Sutliff: Crumble Kake Barrel Aged Series No.5 Rustica Limited Edition 50g Pipe Tobacco

Each entrant into Sutliff's Crumble Kake series comprises tobaccos that have been treated with old-school aging and processing techniques, resulting in traditional blends rich with timeless flavor. The Barrel Aged series is the limited-edition iteration of the line, and each of its mixtures benefit from a longer, more involved aging process that includes its eponymous barrel aging. The fifth release in the series, Barrel Aged Rustica in an intriguing blend whose star component is nicotiana rustica, a varietal of tobacco first cultivated by America's colonies before John Rolfe's introduction of nicotiana tobacum, the varietal most commonly used today. Rustica is naturally quite strong, with an average nicotine content of nine percent, whereas tobacum averages between three and five percent. This potency has led to a decline ofnicotiana rustica's use in blends, but thanks to Sutliff's modern knowledge of tobacco blending and processing, it has found a home here. Sun-cured rustica leaf joins zesty Virginias and nutty Burleys before the mixture is aged in bourbon barrels and pressed into a crumble cake, allowing the tobaccos to mellow and their flavors to meld, making for a rich, full-bodied experience with plenty of exciting flavor.