Fribourg & Treyer Special Brown Flake
(3.36)
A medium brown Virginia flake with a top note of Navy rum.
Details
| Brand | Fribourg & Treyer |
| Blended By | Kohlhase & Kopp |
| Manufactured By | |
| Blend Type | Straight Virginia |
| Contents | Virginia |
| Flavoring | Rum |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin |
| Country | Germany |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Extremely Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.36 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 09, 2016 | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Pleasant |
The dark stoved flue cured red Virginia offers earth, tangy stewed dark fruit, wood, bread with minor spice and a few sugar notes as the lead component. The mildly tart and tangy, citrusy, grassy, bready, slightly floral and sugary bright Virginia is a supporting player. The fruity rum topping mildly sublimates the tobacco. The strength is in the center of mild to medium. The taste level is a slot past that level. The nic-hit is a couple of steps past the mild mark. Won't bite or get harsh even if you're a fast puffer. Has a few very small rough edges. The flakes are a little moist, but I never saw a need to dry them. Well balanced for a blend with little complexity, it burns slow with a cool, clean, smoothly consistent flavor from start to finish. Leaves very little moisture in the bowl, and can burn to ash. Requires some relights. The room note is pleasant, and though the after taste is short lived, it's pleasant, too. An all day smoke that should age well. Three and a half stars.
UPDATE: 7–6-2022. There are a few changes in this blend. There wasn’t much rum before, and it’s lightly more detectable now. This has more tart and tangy citrus and grass now, and less dark fruit, earth and wood. Replacing the dark stoved red Virginia is dark stoved orange Virginia as the lead component is the reason for it. The floral quality is a little stronger and the spice is as well. It has more bread, and is mildly more sugary, and acidic, too. The strength and nic-hit are a couple of steps past the center of mild to medium. The taste level is medium. It is a step rougher. All other aspects are the same. Three stars for this production as I updated them at TR.
-JimInks
UPDATE: 7–6-2022. There are a few changes in this blend. There wasn’t much rum before, and it’s lightly more detectable now. This has more tart and tangy citrus and grass now, and less dark fruit, earth and wood. Replacing the dark stoved red Virginia is dark stoved orange Virginia as the lead component is the reason for it. The floral quality is a little stronger and the spice is as well. It has more bread, and is mildly more sugary, and acidic, too. The strength and nic-hit are a couple of steps past the center of mild to medium. The taste level is medium. It is a step rougher. All other aspects are the same. Three stars for this production as I updated them at TR.
-JimInks
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 28, 2013 | Medium | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
F&T’s Special Brown Flake looks great in the tin. The flakes are neatly organized and while too moist for my pipe right away, it wasn’t overly wet compared to some other flakes on the market. It is no secret that makers of F&T use high quality tobacco and SBT is no exception. The rum flavor is barely detectible compared to other blends with added spirits. I chose to lightly rub out the flakes and settle in for a long slow smoke and on that note, SBT delivers. Is it my favorite flake? No, not even close because it isn’t all that complex. But with that said, I tend to judge VA flakes based on how well they age and I find that this flake ages quite well. I compared this tin to a tin that was six years old and the difference is delightful. The topping is more evident and the usual raisons, figs scent much more pronounced. It could be just the aging process, but in this case I don’t think so as there seems to be an additional topping that comes through with age. It doesn’t bite and while not my favorite, I enjoy it and will buy and age a few more tins for aging. Lovers of flakes that produce more bass notes can’t go wrong here.
Age When Smoked:
New and 6 years old
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 29, 2014 | Mild | Mild to Medium | Mild | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Thin flakes of mottled light and dark brown, with a strong tin note of topping. It smelled a lot too close to some of the Mac Barens sugary fruitier stuff, which didn't give me a warm and fuzzy feeling. The flakes were a bit too moist but dried out quickly. The drier the better with this one, but crispy was too dry. Drying it out subdued the flavoring to the point where it was enjoyable. Smoking in a morta helped as well, so if you really love the casing, smoke this one on the moist side. I lightly rubbed out the flakes for the best performance.
The flavoring didn't strike me as rum - more of a honey and sugar casing. It was a bit too prominent out of the tin for my liking but as the tobacco dried, it melded better with the Virginia. Almost no complexity here but a nice tobacco in the lower midrange level with dips into the upper bass. The tobacco tasted sweet but as the casing was always evident, I'd guess red Virginia to be the varietal. I did not taste anything resembling perique. The rum topping did provide the burnt sugary flavor I associate with that drink but again, it tasted more of honey than of rum to me. As rum-topped tobaccos go, and as F&T Virginia flakes go, this one is not so great, but not bad at all. Different from their other VA-based flakes, and worthy of a trial.
The flavoring didn't strike me as rum - more of a honey and sugar casing. It was a bit too prominent out of the tin for my liking but as the tobacco dried, it melded better with the Virginia. Almost no complexity here but a nice tobacco in the lower midrange level with dips into the upper bass. The tobacco tasted sweet but as the casing was always evident, I'd guess red Virginia to be the varietal. I did not taste anything resembling perique. The rum topping did provide the burnt sugary flavor I associate with that drink but again, it tasted more of honey than of rum to me. As rum-topped tobaccos go, and as F&T Virginia flakes go, this one is not so great, but not bad at all. Different from their other VA-based flakes, and worthy of a trial.
Pipe Used:
meerschaum and morta
Age When Smoked:
2 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 28, 2002 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild | Pleasant |
I can't taste the rum, (I can smell it slightly on opening the tin) nor can I taste any substantive difference with Cut Blended Plug.
Fribourg & Treyer reminds me of Antonio Vivaldi who, according to Igor Stravinsky, managed to write the same concerto 400 times...
Fribourg & Treyer reminds me of Antonio Vivaldi who, according to Igor Stravinsky, managed to write the same concerto 400 times...
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 26, 2003 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
I tried some F&T flakes or cut plugs at the Chicago Pipe Show which led me to buy four of them. Special Brown Flake appears to be a thinly sliced plug, medium brown throughout with a light sweetener. The aroma in the tin is a faint peach or apricot and Virginia tobacco. No fruitiness comes through in the smoke. It appears to be well aged because the flakes come apart quite easily, almost like a Krumble Kake, although this may be the result of the F&T process. The tobacco packs, lights and burns easily to a white/grey ash all the way to the bottom of the bowl. The smoke is a very mild, slightly sweetened Virginia flavor. This tobacco reminds me of Dunhill Light Flake but with less nicotine. I fill the pipe by making a dottle and then folding the flakes and inserting them endwise. This is extraordinarily good tobacco with a great, lightly sweetened Virginia flavor. I will be keeping the F&T cut plugs on hand as part of my regular rotation. Highly recommended. Paddy.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 21, 2021 | Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Very Pleasant |
Appearance – Small, thin flakes that are pretty much the same size and shape as the MacBaren flakes.
Prep – I rubbed this one out and then I also cube cut the flake with scissors. For me, the cube cut worked better for this blend. It came a little wet so I dried it out for about 15 minutes before loaded the pipe. Not crispy dry but a bit damp tasted the best for me.
Smoke – The cube cut took a bit to get lit but once it did it was pretty much cruise control from then on out. To me, the base notes are very similar to other Brown Flakes (warm bread, spicy citrus, and hay) that are out there but this one has added rum. That rum flavor in the background pretty much stayed there for the whole smoke. It never went away really like it does with most Navy Flakes. You can tell that this blend is still a bit young (2019).
Summary – I bought 3 tins to age in the cellar. I like it but feel that it would be better with a year or two of resting. Not my favorite from F & T but still up there high on the list.
Prep – I rubbed this one out and then I also cube cut the flake with scissors. For me, the cube cut worked better for this blend. It came a little wet so I dried it out for about 15 minutes before loaded the pipe. Not crispy dry but a bit damp tasted the best for me.
Smoke – The cube cut took a bit to get lit but once it did it was pretty much cruise control from then on out. To me, the base notes are very similar to other Brown Flakes (warm bread, spicy citrus, and hay) that are out there but this one has added rum. That rum flavor in the background pretty much stayed there for the whole smoke. It never went away really like it does with most Navy Flakes. You can tell that this blend is still a bit young (2019).
Summary – I bought 3 tins to age in the cellar. I like it but feel that it would be better with a year or two of resting. Not my favorite from F & T but still up there high on the list.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 28, 2014 | Mild | Extremely Mild | Mild | Pleasant |
The top note is more present in the tin than when smoked. It's a sweet, slightly toasted flavor with some burnt sugar taste from the rum topping. A very smoker friendly flake that is easy to pack and smoke from the tin. The flakes pack better with the ball method since they are thin and almost broken. It's a quality product but I prefer other brown flakes with a more full bodied flavor.
Virginia lover
Virginia lover
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 27, 2019 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
I generally like brown Virginia flakes, and this is basically a straight-forward middle of the road example with just a bare hint of rum (at least in this tin). This is a solid, everyday example of the genre: mild; tasty; easy and long smoking. If that's what you are looking for, and don't mind a hint of topping, this is worth trying/cellaring.
Pipe Used:
briars, cobs, and meers
PurchasedFrom:
4 noggins
Age When Smoked:
2.5 years after purchase
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 23, 2011 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
Generally, I have a very good opinion about the Fribourg & Treyer mixtures. This blend confirms my opinion once more. Honest mixtures. Not 100% this time though, as in the description a rum flavor is mentioned, which I wasn't able to find at all. It has perfect moisture once you open the tin and it fills the pipe easily. It either has an undefined, bit spicy, chocolate flavor ??? or just a very intense and distinct flavor from the Virginia, I don't really get it. As almost all mixtures of this company, it is smoked up until the end of the bowl. Medium to strong regarding its nicotine level. I had it for at least 2 years in my cellar before I smoked it.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 26, 2003 | Medium | None Detected | Mild | Pleasant |
I was given a tin of this to try, upon openning the tin I thought there may some kind of aroma but could only detect the aroma of the Virginia. Looked like a chocolate candy bar when I first unwrapped the white paper, the tobacco itself was not dry and not real wet, but it did have that freshness that I enjoy in a tobacco.
I began to rub enough out to fill my Larsen Port, I did notice it did not fall apart as you rubbed the tobacco, but came off in a size like a tooth pick only shorter. I only rubbed a very little as not to make the the tobbaco too fine, but just enough to fit into the bowl without strands of tobacco hanging out over the bowl. As I lit the tobacco I could sense this was a Virginia, but smoked as if it were a straight Burley as it burned quite cool. I really never did detect a Rum Flavoring in the aroma or the taste.
This is is one of those tobaccos you want to set down but cannot as it is a tantalizingly tobacco that one wants to continue smoking, sort like going back to the cookie jar one more time.
To me the tobacco was mild, with no tongue bite, but cannot determine if I would recommend it to a beginner or not. I figure it will be one more to add to my collections of tobaccos to smoke on occasion.
I began to rub enough out to fill my Larsen Port, I did notice it did not fall apart as you rubbed the tobacco, but came off in a size like a tooth pick only shorter. I only rubbed a very little as not to make the the tobbaco too fine, but just enough to fit into the bowl without strands of tobacco hanging out over the bowl. As I lit the tobacco I could sense this was a Virginia, but smoked as if it were a straight Burley as it burned quite cool. I really never did detect a Rum Flavoring in the aroma or the taste.
This is is one of those tobaccos you want to set down but cannot as it is a tantalizingly tobacco that one wants to continue smoking, sort like going back to the cookie jar one more time.
To me the tobacco was mild, with no tongue bite, but cannot determine if I would recommend it to a beginner or not. I figure it will be one more to add to my collections of tobaccos to smoke on occasion.
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