Ah what the heck, a friend said I should go for it. The sweetness is barely noticable as it burns, but there is a surprising fullness to the smoke and a good strength from the dark burley. It burns cool and slow once it's properly dried out. A good dose of our Lady nicotine but not over powering. It is only available in 100g, but a good gamble. These days almost no one remembers what pipe smoke might even smell like. The smoke is thick, fairly cool and with a pleasant mouthfeel. Like Ardbeg Ugendahl, I could still taste DSK the next day. I had tried Heinrich's version and was not crazy about it as I find the black licorice casing was too present and the strenght of the tobacco mild to medium. Anyway, they rub out easily enough and, after a bit of drying time, light ok. This is certainly what you would call a complex or sophisticated blend. I'll never be without a tin. Dark Strong Kentucky is an interesting bird to look at. Well, here is my first sample review. I thought I'd like this one a lot more than I did, though I did like it. If you receive this confirmation repeatedly, you will need to enable cookies so that your response can be saved. It can leave a bit of dottle if you don't dry it but rubbing it out and letting it sit for 15-30 minutes or so does the trick. Smells wonderful; molasses, brown sugar, hay, and a little prune on the nose. DSK smokes great and has a sweetness that tames the Kentucky better than the other attempts I've tried. This is strong, probably not for beginning tobacco smokers, but smokeless tobacco adherents probably wont be troubled by it. Very misleading. I like Ardbeg when I want a very rich and full drink, perhaps after a steak dinner. Not as strong as H&H Classic Burley Kake but tastier. It has not bitten me even when I have at times puffed a little too fast and hard. However, it's not, my go to everyday drink. I choose to fold the flakes rather than rub them out. Similar to Black Man's London Club Mixture, but not as rounded or creamy. I will be starting a new job in Japan in mid-October. A good smoke. A person who has no problem setting their tobacco out to dry ahead of time may have no problem with DSK , but I enjoy readier to smoke tobacco. I have since gone through two 100g tins and have three more in the cellar. Its a definite keeper. Although I prefer the flavors in the Heinrich's version by a small margin, the better burning characteristics of this one earns it 4 stars as opposed to the 3 I gave Heinrich's. Strength is medium. The topping does not hamper the natural flavor profile of the Virginia and burley leaf and I found the taste of the tobacco to be full and satisfying. Overall, this is a great blend that I have deemed my breakfast blend, and I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys you guessed it, bacon. Bacon! Full flavored yet mild, slightly sweet, and cool smoking. Better get the corn cobs." The Cavendish is not obtrusive; rather, I pick it up more as a smoothing, body-boosting component. I like to rub it out partially after a short dry, say an hour or so. Molasses from start to finish, and lingering finish that is so pleasant. One of the best Danish baccies ever made. Access to Brothers of Briar is subscription based. This is one of the rare tobaccos that my wife doesn't turn her nose up at. However, with the rapid proliferation and widespread availability of numerous stellar VA/KY blends, DSK now has a much harder row to hoe. The presentation of this tobacco is very appealing with several stacks of flakes. It deserves its rating because it burns wonderfully, with no bite, it tastes very pleasant (and goes well with a good single malt) with some interesting and unique overtones, non-smokers like the aroma, the way it looks is unique and interesting, and its nicotene content is not overpowering. Will keep in stock. ..Soft, rich, and with copious smoke. In brief, not for me. I love the aroma of this blend and enjoy the taste considerably. Notify Me! I've been piping for just a year. The flake cut provides a beautiful contrast between the bright and dark tobaccos." My LSW claims that it makes my breath awful, even compared to latakia blends or other burleys. Also, the flavor was just OK. It was Wow. I enjoyed this alot and will smoke it quite often, probably - especially when I am writing or reading and need a mild enjoyment for hours that won't bite or overwhelm or if I am outdoors doing something and concentrating on the smoking experience itself is not the purpose. This is some interesting looking tobacco. Been opened and not humidified at all.A lot better moisture level still left than the Balkan Sobrani from the same year that Id reviewed the same night!The virginias I tasted well, hitting me square right in the face! + -. You will know that you've had a smoke all right - there is a fair nicotine hit. $10.99 Save 8%. Bottom Line: If you enjoy a deliciously full burley blend with a substantial cherry-chocolate flavor, this one's for you. This is an interesting blend. I'm not much for aromatics, and this isn't by any means aromatic, but the licorice gives it a full, pleasent room note, at least for me. They fire up on the second light and burn nicely. I get a very slight licorice note but not as much as molasses, and I have an inkling that the licorice note is actually from the cavendish and dark fired and that there is not an anise topping, (though there could be a slight one). There is a sweet aroma which seems to be a light casing in the Danish style, and a pungency (but not the ketchup/vinegar aroma found in many McClelland blends). But it is very pleasant, nonetheless, and there is a good amount of dark-fired to qualify the blend as burley based. Might be an issue with the piper, not the tobacco, but basically, I'm giving it three stars because it's not as tolerant of abusive smoking habits as I'd like. I've worked my way through a whole tin, in all kinds of pipes. . I think moderation and patience is key with this blend. It smells like like a chocolate cake topped with vanilla and cherry cream. There are times a medium- high note comes through the deeper flavors. When sipped, this is tasty and I think many will really like this blend. This is not a robust-tasting tobacco as some are that have a high concentration of kentucky leaf. =================================================================================================Update, 3 October 2003 Dear Brethren of the Briar. Wow! Next Last. It has a wonderful smell, however, both before and after lighting, though my mom remarked "what IS that you're smoking?" Overall it's a tobacco much different than what I'm used to smoke. Orlik offers over 400+ flavors overall, out of which the Dark Strong Kentucky line is one of the most adored ones. .more .more 107 views New Finally, The Perfect Tobacco 5.2K views 9 years ago Pipe. I dried this out slightly, but not as much as most flakes. I'm not the kind to stand around shivering outside while attempting to smoke. In the modern tin are 3 small piles of short, +/- square flakes, each of which is dark with a yellow/gold stripe down the middle. There is not much nicotine I notice in this one. Medium in flavor. This may be a mental thing, but to me at least, there is a smoky character from the Dark Fired Kentucky, a natural sweetness from the Virginias, and there is a maple or brown sugar like topping that has been applied before the tobacco was pressed and sliced, thus giving it the aroma and appearance of you guessed it, bacon. It is perhaps a bit on the 'dry' side, but so far (6 tins) I have not had to add humidity. Excellent tobacco and one of my current favorites. Kentucky? I call this the big brother of Three Nuns, as they are in many ways alike. In my top three burlies. Wouldn't buy again, but if someone were to gift, I wouldn't say no to a pipe full of Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky. Looking forward to trying more Va/Burs after this. This is a great smoke. I am writing this a little earlier than I had inteneded, due to the fact that on perusing the existing reviews, I noticed Tobacco Critic had mentioned that this was no longer available, oh but it IS, still made under guarantee by Orlik in Denmark, most certainly available in England and on the web at http://www.tobacconistonline.com. It's not a bad blend, and I'm sure many will like it. The room note is not exactly brilliant, but for something with this much KY in it, er, it is. Something a little different. I smoke a little too quickly, but there was no tongue bite and the bowl did not over heat. Possibly. Being single, I can't guess how someone else might feel about the after effects. The aroma is almost unbeatable and the fire-cured Burley is wonderfully present. I received a wonderful surprise. I want to eat it! Wonderfull in a large cob pipe. A bit on the strong side I thought and fairly difficult to light,etc. I have one tin left and I will guard it with my life!!!! It's a good smoke, smooth and a good amount of billowing smoke. Virginias with dark fired Kentucky tobacco. Similar qualities, different casing. Orlik's Dark Strong Kentucky is quickly becoming my choice. I would not classify this as a burley though it does contain some. Dark stripes of Kentucky dark fired mixed with black Cavendish to sweeten a bit surrounding the bright stripe. But when I lit up, the molasses casing had a quasi burnt taste to it and that's when I realized the DFK is quite present. In fact, I don't have three tins of a whole lot in my cellar. It took a few charring lights and a couple of relights before it was all over. It's an interesting variation on the stronger burley/dark-fired blends I normally gravitate towards. All in all a great burley blend. The flakes are beautiful: almost square cut, dark and bright brown striped (rather like petite biscuits), and amazingly easy to break up and pack in. Its okay. We all have moments when we find a perfect smoke. Strange but I sensed licorice. This should be done vigorously, thoroughly and for at least a minute. I wish I could replace the thoughts of Vanilla with thoughts of Molasses as most reviewers report. This tobacco then provides very interesting flavour variations, shifting from a hearty caramel to roasted coffee beans. The layered slices look really cool, and it rubs out quite easily. The virginias are bready and sweetened by the casing. I bought this tobacco on the recommendations of fellow pipe smokers. Tobacco selection: Blending fine Black Cavendish with the irresistible qualities of Kentucky Burley gives this flake a look, taste and feel uniquely its own. Great tin smell, Great taste, Great aroma, Great smoking quality from start to finish. Very nice,mellow and bold mixture, there is something similair tastewise with their Golden Sliced,perhaps same sort of virginas were used with some dark fired Kentucky addition+a hint of liqurice toppings?its not too storng in nicotine and I do prefer Orlik DSK to the Mc Barens HH Old Dark fired,the blend which I find more earthy and higher in Nicotine.Yet Good thing we can have this blend here at Smokingpipes,since in Eu its not available at any tobaccoshop. Not only do the flakes look like bacon, to me, they smell like bacon as well. In Italy we have some kentucky-based blends, but they're rough and not at all refined, though good for blending, due to their strenght. Very nice presentation. The room note, which is something I seldom smell when smoking was very nice. The licorice topping is stronger, and sublimates the tobaccos much more so than in the earlier incarnation. Near the bottom of the bowl it does gather some strength, but by the time I'm really starting to enjoy that flavor, it's finished. Notify Me! Orlik DSK is only the 2nd flake tobacco I have tried so far. Nicotine is more than medium on average, and less than strong. I do recommend this blend to novice to seasoned smoker. The name is somewhat inappropriate. As for the smoke itself, pretty even all the way thru the bowl with little variance--typical of burley--but the flavor was certainly big enough. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Lighting can take some effort if you haven't let the flakes dry a bit. I don't think it's as strong as it has been rated as, but it's there and it's pleasant. Flakes are smaler than expected, it takes two for me, but its a 100grm tinso this isn't a major minus. If it's lit but you are puffing fast trying to get more of the subtle taste, you will probably get tongue bite. It was actually quite difficult to seperate the flakes without destroying them. The name Dark Strong Kentucky is a bit of a misnomer, since in no way would I qualify this a strong blend, Kentucky or otherwise. Very nice smoke. The cake is made in an interesting way with the two different tobaccos layered to create a stripe of Virginia sandwiched between the dark Kentucky. The biggest suprise for me was the price. The smell of sweet virginias, hay, and licorice sting the nose upon opening. Burn characteristics are alright, but I often find myself having to tamp every so often, and then relight with this blend. It makes me wonder why I even bother with other blends! It's easy to end up with bitter and hot smoke. This version isn't as finicky about moisture content as Heinrich's and has a better burn. Nicotene heaven, robust,a manly smoke,puts hair on your chest,spicey,nutty,mellow,good all the way to the bottom of the bowl. I have never had the pleasure to try the old Murray's or even the actual Dunhill production. This is a nice solid smoke. There's virtually no tobacco taste in this almost a rtificial. The nuttiness becomes more pronounced and the Virginia drones on adding sweet and sour which is very agreeable. Cheers! As mentioned in other reviews there seems to be some pg added (a little too heavily for my taste), and it takes forever to dry to my desired moisture level. . My reference for that flavor profile would be G&H Kendal Kentucky, University Flake, and MacBaren Old Dark Fired. Beautiful presentation of dual colored flakes presented in chewy dark rectangles. Not your usual burley blend, recommended, and I would buy more. It definitely has its place. I found this to be a very full, rich smoke that immediately became one of the main players in my rotation. This is only my third bowl. It's actually pleasant, and leaves a nice after-taste. Orientals, bright Virginias, and latakia leaf give a nice cool smoke. After going through a few tins of Golden Slice I was ready for a bit more body. Oh man, oh man! The taste of this blend so uneventful that I find myself wondering when it's going to be finished by the time I'm a third of the way through a bowl. No doubt this is the same flake as Heinrich's with a different topping. The initial scent present at the opening of the tin was a bit more sweet and spicy than the straight burley that I usually smoke. ), nutty and toasted with dark sugary notes. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ! The tin note on this one is heavenly. Would I reccomend this for other people to try? The only thing I don't like is that the tin was 100g (not 50 like this website says), and that really is a bit much for me to smoke of the same tobacco before moving on. Highest Recommendations! I would recommend this pipe tobacco especially if you like Kentucky fire cured tobacco. To be fair, it was the idea of Kentucky and liquorice together that drew me to the assumption of this being acrid, but first light blew that idea away. I am in the process of trying new tobaccos but this is a strong candidate for my everyday go-to tobacco. Sorry if this review is rather tepid, because this is not bad tobacco, at all, and I do recommend it. Just when I thought it was English vs. Virginia, the tertium quid appears. These irregular flakes smoke best when chopped finely. When lighting you are hit with a sweetness you don't expect, and a mild smoke counter to the name "Strong". OK, it was a little moist and needed three lights to get going, but I knew that before I started. Except for ES and DSK having cigar notes, they really diverge in taste. The tin aroma is wonderfull, licorice/anise. Too bad its no longer in production. Pipe Used: Cobs and a Virginia dedicated briar. However, I would open a tin every couple months to enjoy with genuine pleasure. Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky. Description Details Reviews Taste: A dominant taste of virginia sweetness mixed with a faint liquorice. Folded or rubbed out it smoked at a nice and even burn from top to finish rich and satisfying. I think this smokiness in DSK comes from the dark, fired Kentucky leaf generously provided. Similar to WO Larsen Curly Flake 32, but a little bit darker and milder. This blend can be smoked folded and loosely stuffed straight from the tin, and IMO it tastes best like this, albeit it then requires several relights, if ones pace is thoughtful. Thank goodness, very little of the casing comes through in the smoke. Standard strongly nutty burley flavor. Can I really be blamed? The dark fired is there, and it makes itself known, but doesn't dominate at all. The smoke is wonderfully flavoured and, although I can't really taste any (of what I understand to be) Kentucky flavours, it is dark and strong. I was aware of, and a little afraid of, the topping/casing discussed in the reviews. While it is bold, it isn't nicotine strong so that it is going to leave you woozy. Burns moderate with few relights. It is not overpowering even though it provides a smokey and complex taste and room note. Since I am a Dane I have tried every Danish blend available here except from this one, until now. I will update both of these reviews very soon, but for now I'll say that I am currently enjoying OGS quite a bit and to he honest I'm a little baffled.. pleasantly. Appearance: Square-cut tightly pressed flake, about 3 cm on a side. So most of the tobacco lived in a mason jar for about 6 months. It's even better with some age one it, althogh the faint licorice element weakens considerably over time. The first few drags were very strong but they began mellowing out as I smoked it towards the half way mark of the bowl. This smells like pure tobacco. :)). + -. This surprised me somewhat. Is it strong , well only medium, and not unpleasant or harsh. Left to age even a few months provides a more mellow smoke and a slightly enhanced flavor. This looks alm ost identical to Peter Heinrich's Dark Strong Flake and the flavor profile is similar, but I'd be willing to wager that Dark Strong Kentucky is cased with lots of cocoa and orange extract, sweetener (molasses?) Don't be put off by the fact that it's A/S tobacco made, they say in the tin that it's "smoked by all shrewd Judges ". It is a blend of high-quality tobaccos pressed into a cake and then sliced into "flakes", producing a rich, high-quality smoke, a good nicotine hit, and a tobacco that is not too complex. In all fairness, the liquorice develops strength as the bowl burns, but never domineers the smoke NEVER; it's always mild. The tinned tobacco they included in the boxes could vary. I'm with the people who say this isn't as strong as they were expecting.. the dark fired component actually seems to highlight the Virginia more than anything else.. as a Virginia guy this made me quite happy.. very mild.. a little sweet a little tangy and spicy.. if you are looking for a bold Kentucky nic bomb this might not do it for you.. just a nice mellow smoke. The topping does not leave a goopy mess in the bowl that must be reamed or scraped out. I will give it three stars, because - whilst I enjoyed it, I find that flakes smoked folded are almost always better in a tall narrow pipe, & I couldn't really do that with this one. I would rank this right behind Sweet Vanilla Honeydew Flake. I dug out my Wanghee (a godawful ugly bamboo shanked cob that smokes like a dream) and filled it with some rubbed out DSK. I purchased it in store on a whim, and could have saved myself by reading a few reviews here. This one is for the burley lovers and the nicotine lovers. I find that a lot of VA based blends can bite if not aged, and as I did not age this before trying, I was very pleased with how gentle is is. OK, so I was very leery. I repeat, cheap! The dark fired Kentucky is also similiar to Peterson's Irish Flake. Don't let the wow mislead you, this isn't WOOOO!, it's woooo. Some of the brands include; Escudo Navy De Luxe, Dunhill, CAO Flavours, Peter Stokkebye, W. . Larsen, Balkan Sasieni, Davidoff, Skandinavik, Stanwell, and Erinmore amongst many others. The virginias bring an unsweetened, "breadish" taste that balance out the blend's sweetness. Look at the name and the tin description. I enjoy this for the times when I would like a stronger virginia burley blend. I regret that I am so late because this stuff is really, really good! I found that it was best fully rubbed out in a Size 3-4 Dunhill briar. Try drying both before enjoying. The review. Not overpowering but pleasant. It is a rare and 'honest' blend, in my opinion.. & is my #1 DAILY smoke, followed by "Bull's Eye." Not particularly smoky at all and yes molasses seems to be in there as well as some kind of licorice / anise topping. Rubs out to a good pacaksble product for a semi shorter smoke and works well folded and stuffed. Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky vs Peter Heinrich's Dark Strong F huffelpuff Mar 14, 2018 Help Support Brothers of Briar: huffelpuff Well-known member Joined Dec 10, 2011 Messages 3,000 Reaction score 4 Mar 14, 2018 #1 My tins of Orlik arrived today. Similar Blends: Nothing I've ever had before.. In terms of flavor, it reminds me a little of a smoother, more refined Superior Round Slices. The Burley and Kentucky components provide a rich nutiness and density which are, IMO, very agreeable. If you enjoy medium to strong burley based blends you will like Orlik DSK. This flake smokes well. The mouth feels refreshed at the end. I didn't have any problem keeping it lit and it doesn't get harsh at the bottom of the bowl, though it does lose a little bit of the sweetness found at the beginning. But, I was assured that it would be good if I liked burleys. I like this better than Edgeworth Sliced, another and better known Burley flake blend (presently unavailable 9/22/06). Email address. Conclusion: A fine, mild tobacco to smoke whenever - it will not disappoint or surprise. Maybe I'll see ya back here in a year with another star. I am sure many people go to this as an all day smoke and I can see it's appeal in that capacity, but there are just so many other interesting tobaccos out there. Customers Also Viewed From the same Collection There was some natural sweetness that complimented the deep Kentucky taste, but I would not label this a sweet tobacco, per se'. Do not judge burleys until you try this and Barbary Coast!