Pfeifen Huber Virginia Golden Flake vs Peter Heinrich Golden Sliced vs Meistermischung No 88

[phdaemon]

For those of you that have tried all 3, what's the biggest difference between these?
I've only tried the Meistermischung No 88, but I do have a few tins of the PH Golden Sliced that I plan on opening soon.

For Meistermischung No 88, I have indeed noticed a honey and orange casing and it is a mighty good straight VA. So much so that I think i'll be placing a few more orders for it soon.

I've wanted to try the Pfeifer Huber VGF for a long time, but since they don't ship to the US, and I'm not heading to Germany any time soon, I'm curious.

For those of you that have tried it, how does it compare to the other 2? Is there a blend that is sold in the US that is similar (if there are no similarities between them)?

I'm leaving Reiner's Long Golden Flake out of it since it technically has perique in it and the rest are all straight VAs.

 

[ashdigger]

I honestly think they are the same or so close it a mental game.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I can only comment on the Pfeifen Huber. It is quite unique and quite good. Not remotely similar to Reiner Long Golden Flake for whatever that's worth.

 

[phdaemon]

I can only comment on the Pfeifen Huber. It is quite unique and quite good. Not remotely similar to Reiner Long Golden Flake for whatever that's worth.

The only one I suspect of being similar is the M88. One can get it in the US by buying from specific German shops. It is different from every other flake I've tried even with similar "flavors" (like Sillems mayor flake or Aylesbury now I guess is topped by comparison).

Can you describe it a little bit?

I honestly think they are the same or so close it a mental game.

If No. 88 and Huber are similar that would just make me get a few more tins of the 88, cause that one is excellent.

But I do love straight VAs and the Huber seems to get a lot of praise. So if it is different im gonna try to get my hands on some.

 

[sablebrush52]

I've smoked both the Pfeifen Huber and the Meistermischung No 88. My impression is that the Virginias are a bit richer with the Pfeifen Huber blend, and the flavor balance between the two is also different the Pfeifen Huber is more of a honeydew. I like both of them.

Which reminds me, I've got 400 grams of the Pfeiffen Huber that's now about 5 years old. Gotta find that bag and enjoy some!

 

[JimInks]

I've smoked both the Pfeifen Huber and the Meistermischung No 88. My impression is that the Virginias are a bit richer with the Pfeifen Huber blend, and the flavor balance between the two is also different the Pfeifen Huber is more of a honeydew. I like both of them.

Which reminds me, I've got 400 grams of the Pfeiffen Huber that's now about 5 years old. Gotta find that bag and enjoy some!

I agree with this. I even have some five year old PH, too.

 

[phdaemon]

I've smoked both the Pfeifen Huber and the Meistermischung No 88. My impression is that the Virginias are a bit richer with the Pfeifen Huber blend, and the flavor balance between the two is also different the Pfeifen Huber is more of a honeydew. I like both of them.

Which reminds me, I've got 400 grams of the Pfeiffen Huber that's now about 5 years old. Gotta find that bag and enjoy some!

I agree with this. I even have some five year old PH, too.

Well then, I guess the search will continue

If anyone is in Germany and willing to proxy some for me, shoot me a DM

Thanks!

 

[Terry Lennox]

How does the Pfeifen Huber differ from Reiner 71 Long Golden Flake?

The Reiner I know well--it has a bergamot and honey flavor. But I've never had the Huber. For what it's worth I have had the Sillems Mayor's Flake. I found the orange in that blend pleasant enough but ultimately a bit artificial tasting. The Reiner was much more natural.

 

[phdaemon]

How does the Pfeifen Huber differ from Reiner 71 Long Golden Flake?

The Reiner I know well--it has a bergamot and honey flavor. But I've never had the Huber. For what it's worth I have had the Sillems Mayor's Flake. I found the orange in that blend pleasant enough but ultimately a bit artificial tasting. The Reiner was much more natural.

For one, Reiner is not a straight VA. It has perique and burley. The Huber is a straight VA. That alone, regardless of toppings or casings tell me it's going to have a different profile. That's why I didn't include it in the OP.

It's even different enough from the No. 88.

Mayor flake is indeed sort of artificial tasting. No 88 is much better.

BTW, I know this was not in your question, but I do want to point out that No. 88 and Reiner Golden Flake are very, very different from each other as well (Some people seem to think they are the same but they are most definitely not). LGF has an orange like smell to it, whereas the No. 88 smells more of honey and spices. The flakes themselves also look different, with No. 88 being darker, more brown look to them, and the Reiner being “brighter” more orange/reddish look to them.

No. 88's tin note / jar note is soo much richer and pleasant. It has quickly become one of my goto blends, even more so than some of the older McClellands I have.

The reason for my thread here is because I suspected that No. 88 is the closest we can get to Huber without having to travel to germany, but according to the peeps here, it's different enough that it is worth chasing.

For Reiner's it's going to be even more different.

Reiner on the right and No. 88 on the left.

 

[Terry Lennox]

For one, Reiner is not a straight VA. It has perique and burley. The Huber is a straight VA. That alone, regardless of toppings or casings tell me it's going to have a different profile. That's why I didn't include it in the OP.

It's even different enough from the No. 88.

Mayor flake is indeed sort of artificial tasting. No 88 is much better.

BTW, I know this was not in your question, but I do want to point out that No. 88 and Reiner Golden Flake are very, very different from each other as well (Some people seem to think they are the same but they are most definitely not). LGF has an orange like smell to it, whereas the No. 88 smells more of honey and spices. The flakes themselves also look different, with No. 88 being darker, more brown look to them, and the Reiner being “brighter” more orange/reddish look to them.

No. 88's tin note / jar note is soo much richer and pleasant. It has quickly become one of my goto blends, even more so than some of the older McClellands I have.

The reason for my thread here is because I suspected that No. 88 is the closest we can get to Huber without having to travel to germany, but according to the peeps here, it's different enough that it is worth chasing.

For Reiner's it's going to be even more different.

Reiner on the right and No. 88 on the left.

View attachment 428170View attachment 428172

Great info. Thank you.
I'm still chasing the Huber, but if the flavoring is like the Mayor's flake then I'm OK without it.

 

[phdaemon]

Great info. Thank you.
I'm still chasing the Huber, but if the flavoring is like the Mayor's flake then I'm OK without it.

I've had Mayor Flake and like you said it's very artificial tasting. It's an OK smoke.
Everything I've read about the Huber blend is that it's natural with a more natural / honey sweetness (which is what made me think the No. 88 is similar). Based on that I'd say they're not similar at all.

No 88 and Mayor Flake on the other hand, I can say definitively are not similar.

 

[HeadMisfit]

Considering the origins. How does this compare to orlik

 

[phdaemon]

I found the Huber, and I gotta say, it's good, but the Meistermischung has a bolder flavor and I like it more.

@HeadMisfit orlik is a Vaper. The ones in this thread are straight VAs.

 

[HeadMisfit]

I found the Huber, and I gotta say, it's good, but the Meistermischung has a bolder flavor and I like it more.

@HeadMisfit orlik is a Vaper. The ones in this thread are straight VAs.

Some of the descriptions on German seller sites make it out like it has a tad of perique

 

[phdaemon]

They are not. They are straight VAs. Huber, Meistermischung and PH GS are all straight VAs with some level of honey casing applied.

The Miestermischung also has some sort of baking spices applied, they definitely come through when smoking in the best way. Gotta say, out of the 3 that's prob my favorite at the moment.

 

[HeadMisfit]

They are not. They are straight VAs. Huber, Meistermischung and PH GS are all straight VAs with some level of honey casing applied.

The Miestermischung also has some sort of baking spices applied, they definitely come through when smoking in the best way. Gotta say, out of the 3 that's prob my favorite at the moment.

When looking at the German producers, how are these companies able to make large numbers of different blends of pure VA?

Only so much mathematical combinations

 

[phdaemon]

When looking at the German producers, how are these companies able to make large numbers of different blends of pure VA?

Only so much mathematical combinations

Different quantities of different types of virginias, different casings, different toppings, different treatments and processing... there's quite a few combinations

 

[Auxsender]

Some of the descriptions on German seller sites make it out like it has a tad of perique

No they don’t.