Reiner Blend 71: Long Golden Flake

These are my notes from 2009... immediately after popping the lid the very first thing I noted was a Licorice aroma... possibly an Ouzo casing/topping. Hopefully flavoring has changed by now but I won't risk trying to find out. I despise a Licorice flavoring in tobacco. The Licorice essence carried over into the flavor & subsided somewhat after a few puffs but continued to remain in the background... like a bacteria that couldn't be destroyed. It turned me off & I've never tried it again & couldn't finish the tin. It sat on the shelf for years until it dried out & was eventually trashed. Lesson learned: Just because the majority liked it & gave rave reviews, doesn't mean that it'll be favorable to you. I felt like my $$ went down the drain which is the only reason I persevered & tried to finish it off... but alas, it was no use.

This blend smoked mildly with a "little" sweetness. I was expecting & prefer a stronger mixture but it appeared that the Burley played "second fiddle" in this blend. However the apportionment of the varietals melded OK after a few puffs & things turned out pretty good & gained a little more strength toward the end of the bowl... too late! Anyway, it was a VA/Bur/Per blend that didn't bite, was easy to prepare, good burn rate & burned down to a gray ash with little condensation. This didn't make it in my rotation, nor will it ever but I pinched off some of this flake belt and smoked it occasionally.

However, Silver Flake 660: by the same blender holds a General's rank in my top ten rotation... Reiner's Long GF, maybe a Corporal. Because of the overabundance of Licorice flavor in this blend, I'll never seek out or try any other blend containing anise or licorice unless used in an almost undetectable state. I extremely dislike licorice in a tobacco blend. Hence the reason I've never attempted Bengal Slices... Licorice is not a bad candy or breath freshener but not good for mixing in tobacco. Thunderbird Wine or Naphtha would have been a better alternative for flavoring. Alas... one small mistake outweighs much wisdom. Too much Ouzo or Licorice in this blend reduced what could have been something special into a below average offering. On the plus side, the empty tin is good for storing & retaining trinkets & small family heirlooms.

Having read the other reviews of this blend, I feel like I must have gotten something else. Still, I call them like I see/smell/taste them, so here goes: My first tin of Reiner’s #71, Long Golden Flake had 3 long tobacco belts rolled into a nice, antique-style tin, with a metal lid that can be re-used many times, however, it does not re-seal perfectly. The flakes are mostly medium brown, with flecks ranging from gold to dark brown. Tin note is wet, old leather, also celery root over geranium that smells a lot like St. Bruno Flake. Despite K&K say RLGF is topped with honey and orange, and I don’t doubt it, I never did smell or taste it as such. Strips of tobacco can be torn off the belts and folded and stuffed, but it takes patience to light and some technique to smoke it down like this, straight from the tin. It is easier to deal with if it’s rubbed out and dried some before smoking it, and it takes some time to dry it out. Lit, I get the celery/geranium over earthy air and also flue cured VAs, over tannic, bitter white burly, over slightly figgy, not-so-spicy Perique. Well dried, the topping fades considerably, but it remains a crossover, IMO. Smoked wet or dry, just about the time the fairly deep tobacco flavors start to balance, it tastes and feels to me like my mouth is getting coated by something that seems like my old nemesis, propylene glycol. Whatever it is, once this starts, it’s over for me, and I lose objectivity. Strength is more medium than mild. Tastes are medium. Room note is tolerable. Aftertaste for me is an oily, smoky version of the smoke.

To me, RLGF is a lot like St. Bruno Flake (which I have also reviewed, q.v.), but I much prefer the latter. I do perceive the quality of the RLGF tobaccos, but I can’t quite get into the actual blend as it’s presented, as I find this VA and this Burly are not well met, and I think the topping is too “isolated” from the tobacco and too strong for this blend at the same time, not to mention the PG/oiling. Basically, I can see where others might like it, but it’s not for me. Only because it’s +/- unique and “high quality” do I somewhat recommend RLGF; 2 stars from me. IMO, better stick with St. Bruno Flake.

Mild and faint spicy flavor. Good smoke, not a favorite.

This is a good "treat" tobacco to me. No way could I enjoy it more than once a day or even on consecutive days. A few times a month and it works nicely for me.

Looks like a leather belt and comes rolled up in a nifty paint can. I fully rub it out.

It's a busy-body tobacco that pipe snobs seem to enjoy, with all kinds of things going on in the flavor department. Licorice is pretty dominant to my palate, but there's also hay or grassiness. It's also pretty spicy.

To me, it's just too busy to enjoy on a regular basis. I smoke pipes for flavor and relaxation and don't want to be overwhelmed or constantly distracted. I can tell this is quality stuff and I find it nice on occasion.

I'm about at the end of my paint can (it has lasted over two years) and most likely won't get a replacement. There are other tobaccos I'm interested in or always want to have on hand. I'm glad I bought the can, however, and glad I smoked it, but I can easily live without it.

I cannot decide wether I like this better or Silver Flake.

Well I guess I have to keep on alternating them untill I know 🙂

update: All in all I would have preferred Silver Flake to come in a Reiner Long Golden Flake tin, then it would be up there in my 'Favourites' list.

update nov 2010 Coming back after having tried a lot of other tobaccoes like Synjeco's Flowers of Ireland, Holker and Oxenfisl twist and my now favourite S.G. Best Brown, I'm knocking of 2 stars...

Odd, but my sampling of this blend is completely at odds with most of the other reviews here. Pre-light, it smells a bit like whiskey, and is pleasant. Lighting is a breeze; just fold n' stuff, give it a torch and you're off and puffing. TONS of light grey smoke just POURING from the bowl - this I like, but the aroma is not quite as pleasant once it's burning. Unfortunately, even a gentle draw turns the flavor spicy and bitter, with tons of 'baccy juice. Ugh.

Given that my experience is not the norm, I'm going to let this age until next winter and try again. As it stands right now, it's nearly unsmokable.