Solani 656: Aged Burley Flake

Opening the tin, it took me a while to convince myself I really bought tobacco and not chocolate. For the smell and appearance said the contrary. Not that it is artificially flavored with chocolate, of course, for this high grade flake is 100% natural.

The flavor is very good, although one ought not to confuse heaviness with fullness of taste. This tobacco is more the first than the second. But the flavor is not bad at all. A little whisper of licorice, perhaps, or nuts. It never goes bitter properly, but the heaviness can also be confused with bitterness.

I did like it, more than Wessex Burley Slice, for example, but I will still prefer to soften it a little with a 30% of premium virginia or cavendish. A sacrilege? For many, yes, but for me there are no taboos if I will enjoy more. Isn´t milk added to chocolate?

Being a Burley lover, I was intrigued to find this addition to the Solani product line. I looked forward to a great smoke.

Boy, was I ever disappointed! There is no question that this is a tobacco of exceptional quality, but it made me ill everytime I put a match to it. The nicotine content of this stuff is off the charts! Even on a full stomach, this weed made my head spin.

All those who gave this four stars must be made of sterner stuff than I. Being a pipesmoker for 35+years, there have been only two blends (before this) that I could not handle because of harshness or UMMPH. This is the third. It is smooth as can be...but the strength made me reel for hours afterward.

All the comparisons to other Burley flakes on today's market seem, to me, illusory. Edgeworth and Kingfisher are wimpish compared to this stuff.

Solani offers some outstanding tobaccos and, for some, perhaps this is one. Speaking only for myself...glad I smoked only a sample; I'd sue if I'd paid for this noxious, vile intoxicant.

Flavor Profile: 60% wild damp/airy/spicy mushrooms (earthy note), 15% woody, 15% Nuts, 7% cocoa, 3% molasses

Nicotine strength: 3/10

Mechanics: Bad, it expands while you smoke and blocks the airflow and you find yourself using the pick on the tritool a lot. Heat also caramelizes the flame and makes it really hard to tamp.

Bottom line: I find it hard to be in the mood to smoke this flavor, and adding to that the complicated mechanics will make this blend a sleeper in my rotation.

I don't care for Burley blends. I like it as an addition but alone or in heavy quantities, it simply doesnt suit me. However, this blend breaks that mold. First off... Tin note: Molasses, Hay, Alfalfa, Prepping: Wasn’t wet but it does have an interesting sticky texture.

The smoke begins with a your expected nutty, woody, earthy, characters that burley blends are known for but the natural molasses note begins to appear quickly. Thought his tobacco that will not satisfy a sweet tooth, it does off an excellent interplay between sweet/savory, molasses/ nutty.

The sweet molasses character has become more pronounced. If you aren’t used to Buley’s, give it time. This blend is becoming quite a wonderful smoke. It really combines well with a cup of coffee or tea with a bit of milk, as the creaminess goes well with the molasses. Nic: Slightly above medium, though I did have it with coffee in the morning without much issue. Slight headache.

It is quickly becoming a top blend for me and will probably be switched out time to time with the Va/Bur blend University Flake in my rotation. A wonderful burley blend that lives up to its hype! 7.5/10

This blend gives burley the treatment it deserves! A light barely sweetened cocoa note the most obvious. Earthy and nutty with a slight bitterness like a good coffee .It pairs great with a cup as a morning smoke . Has a smooth mouth-feel that is quite pleasant . No real obvious cigar notes . No real spice enough to mention. 3 burley leafs blended to perfection ! I enjoy it a lot ! I will be sad when this tin is empty. Must get more .

I picked up a can of Aged Burley Flake a few months ago on the last day of work at a local tobacconist as a souvenir of sorts. This was, and in some sense still is, a new experience to me - it was the first flake tobacco I ever bought, as well as my first burley blend. It was probably one of my best choices since I started smoking a pipe.

First off, the aroma is amazing. One can clearly distinguish the cocoa and the chocolate. It packs pretty well. It is, however, a little bit too wet for my liking most of the time, so I usually give it a few minutes to dry before packing. After smoking my way through about ten flakes I found out that the flavour of this blend gets significantly stronger the more agressively it is being smoked. It starts of with a light and sweet cocoa, then goes down into chocolate territory, but if pushed harder the taste becomes very similar to dark bread. Becouse of this, I find it very fitting to pair with a glass of good slavic kvass.

I truly adore this one. This is currently my go-to "autumn melancholy" tobacco. It has helped me on a few gloomy days already. Fully recommended.

Bland and boring. I know others love this but it did not do anything for me. I won't be buying anymore. The first time Solani has disappointed me.

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Update 08-09-19. I'm going to change up my review a bit because I've made a discovery. 656 is the most pipe style sensitive blend I have ever encountered. First smokes were done in a variety of pipe shapes. I was unimpressed with 656 to say the least. I decided to give it another try in a medium sized bowl long shank Canadian. BANG! Totally different results. I now really enjoy this tobacco. In 40yrs of pipe smoking I have never experienced this phenomenon in such a dramatic fashion. I'm bumping 656 up to three stars.

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What's all the fuss about? It's a nice baccy, but not one I'll be writing home about, so I'm a little puzzled by all the rave reviews!

Appearance: medium brown, somewhat moist, regularly cut flakes.

Tin aroma: mild to none! Very faint tobacco aroma. According to the manufacturer's website this is flavored, but I don't detect any added scent.

It takes a light easily enough, but seems to need a few relights through the bowl. The flavour is very mild, nutty and more bitter than any other tobacco I've smoked and as such, fairly unique among tobaccos I've tried. I enjoy a hint of nutty bitterness from some of the Irish burley/Virginia plugs, I suppose the burley must be the source of it. I'm not averse to bitter flavours, enjoy well hopped beer, bitter chocolate and so on, so it isn't to my tastes detrimental, but rather enhances the nutty flavour, like wet walnuts. It has minimal sweetness until the last half of the bowl, and never tastes very sweet. I don't detect any chocolate flavours here, despite the power of suggestion from others reviews. What I do notice is that this tobacco is a bit of a ghost finder, and I've picked up resiny latakia while smoking it, having previously smoked Samuel Gawiths Commonwealth Mixture in this pipe.

After a few relights it becomes impossible to burn the greasy dottle left in the bowl, and we're done. Aftertaste is bland. Nicotine is low, so a large bowl may be advised if you are seeking satisfaction.

All in all, this tobacco has no great defects, and the bitter nutty taste is quite unique among tobaccos I've smoked. That said, it's not exciting, so I'll probably stick with pure Virginia flakes when I want fairly plain tobacco without condiments.

In what now seems my callow youth, when I was merely oldmanpipe, I pronounced Aged Burley Flake's nicotine punch capable of inducing a cardiac event. Now, far more at risk for such day-spoiling things, I'd like to say that it ain't that bad. That is not to say that either it or I have changed all that much, just that one takes things more slowly with the passage of time. And that is the key to enjoying all this flake has to offer. Puff fast, and it tastes like cheap Burley, and the room goes a'spinning; take your time, and you'll be amazed at all the nuance fine Burley can offer. The earth is there, the dark cocoa, and what I call the "Ohio Riverbank on a summer evening." THAT is what I look for in a Burley. And it's all here, brothers and sisters.

The negatives? Cost and unavailability. Period. Alternatives? MacBaren's HH Burley Flake. Not nearly as sublime, but completely serviceable.

Outstanding stuff.