St. Bruno Ready Rubbed

Was attracted to purchase it as it was Tony Benn's go-to smoke (British politician). Peterson's Sherlock Holmes without the citrus.

Like the St. Bruno flake without the rubbing out. Perhaps a bit less intense or flavorful, but like the flake, it is a great smoke.

Great flavor and doesn’t get too hot in the bowl. A truly fantastic blend!

Excellent! Great smoke. I really like this blend best flavor my favorite blend.

When I'm not smoking HH ODF, I'm smoking St Bruno. Oddy enough both are composed of Virginia and dark fired Kentucky. The former is dark and earthy and the latter lighter and sweet. Nice change of pace.

St. Bruno RR is one of my favorite aromatic type blends. It's a smooth never overwhelming smoke with just enough of everything to satisfy my taste for an easy going blend. Low nicotine, burns cool with not many relights needed. If you're into sweet aromatic blends this might not meet your expectations as this is more of a natural tobacco flavor with the topping playing in the background. IMO, an excellent all around easy smoking blend!

My favorite daily smoke. A delightful Liverpool Lakeland which smokes cool but provides a strong and delicious flavor. A hint of floral without being overbearing.

The first time I was introduced to St. Bruno is when a friend of mine was having her mom come to the states from England to spend Christmas holiday with her and her new family. I asked her if her mom would mind bringing some tobaccos from England with her so I could try it. She brought two pouches with her. Condor and St. Bruno. I gave the Condor to a friend and tried the St. Bruno. Back then I was smoking aromatics and Carter Hall. Needless to say I didn't like it. A few years later I tried it again and something clicked. I fell in love with it, overnight! What I get From St.Bruno is a woody, nutty sensation along with Tonka bean. A little spicy from the Dark Fired Kentucky and a slight vinegar essence from the aged Virginia. Together it makes a beautiful British style aromatic pipe tobacco. It does need 10 to 15 minutes dry time, and another rub out. The tobacco in the packet comes in broken flake form. When I smoke it, I think of an old English Law Library with leather chairs and a fire place with flickering low light. Red long drapes covering the frost covered windows, and tea being served in fine China tea sets. Gentlemen smoking their Dunhills and Duncan pipes while reading their papers. That is what comes to mind while smoking this blend and the aroma.

Excellent, always Excellent 👏

Excellent smoke!

This, and Bosun Cut Plug, were the only Lakeland-style tobaccos in my rotation as a young pipe smoker, as I was mostly a Balkan Sobranie 759 fan in those days. St. Bruno's is no longer made by Ogden's of Liverpool, but it hasn't changed very much...smells like steak sauce in the pouch and soap in the pipe! It's GOOD soap, mind you...lighter than most Lakelands, less like Granny's Rose Geranium guest soap and more like a clean, pleasing taste, that lasts to the bottom of the bowl. Appealing room note, and enough nic to be satisfying. Rub it out a bit further from the pouch, and let it sit for a few minutes before lightly packing up the pipe for the best smoke. Benefits from an "airy" pack, smokes cool and consistent, but does require a few more relights than a straight Balkan or English. Like Royal Yacht, this may be a "love it or hate it" smoke, but I keep a pouch around all the time, and I have a Savinelli 315 reserved for aromatics and flavored blends like this. I realize "soap flavor" may not be most appealing description, think maybe "clean flavor", certainly worth a try, as the tobaccos used have a good underlying kick that separates this from most Cavendish based aromatics, and when packed right, retains the flavor to the very last bit. Very much the kind of smoke that if it works for you, you will be keeping it in the rotation, as there really is nothing else like it out there. Plus, the old St Bruno TV commercials you can watch on youtube are still pretty funny...

A lovely Virginia- Dark fired Burley blend . The floral topping is barely noticeable. More in the aroma and nothing like a lakeland . The Tonquin is noticeable and tasty . Medium nic hit that satisfies. A great smoke !

St. Bruno is a wonderful old fashioned Virginia blend with unique and complex hay, wine, and licorice notes. About medium in stength, great non latakia English blend. It is a little expensive, but worth it.

Lives up to hype, earthy plum notes with citrusy finish. Can see why it's been a English standard for so long! That it's available on this side pond is great wish other brands were also accessible.

Great

I enjoy smoking this blend but it does have a nip on my sensitive tongue

Really nice all day blend.

The most flavourful and mild tobacco I’ve ever smoked....It’s been my choice for 50 yrs......

Nice cool mellow long lasting smoke

Has become one of my favorites, good change from the usual English/ Balkan blends I normally smoke, sweet but not to aromatic but not to could be an all day smoke, (sometime it is).

First time experience with this blend. Very much liked. This blend is rich in taste & smokes full bodied with an edge that is unusual. The blend has a "time substantiated" feel & taste. No bite. Recommend opening & allowing to breathe for a few hours before smoking. Good room note, satisfying taste. Strong recommendation.

[Tin/bag - Initial wiff of sharp syrup/rum/spirits or something hit me in the throat, sweet - maybe raisiny, a little leather, and almost a faint vinegar. Longer crumpled cut strands like a ready rubbed flake would be, a little thicker than typical ribbon cut and straighter too. Some moisture in the pouch, had to dry some in front of a fan for quick access (10 mins).] Sugary molasses just a touch that quickly gives excellent Virginia yellow hay notes. Really tastey lightup. Some slight nip to it in the nose on the retro, and then a little woodiness in there. Every once in a while some bitterness in the aftertaste. I attribute the nip and bitterness to some dark fired Kentucky, but I do not sense smokiness. Little bit of tingle on the tongue after exhale with secondary tastings of the after taste. Nice, rich, more robust and full mouth flavor, along with some fruitiness. A sense of vanilla here and there in the mix lingering on the side and back of the tongue. I catch a few hints of the floral notes people have mentioned. I really like the Virginias on the retro the most, and then the richer sweets of fruit, and there ever so faintly, is some leftover smoke and woodiness in the nicely blended in dark fired Kentucky. Enjoyable, there is quite a bit going on here it seems. I tried this one out, over popping any of my tins, for the price point. Amongst a little mixed reviews, it seems to indicate that tin vs pouch are the same, or so similar, that I will probably not detect enough difference. It's very good, but probably not going to be a mainstay for me, as I just don't sense it will be something that crosses my mind first when I go to pick up the pipe. However, it should be nice here and there and I will keep some on hand, but about 5 tins should last me past the Apocalypse and into the grave with me favoring others in my cellar. Stays nice and fairly cool throughout the bowl, with little to no relights needed.

Just ordered 11 pouches! Is it my beloved Condor Ready Rubbed?? NO! Is it good in it's own right? Absolutely YES! I love it... "the "weez"...

Too large & stringey..won't stay lit long...aroma..good...will not buy or recommend too anyone.

Tried this ready rubbed for the first time today. The top note reminds me of my loved Erinmore Flake. I am getting quite a bit of spice/pepper. After a while that Dark Fired Kentucky comes through with a nice thick satisfying smoke. Smoking in a Missouri Meerschaum Cobbit The Shire. Delightful!

This is truly a tobacco not to be missed. It does have a slight plumb topping, but it really sets the right tone for a peaceful smoke.

Good stuff my my true love will always be Condor. The toppings are similar but the base tobaccos are worlds apart. Do yourself a favor and buy some Gold Block with your St Bruno and mix them 50/50, the result will be what we call Ogden's Mixture. Go ahead, look it up.

I am so glad to find a U.S. stockist of St. Bruno since I had been importing cases of it from England at a pretty outrageous price. This is a gem; a common blend in the U.K., but a fairly uncommon one in the U.S. I absolutely love this blend, and despite being bought out, this blend has not changed at all.

Cool even burning. Packs easily, a mild smoke best after a meal with a nice coffee.

St. Bruno Ready Rubbed is the best tobacco that I have ever smoked. If there was nothing but St. Bruno left in the world, I would be happy. I would gladly smoke this everyday, all day...if it weren't so expensive. As such, I will buy what I can, and smoke it sparingly. I think Mac Baren would greatly benefit if they lowered the price. The blend is smooth, soapy, with a hint of smokiness, but not in a latakia-way. It is pleasant, and made of good quality leaf. This is one of the best...

St Bruno is a medium bodied, medium strength, medium quality Va-Bur with a small bit of casing which presents as a touch of sweetness rather than any particular flavour. It had been years since I had smoked it, so I had to have some. I remember it as being a little stronger and a little less sweet, but that could be the result of time and comparison to the tobaccos I am currently smoking. There is nothing bad about St Bruno and I will certainly finish the pouch, but there are too many better Va-burs at a better price point to repeat the purchase.

I'm not a veteran to the pipe scene by any means. I'm actually still a rookie. But Dang! I love this tobacco. I first read about St. Bruno a few years back, and since then have been imaging a nice packed bowl in my pipe. Well the day has finally arrived and I'm on cloud nine. Actually many clouds of St. Bruno bliss. This will now become my everyday go to smoke. It's just that good in my opinion. I'm sure I will get some disagreements, but I don't care. I'll keep on puffin' my favorite pipes packed with the old British " Big Dog" St. Bruno!