Rattray Stirling Flake

I hadn't smoked Irish Flake in several years, so can't comment on recent production. Relying on memory I believe this version is a bit lighter while retaining most of the originals qualities. Quite smooth, no bite at all, and a very enjoyable blend.

Tin note of tart dark fruit, peaty vegetation and sweet. Tobacco is a Flake of marbled dark brown, brown, and tan. Moisture content is ok. Some pipe smokers will want to dry it a bit. Flakes rub out with a little effort. Burns slow with few relights. The strength is medium to strong and nic is medium. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium to full and very consistent, with notes of peaty sour hay, herbal floral, spicy, wood, sugar, zesty lemon grass, earth, nuts, molasses, mildly smoky, burnt toast, bitter, mildly tart citrus, cigar, savory, a spices and semi-sweet dark fruit background note, and a peppery retro. Kentucky leads most of the time with Burley and Virginias supporting. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.

I have to say my opinion changed a lot after the first opening. It is a flake cut, smelled oily, earthy, and woody with a somewhat pungent leather aroma. Overall quite pleasant to me. When I first tried it it had a "spicy" taste too. This was not tongue bite as it did not burn fast or anything like that. The smoke is slow and dense. After a couple of months (kept it in its original tin can) it lost the spike and became muuch better. Overall a round taste, not too woody, not grassy, not too earthy/nutty. The right balance of all these. If you are a fun of burleys and woody/earthy aromas this tobacco is perfect for you. It raised to my top 3 over the course of a few months and I certainly will buy it again.