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 1 - 10 of 33 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 14, 2013 | Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
"There are certain delicious sensations that are no less intense for being vague." - Charles Baudelaire
I suspect that Astley's 109/Virginia Flake - like the proverbial prostitute with a heart of gold - suffers long at the hands of its habitués, not to mention being "ghosted" by myriad other tobaccos that are used in the same pipe. So, my recommendation comes with a stipulation, that the smoker takes the time and makes a best effort to discover what is special here.
This tobacco is fresh and enticing right from the tin, falling to short, chunky "ribbons" as the flakes are handled. It packs and lights OK and, once it is lit, I find it takes but little attention to keep it lit. It makes enough smoke, and it is "strong enough", within the context of its profile. IMO, it is best smoked in still air, to the point of smoking it indoors, if you can. Anyway, I do NOT recommend doing chores with a pipe full hanging from your jaw. I will even go out on a limb and say it might be best in a narrow "sipping" stack that is dedicated to it.
What is really good here may be ephemeral, but it is also exceptional, if not unique, mild, rather nutty Virginia tobacco with a delicate topping that need not offend even the most sensitive and inquisitive palate. This same VA does "muscle up" some over the course of a bowl, but in decidedly relative terms, and many probably never even notice this effect. Smoked down, the "smoky" part of its Va flavor concentrates, to the point where one might well miss the rancid fruit and an increasingly "acrid" quality that is - somehow - not only not offensive - at all - but it is part of what makes this blend special, IMO. And, oddly, the delicious, enduring aftertaste gradually works its way back to Va sweet.
All in all, despite my prolix intonements, I am pretty much at a loss for words here, like trying to describe dejas vu (or type it without proper script options...). Just, if you're willing to make the effort, this can delight, reward and even satisfy in a way that is not only different but better than other "light" tobaccos.
Update: Just wanted to share that A 109 needs to be kept in its sealed tin if one aims to age it. It dries and wilts sadly if left for long in a jar, even a "sealed" Mason jar. Since it needs close to "factory" moisture to act as intended, IMO, either smoke it soon (best), or keep tabs on hydration, once a tin has been popped.
I suspect that Astley's 109/Virginia Flake - like the proverbial prostitute with a heart of gold - suffers long at the hands of its habitués, not to mention being "ghosted" by myriad other tobaccos that are used in the same pipe. So, my recommendation comes with a stipulation, that the smoker takes the time and makes a best effort to discover what is special here.
This tobacco is fresh and enticing right from the tin, falling to short, chunky "ribbons" as the flakes are handled. It packs and lights OK and, once it is lit, I find it takes but little attention to keep it lit. It makes enough smoke, and it is "strong enough", within the context of its profile. IMO, it is best smoked in still air, to the point of smoking it indoors, if you can. Anyway, I do NOT recommend doing chores with a pipe full hanging from your jaw. I will even go out on a limb and say it might be best in a narrow "sipping" stack that is dedicated to it.
What is really good here may be ephemeral, but it is also exceptional, if not unique, mild, rather nutty Virginia tobacco with a delicate topping that need not offend even the most sensitive and inquisitive palate. This same VA does "muscle up" some over the course of a bowl, but in decidedly relative terms, and many probably never even notice this effect. Smoked down, the "smoky" part of its Va flavor concentrates, to the point where one might well miss the rancid fruit and an increasingly "acrid" quality that is - somehow - not only not offensive - at all - but it is part of what makes this blend special, IMO. And, oddly, the delicious, enduring aftertaste gradually works its way back to Va sweet.
All in all, despite my prolix intonements, I am pretty much at a loss for words here, like trying to describe dejas vu (or type it without proper script options...). Just, if you're willing to make the effort, this can delight, reward and even satisfy in a way that is not only different but better than other "light" tobaccos.
Update: Just wanted to share that A 109 needs to be kept in its sealed tin if one aims to age it. It dries and wilts sadly if left for long in a jar, even a "sealed" Mason jar. Since it needs close to "factory" moisture to act as intended, IMO, either smoke it soon (best), or keep tabs on hydration, once a tin has been popped.
Pipe Used:
various briars; narow sippers preferred
PurchasedFrom:
Liberty Tobacco
Age When Smoked:
young-ish to old-ish
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 08, 2015 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Very Pleasant |
Astley's - No.109 Medium Flake.
What a delicious tobacco this is. It had me captivated the moment I cracked open the tin. Rather than being separate flakes this has been packaged in a similar fashion to Orlik Golden Sliced; one long flake rolled up. Upon the opening I can see that the tobacco has secreted a fair quantity of oils as the paper that tops the tin is heavily stained from them. The smell from the can is so enticing, a sort of raisin/dough/bread like aroma. The tobacco is quite dark in appearance and although the paper top had a good oil covering the flake itself is of a perfect hydration to smoke right away. I opt to tare off some of the flake, rub it out, pack my pipe then light it up and if I was captivated from the aroma I'm truly enchanted by the taste.
I get a flavour very similar to the tins note. Obviously the Virginia is the main player, grassy and fresh but alongside it there's that same raisin/dough/bread enhancement which is absolutely lovely. The nicotine is about medium in this which suits me well. If you require a tobacco to sit and relax with without the need to keep fiddling about with your lighter and tamper then this is for you; it can be enjoyed with very few relights and only a little tamping.
If someone were to say to me "this is the only blend you can smoke for the rest of your life" my retort would be "well I can easily deal with that". Total smoking bliss. Highly recommended.
What a delicious tobacco this is. It had me captivated the moment I cracked open the tin. Rather than being separate flakes this has been packaged in a similar fashion to Orlik Golden Sliced; one long flake rolled up. Upon the opening I can see that the tobacco has secreted a fair quantity of oils as the paper that tops the tin is heavily stained from them. The smell from the can is so enticing, a sort of raisin/dough/bread like aroma. The tobacco is quite dark in appearance and although the paper top had a good oil covering the flake itself is of a perfect hydration to smoke right away. I opt to tare off some of the flake, rub it out, pack my pipe then light it up and if I was captivated from the aroma I'm truly enchanted by the taste.
I get a flavour very similar to the tins note. Obviously the Virginia is the main player, grassy and fresh but alongside it there's that same raisin/dough/bread enhancement which is absolutely lovely. The nicotine is about medium in this which suits me well. If you require a tobacco to sit and relax with without the need to keep fiddling about with your lighter and tamper then this is for you; it can be enjoyed with very few relights and only a little tamping.
If someone were to say to me "this is the only blend you can smoke for the rest of your life" my retort would be "well I can easily deal with that". Total smoking bliss. Highly recommended.
Pipe Used:
Peterson Sherlock Holmes Lestrade
PurchasedFrom:
The Danish Pipe Shop
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 29, 2015 | Medium | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
I have a pipe dedicated to this blend; I've smoked five tins.
This is the first VA that I really fell for. The first four tins I smoked had a really nice, deep, chocolate overtone that I really liked. Although labeled as a straight VA, I detected a very judiciously applied sugar and chocolate/carob top dressing--nothing that would jump out, ghost a pipe or get in the way, but something that made the flake very approachable.
The last tin I smoked, purchased in 2012 and smoked in 2015, had no detectable chocolate topping. This may be because it dissipated over the years of aging, or possibly because the formula changed. Either way, it remained mostly familiar and delicious.
A lot of straight VAs are grassy, lemony, or hay-like (which I love), but are a little harder to appreciate for the newcomer, depending on experience. I loved this as a newbie, and continue to return to it.
As with most Virginia tobaccos, smoking as slow and cool as possible yields the best results. These are not bold flavors compared to Latakia blends or strong aromatics.
This is the first VA that I really fell for. The first four tins I smoked had a really nice, deep, chocolate overtone that I really liked. Although labeled as a straight VA, I detected a very judiciously applied sugar and chocolate/carob top dressing--nothing that would jump out, ghost a pipe or get in the way, but something that made the flake very approachable.
The last tin I smoked, purchased in 2012 and smoked in 2015, had no detectable chocolate topping. This may be because it dissipated over the years of aging, or possibly because the formula changed. Either way, it remained mostly familiar and delicious.
A lot of straight VAs are grassy, lemony, or hay-like (which I love), but are a little harder to appreciate for the newcomer, depending on experience. I loved this as a newbie, and continue to return to it.
As with most Virginia tobaccos, smoking as slow and cool as possible yields the best results. These are not bold flavors compared to Latakia blends or strong aromatics.
Pipe Used:
Several dedicated to VA, one to this blend
Age When Smoked:
Several tins, varying from 0-3 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 08, 2011 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
Having a very Va sensitive tongue, Astley's 109 is probably the most mild mannered Va out there. Definitely one of my favorite tinned Va flakes to date. I purchased this tin in 2003 and didn't open it until 2006. I smoked a few bowls, and left it at that. This was before I "understood" Va flakes.
Well, 2011 rolls around and this guy gets on a HUGE Va flake kick, unlike any kick I have ever been on before. Spending hundreds of dollars trying to sample as many Va's as I can. While stocking the cellar with my newly acquired blends I find this tin of 109 deep in the back of the shelves. I take it out and open it, finding the moisture content still perfect, even though it had been opened for 5 years.
Everything clicked and finally made sense. This was one fine smoke. Sweet, complex for a Va, and just plain enjoying. Lit, packed and stayed lit without troubles. Great room note, and just enough nicotine to know your pipe is lit. I highly recommend this blend, escpecially those with sensitive tongues.
Well, 2011 rolls around and this guy gets on a HUGE Va flake kick, unlike any kick I have ever been on before. Spending hundreds of dollars trying to sample as many Va's as I can. While stocking the cellar with my newly acquired blends I find this tin of 109 deep in the back of the shelves. I take it out and open it, finding the moisture content still perfect, even though it had been opened for 5 years.
Everything clicked and finally made sense. This was one fine smoke. Sweet, complex for a Va, and just plain enjoying. Lit, packed and stayed lit without troubles. Great room note, and just enough nicotine to know your pipe is lit. I highly recommend this blend, escpecially those with sensitive tongues.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 22, 2011 | Very Strong | None Detected | Full | Strong |
For the virginia lovers, this is the tobacco to smoke. It is a superb flake by Astley´s as well as their best blend, in my opinion.
In the tin the tobacco is tangy and a little sour: nicontina is here at her best. If you let the flakes dry a little they might turn a little white. The flake is somehow sharp, so rubbing turns out to be an important decision: to brake or not to brake?
This delicious blend is also strog for me, so I just smoke it on the evenings or after an abundant meal. And also only when I want to remember that life has a lot of good things to deliver.
In the tin the tobacco is tangy and a little sour: nicontina is here at her best. If you let the flakes dry a little they might turn a little white. The flake is somehow sharp, so rubbing turns out to be an important decision: to brake or not to brake?
This delicious blend is also strog for me, so I just smoke it on the evenings or after an abundant meal. And also only when I want to remember that life has a lot of good things to deliver.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 09, 2016 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
Can’t believe I never got around to putting in my 2 cents about this one, especially considering that, along with Compton’s Commonweal, McClelland Rich Virginia Ribbon, Boston 1776, C&D Opening Night, F&T Cut Virginia Plug, McCranie’s RVF and RVR, Samuel Gawith BBF and FVF, it’s one of my go-to ‘straight’ virginias (must be a bit of burley in some of them).
This one brings together the most disparate elements beautifully. It’s at once dark, earthy, bright, tangy, creamy and surprisingly rich. How’s that possible? It’s herbal, pleasantly tannic (think coffee!) and, yes, with a lovely sweetness. It develops wonderfully in the pipe and ages deliciously in the tin. The richer second half of the bowl offers leatheriness and buttery nuttiness (burley? African virginias?). No. 109 has depth and balance. It is a very distinctive tobacco, definitely one to try for Va. lovers. I 'cellared' about 20 tins some years ago, and I'm glad I did!
Highly recommended!
Also recommend the reviews from Bear, moniker, and DK…
This one brings together the most disparate elements beautifully. It’s at once dark, earthy, bright, tangy, creamy and surprisingly rich. How’s that possible? It’s herbal, pleasantly tannic (think coffee!) and, yes, with a lovely sweetness. It develops wonderfully in the pipe and ages deliciously in the tin. The richer second half of the bowl offers leatheriness and buttery nuttiness (burley? African virginias?). No. 109 has depth and balance. It is a very distinctive tobacco, definitely one to try for Va. lovers. I 'cellared' about 20 tins some years ago, and I'm glad I did!
Highly recommended!
Also recommend the reviews from Bear, moniker, and DK…
Pipe Used:
several, all reserved for Va's w/out topping
Age When Smoked:
8 years
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| 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.
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