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 1 - 11 of 438 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 22, 2022 | Strong | Very Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
Today's trial: the Irish Flake of 2009 in a square tin and the Stirling Flake of 2022. My opinion about fresh tins (after 2013) has been written as P.S., so have in mind: all marks I bet is for OLD Irish Flake.
Appearance: some differences can be seen immediately. Irish Flake had been sliced into long, narrow flake strips the length of a tin, each of the flakes weighing about three grams. The Stirling Flake strips are the “standard” rectangular size, wider, stacked in two stacks. Each flake weighs about four grams, with its small volume provoking you to stuff more than one, which I wouldn't recommend for a beginner. Irish Flake is a little lighter in shade, less dense. Stirling Flake clearly has more glycerin and propylene glycol treatment. Despite all of the above, both tobaccos are similar, mostly dark with occasional yellow flecks. The flake have a great consistency, easily broken if desired or twisted into a tube for "envelope" stuffing. However, knowing the strength of the mixture, I did not risk smoking it this way.
Flavor: There is also a definite difference here. In Stirling Flake the anise topping is brighter, bitter chocolate and Kentucky smoky note prevail over the rest, Virginia tones of field hay, wheat bread and tangerine are in the background, and burley gives it all a woody and nutty support. Inhaling this flavor, after a couple of minutes, I felt a faint note of leather. And in Irish Flake, the aniseed topping note over the years has gone deep into the overall flavor, giving room for woody, nutty burley notes framed by smoky and chocolate Kentucky with a slight coffee tone. Virginia's light notes of dried field hay, wheat bread and tangerine, along with the lightest touch of leather, give this bouquet a subtle sweetness in the scent, being somewhat off-putting. Overall, aging has clearly benefited the tobacco - the flavor is more whole, though less bright.
The taste of both tobaccos left no doubt that they were practically the same. A beautiful bouquet, with smoky, chocolatey, woody and barely noticeable citrus tones melded together, lightly supported by very light sweets of Virginia. The Stirling Flake is a bit brighter towards smoke and chocolate, but I attribute that to its youth. The blend has no harshness from the start, is tolerant of overheating, and the flavor is extremely mild. There is nothing superfluous about it, it tastes like an expensive vintage pipe tobacco. It smokes very slowly, cool and extremely dry, burning to almost white ash and leaving absolutely no moisture in the pipe. The strength of both tobaccos is clearly much above average. Three grams of one Irish Flake was just enough for me to feel quite a tangible relaxing nicotine kick. In the case of Stirling Flake, the effect was a little stronger, but do not forget that the plate of this tobacco is a few grams heavier. The aftertaste is smoky and woody, unsweetened, mild, but persistent.
The smoke from tobacco is dense and persistent in flavor, has the aroma of smoldering resinous pine with the lightest phenolic flavoring.
Bottom line: the place is never empty. Irish Flake is dead? Long live Stirling Flake! This is an absolutely luxurious strong, but very mild tobacco. It goes great with peaty Irish or Scotch whiskey, being a strong afternoon or evening tobacco. I can recall that I had the same pleasure with Mac Baren HH Old Dark Fired (by the way, both tobaccos are similar in composition and strength, though slightly different in flavor and taste). As for the older version of Irish Flake, if you have it in your collection, don't worry about running out. Stirling Flake is an equal replacement.
P.S. For this trial I did not take the current version of Irish Flake by STG because I absolutely know that its form has undergone serious changes. The old version of the blend had equal proportions of air-cured, flue cured, and dark fired tobaccos - that is, it had equal amounts of Virginia, Burley, and Kentucky. The current version clearly has more of bright Virginia and less Kentucky, which you can see even with the naked eye. In addition, instead of the old anise topping, a mixed fruit and berry syrup has been preferred now by STG, somewhat similar to the current University Flake version. Together with the rich flavors of bright sweet Virginia and burley with a faint support of Kentucky, the result is a strange, somewhat watery sweet berry-woody-coffee flavor. That is to say, completely different. The current version of Irish Flake by STG will be considered fallen in the unequal struggle with globalism and the cruel market.
Appearance: some differences can be seen immediately. Irish Flake had been sliced into long, narrow flake strips the length of a tin, each of the flakes weighing about three grams. The Stirling Flake strips are the “standard” rectangular size, wider, stacked in two stacks. Each flake weighs about four grams, with its small volume provoking you to stuff more than one, which I wouldn't recommend for a beginner. Irish Flake is a little lighter in shade, less dense. Stirling Flake clearly has more glycerin and propylene glycol treatment. Despite all of the above, both tobaccos are similar, mostly dark with occasional yellow flecks. The flake have a great consistency, easily broken if desired or twisted into a tube for "envelope" stuffing. However, knowing the strength of the mixture, I did not risk smoking it this way.
Flavor: There is also a definite difference here. In Stirling Flake the anise topping is brighter, bitter chocolate and Kentucky smoky note prevail over the rest, Virginia tones of field hay, wheat bread and tangerine are in the background, and burley gives it all a woody and nutty support. Inhaling this flavor, after a couple of minutes, I felt a faint note of leather. And in Irish Flake, the aniseed topping note over the years has gone deep into the overall flavor, giving room for woody, nutty burley notes framed by smoky and chocolate Kentucky with a slight coffee tone. Virginia's light notes of dried field hay, wheat bread and tangerine, along with the lightest touch of leather, give this bouquet a subtle sweetness in the scent, being somewhat off-putting. Overall, aging has clearly benefited the tobacco - the flavor is more whole, though less bright.
The taste of both tobaccos left no doubt that they were practically the same. A beautiful bouquet, with smoky, chocolatey, woody and barely noticeable citrus tones melded together, lightly supported by very light sweets of Virginia. The Stirling Flake is a bit brighter towards smoke and chocolate, but I attribute that to its youth. The blend has no harshness from the start, is tolerant of overheating, and the flavor is extremely mild. There is nothing superfluous about it, it tastes like an expensive vintage pipe tobacco. It smokes very slowly, cool and extremely dry, burning to almost white ash and leaving absolutely no moisture in the pipe. The strength of both tobaccos is clearly much above average. Three grams of one Irish Flake was just enough for me to feel quite a tangible relaxing nicotine kick. In the case of Stirling Flake, the effect was a little stronger, but do not forget that the plate of this tobacco is a few grams heavier. The aftertaste is smoky and woody, unsweetened, mild, but persistent.
The smoke from tobacco is dense and persistent in flavor, has the aroma of smoldering resinous pine with the lightest phenolic flavoring.
Bottom line: the place is never empty. Irish Flake is dead? Long live Stirling Flake! This is an absolutely luxurious strong, but very mild tobacco. It goes great with peaty Irish or Scotch whiskey, being a strong afternoon or evening tobacco. I can recall that I had the same pleasure with Mac Baren HH Old Dark Fired (by the way, both tobaccos are similar in composition and strength, though slightly different in flavor and taste). As for the older version of Irish Flake, if you have it in your collection, don't worry about running out. Stirling Flake is an equal replacement.
P.S. For this trial I did not take the current version of Irish Flake by STG because I absolutely know that its form has undergone serious changes. The old version of the blend had equal proportions of air-cured, flue cured, and dark fired tobaccos - that is, it had equal amounts of Virginia, Burley, and Kentucky. The current version clearly has more of bright Virginia and less Kentucky, which you can see even with the naked eye. In addition, instead of the old anise topping, a mixed fruit and berry syrup has been preferred now by STG, somewhat similar to the current University Flake version. Together with the rich flavors of bright sweet Virginia and burley with a faint support of Kentucky, the result is a strange, somewhat watery sweet berry-woody-coffee flavor. That is to say, completely different. The current version of Irish Flake by STG will be considered fallen in the unequal struggle with globalism and the cruel market.
Pipe Used:
Peterson 14B, 69, 80s, 106, 150, 999
PurchasedFrom:
Secondary market
Age When Smoked:
2009
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 08, 2014 | Strong | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
Original review date: 8-8-2014. A strong blend with a potent blast of nutty, earthy, woody, sweet and sharp burleys, They are well supported by dark fired Kentucky which offers a rich, hearty dose of smoke, earth, floralness, wood, vegetation, herbs, medium spice, nuts, and mild barbecue. The Virginias are floral, earthy, woody, grassy, bready, vegetative, mildly tart and tangy citrus sweet, spice, some tangy dried dark fruit and and a few cigar notes in the third slot. They are a step ahead of the condiment mark. There is a light topping that reminds me of anise. It’s not as overly complex as I make it seem due to its rugged bold richness and fairly creamy smoothness. The flavor is mostly consistent all the way to the end. The strength level is very strong, and the taste is very filling. The nic-hit is strong, too. I recommend smoking it after you’ve eaten due to the high nicotine content. Won't bite or get harsh, but has a few rough edges. Burns cool, clean and slow with a very consistent nutty, creamy sweet, fruity, mildly floral, spicy, mildly cigarish flavor. Leaves a little moisture in the bowl, so you may want to dry it a little first. Requires a fair amount of relights. Has a long lingering, pleasant after taste, and rather pungent room note. Certainly not an all day smoke. Four stars.
Update: 12-30-2022 The blend has been changed. The dark fired Kentucky takes the lead by a fair amount now. Their particular aspects much the same as they were in my original review with the exception of the higher smoky barbecue and spice content. The burleys are not much more than a condiment with similarities matching what was used in the past. The Virginias are further in the background, just below the condiment line. The strength level is now strong, not very strong. The taste is reduced to the full threshold. Has a little more roughness. I faintly detect anise, and am doubtful of its presence. The cigar notes are barely present. The creaminess and fruit are hardly obvious. All other characteristics are the same. Three stars for the current production, and my ratings reflect that now.
-JimInks
Update: 12-30-2022 The blend has been changed. The dark fired Kentucky takes the lead by a fair amount now. Their particular aspects much the same as they were in my original review with the exception of the higher smoky barbecue and spice content. The burleys are not much more than a condiment with similarities matching what was used in the past. The Virginias are further in the background, just below the condiment line. The strength level is now strong, not very strong. The taste is reduced to the full threshold. Has a little more roughness. I faintly detect anise, and am doubtful of its presence. The cigar notes are barely present. The creaminess and fruit are hardly obvious. All other characteristics are the same. Three stars for the current production, and my ratings reflect that now.
-JimInks
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 17, 2009 | Extremely Strong | Extremely Mild | Very Full | Pleasant |
I amazed I haven't reviewed this one yet. Let me begin by saying this, "How the hell can Peterson's make great pipes and a fantastic tobacco like this - in real Irish tradition - whilst still making so many non-entity aromatics. Apparently Deluxe Mixture is their top seller in the Dublin shop which frankly suggest most Irishmen haven't got a clue about good tobacco!
UniFlake is great, Irish Oak is good and popular, Sherlock Holmes I love apart from its inappropriate name, Sunset Breeze is a sweet aro of good repute that doesn't bite two much and I'm looking forward to trying my tin of strong Irish whiskey sitting in the cellar. But Irish Flake is Peterson's and Irish. It is strong and sweet, fruity with hints of anise and Erinmore with a perfumey lakeland ripple brushing the pebbled beach.
It fits Peterson's so well, it redeems them when their pipes take too long to break-in or burn too hot or for not making enough filter pipes and when they do sending them all to Germany. I have only one problem with Irish Flake, they do not sell it in Holland! Every other blend they make but not this one...the best one...the most Irish one...the strongest one. If you are the importer to The Netherlands and just happen to read this...get a life...please.
EDIT: Since last writing this review, there are now 2 or three suppliers in Amsterdam selling this winner in the pipe world...I guess a distributor read my review after all!
I'd also like to add, that Capt. Pete (below) is right, when he say's it's not as strong as many think. It does taste strong and it is a strong baccy, but Uni Flake is close and Erinmore Flake has a fair wack to it too (I have no time with older smokers talking about how much better it was 20 yrs ago). And. Many English Plugs and Ropes are stronger. But credit must be given to Peterson's for making a strong flake with a look to the past...it is a brave thing to do, and I suspect financially very sound...ERIN GO BRAGH!
UniFlake is great, Irish Oak is good and popular, Sherlock Holmes I love apart from its inappropriate name, Sunset Breeze is a sweet aro of good repute that doesn't bite two much and I'm looking forward to trying my tin of strong Irish whiskey sitting in the cellar. But Irish Flake is Peterson's and Irish. It is strong and sweet, fruity with hints of anise and Erinmore with a perfumey lakeland ripple brushing the pebbled beach.
It fits Peterson's so well, it redeems them when their pipes take too long to break-in or burn too hot or for not making enough filter pipes and when they do sending them all to Germany. I have only one problem with Irish Flake, they do not sell it in Holland! Every other blend they make but not this one...the best one...the most Irish one...the strongest one. If you are the importer to The Netherlands and just happen to read this...get a life...please.
EDIT: Since last writing this review, there are now 2 or three suppliers in Amsterdam selling this winner in the pipe world...I guess a distributor read my review after all!
I'd also like to add, that Capt. Pete (below) is right, when he say's it's not as strong as many think. It does taste strong and it is a strong baccy, but Uni Flake is close and Erinmore Flake has a fair wack to it too (I have no time with older smokers talking about how much better it was 20 yrs ago). And. Many English Plugs and Ropes are stronger. But credit must be given to Peterson's for making a strong flake with a look to the past...it is a brave thing to do, and I suspect financially very sound...ERIN GO BRAGH!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 31, 2006 | Strong | Extremely Mild | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Peterson's Irish Flake, in a nutshell, is delicious, strong and cool burning.
Upon opening the tin, I was greated by a greasy, dark flake that smelled rancid. Experience told me I'd be in heaven once I got it in my pipe. Due to the moisture content, I let this one dry out for about half an hour after first giving the flake a good rubbing out. I loaded up in a medium bowled pipe and enjoyed a rich, straight forward, no frills smoke that provided just a slight hint of sweetness.
The taste was strong... The nicotine content was full to the brim... And, the flavor was that of a heavily stoved and strong Virginia with perhaps a smidgen of added flavoring.
If you are new to smoking, puff slowly as Peterson's Irish Flake, quite frankly, was made exclusively for the full scrotum crowd.
Upon opening the tin, I was greated by a greasy, dark flake that smelled rancid. Experience told me I'd be in heaven once I got it in my pipe. Due to the moisture content, I let this one dry out for about half an hour after first giving the flake a good rubbing out. I loaded up in a medium bowled pipe and enjoyed a rich, straight forward, no frills smoke that provided just a slight hint of sweetness.
The taste was strong... The nicotine content was full to the brim... And, the flavor was that of a heavily stoved and strong Virginia with perhaps a smidgen of added flavoring.
If you are new to smoking, puff slowly as Peterson's Irish Flake, quite frankly, was made exclusively for the full scrotum crowd.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 29, 2013 | Extremely Strong | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
After reading the reviews I took away what I should... This is a very strong tobacco use caution. With that I knew not to smoke on an empty stomach and show respect with small easy puffs. I made sure to do both. I was amazed how rich and deep the taste I.F. has immediately after the hard light. Even with a few gentle puffs I could feel my heart race and my consciousness slowly disconnect as my body began to react to this high octane nicotine.
Taste: This is the first tobacco I smoked that tasted like the bouquet of the tin, however it was that (fresh sweet natural tobacco) but VERY deep. Has the foundation of dark fire cure throughout, even with small gentle puffs the deep fire cure rose from from the back of my throat to my nasal cavity. This is one strong deep musky tobacco.
Room note: I asked my wife what she smelled she said, "smells sweet," and like "tea." I realized that was the taste I couldn't quite figure out.. It's dark like an earl grey tea bag you left in too long, this is on top of the fire cure. It's probably the other tobaccos faintly peeking through. I recommend having this in your inventory but for me it's not an everyday smoke. Respect this one or you could get hurt. This would pair well after a fine meal of steak and potato.
Taste: This is the first tobacco I smoked that tasted like the bouquet of the tin, however it was that (fresh sweet natural tobacco) but VERY deep. Has the foundation of dark fire cure throughout, even with small gentle puffs the deep fire cure rose from from the back of my throat to my nasal cavity. This is one strong deep musky tobacco.
Room note: I asked my wife what she smelled she said, "smells sweet," and like "tea." I realized that was the taste I couldn't quite figure out.. It's dark like an earl grey tea bag you left in too long, this is on top of the fire cure. It's probably the other tobaccos faintly peeking through. I recommend having this in your inventory but for me it's not an everyday smoke. Respect this one or you could get hurt. This would pair well after a fine meal of steak and potato.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 28, 2014 | Very Strong | Mild | Very Full | Pleasant |
"I can taste colors!"
Irish Flake. It should have a warning label, according to everyone that has ever smoked it. "May cause tongue twisted nicotine fueled rants about the gold standard and or those uppity kids and their crazy denim trousers". The smell was definitely fire cured, smoky, strong. I grew up on a tobacco farm in the Carolinas so any time I smell cured tobacco I associate it with the smell of a barn. This smelled like an entire barn was packed into this small tin - very strong, sweet, even with strong floral notes and hay coming along for the ride.
Using the "Z-Roll" technique to create a cylindrical "plug", I put this into a very large bowled meerschaum, which gave me about 1/4" of headspace between the top of the plug and the rim.
I really like the flavor of this tobacco. Lightly sweetened tea, heather, some pithy bitterness at the finish, and a lingering woodsy sweetness at the back of the palate. A quick French inhale revealed something resembling mint. Don't get me wrong, the predominant flavor here is big, manly, mean... but with a sensitive side... Hulk in the front, Bruce Banner in the back.
The room note, think of the taste of sweet tea that has been scented with heather and mint. Very pleasant, and while this tobacco has fairly massive flavor, the smell was very mild and even dissipated quickly.
Expecting a sledgehammer of Nicotine, I made sure I had some food just prior and a large glass of water to go with this beast. I'm glad I did, because despite my precautions it was a heavy hitter - but not unbearable with the right precautions.
The only negative? Despite letting this flake dry on a sheet of paper for 30 minutes, I still had a tough time keeping it lit. I'm sure though, had I used a tighter bowl, I wouldn't have had the same problems.
***UPDATE 2014-07-18*** Although my "newb" tobacco tastebuds have changed quite a bit since my first review, I found that my love of Irish Flake is still what it was upon my first review. Additionally, for almost a month prior to my most recent procurement of another tin, I literally had a "craving" for this tobacco. There aren't many tobaccos I can say that about. I really like this stuff.
Irish Flake. It should have a warning label, according to everyone that has ever smoked it. "May cause tongue twisted nicotine fueled rants about the gold standard and or those uppity kids and their crazy denim trousers". The smell was definitely fire cured, smoky, strong. I grew up on a tobacco farm in the Carolinas so any time I smell cured tobacco I associate it with the smell of a barn. This smelled like an entire barn was packed into this small tin - very strong, sweet, even with strong floral notes and hay coming along for the ride.
Using the "Z-Roll" technique to create a cylindrical "plug", I put this into a very large bowled meerschaum, which gave me about 1/4" of headspace between the top of the plug and the rim.
I really like the flavor of this tobacco. Lightly sweetened tea, heather, some pithy bitterness at the finish, and a lingering woodsy sweetness at the back of the palate. A quick French inhale revealed something resembling mint. Don't get me wrong, the predominant flavor here is big, manly, mean... but with a sensitive side... Hulk in the front, Bruce Banner in the back.
The room note, think of the taste of sweet tea that has been scented with heather and mint. Very pleasant, and while this tobacco has fairly massive flavor, the smell was very mild and even dissipated quickly.
Expecting a sledgehammer of Nicotine, I made sure I had some food just prior and a large glass of water to go with this beast. I'm glad I did, because despite my precautions it was a heavy hitter - but not unbearable with the right precautions.
The only negative? Despite letting this flake dry on a sheet of paper for 30 minutes, I still had a tough time keeping it lit. I'm sure though, had I used a tighter bowl, I wouldn't have had the same problems.
***UPDATE 2014-07-18*** Although my "newb" tobacco tastebuds have changed quite a bit since my first review, I found that my love of Irish Flake is still what it was upon my first review. Additionally, for almost a month prior to my most recent procurement of another tin, I literally had a "craving" for this tobacco. There aren't many tobaccos I can say that about. I really like this stuff.
Pipe Used:
Meerschaum, Cob
PurchasedFrom:
Pipesandcigars.com
Age When Smoked:
Unknown (Purchased 3/2014)
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 02, 2009 | Overwhelming | None Detected | Extra Full | Pleasant |
Drowning in fire-powered Kentucky Burley (WHAT is so Irish about that??), I find this bitter, cloying and bloated in flavour, slightly nauseating in unrestrained nicotine charge, and simply not for me. The man who called it RAW, RAW, RAW was absolutely right.
If you like untaxed back-forest moonshine, go ahead.
If you like untaxed back-forest moonshine, go ahead.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 16, 2014 | Strong | Extremely Mild | Full | Tolerable |
An absolutely delightful, thick, dark and delicious tasting tobacco.
There's a definite gravity to the rich full bodied smoke produced by this flake. The strength is more full tilt than I prefer but once I experienced smoking this a handful of times, I learned a couple tricks to help stave off feeling as though I got hit by a dark fired wrecking ball.
Stylistically, I liken Irish Flake to Old Dark Fired, but I.F. is more heady and a bit more firm in flavor. There's also a very subtle flavoring at play. It's there but it's quite mild and difficult to describe.
Strong and good. Damn Good...
There's a definite gravity to the rich full bodied smoke produced by this flake. The strength is more full tilt than I prefer but once I experienced smoking this a handful of times, I learned a couple tricks to help stave off feeling as though I got hit by a dark fired wrecking ball.
Stylistically, I liken Irish Flake to Old Dark Fired, but I.F. is more heady and a bit more firm in flavor. There's also a very subtle flavoring at play. It's there but it's quite mild and difficult to describe.
Strong and good. Damn Good...
Pipe Used:
Small
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 16, 2012 | Strong | None Detected | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I'm not going to lie. I have anticipated trying this blend for a very long time and upon smoking my first bowl was kind of disappointed. What was all the fuss about? Ok, it's a bit strong, then what? But, as any good reviewer should do, I smoked my way through the tin before making a judgement. Each bowl brought a bit more intrest. A nice robust earthiness that is quite enjoyable once you acclimate to it. I have a tin I plan to put some age on, as I believe I will enjoy it much more. So, yes, I.F. is a strong tobacco and really good with an Assam tea. I'll have to wait and see if it gets better with age. If you like strong flakes, give it a try.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 22, 2010 | Medium | Mild | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Well, this one is rapidly stating its case for the most often reviewed tobacco here at TR. It's becoming very popular.
Beautiful flakes with a very noticeable tin aroma of some kind of fruit. But this is no Erinmore, as this fruitiness does not come through in the smoke. What comes through is exactly what they proclaim on the tin - pure tobacco with a hint of sweetness.
With all the claims of high nicotine content in this one, I was all set to be knocked on my fanny. But it never happened. If someone can smoke the black and brown ropes, they will laugh at this one's nicotine wimpiness. But it does pack a punch so it's best smoked later in the day or on a full stomach, and probably sitting down. I usually loaded two full flakes and had no problems with nicotine overload.
This is a wonderful pure tobacco. My tin was a little overly robust, a little young and a little lacking in the refinement I get from Solani, Wessex or Edgeworth burley flakes, but it was still very good. I reviewed University Flake and wondered what it would taste like without the berry topping. Irish Flake has answered that question. This one won't make my regular rotation but I'll buy more to smoke occasionally when I'm in the mood for something feisty.
Beautiful flakes with a very noticeable tin aroma of some kind of fruit. But this is no Erinmore, as this fruitiness does not come through in the smoke. What comes through is exactly what they proclaim on the tin - pure tobacco with a hint of sweetness.
With all the claims of high nicotine content in this one, I was all set to be knocked on my fanny. But it never happened. If someone can smoke the black and brown ropes, they will laugh at this one's nicotine wimpiness. But it does pack a punch so it's best smoked later in the day or on a full stomach, and probably sitting down. I usually loaded two full flakes and had no problems with nicotine overload.
This is a wonderful pure tobacco. My tin was a little overly robust, a little young and a little lacking in the refinement I get from Solani, Wessex or Edgeworth burley flakes, but it was still very good. I reviewed University Flake and wondered what it would taste like without the berry topping. Irish Flake has answered that question. This one won't make my regular rotation but I'll buy more to smoke occasionally when I'm in the mood for something feisty.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 29, 2014 | Strong | Medium | Full | Strong |
Irish Flake is everything the label says it is. It is strong, you could almost say it’s menacing. I can’t smoke it in the morning, but in the evening that’s another story. I agree when some reviews mentioned it having a taste of cheroot, the preferred smoke of Samuel Clemens. But I think the smoke has more finesse than a cheroot. I’ve read folks mentioning its flavored with anise, but I bet it’s licorice, see article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licorice This tobacco burns effortlessly to a fine ash. The trick to enjoying this blend is don’t ever inhale- you’ll get all the nicotine you want by your mucous membrane’s absorption of nicotine. There are a few tobaccos that I’m quite fond of, but they lack the punch of nicotine, so I find myself inhaling to round out the experience, but not here. It has a wonderful sweetness I can’t describe, and I don’t notice an overbearing or ghosting Lakeland essence. I also think that University Flake (its lil’ brother) is really quite medium in strength and more sugared up, and I don’t find the ash as powdery as IF. I'm quite fond of this tobacco. If you prefer strong dark tobacco I suggest trying this blend.
Pipe Used:
Genod Bulldog
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
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