Jim's St. Bruno Reviews.

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JimInks

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St. Bruno Flake:
The Virginias are slightly grassy and earthy with some citrus and stewed dark fruit, which indicates bright and dark Virginias were used. I notice the properties of the dark Va. more. The dark fired Kentucky has some wood, earth and a little spice to go along with a little boldness as an important support player. I don't know what the floral toppings are, but they are mild and aided with citrus. It reminds me a little of geranium and tonquin, but while the toppings do sublimate the tobaccos to some extent, you won’t miss out on what they have to offer. The strength, taste and nic-hit are medium. Won’t bite even if you’re puffing like a steam engine. The flakes are easily manipulated to suit your preference. It needs a light dry time, though I find it does well without much of it, and drying it too much would lessen the flavor a little. Burns at a slow to moderate rate with a smooth, consistent taste to the finish. No dull, weak, or harsh spots. Leaves a little moisture in the bowl, but no dottle. Has a very pleasant after taste and room note. Easily repeatable during your smoking day.

St. Bruno Ready Rubbed:
The Virginias are slightly grassy and earthy with some citrus and stewed dark fruit, which indicates bright and dark Virginias were used. I notice the properties of the dark Va. more. The dark fired Kentucky has some wood, earth and a little spice to go along with a little boldness as an important support player. I don't know what the floral toppings are, but they are mild and aided with citrus. It reminds me a little of geranium and tonquin, but while the toppings do sublimate the tobaccos to some extent, you won’t miss out on what they have to offer. The strength, taste and nic-hit are medium. Won’t bite even if you’re puffing like a steam engine. As with all ready rubbed cuts, it’s easy to deal with. It needs a light dry time, though I find it does well without much of it, and drying it too much would lessen the flavor a little. Burns at a slow to moderate rate with a smooth, consistent taste to the finish. No dull, weak, or harsh spots. Leaves a little moisture in the bowl, but no dottle. Has a very pleasant after taste and room note. Easily repeatable during your smoking day.

The only differences I note in the ready rubbed version is that the tobacco flavor is a shade more obvious, which is often the case with this cut as more tobacco is exposed to air. It's also slightly mellower, which is also attributable to the cut.
 
Thank you for your reviews.
Having tried both, I find that the Flake, today, is quite different than when I smoked it n the 1990s. It's less dark in colour (it was really dark, almost all jet-black), less strong in nicotine (it was strong) and the casing aroma and flavor are milder.

I found the Ready-Rubbed version, today, has more nicotine (it was medium) than the Flake. It's on the medium to strong spectrum. Funny.
 
Lord Guyrox":l5k80qof said:
Thank you for your reviews.
Having tried both, I find that the Flake, today, is quite different than when I smoked it n the 1990s. It's less dark in colour (it was really dark, almost all jet-black), less strong in nicotine (it was strong) and the casing aroma and flavor are milder.

I found the Ready-Rubbed version, today, has more nicotine (it was medium) than the Flake. It's on the medium to strong spectrum. Funny.
I heard the same thing from somebody on another forum about the older version.
 
Any word on when we might expect the coming re-release of St. Bruno in the US?
 
After reading this thread I ferreted out my one pouch of Flake, rubbed some out and dried it for a while. Fired it up in my Karl Erik Volcano estate and it smoked loverly! Thanks for the prompt Jim.

8)



Cheers,

RR
 
fsu92john":bzy6wvmy said:
Any word on when we might expect the coming re-release of St. Bruno in the US?
Early April. Possibly sooner.
 
Well, it looks like they're already for sale. I saw on another forum a couple guys are already smoking the Flake.
 
Glad to hear that we will be able to get either one over here now !! Do you know who'll be handling it?
 
monbla256":zipm9uwl said:
Glad to hear that we will be able to get either one over here now  !! Do you know who'll be handling it?
MacBaren's produced it for six years until they bought it outright this past Fall. It'll be available everywhere MacBaren products are sold, I'd imagine.
 
I am having difficulties liking this tobacco. Seems to develop a bitter taste and aftertaste, and the topping is not particularly agreeable. Kind of moot, since there's no way I'm paying $16 or whatever it was for a pouch again. Better spent on Carter Hall or something. Can't believe I read somewhere years ago that this was the most popular pipe tobacco in England. Perhaps it's quite different now?
 
Richard Burley":0w67798o said:
I am having difficulties liking this tobacco. Seems to develop a bitter taste and aftertaste, and the topping is not particularly agreeable. Kind of moot, since there's no way I'm paying $16 or whatever it was for a pouch again. Better spent on Carter Hall or something. Can't believe I read somewhere years ago that this was the most popular pipe tobacco in England. Perhaps it's quite different now?
Can't say that I pick this up in the pouch I've been reaching into lately Rich. I guess this pouch of flake in the tray may be a good several yrs old now, and I only re-discovered it recently while searching for something else. So it hadn't had but a few bowls out of it before.

I found it nice enough, while not remarkable in any way. Just a good solid smoke and enjoyable.

No I haven't taken tasting notes as I seldom do. So I can't describe this in the kind of language that accompanies comprehensive evaluations. For me, it's pretty much go - or no go - and this one was go!

I can tell you I didn't get bitter tastes at any time though. Pretty rich and full bodied characteristics is what I remember.

Dunno know if this helps, and ymmv as always.



Cheers,

RR
 
It's pretty moist. Beginner's mistake, perhaps--I've only been smoking for five decades. Think I'll let it dry out a bit and try again.
 
Great to have these blends back. I hope some time in the future MacBaren brings us Benson & Hedges Mellow Virginia, too.
 
I've learned to like this blend, contrary to earlier posts of mine. Tastes good in a meerschaum. Good, not great. Have no idea what the slight, somewhat addictive, topping is. Decent nicotine hit. Could survive with it if stranded on a desert island, if it were the only tobaccoweed available.
 
Richard Burley":2thflbpm said:
I've learned to like this blend, contrary to earlier posts of mine. Tastes good in a meerschaum. Good, not great. Have no idea what the slight, somewhat addictive, topping is. Decent nicotine hit. Could survive with it if stranded on a desert island, if it were the only tobaccoweed available.
Good to hear it's working out for you now Mr. B. As you say, good not great. It won't be a fave with me but I do like it for what it is - a straightforward bowl.

One of those things I reach for when I'm not in the mood for anything in particular but just want to burn something that will be pleasant enough and not having to concentrate too much on.



Cheers,

RR
 
Tried the pouch and I'm a bit disappointed. The flavor is substantially weaker than it was in the early 2000's, which is when I smoked it last. It is also a bit different, perhaps more floral than I remember it. My memory may be a bit off, but I remember more fig, or raisin, and less flowers. I always thought this was a decent smoke and still think so, albeit a bit flat and uneventful. I might buy it again if it was, say, $6 or 7 for a pouch, but it isn't good enough to justify current prices. Not even close. But it was worth the trip down memory lane.

I'll order the tin sometime in the future. We shall see...
 
funny thing is in the UK Bruno is a brand we go to when nothing good is available. guess we are a bit spoiled, but I wish we had several brands you guys only have access to

such as sutliff

frog Morton etc etc
 
I just received the new St. Bruno flake in my shop and sure enough, Macbarens again has come fairly close to the old original, just as they did with Capstan, although I did notice upon opening the initial tin of the new stuff that, although the vinegar aroma is very similar in character to the old original, it is not nearly as intense. Also, the posts that mention the lighter color of the new stuff are absolutely correct, the old St. Bruno was much darker and when you popped a tin of it you could smell the vinegar from across the room, not the case with the current offering. I had a customer back in the 1970's who used to have me mix St. Bruno Flake (rubbed out) with a sweet Vanilla Black Cavendish and boy, you could smell that guy's pipe a block away.Anyway, it is great that someone is at least trying to reintroduce some of these great old blends. If anyone out there is listening who has any pull with the tobacco companies, the next one on the agenda should be a duplication of Will's Cut Golden Bar, an incredibly flavorful flake which was popular in the 1970's.
 
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