Peterson Irish Flake
(3.35)
A full bodied blend made of equal proportions air-cured, flue cured, and dark fired. True to the pure, unspoiled tobacco taste. Recommended for the experienced pipe smoker.
Details
| Brand | Peterson |
| Blended By | Peterson |
| Manufactured By | Scandinavian Tobacco Group |
| Blend Type | Burley Based |
| Contents | Burley, Kentucky, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin |
| Country | Denmark |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Strong
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.35 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 41 - 50 of 437 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 15, 2018 | Strong | Extremely Mild | Medium to Full | Strong |
Peterson's Irish Flake. Okay, I'll add to the noise here a bit.
Strength: Yes, it's strong. Not as strong as G. & H. Brown Bogey, not as strong as University Flake. But it is strong, and I wouldn't recommend this to the light aromatics crowd. It will in fact, knock you on your ass. I got vagus nerve spasms that nearly dropped me to the floor the first time I smoked this.
Taste: I didn't initially like this. It is strong and tarry, a pure tobacco flavor. Toppings, dressings, casings? Well, the description says this is topped, but the reviews generally say otherwise. I get a bit of rose geranium and other Lakeland scents, but I don't taste the anise that others have reported here. The flavor becomes stronger, less sweet and more cigar like as you smoke through the bowl.
This is a lovely, oily flake that smells nasty in the tin, but which smokes beautifully. At 34% relative humidity with central gas heating, this required about 45 minutes of drying time, if you don't want an oily, wet dottle at the finish.
Preparation: I folded and stuffed one flake into the bottom of my M.M. Danish spool. I then thoroughly rubbed out another flake and packed it into the top half of the bowl in two packing steps. A number of relights are required, even after the tobacco has been rubbed and dried. I am a vacuum cleaner, and I could not get this one to bite no matter how hard I tried. This is a bit of a surprise, because the tobacco is quite moist out of the tin and contains a goodly amount of Virginia.
I enjoy this as an after breakfast smoke with strong black coffee. Not at all an all-day smoke for most.
Room note: The wife grabbed the skillet and attempted to bludgeon me with it after smelling this one inside the house. The divorce should be finalized by the end of next month. (joke...no assault actually occurred).. Calling the room note "tolerable" is akin to calling a skunk "lightly perfumed." In other words, non-smokers will find the room note to be a justification for their radical anti-tobacco political stance.
Finish: If sipped more or less slowly, the finish is pleasant. As noted above, cigar-like notes emerge and much of the sweetness goes away. If dried, this leaves a dark grey ash and moist dottle, and the pipe should be cleaned after each bowlful. Three out of four stars.
Strength: Yes, it's strong. Not as strong as G. & H. Brown Bogey, not as strong as University Flake. But it is strong, and I wouldn't recommend this to the light aromatics crowd. It will in fact, knock you on your ass. I got vagus nerve spasms that nearly dropped me to the floor the first time I smoked this.
Taste: I didn't initially like this. It is strong and tarry, a pure tobacco flavor. Toppings, dressings, casings? Well, the description says this is topped, but the reviews generally say otherwise. I get a bit of rose geranium and other Lakeland scents, but I don't taste the anise that others have reported here. The flavor becomes stronger, less sweet and more cigar like as you smoke through the bowl.
This is a lovely, oily flake that smells nasty in the tin, but which smokes beautifully. At 34% relative humidity with central gas heating, this required about 45 minutes of drying time, if you don't want an oily, wet dottle at the finish.
Preparation: I folded and stuffed one flake into the bottom of my M.M. Danish spool. I then thoroughly rubbed out another flake and packed it into the top half of the bowl in two packing steps. A number of relights are required, even after the tobacco has been rubbed and dried. I am a vacuum cleaner, and I could not get this one to bite no matter how hard I tried. This is a bit of a surprise, because the tobacco is quite moist out of the tin and contains a goodly amount of Virginia.
I enjoy this as an after breakfast smoke with strong black coffee. Not at all an all-day smoke for most.
Room note: The wife grabbed the skillet and attempted to bludgeon me with it after smelling this one inside the house. The divorce should be finalized by the end of next month. (joke...no assault actually occurred).. Calling the room note "tolerable" is akin to calling a skunk "lightly perfumed." In other words, non-smokers will find the room note to be a justification for their radical anti-tobacco political stance.
Finish: If sipped more or less slowly, the finish is pleasant. As noted above, cigar-like notes emerge and much of the sweetness goes away. If dried, this leaves a dark grey ash and moist dottle, and the pipe should be cleaned after each bowlful. Three out of four stars.
Pipe Used:
M.M. Danish Spool with balsa filter.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 20, 2017 | Strong | Mild to Medium | Medium | Tolerable |
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.
Pipe Used:
Peterson Flame Grain, Savinelli
PurchasedFrom:
Tobacco Patch, Bellevue, Washington
Age When Smoked:
2 months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 17, 2017 | Very Strong | Medium | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
A strong blend with a dominant part in burley and spiced Kentucky. The earthy Virginia is still present giving a somewhat bread/buttery note. Very creamy and smooth tobacco, but one should fill up their bellies before smoking it due to high nicotine content, I' d say higher than nightcap. The kind of liquorice topping makes it less brutal, especially at the end of the bowl. Tongue bites are kept at bay. I highly recommend smoking it in a churchwarden accompanied by a strong espresso blend
Pipe Used:
churchwarden
Age When Smoked:
fresh from the tin
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 23, 2016 | Strong | Extremely Mild | Very Full | Pleasant |
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.
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.
Pipe Used:
Astleys Chimney
PurchasedFrom:
Online Vendor
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 20, 2015 | Strong | None Detected | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
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
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
Age When Smoked:
Fresh and 2yo
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 26, 2014 | Strong | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
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.
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.
Pipe Used:
BC bulldog various Petersons
PurchasedFrom:
smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
New in tin
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2014 | Medium to Strong | Medium to Strong | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Before I even bought this the first time my tobacconist suggested University Flake before buying this. And I'm glad that he did. UF is like the little brother to this tobacco and still babies you with the flavor of plum and VAs.
Irish flake on the other hand is a grizzly deck hand with no time for plum. I imagine this is what tobaccos of the early 20th century tasted like. Full bodied flavor and a heavy dose of Vitamin N. Unless you want to feel a little lightheaded, you should eat a nice meal before this. Definitely not an aperitif smoke.
The flakes are cut very nicely and are relatively moist so it pays to let them dry out for at least 30-40 minutes fresh out of the tin. I personally like folding and stuffing this flake but that choice is up to you.
If you decide to pack the whole flake, it's a nice long smoke. The bowl takes its time and wants you to appreciate the marriage of the Kentucky and Burleys. You can expect some earthy notes, maybe even raisins and chocolate flavor profiles as well. If you're a strictly Balkan and Oriental lover, this may not be the blend for you. It does have a decent Burley kick in the back of the throat so I would advise you have a beverage at hand. Nice cup of tea (unsweetened chai tea especially) goes really well with this blend.
I've heard compliments and complaints about the room note but I think it's pleasant. It produces a scent that is very nostalgic for me. I have had neighbors when I was a child that smoked something that smells like this.
Typically I stuff the flake in the morning and leave my pipe at home while I'm at work. Come home and make dinner and enjoy one of these before bed. That was probably my favorite way to enjoy this blend. No worries about moisture levels and if the N got to be too much, I had already finished the day's work.
I rated this as a 3 out of 4 because I have recently been smoking 1792 Flake and HH Old Dark Fired. They both provide a little bit more in the realm of flavor but this is still a top notch tobacco. If you are a Burley fan or looking for something heavier, this should be next on your list.
Irish flake on the other hand is a grizzly deck hand with no time for plum. I imagine this is what tobaccos of the early 20th century tasted like. Full bodied flavor and a heavy dose of Vitamin N. Unless you want to feel a little lightheaded, you should eat a nice meal before this. Definitely not an aperitif smoke.
The flakes are cut very nicely and are relatively moist so it pays to let them dry out for at least 30-40 minutes fresh out of the tin. I personally like folding and stuffing this flake but that choice is up to you.
If you decide to pack the whole flake, it's a nice long smoke. The bowl takes its time and wants you to appreciate the marriage of the Kentucky and Burleys. You can expect some earthy notes, maybe even raisins and chocolate flavor profiles as well. If you're a strictly Balkan and Oriental lover, this may not be the blend for you. It does have a decent Burley kick in the back of the throat so I would advise you have a beverage at hand. Nice cup of tea (unsweetened chai tea especially) goes really well with this blend.
I've heard compliments and complaints about the room note but I think it's pleasant. It produces a scent that is very nostalgic for me. I have had neighbors when I was a child that smoked something that smells like this.
Typically I stuff the flake in the morning and leave my pipe at home while I'm at work. Come home and make dinner and enjoy one of these before bed. That was probably my favorite way to enjoy this blend. No worries about moisture levels and if the N got to be too much, I had already finished the day's work.
I rated this as a 3 out of 4 because I have recently been smoking 1792 Flake and HH Old Dark Fired. They both provide a little bit more in the realm of flavor but this is still a top notch tobacco. If you are a Burley fan or looking for something heavier, this should be next on your list.
Age When Smoked:
3 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 07, 2009 | Extremely Strong | None Detected | Full | Tolerable |
This will be a simple review for a simple tobacco. This is strong. This is burley. This smells, and somewhat tastes, like a high quality cigarette tobacco (drum, bali shag or something of that nature, for example). For me, this is the tobacco equivalent of a shot of espresso. Strong, simpler, pure, and perfect for the morning. This burns slow and (again) delivers strength so you now have a use for your smaller-chambered pipes.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 16, 2009 | Very Strong | Medium | Very Full | Tolerable to Strong |
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.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 27, 2009 | Very Strong | Extremely Mild | Full | Tolerable |
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.
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