English/Balkan/Oriental Flake etc?

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tzinc

Can't Leave
Mar 24, 2021
346
1,388
Toronto
All my favorite English, Balkan, and Oriental blends (Black House, Presbyterian etc) are in in ribbon form are there any English, Balkan, Oriental blends that are worth smoking in the other cuts? Such as flake, cake, coin, plug, ready rubbed etc.
 
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All my favorite English, Balkan, and Oriental blends (Black House, Presbyterian etc) are in in ribbon form are there any English, Balkan, Oriental blends that are worth smoking in the other cuts? Such as flake, cake, coin, plug, ready rubbed etc.
I do really like quite a few latakia blends and Balkans, but I have yet to find one in flake form that I enjoy smoking. I can't put my finger on what it is that I don't enjoy about them though. YMMV
 
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So, after posting here, I popped a tin of SG Balkan Flake, and I think I know what it is. When latakia gets pressed into a flake, it makes the whole thing monochromatic. Something about the various cuts of tobaccos in the latakia blends gives it a more complexity, ever shifting in flavor appeal. Once it is pressed, it seems to stay consistent in flavor throughout, making it kind of... boring.
 

karam

Lifer
Feb 2, 2019
2,341
9,012
Basel, Switzerland
My favourite Latakia flake is Old Ironsides, it has a fair bit of DFK in it too.

HH Latakia Flake is nice, but no more than that. SG Balkan Flake I really like, but the Latakia is somehow very subdued in how I perceive the blends.
 

mortonbriar

Lifer
Oct 25, 2013
2,651
5,658
New Zealand
So, after posting here, I popped a tin of SG Balkan Flake, and I think I know what it is. When latakia gets pressed into a flake, it makes the whole thing monochromatic. Something about the various cuts of tobaccos in the latakia blends gives it a more complexity, ever shifting in flavor appeal. Once it is pressed, it seems to stay consistent in flavor throughout, making it kind of... boring.
I had not thought about this before, but I think I had the same reaction to Balkan flake...however I will say that the lack of excitement about the flavour led me to jar the tin up after a couple of smokes, and I came back to it this year after ignoring it for almost a decade and found it to be very enjoyable. I don't think the time took the 'boring' away, but maybe the lat mellowed? Anyway, it was num nums.
 

ofafeather

Lifer
Apr 26, 2020
2,769
9,044
50
Where NY, CT & MA meet
I had not thought about this before, but I think I had the same reaction to Balkan flake...however I will say that the lack of excitement about the flavour led me to jar the tin up after a couple of smokes, and I came back to it this year after ignoring it for almost a decade and found it to be very enjoyable. I don't think the time took the 'boring' away, but maybe the lat mellowed? Anyway, it was num nums.
I’m stilled smoking the same batch of Balkan flake from the mid 2000s. Maybe ‘08? Great stuff. I really love the quality of the Latakia.
 
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