Brebbia Latakia Flake Mixture No. 9

I confess. I love a good LatVa blend. In particular those that contain Syrian Latakia. This one has a little something extra to it that makes it stand out. Along with the usual smokiness and sweetness is a wonderful amount of spice. Some may be from the Virginias, but most seems to be of the Oriental variety. This is some really smooth, smoky, spicy, Latakia. I just love this stuff. Although there is a little complexity, it's mostly a simple, delicious smoke that doesn't require a lot of concentration to fully enjoy. It's very relaxing in that regard.

Ready to smoke out of the tin. Medium in body. Medium to full in flavor. Burns perfectly. Most bowls require only one match. A really great tasting LatVa flake.

Stumbled across this and some bulk F & K Lancer Slices at almost the same time and thought I'd had twins. Well, fraternal if not identical. Quality leaf. Great manufacturer. Creamy, enveloping, rich smoke that is far, far smoother and lighter than the tin aroma or the room note. Plus, I'm a sucker for flakes, especially in round tins (OK I'm weird, who would've guessed). Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys a taste profile ranging from light English to more full-bodied Balkan/Latakia mixtures. No oriental listed above, but either there is some or it's a who-needs-it tobacco. I really enjoy and now always look forward to smoking it.

This stuff is delicious! The Virginias are sweet and rich (bright and reds I think). The Syrian Latakia is more subtle than its Cyprian cousin. It is less smoky and adds a mild sweet spice. This blend contains no orientals but, nonetheless, it is about the closest to Penzance I have smoked. Due to the high Virginia content and Syrian Latakia, I believe this blend will age beautifully. So far I have only smoked it fresh but I have several tins cellared so we will see...

I recently bought a tin of #9 and have not been disappointed. This blend though is at the very edge of my tolerance for nicatine, for this gives a pretty good kick. If you love latakia blends, try this! Smells like a campfire out of the tin which is a plus for me. And the aroma as its smoked is bliss in my book. Will bite if your agressive. On the edge of being a bit to bold for me but I plan to keep this in my rotation for those days that I am looking for something with a punch.

Update 4/26/2016 Since my initial review of #9 some years back, and 3 tins later, this has become my favorite blend. For latakia fans I would highly recommend this blend. It is a straight foward uncomplicated blend for any time of day, and an excellent winter smoke. Treat it kind in the pipe and you will be rewarded. Changing to 4 stars.

Brebbia flakes are nice thin flakes with a sweet smoky tin note. The flakes are pretty dry, for flakes (which I like). They rub out easy and are ready to smoke right out of the tin. I am going back through my latakia flakes (Brebbia, MacBaren, Kendal and Germain) and I really enjoy the VA Latakia blend. It is a nice easy going not complex smoke. When I am working, I don't have to fuss with or concentrate much on the pipe. It is a great pleasant and tasty smoke. Brebbia #9 is my favorite of the lot.

The Virgina's are sweet and I think I see a combination of stoved and mature Virginia's in with the Latakia. The Syrian Latakia is the centerpiece but is very well balanced with the Virginia's. I read a lot about the superiority of the Syrian vs the Cyprian versions of Latakia, for me it isnt' better or worse, they are different and depending on the mood and the blend they can be equally satisfying. In this blend the Syrian and the Virginias play very well together and it is my opinion that the sweeter Syrian Latakia is what makes this the best Latakia flake around (the only one I have tried with Syrian Latakia anyway). The sweet smokiness along with the VA's give a caramel like flavor. I get a spiciness too from this, one reviewer said it was oriental like, and I agree, but there are no orientals in the description. Not sure where it comes from as my palate and knowledge isn't good enough for forensic tobacco decoding. It is there and it is pleasant. I will leave it to the sophisticates to tell me where it originates. Very nice smoke and it is good in any pipe.

Brebbia - Latakia Flake (Mixture No. 9).

To me this is a brilliant morning smoke.

The tin contains one stack of wide, dark, flakes, that have become slightly stuck together. They're dark, but not 'black' due to a few lighter streaks of Virginia running down them. Although they'd become stuck to each other during transit/storage (5 months) excess moisture hasn't made them unsmokeable.

To light Latakia Flake No. 9 is as simple a task as I'd want, and then the smoke's Lat' Heaven! To be fair, the initial few puffs aren't as good as the subsequent ones, there's a slightly acerbic note which waits until the burn's settled to dissipate. After that it's a cracking smoke though! Lots of vivacious Latakia: spicy, smoky, with a touch of vinegar sharpness. I don't notice much, if any, Virginia, the Lat' dominates the smoke far too much for even a trace of it. I get no extra flavours, this is a pure and unadulterated smoke. As has been afore mentioned it burns slowly, making for me, a perfect blend for Sunday mornings.

I find the nicotine above medium (you might not, I'm quite susceptible to N lately), and the room-note's tolerable at best. But, I couldn't care how it smells!

A brilliant blend easily warranting four stars:

Highly recommended.

For us latakia lovers, this is a delight. Full of uncompromising latakia flavor, the aging makes it taste like the finest Syrian Latakia to my taste buds. A wonderful treat to a discerning English smoker.

I like this blend. This may be my favorite at the moment. Very rich and somewhat spicy.

Probably the best BALANCE of any Va/Lat I have ever smoked. Flavor quite consistent top to bottom. As such, it could be called monochromatic but WHAT color! The Syrian (maybe ?) really shines, sweet and smooth, just right with high quality Va. For support Top grade