Solani 660: Silver Flake

I agree wholeheartedly with GentlemanZombie -- age truly does 660 justice. As with HOTW, I was thoroughly unimpressed straight out of the tin...seemed mediocre at best. After only 6 months in jars this has transformed into a totally different animal! So, as with HOTW, I'm glad I postponed this review for this blend to come of age a little.

I'm not certain what the proportions are here, but I'm leaning towards nearly 50/50 VA and Kentucky. Whatever it is, it works...works very, very well. That dark earl grey tea note that I love so much about Kentucky is right up front, letting you know its more than just a condiment along for the ride. Fantastic matured VAs are there, equally present with hints of sweetness and citrus. I love that the sweetness never becomes more than a whisper, clearly indicative that no topping is used. I also really dig the pleasant, mild nasal pinch from that DFK. No tongue bite whatsoever. Burns cleanly and evenly to fine powdered grey ash. Muy delicioso.

This is my first foray into Solani. As impressive as 660 is, I believe further experimentation will be necessary into their other offerings. Sublimely well done, and at a fair price point to boot. Just do it a favor...give it some age before you make up your mind. You won't be disappointed.

Here we have another good German produced flake. To my palate it was slightly sweet and spicy. Very good. The flake came in a long folded strip in a plastic pouch (in a tin). It lit well, and offered a long, relatively cool smoke. I liked this flake a lot, and will be smoking it throughout the summer.

It reminded me a little bit of Reiner LGF (in both taste, and presentation). Those who enjoy a more natural style of tobacco in flake form will like this one (BTW it also went very well with an Atwater Brewery Vanilla Java Porter).

I'll give it a strong three stars (3.75—I always round down).

Recommended.

Keep on Piping!

Kohlhase und Kopp makes high quality tobacco pipe, I knew that already.

Upon opening the tin and seeing the huge, long, wide flakes, I was impressed with the sight of the dark colours and the very natural, pure smell of unadulterated Virginia and Kentucky tobaccos.

The smell is a mixture of wheat fields (so earthy) and the mélange of different Virginias gives it a note of hay, citrus and sweet quince jam.

The humidity level is ideal for rubbing, filling and smoking without waiting and drying (SG should take note).

The tobacco lights like a charm (never had to relight), and I am caressed by the aromas of this magnificent pure American tobacco. Very cool smoke with a respectable N hit. The room note however is less than pleasant to the people around me.

I find this tobacco better than SG 1792 flake from every single aspect. Kudos to K&K for this magnificent blend.

Finally ordered some Silver Flake for a new Stanwell Vario billiard. Beautiful presentation in the cellophane bag (wrapped that in a zip lock for storage in its tin). Very little by the way of tin aroma, just a mild smelling tobacco. Nice, pliable leaf that loaded and lit very readily. I notice a slight spiciness to the tongue but no true bite. It smoked very cool and was overall mild for an offering that has Kentucky Burley. It reminded me the most of MacBaren's Stocton, but with way less sweetness or "Kentucky kick," with Virginia taste being more like Wessex's Gold Brick. The spiciness of the Kentucky leaf became more apparent toward mid bowl but was never over the top. Can't say this will ever become my one of my favorites as a solo entity since it is way too mild and with very little taste, but I like the way the end result of the blending takes away that Virginia grassiness that I am not a big fan of. I like to mix it with Aged Burley Flake for a fuller smoke. All in all, if you like milder Virginias with subtleness and no bite I can recommend this without reservation.

On a whim the other day I picked a tin of this out of the cellar. My tin of Silver Flake hadn't been in there that long really and I almost picked something else. I remember adding it to a tobacco order because I'm into Virginia blends, a friend raved about it and the reviewers loved it.

First of all, the tin is gorgeous. Inside, log gold and brown flakes in a cellophane folded bag with a gold metallic tape seal. Pretty. I was surprised that there's zero vacuum seal, which worried me for a moment, thinking I should have smoked it sooner. But yay! ... perfect moisture. The scent is of somewhat sweet, natural tobacco. The flakes separate into strands easily and that's how I packed the ol' Ashton billiard -- vertical strands in the bowl.

The char went well; the tobacco fluffed up some, but the tamp and light were easy with the burn as good as it gets from first puff to the dry white ash at the end.

The high quality Kentucky in this blend is evident, which is fine by me as it rounds out the red and yellow virginias while adding a fullness and a hint of spice the qualities of which I found unusual for a virginia blend. Full flavors, certainly not mild, but I can't label this as anywhere near strong, either. Quite smooth. Never bitter. Not sweet as in honey sweet, but subtly sweet (from the superb aged virginias I presume). Ah, I'm really appreciating the art of a master blender with this one. Certainly not light on nicotine but just enough. The room note is as good as it gets for a virginia blend, IMO.

If you try it, due to the classy but not very well sealed packaging, I'd recommend you jar it upon receipt. For virginia lovers (but probably not those sensative to red virginias), this is a must try. OK, it's not cheap, but worth every penny.

A high quality Virginia with a touch of Burley, way in the background. The Kentucky only provides some base, complexity and probably is the reason this doesn't bite ( although it has some spice). The smoke starts out sweet with a "Danish Virginia" taste (honey/hay) and develops into what I call an "English Virginia" , a sweet & sour taste, very nice. I always like to compare the Virginia / Burley blends to Orliks Golden Flake Red, in this case the Virginia is out front, it is stronger and sweeter than "Red" and not as "Green". The cut is very easy to use, 4 inch long ready rubbed flakes. Just pull a few out, fold and stuff, easy to light, easy to keep lit with a few tamps. This smoke is never bitter. I would buy more if I could hit the lotto, expensive. One complaint, the tin is not air tight and of an odd bulky shape. This could be an all day smoke if you're into Virginias.,

Simply one of the very best burley va flakes on the market today. A must try blend.

Burley is not my first choice, or even my second, for pipe tobacco. But this is an exception.

It seems like the larger the bowl size, the more it shines. I have a huge Don Carlos Montana that I smoke on Sundays while watching my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers or, at this point in the season, whomever I am forced to watch.This combination of pipe and Silver Flake is awesome. I also have an old Digby that works well.

I don't mind the fact that Silver Flake is pricey, but the packaging is poor. The pack inside the attractive tin, or rather would be attractive if the label was on straight,is vacuum sealed; however, I have never been able to get these pouches open without the foil pack tearing. Since I can only find 100 gr. tins, the tobacco needs transferred or enclosed in a zip-loc bag because the tin itself does not close tightly.

What a wonderful Virginia-Kentucky-blend! Smooth as silk and gentle on my palate. Tastes very natural. Natural Sweetness, Natural Nuttiness/Tastiness. It seems like the Solani blends are beginning to grow on me. First Aged Burley Flake and now Silver Flake. Mr. Will is a "madman"

***update 20/11/2010***

After one year of cellaring i couldnt wait any longer. Popped the sealed can. The tobacco feels soft as silk. Gently rub it out, and fill the best pipe i have. WOW...this tobacco tastes like pure butter. FANTASTIC!!!!