Newminster No. 400 Superior Navy Flake

(3.15)
The finest Virginias from USA, Brazil and Africa.

Details

Brand Newminster
Blended By  
Manufactured By Villiger
Blend Type Straight Virginia
Contents Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Flake
Packaging Bulk
Country Denmark
Production Currently available

Profile

Strength
Mild to Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Mild to Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

3.15 / 4
34

35

11

5

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 34 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 13, 2015 Mild to Medium Very Mild Mild to Medium Very Pleasant
The Virginias are mildly tart and tangy citrusy, sugary, bready, grassy, lightly woody and earthy with a few drops of honey, and a pinch of spice and floralness. The sweet honey topping mildly tones down the tobacco. There's a light citrus additive as well. The flakes easily break apart for a fairly smooth, very moderate burn rate. The taste may be fairly one dimensional, but it's an all day sweet smoke that wears well while you go about your business. The strength and nic-hit are just below the center of mild to medium. The taste is a notch past that mark. Won't bite or get harsh, but does have a few minor rough edges. The cool, clean flavor is very consistent to the finish, requiring an average number of relights, and leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl. Has a very pleasant, lightly lingering room note and after taste. Makes a nice companion for tea or coffee, too.

-JimInks
67 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 27, 2014 Mild None Detected Mild Pleasant
This is possibly the best straight Virginia I have ever smoked. It has an herbal grassy aroma in the bag and smells very earthy and natural while being smoked. Very mild without being bland. It's hard to believe this is sold so inexpensively in bulk online. Under $2 per ounce is incredible! It smokes and tastes as good if not better than some of the other straight Virginias I paid 4 times the price for! I have jarred up a pound or so to see how it ages (if it lasts that long!)
Pipe Used: mm cob
PurchasedFrom: P&C online
Age When Smoked: New
23 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 03, 2016 Mild Extremely Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant
Newminster - No. 400 Superior Navy Flake.

These flakes are very easy to work with: they appear whole and unbroken, but the moment one's handled it begins to crumble. This makes it a complete doddle to load with: there's no need for a deliberate crumble, if they're just stuffed into the bowl they acquire a perfect consistency as they're being pushed and twisted.

No. 400 takes to the flame with great ease, and then gives a taste that's a little different to most straight Virginia's: the flavour's richer than most Va's, it's not just sharp grass. The best way of describing the smoke's taste, at first, is like sweet dough; I really enjoy this. Once a burn's settled more of the stereotypical Virginia traits enter the scene: some citrus, and hay qualities, with quite a strong natural sweetness. The burn's very good, giving a cool, bite free, smoke.

The nicotine's mild from No. 400, and the room-note's pleasant enough; nothing special, yet nothing horrible; probably the kind most people would call Boring!

No. 400 is unequivocally deserving of four stars:

Highly recommended.

Pipe Used: Erik Nording
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: New
22 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 03, 2016 Mild to Medium Extremely Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
Smoking Newminster No. 400 Superior Navy Flake is like eating a tasty warm Farmer's bread with some farm butter spread on it. Highly Recommended to Virginia beginners.
10 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 22, 2014 Mild to Medium Mild to Medium Mild Tolerable
This a fine flake. I was given a healthy sample by a friend and I've been very impressed. I generally would not factor price into a review, but this could be an exception. A Navy flake available at this price and of this quality is unmatched. Excellent tobacco to add to your rotation. I plan to cellar a lb.

PS. The "Select 2-3 flakes and rub out...." bit is a bit comical. I'd like to see the pipe that will hold 2 or 3 1"x5" flakes. Better have a big bowl.
Pipe Used: Italian Estate Pipe
PurchasedFrom: P&C
Age When Smoked: fresh
8 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 19, 2012 Medium Mild to Medium Medium Pleasant
When compared to the wide array of beloved VA flakes available, I could see this newcomer being easily overlooked. However, it has been a very welcome addition to my cellar and I'm already well stocked on the blend.

When I first gave this a whiff I would have sworn that it was cased, but a bit of digging confirmed that it is not. The aroma is incredibly sweet and very enjoyable.

I used to rub out a few flakes to smoke, but of late have done more fold-and-stuff after giving a flake or two some air time. I have smoked it without any drying, but it was definitely easier for it to burn hot I've not found drying to detract from the flavor at all.

The flavor I've had trouble finding the right adjective for. It's a bit darker than caramel, but not so much as molasses. A nice, rich sweetness that I enjoy from the top to the bottom of the bowl. It could be described as a bit one note, and I could see that as a detraction, but I absolutely adore it. I'm eager to see what some age will do for this flake, too.
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 09, 2016 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
I received 2 oz's of this in which I smoked one oz fresh and cellared the other for about 6 months. This review is on the cellared oz.

The pouch note is a sweet fig like aroma. When I first lit up I was immediately struck by a mild lemony citrus flavor. After about a half dozen puffs or so the figgy pouch note reappeared as a ghostly nuance presenting a nice interplay between sweet and tangy.

I experienced no pipe gurgle as the flake burned down to a fine white ash. As with most pure Virginia's it becomes a delicate balance between keeping my pipe lit and avoiding tongue bite.

The 6 months of aging didn't seem to do much other than darken the leaf from a dark yellow to a medium brown color. I didn't notice much of a change in the pouch note or smoking flavor.

I smoked this flake in a corn cob because for me smoking Virginia flake in a corn cob is as natural and rewarding as eating hot buttered popcorn at a movie.

IMHO This Virginia flake is exactly what a Virginia flake should be.

Pipe Used: Seasoned Corn cob
Age When Smoked: 6 months
6 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 06, 2021 Mild to Medium Extremely Mild Medium Pleasant
From the jar, Superior Navy Flake is a little moist, and required some drying time. The bulk sample I received had wide flakes that were quite long and darker in color then other flakes such as LNF. They also tend to break apart on their own. The tin note is sweet and bready, with notes of sweet hay, spices, and Earth.

The Virginias are a bit more mature than other bulk Navy Flakes, though I imagine they will get better with some age. They range from bright to medium, though I would say medium is more predominant. They sport sweet bread, honey, hay, and earthy notes, as well as spices and some tangy and bright citrusy notes. Although this blend does not have a topping, I believe there has been some added sweetness to the casing, which may be where I taste the honey. The flavor profile is simple, round, and gentle.

Superior Navy Flake behaved well and did not bite and sported no sharpness, though it could get a tad hot if I freight trained it. It smoked consistently from beginning to end. It required a normal number of relights and did leave a little moisture behind and is fairly mild on nicotine. An all day smoke for the mild and pure Virginia lover. 3.5 out of 4 stars.
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 16, 2015 Mild to Medium None Detected Very Full Pleasant to Tolerable
Got free sample with order, I figured what the hell I haven't tried Navy Flake by any manufacture. I was so impress I order 8oz. plus 8oz. of Stokkebye just to compare the very next day. Lets keep in mind that I smoke English/Balkan so a straight Virginia or Va/Per is only 180 degrees left of center, With that being said, I found this to be quite enjoyable, earthy, straight forward and very satisfying. I need to learn how to pack to suit me but that is my problem. This tobacco can suit any taste even aro smokers, with it's mild tasty somewhat creamy flavor. It works well with morning coffee, it's just a great way to start your day
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 28, 2015 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild Pleasant
I received a sample of this with my last order from Smoking Pipes and was pleasantly surprised. I had read a few reviews that said this was just OK, but I really like it and think it will just get better with some age on it. I will definitely add some of this to my next order.
Pipe Used: Peterson 408
PurchasedFrom: SmokingPipes.com
Age When Smoked: New
4 people found this review helpful.
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