I popped a tin of Irish Flake I'd been holding for a few years, one of the old square tins, and relished the flavor right away. It took a few bowls to understand drying was required, even though it doesn't feel particularly moist, but for me it works better left in a bowl, rubbed out, for a few days. This is a blend for burley smokers, since that's the base, but with good dimensions. It doesn't change much down the bowl, but it delivers a nice full-strength smoke and always is a happy thought when it comes around in rotation, sometimes ahead of its turn. It is a pleasing return to fundamentals after intermittent bowls of aromatics or milder blends. I rub out four or five bowls and let them dry in a bowl, and it provides a good long smoke, whether smoked up or smoked intermittently.
