Manufacturer Description:
Dark Twist was introduced in 1955. It is rightfully the most known of the Mac Baren Roll Cake tobaccos. Whole leaves are used as wrapper for the rope and the inlay is divided into two groups. The first group contains 100% pure Virginia tobaccos, meaning that the whole leaves are used as wrapper leaves and the leaves with small imperfections are used as the inlay. The second group contains whole Virginia leaves as wrapper and Dark Fired Kentucky as inlay, meaning you see the dark tobacco in the centre and the brighter Virginias around it. After the tobaccos have been spun into ropes it is stored for weeks and then cut into small coins. The blend of Dark Twist is broken down as follows. For every 2 coins of Virginia tobacco there is 1 coin with a centre of Dark Fired Kentucky. Like most of our spun tobaccos, water and maple sugar are boiled and added to the tobacco. This is all we add, so the taste is very natural with the interplay between the natural sweet Virginias and light sour and smoky flavour from the Dark Fired Kentucky perfectly blended to create a natural tobacco taste.
Characterisation:
In the production of Dark Twist Roll Cake long tobacco strands were cut into thin slices, which are about the size of a 2-cent coin. Due to the method of manufacturing, the boundary layer can break loose and leave the slices a little "tattered", also varies the composition. Sometimes brighter, then darker brown is dominating, but always with many golden speckles. The moisture is just right and the scent is reminiscent of pleasant spicy fruit bread.
Plugging:
The Dark Twist Roll Cake requires some care because of its shape while plugging. To stack the curlies one above the other into the tobacco chamber in a sufficiently large pipe is possible, but requires a lot of experience and is not necessary to get into all the flavor of this tobacco specialty. It is easier to give a curly rubbed into the pipe, then to break several curlies once or twice and give on top and another rubbed as the top layer, which facilitates the flame assumption. Since it takes several slices per filling, you can also reach a uniform mixture of lighter and darker tobaccos that are somewhat unevenly spread in the Curlies. The filling should not be packed too tight or too loose and it should be also some space to the opening, as the Dark Twist Roll Cake expands under fire.
Light up:
The Dark Twist Roll Cake takes the flame not immediately. So you should smooth the filling after the first ignition with the tamper, before very carefully giving fire again.
Smoking properties:
The Dark Twist Roll Cake is not easy to smoke, but it offers a rewarding flavor. Smoked gentle it shows smoky notes that may result from the maple syrup and a brown bread flavor that is fresh, sparkling, almost sour. This finds its frame by the slight sweetness of the Cavendish. The Dark Twist Roll Cake tends not to gargle, but it should not be smoked too carelessly, because it is biting the tongue otherwise. In between, it may be necessary to loosen the filling with the pick or using the tamper before giving fire again. But experience will come and the taste does not suffer about that. Dark gray ash and a few stubborn unburned crumbs are the remains of a not really simple, but exciting smoking experience. The cleaning is simple.
Redolency:
The room note of Dark Twist Roll Cake is pleasant, in fact it is reminiscent of the aroma from zhe tin - a sweet fruit bread scent which would hardly stand out negatively.
Conclusion:
The Dark Twist Roll Cake is a curly, slightly irregular in its components, which, however, compensates in the mixture in the pipe. Its appetizing scent is reminiscent of fruitcake and is also convenient to rediscover in the room notes. The taste is smoky and spicy but not too strong, with a sparkling, sweet component that is reminiscent of good brown bread. Its unusual shape that makes plugging, ignition and smoking not easy, recommends the Dark Twist Roll Cake for more advanced and attentive smokers who take the time, to elicit the hidden flavors and nuances of this interesting tobacco.
Copyright © 2007 by TECON GmbH
with friendly support of Dennis Hübel
