Paul Olsen No. 111

Very old tin that I had lying around, and I can't recall where it came from or when I got it. I seem to find a few like that every once in awhile.

Small flakes, fairly dark in color, with a strong tin aroma, both fruity and pungent. Smoked at tin moisture, this was a cool-smoking fairly tasty mix, but dried to crispiness, this one shined. The flavor became more concise and yet more complex. This has enough perique so that the smoker will know it's there, but not so much as to overpower. Topnotch virginia tobaccos in this one and the Kentucky gives this both a sweet and savory taste while adding its usual body. As an old VaPer hand, it's not easy to find something unique but this one was. The topnote was mild and added to the overall sweetness but this would be considered a "straight" tobacco by most folks. Well worth a try if you can find it. I see below that this is still in production but I did a check and can't find it at my usual etailers at the moment.

Sweet, spicy and fulfilling. Great tobacco. Not one I'll smoke often but well worth the spin.

This is a nice VA flake with perique. I think it has more flavor than many other similar blends that I have tried, thus the third star. This really is a high quality tobacco, and I hope the rumors that I have heard that this is no longer made are not true.

This is a moist flake and must be dried out before smoking. It rubs out nicely, however, and burns easily if you get some of the moisture out. What is really surprising is how much flavor this tobacco has. It is sweet with a richness that sometimes is missing from this type of blend. Also, it is spicy, presumably from the perique, and it is nice to really notice that note in the blend.

A word of warning. This blend must be smoked with care and respect, or it will bite you hard. It can be smoked coolly, but you cannot huff and puff too vigorously if you want to avoid the sting. Overall, very nice.

I was eager to try 111 Flake. I like Stokkebye's Luxury Navy Flake and thought this would be right up my alley. My tin was purchased in November 2003 and opened in February this year.

111 has good, rich flavor, somewhat unrefined. This has the deeper flavors I was looking for, along with more body than LNF.

111 is actually more like Orlik's Dark Strong Kentucky, but 111 is less cased and without a noticeable aromatic agent added. I really don't see much of a comparison with the British VA/Burley flakes. The last third of the bowl is nicely powerful, and burns to a mottled, dry ash.

This has nipped me severly in all forms except whole flakes, even then it is still touchy. Adding some well-crumbled pieces on top of the flake before lighting proves the best performance for me. Packing this tight makes for a fight, leaving the tongue less than ol' right.

Olsen's MY OWN BLEND series should stay just that: HIS own blend. The line has consistently produced overly flavored, unsophisticated trash for pipe tobacco.

That said, 111 is an exquisite VA flake and those of you who doubt Olsen because of the inferiority of this line should at least try 111. Unfortunately, it only comes in 100g tins and the 10-13 bucks might be excessive for a brand this unreliable. Ask your tobacconist if there's any in the back to try.

Anyone accustomed to Gawith Medium Virginia but want something stronger should enjoy 111. The addition of perique (and a good amount there is) mellows and sweetens the taste while adding a noticeable kick in strength.

And what's so astounding about it? NO BITE. Yes, unlike FORMER'S personal blend, 111 is biteless virginia which is a glorious feat unto itself.

This one's a winner. A delicate, decently balanced VA. Recommended for English lovers too.

ngandhi

Here we're talking a flake that has it all. Have smoked quite some of this, especially in the beginning of the 2000s. A very complex flavour that can satisfy any VaPer friend. Needs a little airing, maybe 30min to 1 hour and then burns nice and cool to the end. Thick contemplative smoke. I rate it a bit on the strong side, because at the last third it packs quite a punch. The room note is ok, with the occasional wife murderous look across the room. For the reviewer before me, don't worry, they still make it;-). 3 stars from me, 4 stars belong to 499 in my agenda.

While I still prefer my VA/P blends to be a bit on the "natural" and "rough" side ala C+D and GLP - this *is* an excellent rendition of the ingredients. It is actually far more natural and "straight" tasting than even the Esoterica VA/P line. I don't think I'd smoke it all the time, but it carries a combination of sweet and spice (with just the right nuances of each) that could keep me coming back to it on occasion.

A new shipment of Paul Olsen tobaccos into paylesspipes in New Orleans has just made my day/week/and month. Bring on the summer storms and I'll just puff smoke at 'em. This indeed is a good one from the beginning. This is a fine, straight, natural virginia flake. No scenting. Dry and steady burning. Needs a little care in initial lighting. It has a rich if not rugged (stepped up) taste, but due to the light room aroma can be smoked indoors.

There's a lot in the tin. Many stacks of sizable flakes piled up on each other. Black and gold streaks. Looks like a treasure chest. Easy to cut into squares to gravity feed, twist or push down, or rub out (I don't break this flake up much, for a slow burn).

The natural flavor is akin to a good straight va. flake, e.g., G&H Bright CR Flake, F&T Cut Virginia Plug, Connosseiur's Cavendish, Rattray's Hal 'O the Wind, but it's strength is heavier than most (still not as stout as some G&H flakes). But not sweet like Solani's virginia flake or quite as round as Reiner's Long Golden Flake. This extra step in body in #111 is due, I'm sure, to the added Kentucky burley. The virginia here alone may have been too much without coolness that both the perique (which I don't taste here) and burley bring to it. There is still a little tang to remind you of smoking a virgina leaf, but no bite. I would still recommend slow puffing.

If you're into flakes, this is a good rich one with no added flavors and that's shy of being extra stout. (Perique is background only so it shouldn't turn you off if you're not into it.) The burley does not erase or mute the virginia taste. Cut Virginia Plug may be a good starter, but this one carries you throught the rest of the day or evening, whether watching TV, walking the dog, hunting, golfing, etc. Highly recommended. I will buy more of this from Tim of paylesspipes.