Let me start this off by saying that if you haven't read rothnh's excellent review of Marlin Flake, you should do yourself a favor and check it out right here.
The flake presentation is beautiful and this stuff is QUITE moist out of the tin, I had to measure out a bowl and dry it for a good few hours if left in the open air for it to finally be manageable. In terms of flavor, Marlin Flake is a strange beast. The Virginia leaf in this blend is of very high quality and gives the blend a great golden wheat/honey sweetness type of flavor, but the Cavendish in the blend mellows things out a bit, and Im guessing the percent of Cavendish in this blend is higher than most Virginias, and one you get the bowl going and that initial sweetness dissipates, this blend gets very mellow, almost a little too mellow for my liking. The Virginia flavor kind of slips in and out of the bowl. I can usually taste it most when Im relighting, a wonderful combination of honey, raisins, and an almost maple type sweetness. I could be wrong on this, and Im just speculating here, but given the amount of Cavendish and the aroma and feel of this blend, I would almost suspect that it is topped with something, something sweet and maybe slightly acidic. The blend does burn very well if dried properly, and what really surprised me was how smooth this blend was, no rough edge or harshness to be found. In the end, I think Marlin Flake almost appeals to a niche market. Is not quite as bold and sweet as I like most of my Virginias to be, but its presentation and components may not appeal to hardcore aromatic smokers. That being said, if you are an aromatic smoker looking to venture out into more "straight" tobaccos, Marlin Flake is the perfect transition. Definitely one of the more unique smokes I've tried in three years of piping, and its not something Id smoke every day, but it is a nice treat that is easy burning with unique flavor.
The flake presentation is beautiful and this stuff is QUITE moist out of the tin, I had to measure out a bowl and dry it for a good few hours if left in the open air for it to finally be manageable. In terms of flavor, Marlin Flake is a strange beast. The Virginia leaf in this blend is of very high quality and gives the blend a great golden wheat/honey sweetness type of flavor, but the Cavendish in the blend mellows things out a bit, and Im guessing the percent of Cavendish in this blend is higher than most Virginias, and one you get the bowl going and that initial sweetness dissipates, this blend gets very mellow, almost a little too mellow for my liking. The Virginia flavor kind of slips in and out of the bowl. I can usually taste it most when Im relighting, a wonderful combination of honey, raisins, and an almost maple type sweetness. I could be wrong on this, and Im just speculating here, but given the amount of Cavendish and the aroma and feel of this blend, I would almost suspect that it is topped with something, something sweet and maybe slightly acidic. The blend does burn very well if dried properly, and what really surprised me was how smooth this blend was, no rough edge or harshness to be found. In the end, I think Marlin Flake almost appeals to a niche market. Is not quite as bold and sweet as I like most of my Virginias to be, but its presentation and components may not appeal to hardcore aromatic smokers. That being said, if you are an aromatic smoker looking to venture out into more "straight" tobaccos, Marlin Flake is the perfect transition. Definitely one of the more unique smokes I've tried in three years of piping, and its not something Id smoke every day, but it is a nice treat that is easy burning with unique flavor.
:
so