Solani 633: Virginia Flake with Perique

After reading the excellent reviews on this blend I ordered some from Cupojoes, NY. This review is the result of smoking the first of three tins. The initial impression regarding the tin aroma is it resembled that of Dunhill?s Light Flake: sweet natural Virginias, lovely pressed, spicy and exciting, but with a notch of Tabasco sauce! 633 comes very tightly packed, and it is still lighter in colour than DLF. Peeling off the individual flakes was a tricky business. Once done, the flakes are easy to rub out, pack in and light up.

The first few puffs continue to ring a DLF bell: the Virginias are smooth, quiet, elegant and slightly sugary, perhaps not as rounded or deep, yet full of body and character. But the resemblance ends there, for almost immediately the sacred weed from Louisiana asserts its presence, demanding immediate attention. Now the whole structure of the blend has changed, providing a unique layer of flavours. Without entirely receding to the background, the initial Virginian harmony becomes gradually encircled by the Perique?s piquant/peppery melody, construing a most intriguing dialogue of tastes: at times sinfully sharp and tangy, at times smooth and elusive, but keeping always a very peculiar density that lingers on well after the bowl is over.

For me this is a tobacco that does not burn hot, but I wouldn?t go to the extent of classifying it as a cool smoke. Absolutely no tongue bite, the blend seems to be designed to entice your senses by making your palate travel through a very spicy ?tastescape?, never tiresome, never dull. I think I still need to experience more of 633 before properly judging if it will become a regular smoke. So far, however, it has been a unique encounter, quite unlike any other tobacco with similar components I have previously tried (e.g., Stokkebye?s Navy Cut, currently a favourite of mine, though it doesn?t have the same Perique intensity as Solani?s flake), and definitely a top quality smoke.

Tin note: a little bit plum and fruity Perique smell; most are very grassy and citrus Virginia.

Solani - 633 is on Virginia side rather than Perique side; it is on Bright Virginia side rather than dark Virginia side.

When smoking: Grassy Bright Virginias are much more than ripe red Virginias that are a little bit fruity and earthy; perique has fig and raisin smell in the background.

Cool, smooth, clean taste all day smoke.

Four stars rating. One of best VaPer and a little bit hard to get in the US.

And I see some two stars reviews, and I recommend you guys should age for some time to enjoy.

Besides, I don't think Solani 633 is "on the boring side" like some two stars reviewer said. Additionally, as I said Solani - 633 is on the Bright Virginia side rather than on the Perique side or dark VaPer side. So it is very different from the dark VaPer category including St James Flake, Escudo or Navy roll, McC- Beacon Extra, Rattray's- Marlin Flake. For the same category, Solani 633 is much much better than STG Dunhill -Elizabethan. Hope the guys enjoy their the STG version Dunhill -Elizabethan shag and I just enjoy my Solani - 633.

There isn't a Solani blend I don't like to some degree. This was my first taste of Perique and my first flake from Solani.

Rather mild tin fragrance, and as you'd expect a square and rather sticky slab of lightish brown flake bars await.

Picking it apart took ages (I prefer to rub out my flakes) and I was surprised how it took to the light. I expected it to be really moist a la Gawith's finest, yet although it felt quite wet as I dished it out it burnt evenly and without relights.

A very mild Vaper this one. The perique is well in the background and stays there, so I'm no wiser really. There is enough body there to easily finish the tin and return for refills which I did.

Not especially memorable but certainly an all day smoke, as there is undoubted quality in this blend.

Can't say I'd bust a gut to buy it again, although if I had access to a tobacconist that stocked it, I would certainly buy it for the cellar.

This is a fine VaPer. Very nice presentation and aromas from the tin. Great virginia taste with more sweetness and something spicy from the perique that makes this blend very satisfying. Great quality tobaccos. 3.5 stars

I did not experience any sweetness or fruitiness as described by others. Pepper came through enough to be noticable but not overbearing. Stays lit (rubbed out flake) leaving a nice white ash to the end of the bowl. 633 smokes cool and even all the way through. Mellows towatds the end, and i actually enjoyed it better. For me, its a little bit of a flat tasting blend, aside from the perique. I have a whole tin and will smoke a few more bowls. The end of the bowl may have granted a stay for this tin. I do prefer araomatics, but have other non aros that i turn to now and again. I will smoke a few more bowls and update this review if anything should change. Oh, my Lady did not care for the room note.

Tin: From a tin that had been stored for eight months. The hinged, square tin is unique and does not form a vacuum seal. The tobacco is in a plastic bag that is held wrapped with an aggravating sticker that has to be cut. The tobacco is sealed in a bag which is pealed open-unique. The bag was pealed apart and tore-another aggravation. This leaves no way to reseal the tobacco. So it was put in a mason jar.

Tin Aroma: Mixture of bread, hay or cereal.

Appearance: Looks just like Samuel Gawith's FVF. Dark brown, mottled with blonde. A pressed flake in the form of two sets of 1-inch belts that are wound up into two flat coils. Straight out of the tin, it is mostly dry.

Packing: Easily rubs out into small splinters, though which pack readily.

Taste & Aroma: Not really like a strong Vaper, but somewhat bland; somewhat weak musty Perique aroma; close to just a pedestrian VA. Not sour, but not sweet.

In comparison to other VAPERs, the aroma is a mild musty sauteed poblano.

Strength: Certainly not a overly strong Vaper experience at all.

Overall: Packaging was so annoying. 633 provides a cross between a VA and a Vaper profile.

This is high quality tobacco. Solani 633 comes in rather large precise flakes assorted very neatly in the tin (pretty much the opposite from a sam gawith presentation). they have a pretty straight forward smell in the tin - the usual hay and figs.. I find half a flake easily fills the bowl of my small peterson barrel pipe. smoking qualities: very easy flake to smoke.. not much relighting required.. smokes fairly cool at a slow pace. one of my best flake experiences overall. tobacco qualities: mellow yet flavorful.. this is a great combination of virginia and perique. a little more spicy than escudo.. but it has some of the same characteristics.. very nice and earthy. there is a pleasant mustiness that reminds me a little of old gowrie.. oddly pleasant dusty attic kind of thing (hard to put into words) dried fruit comes to mind. The most addictive of the recent vapors i have tried (dorchester, st james, escudo, scottish cake) overall, this could be my new favorite. 633 gets some mixed reviews but for me it is well worth the price.. maybe not as complex as escudo.. but equally as satisfying - and with a certain flavor that i find very interesting.

This tobacco is one of my favorite Vapers. While others find it too sweet I think it?s just right, and while maybe it doesn?t quite reach the level of true Vaper classics such as Bell?s 3 Nuns or Cope?s Escudo, it is still a very fine mixture.

Appearance: This is one of the more beautiful tobaccos I?ve ever seen. Very finely cut flakes pressed into a very tight cake which appeals to the senses visually and tactilely as one rubs it out, which I seldom do to any great extent.

Tin aroma: Initially, I smell very ?bright? Virginias, and citrus, followed by deeper caramel and earthy tones. There is the quality of freshly mown hay, and a deep stewed fig kind of a smell I associate with perique.

This tobacco is very easy to rub out, though lately I find myself only rarely rubbing out a flake tobacco mixture. I find for me, I simply roll flakes up and gently inserting them works better, giving a longer more even burn. Some times I rub a small portion out for the ?top portion? to facilitate even lighting.

Lighting usually is a single match affair, though once in awhile if I pause or just let the pipe go out, I might have to re-light it. This is a very easy going easy burning tobacco that almost smokes itself if packed correctly. The initial flavor is very hay like and somewhat light almost giving me the impression that it?s going to be too light for my smoking preferences. The flavors build slowly and the brightness of high grade Virginia tobaccos are joined in wider and wider circles of flavor with perique peeking in from time to time. Though not what I would call a complex taste, there are subtle changes from time to time to keep things interesting. I begin to catch some of the coming depth of flavors; this is not a monochromatic blend at all.

Mid Bowl: Approaching mid-bowl, the brightness is joined by deepening tones, earthy and full. If exhaled nasally the brightness is still very much there, when inhaled, tones of caramel and figs are present (the best inhaling method being the ?French curve? out of the mouth and gently inhaled side stream through the nose). There is a very mild (natural) sweetness to the blend, a sweetness like molasses or raw honey, which is only ?just there? barely perceptible. While this mixture is pretty mild to me, there is strength to it, and the volume of smoke it produces even when sipped carefully is quite full. This is the kind of smoke which makes me put my feet up and hold the smoke in my mouth letting its buttery silkiness dance around my pallet.

Home Stretch: All of the starting elements are still there; the Virginia richness and the subtle amount of perique adding it pepper and spice in one of the gentlest and well behaved of all offerings in the Vaper category. This often smokes down to very little dottle leaving fine ?salt and pepper? ash. While #633 never really develops into a complex masterpiece like Escudo, or 3 Nuns, it deepens nicely to a very dry smoking winy goodness one expects from fine Virginia tobacco.

Supplemental Notes: This is becoming one of my more often reached for Vapers. For those interested in numbers ****

A bit watery and too delicate when freshly opened, this traditional flake actually improves after opening, gaining some strength and taste. It's a grassy bright virginia with a moderate amount of perique (quite tolerable even if you can't stand the Louisiana leaf) and some notes which can make you think of a very small dose of burley. A decent, well-burning flake... but nothing particular to recommend.