J. F. Germain & Son Germain's Medium Flake
(2.84)
Red, brown and gold Virginia tobaccos pressed to give a medium color and a medium rate of burn, with fruit extracts.
Details
| Brand | J. F. Germain & Son |
| Blended By | J.F. Germain & Son |
| Manufactured By | J.F. Germain & Son |
| Blend Type | Straight Virginia |
| Contents | Virginia |
| Flavoring | Fruit / Citrus |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
2.84 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 11 - 14 of 14 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 10, 2012 | Medium | Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Medium Flake is one of those tobaccos that tends to go un-noticed by many, much to their unbeknownst disappointment, for they are missing a fine experience. This is essentially a golden and bronze VA flake, but it is not cut or sliced, making it more like plug tobaccos. You can select to sheer off fine strips, with a texture like horsehair, or cut a cube of it for your favourite clay.
The VAs are scented with violet, s it typical of a Lakeland, which I find most enjoyable. They are exceptionally delightful if you slightly toast the leaf before you pug it in your pipe, and I generally take the lid of an old tin and place it over an oil lamp (with a trimmer) with lay out a bit of Medium Flake on that, which brings out the violet scent and unfolds its hidden sweetness.
Like most VAs, Medium Flake is greatly enhanced with age. I managed to uncover a 10-year tin in my cellar and opened it, not realizing how long it was in there until I flipped it over, as the experience was so amazing, I had wondered what I was doing differently. Two years at least is what I suggest for the full experience, but if you can manage to sneak one away for a decade or two, you will e i for a divine treat.
A green tin is still very pleasant, and I keep one in regular rotation at all times. I find it exceptional early in the day (just after rising), with tea, or after dinner. It does not mix well with scotch, as the delicate ambrosia of Medium Flake is easily overpowered by any strong serums that you may care to partake with it. I find that simple water is best here.
A to bowl size, unlike some VAs that tend to bite, I have never had an issue with medium Flake. I have smoked it in everything from tiny (Group 1) bowls and clays, to my trusty OBD. The experience is perfect in any size, and as it is close to a plug from the tin, if you don't sheer it or rub it out it smoulders cool and fresh for a very long, smouldering smoke, and makes a good companion for reading.
The control you have over consistency is remarkable, so if you want a faster burn or fewer relights, you need only rub it out a tad more and it behaves admirably. It is also a good DGT candidate, especially in larger bowls. My only regret is that i can't buy it in 1Lb bricks.
The overall composition of Medium Flake is a very mellow Lakeland background note, with motes of honey, cake, copper, and a mead-like quality that you need to experience to fully appreciate.
The VAs are scented with violet, s it typical of a Lakeland, which I find most enjoyable. They are exceptionally delightful if you slightly toast the leaf before you pug it in your pipe, and I generally take the lid of an old tin and place it over an oil lamp (with a trimmer) with lay out a bit of Medium Flake on that, which brings out the violet scent and unfolds its hidden sweetness.
Like most VAs, Medium Flake is greatly enhanced with age. I managed to uncover a 10-year tin in my cellar and opened it, not realizing how long it was in there until I flipped it over, as the experience was so amazing, I had wondered what I was doing differently. Two years at least is what I suggest for the full experience, but if you can manage to sneak one away for a decade or two, you will e i for a divine treat.
A green tin is still very pleasant, and I keep one in regular rotation at all times. I find it exceptional early in the day (just after rising), with tea, or after dinner. It does not mix well with scotch, as the delicate ambrosia of Medium Flake is easily overpowered by any strong serums that you may care to partake with it. I find that simple water is best here.
A to bowl size, unlike some VAs that tend to bite, I have never had an issue with medium Flake. I have smoked it in everything from tiny (Group 1) bowls and clays, to my trusty OBD. The experience is perfect in any size, and as it is close to a plug from the tin, if you don't sheer it or rub it out it smoulders cool and fresh for a very long, smouldering smoke, and makes a good companion for reading.
The control you have over consistency is remarkable, so if you want a faster burn or fewer relights, you need only rub it out a tad more and it behaves admirably. It is also a good DGT candidate, especially in larger bowls. My only regret is that i can't buy it in 1Lb bricks.
The overall composition of Medium Flake is a very mellow Lakeland background note, with motes of honey, cake, copper, and a mead-like quality that you need to experience to fully appreciate.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 30, 2022 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is a quality tobacco with quality Virginias presented in a very tightly packed flake. I find it impossible to peel off a whole flake but that hardly matters as it smokes perfectly straight out of the tin and didn’t need any dry time and only one light after the initial flame. The aroma is of subtle floral notes with some background of fruit, maybe plum? But everything about this tobacco is subtle except for the enjoyment. For me that’s full on. This is great smoking tobacco and I love it.
Pipe Used:
Northern Briers and various other briers
PurchasedFrom:
Where ever I can find it.
Age When Smoked:
One year
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 13, 2021 | Medium | Mild | Medium | Very Pleasant |
Opening the tin I find soft feeling brown broken flakes that smell sweet and fruity, just what I love in a virginia flake and so typical of this outstanding blending house. The various virginia's provide tons dark fruit , citrus, a little spice, bread and has some nicotine, which I love. I prefer a fresher tin to an aged one as I find over time these virginia's mellow out and become so delicate and smooth that I can't feel the smoke at all and I lose that slight spice hit I crave. Some may love this but I like to feel my smoke. However, the taste, sweetness and wonderful room note retain all of their pleasurable characteristics. I don't know why this one doesn't get great reviews but you would never know it by how difficult these tins are to aquire these days. Love this stuff, four stars!!!!
Pipe Used:
Ben Wade English Hand Model
PurchasedFrom:
Anywhere I can find
Age When Smoked:
New and aged
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 30, 2020 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
I asked my local tobacconist to get me a list of rare tobacco blends. He focuses 70% on cigars, and only 30% pipe. Most of his collection was C&D, and Dan's Tobacco. He finally began receiving Esoterica. He is now well stocked on Esoterica. He has 7 of the blends including Penzance. I recently asked him to try to acquire the Germain's 1820 flake, and the Balkan sobranie. I'm waiting to hear from him. He also received 2 tins of Germain's medium flake which I purchased from him at $20 a tin. I love this guy. He has the best tobacco business I've seen in a 200 mile radius. I finally opened one of the Germain's Medium Flake 45 minutes ago. It is silky smooth strands of golden and dark golden Virginias.
Smells like hay. Really, and nothing but hay.
It tastes like hay more than any other blends of VA, or Vaper. It is so delicious that I think I'm going to ask him to get me few more. It has subtle sweetness with no artificial flavor detectable.
It is semi moist in tin, but ready to smoke in 10 min. It lights up surprisingly fast and burns evenly due to its strand-like form. It stays lit with little effort. This allows you to puff very gently and enjoy it without constantly worrying about relight.
It burns moderately hot. No worse than typical Virginia. It tastes the same from beginning to the end. Very consistent and well behaved. What a gem is this. I hate to say it, but after trying all the Esoterica line, and now this medium flake from Germain's, now I definitely agree with the hype. This company is unique. All their tobacco blends taste aged. To give you an example, the Esoterica Penzance that is sitting in my local tobacconist shelf is covered by this fine sugar powder Crystals.
And so, this tobacco also feels very grounded. Even though it is all Virginia, it is very mature, and stable. Get in contact with your tobacconist. That's the only way.
Smells like hay. Really, and nothing but hay.
It tastes like hay more than any other blends of VA, or Vaper. It is so delicious that I think I'm going to ask him to get me few more. It has subtle sweetness with no artificial flavor detectable.
It is semi moist in tin, but ready to smoke in 10 min. It lights up surprisingly fast and burns evenly due to its strand-like form. It stays lit with little effort. This allows you to puff very gently and enjoy it without constantly worrying about relight.
It burns moderately hot. No worse than typical Virginia. It tastes the same from beginning to the end. Very consistent and well behaved. What a gem is this. I hate to say it, but after trying all the Esoterica line, and now this medium flake from Germain's, now I definitely agree with the hype. This company is unique. All their tobacco blends taste aged. To give you an example, the Esoterica Penzance that is sitting in my local tobacconist shelf is covered by this fine sugar powder Crystals.
And so, this tobacco also feels very grounded. Even though it is all Virginia, it is very mature, and stable. Get in contact with your tobacconist. That's the only way.
Pipe Used:
Vauen billiard. 9mm filter
PurchasedFrom:
Local tobacconist
Age When Smoked:
6 months
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