Top 5 Flake Tobaccos

[sallow]

Fribourg and treyer special brown flake

Petersons perfect plug

Petersons university flake

Astleys 44 dark Virginia

Kingfisher
Runner up rattays marlin, gawith full Virginia, hoggarth rum

 

[mranglophile]

Top 5 in no particular order:
Charles Fairmorn - Lancer's Slices

Astley's - No.44 Dark Virginia Flake

Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Bob's Chocolate Flake

Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Ennerdale Flake

Rattray - Marlin Flake (British Collection)

 

[jackswilling]

Tudor Castle

Tudor Castle

Tudor Castle

Tudor Castle

Tudor Castle

 

[james80]

JF Germain Rich Dark Flake

MacBaren Navy Flake

MacBaren Vanilla Cream Flake

MacBaren Old Dark Fired

Marlin Flake

 

[lostandfound]

Mr. Swilling- I woke up today, thinking about placing an order for five tins of Brindle Flake or Backwoods Flake, and five tins of Tudor Castle. I've only smoked one tin of each, but they were all delicious.
Dunhill Flake

Capstan Blue

Luxury Navy Flake

Old Dark Fired

Dark Strong Flake
In no particular order.

 

[jackswilling]

I really like the Tudor Castle, crazy expensive, but crazy good.
John

 

[perdurabo]

C&D Manhattan Afternoon

McBareb HH Old Dark Fired

Escudo

Samuel Gawith 1792 Flake

Bobs Chocolate flake

 

[mikestanley]

McClellend 2015

Va #24 and #27

Union Square

Bob's Flake (but only from a really good batch)

There are others,maybe better but these offer

enough variety to keep me interested.

Mike S.

 

[baccyfart]

i like:
Capstan Gold

Dunhill Flake

Capstan Blue
Is there really a bad one out there, or is it that there are just some that are better than others?

 

[hiplainsdrifter]

Aylesbury Luxury Flake

Esoterica Stonehaven

F&T Cut Virginia Plug

Gawith St. James Flake

Astleys 44

 

[ember]

I tried a few bowls of the S&G FVF which was my first experience with a Full Virginia and I was getting real bad tongue bit. I was told by the smoke shop to rub it out on a plate and let dry a day. Loaded my pipe after that and smoke it as slow as I could but still major bite. Is this common with full Virginia or what could I have done to not get bit

 

[doctorbob]

Cooper

Cooper

Cooper

Penzance

Cooper
I've had real trouble finding a flake that I really enjoy until quite recently. Given that I tend to prefer English blends, I guess my Cooper addiction isn't surprising.

 

[newbroom]

This thread is OLD. I've tried several flakes this first year of piping, so, I'm learning and tasting and tasting and learning.

My first was LBE and it was very nice. I was still so new to the pipe that maybe I didn't appreciate all it has to offer, but when I opened and tried a tin of Escudo, I smoked that first bowl with a slow, tentative reverence and I really loved it.

I've tried several samples sent by another brother here, including ODF, Errinmore, and McB's LNF.

I also picked up some Rattray's Marlin from another member, and right now, I think that's pretty darned good right there.

I've also had OGS, Newminster's 400 and 403, (crispy)Stonehaven, and some well aged LA Flake. I'm probably missing a few...but the thing is that these are all contingent upon their age as to how they'll taste.

My nod right now goes to Rattray's Marlin Flake.

The big thing was discovering how to slow smoke the VA's for best results, and also to pack it with room for expansion as the sugars heat up.

 

[cigrmaster]

ember, Sg FVF is really a bite free flake if loaded and smoked properly. In loading I woulld recommend, cubing it into very small cubes, letting it dry for about 1.5 hours and then packing it firmly into a group 4 Dublin, Apple, Rhodesian or Billiard. When I say firmly you should test the draw before lighting and you want the resistance to feel like you are sipping a milk shake through a straw. You want some nice resistance as if packed too loosely you will get a hot smoke which in turn will bite you. Getting it dried out at the perfect moisture level is not easy, but it is important.
I have 29 flakes in my rotation and they are all I smoke. Without a doubt, SG FVF is the most finicky of all my flakes and it took me the longest time to get it to smoke right. Try what I have suggested above and let me know how you make out. It took me at least 8 months before I finally figured out this method was the best and most consistent for me.
My favorite 5 are now the following.
Wessex Brigade Campaign Dark Flake

Stonehaven

John Aylesbury Luxury Flake

Fribourg & Tryer Cut Virginia Plug

Brigham Klondike Gold

 

[docspipe]

My top 5 in order of preference:
Peterson's Irish Flake

Solani Aged Burley Flake

Edgeworth Sliced (when I can get it!)

Wessex Burley Slice

Wessex Brown Virginia Flake
2nd tier:

Capstan Blue

MacBaren HH ODF

MacBaren HH Bold Kentucky

MacBaren Navy Flake

MacBaren Mixture Flake

 

[blueeyedogre]

Capstan Blue Flake

P.S. Luxury Twist Flake

S.G. St. James Flake

Peterson University Flake

Holger Danske Flake
If we were including broken flake I would include McClelland's Christmas Cheer, Beacon Extra, and Dark Navy. I have some Dunhill Flake and Orlik GS aging and waiting to get my hands on Rattray's Marlin and P.S. Luxury Bullseye Flakes so the list might change a bit.

 

[lochinvar]

Gawith FVF

McClelland No. 24

McClelland Ashton Pebblecut

Rattray Marlin Flake

Wessex BCDF

 

[wyfbane]

MacBaren Navy Flake

Dunhill Flake

ODF

Dan Limerick

FVF

 

[ember]

Cigrmaster. Thanks for the advice on the Virginia I will definitely give that a try.

 

[cortezattic]

Things change. This list is completely different from what I thought 3 yrs. ago.

• SG/ Springtime Flake
  
  Capstan Yellow
  
  Klondike Gold
  
  SG/Medium Virginia Flake (Golden Glow)
  
  Savinelli Doblone d'Oro