Dunhill Light Flake

Dunhill Light Flake is a nice tobacco. It is a beautifully presented flake that burns well and has that nice sweet crisp Virginia taste.

This is a nice product, and I really cannot knock it for what it is, but I think there are much better Virginia flakes out there. Amongst the pantheon of better offerings I would put the products of Rattray, McClelland, and of course the always respectable Orlik Golden Sliced.

This tobacco has great burning qualities and all Dunhill hype aside, it is a good product. It is a higher end Virginia in terms of taste, and the flake is rather light in color. As with all Virginia tobacco this one really comes into its own with some age on it.

It is good, but you can do better. Recommended

Update 7/22

Just finished a bowl of this I had aging since 2003. What a treat. Just sparkling with sugar crystal yumminess. My last review (10 years ago, man I am getting old) ended with me stating it is good but you could do better. That may be true for fresh stuff, but with some serious age in it, this stuff is fantastic. I know not everybody can get their hands on an aged version fo this, but if you can....

I picked up a Lane era 2003 vintage of this at last weekends West Coast Pipe Show - much preferred over the current offering Dunhill Flake by Orlik. A strong 3 stars!

to me this is a poor blend no character at all.other blends out there beat this.

Just opened a fresh tin, fold/packed the fantastic flake into a Ardor Fantasy Bent Dublin, a few relights on this one for me...smoked wonderful (a little wet, not sure if new pipe, bacci, or smoke'in method due to some windy/outside smoke'in...no worries as I use pipe-cleaners throughout all my smokes to make sure no nasty wet-smoke'in takes place), nice flavors all the way through (stronger at first half of bowl as other reviewers have stated) Keep a nice slow/sip'in method and she gives off great flavors back to you...a little sweet, citrus and some sort of spice when exhaled through nose...GREAT STUFF

have to snag a few more tins for bar from local shop before they are all gone...I hear there is a problem with getting the Dunhill bacci again.....DAMN! Oh well more time to sample all the other FANTASTIC blends in the bar....spice of life they say...enjoy

This vintage tin full of mottled light to medium brown flakes sure smelled tantalizing. Sort of an aging fruitcake-like aroma. The flakes are very tender and almost fall apart if not delicately handled. It easily breaks apart into a wide, shag-like consistency that readily takes to flame & burns great. I knew how I'd be rating this after the first puff. Another superb offering from Dunhill.

The flavoring was certainly to my liking and this is the best tasting Virginia flake I've ever smoked. Very sweet, mild & flavorful smoke with satisfactory strength. How could one not like it...there's nothing there not to like. Doesn't bite, provides sweet matured Virginia flavor, smokes mild, etc. Just an excellent concoction for a Virginia Blend. Therefore, IMHO, Dunhill's Light Flake merits four stars. Sampled in a Dunhill Shell Briar.

I'm not sure why, exactly, but I'm one of those people who really wants to not like Dunhill. Probably it's the underdog in me, rooting against the big, established guy (and yes, I do own Dunhill pipes, thank you). So I approached Dunhill Light Flake with this, well, attitude, and was pleasantly surprised. This blend is quite good. Light Flake is a mix of Lemon and Bronze Virginias, pressed into a flake of nice browns and golds. The tin aroma is very pleasant, with the good top notes typical of a Virginia, but also with some nice, earthy undertones. The flake is easy to crumble into a bowl, and to my way of smoking is better that way than fully rubbed out. There is an evenness to this smoke from start to finish that, while a very real positive is also a little disappointing. A lot of Virginias start a bit wispy and then build through the bowl until, at the end, they have a lot of depth and character. Light Flake starts with more character than similar blends of light leaf, but by the end of the bowl I found myself looking for a little more (I can't help but wonder what the addition of a pinch of perique would do). But that isn't necessarily a negative, as I know many smokers will find that to be a real charm of the blend rather than a negative. Light Flake is full-flavored without being overpowering, and carries a nice sweetness but also an interesting tang. The flavor is smooth, with little risk of bite, though, as with all Virginias, I'd suggest not overpuffing it. If you want a Virginia with a clean taste, one that is tobacco and nothing more or nothing less, Light Flake may be the blend for you. You'll find sweetness without bite, and taste without it being overpowering. I don't think I'd suggest this as a flake for new Virginia smokers, but feel it is a good choice for most.

Ok, here's my opinion.

This was the best virginia flake that has ever been available (reviewer ducks so as to dodge the onslaught from FVF advocates).

As others have mentioned, the word "light" is somewhat misleading here. It does have a bright edge to its naturally sweet flavour; citrusy and grassy, like Orlik's Golden Sliced. But this comes along with a deep toasty, raisiny richness a la Full Virginia Flake.

Not being a Cumbrian tobacco, Light Flake lacks the 'lakeland florals' which are the source of so much vitriol from some pipe smokers. Now, I like the florals in lots of tobaccos but I don't miss them here. The flavour is rich, deep and interesting enough without them; displaying, as it does, the full range of flavours available to virginia smokers in one generous package.

Like other Dunhills I have smoked, the quality of the leaf is beyond reproach, as is the treatment it has received from the blender. The moisture level is perfect and can be smoked straight from the tin, which is precisely what you will want to do when you open it and see the perfect neat flakes.

I have not yet tried the reissued (Orlik) version but I have ordered some and will post a review under the "FLAKE" heading when I have deliberated on it.

Wonderful Virginia Flake. Oh, how I love this stuff. Such a smooth creamy sweet smoke. Easy to pack and keep lit. I absolutely love the smell in the tin. It has mildly sweet grassy tastes along with a slight taste of baking bread, wonderful stuff.

Just bought a tin today from the Otley Tobacconist (UK): they told me it had be re- released a few months ago. Cool, smooth but with a useful nicotine kick - very enjoyable; I'll be buying more of this. As I'm new to the site... my other regulars are Irish Flake, Erinmore Flake and Black Vanilla Flake.