Hearth & Home -- Lakeland Brickle

Brand: Hearth & Home
Blend: Lakeland Brickle
Style: Aromatic
Pipe Used: Cob
Price: Free Sample

Appearance: 8
Taste: 4
Room Note: 8
Value: 8
Overall: 6

When a tobacco is described as being a Lakeland blend it usually means that it comes from one of the famed blenders in that region of England and is imbued with that famous floral-like essence. Since the aroma and taste of this style of tobacco is so unique it tends to have a rather polarizing effect on pipe smokers.

Given the recent shortages of tobacco blends coming out of the Lakeland region, the folks at Pipesandcigars.com have decided to try their hand at imitating the style and the result is the brand new Hearth & Home entry, Lakeland Brickle.

Open opening my sample bag I was immediately hit with the overwhelming aroma of potpourri as I gazed upon a sticky mass of tobacco that looked to me like one of my favorite trail snacks, the inimitable Clif Bar. The medium brown tobacco was very moist so I broke off a chunk, rubbed it out, and set it aside to dry for a few hours. Fast forward a bit and the tobacco was still just as damp so I decided to just smoke it anyway.

Given the powerful aroma of the blend I decided to smoke it in one of trusty corncobs so as not to ghost a briar. The tobacco packed nicely and lit right up.

H&H describes Lakeland Brickle as a Virginia (mostly Red) and Burley blend infused with classic Lakeland essences such as rose and tonquin and I have to admit that each of these constituent parts made themselves readily known on the palate.

The Red Virginia is evident in the sweetness of the blend which I found to have a vegetal nature akin to a sun-ripened tomato or cucumber. The Burley provided a richness and hint of cinammon-like spice. And the added essences really took center stage with flavors running the gamut from vanilla (thanks to the tonquin-style flavoring) to rose and lavender.

To me the taste was overpowering and alternated between a tasty piece of hard candy and grandma's favorite floral soap. I've often read complaints that Lakeland blends are too soapy and never really understood what that meant until now. Not only did it taste like soap but it also coated my tongue and throat in a way I haven't experienced since my four-year-old self called my mom the b-word and was treated to a taste of Ivory.

I'll also admit upfront that I'm sensitive to some floral scents such as eucalyptus and while I can't confirm that that particular essence is in this blend I was hit with a big headache soon after finishing the bowl. The truth is that strong Lakeland blends just aren't my cup of tea and this Brickle is one powerful tobacco done up in that style.

The room aroma was naturally very sweet and flowery so you're not likely to receive any complaints there and the tobacco burned nicely even with its high moisture content.

While the pipe smoking world laments how hard it is to procure many classic English-blended tobaccos, Hearth & Home has stepped up to the plate and attempted to emulate the famous Lakeland blends as a service to their customers. Lakeland Brickle takes its name seriously and delivers one wallop of an essence-filled blend. There's no doubting the quality of the product and I'm sure that it'll have many fans but sadly I'm just not one of them. For me the added flavorings are just too cloying and strong and overwhelm the natural tobacco taste.