My revised thoughts on HH Latakia Flake, as something, I wasn’t sure what, was bothering since I first tasted this blend.(*More on that later)
Opening the tin, I’m greeted with the familiar, almost regimentally standardized aroma of English (true English) blends. That deep, rich, intoxicating (or nauseating if you’re not a fan) campfire aroma. One can immediately distinguish between, say, an American made English blend like Maltese Falcon, Northwoods or Peretti Omega, versus the more legendary (no knock on the Americans, I love em) English/Euro blends like the Dunhill trinity.
Like the rest of the McB HH flakes, these are quite thin, not as much as the Pure Virginia, but close. Moisture content, for me at least, is spot on, and more than suitable for smoking straight from the tin. No drying required.
I’ve tried rubbing out the flake, cube cutting, and fold n stuff; with no discernible differences to the flavor profile. As my preferred method is cube cutting, that’s what I did for my latest tasting.
One match to both char and light is all I required. (*Im a big adherent to only charring the tobacco then puffing lightly to ignite the ember, versus the char/tamp/light approach).
The initial flavor, toasty and woodsy. A bit of sweetness, but it’s quite subdued versus the predominant flavor of the Latakia. This profile is maintained through the first 1/4 maybe 3/8 of the bowl.
At this point, the string section starts up, as the Orientals introduce themselves as a light essence of incense. The Latakia starts to make way for the Virginia and Orientals, while still remaining at the forefront, it’s no longer the predominant flavor. They are melding together.
Ah ha! That’s what was bothering me. The itch that was bothering me. * I recognize this flavor. It’s almost a perfect match to My Mixture 965 (modern version.... not Murray’s or pre 80’s iterations). I smoke 965 almost religiously and don’t know why I didn’t realize this before.
There is a bit more harshness, no, a bit more EDGE.... but it’s almost indistinguishable save for the fact I smoke 965 in such copious quantities.
Burns well enough, though there are remnants, small though they are, of a few cubes. Not a white ash that I get smoking 965, but a grey ash, bordering on matte grey. Of course 965 is ribbon cut, and allows for more oxygen to pass, so that certainly accounts for most of the color difference. (If not entirely)
The sweetie doesn’t care for the aroma, not surprising as she just doesn’t like English blend aromas save for the Falcon, which she finds tolerable/borderline pleasant.
I can’t say I’d stock up on this blend, as it’s almost a clone of 965, but then again, it’s certainly more convenient to store Flake than ribbon. Really solid, and if I didn’t already have 40+ lbs of 965; I’d cellar this.
Opening the tin, I’m greeted with the familiar, almost regimentally standardized aroma of English (true English) blends. That deep, rich, intoxicating (or nauseating if you’re not a fan) campfire aroma. One can immediately distinguish between, say, an American made English blend like Maltese Falcon, Northwoods or Peretti Omega, versus the more legendary (no knock on the Americans, I love em) English/Euro blends like the Dunhill trinity.
Like the rest of the McB HH flakes, these are quite thin, not as much as the Pure Virginia, but close. Moisture content, for me at least, is spot on, and more than suitable for smoking straight from the tin. No drying required.
I’ve tried rubbing out the flake, cube cutting, and fold n stuff; with no discernible differences to the flavor profile. As my preferred method is cube cutting, that’s what I did for my latest tasting.
One match to both char and light is all I required. (*Im a big adherent to only charring the tobacco then puffing lightly to ignite the ember, versus the char/tamp/light approach).
The initial flavor, toasty and woodsy. A bit of sweetness, but it’s quite subdued versus the predominant flavor of the Latakia. This profile is maintained through the first 1/4 maybe 3/8 of the bowl.
At this point, the string section starts up, as the Orientals introduce themselves as a light essence of incense. The Latakia starts to make way for the Virginia and Orientals, while still remaining at the forefront, it’s no longer the predominant flavor. They are melding together.
Ah ha! That’s what was bothering me. The itch that was bothering me. * I recognize this flavor. It’s almost a perfect match to My Mixture 965 (modern version.... not Murray’s or pre 80’s iterations). I smoke 965 almost religiously and don’t know why I didn’t realize this before.
There is a bit more harshness, no, a bit more EDGE.... but it’s almost indistinguishable save for the fact I smoke 965 in such copious quantities.
Burns well enough, though there are remnants, small though they are, of a few cubes. Not a white ash that I get smoking 965, but a grey ash, bordering on matte grey. Of course 965 is ribbon cut, and allows for more oxygen to pass, so that certainly accounts for most of the color difference. (If not entirely)
The sweetie doesn’t care for the aroma, not surprising as she just doesn’t like English blend aromas save for the Falcon, which she finds tolerable/borderline pleasant.
I can’t say I’d stock up on this blend, as it’s almost a clone of 965, but then again, it’s certainly more convenient to store Flake than ribbon. Really solid, and if I didn’t already have 40+ lbs of 965; I’d cellar this.
