Jim's St. Bruno Reviews.

St. Bruno Flake:
The Virginias are slightly grassy and earthy with some citrus and stewed dark fruit, which indicates bright and dark Virginias were used. I notice the properties of the dark Va. more. The dark fired Kentucky has some wood, earth and a little spice to go along with a little boldness as an important support player. I don't know what the floral toppings are, but they are mild and aided with citrus. It reminds me a little of geranium and tonquin, but while the toppings do sublimate the tobaccos to some extent, you won’t miss out on what they have to offer. The strength, taste and nic-hit are medium. Won’t bite even if you’re puffing like a steam engine. The flakes are easily manipulated to suit your preference. It needs a light dry time, though I find it does well without much of it, and drying it too much would lessen the flavor a little. Burns at a slow to moderate rate with a smooth, consistent taste to the finish. No dull, weak, or harsh spots. Leaves a little moisture in the bowl, but no dottle. Has a very pleasant after taste and room note. Easily repeatable during your smoking day.

St. Bruno Ready Rubbed:
The Virginias are slightly grassy and earthy with some citrus and stewed dark fruit, which indicates bright and dark Virginias were used. I notice the properties of the dark Va. more. The dark fired Kentucky has some wood, earth and a little spice to go along with a little boldness as an important support player. I don't know what the floral toppings are, but they are mild and aided with citrus. It reminds me a little of geranium and tonquin, but while the toppings do sublimate the tobaccos to some extent, you won’t miss out on what they have to offer. The strength, taste and nic-hit are medium. Won’t bite even if you’re puffing like a steam engine. As with all ready rubbed cuts, it’s easy to deal with. It needs a light dry time, though I find it does well without much of it, and drying it too much would lessen the flavor a little. Burns at a slow to moderate rate with a smooth, consistent taste to the finish. No dull, weak, or harsh spots. Leaves a little moisture in the bowl, but no dottle. Has a very pleasant after taste and room note. Easily repeatable during your smoking day.

The only differences I note in the ready rubbed version is that the tobacco flavor is a shade more obvious, which is often the case with this cut as more tobacco is exposed to air. It's also slightly mellower, which is also attributable to the cut.