I really enjoyed the old Dunhill Light Flake and recently bought a couple ounces of this to try. In my opinion, IRC VA Flake is closer to that old blend than the current Dunhill Flake. Dunhill Flake is great tobacco too, but I think it is a lot different now in the new incarnation -- more medium and not as "light."

IRC VA Flake has a touch of topping that just smells so yummy. It's not strong, just a touch to add to the pleasure of the experience, especially while preparing the pipe and during the first part of the smoke.

IRC VA Flake is in large slices you can pull apart to the desired amount. I enjoy seeing my flake tobacco in intact slices instead of broken flake. The tobacco has a light, straight-forward VA tobacco flavor with mild sweetness. It's good and flavorful from start to finish. The smell reminds of fig newton cookies in the pouch. It also burns really nice and even with a little drying before hand.

What does this mean?

Nothing really, I guess.

That said, I thoroughly enjoy IRC's Flake. Comparing it to DH Flake, (a benchmark favorite of mine), I notice a bit of a top note...a Danish influence of subtle proportions. DH Flake is more natural tasting, albeit by a minor degree. My memory is suspect, but I think if I mixed DH Flake and PS's Luxury Twist Flake in a 4:1 ratio or so, I could approximate IRC's Flake VA. (I wouldn't, but it may give someone an idea of what this is like).

I could easily be 'forced' into this being my 'desert island' blend, if need be. Not quite as good as Dunhill, but good enough. I reckon with cost a factor, though, it's even better.

Don't overlook this one, boys and girls.

Four stars.

1-23-10 I had been using this mainly for blending, but tonight, after a steak dinner and a cheap yet tasty bottle of South African wine, decided to pack up my Savinelli Capri with this blend for the last pipe (?) of the night. Aging in a jar for a year has treated this flake well. The first third of the bowl showed up this tobacco's weaknesses: uneven burn, hard to get lit. Granted, I did not rub it out. But then it really opened up. The Savinelli is not a big pipe, but the bowl smoked for a solid hour. In the "home stretch," I was getting a sublime pure Virginia taste from small sips. I had been pushing the pipe harder earlier on, yet despite this abuse, I experienced no bite and the pipe did not overheat. At the end, I was treated to pure Virginia nirvana; it is the only tobacco that makes you want to smoke the ashes! Speaking of ashes, this tobacco does not seem to leave much in the way of ashes. Therefore, with all due pomp and circumstance, I give to you, IRC flake, your fourth and final star.

1-24-11 Back to three stars. I must have been pretty drunk that night. I'm not saying it's bad, just does not make that level of four-star tobacco. Like, would I put this on the level of FVF or Escudo? Has a strange smell as it ages, almost like fish or the beach, but it is not offensive, and this is still a good smoke.

Well this is a great Virginian flake and quite similar to Dunhills Light Flake in many aspects. The pouch aroma, the rub result, the smoking quality and the flavor are quite close. Exact? Maybe not, but that sweet Virginian tang is there and that aroma, delightful. Fully rubbed and allowed to lightly dry and this stuff smokes itself, leaving me satisfied. If there is a topping it is not burdensome, never crowding the tobacco, but rather supporting the smoke. It softly strengthens as the bowl progresses. Some may say this smoke is one dimensional, that its uninteresting, but the old familiar isnt a bad thing. I cannot not imagine a time or place that I would find this tobacco unappealing. Ive been sampling a lot of Virginians, and maybe one out of ten had me pining for more, this stuff has me hooked.

Edit: 7/6/09 More nicotene than I expected, but nice. And I can't say there is no Perique, again, not a bad thing. This may not have dazzeling tin art or boutique glamour, but it is really, really good.

4-09-09 Update. This stuff smokes for days. Yesterday I loaded my pipe for the hour drive home; it was a Savinelli Antique Shell (a $40.00 pipe with a balsa filter). I lit the pipe at 4PM; I finally dumped out a little bit of ash at 6PM. I am not kidding a 2-hour smoke, had to relight twice.

Highly recommended.

I received this as a gift that came in one of those patented IRC "Perma Fresh" pouches. The flakes are long and just one rubbed out strip filled a group-4 sized bowl. I smoked very slowly in an attempt to keep the heat down, but just couldn't do so successfully.

This one does have a dose of strength, which I did enjoy. Still, just too rough around the edges and not sweet enough for this cowboy.

Anyway, this blend is a good light VA. If you don't go into it expecting something it isn't (which was hard for me when I got it a year and a half ago, as I was mostly smoking Balkans then), then you will probably be pleasantly surprised.

Recommended, and probably something I'll buy again once I get done experimenting with some others. This could be a light flake of choice, but I'm not convinced just yet that this is the best.

Edit: 3 months later. I ordered another pouch. I must be getting used to the milder tobaccos. This one was magnificent. My next purchase from IR, I'll go for the quantity discount. I think this is headed to be my "regular" smoke. I can't say enough good things about this, so I won't try. Up it to Four Stars.

Thick walled Italian curved brandy dedicated to flake.

As a confirmed Virginia lover, this is my morning/ early afternoon smoke. I rub this out and dry it a while before packing a bowl, leaving it a bit courser if I plan to smoke in the car or outdoors. As with most Virginias, savor slowly or it will bring your tongue to its knees.

Uncompromising quality in a delicious VA flake and value priced as well, IRC Virginia Flake garners a top rating from me!