Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Erinmore Flake

Yet another legend that's reviewed by many. Pineapple? No pineapple?! The question if the receipt has been changed and so on. I've tried Erinmore Flake some time ago and can't remember well so I'm reviewing the current version as i do with every tobacco; no need to reminisce.

So I bought this one at a local German retailer whose main business isn't pipe stuff but cigarettes, Lotto and newspaper and the saleswomen actually told me about the pineapple aroma in this one.

Look in tin is beautiful with nice stacked flake slices inside a paper wrapping. Flakes are cut rather slim as in Vauens Virginia Flake (actually the same format and packaging) but more dark with nice golden sprinkles and pressed very compactly with perfect moisture. Cold smell is full of rich Virginia with slight acidity and a topping of honey. Very warm comfortable smell that I stuck my nose in more than one time.

Packs well (rubbed and folded) and needs a bit more time to take flame but then burns pretty even and constantly if given a bit space to unfold (if not it will take a relight or two).

Taste is of good quality leaf and mostly VA dominated. Very very sweet with nice citric notes and a honey casing in background. Not as fruity as expected and (fortunately for me) NO PINEAPPLE detectable. The taste doesn't differ much during the smoke and all the well balanced flavors stay until the end. It's a bit stronger than comparable VA Flakes but that only adds character to this tobacco IMO.

Solid quality Virginia taste topped by a nice mix of fruity and sweet casing but not too much aroma at all.

I know nothing of the original, so I can't comment on that here. The "new" Erinmore made by STG is in my opinion worth the coin needed to buy it. Well formed flakes of dark and doppled tobaccos. Tin note is thick and fruity. Dark fruits at that. Like apples, plums, and apricots. Moist in the tin, they do require some drying time. Once in the pipe, they burn well enough with a few relights. The Virginias outshine the Burley. Sweet and bright, with nutty undertones. Room note is toasted and warm almonds....perhaps caramel. Leaves very little dottle in the bowl. Will re-purchase for sure.

Nice looking large flakes that break apart easily. As noted elsewhere, there is a fruity topping that is obvious in the tin note. Some have called it similar to Juicy Fruit chewing gum....I wouldn't say that was spot on, but it's not entirely inaccurate either.

I've tried Erinmore Flake in a couple of different pipes - not surprisingly to me, I enjoy it a bit more in a large-ish briar, and a bit less in a cob - very typical of me and Virginias. There is a burley component...if that is in fact what I'm picking up on, it seems out of place to me...maybe more aging would improve this. The topping is mild in the smoke...not unpleasant, but not exactly mouth-watering either. I haven't experimented a lot with different drying times, but I do find that the topping becomes less apparent in the smoke with drying. Burn is decent enough, requiring an average number of relights.

Not bad, but my cup of tea, I'm afraid.

ADDENDUM - I left some Erinmore out on a paper plate for several hours today to dry until the flakes started to get "crunchy." It actually tastes a bit better. It's still not the type of thing I usually smoke, though.

This flake is much better than the mixture!when you open it you get fruits aromas!not only pineapples but citrus and others.a bit moisty it needs re lights.very enjoyable smoking experience full of fruits .virginias are dominant but you also get the nutty taste quite well.it burns hot go easy on that! A must try aromatic flake not all day blend though.

This Virginia burley bland is a delight. The tin note is great. The flavor is a classic Virginia infused with the nuttiness of the burleys. There is citrus and vanilla notes as well. The room note is fantastic and will usually evoke complimenet. An absolute delight that burns well in the pipe.

Mr George Walker, my brother's old violin teacher used to smoke EF. I'm talking nearly forty years past, so it was when this was still the genuine article. He used to come out of his lessons reeking of the stuff. And that was not such a bad thing. Mr Walker would not give you tuppence for anything else, including the Mixture. It's probably ten years since I last tried the Mixture and I gave up quickly on that as something ghastly and overly floral. I guess I was flailing around at the time for as fast as I found something I liked they'd take it off the market. But this is not too bad if you fancy a change from the taste of pure tobacco. The sweetness reminds me curiously of RY. There is no bite and once lit EF will smoke steady and consistent with almost no moisture. I fired up a pipe in the car yesterday morning - one flake rubbed out straight from the tin - and 1 hour and 45 later I finished the drive with the end of the bowl and only that initial light needed. Listening to all those kids scraping violins, Mr Walker must have needed something to preserve his equilibrium. I doubt this latest EF is quite the same animal as was - the room note is not as distinctive as I recall - but it soothes and satisfies sufficient for recommendation.

Smoking Erinmore Flake is like having a nice colorful rainbow in your mouth after a rain which calmed down the wind in the morning. Highly Recommended to the ones looking for a transitional blend between strong Aromatic and VaBur.

Sniffing the tin note I know there is a food from my childhood that smelled the same, alas, I cannot remember it. Maybe a fruit smoothie with strawberry, banana and apple? Regardless it's very apparent and welcoming. There is also a hay like tobacco smell under the fruityness.

Looking at the flakes brings back memories of University Flake (more on that later) but with a couple of shades lighter and more fleck of bright leaf. They are beautiful flake and at about the width of two MacBaren ODF flakes. They rub out easily, although I am a fold and stuffer 90% of the time.

Smoking this flake starts you off with a very pronounced fruitiness. I personally don't find it overbearing but for the pure tobacco flavor conoisseurs, it might be too much for enjoyment. The VAs are sweet and haylike while the Burleys are mild and nutty. The marriage of all three makes for a pleasant smoke that starts off middle of the road and builds throughout the bowl.

The burn of this tobacco can be a little finicky so relights are going to be plentiful. It doesn't always burn down to a nice dottle but you can't have your fruit flavored cake and ash it too! 😉

Virginia and Burley are probably my favorite combination of tobaccos. If you like Peterson University Flake but think it might be a little too strong, this will probably be right up your alley. The plum in the former is not as present as the fruit/citrus in this blend though. You'll get more flavoring with less strength in Erinmore and less flavoring and more strength in University Flake. This is a wonderful year round smoke as it's warming and inviting during those cold winter months and sublte and sweet enough on those hot days.

I've smoked three current production tins and three Murray era tins. I will say that I am more inclined to praise younger versions of this. The burley is very subtle (at least for my preferences, I tend to favor the C&D KO varietals) and with too much age on it the flavoring takes over and becomes a duet with the VA rather than a trio of flavors like the current production. This will always be a part of my rotation.

This is the same tin note I remember from years ago. The tin logo kind of gives it away, but I'd say it is rather licorice than pineapple. In any case, it is very fruity and sweet, and very easy to identify (once you have a sniff at it, you will never forget). These flakes do need some drying time, so leave your tin open so that your tobacco can have a little bit of a breather. Also, they are very easy to rub and they will pack easily in your bowl. The question rises as to whether or not this is an aromatic. There is no doubt in my mind this tobacco has been cased, but I cannot detect any cavendishes in it. I guess it shows some aromatic characteristics, but I don't quite see it that way. For one thing, I cannot detect any tongue bite and I find the Virginia quite dominant right through the whole bowl. The dried fired burleys are well blended with it and they sort of add an earthy/nutty note to your smoke. As you light up, the flavour is quite piquant, but then it settles in the background. The sweetness is obviously coming from the Virginia whereas the burleys act as a buffer balancing the blend out. As this tobacco comes in flake form, if smoked correctly, will keep you busy for quite some time.