Robert McConnell Latakia Flake

One of the strongest Latakia blends I've tried. Nicotine addicts with a penchant for Latakia will eat this one up.

The flakes are mostly dry yet pliable and jet black in appearance. A moderate to full rub worked best for me. I particularly enjoyed the smoothness mixed in with the strength. Tough to compare, but were I to take a stab at it, I'd say McConnell's Latakia Flake is very similar to the old Smoker's Haven Pirate Kake with a little more muscle.

Robert McConnell's Latakia flake is like nothing I have smoked before. This is for the unconditional Latakia lover and novices should stay away from it.

The long, dark and thick flakes are easy to break to someone's favorite level of rubbing out. I would advise against putting full flakes in the pipe: I think that the taste and strength would be simply overwhelming.

In order to get the best out of the taste, it is preferable to smoke slowly. If not, you will only taste the nicotine. And it would be a shame, because this flake provides a fine balance between spicines, sweetness and smokiness. And something else that I cannot identify. The tobacco stays lit without any problem despite the darkness of the flake.

The last third of the bowl represents a significant increase in strength, taste and nicotine level. Surprisingly, my wife did not complain of my smoking it in the house because the room aroma is very discreet the first 2/3. Still, it remains tolerable the last third.

This is a very dry smoke. My pipe cleaners were not all dark as I proceeded. Only at the end, when I cleaned up the bowl.

I highly recommend this flake. I will rebuy more on a regular basis. I am under the impression that McConnel's flake is a 100 years old mixture that traveled through time to end up in my pipe. A true taste of the past.

Robert McConnell - Latakia Flake.

The flakes looked as though they were beginning to break when I opened it, and they're quite fragile; because they've stuck together they need peeling apart, this causes them to crumble imminently. My tin was only a little too moist, nothing to get in a stress about. The flakes are jet black in colour.

The fiery Kentucky goes hand in hand with the smoky Latakia, forming the leading taste, hence the eponymous name! But, to my palate this flavour doesn't completely dominate the profile: although the Lat/Kent are easily the most formidable of the group, the black Cavendish softens and sweetens it, and also gives a vanilla-esc thickness. I get no tongue bite and the burn from L.F. couldn't be any better: steady, cool, fairly slow, leaving a clean white ash.

The nicotine's above medium, and the room-note's heavy.

Latakia Flake? I'll happily highly recommend it!

Four stars.

This is a classy, fantastic and completely different blend and can't compare to any other latakia/ oriental/english blend i have tried before. LF is a dark flake with intense aroma and a light floral scent to it, but not overwhelming at all.

These flakes come to be smoked right out of the tin. You can fold it and pack or rub out easily. It takes a while to get lit but once it takes the fire keeps going easily and with a few relights. The flavor is just fantastic, and as i said before, nothing to compare with. Smoky and woodsy, but sweet and floral at the same time, makes this baccy and awesome Smoke that is, IMO, not and all-day tobacco. I would recommend it as you last Smoke of the day and away of The wife. Very satisfiying, complex and uníque tobacco. Highly recommended!!

The name of this blend is confusing as it hardly tastes of Latakia at all, it tastes like a very old school British Flake. I find that it is extremely similar to GH&Co’s Revor Plug and both have a wonderful mysterious, subtle top dressing that I really can’t put my finger on but it’s magical. This is strong in nicotine but the smoke is so smooth and tasty it might sneak up on you. I prefer to smoke it in the cooler months and around October of every year I’ve come to get very excited to bring this one back in my rotation. The flakes come at the optimal moisture level, they are ready to crumble up and load in the pipe right when you pop the tin. I prefer to smoke this in a smaller chamber, something like a squat bulldog is perfect, in larger bowls this stuff can get a tad bitter the further you get down the bowl. This is an absolutely hidden gem within the McConnell line up and by far my favorite. This provides an amazing smoking experience in every level. Also worthy to note, this and Sillem’s Commodore Flake taste identical.

Edit* 1-18-19 I’ve just recently cracked open a round tin and that perfume flavor that I loved so much is entirely missing from these flakes, I really hope this is just an anomaly but the flakes look different to me as well and the Latakia is much more noticeable than before. It’s still a damn fine blend but it makes me happy that I have plenty of the square tins stocked up in my cellar.

Essential!

Latakia and Stoved Virginias in one flake. These combinations don't come around often.

A flake version of Commonwealth Mixture, if you will.

This, mates, is what I call a flake. Despite being very dark, they break to one's requirements extremely well and they smoke amazingly well.

Of course it can be somehow undimensional, there are two types of tobaccos involved. No different than...an all Burley flake, for example. But it is still very rewarding if smoked appropriately(slowly). This is still a rich and tasty mixture that smokes extraordianrely dry considering the dark, almost black flakes!

This flake is for Latakia's most fervent and loyal fans. I shall store my remaining tins in my Coleman Cooler and allow them to age for a couple years. That is, if I can resist until then...

A tobacco like heavy deep dark petroleum. Listening to bob dylan’s “Oh mercy “ album and a beer : perfect. If you’re wondering how you got to this point, survived and enjoyed the pain and the fury of it, this tobacco might just be the answer. Somewhat hard to get in Romania. The tin I got was somewhat hard to keep lit. Benefitted from matches. Definitely strong , hammer, on nicotine.

This is the best Latakia flake I have ever had. And also the most intriguing tin aroma I have ever encountered in my pipe smoking years!

Dark, dark and dark flakes. Easy to rub to someone's liking and despite a little bit too much of moisture at first, smokes extremely well.

In order to get full pleasure of this amazing flake, it is recommended to dedicate your full attention to it so that the stoved VAs can shine through the dominant Latakia taste. When dedicating oneself, the reward is...rewarding!

Despite the high amount of Latakia, this tobacco ir room aroma friendly. I have offended nor incommodated anyone when smoking this flake at home among guests.

This, gentleman, is a man's flake. Lighter than Peterson Irish super flake, for strength's comparison. And substantially stronger than Balkan Flake from Samuel Gawith.

Latakia lovers, trying this outstanding creation of McConnel's is mandatory. I belive you will not be disappointed.

When you open the tin you see a jet black flake with a smell of wet clay, smoke and a subtle smell that reminds me of lavender. A little wet that requires about 15 minutes of drying. Once you start smoking, it does not require extra lighting. The flavor is the same as the tin, a deep and earthy smoke with that touch of lavender that lasts until the end. I have used a "HOT GRILL" on the pipe that creates an expansion chamber and improves the release of flavors. Finish with a fine white ash. It is a highly recommended flake.