My first experience smoking Virginia Flake

[alley00p]

I had stopped by a small shop last week, and I discovered a decent sample of different tins of pipe tobacco. I jotted down the names in my iPhone, and checked on Tobacco Review to see what the various opinions on these tabaks were.

After work this afternoon, I stopped by the shop again, and bought a small assortment of tins to try out: SG Navy Flake, SG Balkan Flake, SG FireDance Flake, Mac Baren Virginia No.1 and a tin of Peterson University Flake.

MisterMoo and SlowTriathlete had answered my newbie question about "rubbing out" flake tobacco, and I also found a series of very informative articles on the MacBaren website:"FLAKE – MUCH BETTER THAN ITS REPUTATION" that explained the history of Flake tobaccos, and how they are made and how to fill your pipe bowl.

My first try smoking flake was SG Balkan Flake, which was slightly moist and pretty much perfect for smoking, I just basically "folded" a few flakes, and filled my bowl, and lit them.

This blend was an interesting first try of a Virginia with a bit of Latakia. The aroma of the flakes in the tin were very different than anything I had ever experienced. a sort of a smoky sweet smell. As soon as I started to puff gently, I could taste a mild, almost leathery taste. I smoked this bowl for about an hour, and finished with a bit of nice powerdery ash left in the bowl.

My next try this evening was a bowlfull of MacB Virginia #1 - ready rubbed, which made it very easy to fill the bowl. The aroma when I first opened the tin was sweet, almost honey-like. Although a bit dampish, it lit readily, and I smoked this bowl for about an hour. This is a somewhat mildish, but sweet smoke, which has been very enjoyable.

I'm really glad that I started hanging out here in the pipe forum! I've found a number of new things to try, and I've been able to cut back a bit on smoking 4 -5 cigars a day.