Astley's No.44 Dark Virginia Flake
(3.26)
A dark Virginia flake that is full of flavor, but easy on the tongue. Citrus notes are detectable.
Notes: Originally blended in England.
Details
| Brand | Astley's |
| Blended By | |
| Manufactured By | Kohlhase & Kopp |
| Blend Type | Straight Virginia |
| Contents | Virginia |
| Flavoring | Other / Misc |
| 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
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.26 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 21 - 30 of 58 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 16, 2021 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
Summary: a richly fermented, sweetened Virginia flake that is both mild and flavorful.
I remember lamenting that Dunhill "Dark Flake" had gone out of production, and while there are many Virginia flakes, some quite excellent, I missed the flavor of a rich Virginia flake. They make them dark by including darker Virginias and initiating fermentation by pressing the flake and then keeping it under pressure for some time before letting it age for even more time, during which point you get that smell almost on the edge of Perique levels which signals the fermentation process. To aid it, Kohlhase and Kopp do what they do for most of their European-style blends, which is to extensively flavor it with sugars and, in this case, a tiny bit of anise. The result speaks for itself: one of the smoothest blends one can choose, this blend lights easily, burns slowly, and provides big doses of rich, aged Virginia flavor in a blend that remains mild throughout the bowl. Unlike purely bright Virginia blends, "Dark Virginia Flake" emphasizes the red Virginia flavor of stewed plums and apricots, bringing out a depth that makes this blend pleasant for hours of smoking.
I remember lamenting that Dunhill "Dark Flake" had gone out of production, and while there are many Virginia flakes, some quite excellent, I missed the flavor of a rich Virginia flake. They make them dark by including darker Virginias and initiating fermentation by pressing the flake and then keeping it under pressure for some time before letting it age for even more time, during which point you get that smell almost on the edge of Perique levels which signals the fermentation process. To aid it, Kohlhase and Kopp do what they do for most of their European-style blends, which is to extensively flavor it with sugars and, in this case, a tiny bit of anise. The result speaks for itself: one of the smoothest blends one can choose, this blend lights easily, burns slowly, and provides big doses of rich, aged Virginia flavor in a blend that remains mild throughout the bowl. Unlike purely bright Virginia blends, "Dark Virginia Flake" emphasizes the red Virginia flavor of stewed plums and apricots, bringing out a depth that makes this blend pleasant for hours of smoking.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 18, 2020 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Very nice tobacco. Easy to rub, easy to light, produces lots of flavorful smoke. The tin has a fruit brandy aroma, obviously it is topped with some flavoringwhich gives the tobacco a citucy edge, but it is very congruent with the tobacco taste and it's not overwhelming. Nicotine is quite satisfactory and overall it is a smooth smoke. Easy to handle, easy to smoke, flavorful and soft. Solid four stars.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 08, 2019 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
The third of my Virginia-samples from my last visit to my local tobacco specialist, has some of the unmistakable lavashak aromas, albeit a tad darker than its cousins.
It is neatly presented, of beautiful dark colours, and perfect moisture. It lights easily, and though it has some fruity sourness, mine is from its general dark fruitiness, than that of citrus. It is not as fruity as other Vas, though, making room for some earthy notes and a touch of spiciness. I find this particular tobacco to respond especially kindly to cube cutting, leaving for of a marzipan aftertaste, than that of its dry fruitiness when folded. Interesting. As Jim notes, it is not overly complex, but still a decent smoke.
It is neatly presented, of beautiful dark colours, and perfect moisture. It lights easily, and though it has some fruity sourness, mine is from its general dark fruitiness, than that of citrus. It is not as fruity as other Vas, though, making room for some earthy notes and a touch of spiciness. I find this particular tobacco to respond especially kindly to cube cutting, leaving for of a marzipan aftertaste, than that of its dry fruitiness when folded. Interesting. As Jim notes, it is not overly complex, but still a decent smoke.
Pipe Used:
Various Lillehammer pipes
PurchasedFrom:
Sol Cigar Oslo
Age When Smoked:
Unknown
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 20, 2018 | Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
First of all... I'm not a newbie. I joined TRs about ten years ago & have sampled about seventy different blends... just rejoined & changed my handle. For some reason, I began getting too many "run time" error messages & the time I spent on reviews was wasted. So far, so good. Now... this review is based on a tin that was packaged in 2012. I purchased two of them & gave one to a friend. The tin note was nothing more than a pure tobacco aroma. It was a very dark brown like Irish Flake in color & still extremely moist & had bled through the white, plastic coated paper on top of the squared flakes which were tightly packed in a mound within the center of the tin.
So, the first thing I did was break up all the flakes, fluffed them up & dried them out within the open tin for half a day. After that, it was still plenty moist. At this point, I removed enough for a couple of bowlfuls & resealed the tin. After rubbing it out & removing a few small stems, I continued the drying process by spreading out a bowlful amount on a sheet of plastic coated pasteboard for another hour or so & it was just about right. I could have dried it out over the stove but wanted to allow mother nature to facilitate the process. A short while later this minimal amount of tobacco finally reached the slight crispy state necessary for stoking a pipe bowl. At the charring light I tasted a very slight bitterness but it subsided as some of it burned off. As most of you already know, Virginia tobacco is best served up in a deeper bowl. I suspect General Macarthur knew of VA characteristics. Anyway, I used the DGT method in a clean GBD Virgin Billiard - size three bowl about 1 3/8" deep on a second trial run to be sure I'd get the truest, purest, natural flavor from #44.
About halfway through the bowl is when you can expect the best flavor from this & most other straight Virginias. Lacking a well trained palate, I can't note much about the fresh cut hay & grass, lemony citrus, or mild sweet reds, wood, graham crackers, fresh baked bread & butter, toast & jam, plum/prunes, figs, raisins, glazed donuts, grandma's biscuits, nuts & bolts, earth, wind & fire, etc., but I did manage to taste the flavor of tobacco... how strange! A straight up VA with a little sweetness that developed about mid bowl. This blend seemed to burn a little hot and bit a little. It required a number of relights as I had to let it sit & cool on several occasions. I wouldn't classify this as a great VA & it wasn't a total, blockbuster bell-ringer for me but it is a pretty good smoke & doesn't produce much condensation if dried to the proper moisture level.
The bowl was dry when the dottle was emptied. This, as stated earlier was my second trial run with #44 & it seemed a little smoother but actually, very little had changed. As it stands right now, the way I see it & what I've experienced, even with six years of age, Astley's No. 44 only merits three stars which ain't bad. I'll refrain from purchasing another tin however, until Astley can find a means of producing a little more sweetness & a little less bite from this mixture as I contend there are many more straight VAs that exceed the quality of No. 44... but that's just me & I respect those who've rated it highly as we all understand taste is subjective & a particular pipe might make a considerable amount of difference. Final evaluation... didn't like it well enough to purchase another. Thanks for your "interest?" in my review.
So, the first thing I did was break up all the flakes, fluffed them up & dried them out within the open tin for half a day. After that, it was still plenty moist. At this point, I removed enough for a couple of bowlfuls & resealed the tin. After rubbing it out & removing a few small stems, I continued the drying process by spreading out a bowlful amount on a sheet of plastic coated pasteboard for another hour or so & it was just about right. I could have dried it out over the stove but wanted to allow mother nature to facilitate the process. A short while later this minimal amount of tobacco finally reached the slight crispy state necessary for stoking a pipe bowl. At the charring light I tasted a very slight bitterness but it subsided as some of it burned off. As most of you already know, Virginia tobacco is best served up in a deeper bowl. I suspect General Macarthur knew of VA characteristics. Anyway, I used the DGT method in a clean GBD Virgin Billiard - size three bowl about 1 3/8" deep on a second trial run to be sure I'd get the truest, purest, natural flavor from #44.
About halfway through the bowl is when you can expect the best flavor from this & most other straight Virginias. Lacking a well trained palate, I can't note much about the fresh cut hay & grass, lemony citrus, or mild sweet reds, wood, graham crackers, fresh baked bread & butter, toast & jam, plum/prunes, figs, raisins, glazed donuts, grandma's biscuits, nuts & bolts, earth, wind & fire, etc., but I did manage to taste the flavor of tobacco... how strange! A straight up VA with a little sweetness that developed about mid bowl. This blend seemed to burn a little hot and bit a little. It required a number of relights as I had to let it sit & cool on several occasions. I wouldn't classify this as a great VA & it wasn't a total, blockbuster bell-ringer for me but it is a pretty good smoke & doesn't produce much condensation if dried to the proper moisture level.
The bowl was dry when the dottle was emptied. This, as stated earlier was my second trial run with #44 & it seemed a little smoother but actually, very little had changed. As it stands right now, the way I see it & what I've experienced, even with six years of age, Astley's No. 44 only merits three stars which ain't bad. I'll refrain from purchasing another tin however, until Astley can find a means of producing a little more sweetness & a little less bite from this mixture as I contend there are many more straight VAs that exceed the quality of No. 44... but that's just me & I respect those who've rated it highly as we all understand taste is subjective & a particular pipe might make a considerable amount of difference. Final evaluation... didn't like it well enough to purchase another. Thanks for your "interest?" in my review.
Pipe Used:
GBD Virgin Billiard
PurchasedFrom:
Pipestud's Consignment Shop
Age When Smoked:
Six Years Old
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 05, 2018 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This review is based on a tin that was produced & packaged in 2012. I purchased two of them & gave one to a friend. The tobacco was dark brown with a very minimal amount of light strands. There was still plenty of moisture in the mixture which had bled through the white, plastic coated paper on top of the squared flakes which were tightly packed in a mound within the center of the tin. So, the first thing I did was break up all the flakes, fluffed them up & dried them out within the open tin for half a day. After that, it was still plenty moist. At this point, I removed enough for a couple of bowlfuls & resealed the tin.
After rubbing it out & removing a few small stems, I continued the drying process by spreading the tobacco out on a sheet of plastic coated pasteboard for another hour or so & it was just about right. I could have dried it out over the stove or in the microwave but wanted to allow mother nature to facilitate the drying process. A short while later this minimal amount of tobacco finally reached the slight crispy state necessary for stoking a pipe bowl. At the charring light I barely tasted any bitterness & this tobacco became sweeter as some of it burned off. As most of you already know, Virginia tobacco is best served up in a deeper bowl because the flavor & sweetness progresses somewhat after being puffed a while. I suspect General Macarthur knew of VA characteristics. Anyway, I used the DGT method in a clean meerschaum - size two bowl about 1 1/2" deep on this trial run to be sure I'd get the truest, purest, natural flavor from #44.
About halfway through the bowl is when you can expect the best flavor from this & most other straight Virginias. Lacking a well trained palate, I can't note much about the fresh cut hay, grass, lemony citrus, or mild, sweet reds, wood, graham crackers, toast, fresh baked bread & butter, grandma's biscuits, nuts & bolts, "earth, wind & fire," etc., but I did manage to taste the flavor of tobacco... a straight up VA with a little sweetness. Like many VA blends, it will bite a little if puffed on too hard & fast. It stays lit fairly well & has a medium burn rate. I wouldn't classify it as a great VA & it wasn't a total blockbuster bell-ringer for me but it is a pretty good smoke & doesn't produce much moisture... I had to swab the stem a couple of times to remove a little. The bowl was dry when the dottle was emptied. This blend may become better after some more airing. As it stands right now, the way I see it & what I've experienced, even with six years of age, Astley's No. 44 only merits three stars which ain't bad. I'll refrain from purchasing another tin until Astley can find a means of producing a little more sweetness from this mixture.
After rubbing it out & removing a few small stems, I continued the drying process by spreading the tobacco out on a sheet of plastic coated pasteboard for another hour or so & it was just about right. I could have dried it out over the stove or in the microwave but wanted to allow mother nature to facilitate the drying process. A short while later this minimal amount of tobacco finally reached the slight crispy state necessary for stoking a pipe bowl. At the charring light I barely tasted any bitterness & this tobacco became sweeter as some of it burned off. As most of you already know, Virginia tobacco is best served up in a deeper bowl because the flavor & sweetness progresses somewhat after being puffed a while. I suspect General Macarthur knew of VA characteristics. Anyway, I used the DGT method in a clean meerschaum - size two bowl about 1 1/2" deep on this trial run to be sure I'd get the truest, purest, natural flavor from #44.
About halfway through the bowl is when you can expect the best flavor from this & most other straight Virginias. Lacking a well trained palate, I can't note much about the fresh cut hay, grass, lemony citrus, or mild, sweet reds, wood, graham crackers, toast, fresh baked bread & butter, grandma's biscuits, nuts & bolts, "earth, wind & fire," etc., but I did manage to taste the flavor of tobacco... a straight up VA with a little sweetness. Like many VA blends, it will bite a little if puffed on too hard & fast. It stays lit fairly well & has a medium burn rate. I wouldn't classify it as a great VA & it wasn't a total blockbuster bell-ringer for me but it is a pretty good smoke & doesn't produce much moisture... I had to swab the stem a couple of times to remove a little. The bowl was dry when the dottle was emptied. This blend may become better after some more airing. As it stands right now, the way I see it & what I've experienced, even with six years of age, Astley's No. 44 only merits three stars which ain't bad. I'll refrain from purchasing another tin until Astley can find a means of producing a little more sweetness from this mixture.
Pipe Used:
Vintage size 2, 6" Meerschaum billiard.
PurchasedFrom:
Pipestud's Consignment Shop
Age When Smoked:
Six Years Old
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 02, 2016 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
This is a very good tobacco but I feel it needs to be smoked in flake form, or at least rubbed out extremely lightly, in order for it to smoke slowly enough for my tastes. Fully rubbed out, it burns too quickly and can be a bit on the harsh side. Thankfully the flakes are well suited to a fold-and-stuff, so this is not a major problem. I take a two or three flakes (depending on bowl size), form them into a plug and stuff them into the pipe with a small air pocket at the base of the bowl. (For those unaware of this packing method, here's a good tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aMkJvE-Glw). With that method, I get a very enjoyable smoke.
As others have said, I don't think this is a particularly dark or rich VA. It's not a bright-VA experience either, but I'd say that it is a solid medium on the VA richness scale.
As others have said, I don't think this is a particularly dark or rich VA. It's not a bright-VA experience either, but I'd say that it is a solid medium on the VA richness scale.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 21, 2014 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I have been disappointed because what I discovered was not a dark VA flake, but a rather medium coloured flake. The taste reminds me, somehow, of offerings such as Old Gowrie or brown Clunee from Rattray.
Recommended as a VA Flake, but not recommended if you are looking for a Dark VA.
Recommended as a VA Flake, but not recommended if you are looking for a Dark VA.
Pipe Used:
Stanwell, Danish Sovereign
PurchasedFrom:
smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 27, 2013 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Darkly mottled broken flake, the tin reviewed is from 2008.
Tin aroma: Appetizing, lightly fruity, hay and earthiness.
As all K&K mixtures, it burns very well.
At the match: bright elements, tangy (lemon grass?).
Settles quickly to a creamy nuttiness (Kentucky burley?) with some depth, yet still allowing a fruitiness in the nose/sidestream.
Mid-bowl develops more depth and a rich earthiness. A fine blend of quality tobaccoes... The slower the burn the richer the spectrum of flavors and the fuller the body.
Producing copius amounts of smoke, this is a mouthful, truly a rich dark virginia flake. Recommended!
Tin aroma: Appetizing, lightly fruity, hay and earthiness.
As all K&K mixtures, it burns very well.
At the match: bright elements, tangy (lemon grass?).
Settles quickly to a creamy nuttiness (Kentucky burley?) with some depth, yet still allowing a fruitiness in the nose/sidestream.
Mid-bowl develops more depth and a rich earthiness. A fine blend of quality tobaccoes... The slower the burn the richer the spectrum of flavors and the fuller the body.
Producing copius amounts of smoke, this is a mouthful, truly a rich dark virginia flake. Recommended!
Pipe Used:
Several. All reserved for Virginias w/out topping.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 08, 2010 | Strong | None Detected | Full | Pleasant |
This was the first Astley's tobacco I have ever sampled as well as the first Virginia of its kind. What can I say? I was quite satisfied. The tin states dark and strong, and that is exactly what I got out of it.
It is actually a lot more complex than that. Being no stranger to many VA/per flakes, this was the first "dark" one I had ever tried. Upon opening the tin, I found the moisture content to be a bit heavy. I let the tin sit on the rack for about a month, and then one day I realized I had a tobacco I had never tried.
I opened the tin once again, and wow what a difference. The aroma was not at all citrus that I got, but almost like a chocolate. Not an artificial candy bar type chocolate, but raw dark chocolate. Quite exquisite to tell you the truth.
The flakes are easy enough to manage, though not the easiest maybe for a novice to this style of pipe weed. Once I broke the flakes into the consistency I desired, I set out to a park bench to give this a good try. I loaded up an apple shaped Bjarne Viking, and cleared my mind as to give this an honest shake.
I had a little bit of trouble getting this blend going, but I do not think that was the fault of the tobacco per-say, but the fault of my loading technique. Once lit, this behaved very well.
Upon the first few puffs I was quite enthralled with this blend. Never had I tasted such a robust and full bodied Virginia without the addition of Perique. The bitter sweet flavour of raw chocolate seemed to carry over to the smoke and make an appearance every few minutes or so.
Not once did this bite, but I was also very careful with this blend dedicating about an hour and a half to this bowl. Moderate tamping and an occasional re-light were required, but neither took away from the enjoyment of this blend.
I smoked this leaf all the way down to a fine ash in my bowl, where at the end I was experiencing a little "chimney mouth" but no bite. I think the next time I smoke this it will be in a smaller bowl pipe, and I will not try to get the last speck of tobacco to burn to a white ember.
The strength was defiantly there, and I was able to leave my park bench feeling satisfied.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a hardy VA or a VA/Per smoker who might be looking to branch out just a bit.
This tobacco goes very well with a good cup of freshly brewed strong black coffee or espresso. I think this could easily pass for an after dinner smoke for a straight VA smoker as well. Maybe pair it with a cognac or an oatmeal stout, and you would be in paradise.
It is actually a lot more complex than that. Being no stranger to many VA/per flakes, this was the first "dark" one I had ever tried. Upon opening the tin, I found the moisture content to be a bit heavy. I let the tin sit on the rack for about a month, and then one day I realized I had a tobacco I had never tried.
I opened the tin once again, and wow what a difference. The aroma was not at all citrus that I got, but almost like a chocolate. Not an artificial candy bar type chocolate, but raw dark chocolate. Quite exquisite to tell you the truth.
The flakes are easy enough to manage, though not the easiest maybe for a novice to this style of pipe weed. Once I broke the flakes into the consistency I desired, I set out to a park bench to give this a good try. I loaded up an apple shaped Bjarne Viking, and cleared my mind as to give this an honest shake.
I had a little bit of trouble getting this blend going, but I do not think that was the fault of the tobacco per-say, but the fault of my loading technique. Once lit, this behaved very well.
Upon the first few puffs I was quite enthralled with this blend. Never had I tasted such a robust and full bodied Virginia without the addition of Perique. The bitter sweet flavour of raw chocolate seemed to carry over to the smoke and make an appearance every few minutes or so.
Not once did this bite, but I was also very careful with this blend dedicating about an hour and a half to this bowl. Moderate tamping and an occasional re-light were required, but neither took away from the enjoyment of this blend.
I smoked this leaf all the way down to a fine ash in my bowl, where at the end I was experiencing a little "chimney mouth" but no bite. I think the next time I smoke this it will be in a smaller bowl pipe, and I will not try to get the last speck of tobacco to burn to a white ember.
The strength was defiantly there, and I was able to leave my park bench feeling satisfied.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a hardy VA or a VA/Per smoker who might be looking to branch out just a bit.
This tobacco goes very well with a good cup of freshly brewed strong black coffee or espresso. I think this could easily pass for an after dinner smoke for a straight VA smoker as well. Maybe pair it with a cognac or an oatmeal stout, and you would be in paradise.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2005 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Very Pleasant |
UPDATE Sep. 2005
Quote; myself later in this review: "This is the best VA-flake I have ever tried! It is better than Marlin!" This is a statement that I must withdraw. I stil like #44, but after my new venture into the Samuel Gawith line of Lakeland flakes, #44 can no longer compete.
This is the best VA-flake I have ever tried! It is better than Marlin!
This classic contains everything I expect from quality VA: Depth, natural sweetness, complexity, stoved notes, nicotine etc. I cannot help myself feeling as one of the pipesmokers in the earlier days when tobacco had that all natural "tobacco" thing to it. I feel like an English gentleman when smoking this manna from heaven.
Even though Kohlhase & Kopp has taken over the production, adding propyleneglycol insted of water and therefore changing the texture and looks of the leaf, they have managed to preserve the original taste of good English Virginia.
Heavy with plumes of sweet non-blistering smoke, #44 tickles my nostrils and send me to another plane where I do not wish to leave.
The best thing that has happened to pipe smoking. #44 goes hand in hand with St. Bruno in my regular rotation.
Outstanding!
Jakob Kiilerich, Denmark
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