Solani 633: Virginia Flake with Perique

Another masterpiece from the folks at Solani! Balance is the name of the game here. The VAs and the Perique don't fight for dominance, but are both very vocal....I guess that makes sense! As usual I get the best out of my flakes by rubbing them out rather than the old fold and stuff. I just prefer the easier smoke and the lack of relights. Tin moisture is right where I like it, it smells heavenly with that tangy Perique woven into the rather large flakes that take up half the tin. I don't know about you, but this is in the desert island cellar with 4 or 5 other classics.

Isn't it amazing that all these VA/Per blends are basically the same, but always taste different? No two VA/pers you try will ever taste alike. We all have taste receptors that respond differently to certain blends because most every blend has a flavor enhancement additive, even though you may not detect it. The topping in this blend wasn't to my liking & tasted better after most of it had burned off. Just because I wasn't crazy about the flavor means nothing. I'm sure it will appeal to many, just as the taste of say...Three Nuns, Escudo or Sunday Picnic appeals to me more than #633 or Reiner's LGF, although they are all fine tobaccos.

I've noticed that many quality blends get the occassional "uno" star simply because someone's taste receptors were used for rating the flavoring instead of judging the quality of the tobacco & its smoking characteristics. Whatever, this is a good presentation & much better after a little airing. Extra wide, mottled flakes are neatly & evenly packed to precisely fit the tin dimensions.

This is a very smooth and weightless smoke without harshness or bite that can be smoked right out of the tin, or dried a little, depending on one's smoking preference. The tobacco flavor becomes more prevalent about mid bowl. I feel this is a good value in that there is very little moisture contained therein. This blend is a pretty good VA/Per & IMHO, Solani's Virginia Flake w/Perique, Blend #633 merits three s***s!!

I generally don't smoke Virgina's, but once I smoked a few bowls of Solani 633...I was in love. I enjoy blends with Perique, so I figured this was going to be a nice blend.

This blend is a cool and smooth smoke. I was a bit afraid of the Virginia, since they tend to smoke hot for me. However, this was not the case for Solani 633. Give it a try!

I initially wrote in to include this on the review as I thought it was called Virgina Flake. After reading reviews, I noticed it was called 633 and already included in the reviewed tobacco. So much for white print on a yellow background. A beautiful flake when opening the tin. Rubs out perfectly and burns slowly leaving a nice ash. I initially thought this blend was quite strong. Although I usually don't like a blend lacking latakia, this was a nice change of pace. The perique was perfect and added that extra tang. I do not think it is an everyday smoke though as it is quite strong. I initially smoked it in a medium sized Gepetto Italian briar and it was the perfect size for such a blend...at least for me. Given the strength, a large bowl would be too much Virginan but that is from someone who usually always smokes something with at least a bit of latakia in the blend. A nice sour note on the taste buds. The room note was very pleasant expecially if there are folks in the room who are opposed to latakia. I will continue to review to see how the blend fares at different times of day with a different pipe. Now, and only after one pipe, I rate it only a two star but then that first pipe was after a few others and late in the evening so my taste buds could have been burnt out. More or the review to come later.

Update: I initially gave this a 2 star but after smoking other Virginan's this is nice. Now about six months later than my original post, going through my 3rd tin and find this one of my favorite VS/Perique blends. The presentation in the tin is beautiful with beautiful pressed flake. Prepared it by cutting into small cubes with a scissors and but into a #3 Dunhill White Dot Billard. What a nice smoke! Cool, balenced and leaving a beautiful white ash. I have dedicated this pipe to this blend as the small bowl is a nice way to capture the nuances of both the sweet Va and the perique. Like this after a big Sunday breakfast...robust enough to get me to lunch. Will buy a few tins and store it as I do think it will age well.

Half way through my tin of this, opened it about three weeks ago and it's hitting perfect smoking pitch now...a no-nonsense mature VA flake, not overly bitey or sweet...the Perq sits very much in the background, barely noticeable. It is quality for sure but it does miss a "WOW" factor, that said, that's also its strong point...recommended...maybe a 3.5 stars but I don't see it worthy of a four...but if you like an honest VA flake and a wee pinch of Perq, you will not be unhappy with your thinner wallet.

This flake and St. James Woods were my foray a decade ago into what are now regularly referred to as VAPER blends. It has no deficits and ages grand. One flake lasts easily over an hour for me and oh the joy that 633 comes as full flakes. Why package tobacco as broken flake, when whole flakes are possible and breaking flake is so easy for those who wish for that form?

To my nose, there seems some sort of treatment to the leaf, but not artificially flavored or noticeably sweetened. There are solid Virginia flavors and a nice spice from the Perique, with enough complexity and flavor migration to keep me interested until it is dry ash. I note a touch of that fermented aroma when opening the tin akin to what many associate with vinegar or ketchup in McClelland's Virginia offerings.

I have come to enjoy this more than R. Will's Long Golden Flake, his other VAPER, which happens to have a touch of white burley and seems heavier in casing and is a touch flavored to my nose. LGF also bites me a bit. I like the balance and traditional character in 633.

My go-to VAPER flakes are Escudo, Fillmore, Three Nuns, St. James Woods and 633. My only complaint with them all is that they cannot be purchased in bulk for savings, except for Fillmore's 8oz. & 16oz. tins.

633 is sweeter on the spectrum than say Fillmore, not as much as Escudo or Three Nuns and closest to SJW. As to the Perique, 633 probably has less than my aforementioned VAPER favorites and more than Stokkebye's LNF and LBF.

Rudiger L. Will is Germany's Pease and is far and away the most adept blender on the European continent.

This one is great, a great prototypical VaPer, I'd recommend it to anyone wanting to start exploring the genre, along with De Luxe Navy Rolls (DLNRs).

Presentation is impeccable, smell from the tin is divine. Taste wise it is sweet, citrusy at times, spicy, grassy, a bit darker and heavier than DLRNs but they're really similar. Has plenty of body, perhaps a bit more than DLNRs, and feels like it has more nicotine. Very very pleasant from the first puff to the last.

I'm almost doing it a disservice not having a lot to write, but that's that, read my take on DLNRs, or any of the reviews of either blend and you'll get an idea. I'd have real trouble deciding which to cellar out of the two for the "Prototype VaPer" position, 633 may be better for my tastes, but DLNRs opened the genre for me so occupy a special place.

StBernard Flake is very similar, and one I have a lot of in my drawers, but I'd say 633 and DLNRs are superior quality, both are more expensive too though.

Over the past few months, it's been impossible to find my favorite Va/Per, Chacom #4... so I've been trying out other va/pers for a new favorite. Solani's 633 is the best I've had so far. It's smooth and sweet and complex at the same time. It has a subtle fruity sweetness that most other va/per's lack. It's certainly not overly sweet, but it has a delicate, really nice bright fruit (apple) topping... which is then balanced out perfectly with the dark fruit (fig/dried plum) and spiciness of the Perique. You can tell these are high quality tobaccos. It's just a sweeter, spicier, more complex, and seemingly fresher blend than most. I'm really looking forward to aging a tin or two.

Bottom line: Solani 633 is now my new favorite Virginia/Perique blend. It's a high quality, fresh, sweet, spicy, perfectly balanced blend.

The tin opening on Solani Virginia Flake with Perique was completely normal with a tight seal and a beautiful presentation of doubled rows of yellow dappled brown flakes. The tin aroma said VaPer, but, in a perplexingly timid way. I roughed out two flakes and aired them out for about an hour and a half. The blend's aroma softened some more and I wondered what kind of smoke this would be. So, on the advice of some of our reviewers, I loaded a big pipe and lit up. Most new blend's initial puffs are somewhat confusing, but, this blend stayed confusing for a while longer than normal. Eventually the blend began to take form as a soft and somewhat bland VaPer. This persisted on through to the middle third. Here the blend showed some signs that it might get stronger, but, no. Strength didn't come until we were well into the bottom third; a pattern I have observed over the years with weak blends - they smoke best in the bottom thirds. I found this blend so thin and weak that I began to be concerned that my tin was from an inferior batch. Then I studied the other two star reviews more closely and found a couple of reviewers that I have learned to trust over the years who felt similarly to my sentiments: Dr. Scott 2010-01-12 and Mr. Big 2017-06-09. I agree exactly with their opinions. These two plus the other reviewers who felt this blend was bland and weak show, clearly, that my tin was not a freak accident. I tried micro blending with Virginia Flake but to no great success; it weakened every blend I used it in - two stars.