G. L. Pease Stonehenge Flake

NOTE: Review of Stonehenge Flake's 2017 re-release in the last two paragraphs. Back about ten years ago, I was fortunate enough to obtain one of these rare (1 of 1,500 two ounce tins, manufactured in 2001) from Pipestud's Consignment Shop. This tastes/smokes nothing like you'd expect from the tin aroma. Shades of Lakeland style flavoring that seemed to compliment & enhance the sweetness of the mixture. This stuff really starts producing a good flavor after a fourth of it has burned off when the initial harshness begins to fade into a fairly strong savory blend that smokes mildly.

Easily rubbed out or folded, it smokes cool either way. Plenty of rich, creamy smoke with respectable strength. I loved the chocolate/cocoa flavor but it did not overtake the rich tobacco taste. I've never tasted anything like this before or since. I didn't notice the soapy flavor so much that some have mentioned but I surely noticed an alluring flavor from the smoke. The combination of top shelf leaf is expertly blended, smells good, burns great, smokes mild & sweet, requires minor maintenance & produces minimal moisture. The flavor remains throughout the bowl and doesn't get harsh or bitter toward the end. Drying it out pretty good will provide a better smoke and doing so won't diminish the flavor. One of the best of this genre that I've ever smoked. This blend kept me coming back for more. I suggest airing this out until the sharpness from the aroma subsides a little. Be careful because the thin flakes dry out quickly if the tin is left open too long.

This stuff commands a premium & has already become legendary. So, try to reward yourself with at least one tin if possible. Truly remarkable. Therefore, IMHO, SF easily obtains a four star rating for an expertly crafted masterpiece. Sampled in a size two Dunny Shell Briar & a size 2 Stanwell... NOTE my comments on the newer SF below...

October, 2018 AD... Anno Domini, the year of our Lord. About the re-released Stonehenge Flake: Tin note is of a very slight aroma of cocoa & of course, the smell of tobacco. This review is based on a second bowl I've sampled in a clean Meerschaum to be sure I was getting the truest, purest flavor from this blend. I lit up and took several good puffs & at that point, didn't really notice much other than a regular tobacco taste/flavor. Then, I let the pipe sit & cool for about twenty minutes, tamped & then relit. I usually employ this DGT method regardless of what tobacco I'm sampling, with the exception of the straight Burley stuff. Upon relighting & after a few more tokes, I started noticing a little more sweetness, pepper & fruit from the Perique & then the cocoa flavor came to the forefront, although very slight, it complimented the smoking experience considerably & this mix started tasting so good, I just wanted to jet-stream this stuff but maintained my composure & continued sipping this wonderful concoction.

It seemed to me that the Burley is the dominant player in this game as the VA sweetness subsides somewhat toward the finish & the Perique also seems to tone down a bit but is always noticeable. The flavoring seemed to be more "chocolaty" than I'd noticed in the 2001 version but could be due to the age difference. However, it is so very slight & hardly noticeable. I noticed the flavor becoming more pronounced after about one third of the way through & at the halfway point, tasted even better as the varietals melded into a good flavor & the Perique in this blend lent itself to compliment the cocoa flavor & remained until the finish. SF is fairly mild tasting but has a pretty good nicotine hit, will not bite but the peppery effect of the Perique might make it feel like it does. It can be left unattended for a fairly good while & will fire back up again with a few puffs... really good stuff!

I'm sure that a bit of aging will bring forth a little more sweetness from the VA & should present a even tastier treat. This is another one of those excellent blends that demonstrates the finer procurement & blending process of experienced professionals in their craft. Great job!