I'm relatively new to Virginias but have begun to appreciate their multifaceted complexity. That said, this one exhibits an uncharacteristic natural sweetness I haven't encountered before (my experience being mostly limited to McC bulk VAs and Brown Clunee).

The flakes are loose and medium-dark in color. They rub out easily or smoke fairly well as-is. Tin aroma hints at the sweetness to come.

At the match, TVS releases vast plumes of smoke exhibiting a room note hinted at by the tin. It lights easily although I found it to require relights depending on the pipe it is smoked in.

TVS burns down to a fine, light gray ash. The flavor deepens as the bowl progresses all the while maintaining its pleasant demeanor. The perique provides a bit of backbone throughout the bowl but is surprisingly subdued in character. Unlike some of my esteemed fellow reviewers, I didn't find this particularly strong, and I'm prone to notice such things -- strong blends send me into orbit!

I've purchased a tin of more recent vintage. Once I pop it, I'll revisit this review if the differences warrant it. Highly recommended, indeed.

It's a flake, so the question of "to rub, or not to rub" arises. I decided to rub it out, which it does very easily. I then decided to pack it into my clay pipe, in order to get a rather pure taste of the blend.

Without question, this is a Virginia blend. It lit easily, and burned evenly all the way through the smoke.

The taste was not overwhelming, in fact it seemed barely there, but then again I love the latakia/perique blends, so this was not surprising. I expected it to smoke hot, but it really wasn't doing so, although I use the "breath method" of smoking, so it's entirely possible that, given a few good puffs, you might find yourself with a bit of a bite. As it was, I could get a small sting in my mouth, but not a real solid bite like I get with aromatics.

The strength was mild. I think smoking this all day would not be unfeasible. But it would be uninteresting.

You see, it's rather a one-note tobacco. There's supposed to be perique in this, I sure couldn't taste it. I certainly wouldn't describe the flavor as full, although there is no doubt that it puts out a fair amount of smoke. Call it medium, at best.

The aftertaste was fairly mild as well, and had none of the richness I'm used to.

So, I guess that, if you're not into nicely full-bodied blends, this is a winner. I'll probably smoke this on occasion, but it'll be on the lower end of the rotation schedule, as opposed to my latakia blends.

The blend is supposed to contain perique, but I detect none. The flavor is typical virginia flake, which I like, and is consistent throughout the bowl. This blend always smokes down to a fine grey ash with little or no dottle. Highly reccommended for those that like the taste of tobacco.

If you are a fancier of rather one-dimentional, forward tasting tobaccos, then scarf a tin of old Tordenskjold slices. Now, I know the description indicates there is perique in this blend, and near the end of the bowl I may have detected a peppery taste, but would not have known it is perique. So, if like me, you are wary of blends with that fermented Louisiana goo, fear not here, it really is barely detectible, if at all.

In appeareance, it is of the "sloppy flake" -type, dark and stoved-looking; it does not have a particularly strong smell in the tin, and if it has been "topped" it has been done very restrainedly; I detect no soap-water or vinegary redolence in the unsmoked tobacco. It is certainly not cased.

Virginia Slices was proffered to me as an "equivalent" (notorious word!) to Capstan Medium [blue tin], which it only very superficially resembles. I haven't smoked Capstan in decades, but I recall a lighter, sweeter, indeed sweetened flavour. Perhaps they were thinking of the semilegendary Capstan Full, which may or may not still be available in Germany. It certainly is no longer made by Imperial Tobacco. The tobacco at hand is not sweet, but darkly smokey; not bloated or overwhelming, though. The taste is more sec and less chimerical than Full Virginia Flake, and in due course it develops a subtle burnt-almond spiciness that reminds me, amusingly, of a Sacher Torte.

In the almost endless smoke that a flake entails, I find the heavier ones rather monotonous, and this is no exception. It will not make one queasy, unlike Saint Bruno, but how long can one suck on the same thing? I much prefer Dunhill's Light Flake, a bit of a misnomer?it is stouter than the name would suggest. It is far livelier and more stimulating than this admittedly solid and well-finished composition.

Recommended to the more heavyweight flake lovers.