Ogden's BK Flake Pipe Tobacco Reviews

Blackish brown and reddish brown, thin slices of old-fashioned, English-style Virginia tobacco that rub out quite nicely. This is one of the stronger English flakes I've had so far. When I first received my sample in the mail, its pouch aroma was very strong with that perfumy or soapy aroma that English Virginias often have.

Something about this one's aroma struck me as fruity, almost as if it contained some kind of concentrated orange essence. I found it overwhelming to the point of being almost sickening. Now, a couple of months later, some of the top aroma has dissipated and I find it most pleasant.

I smoked my first bowl of this in a small pipe the day I received it, but it was too early in the day for me to be smoking such a strong tobacco. This mistake combined with its strong aroma while very fresh, left me with a bad impression. I came back a month later only to find that I actually like this blend a lot. First of all, you have to really like nicotine to like this blend - it will relax you.

Its flavour reminds me a bit of Saint Bruno, somewhat tart, fruity and wine-like, and with a very subtle nutty character underneath. In terms of body, its smoke is a bit lighter than Condor, and a bit sharper. However, its sharpness is refreshing in the way it tickles the tongue - and the nose as stray smoke drifts around.

At first, its strength of flavour while in the mouth makes it seems like it might bite, but it doesn't. Its refreshing taste might be due to some perique in the mixture, which wouldn't surprise me because there is a peppery taste mixed in here as well, but I would expect a perique blend to have more bite.

This burns very well, but slowly, to a pale grey powder, and it's a joy to sit down with and smoke slowly. It leaves a heavy, nut-like aroma something like that which Saint Bruno leaves behind, although a little bit sweeter to my recollection.