Astley's No.109 Medium Flake
(3.24)
An excellent all day smoke for the Virginia lover. Mild and mellow mixture.
Notes: Originally blended in England.
Details
| Brand | Astley's |
| Blended By | |
| Manufactured By | Kohlhase & Kopp |
| Blend Type | Straight Virginia |
| Contents | Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin |
| Country | Germany |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.24 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 11 - 20 of 74 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 09, 2001 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
This is doubtlessly the best pressed Virginia blend that I have ever tried. I'm honestly not sure why it doesn't get the kind of recognition that other Va. Flakes do. Regardless of its level of critical acclaim, I have yet to find a superior straight Virginia flake for both its remarkable flavor and round, but never overwhelming, body.
It is unquestionably a rather sweet blend. The natural sweetness of the Virginias manage to surface without the slight bitterness that, for example, is associated with some of McClelland's flakes. Similarly, the sheer weight of the smoke (or the body) doesn't seem to interrupt the flavors to the same degree as any of Gawith's Virginia Flakes.
I find it is a far better smoke when given as much attention as possible. Along with a couple of Greg Pease's blends, this is one of the few tobaccos that I really feel like I have to sit down and smoke carefully and thoughtfully. All of the nuance is lost (and the beauty of this blend is most certainly in its nuanced complexity), when the blend is not the primary focus of the smoker. (By the way, Astley's #2 is an excellent all day smoke that doesn't require much attention to be appreciated. I smoke Astley's #2 as one of my primary all day smokes, but I long ago gave up trying to appreciate #109 without giving it its due attention.)
Certainly the most predominant sub-flavor is fruity. At the beginning of the bowl, I seem to get more citrusy notes as a result of the acids in the tobacco (I presume). The blend seems to mellow as progresses and loses some of the tartness. By the end of the bowl, soft fruitiness (like very ripe plums or grapes) seems to be the predominant flavor.
This is one of only three or four blends that I would "highly recommend".
It is unquestionably a rather sweet blend. The natural sweetness of the Virginias manage to surface without the slight bitterness that, for example, is associated with some of McClelland's flakes. Similarly, the sheer weight of the smoke (or the body) doesn't seem to interrupt the flavors to the same degree as any of Gawith's Virginia Flakes.
I find it is a far better smoke when given as much attention as possible. Along with a couple of Greg Pease's blends, this is one of the few tobaccos that I really feel like I have to sit down and smoke carefully and thoughtfully. All of the nuance is lost (and the beauty of this blend is most certainly in its nuanced complexity), when the blend is not the primary focus of the smoker. (By the way, Astley's #2 is an excellent all day smoke that doesn't require much attention to be appreciated. I smoke Astley's #2 as one of my primary all day smokes, but I long ago gave up trying to appreciate #109 without giving it its due attention.)
Certainly the most predominant sub-flavor is fruity. At the beginning of the bowl, I seem to get more citrusy notes as a result of the acids in the tobacco (I presume). The blend seems to mellow as progresses and loses some of the tartness. By the end of the bowl, soft fruitiness (like very ripe plums or grapes) seems to be the predominant flavor.
This is one of only three or four blends that I would "highly recommend".
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 06, 2018 | Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Ok what's the deal,? This used to be a 'wraparound flake' flake right?? Marlin flakesque from what I understand... the tin I bought looked like neat stacks of capstan.. disappointment aside, when I lit up my Frank method packed rub out... I was greeted with a warm, earthy, spicy (More cayenne than pepper) Virginia palette. .settled in later on in the smoke to a carmally raw sugar note..seems pretty pure, relatively unflavored.. not my cup o tea.. but delicious and a very distinct natural tobacco..
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 17, 2018 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
Medium, very high quality VA. This is what I take, along with a Lovat or bulldog on a long walk in the countryside, or when beachcombing. I want the weight, the creaminess and the smoothness of a good VA, but I don't need complex flavours or tobaccos that require any special handling to perform well. Long strands of this flake twisted carefully but firmly down into the bowl (NOT rubbed) perform these tasks splendidly, IMO. There are stronger flakes out there, which I may use later in the day, but unlike Astleys 44 for instance, this one is better behaved; no nicotine/oily gurglings or fussing about with pipe cleaners mid smoke. I have a guess that many reviewers call this a milder tobacco not because it is mild (I think it's firmly medium) but because it is so well behaved that the smoking experience is 'milder' overall. -there is plenty of satisfying strength here. Absolute model of a well-behaved plain, medium VA. The other great thing about this one is that it will tell you a good deal about the condition of the pipe being used; if there is any strange taste or 'ghosting' from another tobacco, this straight VA will reveal it, and will indicate that cleaning may be necessary.
Pipe Used:
Asthon bulldog & other shorties.
PurchasedFrom:
Ries, Chicago
Age When Smoked:
3 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 28, 2016 | Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
Very nice flavors of citrus and darker fruits with a light addition of anise. Modest amounts of sweetness and spice. This is a very tasty smoke, but requires some discipline to keep it that way. I barely have enough which makes this a flake that I won't be smoking much of. I will enjoy it on occasion though. If you can keep it slow and cool you'll get a first class smoke out of it.
Mild to medium in body. Flavoring is very mild. Taste is medium. Burns very well.
Mild to medium in body. Flavoring is very mild. Taste is medium. Burns very well.
Pipe Used:
MM Dagner Poker, Country Gentleman, Marcus
PurchasedFrom:
Mars cigars and pipes
Age When Smoked:
fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2013 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
I am on my second bowl of this in a Peterson African meer - a dublin with the p-lip. The tobacco is described on the tin as "matured, naturally sweet, broken Virginia flake - medium strength." I open the can and find long wide flake similar in appearance to Orlik Golden Sliced in the 100g tin. The flakes are dark and smell sweet with no identifiable honey or flavor of sweetener. The tin had just a hint of raisins perhaps. A piece was torn off and rubbed out. Moisture seemed about right to me, and I did not dry it or let it air.
The smoking experience is mild and mellow. There is a slightly sweet virginia flavor and no other tastes to me. Some people taste perique in this, but I do not. The tobacco flavor grows in strength as the bowl progresses, but it is still what I would call mellow and slightly sweet. I get just a hint of citrus every now and then.
This has been a very pleasant smoke. It is not a flavor bomb or have complex flavors. I would recommend this to someone wanting to try a good Virginia. It smoked cool for me, and I did not have problems keeping it lit or with tongue bite. It was easy to sip and had enough flavor that I was not puffing away trying to get more out. The cost per oz in the 50 g tin is a little high for me, and I am not likely to be smoking this on a regular basis once the tin is empty. For my smoking $, there are things that I like just as much (or more) that are cheaper. It is a good smoke though, and I recommend it. If you are weary of complexity and complicated flavor descriptions, this might be a great one to try.
The smoking experience is mild and mellow. There is a slightly sweet virginia flavor and no other tastes to me. Some people taste perique in this, but I do not. The tobacco flavor grows in strength as the bowl progresses, but it is still what I would call mellow and slightly sweet. I get just a hint of citrus every now and then.
This has been a very pleasant smoke. It is not a flavor bomb or have complex flavors. I would recommend this to someone wanting to try a good Virginia. It smoked cool for me, and I did not have problems keeping it lit or with tongue bite. It was easy to sip and had enough flavor that I was not puffing away trying to get more out. The cost per oz in the 50 g tin is a little high for me, and I am not likely to be smoking this on a regular basis once the tin is empty. For my smoking $, there are things that I like just as much (or more) that are cheaper. It is a good smoke though, and I recommend it. If you are weary of complexity and complicated flavor descriptions, this might be a great one to try.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 23, 2003 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Very Pleasant |
Yes, indeed. A delicious, smokey-sweet Virginia beauty, similar to, but heftier than, Hamborger Veermeister. It looks as dark and luscious, heaped in the tin, as RATTRAY's Marlin Flake, which it resembles closely, although this is less peaty (by which I mean those bittersweet edges found in whiskey that has been filtered in charcoal) smoother.
I tried 109 in a picture-perfect, silver-mounted Peterson bent, a medium-sized Don Carlos oom-paul and a brand-new Radice squatty bull-dog: it proved a steady, smooth smoker on all wood, slightly edgy at the very beginning, wonderfully rich and savoury through the main part of the session, fading only ever-so-slightly towards the end.
This is more expensive than Marlin, but that is just about the only thing I can say against it: a major find. It left a marvelous taste in my mouth for a long time after I had finished puffing it.
I tried 109 in a picture-perfect, silver-mounted Peterson bent, a medium-sized Don Carlos oom-paul and a brand-new Radice squatty bull-dog: it proved a steady, smooth smoker on all wood, slightly edgy at the very beginning, wonderfully rich and savoury through the main part of the session, fading only ever-so-slightly towards the end.
This is more expensive than Marlin, but that is just about the only thing I can say against it: a major find. It left a marvelous taste in my mouth for a long time after I had finished puffing it.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 07, 2003 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Astley?s 109 is the third blend from this house I have enjoyed over this Christmas period. The three of them seem to me excellent tobaccos!All are beautifully made, top quality and very palatable. 109 belongs, IMO, with N° 55 and N°44 in terms of being a straight forward Virginia, spicy, either in flake or broken flake form. If you plan an entire day of smoking straight Vas., you could easily start with 109 in the morning,have a bowl of N°55 for mid day and finish the day off with N°44.
N°109 is a type of Va. that provides a rich, tangy, almost beefy taste (a certain Lea & Perkins sauced undertone, similar to some of the McClelland?s I have tried, but in a more moderate and tastier vein). Never the less it is a smooth tobacco, of a rich brown colour, quite simple to pack and light. Of the three Astley?s I?ve mentioned, 109 is by far the tastier one, providing an almost joyful smoke, and I don?t find any correlation with Rattray?s blends (as I do regarding N°?s 55 and 44). The taste is so rich and spicy that I wouldn?t dub this tobacco as a contemplative smoke. It has many layers and it burns wonderfully.
I?ve enjoyed it both indoors, and especially outdoors, when walking Glinka (my enthusiastic Airedale Terrier) in a nearby wooded area. Again, highly recommended.
N°109 is a type of Va. that provides a rich, tangy, almost beefy taste (a certain Lea & Perkins sauced undertone, similar to some of the McClelland?s I have tried, but in a more moderate and tastier vein). Never the less it is a smooth tobacco, of a rich brown colour, quite simple to pack and light. Of the three Astley?s I?ve mentioned, 109 is by far the tastier one, providing an almost joyful smoke, and I don?t find any correlation with Rattray?s blends (as I do regarding N°?s 55 and 44). The taste is so rich and spicy that I wouldn?t dub this tobacco as a contemplative smoke. It has many layers and it burns wonderfully.
I?ve enjoyed it both indoors, and especially outdoors, when walking Glinka (my enthusiastic Airedale Terrier) in a nearby wooded area. Again, highly recommended.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 23, 2002 | Mild | None Detected | Medium | Very Pleasant |
Astley's 109 is a very mellow and medium strength Virginia with a tremendous variance in taste presentation as you work your way down the bowl. Upon opening the tin, you will find a rich, dark Virginia flake in folded strips. There is also the tangy smell of uncased Virginia leaf, but only distantly, and the tang never shows itself at the match. If you enjoy a straight Virginia Flake that won't knock out over with a big nicotine punch, then punch this ticket.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 31, 2022 | Mild | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
A tasty middle of the road Virginia flake. Good sweet and typical smell from the tin. Beautiful flakes are easy to prepare. Work well as a fold and stuff. Benefits from a good drying as it gains in strength and makes the burn easier. Overall, mechanics are great for a flake.
Flavor is typical of a none cooked VA. There are many in this category. Good sweetness, little zest, lots of bread. This one is a good representation of the genre but I don't find it to stand out particularly.
If it were easier for me to get, I'd probably have a stack or two of it, but as it is, I'll stay with the others I have and enjoy already. Namely BBF from SG.
Flavor is typical of a none cooked VA. There are many in this category. Good sweetness, little zest, lots of bread. This one is a good representation of the genre but I don't find it to stand out particularly.
If it were easier for me to get, I'd probably have a stack or two of it, but as it is, I'll stay with the others I have and enjoy already. Namely BBF from SG.
Pipe Used:
Mostly my meerschaum billiard
PurchasedFrom:
Gift from a friend
Age When Smoked:
2 yo tin
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 05, 2020 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
Astley's No.109: A Classy Grassy/Citrusy Virginia Flake
No.109 is made up of a mix of bright/lighter leaf, red, and darker Virginias—the latter of which I believe to be stoved. The Virginias tend to be more on the grassy/citrus side of the spectrum with an ample amount of natural sweetness.
Folded and stuffed, No.109 is a four-star Virginia flake. It enhances the sweetness and balances out any rough edges in the smoke. Rubbed out, the flake is good but nothing special. I also appreciate how this flake burns to a fine white ash.
No.109 is made up of a mix of bright/lighter leaf, red, and darker Virginias—the latter of which I believe to be stoved. The Virginias tend to be more on the grassy/citrus side of the spectrum with an ample amount of natural sweetness.
Folded and stuffed, No.109 is a four-star Virginia flake. It enhances the sweetness and balances out any rough edges in the smoke. Rubbed out, the flake is good but nothing special. I also appreciate how this flake burns to a fine white ash.
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