Holger Danske Royal Navy Flake

Capstan Mild?.Orlick?s Golden Sliced?.Fribourg & Treyer?s Golden Mixture?.Mac Baren?s Virginia Flake?.give or take a bit of Burley, a bit of topping, they are all of a similar weight and profile. Good enough, but not entirely justifiable. Unrubbed, it will smoke cooler: just about the only reason to put this kind of thing in flake form; complex, it isn?t. Pleasant, refreshing, lemony? Yes. Too lightweight and inconsequential for me. Even in Summer. (When one can glory in Reiner?s heavenly Long Golden Flake!) Nice packaging.

The pouch note is a sweet Virginia flake smell. All dried fruits and a little hay. I cannot identify what the topping is but it seems to be fruity. The flakes are thin and neat. They rub out nicely(my preferred method of preparation)

I find it needs a little drying time - for me about 30 minutes. It takes the flame well and left no dottle.

This is a very good medium Virginia flake. I find it similar to capstan blue. But maybe a little milder.

But if you like the capstan I think you will like this. Give it a try.

I am a real sucker for good Straight Virginias, and even more so in a Navy Flake. Combine the two like this blend has done and I am potentially in Tobacco Heaven. It has been on my list of must try blends for a while, and it did not disappoint. In the UK we are sadly devoid of many of the classic flakes like Capstan and Orlik and it is a real treat to find something that can be found without the considerable ball ache of an international order. The only minor inconvenience is that it comes in a 40g pouch instead of the classic 50g tin found elsewhere. The flakes are a very well pressed meaty offering about 5" long and I cut them in half making 10 neat standard flakes to jar. The pouch note is nothing short of divine and it smells rich and boozy like a fruit cake mix with a hint of sherry and rum, although there is allegedly only a fruit topping. Moisture is nigh perfect but I always like to allow some drying time. I rubbed mine out and filled a favorite pipe of mine. Blakemar Briars "Sir Douglas" which is reserved for Virginias. Lighting is very easy and it is even possible to dispense with the charring light as it is that user friendly. Right from the get go, you are met with wave after wave of rich sweet bready Virginia goodness. Like a Tea Loaf or Cinnamon Bread with raisins. There is some citrus, but it is more like orange peel or dark Seville Marmalade than lemon. It is very much like Capstan Blue and Sam Gawith BBF got together and had a love child. This is the result, and a very good one it is too. Burns down all the way with no bitterness to a fine white ash. No bite, no dottle to speak of and no unwanted moisture. This has become my new benchmark blend and is in my opinion, the finest Navy Flake anywhere. An easy 4 stars.

Update:

Currently on my second pouch and enjoying it very much. This pouch needs some drying time and feels a bit sticky but my guess is that it is fresher. Word is that MacBaren took over the Planta portfolio, including the Holger Dansk brands, so time will tell how good it continues to be. MacBaren do make a good flake, so lets hope they don't mess around with the recipe. Now if only they could sell it in 50gm tins ? Please....

Flakes are the perfect level of moisture and they light perfectly. Stays lit too. I definitely got the tang of the lemon and it stays at the forefront until half bowl. For me the taste is very reminiscent of a Montecristo cigar, with a very citrusy taste and slight pepper quality. I did find a creeping bite which is there to warn you not to rush. I dunno though... Would I recommend it? Yes! Would I have it often? Nope... Just a little over the top for my taste

I bought a tin after my tobacconist gave me a few flakes to try. I blew through the 6 he gave me and immediately bought one. The tin note is beautiful. Dried fruit, fresh hay. As noted by another reviewer, the presentation is great. Neat little can with two perfectly cut stacks of nicely pressed flakes that fit into the can without a hair of space. This flake works best for me folded then rubbed into the palm of my hand. This method produces fine ribbons and grains that when gravity fed into a bowl lights easily and stays lit. The smoke is smooth, with a nice minute hint of sweetness. The ash is fine and grey/white. I found this flake to be smokable immediately without pre-seasoning. Another flake to keep on hand.

My first foray into navy flakes,the tin and tobacco presentation is really lovely especially in this age of austerity. On opening greeted with a gold leaf surprise - a nice touch. The raw tinned flakes smell good with definite quality virginia, discreet aroma - hard to place but definately not un-pleasant. The flakes rubbed down well (youtube guidance),lit and burned well, I am breaking in a new Parker pipe and decided to give this pipe over to this full tin - smoking slowly over time. The room note is ok but "she who must be obeyed" said it is not as nice as the aromatics I have been smoking. I would like the Parker to be fully broken in for a good deep bowl full but so far so good. I would smoke this again. This could be my everyday smoke.

I tend to stay away from mild tobaccos as I find myself inhaling the smoke way way too much trying to get at that nicoteen hit for which the cavity of the mouth won't do on light smokes. However, this light flake is the exception. Although mild in strength it is exceedingly pleasant on my taste buds negating the necessity to draw the smoke any further into my body. RNF is similar to Virginia No.1 and thankfully it does not bite me as in the MacBaren offering. All-in-all, a delightful blend with great taste, burn and workability. I will purchase this blend again without hesitation.

Nice looking flakes, on the gold/light brown side.

Not very tasty and the room note was horrible -sour, acrid, yucky.

Nice tin presentation. Virginia flake with fruit casing. Hay and citrus taste, a traditional Danish flake ideal for an all day smoke or for a beginner with Virginia flake tobacco. The tobacco taste is somewhat inconsistent.

Update: After the tobacco has dried for some time, the casing is lighter, the flavor got much better and the taste is now more consistent. It is a bit harsh on the throat if puffed fast.

Virginia lover