Solani Silver Flake Blend 660 - early impressions

I don't see the Solani brand mentioned much on the Forum.
As for Silver Flake, the package describes the tobacco as ripe red Virginia and spicy darkfired Kentucky. The few reviews I read were mostly positive, and those that were positive were very positive.
I will say this, it isn't what I expected. And that's just fine with me.
I had expected this to be a Virginia flake with a bit of Burley/Kentucky to round out the flavor. But to my taste buds it's a Burley-forward blend with a bit of Virginia to sweeten the nuttiness.
The 100g flakes are prepared similar to Orlik Golden Sliced in the 100g tin - with a long string of folded over flake. And the quality of the tobaccos used by Solani are top-notch, just like Orlik. And that's where any similarities end. Or perhaps not. If Orlik Golden Sliced and Semois had a child, it might be Silver Flake.
The tobacco arrived quite dry, and I'd be surprised if there are any humectants applied. It smokes evenly with very few re-lights required. It burns quite cool, can be packed tightly if you prefer, and has a moderate range of flavors from bowl top to bottom, though the Kentucky/Burley certainly dominates.
For those of you who like your tobacco neat, you just might like this one. It is simply tobacco - high quality tobacco - in some pretty decent packaging, ready to smoke on arrival, and a blend that is not easy to pigeon-hole into any particular category.
I suspect a dedicated aromatic smoker might not enjoy this one much. And someone looking for a sweet Virginia would be at least surprised if not disappointed. But if you haven't tried this one yet, and enjoy the nuttiness of Burleys, this might be one to consider.

ery nice review. I smoke more Irish Flake than anything else these days so I'm working my way through the dark fired offerings that are out there, so far have been fairly disappointed. This one and Aged Burley Flake are next on my "to try" list. Hopefully these will be something I really like as I don't want to burn myself out on IF.

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I find the Burley in Silver Flake to be much more like Semois than it is like Irish Flake. I far prefer Irish Flake to Silver Flake (so far anyway). Irish Flake has a much stronger nicotine kick, and the Burleys are tempered better than I find with Solani.

I wanted to revisit this tobacco discussion after several weeks of smoking. This tobacco has really grown on me. Where at first I could only taste the Burley, I have found that the tobacco has mellowed a bit in the mason jar. The Virginias add a sweetness that I had not at first noticed. This really is a fine tobacco.
I also enjoy the room note - or in my case air note (as I smoke outdoors). It's just tobacco - no hints of grapefruit or chocolate. Just tobacco for the tobacco lover.
This is one of those tobaccos that doesn't require a whole lot of attention as it smokes easily and doesn't bite, but it is not monochrome in its flavor either. A well-rounded blend of Kentucky and Virginia. A pleasant morning smoke.

Is this stuff really worth it?

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This is a great question. Is Semois worth it? I sometimes wonder why something like Solani is a bit on the pricey side and Orlik Golden Sliced, though a completely different blend, is also such a great tobacco at a much more reasonable cost. I guess we could probably ask if a $700 Dunhill is worth it when a $100 Savinelli will smoke very well.

I've got to get some of this ODF. And I just placed a TAD order yesterday. Next month.

After three weeks of settling down in a mason jar, this tobacco has become an absolutely fabulous smoke. Right out of the tin it was very heavy on the Burley, and a bit harsh. Whether my palate is adjusting to VaBurs, or whether its true that a bit of breathing can do wonders for a tobacco - I'm not sure. What I do know is that today I found the balance between the Virginias and Burleys that I'd hoped to find when I purchased the tin. This is quickly becoming one of my favorites, and along with Briar Fox will be a staple of my Sunday smokes.
It's a tobacco that wants some attention - not because it needs relights (it comes fairly dry right out of the tin), but because there are subtleties to the tobacco that you wouldn't want to miss. A wonderful smoke if you are just glancing through the Sunday morning paper. And top-notch leaf.
And though for a 100g tin it is more expensive than some tobaccos, I do believe it is more than worth the price.