Robert McConnell Black Flake
(3.27)
Dark Virginia pipe tobacco.
Notes: McConnell doesn't rest on their laurels, but launch a completely new series with 18 new tobaccos. At the same time they come back to old recipes, and so the name "Heritage" was born. We are sure this new series will follow the success of the existing assortment.
Dunhill Dark Flake clone.
Details
| Brand | Robert McConnell |
| Series | Heritage |
| Blended By | |
| Manufactured By | Kohlhase & Kopp |
| Blend Type | Straight Virginia |
| Contents | Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin |
| Country | Germany |
| Production |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.27 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 08, 2019 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
The mildly floral dark Virginia provides mild, lightly tangy sweet and slightly sour dark fruit, wood, earth, and light bread notes. The lighter Virginia offers a little tart citrus and some grass and hay in a secondary role. The dark Virginia is not as deep or dark as the Orlik version, and there seems to be a tad more brighter Va. here as well. No fermentation or sugar from the Virginias to speak of, whereas the Orlik production has a small hint of both. Despite the product description, there is a little raisiny, plumy, figgy, lightly spicy perique in the mix as a background player. The strength and taste levels are medium. The nic-hit is in the center of mild to medium. Won’t bite or get harsh, and has very few rough edges. The flake is lightly moist and easy to break apart. Burns cool, clean and a little slow with mildly sweet, consistent flavor from top to bottom. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and requires some relights. Has a pleasant, short lived after taste and room note. Can be an all day smoke. As this blend lacks some of the depth and sweetness of the Orlik version, I give it three stars (barely) for its own merits and two and a half stars as a match. I gave three stars the the Orlik version.
-JimInks
-JimInks
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 02, 2020 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
Having just finished a 4 year old tin of Dunhill Dark Flake, I decided to open a new tin of this to compare. My review of Dark Flake was of a new tin:
A touch peaty with remote hints of dark fruit from the Virginias, the latter reinforced along with a touch of spicy tang from the Perique -- altogether, an easy smoking VA flake, darker perhaps in appearance than in flavor. May be even an all-day smoke for those who really enjoy this category, although for me more of a change of pace.
This was pretty similar to the review of the new tin of Dark Flake (the aged Dark Flake seems to have grown a bit darker a bit more bitter), maybe not as much spice? I don't know if this has the same, less, or no Perique, but my guess would be some but a bit less. Either way, enjoyable.
A touch peaty with remote hints of dark fruit from the Virginias, the latter reinforced along with a touch of spicy tang from the Perique -- altogether, an easy smoking VA flake, darker perhaps in appearance than in flavor. May be even an all-day smoke for those who really enjoy this category, although for me more of a change of pace.
This was pretty similar to the review of the new tin of Dark Flake (the aged Dark Flake seems to have grown a bit darker a bit more bitter), maybe not as much spice? I don't know if this has the same, less, or no Perique, but my guess would be some but a bit less. Either way, enjoyable.
Pipe Used:
cobs
PurchasedFrom:
smoking pipes
Age When Smoked:
new
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 29, 2019 | Medium to Strong | Very Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Sadly, I'm not too familiar with Dunhills Dark Flake as it is vowed by many experienced smokers so I will just review this tobacco as a standalone.
Look in tin is not as nice as other Flake tobaccos among; less hard-pressed and not accurately stacked. Cold smell is very dark for a VA but sweet with spices and a bit of acidity in the back. Packs just nice and rubs itself a bit off when folded due to the low pressing. Takes flames easily and burns nice and cool until there's only light grey ashes left.
Taste is very characterful and a lot more spicy than expected; a small share of Perique in it would explain but it's not mentioned by K&K. Sweet body of high quality matured VA is topped by dried fruit and maybe a bit of flavoring is used for that taste. Sweet until the end but no grass or hey notes which gives the Black Flake a deeper personality.
For me this is more of an evening smoke in front of the chimney holding a dark Ale in the other hand. Nicely matured leafs of proper quality form a pleasant but smoky blend that has excellent burning properties.
Look in tin is not as nice as other Flake tobaccos among; less hard-pressed and not accurately stacked. Cold smell is very dark for a VA but sweet with spices and a bit of acidity in the back. Packs just nice and rubs itself a bit off when folded due to the low pressing. Takes flames easily and burns nice and cool until there's only light grey ashes left.
Taste is very characterful and a lot more spicy than expected; a small share of Perique in it would explain but it's not mentioned by K&K. Sweet body of high quality matured VA is topped by dried fruit and maybe a bit of flavoring is used for that taste. Sweet until the end but no grass or hey notes which gives the Black Flake a deeper personality.
For me this is more of an evening smoke in front of the chimney holding a dark Ale in the other hand. Nicely matured leafs of proper quality form a pleasant but smoky blend that has excellent burning properties.
Pipe Used:
Vauen Author
PurchasedFrom:
Local dealer
Age When Smoked:
Fresh from tin
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 07, 2021 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I think this is better, tastier and richer than the Flake from the same series. Don't be fooled by that "black": it's not a stoved, leathery and heavy affair. It's a brown-red Virginia flake with plenty of sweetness, a certain grassiness, and overall a very pleasant, cool and fragrant smoking experience. This of something like Gawith's Best Brown, but lighter in nicotine and with better ease of packing and combustion qualities. A winner. (I have never tried the Dunhill original, so no comparison can be made)
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 22, 2020 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
A surprisingly full virginia flake. A bit of sour-ish fermentation that gets smoothed out with a musty sweet virginia taste ....its a pretty basic or classic (depending how you look at it) virginia flake. I find it a most welcome addition in these post mcclelland times.
3 and a half stars.
3 and a half stars.
PurchasedFrom:
cup o joes
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 19, 2021 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Very Pleasant |
I will be comparing Black Flake to Dunhill Dark Flake. The name, Black Flake, is not what the actual flakes look like. The flakes are a chestnut brown with a few dark streaks here and there, where as Dark flake is more of a dark brown with a red tint and a few black streaks.
The tin aroma is a more fresh, sweeter and brighter smell over dark flake. From beginning to end, Black flake is very consistent with a nice sweetness similar to a light brown sugar mixed with bready notes, a decent amount of nuttiness and at times a very light stewed fruit. Closer down, I do get a spiciness coming in from time to time. The rest of the flavors do intensify some going down the bowl but not by much. It burns cool and clean with no bite. It can leave my mouth dry so I will have a sweet tea while smoking this. The room note is very nice.
In my opinion, this is far more better then Dunhill Dark Flake. Maybe not as deep but it has more going on with it. Dark Flake isn't terrible but it doesn't fit my preferred flavor profile of a VaPer.
I do find this does smoke better when it's on the dry side. More on the mild side of medium. I dont know if aging to give much better results then Black Flake currently has. It's pretty good as it is.
6-26-2023 Cracked open a tin I aged for 2 years. Other than a more fruity tin aroma, aging didn't show any different results. Still a nice blend.
The tin aroma is a more fresh, sweeter and brighter smell over dark flake. From beginning to end, Black flake is very consistent with a nice sweetness similar to a light brown sugar mixed with bready notes, a decent amount of nuttiness and at times a very light stewed fruit. Closer down, I do get a spiciness coming in from time to time. The rest of the flavors do intensify some going down the bowl but not by much. It burns cool and clean with no bite. It can leave my mouth dry so I will have a sweet tea while smoking this. The room note is very nice.
In my opinion, this is far more better then Dunhill Dark Flake. Maybe not as deep but it has more going on with it. Dark Flake isn't terrible but it doesn't fit my preferred flavor profile of a VaPer.
I do find this does smoke better when it's on the dry side. More on the mild side of medium. I dont know if aging to give much better results then Black Flake currently has. It's pretty good as it is.
6-26-2023 Cracked open a tin I aged for 2 years. Other than a more fruity tin aroma, aging didn't show any different results. Still a nice blend.
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