Solani 656: Aged Burley Flake

Neatly presented uniform flakes. Rub out gently lengthwise to keep some long strands, let rest for half an hour. Pack inverted leaving an air gap. Sweet and nutty flavors - makes me think of Rocky Road ice cream with a slight hint of coconut mid-bowl.

High-quality leaf for sure but not for every day - will save this one for when I am in the mood for something on the slightly stronger side.

High quality flake, nicely packaged (its how a man would like his presents wrapped all the time). Just moist enough to require minimal drying time, breaks apart well, burns cool and clean.

I trust burleyphiles who state this as being creme de la, but I just can't do straight burley-it's just too one dimensional for me.

Having said that, I'll try to maintain some stock of this as its a great 1:2:0.5 mix with 2 parts Dunhill Flake and 1/2 part St. James Perique. Now that's a tasty VaBurPer! Recommended

Pure burley bliss, if that's your thing. The smoke has a blue green hue. The taste is sweet and straightforward burley fare. Can't go wrong here. Even those who aren't really burley fans should enjoy its simple beauty. Best in a small bowl. I found the flakes are difficult to rub out but it is still worth a look.

right when uou open the tin you notice a sweet smell almost like raisins or a sweet black cavendish which will make you think the smoke has alot of flavor....it really doesnt...just a slight sweetness at the end of every puff... but overall good earthy tobacco

Well-rounded burley. Don't worry if burley isn't your thing, because this one has some depth to it. It retains the nutty and earthy tones that make burleys attractive to some, but has a wonderful sweetness to it that belies a depth and body of some Virginia and even oriental blends.

This one needs some drying time after rubbing out, deserves to be sipped slowly, and certainly wouldn't qualify in the 'all-day smoke' category.

This is much more complex than your straightforward burley blends and as such provides several smokes before rendering an opinion.

Most people seem to have had positive experience with this. My tin tasted very mild and not at all what other people have said. One other reviewer mentioned that they had bought a couple of tins and there was a big difference between them. Some tasted great while others were bland. I can only conclude that this is the case with my tin. The tin smell is very good, but the smoke is harsh to the point it almost seems like a spicy blend that spices the back of my throat. When I smell the smoke, it spices my nose and into my sinuses (if that makes sense). To top it off, the taste is very bland and not tasty at all. I am not sure what I got but it aint what others are describing.

This inconsistency in the blend between tins leads me to suggest not getting this- although if you are a gambling man your chances seem to be good that you will get a tin that is as most people describe.

I am using this in a corncob that I previously used aromatics in. I am using burley to take away any ghosting that may have occured in this pipe and I am planning on using VAs in it. Could this be the reason for the harshness? I doubt it. I have only smoked A LITTLE BIT of Carter Hall, Uhle's Marquette Blend, and Mac Barens Dark Twist. But Ill give the benefit of the doubt and if it happens to be the case that the aromatic ghosting is causing this, I will update this review. I will smoke the rest of the tin....reluctantly...

Update: My "spicy" perception may have been from a too hot of a smoke.

Update #2: It seems I was smoking this tin with it being too moist. Dry this out- a lot! Spiciness is gone. Could this have been steam? I don't know. I did get the sweetness/tangy that others had at the beginning of the smoke, then at the end the nut flavor. I will change my star rating from 2 to 3. Being a latakia lover and not into the aromatics at all, I was surprised to find the sweetness with this not being a flavored tobacco. This one may just grow on me. I will give it some more time and am no longer reluctant to try another round. It still is a medium in strength, as I have had much stronger blends than this.

I also must have had a tin that is the bland one that other people are talking about. Maybe I'll risk another one, we'll see.

Edit: On second thought, having my palate more developed, I've come back to the same tin and found it quite good. This is my first straight burley, and I think I will prefer this when wanting a Virginia, but don't want it to be too sweet/saucy. Upgraded to 3/4.

Very nice flake presentation in a nice tin. Looks remarkably like a good virginia flake, smells sweet but nutty somehow. Easy to fold/roll and stuff, takes a bit of lighting and tamping to get the right temperature going. Sweetness transfers to smoke in the same way as a good virgina would (eg FVF). Wasn't sure what to expect with this one but certainly a high quality straight tobacco that I would be more than happy to smoke in place of the very best virginia flakes.

Nice, chocolaty, rasiny sweet, strong-ish burley. I wish it weren't so expensive! That's the only reason I don't smoke this one on a daily basis and why I still smoke Mac Baren's Burley London Blend when I'm in the mood for burley. But this ABF is like a darker, more intense Mac Baren's Burley London Blend, not necessarily better in flavor than the Mac just more flavor and strength all around. If my memory hasn't completely abandoned me, ABF is somewhat similar to Edgeworth Slices in style and flavor profile. I last smoked Edgeworth back in the 90s, so take that with a large grain of salt. I like ABF better I think because I took to it immediately when I first lit it up, whereas the Edgeworth took me a couple of tins before I decided I liked it and then it was discontinued. I have also smoked the Wessex Burley Slice, and while it's nice too, I prefer the Solani.