John Sinclair Highland Sliced

This is a guddun', through and through.

This is what University Flake should have been. It reminds me a lot of Irish Flake with some subtle flavoring on top, very slight, the overwhelming taste is strong, clear and very refined VaBur, with just a touch of fruity sweetness at the outer limit to remind you its there and to give the smoke some angle.

Easily packed, lit and tamped, gets into a warm furnace that warms up the bowl, and then its a big Vit N hit to accompany some smooth delivery of goodness.

No criticism, a real winner

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if you can get it!

John Sinclair - Highland Sliced.

The unlit Flakes are irrefutable in every aspect! A dark Brown in colour with quite a few lighter specks as well. The aroma is a typical Lakeland one (think Condor long cut or S.t Bruno flake) and a truly superb factor this blend holds is the moisture amount, quite easily the best level for flake tobacco that I have ever encountered! As you would expect when considering that, it's a pleasure to rub out to fill up my pipe with!

The moisture amount contributes to great simplicity when igniting: no need to keep the flame on it for long, you can be very laconic in your approach with the flame and once it's burning there is no need to have trepidations about it becoming extinguished easily, unless this is left to sit completely it burns consistently, cool, and even. The topping is similar to Condor Long Cut, only milder. The taste of the Virginia is superlatively full and unadulterated, yes there is a noticeable topping but it isn't overly impeding at all, more of a Lakeland compliment. I would describe the nicotine amount as being "one to suit all", if you inhale it you will gain satisfaction but if N isn't a friend of yours, by not inhaling the smoke you can enjoy the flavour without nicotine bombarding you. Tongue bite is very elusive with Highland Sliced, but we all vary for that so I guess that is more of a subjective point, but subjective or not, it's still good to me! The room-note is similar, again, to Condor Long Cut, but I'm not complaining as I enjoyed that one!

I think this would make the quintessentially perfect "go-too" flake tobacco. Spot on!

I don't get the fruit or florals or DFK that others have detected, what I do get is strong but not overpowering dark VAs with hints of perhaps other dark tobaccos. While I think I could find it a tad boring after a while if I smoked this exclusively, as a change of pace, this is a great straight-forward smoke. While I normally dislike 25 g pouches, that's just the right size for this.

I recently purchased several tobaccos online from EA Carey UK. They say they have 15 or so tobaccos blended exclusively for them by blenders in Europe. Two of them, their Dark Flake No 7 and the same as a ready rubbed are, in my opinion, none other than Irish Flake. So if you want a ready rubbed version of IrF, EA Carey UK is the place to look. The only difference with the flake version is that the flakes are twice the length of IrF. The tobaccos look (and feel with the flake version) identical, the pouch aroma is the same, and I can not detect any difference in the smoking quality other than IrF being a harsher (more peppery). In a double blind test, it would be hard to tell the IrF from the Carey version in either their flake or ready rubbed version, and IrF is one of my top favorites. I smoke IrF regularly enough to make a statement like that. The interesting thing is it is priced cheaper than what IrF goes for in Europe, but slightly more expensive than what we pay for IrF in the USA. A fine tobacco, indeed, and I am sure it is blended for Carey by K&K, the current blenders of Peterson's tobaccos. Several days later I noticed that the pouch had a sticker "Made in Denmark" - the ready rubbed as well. Could it be that this is really Highland Sliced, both the flake and RR now made in Denmark by Orlik? I have heard they are similar. I have some HS on order and will update accordingly.

UPDATE 3-23-12: I just received my Highland Sliced today (sticker says made in Denmark) and I will say that the Carey version I spoke about above IS indeed HS and not IrF. Other than the size of the flakes, HS are very similar in taste and smoking properties to IrF. I am hard pressed to tell any difference with the exception that HS is not as harsh. While paying careful attention to each during the smoke, IrF is perhaps a tad sweeter as well. Overall, the taste is identical, but I do not get any harshness as I occasionally do with IrF. Very interesting. I am sure the recipes are similar if not the same. I've also noticed a decline with K&K's IrF in not only appearance in the tin - sometimes very messy and more crumbly than in the smaller tins, lighter in color, and sometimes tightly pressed as in the smaller tins. But now (as of 6-7-13) are twice the width and arranged in two rows in the flatter tin. A quality control issue? Without paying careful attention while smoking, I would be stretching my imagination if I thought they were different. By the way, I do get a mild hint of licorice when I smell an opened pouch of HS that is not present with IrF. IrF is one of my top favorites and HS, along with IrF, is a stellar blend, each worthy of 5 stars!

UPDATE 10-4-13: I just got 4 more 25g pouches of this from the UK. This time around the pouch aroma was a lighter version of Revor Plug. I thought the recipe may have changed(?) but this did not translate at all in taste to the smoke. Still a 5 star smoke for me!

A most gratifying flake with an unpretentious, balanced character and an almost 'old world' quality. Highland opens to a pleasing aroma of aged leathers, peat, and a modicum of liquorice. It's smoking properties are impeccable: a perfectly measured moisture content, creating a long and consistent burn, leaving a velvety ash and minimal dottle.

It's akin to some of Peterson's strong flakes, and I suspect that there's a good dose of Burley lurking under that Virginia, providing a rich body and smokiness. However, that's offset with a delicate toasted, sugary sweetness and if you take a moment to sniff the bowl, you'll instantly recognise something akin to malted wheat. It's just enough to knock the bitterness out of the blend, but you'll never once think it unnatural, or mistake this for an aromatic. Only at the base of the bowl does it ever show signs of floral soapiness. Sup up to your heart's content - it never bites.

Think log fires in a Scottish lodge. Indeed, it has all the qualities of a very good traditional English blend, but with something decidedly Scottish in its execution. It's hearty and warming and would be well coupled with a peaty island malt whisky, like a Jura, and never a bourbon as substitute.

By all accounts this should be more commercially available than it actually is; a rarity, even in the UK, and I'm only surprised that I've gone so long without coming across it before. At only 25g, it won't break the bank and you wont need to worry about committing to it. It's got many more expensive blends absolutely licked, and yet I wouldn't want to smoke this every day. Mind you, you wouldn't enjoy your prized reserve malt if you knocked that back every day, would you?

A superb respite from aromatics, a great bridging tobacco and standalone, and fully deserving of the maximum quota of stars.

This is a great flake and the only thing I can say against it is you can only get it in 25g packs. You get a strong robust smoke from this one with a light heather aroma. This is accompanied by a good strong tobacco taste. The overall impression is one of yesteryear a tobacco from the ages. I've kept a pack around the house for a while now and would recommend this to any experienced smoker.

One of the best blends I've ever smoked! This ticks all the boxes for me. A strong fruity flake with hints of floral, salt, spice and caramel creeping in. The closest I've had to it is University Flake, but I'd say this is just slightly less strong, creamier, smoother and simply less harsh. If you like UF, you'll love this stuff.

Rich dark flakes, moist but smokeable straight form the packet with a bit of rubbing needed...ZERO bite. This is blended by Orlik, amazing that they can blend in an British style so well....beats anything they put their own name too. There really is only one major problem with this superb flake...it's only sold in the UK in 25g packets, which is about 8 slices....and...UK taxes are crazy!

This is a 5 star blend...it is what is pretends to be when so many do not! This flake is why I smoke a pipe. This is my benchmark. Perfection.

If I had to make an educated guess I'd say it's a Va./Burley blend without any detectable casings or flavouring. The flakes are dark brown/black with a few small lighter spots. The moisture content was about right - not too moist, and not bone dry.

Puff for puff it is every bit as good as Murray's Irish Slices. Dark, strong, smokey, woodsey with an incredible old-timey taste and aroma. It does have the charactaristic nicotine hit though, so smoke in a small bowl after a good meal. If you like Gawith & Hoggarth Dark Flake, Murray's Irish Slices or G&H/S. Gawith Black Rope you'll like this one even more! my compliments to the lads at John Sinclair for a stunner. It is unfortunately not imported to North America

A fine flake, a bit strong if you're not expecting such an experience but cool all the way through. I couldnt get over the care taken by sinclair to package this product so well, consistency with this flake is a result.

Package note of barbequed fruit and sweet spices. Tobacco is a flake of marbled brown and dark brown a little tan. Moisture content is great. Flakes rub out easily. Burns slow with a few relights. The strength is medium to strong and nic is medium. Flavoring is mild, with notes of floral. The floral seems stronger than what I usually taste in Virginias. Flavoring remains in the background. Taste is full and very consistent, with notes of peaty fermented sour vegetation, spices, floral, hay, earthy, dry bitterness, spicy, tangy dark fruit, mild barbeque, mild sugar, orange peel/zest, mildly savory a toasted bread background note, and a peppery retro. I'm tasting a lead component of Dark Fired Cured leaf with Virginia and Flavoring supporting. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.