C&D Carolina Red Flake Question

[Rigidman]

Was thinking of buying some Carolina Red Flake. Bought some Peterson Sherlock Holmes, its ok. Love Iwan Ries 3 star blue. Also like vanilla, Irish cream. Had some C&D Speakeasy. Hated it. Used to smoke McClelland 221 series. Loved all 3. So knowing this would you suggest I try it? If you have questions need more info, feel free to ask.

Wanted to try it because its limited release. Read reviews and it sounds good. Must be good because it sells out fairly quick. But not sure if its for me and don't want it to be like the speakeasy.

What is your advice sages of tobacco?

 

[skydog]

Well you mentioned a number of blends but it's not really a ton of information to go on. It's not anything like speakeasy in my opinion. If you like the McClelland 221 series Black Shag then obviously you can enjoy a straight Virginia so I say go for it. The Carolina Red Flake doesn't have any topping and it's not really similar to any tobaccos you mentioned, but it's good tobacco.

 

[DonutLuvr]

Was thinking of buying some Carolina Red Flake. Bought some Peterson Sherlock Holmes, its ok. Love Iwan Ries 3 star blue. Also like vanilla, Irish cream. Had some C&D Speakeasy. Hated it. Used to smoke McClelland 221 series. Loved all 3. So knowing this would you suggest I try it? If you have questions need more info, feel free to ask.

Wanted to try it because its limited release. Read reviews and it sounds good. Must be good because it sells out fairly quick. But not sure if its for me and don't want it to be like the speakeasy.

What is your advice sages of tobacco?

I’d say give it a shot. It’s fairly affordable and still available. If you have any doubts, just don’t load up with multiples of 25 like some guys are doing ?

I, myself, ordered 6. One to smoke ROTT, and the other 5 to age various lengths of time.

 

[ray47]

Carolina Red Flake is the best straight Virginia I've ever smoked. I'll smoke up the two tins I bought and move on to something else. I don't age tobacco because I'm 73 yrs old with COPD and I don't have time to age the blends I smoke.

 

[bnichols23]

Go for the CRF definitely. I'm not usually a major virginia fan, but CRF is a gem. I'm more an English & aromatic guy, but that's a great blend. I just picked up some more of it from the good SPC folks downstate,. Howdy from the SC Piedmont, btw!

Bill

 

[FurCoat]

It's a good smoke right out of the tin. Just a tick below full flavor. I'll take it over FVF any day.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

It's $12 per tin, what's there to think about? Being a small batch, if you don't like it, it would be easy to sell and recover your money. I think it's good but sure improved with a couple of years of age. I have 36 tons of the previous batch, will probably buy a few of this release.

 

[tnfan]

It's $12 per tin, what's there to think about? Being a small batch, if you don't like it, it would be easy to sell and recover your money. I think it's good but sure improved with a couple of years of age. I have 36 tons of the previous batch, will probably buy a few of this release.

Dang Mark! Where you keeping 36 tons? You have a warehouse?

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Dang Mark! Where you keeping 36 tons? You have a warehouse?

iPad type ahead is maddening.

 

[elasmo]

Don't like Speakeasy, you'll get no sagely advise from me!

 

[gervais]

I enjoy straight Va's so I took a gamble on 8 tins

 

[pantsBoots]

I got 11 tins - one to try and make sure I didn't make a mistake, and ten to age because I had a feeling it was awesome. It is awesome tobacco, but at the price, I'll stick to Samuel Gawith for my Virginias since the GG, BBF and FVF hit the brights, mids and darks, respectively.

 

[musicman]

Feeling tempted by this since I do love Straight Virginias and I do enjoy the 2018 vintage, as well as the Carolina Red with 18 yr Perique that was released earlier this year, but I think I've exhausted the TAD budget for at least the next few weeks, especially since I'd like to (finally) pick up some Rouxgaroux at the end of the month.

 

[Rigidman]

Thanks for all the advice. I think I'll give it a try. I liked McClellands black shag. The Speakeasy tasted like soap to me. Might just be me. Not sure. Tried in in 2 separate pipes and couldn't finish it. Sorry, I didn't like it.

Wish I would've seen the CRF with Perique. I like Perique blends.

Usually when I find something I like I smoke it and replace as needed. That's why I don't have a large selection of tobaccos to mention. When I find something I like I just smoke that over and over. But lately I've been wanting more from my tobacco. Guess I've been getting bored.

I also mix in some Sherlock Holmes with other blends I think are too sweet. It's very dry so I also mix it with stuff that's hard to dry because of the topping. Really doesn't change the taste, just makes it easier to smoke. The Sherlock Holmes is ok. Just reminds me of cigarettes. I gave them up years ago. But not my pipe or my cigars. NEVER!!! Just like my guns, "From my cold dead hands".

When I was younger I probably would have liked the Speakeasy. I guess it's true, your tastes do change as you mature. There are many things I like that didn't in the past and many things I don't like that I once did.

If y'all can tell me what info is helpful, or point me to a post that talks about helpful info when asking about a certain brand of tobacco. I'd appreciate it.

I do read the reviews left by customers and reviews about the tobacco left by "pros". I also watch YouTube vids. But even with all that info sometimes I'm left scratching my head still asking myself " Will I like it?" But I guess in the end you'll never know till you stick your toe in. At least with scotch and bourbon you can buy little bottles to try. Maybe that's something tobacco vendors should consider. Sample packs.

Thanks again.

 

[Rigidman]

I got the CRF. also some Mississippi River Rum barrel aged.

I got some 3 star green, not bad. Forgot I had some Hearth and Home Daybreak so I gave it a try as well. Also not bad.

Thinking of buying a larger container of 3 star blue. But think I'll hold off until the new year. If I can bear it that long and as long as my son doesn't "borrow" any.

Was perusing some of the online shops and found a 52 ft coil of pipe cleaner!! I had to ask if it was feet or inches. They said feet. Not a bad price and it should last a little while.

Thanks for stopping by.

 

[DAR]

Wow..... some of you guys are really into cellaring tobacco. Sometimes I smell uncontrolled shopping and hoarding going on with the amount of tins people buy but maybe it's because I'm not 20 years old anymore . I purchased 2 tins to smoke here and there. I'm sure that will last me well into my future considering how much tobacco I already have in the cellar. Plus I don't like to smoke the same thing too often. I get bored.
I was attracted by the description of CRF. Sounds exactly what I like in a good tobacco.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Sometimes I smell uncontrolled shopping and hoarding going on with the amount of tins people buy but maybe it's because I'm not 20 years old anymore

I'm nowhere near 20 but always buy in 10 tin lots.

 

[sandollars]

Wow..... some of you guys are really into cellaring tobacco. Sometimes I smell uncontrolled shopping and hoarding going on with the amount of tins people buy

Plus I don't like to smoke the same thing too often. I get bored.

If you are only SOMETIMES smelling it, get a little closer. . It reaks of hoarding and smell is GRAND!

If you get bored, you haven't found your "It" tobaccos. I smoke other blends so that I don't smoke up all my "It" blends. There are 4 blends that I would be 1 thousand percent satisfied with smoking exclusively for the rest of my life.

 

[DAR]

If you are only SOMETIMES smelling it, get a little closer. . It reaks of hoarding and smell is GRAND!

If you get bored, you haven't found your "It" tobaccos. I smoke other blends so that I don't smoke up all my "It" blends. There are 4 blends that I would be 1 thousand percent satisfied with smoking exclusively for the rest of my life.

I must be the whacky one. I also don't like having the same thing for dinner every night. I am a bit of an adventurer and do not like getting bogged down by a "favorite" anything. There are too many "favorite" blends to have a favorite blend. Been smoking a pipe for 35 years and find that variety is the spice in my life...... unless of course you talk about a wife (in case she reads this).

 

[skydog]

Thanks for all the advice. I think I'll give it a try. I liked McClellands black shag. The Speakeasy tasted like soap to me. Might just be me. Not sure. Tried in in 2 separate pipes and couldn't finish it. Sorry, I didn't like it.

Wish I would've seen the CRF with Perique. I like Perique blends.

If y'all can tell me what info is helpful, or point me to a post that talks about helpful info when asking about a certain brand of tobacco. I'd appreciate it.

I do read the reviews left by customers and reviews about the tobacco left by "pros". I also watch YouTube vids. But even with all that info sometimes I'm left scratching my head still asking myself " Will I like it?" But I guess in the end you'll never know till you stick your toe in. At least with scotch and bourbon you can buy little bottles to try. Maybe that's something tobacco vendors should consider. Sample packs.

Thanks again.

I think the most helpful information for me was really figuring out the blend types of what I was smoking. I'm no pro myself but knowing how much I've enjoyed Bright Virginia blends vs some of the darker/red Virginia blends helps me figure out if I would like a new blend based on that for example. Since you listed some aromatic blends and some virginia blends and some burley based blends it's hard to point you in any one direction.

Once I figured out I didn't like much of the aromatic tobaccos I had tried and then I grew to enjoy Virginia or Va/per blends more than something containing latakia or being more burley forward my tobacco searching was much more easily narrowed down. Maybe you want some of each or you prefer the latakia or aromatic forward tobaccos over the virginia forward tobaccos you try. Whatever your preference I think understanding what components go into the blends you like will help you narrow your focus of which tobacco to try next.