Dark Fired Kentucky Recommendations

[JohnMosesBrowning]

The first Kentucky blend I had was the Old Dark Fired Ready Rubbed and I liked it. It was just an occasional thing as a change of pace. Recently I have discovered, and have been enjoying, Cowboy Coffee from The Country Squire. I can really taste the Kentucky component in the blend and it has renewed my interest in Dark Fired Kentucky.

I suppose I'm looking for two types of recommendations. First, Kentucky-forward blends, ala ODF; and second, blends where Kentucky is a valuable or noticeable component, but not necessarily in the front seat...so to speak.

So, what are your favorite Dark Fired Kentucky blends?

 

[cigrmaster]

If you like ODF, you should give a try the following blends.
Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky
Solani 660 Silver Flake
Esoterica Stonehaven, if you can find any it is a bitch to find but worth the chase in my opinion.
Savinelli Doblone d'Oro it has a bit of perigue but I think it adds to the Kentucky
GL Pease Navigator..... it needs some age but really gets good.
I am forgetting a bunch more but the other guys will chip in with more choices.

 

[OlJawBone]

Birds Eye from G and h burns clean and quick with lots of flavor

 

[STP]

Gawith Hoggarth’s Dark Bird’s Eye or Kendel Kentucky ?

 

[pantsBoots]

Mac Baren Bold Kentucky. I actually prefer it more than ODF as it has a lot more slap n tickle, but I cellar both.

Rattray's Hal o the Wynd is a masterful use of the stuff, if you want some VaPer with your ODF. I smoke this regularly and put away bags and bags of it.

Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky is another favorite, but for me starts to get into aromatic territory to me as I don't usually smoke aromatic mixtures. It is currently out of production, but seems to waffle back and forth from this status. Peter Heinrich Dark Strong Flake is nearly identical, though they do show some differences when compared side by side.

 

[FurCoat]

St Bruno is one of my all time favorites

 

[chilllucky]

Newminster 403 is a less expensive bulk alternative to MacBaren Stockton.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Orlik Dark Strong

I think that one got discontinued.

 

[pip01]

My go to dark fired blends are ODF, Peterson Irish Flake and Dark Birds Eye. I like them all equally and each is slightly different.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

The pixie dust wore off of ODF for me when I realized it was just too monochromatic for me.
Give C&Ds 5 O’clock Shadow a go. I think you’ll love it. I’m well stocked in this one. A great dark fired blend, IMO.

 

[cigrmaster]

I think that one got discontinued.

I heard that they only sell it Europe maybe Synjeco has it. It had gone away before this and I was stuck with only some really old 100 gram tins. When all of a sudden in 2015 I think it came back on the US market.. I love the stuff and was not about to not buy enough. I bought 100 tins in one shot and at 7.00 a tin, it was a bargain and I felt I had enough to carry me for a while. I still keep an eye out for the older tall boys but last one I saw the price was too high.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Best I’ve had, period, was from Whole Leaf. I’d say MacBaren Old Dark Fired as a runner-up.

For blends that aren’t quite as dark fired Kentucky-forward, but are great blends, I’d say:

C&D Bluegrass
C&D Visions of Celephais (heavy topping)
C&D Dreams of Kadath (lightly topped)
St Bruno Ready Rubbed (lightly topped)
Newminster #403

 

[karam]

ODF in flake form is far better than the ready rubbed version in my opinion, more woody, sweeter.
HH Bold Kentucky was in my opinion inferior to HH ODF, too much DFK in fact.
Samuel Gawith Lakeland Dark is similar to HH Bold Kentucky, but more mature, smoother, and equally strong.
G&H Dark Bird's Eye is quite monochromatic, strong, and full of DFK, for me it's better to use when I want to add some DFK to another blend.
Motzek Tom's Dark Twist is fairly obscure as it's handmade in one shop in Germany, 1:1 DFK/Perique rope, insanely strong and equally delicious.

Generally I find I gravitate to VaPers with a strong Kentucky component, Rattray's Hal O' The Wynd tastes great but not really that strong (for me), I've never tried Doblone D'Oro as it's not sold in Europe (and neither is MacBaren's Royal Twist which I'd be all over if it was available here).

 

[craiginthecorn]

Although not available in the USA, HU Director's Cut and Edward G are wonderful blends with significant DFK presence.

 

[JohnMosesBrowning]

Wow, so many great recommendations! Thank you!

I should maybe add or qualify that I think it’s the rich tangy bbq now in the DFK that I’m enjoying. I’m not specifically looking for a nicotine wallop. I’m a bit of a lightweight in that department actually.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Best I’ve had, period, was from Whole Leaf. I’d say MacBaren Old Dark Fired as a runner-up.

For blends that aren’t quite as dark fired Kentucky-forward, but are great blends, I’d say:

C&D Bluegrass
C&D Visions of Celephais (heavy topping)
C&D Dreams of Kadath (lightly topped)
St Bruno Ready Rubbed (lightly topped)
Newminster #403

Do you really lile C&D Bluegrass? I wanted to, so much, because of the name. It starts off great, but by mid-bowl it’s so acrid and harsh that it is one of the few blends I can’t finish.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Do you really lile C&D Bluegrass? I wanted to, so much, because of the name. It starts off great, but by mid-bowl it’s so acrid and harsh that it is one of the few blends I can’t finish.

Yeah, I love it. Let it sit a while then revisit it.

 

[Ahi Ka]

+1 for WLT fire cured. By far the tangiest BBQ I have tried. I blend it in at around 10% with double down.

Revor plug is the most interesting dark fired blend I have tried.

 

[mycroftholmes]

Not easily available in the US but Westmorland slices is my fav DFK blend

 

[krizzose]

For your second category, I'll add another recommendation for Rattray's Hal o' the Wynd. Mac Baren Club Blend also has a secondary but unmistakable DFK presence.