Toscano’s Puccini is a flake made from Italian and North American Dark Fired Kentucky. The tin note is a delightful blend of smoky, woody, dried fruits, and spice aromas.

Upon lighting, I picked up notes of smoked wood, nuts, and pepper. The retrohale was very spicy, featuring black and red peppercorn. This tobacco is definitely full-bodied and fairly strong as well. As I progressed, citrus and fig notes developed, adding a pleasant complexity.

In the second half, I got flavors of roasted nuts, smoked wood, black pepper, and leather. The blend is dark, bold, and savory, offering more complexity than one might expect from such a simple blend. Hints of dark cocoa and leather also emerged.

Near the bottom of the bowl, the smoke became creamy, and the nutty notes became less smoky. However, this creaminess faded after a few minutes, and the smokiness and pepper ramped back up.

If you’re a fan of Dark Fired Kentucky, Puccini definitely delivers. As a fan of Dark Fired myself, I can say it’s not just blowing smoke. Highly recommended.