J. F. Germain & Son Rich Dark Flake

Regarding taste there is always a subjective element, so although I enjoy this tobacco it’s not one of my favourites. And mainly this is because I am not very fond of the licorice/molasses casings in general. Yet quality judgement has to be more objective and Rich Dark Flake has qualities that qualify it effortlessly as one the best flakes around.

Why do I say that? First of all it is a very complex and deeply flavorful tobacco with an interesting measured casing. Then it has medium strength with a good nicotine content to satisfy any smoker and never overwhelm. While producing abundant smoke it burns as slow as any tobacco and lastly has a perfect 'mechanical' behaviour and easy handling.

It comes in long black mildly aromatized heavily pressed and super-concentrated flakes that offer a very long, slow burning (I easily get a two hour smoke in medium sized pipes!) flakes with an elusive aroma which seems to be of brandy, licorice, molasses and plum but at times I also sense dark chocolate, pine resin and even a fruitier aroma reminiscent of sweet orange peel. The flakes are moist and sticky but to my experience do not need any drying as they smoke perfectly.

The smoke is rich, creamy, mellow and sweet - exceptionally smooth! The casing is integrated with the tobacco so that until mid-bowl it has a uniform taste with a prominent molasses/licorice/fruit liqueur taste where the tobacco flavor always present. I also taste dark flavors of fruit, leather, rubber and a slight floral nuance. Towards the end the taste becomes more natural and this is where Rich Dark Flake really shines for me when the nutty Burley is most felt… It never gets harsh, strong or bitter and burns to the very end to a very fine grey ash.

It is quite similar to MacBaren's HH Bold Kentucky and I agree with fellow reviewer TW who says it is similar to St. Bruno only better in every way. And I have never tasted Stonehaven to add my comment.

One of the best tobacco I tried. Smooth, unique, amazing,relaxing. Lits, burn, smokes,aftertaste is beyond the expectation. More than highly recommended. One thing, is really hard to get it.

I was fortunate enough to acquire some of this tobacco while on vacation in the UK recently. A fan of Stonehaven, I had heard this blend was quite similar, so I expected good things.

It didn't disappoint. It is indeed like Stonehaven in many ways. And there is a possibility it's the same flake, different name. But for some reason I am more drawn to this offering, Rich Dark Flake. It is everything that Stonehaven is, but just a bit more. I can't quite put my finger on it exactly, but I do suspect that there is less Burley in this flake. The pouch note is richer and the smoke is sweeter. It is simply perfection in a flake.

The flake is clearly of English origin, akin to the house of Gawith and their offerings. It comes damp. I little dry time is definitely recommended. It has been masterfully prepared. To me this is a "special treat" tobacco. Even if it were readily available I would not want to smoke it every day. It is not a hearty meat and potatoes type blend, but rather a desert blend. And given its rarity, it suits it just fine. FVF Monday through Friday, and Rich Dark Flake on the weekends 🙂

I have recently adopted RDF and it has quickly become my core smoke. As said, a shadow of red wine etc but its the delight of a well- rounded dark virginia burley blend which has soul that has made it a must-have for me. I have recently realized a preparation option which I now use with all flakes, and which has expanded my blend options. I am opposed to that advice which encourages the drying-out of tobacco flakes; the end result is that one smokes the bones of the blend. One must see that, as received, the moisture in a blend is locked in and the smoking experience is a wrangle on that condition. If a given flake rubs out to thick and sticky strings and is a bitch to smoke a realistic error might be made whereby the tobacco is rendered, through dessication, to a condition comparable to that of a dry, dead goat in the desert. Pre-hydration is the answer; instead of drying the flakes up, on opening the tin put a square of sponge (pre-cut to 1cm thickness and to shape) which has been moistened (not drenched) with mineral water onto the pile and close the lid. Leave for several hours and invert the flake pile, replacing the sponge, before retiring. Try the result and be mildly amazed. The pure, live mineral water hydration, a kiss of moisture on the tobacco, has brought the tars and oils to life, the burn is even, right through the smoke and there is a fulling of the tastes and flavours of the blend. At the same time, the smoking is cool and the pipe never overheats. I would place one caveat here; I am primarily a charcoal filter pipe smoker and the filter handles the slight increase of moisture with ease. I have encountered a slight but temporary steam burr with a plain pipe but this is relative and should not discourage suchlike smokers from testing my assertion. I am so satisfied with the congeniality and advantage of this hydration method that I now always use it to prepare my flake tobacco. I note that our American brothers, whose eloquent digest of blend reviews is almost a literary genre in itself, here on site, have problems acquiring tobacco from UK due to credit card rules? My supplier is at Mysmokingshop.com and has a wide range of noted blends. I don't know if this will be useful, but maybe money transfer through email contact with the dealer would help?

Rich Dark Flake is sold in the U.K. (online tobacconists) loose in pouches of 25g, 50g or 500g box and exudes quality from the minute you open the pouch to smell its rich fruity aroma to the exquisitely simple process of rubbing out the long thin flakes, packing your pipe and smoking one hell of a classy tobacco. RDF is not an extreme blend, one that is likely to ghost your pipes as Condor does. RDF will appeal to smokers who enjoy the classic British style flakes such as the aforementioned Condor or St Bruno and the presentation of the long dark flakes, not over moist, will surely encourage the smoker to smoke straight from the pouch without any dry time whatsoever. The smoke itself is medium in strength and produces a very 'moorish' flavour and roomnote, the taste is a full yet mellow Va taste backed up very finely with a Burley smoothness and produces absolutely no bite. Never having smoked the famed Stonehaven I'm unable to make any comparison but if Stonehaven bares even a slight resemblance to RDF then I can well understand its high ranking and regard amongst seasoned pipesmokers. RDF is a high quality flake which in my estimation deserves easily a four star rating as it is readily available in the UK and is of the highest quality. Smokers from the U.S. may find it not so readily available but then again, you have Stonehaven which I'm sure will prove a decent enough substitute for RDF 🙂

As mentioned in the description it is supposed to be similar to Stonehaven. And it really is. But still, I detect a little difference both in the composition and topping.

To me it seems that the Dark Flake emphasizes the Virginia more than Stonehaven does. The Burley is still very present, but it's a tad more in the background (which is why I rate the Dark Flake a little higher). And while Stonehaven seems to be topped with something chocolate like, the Dark Flake is more on a fruity (plum?) note. But actual differences or not, I find them to be very, very small. A fan of Stonehaven would surely feel right at home with this one.

Highly recommended!

A natural comparison arises between Germain’s Rich Dark Flake (RDF) and Germain’s produced Stonehaven. For my own palate, McClelland’s Dark Star and Blackwoods are also within this same grouping of blends. Although the four blends are not identical, the composition and processed are similar. Focusing upon only the two Germain’s blends, a bit of hearsay may well justify the comparison as well as explain the differences. According to the website, and private conversations with the owner, of one of the top three UK online shops, the head of Germain’s said that RDF and Stonehaven are identical blends except for the preservatives and anti-fungal components allowed under the tobacco rules in the USA but not in the UK. Stated in a direct way, the US tobacco rules allow for a number of preservatives and anti-fungal agents that can be chemically produced (read: man made), while the UK limits additives to naturally produced. The UK allows plant based extracts to be used, as they come from processed (in a limited manner) natural products. The US rules have a more extensive list of allowed components. Other similar blends between the two markets are 1820 Flake and Penzance, and 1820 and Margate (purported to be Germain’s match version of Balkan Sobranie Original – which is a long story). In general, many pipe smokers identify a “creamy” taste, and a higher marriage of flavors, in the blends produced for the US market, as compared to their UK counterparts. Some smokers experience the UK blends are being better when fresh and maturing (aging) faster, while finding the US blends to be far superior when the blend has aged 8-10 years. These differences may well be explained by the addition of preservatives and anti-fungal agents. That said, when smoked, RDF has a more “tobacco” flavor as compared to the subtler Stonehaven. While this has been associated with speculation as RDF having a higher burley content I do not support this speculation. As someone who is no fan of burley in a blend and quite sensitive to it, I do not find the burley content in RDF to be any higher than Stonehaven. RDF has a more natural flavor, wherein the added molasses softens, but does not cut out, the cruder tobacco flavors. This is not to say that RDF is harsh in anyway, for it is not. It is only in comparison to Stonehaven that one can identify a more distinct tobacco flavor in RDF. Stonehaven benefits from long aging (8-10 years) while already after 5-years RDF has mellowed and smooth out to the sublime, sans the creamy deliciousness found in aged Stonehaven.

This is the stuff. But then, I always think that about Germain tobaccos. This however, is the stuff.

Germain’s I always find smokes best fairly well compacted in a smaller bowl. Not so Rich Dark Flake (probably because it is a flake rather than their usual fine ribbon) which is where I initially went wrong. I did my normal thing of rubbing out a flake and packing in my Peterson 304 – perfect up to now for Germain’s. But whether it was the higher proportion of Burley or the fact that it was not Germain’s usual ribbon/shag but the resultant smoke was merely very good. Folded and stuffed in a wider bowl led to another very good experience. How disappointing.

But three bowls later, well rubbed out and with just a little drying time I realised that this too was indeed another excellent Germain product. So many flavours are revealed and all very subtle – possibly cocoa, possibly orange zest, possibly red wine or liqueur, a hint of liquorice, a touch of treacle. However, you are never in any doubt that you are smoking tobacco but for such a dark flake the flavours are light with hints and nuances that are fleeting and implore you to chase after them.

The main thing to note is that his is not a Burley aromatic – most of the flavour comes from the compounds contained within the tobacco but the subtly flavourful casing is expertly added and adds to the experience. Quite special.

Having seen so many positive reviews on this tobacco, I thought it would be very rude not to give it a go so I ordered a 25gm pouch of loose flake from My smoking shop. On opening the bag I was met with a smell reminiscent of a tobacconist shop from years gone by. Sweet and intrigueing and very seductive in its fruity deep goodness. I seldom review on a first bowl so this is based on my third smoke. The flakes are typically paper thin like most Germaines flakes and break apart easily in the bag. Very dark like an old English style steam pressed flake with some sugar forming on them. I rubbed out a sufficient quantity for my Falcon Bulldog and let it stand for about 15 minutes, having judged it to be a mite sticky in nature and not overly wet, so I didn't dry it any further. It lit very easily and burned evenly all the way down with an immediate release of sweet fruityness on the charring light that just continued to intensify and improve all the way down to the heel of the bowl. Flavours of plum and raisin and a deep brown sugar and molasses with the Virginia forward and less evidence of the Burley, which is there to give moral support to the Virginia and keep it burning cool. It is so cool in fact that it would be very hard to get it to bite at all and if more newbies tried this instead of heading for aromatics, then less of them would give up at the first hurdle. The room note and beard/moustache note are also sheer delight with an after taste that only comes with well matured and processed quality leaf. I can actually see no negatives at all with this blend and give it an easy 4 stars. I will be getting more to enjoy and would heartily reccomend it to anyone who likes a full flavoured well behaved treat for the senses. Do yourself a favor and try some soon !