Cobblestone Cafe Mocha Flake

Summary: "Prince Albert" in flake form, a buttermilk cocoa chocolate flavored soft flake that smokes easily.

Sutliff makes this and like the other recent explorations in pipe tobacco, represents an attempt to take the same low-cost process that makes their bulk blends and sell them as boutique blends with fancy names on the label. On the downside, this tobacco is overpriced by a factor of two; it belongs on the bulk shelf with the "Prince Albert" clones whose formula (white/brown Burley, brown Virginia, and Turkish for a Perique-like bittersweet spice interacting with the VAs) has long been a favorite. These flakes are "soft" style, closer to cake, like the Orlik "Golden Sliced," which means that they are comically easy to smoke. Bend, stuff in pipe, sprinkle a layer of the odds 'n ends from the bottom of the tin, light, tamp, light, and you are off to the races for a couple hours of smoking delight. That is why people like flakes, after all; they burn the best. These burn admirably well and are not over-sauced, so they stay cool and provide a steady stream of flavor. I might do a slight amount less sauce, since at this pace, the mocha (cocoa, chocolate, vanilla) needs only complement the naturally nutty, bean-ish, and chocolatey flavors of Burley. At the price this sells for, I would rather just get something from one of the established blenders, but if they sold it at an entry-level price, this would be a great all-day smoke for "Prince Albert" fans and others who like piquant, light aromatics.