Solani - 633: Virginia Flake with Perique pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
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Pipe Lover	10/11/2009	Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant
I generally don't smoke Virgina's, but once I smoked a few bowls of Solani 633...I was in love. I enjoy blends with Perique, so I figured this was going to be a nice blend. This blend is a cool and smooth smoke. I was a bit afraid of the Virginia, since they tend to smoke hot for me. However, this was not the case for Solani 633. Give it a try!
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Morgoth	08/08/2009	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is truly an excellent VaPer...in truth, IMO, the best of this genre. The Perique is quite pronounced, and exquisitely more unto black pepper than a spice. Mild to medium sweetness eluded by the Virginias. This easily shames the current Escudo that is in the marketplace. Highest recommendation. A companion infusion: a Rhône Syrah with its essence of raspberry, blackcurrant and pepper.
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Skando	05/10/2009	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Well, I also got a couple of 50grms tins of this from Amsterdam. Now that the first is about to finish - and the second will stay in my cabined for aging - it's time to review. Nice square and flat tin, of the like of the current UF by Peterson or Scottish Flake by McConnell. The tin aroma is inequivocably VaPer, in the sense of hayish bright Va's plus the raisiny-vinegarish note of Per. I don't detect any topping, it's all very much natural. A dozens - or bit more - of well separate flakes are stacked in two rows. They are more dry than wet, coming from a very "compressed" cake, mixing colours from the brightest Virginia to the deep dark brown of the Perique. I have wasted my time to study over this by a couple of Mastro (a straight apple and a quarter-bent Woodstock) which I had back restored, before understanding they were not the right pipes... My half-bent rhodesian rusticated Brebbia is now giving me the best idea of how 633 smokes (at 1/5 the price of each the other two). One flake properly rubbed, stuffed not much loose, and here we go. Needs a couple of light & tamps, then it proceeds very steady giving a mixed salt & pepper dry ash. 633 delivers a smoke in the perfect tradition of VaPer's, something very close to Escudo, just a bit "drier" aroma of natural Va and condimental Per. This sweet and peppery combination is remarkably smooth and medium, without any aggressive tang. A perfect all-day (who cares ?) smoke, and even a better one as first pipe of the day (my reviews started at 08:30AM and will end in a hour and half, this is how long a flake is smoking). To the nose notes of biscuit, the ones which I like so much. The room note is something I appreciate when I'm back from an unsmoked room, but being the wife's rating... My throat tell me that strength builds up from medium-mild to medium-strong. Airing of the tin, in the sense that the best from 633 comes after the tin stays unsealed a month before use, is a strong reccomendation. Very nice smoke, hope to get more tins to age.
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Brakepipe	03/12/2009	Strong	Medium to Strong	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Sold to me on recommendation while buying FVF. Being from Louisiana and having cut my teeth on Perique in the form of "Picayune" cigarettes I can attest that this blend contains the "real thing", and a fair amount of it. Light years beyond Fillmore in flavorful perique, rich VA and ease of smoking. The presentation is exquisite. Smoked as a flake broken in thirds and stuffed into a medium bowl with medium lighting difficulty.
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Latakia	02/22/2009	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant
I initially wrote in to include this on the review as I thought it was called Virgina Flake. After reading reviews, I noticed it was called 633 and already included in the reviewed tobacco. So much for white print on a yellow background. A beautiful flake when opening the tin. Rubs out perfectly and burns slowly leaving a nice ash. I initially thought this blend was quite strong. Although I usually don't like a blend lacking latakia, this was a nice change of pace. The perique was perfect and added that extra tang. I do not think it is an everyday smoke though as it is quite strong. I initially smoked it in a medium sized Gepetto Italian briar and it was the perfect size for such a blend...at least for me. Given the strength, a large bowl would be too much Virginan but that is from someone who usually always smokes something with at least a bit of latakia in the blend. A nice sour note on the taste buds. The room note was very pleasant expecially if there are folks in the room who are opposed to latakia. I will continue to review to see how the blend fares at different times of day with a different pipe. Now, and only after one pipe, I rate it only a two star but then that first pipe was after a few others and late in the evening so my taste buds could have been burnt out. More or the review to come later. Update: I initially gave this a 2 star but after smoking other Virginan's this is nice. Now about six months later than my original post, going through my 3rd tin and find this one of my favorite VS/Perique blends. The presentation in the tin is beautiful with beautiful pressed flake. Prepared it by cutting into small cubes with a scissors and but into a #3 Dunhill White Dot Billard. What a nice smoke! Cool, balenced and leaving a beautiful white ash. I have dedicated this pipe to this blend as the small bowl is a nice way to capture the nuances of both the sweet Va and the perique. Like this after a big Sunday breakfast...robust enough to get me to lunch. Will buy a few tins and store it as I do think it will age well.
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Stacey	06/05/2008	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
Update on 6/5/2008 I just have to bump this a star since it was noticeably better (sweeter and less hay-like) after I let it sit on the shelf for a couple of months. I'll pick up another tin sometime and let it age about 6 months before I open it and I suspect this will get even better. Original Review on 3/11/2008 Follows A low grade Virginia that I only managed to smoke due to the nice shot of Perique. A real disappointment from the company that makes one of the best blends ever - Luxury English Mixture (779). Go try Full Virginia Flake, Rattray's Old Gowrie or even McClelland's 2015 to move up a few stars.
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Dubinthedam	05/03/2008	Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant
Half way through my tin of this, opened it about three weeks ago and it's hitting perfect smoking pitch now...a no-nonsense mature VA flake, not overly bitey or sweet...the Perq sits very much in the background, barely noticeable. It is quality for sure but it does miss a "WOW" factor, that said, that's also its strong point...recommended...maybe a 3.5 stars but I don't see it worthy of a four...but if you like an honest VA flake and a wee pinch of Perq, you will not be unhappy with your thinner wallet.
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Jaybee	04/27/2008	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Althouth I like Va/per tobaccos, this one has a little more perique than I enjoy. Nonetheless a quality product with a beautiful presentation.
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Bobbior5907	04/26/2008	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant
A wonderful high grade Virginia /Perique blend. I do not like Latakia, but I've grown quite fond of Perique blends. Here, you have the sweetness of Virginia with the body and slightly spicy undertaste of Perique. I give this Va/Per tobacco an "A".
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bigdummy	04/21/2007	Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I've been bouncing between 633 and Escudo for about a month now in my Vaper rotation and working in a little PS Bullseye Flake and some Stratford to keep me grounded. I have come to the conclusion that this is my personal fave Vaper at the moment (Filmore doesn't really count - it's in another class altogether). There is quite a bit of Perique in this blend, as in Escudo, but the Virginias in 633 seem more inclined to play along with the Perique instead of playing in counterpoint as in Escudo (and Stratford for that matter) without being as sweet as the PSBF. This is not a heavy sweetness like the stoved Virginia base of 2015 or Dunbar either - these are red and lemon Virginias that are quite simply and perfectly processed with the Perique then cut into long flakes that are folded into the tin. The tin aroma took quite a while to get past - once I cut the foil pouch open I just sat there with my eyes closed and my nose stuck in the bag - it smells heavenly! If you like Perique you have to at least try this wonderful weed.
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drainpipe	04/16/2007	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

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HoopleHead	03/31/2007	Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is my absolute favorite blend, though I'm pretty fickle on that count. I like periques and also highly enjoy H&H Anniversary Kake. Others I smoke fairly regularly are Louisiana Red and Sunza Bitches also by H&H, as well as Pease's Fillmore. I smoke a single bowl of 633 around 9 each evening and that satisfies me more than any other tobacco... though I do often finish the night off a few hours later with a great Wills pipe filled with Larry's Blend cut 25% with a secret mix I add and age. The Solani 633 is heavenly for me. I light it when I am ready to concentrate on the pleasure of the best smoke of the day, saving it like I would save a special dessert for just the right moment. It rubs out very easily and packs nicely and consistently. I've never tried to dry it out other than just the natural drying that happens in the tin once the original seal is broken. I light it then tamp the crown and relight... then it burns clear to the bottom unless I lay the pipe down for some reason. As it burns I enjoy tastes and scent whiffs that just blow me away, especially the top third of the bowl. Then the VA and nicotine kick in and the remaining 2/3 of the bowl is simple ecstasy... literally a trip. I have no way to describe this exquisite feeling other than saying it lifts me out of my mood and swirls me into oblivion. I love it. Smoked in a Bari Ruby, very very slowly, allowing the smoke to simply breath in with a loose seal between lips and stem, so some air enters... it swirls around my tongue and then escapes slowly to be sniffed in and inhaled through my nose... and relished. From Utopia, TX ... havagoodun!
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lisztman	01/19/2007	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
I've stricken an unusual note here in that I've given this blend four stars and am only moderately likely to order another tin of it. This offering presents a magnificent quality Virginia flake, clean, pure, perfectly processed. No excessive moisture, but not dried-out, either. This means a nicely dry bowl and stem, and minimal change across the day when I only have one pipe with me at work. Not the slightest hint of burn or harshness, and I smoked this blend exclusively for two days. The only reason I will shy from it is that the Perique content is slightly higher than I prefer. But that is purely a matter of personal taste in the flavoring -- and it still does not possess the bite that Perique often adds. For a lover of Virginia/Perique combos (with enough of the Perique to make it an issue), this is, by far, the best I've smoked, and I'd give it five stars if I could.
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Danno	09/14/2006	Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable
Another first-time foray. 633 enjoys a stellar reputation among the va/per lovers, of which I would include myself. That said, this blend causes me consternation in that it is simply inconsistent. Fresh from the tin, the flavor is sharp and one-dimensional, the perique comes and goes and the base of virginia masquerades as a bitter burley. A weeks drying time helps immeasurably, and lulls one into a false sense of triumph over a finicky blend. No sooner had I enjoyed a good smoke (not phenomenal) than I loaded up another bowl and barely recognised the creature in my pipe. Further, what is the rationale behind the German obsession with casing any blend they produce? Most exasperating. Yet, I do see glimmers of hope for 633 and I. It has (at times) a completeness of flavor that leaves North American offerings behind. In the interest of good tobacciana, I shall persevere. More to follow... 09/2006 I smoked 633 off and on, most of this past summer, and a few months in a canning jar certainly settles its flighty nature down. Tasty and serviceable. 3 stars.
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Meerschaum Man	05/03/2006	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant
The superior grades of Virginia leaf used by Solani is tantamount to their blend's elevation above the competition. Certainly, they age well but they also are great from a freshly opened tin. For me, the pinacle of light Virginia/Periques is Escudo, but that does not discount my feelings about this blend. The character is bolder with a slightly higher nicotine content. Comparison is difficult because the character of the Virginia is different and the Perique ratio is a little higher in the Solani. This Virginia is the cornerstone of their blends and mixes well with other tobacs that are present in them. I seem to have a tin of this and Escudo open pretty much all of the time. I have little discipline in this habit of keeping a number of tins open. I would suggest smoking this in the slice. It's a little pricey but then again I've had blends that cost as much with nowhere near the complexity of this fine blend. Meerschaum Man Smoking an Altinok Smooth Cherrywood Style Poker
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Collezionista	09/28/2005	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
633 is a stellar blend, with Solani showing artful restraint in this particular use of the often volatile Perique. Upon opening the charmingly colonial tin and unfolding the oil stained paper, one is greeted with a small, densely pressed brick of medium colored flakes. The flakes crumble and light well and the Perique dances around the slightly sweet Virgina leaf from the begining without overpowering it in the slightest. It smokes well to the end, and the interplay between the two tobaccos shifts and shuffles intriguingly along the way. A very contemplative blend this is, and I enjoy smoking it around mid- evening, before I get to my English or Balkan blends. 633 has done much to increase my interest in Perique, and I look forward to smoking more of this and other VA/Perique blends.
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Hemlock	08/12/2005	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong
Satisfying virginia with a little too little perique. Reminds me a little of Petersn Irish Oak. I enjoyed this in a small Savinelli bulldog, fully rubbed and a little dried out. Best after it hits the zone, and good to the end. I think this would be better in a bigger bowl. Can't confirm if it's actually cased as some suggest. Not a particularly social blend, but good for me. By the end of the bowl, sufficient nicotine to ease me into bed.
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ajaj	08/10/2005	Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable to Strong
Nice sweet VAPER. The virginias are first class but I yearn (did I say "yearn"?) for a little more perique here. I have added my own but my impatience leads to poor melding of flavors. If you like sweet virginias with only a touch of casing and no bite, you have 633. Other reviewers have noted that drying out this tobac seems to bring out more flavor. I tend to agree and I look forward to trying an aged tin.
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cruelraoul	07/10/2005	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong
I can see where others might appreciate this. I think Escudo is a better rounded combo of these tobacco types. I never found a groove that might lead to a craving. But, perique is not really my cup of tea in most circumstances, so take that into consideration with my rating.
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sasha	07/07/2005	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Not a miracle but at least an honest tobacco. The casing, if any, just sweetens up the virginias, while the perique is there in little quantity, just to spice it up a little bit. If you leave it dry for a while it will smoke enough cool and won't be too wet. Good tobacco, but nothing to remember.
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