Davidoff Flake Medallions

(3.29)
Coin cut of finest Virginia and perique tobaccos with a core of black cavendish.

Details

Brand Davidoff
Blended By Orlik Tobacco Company
Manufactured By Orlik Tobacco Company
Blend Type Virginia/Perique
Contents Black Cavendish, Perique, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Flake
Packaging 50 grams tin
Country Denmark
Production Currently available

Profile

Strength
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

3.29 / 4
78

54

16

8

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 156 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 23, 2013 Medium Extremely Mild Medium Pleasant
The VaPer part of this mixture reminds me more of the Dunhill Navy Rolls than it does Escudo: tangy dark fruit sweet with a little grass, some wood, bread and earth from the dark Virginias. The earthy perique offers plums, figs, raisins and spice is a support role. The unsweetened black cavendish adds its own brand sweetness, kind of fruity and sugary. Due to its presentation, you can crumble the coins into the bowl in such a way as to get a changing flavor taste as you smoke a bowl. Or if you're adventurous, you can fix it so the black cavendish and the VaPer parts are segregated in their own sections in the bowl. I'd rather not do that myself, but the point is that you can play around with this anyway you wish. The strength and taste levels are medium. The nic-hit is a couple of steps past the center of mild to medium. Has no dull or harsh spots, and won't bite. The VaPer part has a few rough edges which the black cavendish smooths out to some extent. Burns cool, clean and a little slow. Requires some relights; fewer as you go along. Leaves just a little moisture in the bowl. Has a pleasantly lingering after taste and room note. Can be an all day smoke for the experienced smoker.

-JimInks
60 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 18, 2008 Mild to Medium Mild Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
As a longtime virginia flake smoker, such blends with perique always present a mixed bag to me. They sound good when described on the tin, but often fall flat in the flavor category. How many of us have had fantasies of smoking the new blend of virginia/perique we just bought as some pleasurable mix of sweet and spicy flavors unburdened by aromatic additives, only to bet let down by a flavorless flamethrower? I have grown tired of virginia blends that are had to keep lit, lacking in flavor, and scorching to the tongue. For those of you who think that you are the only one who has not figured out how to smoke a virginia without burning yourself, fear not, because it is probably not you. There are cool smoking virginia blends (see any S. Gawith flake, for example) and this is one of them, so enjoy!

Flake Medallions was a pleasant surprise. The tin aroma is a mix of tangy virginias tempered by the cavendish. Knowing that this contains perique, I think I detect that as well, but I am not sure that I would identify that as a component without the hint first.

The tobacco is of very fine quality, and beautiful to behold. It is not as wet out of the tin as the Mac Baren roll cake blends, but still required a bit of drying for my taste. The flake discs rub out easily, and into manageable pieces. I use the gravity filling method for just about everything that I smoke anymore, as I find that a loose pack improves the burn qualities of the tobacco, and makes it easier to relight without having to huff and puff and nuke my tongue. This technique worked well for this blend.

The flavor of this is wonderful for this type of blend. The cavendish adds extra depth and flavor to the virginias, which can sometimes seem a bit thin to my palate. The most pleasant surprise was the amount of spice the perique adds. It is noticeable, and pleasantly mingles with the cavendish and virgina to produce a very balanced smoke. This offers much more in the flavor department than many of the other va/perique blends that I have tried. It is also not overly sweet, and certainly not obviously aromatic, despite the presence of cavendish. It does, however, have a subtle sweet flavor which seems to be the sum of the va and cavendish working together.

The tobacco lights easily and accepts a char. It burned readily, with only a few relights, down to the bottom of the bowl. It smokes very cool for a virginia based blend. All in all it is very well executed. It is a bit pricey, but I suppose a tin of this, which is actually enjoyable to smoke, is a better value than another bland, generic, hot version of the same blend which sits for years and is then discarded. Highly recommended.
57 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 18, 2010 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Very Pleasant
This is a very nicely put together spun or disc cut blend. Yes, it does remind one of the presentation of Escudo but the leaf itself does not contain the depth of flavor presented by Escudo. Although lighter doesn't mean better or worse... just different.

The VaPer flavor is a wonderful change of pace for me and the unsweetened Black Cavendish did exactly what it was intended to do, created a little backbone without interfering with the overall presentation.

If Escudo is a little over the top for your taste buds, this Davidoff knock off will be well received.
49 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 10, 2009 Mild Extremely Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant
Very close to Escudo - in "genetic" makeup, in taste and in my subjective enjoyment. Not quite there but close enough. Escudo does have the added benefit of being less expensive.

If there were not other tobacco blends worth smoking, this could be my all-day blend (nothing could ever be, of course!) as it is a wonderfully rich but fairly mild tasting VaPer tobacco. I think Davidoff really hit the mark with their blending credo of getting the finest leaf and demanding the finest production, thereby creating the finest tobacco blend. One of my measures of how well a tobacco will work for me is to smell the bowl once it has gone out. Ok, I know that sounds weird, but try it! This smells heavenly in a warm but non-smoking bowl. Maybe I'M the flake but so it goes!

This is a GREAT tobacco! If you like Stokkebye's Luxury Bullseye Flake, you need to try this. I enjoy the LBF but this is preferable to me. As the previous poster mentioned, even the aftertaste is delicious. It develops down the bowl and as the virginia gives up the forefront and the perique takes over a little more, it becomes more than just a sublime pleasure. I think this is destined to become a classic.
39 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 02, 2009 Very Mild None Detected Extremely Mild (Flat) Pleasant
Davidoff calls these "flake" medallions but of course they are not, they are twist medallions, in which the twist is sliced into Escudo-like coins. Call the thing Escudo Navy de Luxe LIGHT: at the heart of the twist there is a big segment of boring flavourless black Cavendish. This makes DFM much easier to smoke than Escudo Navy de Luxe, also far less interesting.

Beginners might enjoy the unchalleging playfulness of this tobacco, but people who like some flavour inside their pipes will pass it by.
26 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 15, 2014 Medium Mild to Medium Medium Pleasant
Flake Medallions. A modern, often overlooked, classic. If you are looking for perfectly sliced coins with a healthy proportion of Virginia Perique, and a jet black center of creamy Cavendish, this is for you. Yes, DFM is relatively milder than equivalent blends like: Peter Stokkebye LBF, Comoy's cask no. 7, Escudo, Macbaren DarkTwist, Dunhill DNR, etc. It has been said that the cavendish takes away from the intricacy of the Virginia and Perique. This may be true; the cavendish limits the brightness of the Virginias and the spice of the Perique, but it subdues them as much as it adds a nutty dried fruit and occasional vanilla sweetness. Don't be scared off by the sweetness, it's a natural velvety sweetness no topping that I can detect. The sweetness comes and goes accompanied by a nutty toast and cedar essence. Incredibly cool smoking - stays lit like a sweet dream you wake up from, go back to sleep and it continues. Try to let it go out -no it will always come back. Smokes cool and creamy all the way down to the doddle.

This blend does not have a particular way it needs to be prepared and smoked, it seems to be rather forgiving. I have found the nuttiness of an oil cured pipe is the perfect complement to the blend, I've dedicated my Ashton Pebble Canadian to it -a sublime pairing if you ask me. The prestinely fanned presentation of the "medallions" separates this one from the rest. The outer VaPer portion is free of stems and imperfections compactly twisted and sliced into immaculate coins. Always moist out of the tin, I take two coins, separate the cavendish, then rub out the outer portion of the coin, then finely grind the Cavendish between my fingers -evenly spreading it over the rubbed out pile. If it's a fresh tin I'd let it dry for 20-30 minutes after rubbing out.

Overall, Davidoff Flake Medallions will always have a place in my heart (and my weekly rotation). Yes there are many more affordable, stronger equivalents -none compare. It is almost always available, no rumors of Orlik ceasing to blend FM for Davidoff, (knock on wood). If you haven't tried it, try it. You just might like it as much as I do.
Pipe Used: Ashton Pebble Grain Canadian
PurchasedFrom: Iwan Ries & Co.
20 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 02, 2015 Mild to Medium Extremely Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
When it comes to the “coins,” in my world it comes down to Escudo, Deluxe Navy Rolls, Bulls Eye Flake and Davidoff Flake Medallions. Although garnering a lot of four star reviews, it took me a while to get my arms around FM. Like all four of them, I prefer to age them and then pack them in large pieces. I find that Escudo is the sweeter of the blends and offers more high notes. Flake Medallions IMHO smokes closer to DNR in flavor. Flake Medallions is more on the earthy side and the sweetness is more of the dark brown sugar or molasses side of things. It’s maybe a tad stronger than Escudo, but not quite the nic hit of DNR. When both are aged, it also shares some similarities to St. James Flake. As others have mentioned, the Cavendish center offers some backbone to FM. Oddly, for me, it offers more than can be found in Bull’s Eye. It isn’t as rough around the edges as Bull’s Eye either. FM isn’t overly complex, but does offer deeper flavors as each bowl progresses. I can see how FM is a four star blend for so many pipe smokers and objectively (as possible), I see it that way too although I prefer DNR and Escudo to this blend. In the end, this is a very good blend that ages well and deserves a spot in every VaPer smoker’s cellar!
16 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 24, 2015 Mild None Detected Mild to Medium Very Pleasant
Davidoff - Flake Medallions.

I couldn't wait to try this ever since the delicious (in my opinion) Orlik Bull's Eye was discontinued. The first thing I found a little off putting was the increase in price when compared to the Orlik Bull's Eye. That was about twelve pound in the U.K yet this cost me eighteen pounds. Will it be worth it ?

When I opened up my tin I noticed straight away that they are presented in exactly the same way as Bull's Eye was. A circle of overlapping coins. They look darker in colour than the Bull's Eye did as that was a jet black centre with a golden outer yet these have the black inner with a darker brown outer. The aroma has mainly the hay note from the Virginia with a very slight sharpness to it. I can't find fault with the moistness, it's just right for immediate preparation. I have a predilection to rub my flake tobaccos as opposed to the fold and stuff method but I think that this blend necessitates a thorough rub as the Cavendish centre needs to be evenly distributed otherwise it's like smoking a basic VaPer.

Once lit I find it a fabulous journey! It is very easy to get lit, a simple match will suffice, no need for a jet flame. I love the taste. I don't get any underlying nuances of flavour but a simple taste of the included tobaccos. I find the Perique is the biggest flavour. Very spicy and very lively. I get the Virginia with ease however it isn't as loud as the Perique. The spicy edge is well complimented and calmed by the subtle Cavendish. I use the word subtle as this is a very apt word for it. It doesn't have that 'too sweet and gloopy' feel that blends containing Black Cav' often have, instead it has a mild sweetness being offered forward. The temperature of the smoke is cool and it remains bite free for me for the duration of a bowl. As I said earlier, it lights with ease but that's not the only bonus with the burn. It burns incredibly even and steady right the way through a bowl. I don't notice much nicotine in this one, perhaps it would suit a newbie?

At the start of this, regarding the price, I wondered would it be worth it? The answer is a simple YES. I can't sing this wonderful blends praises enough! Slap, bang, straight into my favourites list!

Four stars.
Pipe Used: Peterson Christmas 2014
PurchasedFrom: My Smoking Shop
Age When Smoked: New
13 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 16, 2012 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
I have compared this side by side by side with Bullseye and Escudo. They are not close to being the same.

If I had more money, I would probably smoke Flake Medallions exclusively. lol. This blend is sweeter than Escudo, and less hay-like than Bullseye. Each has their own merits. Bullseye for the price, Escudo for flavor and balance, and Medallions for flavor, balance and sweetness.

The tin aroma in this tin is absolutely intoxicating, I would smoke bowl after bowl of this until the tin was empty, then I was on to the next one.

Highly recommended!
13 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 31, 2010 Mild to Medium Extremely Mild Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable
Ah, Flake Medallions.

This tobacco is a real treat. Opening the tin, you are greeted with very handsome medallions, with a core of Black Cavendish. The smell is a bit on the sour side yet also sweet, and the moisture is perfect for filling your pipe without the need to air it out.

Rubbing this out, from my experience, tends to improve the flavor. Not drastically, but it smokes better and cooler, and becomes more complex. Or, you could just take two medallions (depending on the size of your bowl) put them on top of each other, fold, then stuff it in. Lighting this tobacco and keeping it lit is not a concern.

Mid bowl, the tobacco really develops, and the Virgina taste is absolutely amazing. The Perique is there for sure as well, and adds a nice, soft, peppery touch. Unlike other smokers, I was able to detect the Black Cavendish, though it is pretty far in the background.

Burns cooler than anything I've ever smoked before, and leaves no mess in your pipe.

Absolutely essential. This stuff is class.
12 people found this review helpful.
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