Kendal Kentucky - Getting back to my well aged collection

[quantumboy]

My jar is from 2009. Still in great shape, perfect humidity. Over the years I have decidedly NOT liked burley blends, but now I know the secret: this stuff is wonderful after 15 years in the jar! A very fine shag cut which means it's easy to pack it too tightly. Its a classic from an old school manufacturer, and now I see how it has earned its accolades. Very smooth, toasty, and rich. Retrohale is no problem. It's all African dark fired from Kentucky seed, 100% burley. It's surprisingly complex. Flavors change significantly based on how aggressive you're puffing, which makes it very interesting. This is one of those blends that forces you to slow down and pay attention to what you're tasting.

 

[khiddy]

It's fantastic, and until recently was available as a "vintage cut" which is slightly wider than shag. Unfortunately, it's no longer on the market, as GH has discontinued it (as well as Dark Birdseye), and they sell only Kendal Dark in that line. If you find Kendal Kentucky somewhere, snap it up as you won't see it again.

 

[Sobrbiker]

as GH has discontinued it (as well as Dark Birdseye)

bastages….

 

[BingBong]

bastages….

I just dug out a bit of Revor Plug, if that helps?

 

[Briarcutter]

GH has discontinued it (as well as Dark Birdseye)

WHAT???????? Since when? Where have I been?

 

[dottlejockey]

Good stuff. The last jar i have is from 2010. It was always a little bundle of treasure when that 1lb brick would arrive.

 

[khiddy]

WHAT???????? Since when? Where have I been?

Rachel has mentioned it several times here and elsewhere. They stopped making those two blends several years ago and sell only Kendal Dark in that subgenre. She is on record as saying that the three blends (Kendal Kentucky/Dark Birds Eye/Kendal Dark) have actually been the same blend for several years, and that only in the USA are they sold under three different names, because that's what the importer requested.

 

[Briarcutter]

Rachel has mentioned it several times here and elsewhere. They stopped making those two blends several years ago and sell only Kendal Dark in that subgenre. She is on record as saying that the three blends (Kendal Kentucky/Dark Birds Eye/Kendal Dark) have actually been the same blend for several years, and that only in the USA are they sold under three different names, because that's what the importer requested.

I thought I ordered some DBE not too long ago, within the last year. SP still has DBE listed but OOS of course. Different blend?

 

[khiddy]

As Rachel has said, only in the USA will you find DBE or KK on the market, but what you're actually getting (no matter what the label says) is Kendal Dark. And she says that is only because the importer (Laudisi, presumably) asks Gawith Hoggarth to do it that way. Needlessly confusing, for sure.

 

[khiddy]

Here's a post from Rachel Gawith (@gawithhoggarth) explaining the KK/DBE/KD thing:

Kendal Kentucky is no longer made and has not been for a number of years. Dark Bird's Eye no longer made - due to not being able to get the birds eye bits and equivalent leaf it had morphed into Kendal Dark. Now there is ONLY Kendal Dark. This is a shag cut. It is effectively the same blend as Auld Kendal Dark but this is RYO cut. In the UK there are very strict rules on what can be classed as roll your own and what is pipe tobacco. The government sets the thickness of the cut for each.​

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

I just dug out a bit of Revor Plug, if that helps?
View attachment 392236

The Revor remains undefeated! A truly stout smoke from a bygone era. I've tried loads of different blends over the years and nothing comes close to that Revor flavour.

It'll be a sad day if they ever discontinue that one.

 

[BingBong]

The Revor remains undefeated! A truly stout smoke from a bygone era. I've tried loads of different blends over the years and nothing comes close to that Revor flavour.

It'll be a sad day if they ever discontinue that one.

Second bowl of the morning, in the Falcon. It's some change of pace! It's some nic hit too.