Kyle Weiss
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2011
- Messages
- 11,988
- Reaction score
- 7
I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE Burley! :cheers: My overly-sensitive palate takes this commonly-called "old man" pipeweed and has found some of the most remarkable qualities. Sometimes grassy, sometimes nutty and seed-like. Sometimes spicy like a Perique and other times full like and aged, sweet Virginia.
That said, there has been Burley in blends I've had that have made me wince. Biting, flat, woody and tar-like. Usually I find out about them when trying something using them as filler or to make some attempt to focus on a particular flavor (either in the mix or an added casing)--and all I do is feel bad for my tongue and the Burley inside the mix.
Solani's 656 Aged Burley Flake is as good as it gets. Boxerbuddy gave this stuff to me during my bombing, and really couldn't wait for me to try it (he knows I'm really into the Wessex Burley Slice, as well as most of what Wessex does). I'd been thinkin' about him a lot lately, he hasn't been around. Oh well, here's the review when ya get in, Brother.
It smells fig-like and sweet au naturale, sitting in the bag. The only thing that smells just as sweet as-is would be the McC FMC 2000 that I'm fond of when I have the rare sweet tooth. Moist and dense, it was tough to rub out reasonable strips to dry a tad. Once done, though, into the Jirsa Blowfish (great for non-Lat flakes).
While not nose-sweet, the ABF has a little bit of a sweet note to it. Not cloying at all (which says a lot coming from me, the sugar-hater). It has a very grassy, but waxy tongue to it, which is different from Wessex Burley Slice. I expected far more body. Far from being brittle in flavor, it's just different. I've never had anything like it. Extremely well-balanced, it reminds me of spring gardening. Don't ask me why. It's just particularly fresh-tasting, but without ultra-brightness. Refreshing, slightly pith-like, a tad toasty--notes of carrot, beet and wheat grass (is this a juice bar at a health store? :lol: ) DGT is marginal to good (depending on where in the bowl you left off) and Lady "N" is moderate.
One thing I noted at this first go was that I packed it too tightly, and I even made steps to pack it much looser than I normally do. Unless I select a cob next time, my normal gravity fill with very light packing was even a bit much. The flakes are substantially dense and stuck together--not as bad as, say, Dark Star, but pretty close. Dark Star has a method of packing all of its own that works, and I'll just have to pull a page from that bit of know-how.
Even though the Solani 656 Aged Burley Flake was packed too tight (for its liking) and burned a little hot because of it, it was still extremely forgiving, generous on flavor and satisfying. That in itself is remarkable, considering Burleys can be such tough ones to wrangle if you're not used to them. More notes later as I wise up and figure this mix out even further. I have that feeling this one's gonna give me chapter after chapter of entertainment.
Like Burley? Go get some.
8)
That said, there has been Burley in blends I've had that have made me wince. Biting, flat, woody and tar-like. Usually I find out about them when trying something using them as filler or to make some attempt to focus on a particular flavor (either in the mix or an added casing)--and all I do is feel bad for my tongue and the Burley inside the mix.
Solani's 656 Aged Burley Flake is as good as it gets. Boxerbuddy gave this stuff to me during my bombing, and really couldn't wait for me to try it (he knows I'm really into the Wessex Burley Slice, as well as most of what Wessex does). I'd been thinkin' about him a lot lately, he hasn't been around. Oh well, here's the review when ya get in, Brother.
It smells fig-like and sweet au naturale, sitting in the bag. The only thing that smells just as sweet as-is would be the McC FMC 2000 that I'm fond of when I have the rare sweet tooth. Moist and dense, it was tough to rub out reasonable strips to dry a tad. Once done, though, into the Jirsa Blowfish (great for non-Lat flakes).
While not nose-sweet, the ABF has a little bit of a sweet note to it. Not cloying at all (which says a lot coming from me, the sugar-hater). It has a very grassy, but waxy tongue to it, which is different from Wessex Burley Slice. I expected far more body. Far from being brittle in flavor, it's just different. I've never had anything like it. Extremely well-balanced, it reminds me of spring gardening. Don't ask me why. It's just particularly fresh-tasting, but without ultra-brightness. Refreshing, slightly pith-like, a tad toasty--notes of carrot, beet and wheat grass (is this a juice bar at a health store? :lol: ) DGT is marginal to good (depending on where in the bowl you left off) and Lady "N" is moderate.
One thing I noted at this first go was that I packed it too tightly, and I even made steps to pack it much looser than I normally do. Unless I select a cob next time, my normal gravity fill with very light packing was even a bit much. The flakes are substantially dense and stuck together--not as bad as, say, Dark Star, but pretty close. Dark Star has a method of packing all of its own that works, and I'll just have to pull a page from that bit of know-how.
Even though the Solani 656 Aged Burley Flake was packed too tight (for its liking) and burned a little hot because of it, it was still extremely forgiving, generous on flavor and satisfying. That in itself is remarkable, considering Burleys can be such tough ones to wrangle if you're not used to them. More notes later as I wise up and figure this mix out even further. I have that feeling this one's gonna give me chapter after chapter of entertainment.
Like Burley? Go get some.
8)
