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 1 - 10 of 19 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 12, 2012 | Mild | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Taken for what it is, Germain's Medium Flake is a lovely tobacco. But it is, without question, an aromatic—a mild, golden Virginia flake with an obvious topping applied quite liberally. A smoker expecting an unadulterated flake (or less obviously adulterated at any rate) will likely be disappointed with this otherwise fine offering.
This tobacco arrived on my shelf almost by accident. It was fuelled by a phone call from an e-tailer informing me that my order of Germain's Brown Flake couldn't be filled but the Medium Flake could be offered as a substitute. I agreed, even though I knew nothing of the tobacco. After I suggested the substitution, I wandered over to tobaccoreviews to get the skinny on MF and discovered few favorable reviews. A 2 ** blend. Ah well.
When I first popped the tin and loaded a bowl, I was less than impressed. What I encountered was a golden Virginia flake with a fairly intense citrus topping reminiscent of little Christmas oranges--mandarins, clementines, tangerines. The flake was pressed firmly into the wee tin and I found it well-nigh impossible to take a whole flake out of the tin. Instead, it came out as a fine ribbon--almost a shag—which, it turns out, is incredibly easy to load and keep lit.
I found this a little light and dull at first. But once the summer arrived in my dry, desert state, I began to turn to this lovely little smoke often. The mildness, gentle orange-flavored sweetness, and general cleanliness of this smoke just seemed to work exceptionally well in the dry, summer heat. I went for days where I smoked nothing but this. The only criticism of MF that I can offer is that even slightly accelerated smoking can transform the citrus notes into something more resembling burnt sugar.
Highly recommended as a hot weather smoke.
This tobacco arrived on my shelf almost by accident. It was fuelled by a phone call from an e-tailer informing me that my order of Germain's Brown Flake couldn't be filled but the Medium Flake could be offered as a substitute. I agreed, even though I knew nothing of the tobacco. After I suggested the substitution, I wandered over to tobaccoreviews to get the skinny on MF and discovered few favorable reviews. A 2 ** blend. Ah well.
When I first popped the tin and loaded a bowl, I was less than impressed. What I encountered was a golden Virginia flake with a fairly intense citrus topping reminiscent of little Christmas oranges--mandarins, clementines, tangerines. The flake was pressed firmly into the wee tin and I found it well-nigh impossible to take a whole flake out of the tin. Instead, it came out as a fine ribbon--almost a shag—which, it turns out, is incredibly easy to load and keep lit.
I found this a little light and dull at first. But once the summer arrived in my dry, desert state, I began to turn to this lovely little smoke often. The mildness, gentle orange-flavored sweetness, and general cleanliness of this smoke just seemed to work exceptionally well in the dry, summer heat. I went for days where I smoked nothing but this. The only criticism of MF that I can offer is that even slightly accelerated smoking can transform the citrus notes into something more resembling burnt sugar.
Highly recommended as a hot weather smoke.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 29, 2014 | Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
J.F. Germain's - Medium Flake.
I adore Germain's Rich Dark Flake so this had a lot to live up to!
The moment I open mine up I am greeted by a Virginia aroma with a zesty addition. It's a little moist, but not Sam G' wet! Mine includes a few broken flakes. These are easy to prepare.
Lighting this one is a real easy task, a few short touches of the flame are plentiful to supply a full burn which is very even and consistent. I like the taste, it's mainly Virginia but in the background there's a notable tingling of citrus, which becomes amplified if retro-haled. The nicotine level is quite mild with this one, not ridiculously so, but still below medium. The burn's medium in temperature and it doesn't bite.
A nice flake that's just short of a full house.
Recommended.
I adore Germain's Rich Dark Flake so this had a lot to live up to!
The moment I open mine up I am greeted by a Virginia aroma with a zesty addition. It's a little moist, but not Sam G' wet! Mine includes a few broken flakes. These are easy to prepare.
Lighting this one is a real easy task, a few short touches of the flame are plentiful to supply a full burn which is very even and consistent. I like the taste, it's mainly Virginia but in the background there's a notable tingling of citrus, which becomes amplified if retro-haled. The nicotine level is quite mild with this one, not ridiculously so, but still below medium. The burn's medium in temperature and it doesn't bite.
A nice flake that's just short of a full house.
Recommended.
Pipe Used:
Falcon
PurchasedFrom:
G.Q Tobaccos
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 04, 2014 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
The wide variety of reviews make me wonder if there are some quality control issues with this, or if it just shows how subjective we are. In any case, my tin is firmly in the apricot tin aroma (as opposed to citrus or florals), which really only showed up in the pipe the first few times I tried this. At that point, I was rather unimpressed, as I was left with a rather unpleasant last 1/4 of a bowl. With the tin almost finished, however, either the topping has blown off or I've gotten used to it, as it primarily tastes of medium-dark VAs with just the slightest hint of fruit at the beginning of a bowl, and it's a solid 'medium' blend. As I've noticed many of the Germain blends improve after being opened for two weeks, I'll go with that explanation. For me, it works best in taller bowls.
Since I know there are many tobaccos out there I would rate a 4, the question arises would I rebuy this particular tobacco, assuming my tastes don't change much more. In this case, the answer is not often.
Since I know there are many tobaccos out there I would rate a 4, the question arises would I rebuy this particular tobacco, assuming my tastes don't change much more. In this case, the answer is not often.
Pipe Used:
various briars
PurchasedFrom:
pipes & cigars
Age When Smoked:
1 year after purchase
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 20, 2002 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is another nice flake by Germain. It is mostly a bright golden virginia flake, but there are some other virgina types mixed in. However, it is densely packed in the tin (I got over 20 bowls from one tin in a local Tinder Box Ser Jacopo medium bent), and is difficult to lift or pull out many nice size slices for packing in a pipe. Most leaves come out in a rough shag. It still smokes cooly if you excercise a little patience in your packing. Maybe some who like to rub out their flakes more will like the resulting shag from the tin.
It is lighter, sweeter and tangier compared to its fuller and very cool brother, Brown Flake (which I like more). Medium flake may have a slight citrus scent, but it is light. Most of the steady sweetness must come from the naturally sweet golden virginia leaf.
I find many golden and bright virginia flakes delicious but hot. Only a couple are my regulars in my rotation. Germain's medium flake is a good one if smoked slowly, and is lighter than the robust Solani 633 golden virginia/perique blend, and not as round as the Solani Long Golden Flake. It is bit cooler and somewhat more complex than Gawith & Hoggarth's Bright CR Flake. And it's cooler than a lot of others.
Overall, this is dry, reasonably cool, and steady burning. If you like a sweet flake with a classic bright virginia tang (like a mild salsa, but not hot unless pushed), gives a tin a try.
It is lighter, sweeter and tangier compared to its fuller and very cool brother, Brown Flake (which I like more). Medium flake may have a slight citrus scent, but it is light. Most of the steady sweetness must come from the naturally sweet golden virginia leaf.
I find many golden and bright virginia flakes delicious but hot. Only a couple are my regulars in my rotation. Germain's medium flake is a good one if smoked slowly, and is lighter than the robust Solani 633 golden virginia/perique blend, and not as round as the Solani Long Golden Flake. It is bit cooler and somewhat more complex than Gawith & Hoggarth's Bright CR Flake. And it's cooler than a lot of others.
Overall, this is dry, reasonably cool, and steady burning. If you like a sweet flake with a classic bright virginia tang (like a mild salsa, but not hot unless pushed), gives a tin a try.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 14, 2016 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
Broken flake, easily rubbed out to a fine-cut mixture, almost like cigarette rolling tobacco. Lightish brown. Almost completely tasteless - I had to keep checking that the pipe was still alight. Rubbish - which is a pity, because I've liked all the other Germain tobaccos I've tried.
(Edit) I take it all back - well, a lot of it, anyway. I'm now smoking my fourth bowlful, and it's suddenly come alive. I've no idea why the first two bowls were so disappointing, but now it's a pleasant, medium-strength, slightly fruity smoke. I wouldn't say it's outstanding, but it's pleasant enough. I have altered my ratings accordingly.
(Edit) I take it all back - well, a lot of it, anyway. I'm now smoking my fourth bowlful, and it's suddenly come alive. I've no idea why the first two bowls were so disappointing, but now it's a pleasant, medium-strength, slightly fruity smoke. I wouldn't say it's outstanding, but it's pleasant enough. I have altered my ratings accordingly.
Pipe Used:
Cherrywood, briar and meerschaum
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 06, 2016 | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Pleasant |
It is kind of a stretch to call this a flake since it comes out of the tin more in strings than anything, but that's what you get with Germain. They've been at this for almost 200 years, so I'm happy to trust their expertise.
Medium Flake fills a very specific role in my rotation: a crowd-friendly Virginia that I can smoke around people without offending them. It's much more satisfying than a super sweet American-style Cavendish, and the component Virginias are expertly blended. There's a lot going on underneath the flavoring here that is worth tasting, although that sweet fruity flavor is present to the bottom of the bowl.
Purists should avoid this blend, but nobody really cares what those people think anyway. Anyone looking for a pleasant, moderately complex, tasty Virginia smoke should see if Medium Flake scratches that itch.
Medium Flake fills a very specific role in my rotation: a crowd-friendly Virginia that I can smoke around people without offending them. It's much more satisfying than a super sweet American-style Cavendish, and the component Virginias are expertly blended. There's a lot going on underneath the flavoring here that is worth tasting, although that sweet fruity flavor is present to the bottom of the bowl.
Purists should avoid this blend, but nobody really cares what those people think anyway. Anyone looking for a pleasant, moderately complex, tasty Virginia smoke should see if Medium Flake scratches that itch.
Pipe Used:
basket pipe
Age When Smoked:
fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 29, 2009 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
update: going through my reviews here, i find that i'll have to downgrade a good deal of the praise i've given so many blends. 4 stars should, i feel, be reserved for the blends i find truly exceptional. so, this is downgraded a bit. end update.
tin aroma is definitely flavoured. my first association was to player's flakes, or perhaps will's capstan flakes. it's fruity, hay-like, winey. very pleasant imo, and a genre of flavouring i haven't smelled for years.
the flakes are medium brown. a bit difficult to get whole flakes out of the tin, but easy to load and light.
the taste and smell of the smoke is a lot less coloured by the flavour than is the tin aroma. it's first of all a sweet (in a quite different sense than so many continental blends), gentle, pure virginia of medium strength that burns nicely to the bottom of the bowl. there are faint whispers of vanilla and sandalwood, but the predominating taste is of well aged and pressed virginias with their fermented brandyish and berryish notes. very finely tuned blend, and the slight flavouring really complements the tobacco's own flavours.
i think it is delightfull, and i find myself smoking quite a bit of it.
an old fashioned, fine tobacco, which alas also wakens a nostalgia for all the wonderful british virginia blends now long gone (capstan, simmon's, fribourg & treyer's etc)!
tin aroma is definitely flavoured. my first association was to player's flakes, or perhaps will's capstan flakes. it's fruity, hay-like, winey. very pleasant imo, and a genre of flavouring i haven't smelled for years.
the flakes are medium brown. a bit difficult to get whole flakes out of the tin, but easy to load and light.
the taste and smell of the smoke is a lot less coloured by the flavour than is the tin aroma. it's first of all a sweet (in a quite different sense than so many continental blends), gentle, pure virginia of medium strength that burns nicely to the bottom of the bowl. there are faint whispers of vanilla and sandalwood, but the predominating taste is of well aged and pressed virginias with their fermented brandyish and berryish notes. very finely tuned blend, and the slight flavouring really complements the tobacco's own flavours.
i think it is delightfull, and i find myself smoking quite a bit of it.
an old fashioned, fine tobacco, which alas also wakens a nostalgia for all the wonderful british virginia blends now long gone (capstan, simmon's, fribourg & treyer's etc)!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 22, 2020 | Mild | Extremely Mild | Mild | Unnoticeable |
One of my main sample suppliers, 😊 at the pipe club brought in this one and some others. This was a nice faintly sweet-smelling tobacco out of the tin with lightly reddish-brown flakes really jammed packed in there so as when you went to retrieve a couple you mostly got shredded wheat. If this is flavored it is extremely mild and to me only brings out taste of the tobacco. A really good smoke.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 28, 2018 | Mild | Mild | Mild | Pleasant |
Flake? I'd say shag in lumps. But it doesn't matter a bit. Reminiscent of Samuel Gawith's Golden Glow, although that one is not flavoured. What they both have is some prime bright VA notes, with lots of citrusy deliciousness. In Medium Flake, som of this flavour also comes from the topping. Some say the topping is obvious. I'm not so sure. First time I smoked Medium Flake I used a brand new cob, and the mild corn flavour completely masked the topping. It's not unnoticeable, but it's much more of a supplement to the natural flavours than a flavouring with a taste of it's own. I don't usually prefer aromatic blends, but I certainly don't mind this. It's predominantly feels and behaves like a straight Virginia. Very very delicious.
Pipe Used:
Billiards
PurchasedFrom:
Black Swan Shoppe / thebackysop.co.uk
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 16, 2018 | Medium | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
I waited for a long time to purchase this blend because once they are released they are available for a little time.once the tin breaks a pleasant topping comes out with some grass and earthy notes.the bright and brown virginias are cut in shag way and then pressed into loose and smooth texture flakes wich brake apart very easy or can be folded as they are.the moisture is proper, lights well and very few relights are needed.while smoking the sweet topping wich has for sure apricot is not strong but enough to subtlimate the tobacco flavours wich are more obvious after a while.the virginia flavours are rich offering citruses,grass,earthy and bread notes.generally the flavours are pleasant and natural.burns quicker than the average pipe tobacco and medium hot.no tongue bite present with a nice aftertaste.the nicotine level is medium and the room note tolerable.leaves a lot moisture at the filter.an all day smoke.generally this one is a decent blend.
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
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