Dunhill - Flake pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
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Aussie-man-die-as	03/11/2012	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I was lucky enough to run into an original red tin on ebay recently in Australia for under $10. This must be many years old - the tin was rusty and the tobacco was dried out, but responded superbly to rehydration. My review is based on this one tin. Dunhill pipe tobaccos are not currently available in Australia, to the best of my knowledge. So: delicate, thin, perfectly formed little flakes, crammed into the tiny tin. A hay-like, refined tobacco tin note, inviting the smoker to dip in. The flakes rub out very easily and pack well. From the first charring light the quality of the tobacco is obvious. Clean flavors of hay-like pure tobacco, reminding me of what a really good Virginia cigarette used to taste like 40 years ago, but several degrees better. Every puff is a blissful, subtle experience, from char to dottle. This is a refined, subtle, character filled smoke, and I hoard the pipefuls I have left like a miser, for when I think I really deserve them. This too shall pass.
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zacchaeus11	03/04/2012	Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant
This was one of the first flakes i ever tried, and wow did it surprise me. i was expecting an overwhelming nicotine hit, and granted being a new pipe smoker it did have quite a bit of nicotine, but once my pallet started to become accustomed to it, it took my tastebuds on a ride of utter bliss. it has that kind of hay/straw/barn-like smell to it, which i am assuming is in all virginia blends. it was one of the best smokes i have ever had. i highly recommend it.
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under the arbor	02/22/2012	Extremely Mild	None detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
As my readers hold their collective breath as to what the sage of New England will write (while knowing full-well his weakness for all things "Dunhill") I must confess; this is not going to dethrone any of my favorite "flakes" other than to say that the blend is far, I say far more conducive to "anytime" (so long as it's not with morning coffee) smoking. I should explain; DF is much more one dimensional than say Gawith or Reiner's. DF has all the positives that we seek yet it's more subtle far less demanding of a mid-day, after lunch palate. Whereas my beloved Cluney, HOTW or Blend 71 demand a wee bit o' whiskey to keep them company, DF can get by with just a spot of sweet tea. This does not disappoint. DF has not the "tin - nose" of FVF or MacBarens Navy Flake for that matter, but there's no bite no need for drying- rubbing or overworking. You simply open the exquisitely packaged flake fold-twist-stuff and light. Marvelous,smooth and comforting. Orlik knows it's stuff.
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Michael	02/18/2012	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable
Sigh. Emboldened by my recent experience with FVF, Blackwoods and many VA/Burs, I have been venturing more into Virginia territory, and I had high hopes for this one. I'm still scratching my head over how many of the reviewers compare Flake to FVF or propose it as an alternative to the perenially-sold-out Gawith blend. To me, these two are as diametrically opposed as a ribeye steak is to turkey breast. Not that there's anything wrong with turkey . . . or breasts. DF comes in the most elegant tin I have ever seen, from the graphics to the sealed inner liner, and the flakes themselves would appeal to even the most fervid obsessive-compulsive. To me, it all looks and tastes similar to Golden Sliced (Red) - - not a bad thing, but there's just not enough oomph for my palate. The constituent flavors are all here and very pleasing; it's just that everything is muted to a low hum. It's well behaved, vegetal yet not too grassy, and dry with a mellow, dried-fruit undertone. If this sounds like your cup of tea, go for it. In fact, tea would be a good choice to pair with this blend. But I'm no teetotaler.
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DrCHicks	02/15/2012	Mild	Mild	Medium	Pleasant
After a long day filled with disappointments I arrived home and opened my first tin of this blend. I packed a bowl and poured a drink. The first few puff did not impress me at all but the longer I smoked this bowl the better it got. I think we all relate our pipe and tobacco to time and events. This smoke simply relaxed me and helped me forget the day. I rather pleasant way to recover don't you agree?
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Petersons&Virginias	02/06/2012	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
I never tried the old Dunhill stuff, so I can't speak to the "closeness" of this vs. the old Light Flake. And I'm no expert. What I can tell you, is I smoke this 3 out of 5 times I smoke anything. It's just good. It's easy to find, not insanely pricey, and simply tasty. I've used it to introduce some of my new-to-pipes friends (who usually smoke cloying syrupy sweet things) to the wonderful world of straight VAs, with much success. Nothing extreme or intense here, just good, non-bitey, flavorful but not overwhelming baccy. Won't win any wife awards, but it's far from stinky. If I have to run into the store or gas station and leave my pipe in the car with the windows up, I LOVE the way it smells when I get back in.
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palm springs piper	12/30/2011	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
I haven't found a better, more well rounded, and generally available Virginia than this. From price, to tin note, to burning characteristics, flavor, strength and room note - ACES.
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photomann	11/30/2011	Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This tobacco does seem to have changed! i always remember DF as a very straight and pure virginia and smoked a lot approx 10 years ago. This is my first tin and without wishing to jump to a premature conclusion: there seems to be a taste present that is unfamiliar - a sort of syrupy/sherbety tang that coats the mouth and pallete. Still a pleasant tobacco, but not as nutty and pure as i remember? maybe i need another tin for comparison.
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Paul M	11/22/2011	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Unnoticeable
I expected a little more taste with this one, but still a good mild to medium smoke. No bite. Smoked well outside even in the strong winds of southern Minnesota in early October.
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Darth Vader	11/18/2011	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
A VA on the milder side. When i first smoked it i was quite disappointed as i was expecting something stronger and i puffed away too hard in my search for strength. A tin later and slowing down has brought out the great subtle flavours. Smoke to hard and this is on or two star baccy. Slow down and it's sublime. Yes, it's one of those tobbaccos. Same packing format/tin as Irish Flake which is great.
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Withnail	10/25/2011	Medium	None detected	Mild	Pleasant
I really love this blend! I have been working my way through various different flake tobaccos and would compare this to another firm favourite of mine, Peterson University Flake. This Dunhill Flake has less of a nicotine kick, but makes up for that with a wonderfully smooth flavour. There is a very pleasing mushroom / woody flavour that lasts to almost the end of the bowl. It burns well, even when only slightly rubbed out and takes on a woody / nutty flavour as you reach the end of the bowl. I highly recommend this blend!
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Beer	10/19/2011	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Go figure... All Dunhill blends have undergone a steep decline in the past ten years, while this one actually seems to have IMPROVED. I hadn't smoked it in a long time, since it was actually called Light Flake and I had found it extremely underwhelming. Now I got a free tin with the purchase of a new Dunhill pipe, and I am enjoying it quite a bit. Lower nicotine content, easier to keep lit, less sweet/soapy and more salty/sour, and definitely tastier. It tastes like Orlik (who makes this one for Dunhill) has added some (more) burley to the bright and red Virginia base. Ok, maybe now it's a bit less unique and it tastes more like other similar products... but it's much more enjoyable and less bland to my tastebuds. Still not my benchmark flake, but not so distant from the very best ones (MacBaren Mixture Flake, Samuel Gawith's Full Virginia Flake, Rattray's Marlin Flake). Even if you despise the bastardised new version of the old Dunhill blends like I do (they are true abominations), give this one a try: evidently the Danish manifacturers know a trick or two about flakes, and know how to still make good ones while they suck at making replicas of the historical Dunhill latakia mixtures...
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ErichPryde	10/15/2011	Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable
Good, plain tobacco here. The tin note is fig newtons, dried cake and sugar. After leaving the tin open for several days it became more inviting. I used stuff and roll to load the pipe and once it was lit it was fairly well behaved with little bite. It probably could have used half an hour's drying time. The ease with which this flake lit and stayed burning with no dry time, and the fact that tongue irritation was minor (I could see it biting if it was pushed!) wins it major points. The tobacco is somewhat grassy, lemony, and like burning hay. Very pleasant, somewhat sweet room note of just tobacco. Definitely a well done virginia flake, but not nearly interesting enough to justify the price... Or maybe it is, it's better than orlik golden sliced in my opinion. I would recommend it as something to try for the straight va smoker.
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Mr. Big	10/13/2011	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
A good Virginia, comes with the right moisture content and a nice flake. I just don't find this tobacco exciting or interesting and is very one dimensional. It's not real sweet ( actually it's salty) it burns well and doesn't bite (smoked in a cob). It reminds me of Orlik's Golden Sliced Red but without as heavy a citrus topping and a higher price. If I want a sweet Virginia I'd buy McB Virginia No.1, if I want a tangy Virginia , I'd buy McC 5100 Red Cake, If I want a strong complex Virginia it's FVF or Solani's 660 Silver. However , if I want Orlik's Red, I'll buy Orlik's red. This reminds me of a Peter Stokkebye product.
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DK	10/10/2011	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant
I'll probably always call this "Light Flake" but I'm reviewing the newer version, so I'm putting this review where it belongs. The tin has changed - it's now shallower and wider - but the flake appears the same as I remember it. I didn't smoke a lot of this "back in the day", as I preferred other VAs, just as I do now. But this one is easy to recommend. Nice golden brown flakes with the tin aroma of citrus. As I'm not a huge fan of overly-fruity VA's, I wasn't encouraged. Ultimately I found that this one liked to be rubbed out to perform at its best. No extra drying needed, either. Citrus flavor, for sure, but also a wonderful earthy undertone that kept this one from being monotonous. The lemon and bronze virginias play to a draw here, with neither holding sway. It's a medium strength blend that doesn't overpower. It starts out fairly robust, with that sweet yet masculine flavor, and only slightly strenthens as it is smoked. I guess it is sort of monotone and non-complex but it's a great classic virginia. The flavor never wavers, but a little more zealous puffing takes it to another level, as long as you don't overdo it. I'm giving this 4 stars even though it's probably a 3 for my taste because I think every virginia smoker should give this a run. It's a venerable blend that appears not to have been messed with by the new blender, and it's a lot better to me than several other highly regarded VA's I could name.
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Trippwire	10/06/2011	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is awesome, very pure tobacco taste. A little bit sweet with enough nicotine to keep my happy. The flakes are pretty big, and I have only smoked this rubbed out. Moist or dried out, it smokes well. I thought I didn't really like virginia tobacco.... I was wrong, I will be buying heaps more. This is a winner for sure.
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furious	09/17/2011	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
Great flake from the newest incarnation of Dunhill. Very mild aroma from tin promises a nice, easy smoke ahead. No drying time needed--just separate a couple of flakes, rub or fold and stuff, and you are off to the races. Very high quality Va. leaf here that just barely makes its presence known initially. Strength increases slightly as you work through the bowl. Nice ending. A staple of my rotation and a classic.
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Duke	09/16/2011	Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant
Light Flake vs. Flake: I never bitched or moaned as much as I did during the recent US, Dunhill absence. If I had to pin a date as to my earliest Dunhill Flake smoking I’d go back to 1976. I remember as if it was yesterday the tin aroma of a newly bought can. Its smell reminded me of a freshly sharpened new pencil. I know, crazy? I never imagined Dunhill not making pipe tobacco. I never stocked up much because it was always available. Well, anyway, I didn’t catch the fresh tin scent of a Dixon #2 pencil, freshly sharpened, from the newly opened Dunhill Flake tin. I did find the pseudo (read: fake) “Royal Warrant” stamped on a shallower tin- oh well. Anyhow, I like it. Is it the same? It’s too soon to tell. I found the tangy taste and the advancing strength I loved. Yeh, I like it. I need to finish a few more tins to give it a fair review. How do folks submit 10 to 15 reviews at once- it’s baffling to me? This latest rendition had me looking at the flakes to a point where I consciously book-ended the flakes rather than as they are tinned, fanned or staggered. What I glimpsed was I wide variety of tobacco leafs making up these slices of the original cake. Some light, some dark, some with a greenish hue, my imagination soared at the thought of the subtle and complex recipe coveted by Dunhill.
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Thbg	09/15/2011	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable
I get this going real strong after the false light and then just sit back and slowly puff... and it is just magical. Highest quality of tobacco = natural sweetness (no topping), not too strong, no bite and organic/ earthy/ zesty taste. Room note is not overly offense to others. A lot of other VA Flakes are good but are way strong in the nicotine department. I have smoked this at all times of the day and it has always satisfied without knocking me over. This is pretty much the perfect pipe tobacco.
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cfbender	09/10/2011	Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
First review on here, gotta say I love Dunhill flake. I smoke it mainly in my dedicated VA Savinelli and I love every minute of it. Medium Virginia with a good dose of Vitamin N, and a cool easy smoke. Love the flake, I usually just rub it out, but have tried folding it, seemed to stick to the side of my bowl a lot, probably just need to dry it out. Will definitely be getting another tin of this soon.
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