Peterson Irish Flake

WOW. this blend changed the whole pipe smoking game for me. After smoking pipes for 10 + years and having tried Countless blends I am left scratching my head here. I put a halt on reviewing blends on here a while back, however I had to review this based on my experience of smoking Peterson Irish flake. The number one thing to note is that everyone is different and different blends can be strong to one piper and weak to another. Some blends bite one and some blends bite another. It just depends on the individuals reaction to the contents of the smoke, it's Totally subjective. That being said, let me explain. Of the 200 something blends I've smoked I always get some sort of tongue bite by the end of a pipe. Regardless of pace. Sometimes mildly, sometimes scorched, but always something. This is the very first tobacco that I can honestly say has left me with zero tongue bite/ discomfort. And by zero I mean ZERO , zilch, nada.... nothing. I am literally dumbfounded right now. The nicotine content is not too high for me. It's actually just perfect. It's what I would choose for every blend if that were possible. I went for it because of the strength and nic hit. It wasn't quite what I expected based on my research of the blend prior to buying it. But I am darn glad it is what it is and I got what I got. A beautiful smoke, perfect in flavor , non complex, with that perfect nic hit. again my tongue, after an hour + of smoking away , doesn't even know it smoked a single puff. I am satisfied to the fullest. I feel bad for putting my tongue through all the scorching of the past about now. If I new this blend agreed with me so well I may have stopped my searching for perfect pipe tobacco many years ago. It's something I'll have to look into in order to figure out why/ how this blend is so kind to me. I normally smoke heavy English and Balkan blends. Mostly oriental/Latakia/Virginia blends. This va/bur might be my new thing. As for the room note I think it's gotta be very pleasant. The wife says she doesn't really smell much in the room note but she likes it. (She's definateley smelled too much Latakia over the years as most all the blends I smoke have a strong hand of it) So here I lay shirtless on this hot summer night, smoking my third bowl since sundown , with a Candace of sip sip chug, sip sip chug. And all I can say is I'm stoked up for an early smoke in the morning to start celebrations for Independence Day. This stuff is the bees knees, the crows coo, the pots pie!!

My favorite Flake. It is a delicious tobacco that makes me wish I had a larger bowl. Lot's of nicotine though, if you are a rookie or don't smoke often, it will make your mouth water, give you hiccups and possibly make you want to toss your cookies. If you are a noob, save this one for after a large meal. Otherwise, I smoke this with coffee in the morning and watch the sun rise.

Ten bucks is more than I like to spend for 50 gm of pipe tobacco. But Irish Flake is so satisfying and so flavorful, I don't mind it a bit in this case.

And don't let any swaggering doofus out there tell you it isn't strong. Because it is. Not as strong as Condor Plug, but it packs a wallop. If you're used to smoking Sweet Vanilla Honeydew and decide to load 3 slices of Irish Flake in a large pipe, you'll be horizontal in no time.

Decades ago my pipe smoking mentor (may he rest in peace) taught me the key to enjoying these powerful flakes and cut plugs: rub out, pack loosely in a small or narrow pipe, light gently and let it smolder. I carry the pipe with me all day and take occasional 15-minute pipe breaks, which are intensely satisfying. Each sip is like taking a bite of a crusty, juicy grilled steak.

That's the only way I can think of to describe the flavor and aroma. Enjoyment is immediate. No soul searching required. No need to fanny about with terms like citrus, grass, hay, plum, or whatever. Just fire it up and use what nature gave you.

In the categories of flavor, aroma, and satisfaction, Irish Flake rates 100 out of a possible 100.

Peterson’s Irish Flake : my favourite tobacco.

I like to compare its taste and aroma to a nice piece of plain dark chocolate: strong and with a firmly pronounced character, still sweet in a way.

At first the tin note is a honest, straightforward scent of natural tobacco, clearly with something special that I believe to be the mature fruit of the majestic combination of Kentucky and Virginia leaves, pressed to get more intimate each other and age together. I really cannot tell if there’s any casing : if so, it passes unnoticed like a ninja.

In the bowl it develops some really interesting traits : the dark chocolate aftertaste is a constant tune like a bagpipe’s drone, accompanied by a subtle hint of what I detect as plum. But that’s just the ouverture, and things get serious at ¾ of the bowl : The earthiness and light spiciness of the Kentucky arises in first place, tingling you nostrils and your throat with a faint peaty note. From now on, you can enjoy a firm, noble, full-bodied, mouth-filling, slightly sweet smoke that to me is medium to strong in nicotine content, and just as (little) astringent as expected from the leaves on the stage.

I find it easier to use a small-sized bowl for flakes. If I’m more prone to a contemplative, relaxed smoke, I use to crumble one flake and separate the bigger chunks, which will go to the bottom, from the smaller ones that I place on top to facilitate char-lighting; this will assure a long lasting cool smoke. If I fancy a quicker and less effort taking one, I reduce the whole flake in finer pieces.

Combustion leaves behind nice, silver-grey ashes. The smoke is extraordinary cool and clean, even with a short stemmed pipe.

How this blend will age? Wonderfully.

Should I cellar some tins? Yes, like there’s no tomorrow. Well…

Cheers Everyone, Brandr ODS

What more needs to be said about this classic? It's just a darn good Burley-based flake that has quite the nicotine kick.

The tin note is quite sweet - grassy - reminding me of a high quality Chinese green tea. And that's a bit misleading - as this tobacco is a deep, brooding smoke. The flakes are beautifully packaged and look and feel like top-quality leaf - which is exactly what this is. I prefer to rub out a flake and let it dry for up to half an hour.

This is a tobacco best smoked slowly, and perhaps in a small bowl pipe until you are accustomed to the nicotine level. The flavor remains even from top to bottom of bowl, with few surprises: just a clean Burley tobacco that doesn't pretend to be anything other than what it is.

This is one tobacco that I will always have on hand. It's just that good, and I haven't found another tobacco quite like it.

Peterson Flake is by far their finest effort in producing a high octain flake. That said I would not be alarmed if this flake is made by SG as it reminds me Sqaudren Leader with slight hint of additional English as opposed to Irish flovoring. In any event, this is a great flake that I have and will continue to enjoy on a regular basis. Buy a tin fellow flake fanciers; this is a flake of the finest sort.

One of my all time favorite tobaccos. Peterson's Irish Flake is definitely not for the faint of heart but if you?re after a strong, flavorful and thoroughly enjoyable pipeful with a healthy dose of nicotine then this is for you. Not an all-day smoke, but great as an after dinner pipe, this wonderful Flue-Cured Virginia/Kentucky tobacco is sweet and aromatic with virtually no bite. If you can, buy some, you wont be sorry you did. As an additional note I would also like to recommend adding one or two flakes of Peterson?s to Full Virginia Flake. I really enjoy FVF as is but when I get to about half way through a tin I like to rub it all out and blend in one flake of Irish. This really is a nice smoke and if you like FVF you should give it a try.

This is the most wonderful smoke that I have come across. A real nicotine buzz. This is especially good for those moving from high nicotine cigarettes like roll ups as it will give you the same sort of instant hit evn without inhalation. In hale and a dizzy head is guaranteed. This is my favourite regular tobacco. My biggest regret is that here in the UK the tin has had to change to a bland design because the original picture may have caused hundreds of unsuspecting children to suddenly start smoking!

Form the very first bowl this bad boy became my favorite tobacco it was STRONG and burnt cool even when I smoked it very fast and there was no bite at all (I didn't use filter) it just works for me 10/10