Benson & Hedges Gold Flake
(3.17)
This Flake is a harmonic composition made of select Virginia tobaccos from excellent provenience.
Ripened in the press for a long time, each slice develops its pronounced, fine aroma.
Details
| Brand | Benson & Hedges |
| Blended By | Scandinavian Tobacco Group |
| Manufactured By | |
| Blend Type | |
| Contents | Virginia |
| Flavoring | Other / Misc |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 50 g tin |
| Country | Denmark |
| Production |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Very Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 16, 2010 | Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Unnoticeable |
Just a note on "room note" - my sense of smell is non-existent and that is why I marked the room note of this tobacco as "unnoticeable".
I am a virginia man through and through. I nowadays don't smoke anything else (normally) because for many years I was wedded to the old B&H virginia flake which was a truly superb tobacco. I used to alternate the B&H with Sobraine rich virginia flake which, for me, was the best virginia tobacco ever brought to life on this Earth bar none. But all gone now.
So what of this blend? Well, it is not in the same league as its illustrious predecessor but neither is much anything else out there. Actually, this blend is more than pretty good - it is damn fine smoke - one of the very best virginia flakes you can buy. I am not saying I have tried them all - but I have tried an awful lot of them over many years of pipe smoking.
The tobacco is flavoursome, doesn't "bite" and smokes all the way through to a fine ash. It is way better than Sam Gawith's FVF and just about anything else.
I am a virginia man through and through. I nowadays don't smoke anything else (normally) because for many years I was wedded to the old B&H virginia flake which was a truly superb tobacco. I used to alternate the B&H with Sobraine rich virginia flake which, for me, was the best virginia tobacco ever brought to life on this Earth bar none. But all gone now.
So what of this blend? Well, it is not in the same league as its illustrious predecessor but neither is much anything else out there. Actually, this blend is more than pretty good - it is damn fine smoke - one of the very best virginia flakes you can buy. I am not saying I have tried them all - but I have tried an awful lot of them over many years of pipe smoking.
The tobacco is flavoursome, doesn't "bite" and smokes all the way through to a fine ash. It is way better than Sam Gawith's FVF and just about anything else.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 15, 2012 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Very Pleasant |
Rummaging around in the cellar in search of something new to try, I found some tins of this blend that I had all but forgotten that I had. In fact, it was the reviews below that made me stock up on it in the first place a couple of years ago - and I am glad I followed the hunch I got that this might be a flake I would really like. Another reason to chime in with a review is that a flake this good deserves way more attention than just four (or five, now with mine) reviews.
Popping the tin yields a nice, sugary sweet tobacco aroma. I can't really detect any toppings here. The flakes themselves are lightly brown, with some birds eye and the odd "stick" embedded here and there, nothing unusual in other words. Very neat and thinly sliced, they're also wider than I was expecting, but as far as I'm concerned, the visuals are top notch. The tins does have that K+K "leaf wrapper" thing going on, which is strange. Made in Denmark? Hm... well, either way, the visuals are top notch. No drying needed as the flakes are all in perfect smoking condition from the get go.
Packing is as easy as fold, fluff, stuff. It takes a little while for this one to open up, and the first 1/3 or so is a little unremarkable before it starts to get going. But soon enough it develops into a mild and delightfully sweet smoke, sometimes with spicy undertones. Its taste is mild, but definately flavourful in a sweet and grassy sort of way. It also seems to be somewhat potent as far as nicotine goes. I would say it's on the lighter side of medium, but still satisfying in strength and taste. I find myself sinking deeper and deeper into the recliner with this one, just gently going along for the ride. It's very consistent in taste, intensifying slightly the further down the bowl you go. I can't really put my finger on what it is, it just has a genuinely pleasant way about it overall that wins me over. Light sips is the way to go for maximum flavour, as per usual with VA flakes, but it won't punish you if you puff fast. Very well behaved and with excellent burn rate from top to bottom.
Roomnote is extremely unobtrusive, I could barely tell something had been smoked in the living room. What little evidence there was disappeared quickly too and left nothing stale or otherwise unpleasant in the air.
In conclusion this is a very nice flake, with a delicately sweet and alluring flavour that only highest quality and properly aged VA can provide. It simply begs for repeated smokes. The easiest four stars I've awarded in quite some time, even if it is not totally flawless, it deserves a "highest" recommendation in the very least.
As a post scriptum to the review above, a few notes on its availability. By all accounts it seems to have joined the ranks of many a great blend that are no longer among us. A real pity, as this might possibly be one of the best VA flakes I have smoked to date. I can't for the life in me understand why they would discontinue such a great blend. B&H Gold Flake will at least live on in my memory, and in my cellar, for some time to come.
I didn't find it particularly similar to Golden Sliced, by the way, which is a long time staple in my VA diet; can't say I picked up at all on the bergamot thing that OGS has going on, but anyway, my advice is definately to pick up a tin of this if you come across it, I don't think you'll be sorry you did.
Popping the tin yields a nice, sugary sweet tobacco aroma. I can't really detect any toppings here. The flakes themselves are lightly brown, with some birds eye and the odd "stick" embedded here and there, nothing unusual in other words. Very neat and thinly sliced, they're also wider than I was expecting, but as far as I'm concerned, the visuals are top notch. The tins does have that K+K "leaf wrapper" thing going on, which is strange. Made in Denmark? Hm... well, either way, the visuals are top notch. No drying needed as the flakes are all in perfect smoking condition from the get go.
Packing is as easy as fold, fluff, stuff. It takes a little while for this one to open up, and the first 1/3 or so is a little unremarkable before it starts to get going. But soon enough it develops into a mild and delightfully sweet smoke, sometimes with spicy undertones. Its taste is mild, but definately flavourful in a sweet and grassy sort of way. It also seems to be somewhat potent as far as nicotine goes. I would say it's on the lighter side of medium, but still satisfying in strength and taste. I find myself sinking deeper and deeper into the recliner with this one, just gently going along for the ride. It's very consistent in taste, intensifying slightly the further down the bowl you go. I can't really put my finger on what it is, it just has a genuinely pleasant way about it overall that wins me over. Light sips is the way to go for maximum flavour, as per usual with VA flakes, but it won't punish you if you puff fast. Very well behaved and with excellent burn rate from top to bottom.
Roomnote is extremely unobtrusive, I could barely tell something had been smoked in the living room. What little evidence there was disappeared quickly too and left nothing stale or otherwise unpleasant in the air.
In conclusion this is a very nice flake, with a delicately sweet and alluring flavour that only highest quality and properly aged VA can provide. It simply begs for repeated smokes. The easiest four stars I've awarded in quite some time, even if it is not totally flawless, it deserves a "highest" recommendation in the very least.
As a post scriptum to the review above, a few notes on its availability. By all accounts it seems to have joined the ranks of many a great blend that are no longer among us. A real pity, as this might possibly be one of the best VA flakes I have smoked to date. I can't for the life in me understand why they would discontinue such a great blend. B&H Gold Flake will at least live on in my memory, and in my cellar, for some time to come.
I didn't find it particularly similar to Golden Sliced, by the way, which is a long time staple in my VA diet; can't say I picked up at all on the bergamot thing that OGS has going on, but anyway, my advice is definately to pick up a tin of this if you come across it, I don't think you'll be sorry you did.
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