Wessex Burley Sliced

This is a portion of a review I originally posted on another site.

Appearance: A very beautiful and uniform flake tightly sealed in a rather “plain Jane” tin of mottled appearance. Various hues of tans and browns of nice rich mature tobacco.

Aroma: This mixture has a deep sweet aroma very enticing. Immediately one smells a deep hay-like quality, freshly mown hay, slowly drying in the summer sun. Deep, sharp and earthy. Carmel tones and nuts are evident, as in grandma's molasseses. There is a darker scent to this as well leading me to believe that some of the leaf has been toasted in some manor. No hint whatever of Virginia or other tobaccos are evident.

This tobacco is nearly perfect in moisture the flakes are very pliant and feel slightly leathery, easily folded into a perfect “folded plug” for inserting into the chamber. For this review I've chosen a well seasoned cob fully dedicated to Burley mixtures.

Lighting generally easy, at times requiring a re-light or two to get fully going, and with a friendly “lighting tamp” I was well on my way each time. As expected, the initial flavor very Burley, with a thick silky mouth feel, with semi-sweet notes. Hay-like tones and smells and flavors of Autumn are abundant with deepening flavors of nuts and butter interplaying in a fascinating way. This seems much more to me like the Edgeworth of old, less sweet, less bitter the topping being more of the minimalist variety. Later production of Edgeworth seemed to me over-topped if anything, this is more a return to the refined version available at least 15 years ago.

Mid Bowl: Approaching mid-bowl, the fullness tends to build the toothsome mixtures of nuts and Burley develop in strength slowly along predictable lines. The topping flavor dissipates evenly leaving a slight sweetness which lasts for the remainder of the bowl. The nuttiness becomes more pronounced which is very agreeable. The mixture seems to gather a bit of strength as it matures, though I don't find it unmanageable at all. There is a moderate complexity of flavors, deep tones and high ones, hay-like, nuttiness and a slight sweetness with a rich molasseses or caramel flavor. This should bring a wide smile to many a grandfather's face recalling a great tobacco of old.

Home Stretch: As end of the bowl approaches, I am deeply pleased. This blend IS the “Edgeworth Sliced” of old, full of character and simple class of a true classic mixture.. The final third has matured nicely with all the flavors working in deepening harmony. None of the recent later bowl harshness is there, just rich voluminous pure white smoke from beginning to end. A self maintaining mixture which may be enjoyed indoors or stand up to near gale force winds outdoors making it a favorite for puttering around in the garden, forest or plains.

Supplemental Notes: This blend will certainly occupy a regular part of my rotation and should make many a lover of Edgeworth Sliced very happy indeed Rating for those interested in numbers four full stars****