On Saturday evening I joined a few other pipe-folk and friends at member Brdavidson's place for a barbecue and evening of relaxing with briar and bevvies.
For the occasion I pulled out a jar of 1792 Flake which had about five years of age on it. I only had about 8 flakes in the jar, but boy were they happy. Each flake had a nice coating of sugar crystals, and while certainly dryer than fresh 1792 from the tin, was still malleable and easy to rub out.
Tobacco: Kentucky & Virginia
Flavouring: Tonquin Bean and Whiskey
Cut/Style: Flake (Steamed & Pressed)
Aroma: The age and time in the jar seems to have mellowed and married the aromatics of this tobacco. The tonquin bean and whiskey notes have merged into a slightly boozy light vanilla/almond note. Overall, the flake still smells sweet, round, slightly earthy with a hint of spice and nut.
Drying: The flakes still have some bounce in them, but lack surface moisture. They rubbed out easily, and held their shape when balled up prior to stuffing.
Pipe: My gigantic S. Yanik figural meerschaum pipe.
Prep: Two flakes, rubbed out and then followed this process: 3 step stuff, final pre-light draw is stiff, like drawing on a milkshake with the top of the tobacco resting about 1/8" from the top of the bowl.
Charring light: Good expansion, nice full sweet notes fresh bread, molasses, toasted nut are in the front.
True light through first third: Compared to what I've read in other places, and heard from friends, this flake was a really easy going smoke with consistent round, full, sweet notes with just a hint of vanilla and nut.
Second third: Consistent with the first third.
Bottom third: A slight deepening of the toasted character, the flavours tended more towards sour in the bottom third. Still a rich and full smoke. Body of the smoke stayed full throughout the bowl.
I enjoyed the smoke, but am glad I only stuffed two flakes. The bowl lasted me about an hour and was a lovely accompaniment to a circle of friends. The nicotine was heavy in the blend, but I didn't repeat the same dizziness issues that I had with Bold Kentucky two weeks ago. I'm happy that the aromatic notes had married and mellowed while these flakes were in the jar. As they were, they were subtle and definitely accents to the tobacco flavour; fresh from the tin, the Tonquin bean and whiskey notes might be too much for me.
Thanks for reading,
-- Pat
For the occasion I pulled out a jar of 1792 Flake which had about five years of age on it. I only had about 8 flakes in the jar, but boy were they happy. Each flake had a nice coating of sugar crystals, and while certainly dryer than fresh 1792 from the tin, was still malleable and easy to rub out.
Tobacco: Kentucky & Virginia
Flavouring: Tonquin Bean and Whiskey
Cut/Style: Flake (Steamed & Pressed)
Aroma: The age and time in the jar seems to have mellowed and married the aromatics of this tobacco. The tonquin bean and whiskey notes have merged into a slightly boozy light vanilla/almond note. Overall, the flake still smells sweet, round, slightly earthy with a hint of spice and nut.
Drying: The flakes still have some bounce in them, but lack surface moisture. They rubbed out easily, and held their shape when balled up prior to stuffing.
Pipe: My gigantic S. Yanik figural meerschaum pipe.
Prep: Two flakes, rubbed out and then followed this process: 3 step stuff, final pre-light draw is stiff, like drawing on a milkshake with the top of the tobacco resting about 1/8" from the top of the bowl.
Charring light: Good expansion, nice full sweet notes fresh bread, molasses, toasted nut are in the front.
True light through first third: Compared to what I've read in other places, and heard from friends, this flake was a really easy going smoke with consistent round, full, sweet notes with just a hint of vanilla and nut.
Second third: Consistent with the first third.
Bottom third: A slight deepening of the toasted character, the flavours tended more towards sour in the bottom third. Still a rich and full smoke. Body of the smoke stayed full throughout the bowl.
I enjoyed the smoke, but am glad I only stuffed two flakes. The bowl lasted me about an hour and was a lovely accompaniment to a circle of friends. The nicotine was heavy in the blend, but I didn't repeat the same dizziness issues that I had with Bold Kentucky two weeks ago. I'm happy that the aromatic notes had married and mellowed while these flakes were in the jar. As they were, they were subtle and definitely accents to the tobacco flavour; fresh from the tin, the Tonquin bean and whiskey notes might be too much for me.
Thanks for reading,
-- Pat
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