Erik Stokkebye Evening Flake

Sure, it’s nice! The perique is pretty low key, which can sometimes be fine.

It’s funny because some bowls are just a mild grassy VA with a slight kick and others give me more on the nose-tickling side of the spectrum. The VA is grassy, which is fine but but not that interesting. Fortunately, there is some umami too, bread, vague mushroomy soy sauce if you look for it, that saves the deal.

It’s not very complexe, as in I can smoke it without paying attention and I don’t feel like I’m missing much. The easy as hell mechanics help in this sense. Nevertheless, the taste is complexe enough to give satisfaction in times when you take the time to actually taste it.

If I could get a box locally, I probably would. I consider it a good cellar bulking up blend.

It took me awhile to get ahold of this flake at the beginning. My batch is from Nov. 2021. Due to availability, I bought a pound from the start. Initially I wasn't impressed and felt I dooped myself. It smelled and tasted like Super Bubble gum and I couldn't figure out why until one day I was at the grocery store and bought some extracts for cooking. I soon figured out that taste and smell was rum. In extract form, rum smells exactly like super bubble gum. I jarred it all up and finally tried it today in over 2 years.

Age really brings Evening flake to a another level. The rum has toned down to a light boozy note. This flake is spicy now. Prunes, dates, sweet tawny port wine notes, and a little sugar. Spicy, earthy, and light cocoa notes from perique. This flake is stout. Not alot of grassy notes at all. The name Evening Flake is very fitting.

Nice smoke and aromas from these Virginia/Perique flakes. The aromas from Virginia gave some sweetness and citrus taste. The Perique also contributes to the blend and combined works very well. Some other natural aromas are present and can be good for a long smoke. The moisture was good and burns very well. For the evening can be a good choice.

Main notes I get from this are perfume, and bread. I still need to pick up some straight perique to understand it better, but this isn't reminiscent of the other Virginias I've tried. Still figuring out whether I'd consider reordering, leaning toward yes; it's got a lot of individuality among the tobaccos I've tried. The only other vaper I've smoked which immediately comes to mind is C&D Bayou Morning, and this tastes nothing like that to me.

Gold Virginia with perique. Virginias are smooth and sweet with grassiness and hay qualities, the perique is the peppery kind, no stewed fruit or raisin quality all pepper. I tend to go for the fruity periques. There is a caramel notes and flavor to this which is very nice . It smokes cool and burns clean. It's not a complex tobacco just Virginia and perique going back and forth. Bread, grass, hay, caramel and spice are the main flavors. Tastes a bit young and harsh when new, definitely needs some age.

Bought it at the same time as some Peter Stokkebye Luxury Navy Flake, which I have had many times before, and comparing one to the other, am surprised at how similar they look; almost indistinguishable. Tastewise, PSLNF may have a bit more Perique in it. Also got some GH Dark Flake U/S and a tin of Sutliff Molto Dolce, both of which are as far from this basic light VAPER, in their own ways, as possible.

I can't go to four stars with this; could be pushed into three-and-one-half, just because it is a very young, light, and basic Virginia Flake, with a very small amount of Perique. With a few years in the jar, it could make four stars, but I don't know. Just seems like it would age well.

Manufactured by Mac Baren, and I love Mac Baren, but a lot of their blends can bite me, as they do others. They always use good tobacco; must be that ubiquitous honey topping. Well, this may have a Bit O' Honey, but not too much even if it does, and for me at least, is a biteless Mac Baren. They do exist...

All in all, could easily be a go-to tobacco for basic Virginia Flake lovers. I like Peter Stokkebye Luxury Navy Flake just a bit better, because it has a bit more body to it, but could never knock this blend. Virginia Flake or VAPER? The Perique is well in the background, and only gives a hint of pepper; no complex figginess or pluminess (yes, I know those are not real words).

I would buy it again, and really would be interested in how it ages, but might buy more PSLNF first; it's just a touch better for me. I have had some initial success using it as a blender in dump mixtures, because it is such a basic, young Virginia. I will continue to smoke it as it sits in the jar; alone, or in blends.

A note by way of an afterthought: this in no way detracts from the quality of the blend, but two things to consider. First, if you rub out your flakes as most do, take care in packing the bowl. It tends to compress a lot, and I have ended up with a couple of far-too-tightly packed pipes which I had to "fix," even though I have been a pipe smoker for years, and consider myself capable of packing a pipe. Second, though it seems as if it will keep a good moisture level if stored in a jar, and be ready to smoke right out of the jar, it will get bone-dry very quickly if left out, especially if rubbed out.

11-24-2022 Actually, having worked a bit more with this flake, fold-and-stuff seems to work best, and takes care of the slight problem of it tending to pack too tightly rubbed-out. Also, above, I slightly criticized it for not being too complex or having as much "body" as PSLNF, but I am getting more complexity and body now. Three-and-one-half stars, and I promise it will be four after a few years in the jar.

11-28-2022 Holy crap; today I made my own aromatic with this stuff. Stoved it in an empty tobacco tin with molasses water, and coconut and anise extracts right off of the spice section of the grocery store (look up home stoving of tobacco on YouTube). Went six hours at 200. Heavenly!