Best Way To Smoke Aromatics? Erinmore Flake

[samon]

Yeah, as per title I'm curious as to the best way to smoke aromatics.
I'll add I never buy aromatics, mainly because the loose variety is usually cheap, sticky horrible old crap that tastes foul compared to how it smells.
But! I do smoke Condor which is considered an aromatic I suppose, but imo it's normal tobacco of good quality with an added scent, something that is completely different from the usual 'aromatic'. Same with St.Bruno flake, again a fine tobacco with an added scent. Both smoke just like any other good blend/baccy.
So with that said, for the last year I've pretty much been puffing away on English blends and dodging the sweet stuff but one day lost all interest in my go to blend Nightcap. Wanting to mix it up a little I bought some Erinmore flake, what I assumed to be normal tobacco with a scent.. Now, I've had the rr version before and wasn't impressed, but not horrified either.
I do like the smell and the occasional flavouring does come through to my taste buds but not enough to warrant bothering with another tin as an example. Yeah, it kinda falls into the usual sweet baccy issues with being hot and acrid at times but it's popular, I have loads left and most people have tried it so it's a good starting point into trying good? aromatics!
Please help me find the best way to smoke it to both enhance the flavour annnd make it less of a tongue biter!?
Also, once we've established a solid way to get the most out of this one.. feel free to reccommend high quality aromatics for my next buy.
Cheers

 

[beastinview]

My experience is that aromatics require a bit more of a laid-back approach. There is a thinner edge on which to smoke, so to speak--smoke too slowly, and it goes out, smoke too quickly, and it becomes a bit acrid. That said, I've found Lane aromatics (such as 1-Q) are pretty forgiving, as are some others--Cornell and Diehl's "Autumn Evening" comes to mind. Anyway, this basically means that aros work better for me when I'm not doing anything that distracts me. If I'm conversing with people, I'd rather be smoking something with no tongue bite, so I can furiously puff after letting it dwindle down instead of having to relight, etc. If I'm all alone, just staring into the distance and contemplating existential matters, then I can puff at a steady rhythm and get the best out of a smoke, such as an aromatic.
The Lane and C&D blends I mentioned above are likely still too sweet for your tastes. Have you tried Royal Yacht? It has quite a top note added, but nothing quite near to the standard sweet aromatic.

 

[andrew]

Dry it out, erinmore comes on the wet side, try cube cutting the flake, I found with erinmore at first I just tasted tobacco mostly but then after a few bowls you start to taste the apricots and other flavors. It does smoke hot when it's wet as pretty much ever tobacco I've tried does, so try letting it dry quite a bit and then give it another go.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Yup, cube cutting is a great way to go.

 

[samon]

Is cube cut when you use scissors to cut little squares then load them up?

 

[deathmetal]

Yes. Some recommend letting those little squares dry a bit too.

 

[carver]

cutting in cubes ... interesting

What size ? And how loose would one need to pack them?
On another note, it's my 300th post ... yay, Senior Member

 

[jvnshr]

Please help me find the best way to smoke it to both enhance the flavour annnd make it less of a tongue biter!?

Erinmore Flake is my number one aromatic flake. Some would call it Va/Bur. For me it should be probably considered as a crossover (transitional) blend. And yes it comes in a very wet form.
Here is what I do with it. After opening the tin put it in a ziploc bag and let it sit there for few weeks at least. This method will aerate the tobacco and totally take away the tongue biting characteristics of it. If you want to accelerate the process forget about the ziploc, just let the tin sit for few days. Don't worry, it won't dry that fast. I just use the fold and stuff method to pack it. And make sure you use a wide bowl.

 

[Chasing Embers]

@carver
Cut horizontally across the flake 1/8 inch strips that fall apart into small squares. Gravity fill these "cubes", and very lightly tamp.

 

[beastinview]

I just use the fold and stuff method to pack it. And make sure you use a wide bowl.

The fold and stuff method seemed like it would require some virtuosic smoking skills when I first saw it, but I tried it with some Ennerdale Flake the other day and it worked quite nicely. I was surprised. It might be worth a try.
I've used cube cut as well, but found it not substantially different from rubbing out the flake, which is my preferred method.

 

[oldreddog]

I fold and stuff it, works well for me.