MacBaren's venerable HH Old Dark Fired (ODF) has been on my tobacco bucket list for a while. A couple of weeks ago before things got nuts with the virus I went to a B & M that I had not been to before and in touring their stock I saw the flake version, so I naturally could not resist taking it. It was either buy it or get in trouble for shop lifting, so who could blame me? At least that is the story I am sticking to with my wife... 
So today I finally got to smoke it. I had very high expectations because of the reviews and comments I had read about ODF, but in the days before smoking it I did not go back to read any of them because I wanted to be as unbiased as possible. As is my usual custom with new tobaccos, I chose a cob to smoke it. In this case a MM Washington Rob Roy straight stem. I suppose the good thing about a cob is that if a new tobacco ghosts my cob, it's no a big deal in pitching it and getting a new one. With that said, I think the bigger reason is that I just like cobs. It's where I started pipe smoking in the first place and so there's just something right about it for me in trying new smokes.
Anyhow, I have decided that I am not going to write detailed tasting notes on tobaccos. JimInks, PipeStud and others are much better than I will ever be and I just don't have that gift to pull out flavours. I can like a wine, scotch, tobacco, etc. and can't always tell you why I like them and what I taste. I just like something or not. However, I will not be completely devoid of any descriptives as I write this, but they will be pedestrian compared to the great reviewers we have on these and other forums.
The package I bought was sold to the UK market, so it came in a plastic bag and had the usual doom and gloom messages, along with a 'shocking photo' for your smoking entertainment. Apparently according to the photo if I smoke this I am going to become a smoking zombie wearing a funny hat while they decide whether or not to restart me with electric paddles. Maybe that would be a relief in light of recent virus news. I leave you to decide, but my guess is that you will smoke on like I did.
Pulling open the package revealed a small plastic tray and a tin foil cover. Pulling back the tin foil cover is not quite as satisfying as cracking open a tin of SG Squadron Leader or Full Virginia Flake, but the contents are destined for a small Ball Jar anyhow. The brand name 'Old Dark Fired' leads one to believe that this might have a real smoky and strong tin note. It was actually quite mild and sort of smelled like ketchup, vinegar and grass to me.
It seemed to be close to the right moisture level to smoke as a whole flake out of the tin, but I opted for the safety of my first smoke to rub it out and gave it a couple of minutes in the sun to dry. One flake rubbed out reasonably well and was just a tad bit more than I needed for the pack on my cob. I did the classic char light. Because it resembles Virginia flakes that I have smoked, I expected it to be a bit stubborn to get going, but it took light with reasonable ease. After a quick tamp and relight, it was shooooow time.
If you like smoke, this is a tobacco you will like. There was as much velvety and marshmallowy smoke as you would ever want if you are into that sort of thing. It was not all show and no substance either. Immediately this is a full bodied smoke and struck me as the closest dynamic to smoking a cigar with a pipe. It was woody, earthy and yet you could find the sweet Virginias in the background. As the bowl went on I found this to be a bit more pronounced in the end with some growing tanginess, but never to the point of being tart. Of course I was smoking a cob and they smoke generally cool, but this is a tobacco that did not tax the cob's saving properties in the least.
I just sipped water, but as I smoked it I found myself starting to think a brown ale or a Tennessee whiskey might pair nicely with this. I think this was because it is a flavourful smoke and one that kind of puts your taste buds on full alert. The bowl burned down to fine gray ash (in spite of my crummy technique!) and needed only a few relights.
Lately I have actually been in the mood for a cigar and almost went out to buy one the other day. I know you should not look for a cigar experience in a pipe, but for me this struck me as a bit of a bridge to that world compared to some of other blends I have smoked lately. I thoroughly enjoyed ODF, and while I probably would never smoke it every day and it is not a replacement for a cigar, it is certainly one I want to keep for frequent revisits, particularly if I am in mood for something substantial. I can see myself wanting to smoke this in cold weather or on cool weather evening when a full bodied, robust smoke seems like just the trick to warm you up nicely.
ODF did not disappoint in living up to its reputation and It's a keeper for me. I am going to try a few Germain dark flakes to compare. Also, while I know it is a bit of a different beast, my bucket list does include HH Bold Kentucky as well. For the meantime, I can easily see that I am off to a good start to this becoming one of my top favourites in the bolder side of the range of tobaccos. I highly recommend new pipe smokers giving ODF a whirl at some point.
So today I finally got to smoke it. I had very high expectations because of the reviews and comments I had read about ODF, but in the days before smoking it I did not go back to read any of them because I wanted to be as unbiased as possible. As is my usual custom with new tobaccos, I chose a cob to smoke it. In this case a MM Washington Rob Roy straight stem. I suppose the good thing about a cob is that if a new tobacco ghosts my cob, it's no a big deal in pitching it and getting a new one. With that said, I think the bigger reason is that I just like cobs. It's where I started pipe smoking in the first place and so there's just something right about it for me in trying new smokes.
Anyhow, I have decided that I am not going to write detailed tasting notes on tobaccos. JimInks, PipeStud and others are much better than I will ever be and I just don't have that gift to pull out flavours. I can like a wine, scotch, tobacco, etc. and can't always tell you why I like them and what I taste. I just like something or not. However, I will not be completely devoid of any descriptives as I write this, but they will be pedestrian compared to the great reviewers we have on these and other forums.
The package I bought was sold to the UK market, so it came in a plastic bag and had the usual doom and gloom messages, along with a 'shocking photo' for your smoking entertainment. Apparently according to the photo if I smoke this I am going to become a smoking zombie wearing a funny hat while they decide whether or not to restart me with electric paddles. Maybe that would be a relief in light of recent virus news. I leave you to decide, but my guess is that you will smoke on like I did.
Pulling open the package revealed a small plastic tray and a tin foil cover. Pulling back the tin foil cover is not quite as satisfying as cracking open a tin of SG Squadron Leader or Full Virginia Flake, but the contents are destined for a small Ball Jar anyhow. The brand name 'Old Dark Fired' leads one to believe that this might have a real smoky and strong tin note. It was actually quite mild and sort of smelled like ketchup, vinegar and grass to me.
It seemed to be close to the right moisture level to smoke as a whole flake out of the tin, but I opted for the safety of my first smoke to rub it out and gave it a couple of minutes in the sun to dry. One flake rubbed out reasonably well and was just a tad bit more than I needed for the pack on my cob. I did the classic char light. Because it resembles Virginia flakes that I have smoked, I expected it to be a bit stubborn to get going, but it took light with reasonable ease. After a quick tamp and relight, it was shooooow time.
If you like smoke, this is a tobacco you will like. There was as much velvety and marshmallowy smoke as you would ever want if you are into that sort of thing. It was not all show and no substance either. Immediately this is a full bodied smoke and struck me as the closest dynamic to smoking a cigar with a pipe. It was woody, earthy and yet you could find the sweet Virginias in the background. As the bowl went on I found this to be a bit more pronounced in the end with some growing tanginess, but never to the point of being tart. Of course I was smoking a cob and they smoke generally cool, but this is a tobacco that did not tax the cob's saving properties in the least.
I just sipped water, but as I smoked it I found myself starting to think a brown ale or a Tennessee whiskey might pair nicely with this. I think this was because it is a flavourful smoke and one that kind of puts your taste buds on full alert. The bowl burned down to fine gray ash (in spite of my crummy technique!) and needed only a few relights.
Lately I have actually been in the mood for a cigar and almost went out to buy one the other day. I know you should not look for a cigar experience in a pipe, but for me this struck me as a bit of a bridge to that world compared to some of other blends I have smoked lately. I thoroughly enjoyed ODF, and while I probably would never smoke it every day and it is not a replacement for a cigar, it is certainly one I want to keep for frequent revisits, particularly if I am in mood for something substantial. I can see myself wanting to smoke this in cold weather or on cool weather evening when a full bodied, robust smoke seems like just the trick to warm you up nicely.
ODF did not disappoint in living up to its reputation and It's a keeper for me. I am going to try a few Germain dark flakes to compare. Also, while I know it is a bit of a different beast, my bucket list does include HH Bold Kentucky as well. For the meantime, I can easily see that I am off to a good start to this becoming one of my top favourites in the bolder side of the range of tobaccos. I highly recommend new pipe smokers giving ODF a whirl at some point.
