Which Flake to Try First?

[matchstickman]

I have recently acquired a ton of Virginia and VaPer flakes and am looking forward to smoking them as the weather gets warmer but I wanted to pop one open and give it a try since I havent smoked flake in some time. I am narrowing it down to the following:
Peterson University Flake

Dunhill Flake

Sam Gawith Golden Glow

Sam Gawith Best Brown

Blakeneys Best Bayou Slices
I ordered University Flake some time ago but I have mixed reviews that leave me a little leary to try it, some love the "plum" type topping while others dont care for it. I ordered some Golden Glow because it was readily available but havent heard much about it on the forums. Anybody have any experience good or bad with any of these flakes? They are all fairly fresh and none have too much age on them, so that may well play into it.

 

[matchstickman]

roth, I was hoping to hear from you on this one. The University Flake intrigues me but sounds like a contradiction of sorts. It sounds almost like an aromatic, so I am afraid that it will lack in taste like most aromatics do, but I have also heard that it is quite strong, which also leads me to believe that it isnt bland, so I dont know what to think. I suppose I'll just have to try it and see. The Dunhill Flake sounded like a nice, simple, easy going smoke as well.

 

[bogglor]

I second Dunhill Flake. It's just simple , light tobacco. Then I'd step it up to Best Brown, my favorite flake.

 

[dnietosi]

I love Dunhill flake, it is by far the best virginia flake I have tried. University Flake it is NOT an aromatic, I find more flavor in Dunhill.
D
::

 

[hfearly]

I'm the same as mike. New tin? That thing is open as soon the second I get it. Take a couple of pinches, let them dry out for an hour and put the rest in mason jars for proper aging.

 

[Perique]

I would go with UF. Be aware, however, that Blakeneys Best Bayou Slices isn't a flake but rather a broken flake (very similar in presentation to St James Woods or Beacon Extra).

 

[cigrmaster]

I also agree that the Dunhill Flake is a great place to start. It is just a great natural, mild, sweet tasting smoke that is ready to go right out of the tin. I am also a big fan of the SG best Brown and stock quite a bit of it. It does need serious drying time so make sure you plan ahead. It can take 3 hours to dry at times down here in the FLA, up north I am sure it is not that bad.
University Flake to me is a really nice flake that I said is close to an aromatic for my tastes. I enjoy the plum flavoring and really appreciate that it is in the background and not in your face. I also consider Rotary Navy Cut and GL Pease Navigator to be aro's to me because they do have a casing of rum. Granted both are in the background but compared to my other flakes they are a type of aromatic. Yes they are no where near what most people consider aromatics to be, but I never said I was all there. lol

 

[ohin3]

Dunhill Light Flake or Flake as it is now called is such a nice easy smoking Va with a little citrus, lots of fresh baked bread, caramel, brown sugar and butter and a little pecan and dried fruit every now and then. Do yourself a favour and break the seal on that Dunhill Flake tin. So good with coffee or whisky, but also good with just a glass of water.

 

[judcole]

I'll go along with the rest of the guys on the Dunhill. That and BBF are my two fave flakes. I've got 5 year old tins of both in my rotation right now.

 

[hfearly]

Harris, I like how you need 2-3 hours of drying time for FVF and BBF. Up here in the Great White North (in the winter months, which is from about October to June) everything I leave outside a mason jar degenerates into tobacco powder within one hour.

 

[rmbittner]

everything I leave outside a mason jar degenerates into tobacco powder within one hour.

Instant snuff!

 

[uberam3rica]

You guys must all have the patience of saints....when I get a tin of tobacco I've never smoked, I take it for a test drive it as soon as I can get the tin open.

I've got two tins of stuff I've never smoked. Old Dark Fired and Frog Morton Cellar.

 

[rmbittner]

I've got two tins of stuff I've never smoked. Old Dark Fired and Frog Morton Cellar.

30+ different blends for me.

 

[cigrmaster]

hfearly, today for example it is 61% humidity and 84 degrees which is why I won't even bother trying to dry out a SG flake. . Now if I close the house up and turn on the AC it might only take 1.5 hours. Days like today when the wind is blowing hard and it is still comfortable, I don't close up the place. I will take the extra time over freezing cold any day.

 

[matchstickman]

You guys must all have the patience of saints.

I've got two tins of stuff I've never smoked. Old Dark Fired and Frog Morton Cellar.

30+ different blends for me.

LOL. I took a quick inventory yesterday and last I counted, I am at around 50 different tins, not counting what I have in my tobacco cabinet and not counting my bulk blends. I'm guessing bulk is around 20 different blends or so.