Jim's Revised Wessex Campaign Dark Flake Review.

[greeneyes]

It's interesting, in my opinion, how the use of the term "orange Virginia" on this forum began with the Watch City release, and was apparently not used before then (at least insofar as the search was able to turn up).

 

[JimInks]

It's interesting, in my opinion, how the use of the term "orange Virginia" on this forum began with the Watch City release, and was apparently not used before then (at least insofar as the search was able to turn up).

You should remember that I have mentioned it before that in our tobacco discussions. The reason you don't see it mentioned much in descriptions is most manufacturers who use it generally don't use it or place it in the same category as red Va.s. This is often true when you read "several varieties (or grades) of reds" in a description. Several Christmas Cheer blends have used some, and at least a couple (possibly more) were straight orange blends. That was certainly true of the McClelland's 40th Anniversary blend. McClelland had mentioned Orange Va.s in a few other blends as well. I've seen it mentioned elsewhere though I can't remember what blends or companies. Orange Virginia has been in use for many years.

 

[JimInks]

You should remember that I have mentioned it before that in our tobacco discussions. The reason you don't see it mentioned much in descriptions is most manufacturers who use it generally don't use it or place it in the same category as red Va.s. This is often true when you read "several varieties (or grades) of reds" in a description. Several Christmas Cheer blends have used some, and at least a couple (possibly more) were straight orange blends. That was certainly true of the McClelland's 40th Anniversary blend. McClelland had mentioned Orange Va.s in a few other blends as well. I've seen it mentioned elsewhere though I can't remember what blends or companies. Orange Virginia has been in use for many years.

Just remembered that I mentioned it in my Watch City Simply Red review in 2019. I sure I have elsewhere, too. I've seen it mentioned in other reviews on a few occasions.

 

[jozefbehr]

Thank you for sharing your review here, it is helpful me ~ Jozef behr

 

[canucklehead]

You should remember that I have mentioned it before that in our tobacco discussions. The reason you don't see it mentioned much in descriptions is most manufacturers who use it generally don't use it or place it in the same category as red Va.s. This is often true when you read "several varieties (or grades) of reds" in a description. Several Christmas Cheer blends have used some, and at least a couple (possibly more) were straight orange blends. That was certainly true of the McClelland's 40th Anniversary blend. McClelland had mentioned Orange Va.s in a few other blends as well. I've seen it mentioned elsewhere though I can't remember what blends or companies. Orange Virginia has been in use for many years.

The tin of GLP Cairo I'm smoking says on the side:

"Cairo is a wonderfully complex mixture of red, orange and bright Virginia tobaccos, exotic Oriental leaf, and just a whisper of perique."

 

[pantsBoots]

If I could find another blend like Watch City Cigars' Simply Orange, I'd jar up a few pounds because that stuff is a unique and exemplary Virginia. As it is, I'll wait for the next release and dutifully move my work schedule around to be available to put another pound in my cart. A+ tobacco.

Back to topic, I like the new Wessex Campaign Brigade, but having had an older tin, yes, the blend has changed and, no, it wasn't for the better. Same with the new Astley's 109 - the old aged into a wonderfully rich smoke. We'll see how the new ages, but probably not as well.

 

[sablebrush52]

Seems like there's a shortage of red Virginia's, so orange is being substituted. I do like a well matured red Virginia.

 

[Razorback]

I do like a well matured red Virginia.

Hopefully Sutliff Cringle Flake 2022 is in the works right now and will deliver that same matured red Virginia tang as 2019 and 2020!

 

[Old_Newby]

I am late to this discussion but glad I found it. I found a seller that has Campaign, Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake (FVF), Sir Johns, and Mc Scottish Flake, and St James Flake, and they are in my cart right now. I want to try all of them but now concerned because just these five 50g tins are $90 with shipping. I do like Westminster 400 but seek that rich bready sweet unicorn blend that I can call my favorite and then buy sleeves or pounds of it when available. Sounds like the good ole days are gone (quality reds) and I missed out because I just started smoking 1 year ago. But they blends are still consistently sold out so I probably will purchase. O WTH I did it. My wife will shoot me..

 

[TN Jed]

I am late to this discussion but glad I found it. I found a seller that has Campaign, Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake (FVF), Sir Johns, and Mc Scottish Flake, and St James Flake, and they are in my cart right now. I want to try all of them but now concerned because just these five 50g tins are $90 with shipping. I do like Westminster 400 but seek that rich bready sweet unicorn blend that I can call my favorite and then buy sleeves or pounds of it when available. Sounds like the good ole days are gone (quality reds) and I missed out because I just started smoking 1 year ago. But they blends are still consistently sold out so I probably will purchase. O WTH I did it. My wife will shoot me..

Thanks for the heads up. I just picked up some SG and GH I thought I'd missed on the last drop.

 

[Oddball]

Ive punched that type of cart a few times and never regret it. I have some of this blend in the cellar as well. Eyeing the 3 year mark to try it.

 

[Puffaluffaguss]

And this is a major point. For those of us who have smoked a particular blend for years and have expectations of that blend, changes will likely not be welcomed.

People newly encountering the same changed blend will decide its merits without the interference of past experience.

The blends we imprinted on over the decades may very well have been thought of as crap versions by an earlier generation of pipe smokers.

I’m happy with my crap versions and I hope that new and future smokers will be happy with their crap versions.

Unless the quality of tobacco is just the same if not better or worse by miniscule amounts. But nostalgia for the good ol days inhibits the possibility of being unbiased in a review of something you think has changed over time but maybe the difference is the person and not so much the blend. My dad used to say McDonald's fries were better back in his day, but today they are still regarded by many as the best (not me, but many). Anyway just food for thought and those suffering from FOMO and what not. It might all just be one owns preferences and have nothing to do with a product itself.

 

[vosBghos]

@JimInks

I have no idea where these tobaccos are manufactured but I do know that K&K distribute them all Solani-aged Burley Flake, Wessex Burley Slice, (both changing from coco to licorice) Solani Silver Flake, Wessex campaign dark (both now with more orange than red VA)
Others?
There seems to be a trend.
I wish I knew more about the inside scoop.
I've tried to do a bit of research but I've never been much of a sleuth and certainly not now that Google went evil.
I appreciate your updates but as I hail from the cassette and carbon paper days I know what a copy of a copy of a copy Ad Nauseum can do.
What with tobacco politics/profit margins going haywire I fear our favorite blends will become distorted beyond recognition.
I mean Look what they did to Three Nuns...

 

[sablebrush52]

@JimInks

I have no idea where these tobaccos are manufactured but I do know that K&K distribute them all Solani-aged Burley Flake, Wessex Burley Slice, (both changing from coco to licorice) Solani Silver Flake, Wessex campaign dark (both now with more orange than red VA)
Others?
There seems to be a trend.
I wish I knew more about the inside scoop.
I've tried to do a bit of research but I've never been much of a sleuth and certainly not now that Google went evil.
I appreciate your updates but as I hail from the cassette and carbon paper days I know what a copy of a copy of a copy Ad Nauseum can do.
What with tobacco politics/profit margins going haywire I fear our favorite blends will become distorted beyond recognition.
I mean Look what they did to Three Nuns...

I don't know about Google going evil, but I do know what my palate has been telling me over the past six or so years which is that changes have been happening. There's nothing new about this. For example, Balkan Sobranie went through changes from the '70's through the '90's. McConnell manufactured Rattray bleds are much better than K&K manufactured Rattray blends. Ogden's St Bruno was more complex that MacBaren's St Bruno due to the underlying Virginias in the blend. That said, I like MacBaren's St Bruno, just not as much as Ogden's. Suppliers come and go.

What feels different to me is the range and extent of changes. I suspect part of the issue is that there are only a comparatively few manufacturers releasing a wide range of blends under different brand names. It's not like Bell's is making Three Nun, or Dunhill, or for that matter Peterson, is making tobacco blends. They're IPs owned by a conglomerate.

Add to that, a lot of growers have turned to more profitable crops since the Federal subsidies ended. Machine harvesting has largely replaced hand picking, which reduces quality. Sources for components are a changing.

Substituting DFK for Perique has changed the character of blends. Both @JimInks and I noticed this back in 2019, or maybe it was 2018 when we ordered HU Director's Cut and were unpleasantly surprised by the switch. Motzek Strang went away in 2016 because they lost an essential supplier. More recently that supplier became available again and Strang was put back in production, but the blend has been changed by the new owner of Motzek. It's less complex, which can be seen when the rope is cut into coins, and while still a good belnd, it's more "Strangish" than Strang. And the Virginias used by Germain's for it's Esoterica blends has been changed with the result pretty dull and flat compared to the same blends as late as 2019. People were sending out samples for a number of bags for comparison and we were not happy. I'm certainly not going to spend a nickel on them.

But if one hasn't had the earlier versions and likes what's being offered, no problem. You can't miss what you never had.

So if you find something you really like, stock up because you don't know what it will get changed to. It's enough that you really like that blend.

 

[vosBghos]

I don't know about Google going evil, but I do know what my palate has been telling me over the past six or so years which is that changes have been happening. There's nothing new about this. For example, Balkan Sobranie went through changes from the '70's through the '90's. McConnell manufactured Rattray bleds are much better than K&K manufactured Rattray blends. Ogden's St Bruno was more complex that MacBaren's St Bruno due to the underlying Virginias in the blend. That said, I like MacBaren's St Bruno, just not as much as Ogden's. Suppliers come and go.

What feels different to me is the range and extent of changes. I suspect part of the issue is that there are only a comparatively few manufacturers releasing a wide range of blends under different brand names. It's not like Bell's is making Three Nun, or Dunhill, or for that matter Peterson, is making tobacco blends. They're IPs owned by a conglomerate.

Add to that, a lot of growers have turned to more profitable crops since the Federal subsidies ended. Machine harvesting has largely replaced hand picking, which reduces quality. Sources for components are a changing.

Substituting DFK for Perique has changed the character of blends. Both @JimInks and I noticed this back in 2019, or maybe it was 2018 when we ordered HU Director's Cut and were unpleasantly surprised by the switch. Motzek Strang went away in 2016 because they lost an essential supplier. More recently that supplier became available again and Strang was put back in production, but the blend has been changed by the new owner of Motzek. It's less complex, which can be seen when the rope is cut into coins, and while still a good belnd, it's more "Strangish" than Strang. And the Virginias used by Germain's for it's Esoterica blends has been changed with the result pretty dull and flat compared to the same blends as late as 2019. People were sending out samples for a number of bags for comparison and we were not happy. I'm certainly not going to spend a nickel on them.

But if one hasn't had the earlier versions and likes what's being offered, no problem. You can't miss what you never had.

So if you find something you really like, stock up because you don't know what it will get changed to. It's enough that you really like that blend.

On the Google going evil thing I just meant that now that all the social media are conglomerated it has affected (not effected) the search results and smaller more detailed facts or opinions don't show up and are lost in the ether.
But I totally agree you can't miss what you never knew and organic change is inevitable. I just don't like forced change as in the nicotine laws that reduced nicotine levels in my favorite smokes.

 

[sablebrush52]

On the Google going evil thing I just meant that now that all the social media are conglomerated it has affected (not effected) the search results and smaller more detailed facts or opinions don't show up and are lost in the ether.
But I totally agree you can't miss what you never knew and organic change is inevitable. I just don't like forced change as in the nicotine laws that reduced nicotine levels in my favorite smokes.

What built the Web was monetizing sex, with pay for view porn sites. Since then, monetizing anything and everything is at the center of online activity including search results. Google didn't invent this, they built a better search engine and charge fees to have your site show up higher in any search. Search results are skewed by a number of things, including algorithmically derived analysis of individual users personalities to craft a better environment to monetizing them as well as fees paid to Tech Companies to provide preferential positioning in any search result.

 

[vosBghos]

What built the Web was monetizing sex, with pay for view porn sites. Since then, monetizing anything and everything is at the center of online activity including search results. Google didn't invent this, they built a better search engine and charge fees to have your site show up higher in any search. Search results are skewed by a number of things, including algorithmically derived analysis of individual users personalities to craft a better environment to monetizing them as well as fees paid to Tech Companies to provide preferential positioning in any search result.

Gonna go ahead and disagree there, its off topic anyway. A quick google search on how google went from Dont be evil to how it went evil will offer many pages of results Monopolies are just bad Suffice it to say as far as I'm concerned 95% of the free web has been hidden by the all-consuming algorithm and has made the web boring and useless if you search for anything Based only Woke stuff shows up. I'm more concerned with the free sharing of peer-to-peer information. Not everyone has noticed the change the web died almost completely around 2017 it was slow and incremental like the boiling a frog a lot of people just didn't notice. I'm glad we have this old forum format to discuss these and more important matters like the changing of our favorite blends

 

[Sethology12]

Seems we are in the twilight era of pipe smoking with no where to go but down. Sad

 

[Sethology12]

What built the Web was monetizing sex, with pay for view porn sites. Since then, monetizing anything and everything is at the center of online activity including search results. Google didn't invent this, they built a better search engine and charge fees to have your site show up higher in any search. Search results are skewed by a number of things, including algorithmically derived analysis of individual users personalities to craft a better environment to monetizing them as well as fees paid to Tech Companies to provide preferential positioning in any search result.

This sounds alot like an empty carcass of a search engine to me. But I doubt there are any search engines that don't follow a similar model

 

[Sethology12]

I don't know about Google going evil, but I do know what my palate has been telling me over the past six or so years which is that changes have been happening. There's nothing new about this. For example, Balkan Sobranie went through changes from the '70's through the '90's. McConnell manufactured Rattray bleds are much better than K&K manufactured Rattray blends. Ogden's St Bruno was more complex that MacBaren's St Bruno due to the underlying Virginias in the blend. That said, I like MacBaren's St Bruno, just not as much as Ogden's. Suppliers come and go.

What feels different to me is the range and extent of changes. I suspect part of the issue is that there are only a comparatively few manufacturers releasing a wide range of blends under different brand names. It's not like Bell's is making Three Nun, or Dunhill, or for that matter Peterson, is making tobacco blends. They're IPs owned by a conglomerate.

Add to that, a lot of growers have turned to more profitable crops since the Federal subsidies ended. Machine harvesting has largely replaced hand picking, which reduces quality. Sources for components are a changing.

Substituting DFK for Perique has changed the character of blends. Both @JimInks and I noticed this back in 2019, or maybe it was 2018 when we ordered HU Director's Cut and were unpleasantly surprised by the switch. Motzek Strang went away in 2016 because they lost an essential supplier. More recently that supplier became available again and Strang was put back in production, but the blend has been changed by the new owner of Motzek. It's less complex, which can be seen when the rope is cut into coins, and while still a good belnd, it's more "Strangish" than Strang. And the Virginias used by Germain's for it's Esoterica blends has been changed with the result pretty dull and flat compared to the same blends as late as 2019. People were sending out samples for a number of bags for comparison and we were not happy. I'm certainly not going to spend a nickel on them.

But if one hasn't had the earlier versions and likes what's being offered, no problem. You can't miss what you never had.

So if you find something you really like, stock up because you don't know what it will get changed to. It's enough that you really like that blend.

Are these particular blenders subbing perique while still listing perique as a constituent ingredient? That would be quite deceptive. Am I to doubt every VaPer I happen upon now? Guess it throws some points in laudisis favor since they still have ready access to personal Louisiana perique crops