Just a few years ago, blends like Rum Flake, Glengarry Flake, and the like had nearly zero tobacco flavor. The topping was their defining characteristic.
My preference would be for then. The more recent iteration just isn't as the blends were intended previously. It's a bit like removing the latakia from a widely known English blend and trying to pass it off with the same name.
I generally enjoy the whole bowl, without breaking the smoke into 'parts'...however if I am revisiting a favourite blend for the first time in a while, the char note is a heightened experience.