Former Straight Grain Flake
(3.10)
A really full bodied but amazingly smooth dark flake tobacco prepared from traditional English recipes and methods. A good pinch of mellow yet spicy perique brings out the rich flavor of Former's Straight Grain Flake.
Details
| Brand | Former |
| Blended By | |
| Manufactured By | |
| Blend Type | Virginia/Perique |
| Contents | Perique, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin |
| Country | Germany |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.10 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 27, 2016 | Medium to Strong | Extremely Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
Former's - Straight Grain Flake.
Nightmare: I spent ages trying to find this last night, I knew I'd bought it but couldn't find it for love nor money! I opened my tobacco cupboard today and it had appeared exactly where I'd been looking; I think I'm loosing my mind!
Although it's listed as a flake, it's actually half broken (not ribbons, yet still not whole flakes). The smell from the tin is a little bit like a currant bun: dough and raisins. The moisture quantity is exemplary, and it needs no further rubbing for the way I load it; just more of a scrunch between the fingers as I stuff it in.
Straight Grain Flake only requires a light touch of the flame to initiate a good burn, and then it gives a very high quality smoke. It tastes similar to how the tin-note suggested it would; the Perique gives a raisin quality but there's also a kind of bready/doughy taste at first; it's not at all caustic. After about ten minutes the bready flavour subsides somewhat and the dried fruit becomes the dominant taste. The Virginia adds a slight grassiness, but in comparison it's nowhere near as bolshie. A bowl of S.G.F. burns well, leaving hardly any dottle.
I don't find the room-note too bad, again, there's a sort of mild dough quality, and the nicotine's just above medium.
Straight Grain Flake easily deserves four stars:
Highly recommended.
Nightmare: I spent ages trying to find this last night, I knew I'd bought it but couldn't find it for love nor money! I opened my tobacco cupboard today and it had appeared exactly where I'd been looking; I think I'm loosing my mind!
Although it's listed as a flake, it's actually half broken (not ribbons, yet still not whole flakes). The smell from the tin is a little bit like a currant bun: dough and raisins. The moisture quantity is exemplary, and it needs no further rubbing for the way I load it; just more of a scrunch between the fingers as I stuff it in.
Straight Grain Flake only requires a light touch of the flame to initiate a good burn, and then it gives a very high quality smoke. It tastes similar to how the tin-note suggested it would; the Perique gives a raisin quality but there's also a kind of bready/doughy taste at first; it's not at all caustic. After about ten minutes the bready flavour subsides somewhat and the dried fruit becomes the dominant taste. The Virginia adds a slight grassiness, but in comparison it's nowhere near as bolshie. A bowl of S.G.F. burns well, leaving hardly any dottle.
I don't find the room-note too bad, again, there's a sort of mild dough quality, and the nicotine's just above medium.
Straight Grain Flake easily deserves four stars:
Highly recommended.
Pipe Used:
Rattray's 2016 Pipe of the Year Poty Bullcap
PurchasedFrom:
Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
One Month
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 04, 2016 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
Another winner. First half gives me sweet dark fruit with some tang and spice. Second half the fruitiness fades a bit and is supplemented with baked breads and spice. Wonderful well rounded flavors. Just a great all around smoke.
Medium in body. Might be a touch of added fruity flavoring. Taste is medium to full. Burn is decent, but needs a relight or two or three.
Medium in body. Might be a touch of added fruity flavoring. Taste is medium to full. Burn is decent, but needs a relight or two or three.
Pipe Used:
MM Little Devil Cutty, Little Devil Acorn
PurchasedFrom:
smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2005 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I found this to be the most enjoyable of the newly introduced Former Flakes. The nicely prepared strips have an ideal moisture content and readily pack without rubout even in medium sized bowls. The blend consists of darker and redish VAs with just the right balance of Perique for my taste. However, you must like Perique to like this blend. Lighting and burn rate were excellent and resulted in an effortless smoke without relights. The taste and strength doesn't change much as the smoke progresses but this is a good smoke with natural tobacco taste. I'll order some more tins for aging and hope for even better satisfaction.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 27, 2023 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Unnoticeable |
Former Straight Grain Flake - The tin note is amazing and the smoke doesn’t disappoint either . Just cracked my 3rd tin and this may be my favorite vaper . This one has a good amount of Perique in it . Imagine a less bready and grassy Escudo with more Perique . The light topping ,also similar to Escudo. FSGF is also much cheaper . I stocked up on it . 4
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 03, 2015 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Summary: this is what most Virginia flakes hope to be when they grow up.
The bready note of the tin gives way to a thick, rich smoke within the flavor range of medium Virginias. It is both sweet and dark, a wonderful liminal sensation of being caught at the decision point between extremes. The leaf burns gently, with less bite than the usual Virginia flake, but delivers a strong enough smoke to remind you of the origins of this leaf. Flavors vary between the grainy sweet and nutty warmth of the best of this variety, but together form a honey-sweet but tangy mixture of tobaccos that delivers all that one might hope for as an experienced smoker.
The bready note of the tin gives way to a thick, rich smoke within the flavor range of medium Virginias. It is both sweet and dark, a wonderful liminal sensation of being caught at the decision point between extremes. The leaf burns gently, with less bite than the usual Virginia flake, but delivers a strong enough smoke to remind you of the origins of this leaf. Flavors vary between the grainy sweet and nutty warmth of the best of this variety, but together form a honey-sweet but tangy mixture of tobaccos that delivers all that one might hope for as an experienced smoker.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 11, 2011 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium to Full | Very Pleasant |
Suggested to me by a pipe shop owner when I inquired about a good Va/Pe. I was a little skeptical first because it seemed like he was just getting rid of old stock because I am new at this, but all skepticism was gone after the first bowl. When opening it, you get a heavy raisin smell, but none while smoking. It is easy to smoke and very flavorful. A fantastic balance between the two tobaccos. Just a great smoke. Highly recommended!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 10, 2023 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
I'm new to this reviewing tobaccos so bare with me. I've been smoking for 20 years and how these blends got by me I don't know. I find it very spicy with a sharp Raisin and plum. What I like the most is the musty almost "stinky" tones through my nose. It's definitely an all day smoke for me. I've gone through 2 tins in the last 72 hours. I'm will definitely buy a lot more to put up for later. I believe it will get better with time.
Pipe Used:
Roadtown poker
PurchasedFrom:
Cupojoes
Age When Smoked:
Don't know. Can't figure out the date code
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 20, 2018 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
these new-ish Former flakes....all of which are vapers technically, are excellent. This might be my favorite of the 3 though it depends on one's mood. This has a sweeter virginia base, but also one that has perhaps a touch darker and longer pressed blend of varietals. The amount of Perique is different, too. This one is sort of in between I suspect. But none of them have a LOT of Perique..
Since the closing of McClellands, good virgina flakes are hard to come by (and given the hysteria about hoarding coupled to the Feds new draconian rules). So this was a pleasant surprise. Reminds me of a bit more substantial Vintage by Fribourg & Treyer. That, plus a pinch of perique..or pinch and a half. Might be compared, too, to Solani 633...though this is a notch hardier. It is a stronger fuller version of cross grain flake, also by former. The fermentation is a bit heavier too. All around excellent
Since the closing of McClellands, good virgina flakes are hard to come by (and given the hysteria about hoarding coupled to the Feds new draconian rules). So this was a pleasant surprise. Reminds me of a bit more substantial Vintage by Fribourg & Treyer. That, plus a pinch of perique..or pinch and a half. Might be compared, too, to Solani 633...though this is a notch hardier. It is a stronger fuller version of cross grain flake, also by former. The fermentation is a bit heavier too. All around excellent
PurchasedFrom:
cup o joes
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