Robert McConnell Folded Flake

I found this to be one of those enjoyable while you have it but no real intention to repeat tobaccos. My only real complaint about it is that it performed well at one moisture level only - ONE! If it was too moist, it tasted strange and if too dry, it bit. It had to be the perfect moisture to smoke well, and for me that level was on the very dry but not too dry side. It was not easy to get it right.

At this level, the virginia sweetness was toned down and the spiciness of the dark-fired Kentucky took over with just a whisper of perique showing through. In some blends lightly spotted with perique, this leaf shows through here and there and disappears. With this blend, I tasted a smidge of perique in every puff. Nice! It burned well and needed few if any relights.

Folded Flake is a decent VaBurPer and is recommended but it's also one of those that is so mondimensional (surprising, considering the ingredients) that it doesn't rise up and demand to be in my regular rotation. There just isn't enough happening. Still, it's a good tasting smoke.

This is a pretty nice smoke. Flavors of raisins, figs, and earth. Mildly sweet with a spice that gets stronger as the bowl progresses. By the end it's fairly spicy. Doesn't have to be dried first, but seems to have a little more flavor if you give it an hour or so. It's very enjoyable and it satisfies. Doesn't reach four star level, but it's a shade better than three.

Mild to medium in body. Medium in flavor. Burns well.

(I am a newer and irregular pipe smoker. My reviews are subject to my preferences and tastes and pipe smoking habits) Smells wonderful in the tin (rich Virginia and dark fruit, some BBQ/smoke) and looks interesting (one giant flake folded over repeatedly). I fully rubbed the entire tin of flake and stored in a mason jar. Came at a decent moisture content. Lit easily, smoked with minimum relights (even outdoors in the fall weather) and had no... noticeable bite. The flavours were earthy and 'meaty', but not very strong. Some sweetness from the Virginia and kept reminding me of grilled steak, that sweetness from the crispy caramelized bits. No real Perique until the bottom of the bowl, where the flavours dropped to a very mild and the pepper tingle came forward. I kept getting a smooth cigar aroma in the room note (wife does not approve) which was pleasant. Overall a nice experience that one could enjoy everyday and worth a try (Flavors aren't too strong and in your face, but nice and mellowed).

Folded Flake comes at just the right moisture in the tin for me . This is a very balanced blend as I taste the Virginias, Kentucky and Perique in every puff . The taste stays the same from beginning to end of bowl also. It is like a Scottish Flake light IMO ! Good hot weather smoke . Not as tasty as Scottish Flake . It is true tobacco taste though with very little casings I would think . The Virginias are more grassy and citrus and not really fruity per se . It’s a good blend but I like SF , OG , and Brown Clunee better . 3 star blend for me .

This blend would be near impossible to identify blindfolded! When i first smelled it in the tin it seemed like a typical va/per with a minor Kentucky element.. maybe a sort of flake version of Scottish cake.. and the first few puffs supported that vision.. it wasn't long before the Kentucky took over very abruptly.. very Nice! Some coffee/cream, nuts, leather.. not much campfire.. but it's like a burley.. at times almost a rich man's Carter hall.. at other times the Virginia wonders back in with an earthy breadyness.. the perique which is very present when you light it up almost completely disappears.. Never had anything quite like it.. and yet it's not all that outlandish.. tastes like good tobacco.. smokes dry.. a very slight soapy sensation on the tongue but no soap taste.. 3 ingredients common to many blends.. but this is an interesting and unique spin.. another homerun for Robert McConnell.. in a headscratching sort of way though.. 3 or 4 stars depending on my mood.

Robert McConnell - Folded Flake.

The tin contains two rows of wide, fairly thin, perfectly hydrated, flakes. I like to fully rub my flake tobacco and to do so with this blend is as easy as I could possibly want. The aroma from the unlit blend has a slightly fruity note to it.

The Virginia forms a lot of the smokes character, with the others adding seasoning. Of these two others, I get more of the Kentucky than the Perique until about a third of the way in; it's not too fired tasting, just louder than the Perique. The first part of a bowl is probably worth only two stars, but once the spiciness from the Perique kicks in it raises the result. I don't get any fruit from it, like I expected from the tin-note, it just gives me a natural taste. The burn from F.F.'s a winner, and it doesn't bite one bit.

The room-note doesn't offend me, nor does it impress me; pleasant to tolerable, and the nicotine's medium.

Quite a good smoke.

Recommended.

Very citrusy and grassy Virginias, which surprised me because the tin lists only dark Virginia. No bready notes in taste or room note. Light Perique but noticeable in every puff. Even lighter Kentucky offers some burnt sour and pleasant bitterness but anyone looking for a Kentucky-centric experience, this ain’t that. This is more of a Vaper with a bit of Kentucky. Mild mic hit. Needs a bit of dry time but loses taste if smoked too dry. Nice warm weather smoke. Would purchase again.

Tin note ripe plums, ketchup and vinegar. Tobacco flakes are brown and black and semi dense, cubes nicely and/or rubs out easily. Tobacco needs no drying and burns nicely and slow with average amount of relights. The strength is mild-med and nic is mild-med, both getting stronger toward the end. No flavoring detected. Taste is med, beginning with raisin, bread, lemon, mild sweet grass and pepper and later developing some Foral notes. Virginias led, with perique supporting and Kentucky lounging in the back just hanging out. Room note is non offensive, and aftertaste was good.

For those looking for something a little different in a flake, this may scratch that itch. Not to say it's outlandish ( a la C&D's Mad Fiddler Flake, which I love but others aren't so sure of), but it is different enough to provide some variety for lovers of Escudo and OGS. There is a touch of dark-fired, enough to be noticed without overwhelming the blend. The Perique is a bit anemic for my tastes, which means it will be perfect for most smokers who don't smoke Chenet's Cake as their "Daily". There may be a slight fruity topping, reminiscent in some ways of Peterson's University Flake. Given the choice between the two, I would go with Folded Flake for it's greater complexity. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I bought, but likely won't buy another. That said, I much preferres it rolled and stuffed into a tall, narrow bowl.