I recently received this lovely flake from a generous forum member--and better yet, with a few years age on it.
Preparation/Tin Note:
The bag note is a lovely, leathery, spicy aroma, almost like beef jerky. I just rubbed the flake out--I generally prefer this to cube cut or folding, but I don't rub it out super aggressively--I still leave some pieces of the flake intact.
Smoke:
This was perfect for a long, relaxed smoke. The flake burns well, and I have maybe one relight per bowl on average. That said, it burns at a leisurely pace, so I could enjoy it for quite some time--maybe 30-40 minutes for a half of a bowl? Most of my smoking as of late has been at work, so I don't take a really long break. We do have lovely courtyards that work well for a relaxed smoke (I work at a college), but I don't have time for more than a 30 minute break or so on most days, so a lot of the time I'll smoke quick bowls of shag cut that burns quickly.
The flavor was what I expected from the tin note--a deep, leathery flavor, with a muted sweetness from the VA--a bit like unsweetened baker's chocolate, to make a weak analogy. One thing I enjoyed about this tobacco was how hearty it tastes. It has the flavor of a much stronger blend. That's not to say it isn't strong, but from the look of ODF, you'd expect it to be like Dark Flake or 1792. The full-flavored nature of the blend also says, "Beware--I'm strong." The blend does have some nic to it, but nothing like Dark Flake or 1792, which is actually kind of nice when I want a relaxed smoke at work on an empty stomach, but don't want to turn green. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Nicotine:
I'd place this around medium. (For reference, however, Nightcap also is medium to me, and I've heard a lot of people say that it is a very strong blend.)
In Summary:
This is a very enjoyable blend that smokes very smoothly. It has a personality a bit like some of the strong Gawith flakes, but without the overwhelming nicotine, which will definitely be a good thing for many smokers. I'll have to get some more of it, because it fits nicely in my rotation for that reason: while I typically enjoy the flavor of really strong tobacco, I don't always smoke on a full stomach and so this would be a nice go to for a similar flavor profile with a medium amount of nicotine. The depth and smoothness of the blend was probably augmented by the age on the flakes. Thanks again, cobguy!
Preparation/Tin Note:
The bag note is a lovely, leathery, spicy aroma, almost like beef jerky. I just rubbed the flake out--I generally prefer this to cube cut or folding, but I don't rub it out super aggressively--I still leave some pieces of the flake intact.
Smoke:
This was perfect for a long, relaxed smoke. The flake burns well, and I have maybe one relight per bowl on average. That said, it burns at a leisurely pace, so I could enjoy it for quite some time--maybe 30-40 minutes for a half of a bowl? Most of my smoking as of late has been at work, so I don't take a really long break. We do have lovely courtyards that work well for a relaxed smoke (I work at a college), but I don't have time for more than a 30 minute break or so on most days, so a lot of the time I'll smoke quick bowls of shag cut that burns quickly.
The flavor was what I expected from the tin note--a deep, leathery flavor, with a muted sweetness from the VA--a bit like unsweetened baker's chocolate, to make a weak analogy. One thing I enjoyed about this tobacco was how hearty it tastes. It has the flavor of a much stronger blend. That's not to say it isn't strong, but from the look of ODF, you'd expect it to be like Dark Flake or 1792. The full-flavored nature of the blend also says, "Beware--I'm strong." The blend does have some nic to it, but nothing like Dark Flake or 1792, which is actually kind of nice when I want a relaxed smoke at work on an empty stomach, but don't want to turn green. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Nicotine:
I'd place this around medium. (For reference, however, Nightcap also is medium to me, and I've heard a lot of people say that it is a very strong blend.)
In Summary:
This is a very enjoyable blend that smokes very smoothly. It has a personality a bit like some of the strong Gawith flakes, but without the overwhelming nicotine, which will definitely be a good thing for many smokers. I'll have to get some more of it, because it fits nicely in my rotation for that reason: while I typically enjoy the flavor of really strong tobacco, I don't always smoke on a full stomach and so this would be a nice go to for a similar flavor profile with a medium amount of nicotine. The depth and smoothness of the blend was probably augmented by the age on the flakes. Thanks again, cobguy!
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