Tobaccos Newminster - No. 403 Superior Round Slices

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3019)	2014-03-28		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

I'd almost swear this is a MacBaren blend. There's a familiar note of honey that plays well with the tart and tangy citrusy, grassy/hay, woody, earthy, lightly dark fruity and acidic Virginias. The dark fired Kentucky is spicy, dryly sour, barely sweet, earthy, floral, herbal, a little woodsy, and nutty with a bare hint of nutmeg. Reminds me very much of Dark Twist without the earth notes. The coins are just loose enough to stack and smoke without many relights, which I prefer to unraveling. It seemed to have just a little less spice at the finish, but that could just be my getting used to it. The strength and taste levels are medium. The nic-hit is in the center of mild to medium. Not a complex product, and if you're sensitive to spicy bends, you risk getting a little tongue bite if you puff too fast. Burns clean and a little warm at a slightly slow pace with a moderately consistent sweet and spicy, lightly floral flavor that translates to the pleasantly lingering after taste and stronger room note. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and requires some relights. Not an all day smoke. I expect this will age well.

-JimInks

41 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	fr_tom (393)	2013-11-25		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This has been a very enjoyable smoke. The coins are sliced very thin, and they were easy to rub out. I got a medium strength Virginia flavor, with a pleasant spiciness from the Kentucky. This is a serious value, and on that basis alone it should probably get bumped to a 4. I found this very tasty and not a tobacco with a lot of complexity. You get the slightly sweet and mellow with just enough spice to notice but not overpower. I did not experience bitter as another reviewer did.

Edit: 12/1/14 I am checking reviews and updating. When I finished the 4 oz sample, I ordered a pound of this. I find this a very satisfying smoke, and have discovered I can rub out a couple of coins to mix with a "thin" Balkan/English to provide some body and kick it up a notch.

I have experimented with different ways to prepare this when smoked by itself, and I think I get the best smoke with the coins stacked, rolled up and wadded into the right size for the bowl. This gives a slightly denser pack and a remarkably good smoke.

This is a great blend to have in inventory. Solid 3.5 on the scale.

35 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (632)	2014-10-13		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I love when someone sends me something and I just end up loving it. Such is the case with Newminster Superior Round Slices. I had sent a forum friend some Motzek Strang. Upon trying it, he commented that he thought it to be identical to Newminster. He is a relative new piper and sent me some so I could make my own comparison.

My first thoughts were that the coins were quite similar in appearance. I smoked a bowl of the Newminster and found it to be a little heavier on the burley or dark fired side. Giving more of the nutty sweetness that one would expect from that leaf. The blend is quite sweet and I am not sure if that is the interplay of the Virginia and the burley or if there is a bit of topping put into the center. The Strang also has that sweetness, but a bit more reserved and is accentuated by a good amount of spice from the perique. Where I could taste the spice in both, I found it to be bolder in the Strang.

Overall, I am really splitting hairs as these differences were not that stark. Overall, I would say he was not wrong in that the two are very similar and are both very good. I would still give my preference to the German Motzek Strang, but could easily use this to scratch that same itch.

I gave four stars to Strang and will do the same with this one. It is great, it is available and relatively inexpensive, particularly when compared to Strang.

20 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DeathMetal.org (231)	2015-10-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Summary: Dark Fired Kentucky Burley takes the place of Perique in this traditional curley cut

Many of us love curly cuts for their ease of packing, transport, and burning, plus the little curlicues are just cute. Like the later "Three Nuns," Newminster "Superior Round Slices" makes a traditional va/per with Kentucky Burley in the place of the Perique. This creates a smooth-burning mixture that produces a flavor not unlike oatmeal with brown sugar and a slight zing, but lacks something that the Perique gives a blend, namely that deeply fermented fruit flavor which tames the sweetness of bright Virginias. In addition, the leaf used in this blend is new and is cased with some sugar, which means that the first few puffs will burn quite hot. If you buy this blend and set it aside for a few months or years, it becomes a richer, gentler, and more molasses-and-honey version instead of the peanut-butter-and-jelly of the vapers.

Similar Blends: Mac Baren - Three Nuns, Cornell & Diehl - Three Friars, Mac Baren - Dark Twist Roll Cake.

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2015-12-03		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A solid value in a bulk tobacco. I like this blend quite a bit. Comparisons to Mac Baren’s Dark Twist Roll Cake are appropriate, as are comparisons to Stockton for that matter. Actually I find Superior Round Slices to be somewhere in between these two venerable roll cake blends. It’s just as spicy as Stockton, but it lacks Stockton’s earthy flavor profile. It’s slightly sweeter and a bit more rich than Dark Twist Roll Cake, but it’s also more rugged and lacks Dark Twist’s delicate nuances.

Altogether this is a fairly fresh tasting blend that happens to be a bit rough around the edges, especially when puffed too hard. Is it perfectly balanced? No. Is it well matured? No. Still, it's a tasty tobacco with some sweet grassy Virginia flavor and a bit of bass and spice from the dark fired core. I am going to jar up several ounces of it and lose it in my cellar for a couple years. I am positive that a little age will yield some mighty fine results. A perfect investment blend.

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	noquarter (23)	2015-11-26		Medium to Strong	Mild	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

I really like this blend. Straightforward and very flavorful. Love the burn qualties and aroma. I smoke my favorite blends on saddlebit half bends and this is one of those on my regular rotation. It will bite when provoked but then again,im a slow puffer,2 coins and I'm off for a good hour or more smoke.

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2075)	2016-10-14		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Newminster - No. 403 Superior Round Slices.

The blend has a generic curly cut appearance, think Mac Baren Roll Cake. The colour's a little darker than medium brown, and the moisture's decent. The coins load into the bowl easily; they don't need 'rubbing', I just give them a slight roll between my fingers and stuff them in.

To me, the Kentucky's responsible for the majority of the flavour: smoky, nutty, and rustic. I struggle to get anything from the Virginia: the smoke doesn't have any refreshing grassy or citrusy qualities. Some people note a topping like sweetness, but anything added eludes me; the only extras to me are from the Kentucky's curing process. I also see how bite's an issue for a lot of smokers; not me though, it's amenable in that department!

I find the nicotine a bit above medium, and the room-note non-offensive; I don't love it, and don't hate it.

This is a very solid smoke:

Four stars.

Pipe Used: Peterson Kenmare #X220 P-Lip

Age When Smoked: One month

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Vaperluvr60 (4)	2016-09-26		Medium to Strong	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I admire simplicity. Less is often more when it comes to pipe tobacco for me and this blend nails that adage. This blends requires a bit of...temperance to keep it from biting your tongue. I love this blend in a cob and in my briars that are smallish in diameter and depth...a little of this tobacco goes a long way as the pace in which it needs to be smoked creates the length of the experience, not the amount of tobacco. I like to rub out a single coin and lay it in the bottom with a light tamp. Then I take a few coins and slide them in the bowl edgewise. It takes a few small lights and "rough ups" to the top of the stack to get it to take a light....of which there are numerous because I like to get it going, get a nice mouthful of smoke, snork it out of my nose and let it go out...I guess I kind of play with it rather than smoke it lit from top to bottom. I am rewarded with a cool flavorful smoke, the sweetness of the Virginia (and maybe some honey?) and then the counterpart smoky, spicy dark fired burly as well....much more complex in flavor than one would expect considering the sum of its parts. The room note to me is kind of sweet and unapologetically tobacco....perfection for me and a blend I have several pounds of in my cellar that are broken down into pint jars for aging....love this stuff!

Pipe Used: MM Country Gentleman & Carey Magic Inch apple

Age When Smoked: 2 yrs

Purchased From: P & C

Similar Blends: MacBaren coin blends (Stockton, DarkTwist).

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	oldorder (22)	2014-06-17		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant

Smoking some now as I write. It has good flavor. Reminds me of fishing for trout under rocky outcroppings. How the mind works. Could be an all-dayer. Has more flavor than the cigaretty blends, and more strength than most. Well-rounded. And the wife likes the room note. I'm always looking for a non-aro, some nic kick, and good room note for the wifey, If it smells like a cigarette it's a thumbs down from her. And the aromatics scorch my mouth. Round Slices fit the bill pretty well.

Pipe Used: Old briars

Age When Smoked: Fresh from the pouch, moisture level good.

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

Similar Blends: Reminds me a little of Dark Birdseye. A little weaker and not as much kick. But definetly more of an all day smoke..

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SecretAgentMan (27)	2013-12-29		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Each slice looks like a Hubbel photograph of a tobacco nougat galaxy with tan and cream stars carried along by swirls of chocolate brown and black earth. The aroma is light, spicy and brisk; it's in your face without being obnoxious but also without any apologies for itself. Dried for 20 minutes and rubbed out into broken slices and shreds. It's a bit deceptive when packed -- you think there's more tobacco down in there than actually is down there. It will also expand when lit, so if you pack it to the very top of your pipe's chamber you should stand by for strands of the tobacco to stand up from your piple like tiny blacksnakes lit on the sidewalk during the Fourth of July.

The taste and aroma are vegetal and lightly astringent. Flavors are primarily pine and hay, with slight hints of black pepper and juniper. Maybe some dark-toasted, yeasty bread toward the end of the bowl, but that's as much umami as you'll get. It's a refreshing smoke, sort of a palate-cleaner with enough flavor to let you know you're smoking tobacco but not enough to overwhelm or indulge your senses. It's pretty strong stuff, too, probably due to the Kentucky. I enjoyed it.

Pipe Used: MM Washington

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrT999 (317)	2013-07-21		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

I can see how these rounds could appeal to those who like basically unflavored straightforward uncomplicated blends. I often like them as well. The rounds pack easily and burn well. For me, however, the blend is slightly bitey, the taste doesn't appeal, and the room note is terrible. For those who like Kentucky/Va's, give them a try, they might appeal to you.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PeterD (91)	2012-08-17		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

...very nice rolled coins, perfect moisture in the 1 pound bag I purchased, with a pleasant aroma from the bag.

Another solid preformer from Newminster...not overly complex, yet it has character, quality tobaccos, and could serve as an all-day smoke for many.

For the time being I rate this a 3 star recommendation and will continue my assessment...

...a pipe is to be savored...

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tomcat (212)	2020-12-19		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Unnoticeable

403 - Superior round slices . These coins are very simplistic and quite tasty.This blend could easily be an all day type of smoke . They have more flavor than my six year old tins of Three Nuns and they are much cheaper . They needed dry time and after my first bowl I dryed it a little more and no threat of a bite whatsoever. Very similar to Mac Barens Dark Roll Cake . Virginia grassy and light fruit and bread . The Kentucky is spicy , nutty with some bbq smokiness . I think it is cased with something sweet ? A fine Vabur that is priced right and would probably age well . I may jar some for the cellar . Recommend for sure . Sometimes I wish you could comment on reviews because when I read someone saying this bites the crap out of me I want to tell them to dry the tobacco out some . If you smoke a lot of blends right out of the tin or bag it will bite you ! Virginia and Burley blends need a certain moisture level . Latakias can be quite moist and not bite . It’s a shame because that’s why some people quit smoking pipes probably. Sorry about the rant .

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Loboatomy (41)	2015-03-02		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

So, this tobacco represents a change in my pipesmoking paradigm. Let me explain: As with many here, I've been avidly enjoying my pipes and although Ive found many tobaccos that I truly enjoy (as well as those that I dont), I'm still exploring...still throwing a "few more" ounces of this or that onto my online orders just to try different stuff out (some thing like almost 2 dozen C and D blends so far, all of the available gawith ropes and bizarre geranium lakelands flakes etc, etc.)- I probably have a hundred blends in jars and baggies in jars in my cellar at this time along with my "bulk stash" of codger burleys and jarred long term bulk blends.

But I've always been somewhat conservative- even to the point of going out to my car and searching this site prior to buying a tin of something at my local B & M. I feel that I've made responsible choices regarding experimenting- for example- although I appreciate Latakia in certain blends, I'm not a huge fan- being more of a VaBur/ VaPer/ VaTurk kinda guy- so my large scale purchasing has been in accordance with my known tastes.

Recently (in the past few months) I've been ordering larger quantities of the things that I like and can expect to age well (PS Luxury Bullseye flake, PS Cube Cut, PS Navy Flake, C and D Orions Arrow/OJK, G and H Happy Bogie and Sweet Rum twist etc) as well as be somewhat affordable. Also have ordered some multipouch packs of some of the aromatics I enjoy like Skan full aroma, Sail and Troost.But of the bulks, its pound quantities, mind you, for incorporation into my cellar pending what I believe to be an imminent tax increase/governmental demonization of all tobacco products...but I digress. I just can't believe that I'm buying pounds of pipe tobacco at this point to stash away. It sorta blows my mind.

I had never really heard of the "Newminster" brand before, but clicked onto an item description on a website and was confronted with an image of the most gorgeous coin cut tobacco i'd seen in a long time- reminiscent of MacBarens Club Blend or Dark Flake in appearance- just with a few more birdseyes.

So I researched it- and found out that it was actually made by MacBarens (which I like), somewhat similar to Stockton and Norwood (which I've liked) and club Blend and Dark Twist and roll cake (which I like)

So...on the strength of the reviews here and elsewhere on the web I threw all caution to the wind and ordered a pound...for $26.

I've never done this before. Never ordered more than an ounce of an untried tobacco. Never took the plunge like this. Granted, I didn't buy a $150 tin of some decade old GL pease masterpiece off of ebay, but a pound of tobacco is alot of tobacco if it turns out you dont like it...

Yes, $26. cheap. Here where I am it's tough to find a 100g tin of Club Blend for less that $19.00.

Let me tell you, after a few days and a half dozen bowls, I am relieved and excited. This stuff is fantastic. Smokey, cool smoking (my package seemed slightly dry- perfect actually). I don't know why it's described as "mildly aromatic", because it's not. Its basically dark fired Kentucky with about an equal proportion of bright virginia. Some mildly piney, bitter marmalade and vegetal overtones. a hint of lemony sweetness from the virginia counterbalanced perfectly by the almost pumpernickleish kentucky. As someone else described, this blend almost tricks you into thinking there is some perique in there. Something figgy and almost fermented about the kentucky that does it. Tart apple jelly on slightly overdone rye toast washed down with strong black coffee might be a good way to describe it

Tendertongues, don't believe what you read- puffed low and slow (properly, that is), there is NO tongue bite (smoked out of a kaywoodie bent pot with a stinger and a few legend MM cobs)

I think this is fantastic stuff, and at the pricepoint, it's absolutely wonderful. Is it as refined as one of the other macbaren offerings? No, but it's different too. Reminds me taste-wise of the Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky that you can't seem to find any more, with a sweet virginia added.

I can certainly say that a few more POUNDS of this will be purchased in the next few weeks. I'll see if my old man is as into it as I am and possibly put together a huge order...may possible "splurge" and pick up a pound of their navy flake as it gets some decent reviews as well.

I'm going to play around a little bit with this one too- I think that adding a bit of Mclelland 5100 redcake virginia to this (maybe 10-15%) may do wonderful things for this blend.

I suspect that this one will age and mature well.

Highly recommended.

Pipe Used: Kaywoodie Bent Pot, MM cobs

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

Similar Blends: Orlick Dark Strong Kentucky, Macbarens Roll Cake, Macbarens Latakia Blend.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sailorjack (57)	2013-02-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Good natural quality tobacco flavor,no bite,good strength and dirt cheap. No real complexity here but just a good,reliable everyday kind of smoke. It almost warrants a fourth star when taking the ridiculously low price into consideration plus the coins are fun to play with. Enjoy!

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CR (29)	2020-11-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Ah, this stuff. The first light and quarter of the bowl taste like chocolate cake - that Virginia reminds me of good cake flour, a natural and earthy sugar, and the Kentucky adds that note of cocoa. It will get a bit warm near the middle of the smoke, and is as sharp as you might expect to encounter from a coin that looks so yellow when completely rubbed out, but it doesn’t bite, and it burns clean and dry. I’m puffing away contemptuously right now in a Savinelli 636 without a filter, and my tongue is quite comfortable - but this is my dedicated DFK pipe, and I still think Newminster 403 could use more Dark Fired. As an aside, this 636 will hold 2 & 1/2 coins rubbed out or folded, it does not alter the taste or burn. Ironically, it may be the presence of the DFK in this blend that keeps it from biting, but it still plays second fiddle to the citrus and grass of that sweet, sharp Virginia. It remains tasty down to the ash, and has that “empty-stomachable” level of nicotine. It is a great smoke for the price, even if it is pretty basic. Oh yes, and that honey taste really does show up in the last half. Did I mention the delayed gratification potential of 403? Still, going to pack this pipe with ODF after I clean it.

Age When Smoked: New/ 2 Months

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	zulujerk (146)	2016-07-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This is the modern incarnation of Three Nuns on the cheap. At roughly a third the price of the premium, Newminster's Superior Round Slices offers the familiar blend, curly cut and all, of Virginias and Kentucky at a sharp discount. The flavor is a little spicy, robust, and Virginia forward. A bit harsher than Three Nuns in its constitution, this is an able substitute, which I would welcome to any smoker wary of Three Nuns' relatively hefty tag.

Pipe Used: Parker Billiard

Age When Smoked: Three Years

Similar Blends: Three Nuns.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Capt (339)	2016-03-10		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

What a great value this tobacco is! For those venturing into Kentucky Dark Fired tobaccos, you won't find a better welcome mat. Just enough smoky richness to get an idea of what dark fired is about. The Virginia seems to be aged nicely, lends a nice grassy sweetness that isn't too dissimilar to a non-vinegar McClelland. Very well balanced blend that smokes nicely, with minimal relights. I did notice a distinct oil that was left on the rim of the pipe, something I have rarely seen. The room note is a bit toasty, with a slight aroma of distinct dark fired. I have no problem rating this 4 stars, due to value, price point and ease of preparation.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Halford (4)	2015-08-15		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Since MacBaren has eliminated Latakia Blend, I thought this to be a possible replacement. I find no difference at all, and suspect it is the same product. I ordered a pound, and am glad that I did. It remains in a sealed Ball jar as do my other blends, including the last of the MacBaren Latakia. I fished one coin of the MacBaren, and one of the Newminster 403, and examined them side by side under the lab microscope at 30X. They are visually structured identically and no difference can be seen. Both display a slight gloss on some of the coin's turns which I presume is the casing material applied before making the rolls. Like other reviewers, the dark fired kentucky seems to be well met with the virginia. Hooray! My MacBaren LB is re-incarnated! Good karma... ;-)

Pipe Used: Savinelli Author

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

Similar Blends: MacBaren Latakia Blend.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2014-03-01		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

These Virginias have teeth and they use them. It not only bites my tongue, but it stings my lips. It does calm down some in the second half of the bowl allowing a small amount of enjoyment. It's a shame because the flavors are pretty nice. The toothy Virginias are the star and the Kentucky adds a mild smokiness and depth. Not complicated, but would be a nice smoke if the Virginias could be tamed. If you're one of those people who never gets bit you may really enjoy this.

Pipe Used: MM General, MM Country Gentleman, MM Freehand

Age When Smoked: fresh bulk

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BigCasino (27)	2013-12-05		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I enjoyed the Citrusy flavor of the virginias, and the slighty smokey taste of the fired cured Kentucky, but it gives me a bit of tongue bite

Pipe Used: Butz-Choiquin D'accord apple

Age When Smoked: unkown

Purchased From: Alegheny Smoke Works

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BingCrosby (161)	2021-04-22		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

All these coin/roll cake blends take a little time to get to know.. Things like moisture and packing really seem to be especially important for this type of cut.. I think this holds especially true for this newminster blend.. it really has some sharp edges to it.. I did find that once dries out and folded carefully it delivered a nice bite free smoke.. is it worth the trouble? I would say yes.. Not a complex smoke but a nice gentle sweet soft light Kentucky blend with emphasis on the virginia.. I find it to smoke rather like orlik dark strong minus the topping.. or indeed dark twist.. but not quite as pleasant as dark twist in my opinion.. Nevertheless, it is a solid 3 for me.. and the price makes it a good choice for jarring and aging.. I like the subtle honey sweetness.. but it is a tad bland.. I like a little more spice and strength with my Kentucky..

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HabaneroHardy (395)	2020-03-21		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Unnoticeable

I was given some of this at our last pipe club meeting. It was from a bulk purchase dated Dec 2018. These are small coins a little larger than a dime with a nice bird’s eye. I am amazed at how thin these were cut and yet retained their shape, must be some high-grade steel being used. I took a few coins and twisted and rolled them like a tube and inserted it into my Poker Meerschaum. This is a mild smoke, not sure what has priority, the VA or the Kentucky. Thanks again Dawg for all of the samples you have given me in the past and future. Ha. A good all-day smoke but nothing to make me want to add more to my cellar.

Pipe Used: Poker Meerschaum

Age When Smoked: 1 year

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	NEWMAN (305)	2015-07-27		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I only ordered a 1 oz. sample of this one so I didn't have too much to evaluate. The coins had a good moisture content and were easy to fold and pack as I usually do with flakes. I think the dark fired KY tasted harsh and towards the end of the large bowl, bitter. However it smoked cool and without bite so I don't think I was puffing too strongly. I didn't sense the claimed 'aromatic'. Much prefer PS Luxury Bulls eye Flake.

Pipe Used: Charatan

Purchased From: pipes & cigars.com

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Darth Vader (110)	2015-07-26		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

I did'nt think much of this. Tastes thin and burns a little hot. I'm comparing this to Dunhill and Escudo so it has some tough competition. Also felt that this would improve with more ageing. Light on the nicotine side. I will not be ordering any more.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dubbelbarrel (5)	2021-09-02		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Excellent with a cup of sweet black coffee! A good rainy day smoke as well. I found it cool smoking from my cob. The spicy notes were far from overwhelming.

Pipe Used: MM Let Freedom Ring Rob Roy

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	hrhf (38)	2021-03-19		Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong

When Newminster labels something Superior, you best take note. Their Superior Navy Flake is my favorite Virginia flake these days, and this... chef’s kiss.

Superior Round Slices took me a few bowls to even begin getting a firm grasp on. I couldn’t tell exactly what I was tasting... I just knew I liked it. Among those early “false notes” I was experiencing, the oddest was a hint of mint. I KNEW that had to be wrong.

I can see now where/how I was picking that up, but trust me folks. This ain’t minty. And, for the record, there’s no discernible topping, and if there’s any casing, it’s minimal.

What we DO get is great tobacco flavor. The Virginia and Kentucky dance together beautifully across my palate (such as it is). The Virginia provides a subtle sweetness, but the star of the show, as best I can tell, is the Kentucky. And it’s giving off a spicy flavor I hadn’t yet experienced in a pipe tobacco. And there’s plenty of it. Earthy. Spicy. Maybe even a little meaty.

I certainly don’t see this becoming an all-day kind of blend. Not for me; at least. But this will make for a great change-of-pace blend.

About midway through the bowl I’m currently working on, I start picking up an almost zinc kind of taste. It’s reminiscent of the zinc notes Dominican cigars have, according to those (I am one of those) who are not fond of said Dominican cigars.

But the zinc-ness passes as quickly as it arrived, perhaps another “false note,” like the mint.

This blend is definitely going to require more intensive study before I can give a final verdict. I also look forward to seeing how a little aging affects Superior Round Slices. Ideally, it’ll bring the Virginias up a bit more in the mix. Because, for now, the Kentucky is stealing the show.

More to come... but, for now, I’m giving it three stars. I suspect that may get bumped up. But only time — and more bowls — will tell.

Update 1 April, 2021: Having set my 2-3 remaining ounces of this aside for a couple of weeks, I spent a week smoking nearly nothing but burley and bright, followed by a weekend of basically only Rattray’s Brown Clunee. Since then, it’s been very heavy on the “heavyweights” ... Irish Flake, Stirling Flake, HH Old Dark Fired and HH Bold Kentucky.

So, I decided to see how THIS fits into THAT. You know, since everything I just mentioned contains Virginias and Kentucky, in varying degrees.

I find this blend so unique, compared to the others. It probably has more in common overall, with the various Rattray’s offerings (Hal, Clunee, Gowrie), but there’s not much in common, taste-wise. This—SRS—may be a bit more flavorful. It’s certainly spicier. And I may prefer these Virginias to the ones Rattray uses.

UPDATE 30 June, 2021 I pulled my ever-shrinking stash of SRS out tonight, right after I finished my first bowl ever of Gawith Hoggarth Curly Cut Deluxe. I noted in my still-in-progress review of that product that its flavor is reminiscent of THIS product.

So, after finishing that initial bowl, I packed up some of this to see how they really compare. (Note: the CCD I sampled is over a decade old, while this is only a little over three months in my “cellar”... so YMMV)

The first thing I noticed was that while, yes, they do have a very similar flavor profile, the decade-plus-old GH product has more of said flavor. The Newminster seems a little wimpy by comparison.

HOWEVER... while it may not have quite as much flavor, SRS remains the spiciest blend I’ve had in my pipe. The Kentucky featured here is still the star of the show, but the Virginia is definitely developing into more than just a supporting player. It’s getting gradually sweeter... smoother.

I firmly believe that this blend is going to age quite well. I’ve definitely GOT to grab a pound of this the next chance I get. This one has the potential to become more than just an occasional treat.

That said, maybe I’ll hold off a couple more months, just to make sure the depth of flavor doesn’t diminish further.

One final note: I’d enjoy this one more if it was simply a straight Virginia, like the CCD (as far as I know). I’d definitely stock up heavily on this one if I knew definitely that the Virginia will continue to blossom and the KY falls back.

It’s in the neighborhood of something special. It’s just not quite there yet.

Pipe Used: Various

Age When Smoked: New stock

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Curly Cut Deluxe.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RedGopnik (16)	2020-06-13		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

hoping that age will mellow the bite as the bite is very harsh to me, similar to a macbaren sugar bite.

The Virginias surprisingly dominate the generous amount of kentucky to me. Very flavorful, sweet and grassy. The kentucky isnt very strong, i tend to like it very smoky and ketchupy but i cant taste much smoke in this one or smell the notes of ketchup. Very dominant VA

It seems to have a hard time staying lit, even with proper drying, it smokes better just by folding the coins rather than rubbing them out.

I enjoy it, I would like to enjoy it more as it is not a common blend and cut. I think i will age some for at least a few months

Pipe Used: Country gentleman (rubbed) morgan bones (folded)

Age When Smoked: fresh bulk

Purchased From: Online

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gr8tefuldawg (87)	2020-03-03		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Newminster- 403 Superior Round Sliced

This blend is a rope than sliced into coins, although this blend unlike most other blends is just Kentucky and Virginia.

I bought a 16 oz bag of this as it was cheaper than buying the smaller oz versions. I tried this a few months prior at Pipe club and enjoyed it. The bag I received was from Dec2018.

This blend has a fair amount of spice, the Kentucky brings a nice smoky barbecue flavor, the Virginia’s come in on occasion and bring a nice sweet note, I think it is primarily a yellow being a little bright but very enjoyable, with an almost honey sweetness and bready flavors.

I will get a larger jar to store what I have left and keep one for smoking and the other for aging, I’m excited to how this ages in the next few years, will be purchasing another affordable 16 oz bag.

I will have to try three Nuns original and see how this compares to it.

I really enjoy this blend, a lot more than I thought I would but if you like spice, smoky and a little sweet this may be fore you.

Pipe Used: Bones Dublin, Rossi 320

Age When Smoked: 1 year 5 months

Purchased From: Tobaccopipes.com

Similar Blends: Mac Baren - Three Nuns.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	gahdzila (61)	2017-03-20		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Gorgeous irregular round-ish coins with specs of birdseye. My sample arrived at the perfect moisture level. I've been folding and stuffing....sorta. Actually, just kinda cramming the individual coins in the bowl until it's full.

The Virginias are at the forefront for me. I believe there's a sweet topping added as well. It's pleasantly sweet. The dark fired Kentucky doesn't jump out with earthy-smokey-meaty, but it does provide a bit of a bass note, and a little spice.

I quite like the flavor. Unfortunately, it seems a little bitey to me. I wish I enjoyed it more than I do, as it is a tremendous value.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	H Gillman (39)	2015-08-05		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I really enjoy the idea of coins/medallions for tobacco, they are a nice change from the standard ribbon cuts. Initial tin note of this was nice. I found subtle hints of hay and very faint aroma of dried fruit. The coins are at a perfect humidity for immediate smoke. I find that of all my other coin tobaccos, this one is fine folded and stuffed rather than rubbing out. it takes some effort to stay lit but once tamped a couple times lightly provides a nice mellow smoke. I picked up on the bit of spice and found that slow easy sipping makes for a really enjoyable smoke. This tobacco also seems to like a smaller bowled pipe.

I'm confident that with age this will mature into a beautiful smoke.

Pipe Used: several sizes, shapes

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	clanobucklin (105)	2015-06-17		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This Dark Fired Tobacco goes to the top of my list as far as this thing goes. When I got my sample and reading some of the Reviews I was kind of prepared Not to like it. Well. Surprise! This cool smoking blend is delicious with its herbaceous smoky flavor. The coins are fun and easy to pack.

Recently I have been smoking more blends with Dark Fired Tobacco - some of my Favorites are HH Old Dark Fired Flake, D&R Ryeback and now this one.

Pipe Used: Thompson

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	guitar2mw (92)	2015-05-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Newminster has done a great job at providing folks with fine tobacco at a great price. Superior Round Slices are no exception. They are flavorful little coins! They are thinly sliced, making them easy to rub out and pack. My order was a bit too dry, so I threw a pouch button in the jar overnight and it brought them up to the right moisture level. After rubbing out a few of the coins and packing them in a Peterson 999, I charred it. The sweetness of the VA's was there. Boom. No time wasted. After the flame catches on, you'll get that dark, heavy flavor from the Kentucky with a nuttiness that really rounds out the entire experience. I am aging some right now to see how much better it gets with time. For right now, they're a damn fine smoke that is simply hard to beat for the price.

Pipe Used: Peterson 999

Age When Smoked: Fresh, aged 4 months

Purchased From: Pipes and cigars

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	dualkarnain (75)	2014-08-27		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

While I enjoy the Kentucky spice and strength, this is too monochromatic for me. Tongue-bite comes on fairly quickly and there are faint undertones of sweetness. It doesn't change much unless you count the exacerbating swampiness.

Images evoked include the skeleton of a slow loris on the lakeshore, his empty optic sockets staring blankly into the soul of an half-discarded, eyeless fishing-worm.

Pipe Used: Straight Briar

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Houndstooth (34)	2014-03-08		Very Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

I bought a pound bag of this about as soon as it hit the market. The price WAS great, and from the start I thought that if it wasn't stunning by itself, it would mix in well with my own blend of Vaper/Cavendish. It was a bit strong and not dimensional enough alone, but boy, did it ever spice up my blend! I was through nearly half of it when I realized it wasn't what I thought it was- a vaper. No perique! I could swear that when I bought it- perique and black cavendish were listed as ingredients, along with VA., of course. But nope, it's this Dark Fired Kentucky instead of the perique & Cavendish... I'm convinced I didn't buy that listing of ingredients when I purchased my bag. The marketers must have initially sent out an incorrect listing. Ultimately though, it didn't matter that much to me, as mixed in 50-50 with my blend I'd hit pay dirt. But here's my problem- the stuff has gone up in price about 1/3 as much as it was originally. As I was saying, it was a great deal, but that price raise just blew it for me. I can't reconcile the new spendiness. It's just not worth the price when I might just as easily find something else that works as a component, because I don't often smoke it on its own.

Pipe Used: Petersons, and many others

Age When Smoked: first batch issued

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

Similar Blends: PS Luxury Bullseye, it's said..

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Blue Bayou (60)	2012-10-16		Strong	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Grassy but pleasant, uncomplex. A bit harsh if smoked too fast. Mine was a bit too dry.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pbjr (2)	2022-11-01		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Tolerable to Strong

A good virginia wrapped around a dark fired core. It is slightly sweet with a smoky taste every now and then. Won’t bite if smoked slowly and dried out some. It’s guite spicy one you get down about a guarter, finishes very well. A great example of a great blend, great price and value. I have smoked many bowls and never got tired of it. Ordered over a pound to cellar and plan on ordering several more pounds.

Pipe Used: Saveneli, Cristiano, corncob

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	doc pipes (106)	2022-09-17		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I do not think this is a bad tasting blend. It has sweetness from the bright VA and some vaguely floral character. The pouch aroma is mild, lacking any of the DFK smokiness that I would expect. It is untopped, but I suspect some maple casing. I was super annoyed with this blend for the following reasons.

First, I posit that the coins are quite visually deceiving. I would expect much more DFK based on appearance alone. When carefully unraveled, the coins yield long interconnected slices of bright and red ribbon with small rough veins intact. Next is a birdseye haven of dark leaf. There is very little actual leaf, here though, mostly stems.

So, about the birdseye… There sure is a lot of it. It’s basically stem and mid rib that would normally be cleaned up during processing. Seeing that I’m not a 19th century sailor, I have no soft for or connection to birdseye. Being a modern consumer, I simply see this as an effort to weigh the bag down with stems and schwag, you dig? The stem carbonizes as opposed to a normal burn and doesn’t add much to the flavor as it is just xylem and cellulose. If you bought a bag of…herbs, and found that half the bag was seeds and stems, you might be a bit disappointed.

Which brings me to me next point… the burn. These coins burn about as well as asbestos. I was constantly relighting even after some last ditch measures : drying to a crisp, rubbing out to a fine shag, picking the seemingly fireproof birdseye and stem material out. This blend burns hot when I could get it going for any length of time. It also burns paradoxically wet as I was quite diligent in drying appropriately.

I don’t mind preparing flakes and plugs. This is a two star blend before accounting for how much tedious effort went into preparing it into something semi smokable. When the mind numbing task of “cleaning it” like a bad bag of weed back in the day is considered to get it to smokability, this is squarely one star. I really did try to get this blend to sing. Clearly I am in the minority here. I just don’t see why anybody would pay a premium on getting a product with less actual leaf.

I also felt the blend to be a bit thin. I don’t need nicotine as part of the experience, but these little coins left me wholly unsatisfied and wanting in every imaginable way.

Pipe Used: Numerous briars

Age When Smoked: Fresh bulk

Purchased From: SP

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mijnnif (126)	2022-07-06		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Bag note is sweet a bit musty some light citrus and tartness. Beautiful coins. I have tried both rubbing it out and folding the coins. It smoked much better just folding the coins and putting them directly into the pipe. This blend was much milder than I expected from Kentucky, Virginia its right at the medium mark. this is a bit more sweet than tart with a bit of spiciness. Great flavors of molasses and pure tobaccos. Even when puffing hard its stays smooth. I find it burns to more of a charcoal ash (not white) and requires a bit of tamping or dumping the charcoal at the midway point but its well worth the effort. Its very close in flavor to Dark Twist at a fraction of the cost and the quality very good. I will be stocking up on this as I am sure it will age very well. Nic hit is mild to medium.

Pipe Used: Peterson full bent billiard

Age When Smoked: fresh bag

Purchased From: Pipes and cigars.com

Similar Blends: Dark twist.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tlemon200 (5)	2022-04-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Really great bold Kentucky flavor sweetened by Virginia. Balanced blend with medium nicotine content and a balanced flavor. Incredible for the price point. Definite recommend. Not an all day

Age When Smoked: New

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ATW (110)	2021-11-15		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I never did a review of it, but a couple of years ago I purchased a tin of Three Nuns, had about 2 or 3 bowls then gave the rest away. I felt I wasted my money for what it was. But after trying Newminster 403, I find it to be almost exactly the same, but at a much better price point.

My thoughts behind 403 is it does fill a void for me. While it's not a clone by any means, it reminds me alot of Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky. It's more mild then the description leads one. It's not a flavor bomb by no means, but it has a nice brown sugar and hickory flavor profile with marshmallow / vanilla note to it. At times while puffing slowly, I pickup on a dark fruitiness from the virginia's.It burns much better rubbed out then folded. No tongue bite or harshness.

It's not as potent as Orlik DSK but it does have a similar flavor.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Wally Frank Collector (46)	2020-06-12		Medium	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

This was gifted to me by a friend. When I opened the humidor I found the aroma to be slightly smoky, spicy, earthy and woody. I rubbed out the round slices and let them dry on a paper towel for 30 minutes. It seemed to be about perfect for smoking.

Having rubbed out the round slices I found the bowl to be easy to fill and the tobacco seemed to burn evenly at a medium pace yet warm. This clearly would bite if pushed. The smoke was not thick or billowy.

Lighting this proved to be a chore. I found I had to puff to get it lit and there were plenty of re-lights. The lighting gave a bit of a rough edge to it but after lit it burned pleasantly, and sipping it was smooth and a nice taste of honey combined with a tangy , grassy woody and rich earthy taste. In the background was a spiciness that was pleasant but if pushed would tend to get hot. A slight sour background appeared that was pleasant also. There was a lot going on in this smoke as it left a sweet and nutty aftertaste with a touch of pepper towards the end.

This burned down to a dark ash,left a bit of moisture in the bowl. A pleasant sweet with a touch of pepper aftertaste was in my mouth for about a half hour after smoking.

This was a interesting, complex and pleasant smoke that was hard to light and to keep lit at times and tended to give a rough edge when lighting. The different flavors seemed to at times vie for attention at times which was pleasant yet at other times it was like they battled with one surging forward then retreating and another then doing the same. Yet all in all, this was a pleasant smoke that I rather enjoyed. This smoke would go great while out at a campfire, while lunting out in the woods or as an early early morning smoke to get the day started. Definitely not an all day smoke. Yet a lot of fun to follow the flavors as they vie for your attention. I would definitely buy some and smoke it on certain occasions. a 3.3. out of 4 stars.

Pipe Used: Weber Squat Bulldog Saddle Bit Meerschaum Lined

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Gift from friend

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	maxiRica (8)	2020-05-21		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Unnoticeable

--21/5/2020--

Coins de virginias con un núcleo de kentucky.

Yo lo cargo entero, haciendo con varias monedas una carga media. Quema bien, no necesita de ser desmenuzado. Humedad perfecta, aún así si puedo lo dejo airea unos minutos.

Si lo cargas sin desmenuzar, de primero te viene sabores a heno, hierba, suave, nada áspera la fumada, con un fondo dulzón.

A medida que se quema el tabaco, te aparece el característico sabor del kentucky, sabores tostados, terrosos, a madera, pero de fondo sin dominar. Se mezclan sabores.

Es una mezcla suave, de fortaleza media, media baja. Con una carga de nicotina nada abrumadora. Se puede fumar a todas horas.

Considero esta labor muy de batalla, por sus características (amantes de kentucky, pero suave de fumar) y su precio. Muy recomendable si ésto es lo que buscas3 de 5

Pipe Used: François Dal

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Seanv (35)	2019-11-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Bag note of sweet Virginia's and some dark fired. The dark fired is very noticeable and reminds me of BBQ. The bag aroma is great. Coins arrive a tad moist for me so dry time is needed. The coins are small and not uniform shape. Some are broken and some are bigger/smaller. They rub out easy and they also stuff easy. The first flavors are BBQ and sweet Virginia. The spice follows on the retrohale. As the smoke goes on I notice the dark fired less and less and the sweet Virginia's more and more. Totally not what I had expected from this blend but not in a bad way. My only gripe is that I have trouble keeping this lit regardless of pipe or pack method. I dry it out to be nearly crisp but I still struggle. I'll keep experimenting and maybe change my review and rating later.

Edit Dec 22 2019 I have found that keeping the coins intact and wading them into a medium sized pipe with a narrow bowl produces a good smoke. I pack this one very lightly and find that works best. I have changed my rating up to a 3. This is good and I will probably add more to the cellar at some point soon.

Edit March 5 2020. I think I was expecting more dark fired in this blend. The Virginia's are definitely the lead here and the smoky dark fired is the whisper that comes and goes. This is likely my final edit and I will leave my rating at a 3 out of 4 but this is good stuff and i feel good recommending it.

Pipe Used: various briars

Age When Smoked: fresh from bag, aged

Purchased From: smoking pipes

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	canvas (337)	2018-12-20		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

The first thing that struck me was the feel. The slices have an odd waxy finish, akin to buying an apple or vegetable from the grocery store with a protective film you need to wash off. Note: the reason for the mild topping rank. It didn't seem to affect anything, but struck me all the same.

The slices are smaller than previous rounds I've tried (e.g. Escudo Navy De Luxe), likely being cut from a tighter roll. They were certainly more interesting to look at, with dozens of tightly spun tobacco tornadoes just like the swirled burls on the grain pattern of the brier I was using. The aroma was pleasing, reminding me of a sweet wood used to make a keepsake chest with some sap/honey coming through, which was a nice change from the barn/hey smell I expected.

Smoked great and was long lasting, likely from the density of the rubbed out pieces. A bit of a sharp finish while smoking, but otherwise a clean nice smoke that was nicotine mild.

I will admit that my buds were somewhat burned out this week from heavy smoking, so I am willing to bet there are a few missed nuances here for you to discover as well.

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HeavyMetalPiper (64)	2018-05-31		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This evaluation is based on broken up slices rather than whole stuffed slices.

This blend has taste off the bat. There is no waiting for flavors here. The smoke is mellow with an obvious spice flavor. Being in the mood for the spice or not will swing this up or down 1 star.

You can view my video review of this blend here:

Pipe Used: Missouri Meerschaum Bent Diplomat Apple

Age When Smoked: 6 Weeks

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	1979 (62)	2017-02-25		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Newminster - #403 Superior Round Slices.

These coins aren't bad, but I like both the Stokkebye bullseye coins and Escudo better, although such is not really an apples to apples sort of comparison.

These'll bite some if you push just a little, I'd recommend letting them air dry a bit. The bite factor seems to mellow out some once you're into the bowl.

These taste a bit like they were doused with whiskey. Yep whiskey cavendish, that's what it reminds me of. It seems more or less noticeable depending on the bowl. Beyond that, taste is predominantly of the grass / hay virginia type while kentucky stays in the background. Really I don't taste the kentucky much at all but the mouthfeel and added nicotine power tells me that it's there. Not lousy, not impressive. Two firmly.

Age When Smoked: New bulk

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Turbine712 (3)	2016-04-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Picked this up as a free sample from P&C's. Having smoked DNS I thought this would be a good comparison. From the start, this tobacco came off very harsh. I did notice the Perique in the retrohale however the mouth feel was like I had hot sauce in my mouth. Not tongue bite just hot. I did notice grass hay quality to it. Moisture was perfect. I couldn't really taste much more than the aforementioned qualities. I didn't care much for this tobacco and will not order more.

Pipe Used: MM Country Gentlemen

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: P&C

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2016-04-03		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

My first experience with a Newminster blend offered me a sharp bite that led me to believe that it was made by Mac Baren, one of the few companies that I often get bit. I was wrong about the maker, which is actually Villiger-Stokkebye, but I thought based on the great appearance of Superior Round that I’d give it another go. SRS appears like rough cut medium size coins of Virginia surrounding a center of dark fired. They are easy to stuff and fold and that is my preferred way to smoke this blend. There is a sweet topping that I would describe as “honey-like.” There is some hay from the Virginias with the dark fired adding strength and a little bit of body. From a taste standpoint, the dark fired is more in a supporting role. There is a decent nic hit with SRS although I wouldn’t call it a strong blend. I didn’t experience any bite this time around, but it will burn a little hot if pushed. I don’t taste any Perique, but my leather tongue could be missing it if it’s there. For me, what is really needed with this blend is some age as I think it will soften some of the rough edges. From a cost/benefit point of view, Superior Round is a very good value and based on that, it would be worth a few ounces for the cellar.

Age When Smoked: new

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jacinto Cupboard (209)	2016-03-11		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

I agree with earlier reviewers who suggest this is a member of the McBarren rollcake family.

I seem to be an outlier in thinking this is a genuine aromatic. The cavendished Burley centres give off a fair amount of sweetness, at least in my pipe. Not a clue what the flavouring is, but it is something fruity; plum perhaps.

Burns well, with a consistent sweetness and occasional pepper notes. I find the flavouring takes on a somewhat bitter nature as the bowl progresses. A decent tobacco but a little OTT for this pipester. Somewhere between 2 and 3 stars from me.

Pipe Used: Lepeltier

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Theosprey247 (73)	2016-03-01		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Smooth smoke easy light and stays lit. Good flavor with occasional sweetness. Doesn't bite nor get too hot. Part of my everyday rotation. A very affordable bulk blend of Virginia and dark Kentucky.

Pipe Used: Neerup Peterson cob

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smoking pipes.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Big Blue Jazzman (73)	2015-07-09		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I've tried a lot of English blends and vapors but this was my first experience with Kentucky. I like the blend a lot but feel it would be best smoked in the colder weather. Can get hot if smoked too fast, found it better to sip. Another winner for Newminster and at a great price. Packs and burns quite well down to a gray ash.

Pipe Used: 70's Meer

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: The good folks at Pipes & Cigars

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Smoke_Ring (158)	2013-10-05		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Newminster - No.403 Superior Round Slices;

Star Rating = 3.0;

Rating Scores - 10 is the Best and 0 is the Worst;

Pouch Note = 8;

Room Note = 8;

Flavor = 7;

Bite = 8;

Burn = 8;

After Taste = 8;

Raw Score = 47;

Rated Percentage = 78%;

Comment = This has a Strong Flavor, is Not Mild, and is Bitter from start to Finish

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Quiggifur (84)	2023-02-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Simple but good, almost entirely pleasant. I get less VA than DFK/burley, not noticing any barbecue to speak of, and though it's not front and center I think the VA does add something -- a sweet character without obvious fruit notes. More dark sugar of some sort, maybe. Quite spicy, an aspect I don't love. I'll happily finish my 1oz jar, but I'm not sure I'd reorder it; I'm betting there's something strictly better out there, and this isn't really blowing me away.

Nobody has rated this review yet.