Slightly Aromatic Flakes.

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petes03

Lifer
Jun 23, 2013
6,212
10,653
The Hills of Tennessee
I've really been into flakes and coins here lately. Most of them have been either straight Va's, Va/Burs, Va/Pers or some combination thereof. But I've also discovered a few slightly aromatic flakes that I really enjoy. They all behave well, much the same as my non-aro flakes do. They offer the same cool, slow and fairly dry smoking qualities that other flakes do. And unlike most aromatics, they're not all monotone, but actually have pleasant flavor profiles that tend to change at times during the smoke.
Here are the ones I've tried so far;

Mac Baren Mixture Flake

Mac Baren Vanilla Cream Flake

Peterson University Flake

Peter Stokkebye Luxury Twist Flake
As a matter of fact, I just tried the PS Luxury Twist Flake for the first time tonight. It's very different in appearance from any other flake I've ever came across. It comes in roughly 1-1/2x1-1/2" squares and the tobacco is very wavy in structure as opposed to the fine, straight grained lines I'm used to seeing. Upon opening the bag I was hit with a very pleasant aroma, vanilla, honey and the classic hay tones of Virginia.

I gave it very little drying time, as it was at a decent moisture level already. I took two flakes, used the fold n' stuff method, and loaded it into a Savinelli 614 Roma Lucite (a pipe which I have dedicated to aros). It took to the match very well, both on the charring light and the true light.

It burned cool, mostly dry, and lasted the better part of 2 hours with only 2 relights, and burned to ash!

The flavor was very pleasant, with notes of vanilla, honey and molasses, while still letting the Virginias come through.

All in all I was very pleased! I took a chance and ordered half a pound of it, at only $17.50 I'm glad I did!
I'm sure I'm not alone, but how many of you guys enjoy these slightly aromatic flakes? Are they something you only smoke from time to time, do they make up a goodly part of your rotation, or to you avoid them all together?

To me, they seem to be a nice break from the norm.

 

natibo

Part of the Furniture Now
Nov 10, 2013
610
1
Cincinnati, OH USA
I love all of those you mentioned, except for Mac Baren Mixture Flake, which I have not tried yet. I do like these slightly aromatic flakes, except for Erinmore. For some reason, that did not agree with me. While not a flake, but a cake, I just got some McClelland Bulk 2000 - Fragrant Matured Cake. I've enjoyed the three bowls I've had so far.

 

Perique

Lifer
Sep 20, 2011
4,098
3,884
www.tobaccoreviews.com
I enjoy the flakes you mentioned from time to time and they provide a nice break from my VA and VaPer rotation - particularly University Flake. I would also add Erinmore Flake and Orlik Golden Sliced to your list.

 

nachman

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 27, 2013
228
3
University flake is quite nice. I would recommend GH Louisiana Flake to you. It has a slightly floral, slightly almond flavor.

 

smeigs

Lifer
Jun 26, 2012
1,049
7
I just picked up some vanilla cream flake... I really dislike aromatics but I have heard good things about this blend.. What do you think? Is it worthy?

 

bigboi

Lifer
Nov 12, 2012
1,192
3
I have been enjoying Bob's Chocolate Flake and SG's Chocolate Flake. They have a Latakia in them but they offer a nice cool smoke with hints of chocolate. The Bob's chocolate flake adds more of the semi-sweet chocolate notes while I get more of a cocoa from the SG version.

I love all the flakes you have mentioned and I would second adding Erinmore flake to your rotation.

 

shutterbugg

Lifer
Nov 18, 2013
1,451
21
I got a free sample of Stokkebye's 1931, I would class it as a light aro (has some cavendish in it). Very pleasant aroma, with the taste of a natural. Well, sort of. Not really much taste to it. But definitely a lot stronger in the nic department than any other aro I've tried. And it was my first time with a flake, did the fold and stuff thing...lit well, smoked well, stayed lit. I may have to buy some.

 

petes03

Lifer
Jun 23, 2013
6,212
10,653
The Hills of Tennessee
@smeigs. I really like the VCF, it's a very nice smoke when sipped slowly.
@bigboi. The Bob's Chocolate has been on my radar for a while now, I like that it has some Latakia in it.

 

branzig

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 7, 2014
137
0
So, do you guys smoke these "slightly aro" blends in the same pipe you smoke your straight/vapers in or do you dedicate a new pipe for each one of these blends too?

 

billypm

Can't Leave
Oct 24, 2013
302
3
P&W Dummerston is maybe my favorite blend, period. It's a pretty well broken flake that has an aromatic element to it without tasting or smoking like an aromatic. The VA is beyond respectable and rich and smooth-- the top note delish and artfully applied. No black cav or burley here.

 

petes03

Lifer
Jun 23, 2013
6,212
10,653
The Hills of Tennessee
The tin note on the PS Luxury Twist Flake was much more aromatic than the others, so I smoked it in one of my aro pipes. The others I've smoked in my Va pipes with no problems.

 

rmbittner

Lifer
Dec 12, 2012
2,759
1,994
Branzig asked:
"So, do you guys smoke these "slightly aro" blends in the same pipe you smoke your straight/vapers in or do you dedicate a new pipe for each one of these blends too?"
I think Bob's Chocolate Flake is the only one mentioned so far that I've tried. But I smoke it in pipes dedicated to VA/burley flakes. For new-to-me blends, I'd probably follow Petes03's approach: See what the tin aroma tells me and choose the pipe that, at least for that first bowl, seems to make the most sense. That first bowl will tell you if it might work better in another pipe.
BCF is weird, though. It's delicious. But it's essentially a VA/burley flake with a very light cocoa presence. Then they add that tiny bit of latakia, which never really makes itself known in any obvious way; it just sits in the background and adds an interesting dimension to the blend. But does it work best in pipes dedicated to VA/burley flakes? Aromatics? Blends that contain latakia? For me, the answer is VA/burley flakes, but YMMV.
Bob

 

swampmouth

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 4, 2013
123
0
SG Kendal Cream. Alot of things referred to as aromatic are not at all aromatic . To me anyway. I love Dans' London 250 as well.

 
PS Luxury Twist Flake is a staple in my diet. I love it. A Virginia Cavendish is how I would label it though, not aro. But, however the tobacco labelers do it.

If you like these lightly cased Vas, you might give Former's Private Flake a try. The oh so subtle casing in this broken flake is apple-ish, which works very well with the deeper, chocolate-like notes in this blend. Tart but deeply sweet.

 

fishingandpipes

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 24, 2013
654
48
I found MacBaren Mixture Flake can ghost a pipe a bit, in that it gives everything a very bright flavor after you smoke a few bowls of it in the same pipe. However, I do like it.

 
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