Peterson University Flake

This stuff is a very nice VaBur with a similar topping to that of Royal Yacht. Very nice, tasty blend that smokes cool all the way down. I wouldn't recommend for a beginner for the mere fact that if didn't like it when I was a beginner. Yes the topping can be a little too much for some folks but I think of it as a well put together aromatic flake tobacco and I enjoy it as a good change of pace treat to be smoked from time to time as apposed to a daily smoke. Very good for what it is but I prefer 3P's and Irish Flake in the Peterson line up.

Edit* I've got to go back and edit my initial review of this as my palate has since changed. I was a novice when I first tried this and I would definitely recommend it to those who what to work their way into the world of flakes. The berry note is just a little too much for me now but I do still enjoy this from time to time. In the review above I said it's topping is similar to that of Royal Yacht... well, that is not true, it's a very different topping and more candy-like than RY, I don't know how I originally came up with that assessment. Overall it's a decent flavored flake tobacco but I tend to veer more towards a certain style of scented tobaccos and this one just doesn't fit my fancy as an all day, every day.

Have smoked about 5 tins of this over the last 15 years

unfortunately I think it's deteriorated somewhat , tending to become bitter , I used to enjoy that berry taste but it's just not there any more , maybe my tastes have changed.

ive had this tin sitting around for a while now and keep breaking out the odd flake here and there when the mood takes me. I'm sad to say though that these occasions are rarely fuelled by a feeling of fancying a bowl of this particular baccy and more motivated by a belief that I really ought to give it another chance to prove itself. So far none of the experiences have convinced me that I'll ever buy another tin. It's not a bad tobacco by any means... It smokes particularly well in my Nording freehand when a complete flake is roughly rubbed and allowed to smoke slowly over a good half hour or hour. It also helps to dry the tin for quite a while. I've worked it into my desired state in a few one hour periods, simply leaving the lid of the tin off but the card inner packaging still folded over to control airflow slightly. When first opened I would say it is far too wet. After three or so hours of air and a month to even out it seems to be far more well behaved. There's a nice tobacco flavour, I'd say more Virginia than burley, and not much sweetness to it. The casin flavour (apparently plum) jumps in and out and is slightly evident in the room note. My major gripe with this flake is the lack of depth! I like sweetness when it's slow and easy and builds up softly on the palet and you don't get much of that with University. The flavouring too doesn't really dance on the tongue as I'd expect a good fruit to, it bites the tip of the tongue somewhat and hots the back of the mouth. There's nothing "bad" to the experience of smoking this blend. In fact I would recommend buying a single tin, letting it breath and settle for a while, then enjoying a whole flake rubbed into a good deep bowl. It just doesn't stand out from the crowd at all. The nicotine level is good and my favourite thing about University Flake is the pleasant mellow feeling derived from slowly rolling though a good pipeful. Try it... But only if you can grab a tin in passing... Don't go out of your way for this one.

The plum flavoring was too much for me. Finished the tin and I'll move on.

To each their own for this one. The smell out of the tin is quite nice. The Flake itself was easy to work with and rubbed out easily. I was not that big a fan of the smoke itself, I'm not going to be giving it away just yet though. No real discernable flavours that I could tell when smoked. I'll give it a whirl again sometime, but not rushing to do so.

University Flake is a decent tobacco. However, the smoke was a bit boring and the taste very mild.

It leaves a berry like taste in the mouth, which mirrors the scent from the tin, not overpowering like an aromatic but it does become annoying after a while. There is no doubt this is a fine tobacco, as long as you are not expecting a Virginia dominated Flake.

A little too harsh, although not that strong in nicotine. I prefer to roll it into a ball, and it normally only requires a few relights. The blueberrish flavour is not my cup of tea-

A simple, straight-forward smoke. Not much to add to that. Some days it might almost make three stars, but usually I want more adventurous flavours from my smokes.