Sutliff Tobacco Company Cringle Flake (2022)

Cringle Flake 2022 definitely needs some dry time before packing. Even then, multiple relights were needed.

Flavor is acidic with hints of dark fruits (think cherry, plum, etc). It’s not the most enjoyable thing I’ve ever smoked.

Will revisit again once it’s had some cellar time.

Sutliff Cringle Flake 2022 - The tart lemon citrus fruit is out front with some sweet dark fruit ,hay , vinegar,bread and cinnamon and pepper spice . It tingles the tongue a little but doesn’t bite me . A little bit heavy on the vinegar and citrus but enjoyable enough . 3

Being a newish smoker, I have never known or at least been able to identify the qualities of aged tobacco....until now. To me, this blend is pure heaven. I love the tang delivered by the red Virginias, and the spice of the perique hits the mark. The age brings the blend to incredible depths that I can't even begin to fully understand. I hope more experience will improve my pallet to be able to enjoy this blend even more for everything that it is.

Just what it says it is. 20 year aged stoved Red Virginia with 19 year old Perique. What more could a person want? The stoves Red Virginia is sweet, grassy and delicious. The Perique is smooth and provides just the right amount of fermented spicy goodness. Perfection.

The tins I bought during the holiday season tasted wonderful and were similar to the previous year with subtle differences. However, there were tins of this vintage released in the summer of 2023 that were much different. I really don't know why but it's as if the tobacco was aged in the tins for a very long time. The paper in these tins have so much staining on them and the aroma of the tobacco is so wonderfully putrid and strong! This wonderfully putrid and fermented smell actually translates into the taste. I can pack a bowl and smell it on my fingers for hours after packing. I wonder if these tins were exposed to extreme heat somehow ? I can't explain what happened but it is even more enjoyable than it was already! 4+ stars now for sure.

Jar smells of feet, and maybe stewed fruit (not a fan of perique scent). Taste is incredible up front, got some cinnamon and other spices, and heavy sweet fruit flavors. If only that had remained the case, this would easily be one of my favorites. Into the bowl though, the flavors wane, and the room note becomes very cigar-like, and to my nose very unpleasant. Later into the bowl I'm getting a lot of strong toasted flavors, again, reminiscent of what I think a cigar must taste like; kind of interesting, but I can barely tolerate the smell of my own pipe. I need to try smoking this in a smaller bowl.

I'm not sure if Sutliff uses exactly the same tobaccos each year and just tin them separately, but 2022's Cringle Flake (or at least this tin of it) has far less vinegar than I got from the 2021 batch.

The notes are virtually the same: zest, lemon, wine, mushrooms, fermentation with some more black pepper from the Perique. But the vinegar and mustiness are on a lower level, which I like much better.

Just like the 2021 batch, I like to rub out all the flakes and leave them in the tin for awhile to let them dry out. That helps a more consistent smoke and less relights.

Medium in body and strength, a little stronger than the 2021 batch. Easiest to enjoy while doing nothing else, which means that this is not really an all-day smoke.

To be honest, I bought this because of it being a special annual holiday blend. Otherwise, it's a nice blend, but not very special. It carries the typical Sutliff red Virginia wine-vinegar note with the added pepper and mushroom from the Perique. A very nice blend, but not outstanding. Three stars, again.

The initial tin note was of stewed fruit combined with some hay.  After airing the tin,  the tin notes had a sweaty , shitty note along with the stewed fruits.  🤷🏻‍♂️

The Flakes are more of the kake style, though and crumbly. They are not too moist, 10-20 mins dry time is an you need before packing.

I partially rubbed the flake and dried for approx. 20 mins before packing the bowl.

First 15 mins: The initial light gave me floral creamy profile and some sweetness on the palate as the after-taste.

The profile remained pretty much the same with mild tangyness and sweetness and side hay coming into the picture.

Retrohale: Sweet and fruity with very mild peperriness

15-35mins:

The profile has shifted towards the sweet and tangy notes from the end Virginias and Perique. Imo, the perique is adding to the fruity notes with very mild pepper notes.  This could probably be because of the ageing on perique which has toned down the spice.  Mild hay and bread notes here and there

Retrohale: Floral, Sweet and fruity with very mild peperriness

35mins+: Very similar notes to 15-35 mins mark with more fruity, tangy, floral and hay notes.

Retrohale: The spice has increased a notch but still on the mild level along with floral and fruity notes.

Overall: Strength: mild to medium Taste: medium Required a fair few relights and mostly burnt into white/grey ash. Smokes cool and leaves some moisture in the bowl.

I did not find thus blend as tangy as others have suggested.  P.S. I used combination of breath method & sipping. Could be an all day smoke.

3.5 🌟