McCranie's - Red Flake (1983) pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Showing reviews 1 through 14 of 14 reviews of this tobacco
Kilmarnock Piper	03/28/2011	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant
Well, I finally won a tin of this on Ebay-pretty cheap, considering; and I must conclude that it is all that it is made out to be. I got the 1983 version, tinned in 1999 with the McClelland code on the bottom of the tin. I would not go spending exorbitant amounts of money on it, since there are other good tobaccos out there. The tobacco has held up well, still a bit moist and needing to be dried out. It is mellow and amazingly complex. It gets better toward the end, like any decent Virginia, and what else can I say? It's just great natural Virginia tobacco. I will try to make my little tin last. Update 3-31-10: Still have a lot left of the tin, since I only allow myself to smoke a small bowl of it once in a while. It's late, I'm bored, and I'm having a little bowl in my trusty Jobey author (Stromboli 200) which, ironically, I bought at McCranies. This is a tobacco which requires one's full attention. A single malt among Virginias (but there are other McClellands which fit this description). Get some if you can, I can definitely say it is worth the $30 I paid, or more.
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Peppino	03/18/2011	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
The tin is dated 10899 just opened it last night and rubbed it out. My initial impression is a good flavor with nice burning qualities. It left a great ash and clean bowl in the Savinelli. It has sweetness right from the start and burns evenly, it does dry my mouth a bit but no tongue bite. The flavor gets deeper with coffee undertones that add's to the smoke. The aroma is good and it's not real smokey when lit. A very nice virginia that took way to long to get to in my stash. Like I have said I had dropped my pleasure of the pipe for quite awhile but I'm happy to be back I never realized how much I missed them.
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prison chaplain	10/31/2007	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
10/31/07 A blessed All Hallows Eve to you all. Red Flake was a disappointment. For $12+ for a tin, I was underwhelmed. My tin was stamped 12/06 and I purchased if from their Charlotte, NC store while my wife and I visited our youngest son. He has fallen in love with N.C. while attending college. I purchased it in May, '07, so it only had perhaps 6 months on it. I am almost finished with the tin; haven't exactly been running home to fill my pipe with it, as you can see. All the same, for the price, I found it rather rough and lacking in flavor. There are better tobaccos out there. While a totally different tobacco, McCranies' Old Master has been a much more pleasant smoke. And I typically prefer VA and VA/Perique blends. The pleasure to price ratio just does not cut it for me.
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Taste Buds	10/16/2007	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable
This review is based on the '96 crop. I much prefer the Ribbon to the Flake, as it is smoother, milder and less tangy. But the Ribbon is a little on the mild side for me and it lacks the depth of flavor of the Flake. This prompted me to rub out the Flake and add it to the Ribbon. The ratio is 80-20. I find this combination provides an excellent taste. The Flake adds what the Ribbon is missing. This has become my favorite blend. October 16,2007: I can't tolerate the sharpness of this flake. Four years of aging have done nothing to tame this beast.
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wosbald	10/12/2007	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
The tin aroma of this broken flake is McClelland's typical funky ferment. The flavor is of deep red virginias, some of the richest and sweetest on the market, with typically complex nuance. One of the best VA flakes, this is simply great tobacco. It goes best in a narrow gauge chamber.
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Xeneize	08/20/2007	Medium	None detected	Full	Tolerable
Red Virginias don't get redder than this. And it's a complex, sweet, mellow, lacking tongue bite... sublime Virginia. This blend hits the zone for me 90% of the times. I smoke others Virginias just because I love variety and in sake of perspective. If you love HOtW, you've really got to try this.
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imago	02/24/2007	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
Words simply can not do justice to this marvellous tobacco!
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csimser	04/19/2006	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant
A pure Virginia flake of the highest quality. I was given a few bowlfuls by a friend that "wowed" me ... I immediately called McCranie's and purchased 10 tins, with the regret that sometimes accompanies such a purchase. Other readers will know what I mean ... you really enjoy a blend, jump in and buy several tins, they arrive, and you ask yourself "What was I thinking??" Such was not my experience here. I have smoked 5 of my 10 tins ... and I suspect this may be the best tobacco I have ever had. I enjoy it even more than Red Ribbon, another excellent blend. To anyone who enjoys Virginia blends and has not tried this jewel of a tobacco ... I whole heartedly recommend it!
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CaptnDan	01/06/2006	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
This is the flake version of the Red Ribbon, which is outstanding. The main difference, other than the obvious, is that the flake is a little more flavorful and complex than the ribbon. The Red Flake I have is from the 1996 crop, same as my Red Ribbon. I suggest letting the tin air out for a bit, or at least air out the portion you are planning to smoke, as it is a bit moist in the tin for my taste. Like Red Ribbon with the flavor wheel turned up a bit, Red Flake posseses a bit more complexity than its brother. A tad bit fuller in flavor too. As a flake, if you don't rub it out vigorously, it will last a lot longer in the bowl. That's a good thing... I never wanted it to end. A full, rich, and satisfying Virginia experience. Get some while you can. It will only get better with time.
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The Keeper	01/20/2005	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable
It is true, folks - this stuff is fantastic. I have some of the 96 crop here and so far it is one of the nicest straight VA tobaccos I have tried. Sweet, tangy, smooth and just a tiny bit bitey so go slow. Just as wonderful as, and not quite as processed tasting as the better aged McClelland blends I've tried. While VA flakes are a summer blend for most people - I like pipes like this on cold winter days. And the snow cover out there certainly qualifies. Fruity and warm like mulled cider.
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Young Piper	07/08/2004	Medium	None detected	Full	Pleasant
Sweet, leathery, chock full of flavor flakes. I got the 1996 crop and the date on the tin is 12/20/03. A year and a half of aging and this is ready to go right from the time the ups guys arrives. Now i like my King Eider and 2015 which have just the right amount of perique but this is a wonderful smoke for the summer months when i dont want any tabasco in my pipe and its 95* here in good old New Jersey.
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Pipestud	10/15/2003	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
Sad news, folks...McCranie's Red Flake from that famous 1983 crop is no more. Yep, they finally ran out and the original Red Ribbon is gone too. If you do manage to scarf a tin of the original 1983 crop of Red Flake from eBay or elsewhere, you will be rewarded with a rich and creamy taste that just cannot be duplicated. There is now a new version available (made from an exceptional 1996 crop, I believe.) It is somewhat moist in the tin, rubs out easily, and will offer a wide range of wonderful flavors as you work your way down the bowl -- but take heed, smoke slowly or suffer a bitten tongue because Red Flake will bite if puffed with too much enthusiasm. This Red Virginia reminded me greatly of the late, lamented Original McCranie's Red Flake. More "tang" though, and down a peg on the flavor meter than the original version. Still, your palate will be satisfied and it does leave your pipe smelling tartly sweet. Because I find so much potential in this one, I have ordered a few more tins for the "cellar," and will revisit this new found friend a few years down the road. A little more age and I suspect it'll truly be yummy
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Willy	10/11/2002	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
When it comes to Red VA's, this one can stand right in there with the best of them. When I gave it the highest recommendation, it means a smoke that has what I look for and not just that I smoke it all the time. Too many good blends out there to settle on one just now, but I consider this to be a good utility smoke and worthy of a spot in the rotation, although mostly I smoke what I feel like smoking when I want to smoke it. I enjoy the fermented aroma when opening the tin, and the flakes are visually appealing. The tin I have from 1994 is somewhat deeper and more earthy in taste as well as darker in color. Other tins I have are dated 1998 but have that rich Red VA. flavor that matures w/age. The flakes rub out nicely, but I gave some a quick whiz in the food processor, just a little, not too fine. Packs well, lights easily enough, bit of a tingle at first then mellowing too a smooth, cool and slightly sweet smoke. Too me, it's also a wee bit tangy now and then as VA's. tend to be but in a pleasant way. Burns well, had to use a cleaner near mid-bowl because of a little gurgle but altogether a very enjoyable smoke. Burns down to grey ash and leaves the pipe clean. As I've stated before, I mostly smoke bent pipes, and I enjoy the aroma coming up from the tobacco as I'm smoking while doing other things. Sometimes it's nice to hold the warm pipe under your nose as well and sniff the aromas. The flavor of good Va. tobacco is tough to beat, IMO, and this flake provides a taste treat that should hold most any VA. smokers attention. Smoked in an unhurried fashion you will be rewarded w/an insight into the realm of VA. tobacco enjoyment. Could get a bit hot if smoked TOO fast, but this is a somewhat forgiving tobacco. A very refreshing smoke.
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Noorrmm	01/29/2002	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
A nice red Va cake, with the usual McClelland ketchup aroma when you open the can. Rubs out easily to any desired degree, packs and lights well. Flavor is typical red Va., full and sweet wih wide range of high and middle notes. Easy to keep it cool, once he excess moisture has been aired out. Not significantly better than McC bulk #5100 (although that's not a flake).
Showing reviews 1 through 14 of 14 reviews of this tobacco