Mystery Flake

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

New Cigars




PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Drucquers Banner

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Status
Not open for further replies.

woodsroad

Lifer
Oct 10, 2013
11,569
15,218
SE PA USA
One of the great unanswered questions that arises here from time to time is whether we enjoy a product because of the brand name and the associated hype, or because of it's inherent qualities.
To that end, I'll occasionally come across an unmarked container of tobacco. Usually, it's something that I've offloaded from a bulk jar, to be enjoyed on the road or at the pipe club. Today I found a Mylar bag of mystery flake. It looked like McClelland, but didn't smell like it. My sense of smell has been somewhat diminished lately, due to a long-running head cold, so I really couldn't tell what it was. The tobacco had dried out to that perfect point where it wasn't quite crispy.
2v2JVERcox3L6Bn.jpg
I decided to depart from usual practice of smoking flake in a small bowl, and packed this large-bore GBD pot to the rim. After the initial light, as combustion temps dropped, I started getting hints of licorice. Rich, full flavors with a nice, very subtle overtone of licorice. It must be Gawith Hoggarth Licorice Flake, but I'm not certain. Either way, it is a great smoke. I'll have dry out some more GH Licorice and see how it compares.
2v2JVERbjx3L6Bn.jpg
I've always liked this pipe, but hadn't found a blend that really sings in it.



2v2JVERw2x3L6Bn.jpg
And here's a photo of one of my labs, Tula, who's laying down next to me on the deck. Just because she's so damned wonderful:
2v2JVERf5x3L6Bn.jpg

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Hi to Tula. She's right, she's quite a beauty. You may never know what flake that is. On the other hand, if you keep smoking it, it may occur to you in a flash, that old favorite flake blend you enjoyed so much in 2004.

 

matthewd

Lurker
Apr 18, 2015
9
2
I came across 4 or 5 flakes in a tobacco wallet that I

hadn't used in about a year.They were just on this side

of "bone dry",so a little rehydration and a CG Cob and

they smoked quite well.I'm not quite able to pick up and

separate the different flavors,but it seemed to be an

English or VaPer.I could pick out the citrus and Perique,

but there were other flavors that while enjoyable,eluded

my limited talents.I'm all for Mystery Blends,they make

pipes more exciting.

 

jon11

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 25, 2013
619
591
Sounds like G&H Rum Flake to me....I get lots of licorice from that

 

npod

Lifer
Jun 11, 2017
2,942
1,024
Thanks for sharing the pics and story. Looks like a great day with the dog and a quality smoke!!

 

woodsroad

Lifer
Oct 10, 2013
11,569
15,218
SE PA USA
NPod, indeed it was a nice day. I keep saying “they don’t make many like this”, then we have another fabulous day. It’s been a great Spring here in the Northeast.

Jon11, it most certainly isn’t Rum Flake. See my previous diatribe on the subject of Rum Flake!

Newbroom, I’m not sure who exactly is the Lucky Dog, her or us!

 

jcsoldit

Lifer
Mar 27, 2010
1,138
245
Wisconsin
I kind of enjoy the occasional mystery flake myself. Woodsroad... Like you I ordered some Rum Flake 8 years back and also like you I was very disappointed, well I jarred it until recently and lets just say the years have improved the quality of the greatly.

 
Eww, what a slobbery bit you have there. :puffy:

I love finding mystery blends laying about in unmarked jars, but nine times out of ten for me it ends up being a Latakia blend. I also love finding half smoked bowls still in an odd pipe here and there around the house or studio. They generally end up being sublime having been sweetened by time. The fun is trying to figure out what they are.

Hmmm, I need to try some of these licorice flakes. I get a good bit of licorice from Astleys 44, the newest release of it. I’m smoking some right now, and it numbs my lips somewhat.

 
May 9, 2018
1,687
86
Raleigh, NC
I also love finding half smoked bowls still in an odd pipe here and there around the house or studio.
I think I'm getting there. I constantly keep getting disrupted by something during my smokes and I end up not coming back to my pipe for a few hours and no longer have the time to sit and enjoy myself, so I just stand it up by my pipe box. I don't come back to that pipe for about a week and realize I still have a half-bowl of something just sitting there, then for the life of me, I can't remember what I was smoking in it at the time. I'm sure it'll only get worse as I collect more pipes.

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,568
27,070
Carmel Valley, CA
It takes me a lot less than a week to forget which pipe has what in its bowl!
At anyone time, there may be a half dozen half smoked bowls sitting around. And another half dozen waiting to be cleaned. All good.

 

woodsroad

Lifer
Oct 10, 2013
11,569
15,218
SE PA USA
I was waiting for someone to take affront at the juicy bit, but I didn't expect it to be the guy who eats lamb eyes! :rofl:

 
Status
Not open for further replies.