Dunhill - Flake pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
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PastorPipe	07/05/2011	Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I enjoy smoking flake tobaccos, and this one is of a very high quality. Pure Virginas with pure tobacco flavor. It lights well and is long-burning. My method is to rub out one flake for the bottom of the bowl and then fold and pack the second flake. This insures a nice draw (flake tobaccos can get plugged up easily). The tin had a hay-like aroma. The first third of the bowl or so was rather uninteresting (just some mild sweetness), but the more I smoked it, the more tobacco flavor came through--smokey with almost a bourbon flavor However, there was no real complexity about it--just a good honest Virginia flavor. I just found this tobacco to be a little monotonous after a while, and a little boring. I am partial to Orlik's Golden Sliced flake which, to me anyway, has more character with it's delightful citrusy tones. Would I smoke it again? Of course. Do I think others should give it a try? Of course. I am going to try blending it with some black Cavendish and maybe just a hint of Perique. I also think it would be nice to smoke this with some Latakia in the bowl to make it more interesting. I'm used to Dunhill Standard Mixture and Royal Yacht, so I get bored with plain-Jane Virginia tobaccos. Nevertheless, this is good stuff and I recommend it. Also, it has no bite, and that's always a good thing.
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Katharsis	06/01/2011	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Good straight Virginia. Lighter in flavor than say, FVF, but delicious. If FVF is the de facto standard for darker VAs, then I'd say this could be a standard for bright/golden VAs.
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NEWMAN	05/22/2011	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
Nicely prepared flakes ~ 1"x3"x1/16" that are slightly moist right from the tin but have an inviting aroma. I didn't rub out and the inital lighting was a bit difficult but no relights required. A cool, naturally sweet VA smoke without condensation or bite. If I could find it in bulk, this would be a steady. Give it a try if you like straight VAs.
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klong807	05/12/2011	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild	Tolerable
I have to give this 4 stars. This is my first flake, so I have nothing to really compare it to. When I opened the tin, I got a nice fruity smell. For my packing method, I have a large bowl, so I folded one flake, then on top of that, I rubbed out another and packed it normally. At first, it wasn't so spectacular. No real flavor at all. But once the coal began to hit the folded portion at the bottom, I began to notice the flavor. It tasted almost as if I was smoking sugar cane. It tasted naturally sweet, like most Virginias seem to do. Although the flavor itself was not much to right home about, I knew that it was what pipe tobacco was supposed to taste like. It was like eating a really great bowl of mashed potatoes; nothing inherently special, but you can tell when it's done right. Great job, Dunhill.
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nitekrawlr	05/11/2011	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
I normally purchase all my pipe tobacco and smoking needs on-line, as the price is considerably less. However, I caught myself short this time, in that my current order wouldn't be arriving for a couple of days.....and I was out of pipe tobacco. So I went to a local pipe & cigar shop, that had a fairly decent selection of tinned tobacco's....but the prices....WHEW. So I saw this 50g tin of Dunhill Flake for $19.95, and I thought.."Dunhill....it can't be bad." My normal favorite is MacBarens Navy Flake (still is), but this stuff is so good, I'm not sure whether to smoke it....or, eat it!! Nice, smooth, full flavored smoke, with absolutely no bite. This is some no-sh**, high quality Virginia. A little moist out of the tin, but light once, tamp it down, light again, and you're good to go.
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Billy777	04/24/2011	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
This benefits from quite a long drying out period before smoking, about an hour is good or 30 mins if you are in a room with air con. I found that it was better if rubbed out, rather than folding and stuffing. Gentle puffing is the way to get the most out of this blend; fast or hard smoking gives nothing. It's not an amazing smoke, just a light, easy going one. Update: this blend grows on you. The fact that it's so much lighter than most other blends means that I am beginning to find most other blends too thick and tarry, even Tudor Castle seems too heavy.
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quantumboy	04/20/2011	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I wanted to like this more, but...I guess I just need a bit more flavor in the Virginias I smoke. It's obviously a very high quality VA and for those looking for a mild to medium-flavored weed this is perfect. Flavors are there, just not in the proportions I like. Very grassy and hay-like in the tin, and also in the pipe, it could easily be an all day VA for those who like this genre. I'll age the rest of the tin and see what happens...
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aviviljoen	04/07/2011	Medium	None detected	Mild	Pleasant
Heavenly. This is the best blend I've ever smoked. It comes very neatly packed in a handy, reusable, rectangular tin with understated design. The flakes rub easily, and its good to let it dry for just a few minutes if the tin is new. Rubbed properly, it packs easily. I use a large bowl for this tobacco to let the flavours develop properly, and I pack it tightly. The pipe lights very easily and you are ready to go within seconds. It burns consistently and effortlessly and produces white, even ash. This is pure, high quality tobacco, with nothing added. It smokes like a dream, and tastes the way top grade tobacco should. I taste hay, maybe a hint of raisin and nut. The only sweetness here is the natural sweetness from the Virginia leaf, and it tastes just right. Leaves a pleasantly tangy and clean aftertaste in the mouth. Everything is perfectly balanced here: just strong enough, just enough nicotine. The room note is nothing spectacular, but it is certainly not unpleasant. While writing this review, I am enjoying a bowl in my dedicated Savinelli Accademia 141, which is just right for this tobacco, with a glass of fresh apple juice. Almost anything could compliment this tobacco, especially whiskey, fresh ceylon tea with milk, or your favourite brand of bottled water. To me, this is pipe smoker heaven. If I could afford it, this is the tobacco I would smoke 90% of the time. If you haven't tried this blend, you should. This is my all-time favourite pipe tobacco.
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GlSal	04/03/2011	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

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Unsal	03/12/2011	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Recommended.
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Pipesrevisited	03/11/2011	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
The perfectly cut flakes look boring compared to the attractive wild variety of SG's flake presentations. Seems a bit wet at first tin opening, but smoked great right away. Taste nowhere spectacular, but friendly and complex enough to keep giving pleasure. Dare i say tart? Yes, in a good way. A nice companion when busy although I keep being nicely distracted to contemplate the taste of the baccy instead of the substance of my reading. Clearly Dunhill Flake goes against my protestant upbringing that taught me that one has to suffer before reaping any reward. Smooth, sweet, fresh, complex and yet immediately smokeable right out of the tin, easy to load, easy to light, easy to smoke. Could this be true? I would never have believed it but Dunhill cracked it, highly recommended! Relighting after a few hours rest, is not a pleasure, while this is absolutely not a problem with Best Brown. Still Dunhill Flake went straight up in my favourites list.
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Xeneize	02/28/2011	Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
High quality Virginia blen, composed of mostly bright leaf. Hayey and mildly sweet. It burns evenly and with no tongue bite, providing a pleasant smoke anytime of the day. Very nice, but not quite on a par with FVF, Cut Virginia Plug or IRC Flake.
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doc'spipe	02/19/2011	Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant
I was at JR Cigar today and spotted Dunhill Flake and purchased a tin. I am happy I did. The flakes were arranged neatly in a row with a tin note of hay-like Virginia. It folded and loaded very easily and took to the match without effort. The taste was perhaps one of the best straight Virginias I have ever smoked, and it wasn't at all hay-like in taste. It was spicy and had a raisiny presence. I couldn't detect any other flavors. If you like a straight Virginia with natural sweetness - and not over the top - Dunhill Flake is surely one way to go. It is sweeter and more flavorful for me than Pease's Union Square by way of comparison. Also, much better than FVF and BBF from Sam Gawith. A bit stingy if puffed on too fast, but one need not worry. There is enough flavor to satisfy with slow puffing. Not a hot smoke by any means. Really smokes best for me when near to brittle dry. A superior offering all the way around. Very nice DGT by the way.
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adjman	02/18/2011	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
For me as a new pipe smoker, this tobacco was a little strong at first, but now I find splitting a flake down the middle and carefully folding and packing that it smokes very nicely and gives me just the introduction to flake tobacco I was looking for!
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meerkat	02/11/2011	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I really don't want to be one of those pipe smokers who write prose poetry to the blends of the past and engage in much wailing and knashing of teeth at their demise. We have lots of great tobaccos available now. Dunhill Flake is a good tobacco. You should try it. If you like straight virginias you'll find much to admire here. It seems to offer the full plethora of flavours available to the virginia smoker. That said... I have done side by side comparisons of it with the last incarnation of the blend (Orlik and Murrays, respectively, I believe). This involved two identical and unghosted meerschaum lined billiards. The new version is almost identical to the older one. Almost. There seems to be somehow less flavour here. The experience is slightly thinner, flatter, less rich. There also seems to be a light casing (an attempt to replicate the exact flavour profile?). I don't want to overstate the differences, they are only slight and should not put you off smoking this wonderful (and, crucially, still available) tobacco. In the interests of fairness I should say that the differences experienced could be due to the effects of aging on the older blend and I am certainly intending to lay down some new tins for future enjoyment. In conclusion, (Light) Flake was my favourite pure virginia flake, just beating Full Virginia Flake. The new version (Light Flake Lite?) probably comes in just behind FVF in my estimation but I'll still buy them both for their differing flavour profiles. DF is strong with plenty of body but has more brighter, fresher, sweet flavours as well; more lemony/grassy, bready, sweet hay, no florals. FVF is darker; more raisiny/toasted, hint of lakelands, more woodiness, slightly oily... Happy smoking. UPDATE... The more I compare this with FVF the more I favour the Dunhill offering and the more my affection for the Samuel Gawith product wanes. This has more varied levels of complexity and refinement to the flavour and mouthfeel.
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Bigdude007	01/29/2011	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Apart from the initial problem of packing my pipe with this fine blend I have nothing but good things to say. Nice medium strength flake with a pleasant room note. A highly pleasant smoke
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yinyang	01/22/2011	Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
OK, this one was love at first puff. I've smoked enough to say that while the honeymoon is over, there still is reason for me to be in love. (This, as opposed to my marriage.) Kidding(?) aside, Flake is a blend that doesn't bore me. A beautiful tin with beautiful flakes, it has a tin note and moisture level that says 'Good times ahead.' (Betcha this will age like a dream, too.) Vaguely similar to Orlik's Golden Sliced, I find DF to be superior, if only ever so slightly. Whereas OGS is a perky, citrusy mild VA (from start to finish), DF is a medium bodied VA with a wider range of notes. While not overly complex, DF does build in strength and flavor down the bowl, ending with a sweet baked bread taste that I can't rightly describe. Now, seeing as the reviews on the old production of (Light) Flake seem to echo my thoughts on the new version, I'm guessing I'm essentially smoking a faithful rendition of the original. Not that it matters, I suppose, but it is a nod to Dunhill for (finally...)being faithful to their loyal customer base. Seeing as I fully intend on stockpiling this one, I guess Dunhill can count me in as a loyal customer too. They best not muck it up... Four stars for a new favorite.
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PipesterJim	01/15/2011	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
I wasn't sure whether to put this review under 'Flake' or 'Light Flake'. They are essentially the same blend, but since this is what it's currently sold as it makes sense to record my thoughts here. Well, Full Virginia Flake this ain't, but that isn't to say that it isn't clearly a high quality tobacco. All the flavours that I associate with a good VA are there at light up, and my only criticism really is that they don't seem to maintain down the bowl - things become a bit homogenous and flat, rather than building. Nevertheless, it is a good smoke with good presentation, and a distinct plus for me is that it is the only genuine straight VA I can get locally without resorting to mail order tactics. I still prefer the Gawith offerings overall, but when I want something that sits squarely between Golden Glow and FVF in the strength department then this will be the one I go for. I suspect that it would age very nicely, so laying down a tin or two might not be a bad plan. Definitely worth a shot. For some folks this could be their ideal VA flake - Recommended.
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BingCrosby	12/30/2010	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong
Quite simply put, and excellent flake.. This is the former light flake.. and it is well not exactly light but then again not strong a true medium smoke.. but the flavor complexity is what makes you really question the lightness.. there are plenty of beautiful moments to be had trying to figure out what you are tasting (which is not always possible but an interesting adventure nonetheless).. All of the virginia notes are here just as in full virginia flake.. it is just much more subdued.. the quality is immediately evident. Hard to light at times and keeping it lit can be a chore.. but this is a virginia afterall so you will want to take your time anyway. This is one of the best true virginia smokes i have tried so far.. I will age a tin for a year or two to fully appreciate it.
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milos359	12/14/2010	Medium	Medium to Strong	Full	Very Pleasant
I have been smoking for over 30+ years and there has been a lot of Virginia tobaccos in my pipes. I recently tried Dunhill Flake after CAO started importing it. WOW! With diligent rubbing and careful packing in a Meerschaum pipe I could not believe the range of flavors. I tasted all the varietals inherent in this blend and I did not blister my tongue. If you are new to pipes or a hard smoker I would stay away from this and all Virginia tobaccos as they will burn your tongue good. On the other hand if you are itching to try a Virginia and want to spend the $$ on Dunhill do try this. Flake could use a bit of drying and it most certainly will lend it self to being put away for a while in the cellar.
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