I just tried Wessex Gold Brick

[Kyle Weiss]

You know, I really like Wessex! I've had this hanging around for a while, picked up (and jarred, for reasons told below) early last summer in better times, convinced after I truly enjoyed Burley Slice I'd be a fan of Gold Brick. I thought driving away the Holiday darkness would be good by trying this stuff. No, sorry guys, no flavors cinnamon spice, chestnuts, chocolate, pine trees and elf ears (thinking of setting them on fire makes me smile, anyway), as I guess is the favorite for a day like today.

The packaging, as I remember, was a cellophane wrapper with a gold sticker. Not exactly prime aging containment. So I broke up the plug into three pieces, and split another, and it fit nicely into a 4oz wide-mouth jar.

Today was the day. Not much aging had gone on in a few months, so the vacuum was minimal. Boy the stuff smells nice! I peel off some 5mm layers, julienne those into strips and cube the leaf. I dried it slightly, but after forgetting about some Solani 660 in front of the fan yesterday (and regretting it) I erred (aired) on the side of caution. Heh. Sorry. *ahem*

I like using my Pete 80S "Dinky" for such occasions. The chamber is just right, and it'd been a few days since my last Solani 660 experience in it. Petes, as they are, are forgiving by contending with moisture if there is any to be had.

This young, the tobacco is naturally bright-tasting, heady, grassy and pith-like. Not in a bad way at all, in fact, it's not a particularly "sweet" tobacco, it's more toasty. Bread-like. Nutty. Wild. Toward the end, I even swear I got coconut notes--fascinating.

The nose on this stuff is great, and why I love to find a non-matured tobacco that gives a good, complex, multifaceted nose without other stuff getting in the way...like fermentation smells, acidic tones, and what I would call "process notes." The fact Gold Brick is a plug is even better, because I like the personal, extra step cutting the tobacco just right. Nicotine is on the-gentle-side-of-medium, and comes about gently. DGT is UUUHHH-MAAA-ZZIIING... which usually means I should have dried it out just a little more--it did get swampy a few times, but resting the bowl for a few minutes and letting the water vapor dissipate gave way to some great pick-up flavors on re-light!

With hints of blossoming herbs, alfalfa, almond, faint orange, and all of them quite velvety, this stuff is great. I'd like to try it left to its own devices after three or so years, though. It's also something I'd like more in warmer weather...I seem to gravitate toward thicker, richer tobacco in the winter (a common practice, so I hear)...so...I'm set for Spring when it rolls around.

:flower: Bring it!

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[Wet Dottle]

This young, the tobacco is naturally bright-tasting, heady, grassy and pith-like. Not in a bad way at all, in fact, it's not a particularly "sweet" tobacco, it's more toasty.

I couldn't have described it better, Kyle. It is a really good blend that is often overlooked. It ages very well, too. It gets darker and sweeter, but without loosing its initial flavor notes. By the way, I just let it age in its original packaging and did not have problems, yet (I have packages dating back to the late 90s). But I do agree that it's not ideal.

By the way, you should try Dark Bird's Eye one day...

 

[Kyle Weiss]

...the G&H product?

 

[sonarman]

Kyle, sounds pretty good! I've read that it's cased with coffee, any truth to this? Oh, btw way a ho ho ho Merry Christmas to you my friend :twisted:

 

[gravel]

I have a brick if this stashed away in its original wrapper, inside a jar. Mmmmhmmmm.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Kyle, sounds pretty good! I've read that it's cased with coffee, any truth to this? Oh, btw way a ho ho ho Merry Christmas to you my friend :twisted:

I doubt it. Coffee by itself has little binding effect and would degrade rapidly (and unexpectedly in a tobacco environment). Coffee doesn't age well, whether it's green, roasted or brewed, the shelf life is substantially short in capturing delicate flavors (which is one reason why I don't trust large manufacturers of coffee, and for good reason). I'd assume any coffee flavor, especially to someone like me who is kind of a coffee snob, would be unappealing if not offensive...

...and this tobacco didn't even suggest coffee. If there's any trace of coffee put there by Wessex, bean or brewed, I'll smoke an entire bag of Smoker's Pride.

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[joeahearn]

Excellent review of an excellent tobacco. One of the side benefits of smoking this stuff--my wife LOVES the smell of the smoke.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Excellent review of an excellent tobacco. One of the side benefits of smoking this stuff--my wife LOVES the smell of the smoke.

I didn't get a chance to get a "room note" test on this stuff, perhaps soon. If it has a crowd-pleasing effect, that'd be a bonus. I don't seem to have many 'baccas that get a warm reception from passers by... :twisted: ...but a few on hand for certain social occasions can't hurt.

8)

 

[Anonymous]

http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend_detail.cfm?ALPHA=G&TID=2486

Flavoring : Coffee

Probably in the same extent that "grape" soda contains actual grapes . . .

:face:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

...probably so, Yak. Then again, if TR.com was the end-all trustworthy site for 100% accurate information... :lol:

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[cigrmaster]

Nice review Kyle, I just tried this blend myself for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I am a huge fan of Wessex so I figured I would take a shot. I was hesitant at first because of the description about coffee casing. After smoking it, I could discern a tiny hint of coffee in the background which I had to look for but found enjoyable. As soon as I got the plug, I transferred it to a bale top jar for storing. I liked it so much I bought another 10 plugs and will be buying even more.

It is a very good value for a va plug, and I believe it will really blossom with a couple of years on it. It is another winner from the house of Wessex. I am stocking more of their blends than any other mfg with 4 in the cellar.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

Kyle, I tried Wessex Gold Brick for the first time a few days ago and quite enjoyed it. In fact, I loved it so much that yesterday I ordered 6 bricks for the cellar. I am finding that Vas are becoming the mainstay in my cellar, and I thought this stuff was too good to pass up and, I expect, will age like magic.

 

[Anonymous]

Then again, if TR.com was the end-all trustworthy site for 100% accurate information... :lol:

Yep. But manufacturers' ingredient lists more commonly omit stuff than include it (like the near-universal touches of Burley in Virginias).

Whatever. Glad you like it.

:face:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I'm still deciding if it's a "fireworks and parade" blend of stuff, Yak, but it's leaning in that direction. Truthfully, I think you'd even like it, but I can see where it wouldn't quite crack the Yak Code and lend itself well to you (I'd push Solani 660 Silver Flake on you more...)

...as for the "coffee" thing, like most of my reviews, I only check out good ol' TR.com after I've smoked something. I don't want to be influenced by the words there or notions that there's a confusing possibility of either wrong or misguided...

...I think maybe my coffee appreciation and what I consider "coffee" (and good stuff at that) wasn't present in this stuff, as I haven't had bad coffee in a long time (kind of ignore it if I have to, in other words). So some might find notes of their coffee in it, but my coffee isn't there--and in general, there's no "coffee tone" to the stuff in my opinion. Might be an eff-up when the user added the original review to the site. That's why I don't like TR.com, the "flavor" is what someone might have perceived, rather than what's actually in there. Just because you taste it, doesn't mean it's a component. Then again, look at EMP--no mention of Latakia in there on TR.com, in fact, people for a while swore there was no Latakia in it--then Orlik came out and said it's in there.

That's the beauty of a clean tobacco. There's many nuances to be had, and a good blender is an alchemist of the leaf--no parlor tricks needed.

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[MisterE]

It's not that overbearing goopy type of aro casing at all. In fact, once it gets going you don't even know it's there. All hail the gold brick!

 

[Anonymous]

Re-read your Silver Flake rap. Probably would be pretty good, I guess. Something like JKP ?

:face:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Re-read your Silver Flake rap. Probably would be pretty good, I guess. Something like JKP ?

:face:

...well... in Peaselish I suppose it would be like Embarcadero soiling her bedchamber with a little Jackknife just to explore her wild side for but one night, but that's really pushing it into conceptual nonsense...it's something I think you'd get into. :lol: The subtlety and dynamics are something to behold.

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[Clay]

Thanks for the review Kyle. This is now on my future TAD list

 

[somedumbjerk]

...well... in Peaselish I suppose it would be like Embarcadero soiling her bedchamber with a little Jackknife just to explore her wild side for but one night, but that's really pushing it into conceptual nonsense...it's something I think you'd get into. :lol: The subtlety and dynamics are something to behold.

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HAHAHAHAHAAA! i almost spit my Lombard out of my pipe reading this. you really need to do more reviews, man!
and on a side note, from a fellow coffee snob, check out the single origin coffees from La Colombe Torrefaction in philly. apparently the owner of the company went batsh%t crazy and is going all over the world getting rare coffee. i've drank LCT coffees for years, those guys can roast. the Corsica blend + a heavy English tobacco is something that everyone should try. especially with junky weather outside. cheers brother!
http://lacolombe.com/single-origin

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Okay, I have to nibble on my hat a little if not take a big bite...

...I honestly got a faint, faint note of what I thought was coffee on the WGB today. Not kidding.

It was for only a few minutes at the mid-way point, and got the "nose."

Now, TR.com has annoyed me because of how people create reviews and abuse the "flavor" aspect, whether it is something specific added or something merely sensed. Such as, Erinmore Flake does not taste like pineapple, there's a scent to it. SG Chocolate Flake actually TASTES like chocolate directly (which I'm not at all into), and Wessex Gold Brick's "coffee" is not a "flavor," at least to me.

The "palate" as a whole sensory system, consists of mouth/cheeks, the different regions of the, tongue, top-side of the throat, and inner nasal cavity. They all play a role and will yield different aspect of what is sensed when anything is consumed for flavor, but there is often dominance given to the tongue--there's a whole lot more.

So, today, there was a tiny, tiny "nose" of coffee in WGB. Fleeting, barely there, and perfectly pleasant. Is it "topped" with coffee? I'm not sure, but I doubt it until proven otherwise. Just being honest!

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