Wessex Brigade Campaign Dark Flake First Impressions

[krizzose]

Short version: outstanding.
There’s a very general similarity to Marlin Flake, but with some significant differences. Similar in sweetness, with WBCDF a hair sweeter. Maybe that’s the topping talking. MF has a tangy, malty breadiness, whereas WBCDF has a more prominent dark fruitiness, a bit brighter. A sweet oats kind of taste versus sweet bread (not sweetbreads, which would be nasty). I don’t want to say WBCDF has more hay, I think a better term would be sweet silage. Again, just a bit brighter than MF. Sorry for approaching the tasting notes cliff of douchebaggery there.
The burning qualities are fantastic. I’m smoking from a fresh tin, with some flakes I would have preferred to dry a bit more. Even with getting some gurgle, it burns very cool with no bite whatsoever.
I’m impressed. A bought a few tins on reputation alone, and I made the right call. This stuff is right in my wheelhouse: mild to medium in strength, but rich in flavor with palpable sweetness.

 

[cigrmaster]

Nice review. BCDF is one of my all time favorite blends and I have more tins of this one than any other blend in my cellar. It does age very nicely.

 

[seacaptain]

I'm a fan too. ::

 

[zitotczito]

Me three. A great smoke.

 

[jazz]

Sounds right up my street.

 

[elpfeife]

I'm with the others. Like Harris, I probably have more of this put away that anything else.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

I have a fair bit of it as well, and enjoy it, but at times it is so sweet that it is like smoking hot chocolate.

 

[npod]

For the past two years I’ve had a two way race between Wessex Campaign Dark and Astley 44. Both are very similar to me (with slight differences of course). Honestly, I rotate both the same and both scratch the same itch for me. Neither wins yet. Both great. I agree with peck, sweet and chocolate are what I crave when I want these flakes, vs say Marlin Flake or Solani Silver or Golden Sliced. Capstan Blue is very different in my opinion. That one stands alone as more dark fruit or something. I have no substitute for the blue.

 

[sparroa]

I enjoyed this but I think too much sweetness derives from the dark molasses-like casing as opposed to the leaf.
I only have some aged stock since this one is fairly unobtainable now but I'd be interested to give it another shot. I haven't smoked any in years.

 

[seacaptain]

Nice review. BCDF is one of my all time favorite blends and I have more tins of this one than any other blend in my cellar. It does age very nicely.

A couple of years ago, someone posted a pic of dresser drawers full of BCDF. Was that you?

 

[robcapp]

Anyone have thoughts on the new stuff, versus the stuff from say, 5 years ago?

The labels have very different descriptions, and would lead one to believe them to be a different blend.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

Interesting. All my stash is from 2012/13. Have not tried anything more recent than that. Would be interested to know if the blend has changed.

 

[sablebrush52]

The labels have very different descriptions, and would lead one to believe them to be a different blend.

How are the descriptions different? All of mine is 2013 and 2014.

 

[robcapp]

The old label:

"Dark brown Virginia, full bodied and smooth"
The new label:

"A fairly strong, dark Virginia Flake, which is promising a special seasoning in the English tradition, which is created by the aroma of the Virginia tobacco, dark fired Kentucky and a full-bodied Perique"
Go figure!

 

[sablebrush52]

Very interesting. I like Campaign, but never thought that it tasted like a straight dark Virginia flake, like everyone said it was. I'll have to pop an old tin after picking up a new tin to open, then do side by side smoking to see if anything major has changed. Either Campaign has been reformulated, or there's always been a little bit of something and K&K is just now including it in their description.

 

[seacaptain]

The one tin I have says "Dark brown Virginia, full bodied and smooth" and I bought it earlier this year. Not sure when it was manufactured though.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

Could it be that robcapp is talking about a different tobacco:
http://arangocigarco.com/cart_product.cfm?prod_id=142822

 

[robcapp]

Interesting, Peck.
I checked my tin of Campaign Dark and it definitely has the same description.
Arango also has the Campaign description as:

http://arangocigarco.com/cart_catalog_prod.cfm?prod_id=142816&cat=20335

My tin has flake slices, not ready rubbed flake as the Classic Virginia would.
Definitely starting to,suspect something wrong with the labeling, rather than blend change.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

Interesting. The plot thickens. I have never tasted any perique in BCDF but if the new version has perique, I want tro try some.

 

[robcapp]

It would be great to get Arango to comment on this... 2 different blends with the exact same tin description... doesn't sound right!