I bought variety along the way as well.

 

[peteyhan]

I keep thinking of trying it again, and could do so at say 3 & 5 years or so, but the memory of the bite keeps me from doing it so far.

I sampled a super fresh tin for what it's worth, I'd be interested to see if this tin remains as balanced post opening and for what duration.

 

[waterbelly]

Briar Fox and Haunted Bookshop both give me nothing but cigarette and spice. I've tried different cadence, different bowls, etc. Briar Fox tastes better at hotter cadence but I don't like my pipe getting that hot. But for some reason they're taking all my attention lately.

 

[seanv]

Briar Fox is one of my favorites. Straight forward and nice. It is, for me, a great all day kind of blend.

 

[peteyhan]

@waterbelly:

I haven't tried Haunted Bookshop yet. Definitely a little zing to the Fox, that spice comes and goes in waves for me. I tend to be drawn to a fuller body though, spice or not.

 

[peteyhan]

Briar Fox is one of my favorites. Straight forward and nice. It is, for me, a great all day kind of blend

I'm really enjoying it as well, glad to hear

 

[Pipesandbourbon]

I love it aged or fresh! Excellent in the morning with coffee. Back in the day I would smoke it once everyday in the morning. Now I probably only smoke it once or twice a week.

 

[tmcg81]

Briar Fox is one of those blends that on paper, I should love. But something about it doesn't agree with me. I feel like it veers into vaguely cigar-y territory if you puff even a tiny bit too quickly.

 

[NomadOrb]

Briar Fox is an amazing blend, especially when you just want something premium and simple to puff on.

I have pounds of the stuff, really great.

 

[BayouGhost]

I need to give it another shot. I tried it up against Three Friars and preferred that one at the time, but I have had a tin of Briar Fox sitting in the cabinet for a couple years now. Might have to crack it open between bouts of yard work this weekend.

 

[philobeddoe]

I break in every pipe I get, new or estate, with Briar Fox. It is a simple and easy smoke that lets me concentrate on the pipe and whether or not it will smoke right for me.

 

[Brad H]

Buy a pound, toss it in the cellar and forget about it. In a few years when you realize you have it open it up and enjoy.
You can thank me in five years from now when you open it.

 

[Lumbridge]

Briar Fox and Haunted Bookshop both give me nothing but cigarette and spice. I've tried different cadence, different bowls, etc. Briar Fox tastes better at hotter cadence but I don't like my pipe getting that hot. But for some reason they're taking all my attention lately.

Yeah, Haunted Bookshop can be reminiscent of cigarette or cigar. It gets best halfway through the bowl and I have to smoke it slooooowly in a briar to coax out those creamy dark fruit flavors, but it's sublime. It's kind of a challenging smoke.

 

[Lumbridge]

Briar Fox is one I'm looking forward to. Got a tin with a couple years on it waiting. I like VaBurs and crumble cakes, and it's a bonus that they offer it in a 16oz. There's just something satisfying about breaking a hunk off a huge brick of tobacco.

 

[Steddy]

Love it. Natural tobacco goodness. Burns easy. Complex enough to keep you interested but won’t tire you out.

 

[Brad H]

Briar Fox is one I'm looking forward to. Got a tin with a couple years on it waiting. I like VaBurs and crumble cakes, and it's a bonus that they offer it in a 16oz. There's just something satisfying about breaking a hunk off a huge brick of tobacco.

When u open it, toss it in a jar for a week and it really opens up.