Blackwoods Flake

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WVDAVE

WVDAVE

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I've been trying flakes lately and must say I've been impress with a few. Hamborger Veermaster, Dark Star, Mc 2035 and S&G Firedance Flake. I've read good reviews on Blackwoods Flake and wanted to know if all the hype is true? Is there something else worth trying first?
 
It's my favorite straight VA. If you like Dark Star, you'll probably like BWF. It's not the same, not as heavily stoved as DS, but it's very tasty in its own right.
 
This stuff can be a real PITA! If you do not prepare it properly, then you will have great difficulty lighting it. Upon getting it lit you will be rewarded with a very nice tongue bite. However, if properly dried this stuff it is extremely good. To me, it has a meaty, bar-b-que flavor.



My 2 pennies,
Bill
 
As I remember, this was one of the very good ones I had tried in the last year or so. I could have sworn I had a can of it around, but it seems to have disappeared. Must have been even better than I remember. I've gotta start keeping a log, or diary, or some damn thing, just to ward off the Alzheimer's.
 
Absolutely great stuff. I prefer it to just about any other Virginia on the market - including FVF. Just keep in mind that its not truly a flake, the "broken flake" is even more "broken" than Christmas Cheer. I find that you have no choice but to rub it out as its just a hair to big too smoke in its present state, and too small to try to fold and stuff.
 
Ah yea, Christmas Cheer...that's another McClelland must try. As far as FVF, some folks say I just need to age it...but a side by side comparison of fresh tins, FVF has got nothing on McClelland's VAs IMO.

As an aside, there is an inordinate number of Jersey and Philly folk in this thread. Northeast US pipesmokers unite! :D

 
My heart skipped a beat when I read "Dark Star," ahhh it's so lovely. I have yet to get into the BWF. 8)
 
Kyle Weiss":1zrpmxbs said:
My heart skipped a beat when I read "Dark Star," ahhh it's so lovely. I have yet to get into the BWF. 8)
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I prefer BWF to the Dark Star. BWF is a great tobacco in my regular rotation. I have to agree about the difficulties in lighting it though. It can be a Def PITA but I would say it is worth the effort as it is delicious.
 
cigarstorejay":zicqujy1 said:
I prefer BWF to the Dark Star. BWF is a great tobacco in my regular rotation. I have to agree about the difficulties in lighting it though. It can be a Def PITA but I would say it is worth the effort as it is delicious.
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Nothin' a li'l dryin' and vigorous rubbin' won't fix, I'm sure. 8)

 
Good stuff, but as my only stoved VA, I find I smoke it sporadically. I attribute that to the fact that the rest of my VA's are bright and crisp and I've gotten used to them the most. So, when I feel like a VA, I reach for them. I have to stop and think, "am I in the mood" for BWF. But when I am, it fits.

I need to try some more stoveds; it'll give me a sub sect of VA's to enjoy on their own merits.
 
deepbass9":g90wx4b0 said:
I need to try some more stoveds; it'll give me a sub sect of VA's to enjoy on their own merits.
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As mentioned Christmas Cheer and Dark Star are awesome. The only non-McClelland stoved VA I think I've had (and I can recommend it) is Wessex Brigade Dark Flake.

Last I checked it was a bit hard to procure however. Seeing as how I have tobacco ADD, if something isn't easily available I don't pursue it, but instead wander off to a more readily available baccy. Ok...by ADD I mean just plain lazy. :p
 
Richard Burley":r5isandf said:
As I remember, this was one of the very good ones I had tried in the last year or so. I could have sworn I had a can of it around, but it seems to have disappeared. Must have been even better than I remember. I've gotta start keeping a log, or diary, or some damn thing, just to ward off the Alzheimer's.
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Turns out the software I am currently beta testing is right up your alley..there's even a forum for it..just search for Pipe Smoker Unleashed, the developer seems to be a good guy and the software is coming along well...

BTW-this isn't an advertisement , just passing along some info to a fellow piper!
 
As for flakes, get some Orlik Golden Sliced...thank me later..
 
I've got some of this I think I'll try this afternoon. Rubbing it out is the way to go, right?
 
deepbass9":khoeldwn said:
mike_68":khoeldwn said:
As for flakes, get some Orlik Golden Sliced...thank me later..
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Stoved??
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Nah, OGS is a yellow Virginia with a touch of burley, but a danged fine smoke in its own right. I'm a bad one to answer the OP. To me, Dark Star is the perfect stoved VA. Well, apart from the asbestos-like qualities of the under dried.
 
Sorry, I thought the question was what other flakes should be tried...my bad..
 
mike_68":bcr242ie said:
Sorry, I thought the question was what other flakes should be tried...my bad..
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No, you got the answer right from my understanding of the question. I just thought deepbass9 wanted to know if it was stoved. Now I'm all confuzzled. :drunken:
 
Ha! Okay, well then..I stand by my first response and will add that I am unsure if it's stoved or not...
 
I got some more McC's tobacco's yesterday and this one was one of the 6 tins I got. I hadn't smoked it in almost 20 years, back when I was in the "...in your face, real mans tobacco" phase of my 30's and i missed what it was all about! :p I popped the top on the tin and a beautiful full, sweet straight Virginia aroma graced my nose and I realized this was going to be NICE !! ( sorry guys, this DOES NOT smell like any ketchup I have in my 'frig !) It was a bit moist to my touch so I left the top just resting on the tin overnight and after rubbing out a bowl full thouroughly on a saucer I left it under my desk lamp for another 1/2 hour and it was perfect for loading and smoking! Loaded it in a 713-L Edwards Apple I have which seems to really do well with my other straight Va Flakes and after a three match lite and tamp I have been experiencing one of the MOST FRAGRANT, and SMOOTH smokes of ANY tobacco I can recall having!! I'm a big fan of #27 for it's sweetness and smooth smoke, but this stuff really has some substantial differences to make it worth it's equal place in my rotation!! It has the same sweetness, albiet just a bit fuller in body and over it is the nice spicy pepery flavor of the Black Stoved Virginias, ( very similar to how the Black Stoved Virginias do in Virginia Woods). I've encountered NO BITE with this (or #27 either) though I do smoke my Virginia's slowly, just sipping them to get all the nuances of these tobaccos. If you are a "power puffer" wanting great clouds of luscious smoke, this WILL bite you good :p ( though not as much as VW will) This is a nice, smooth, sweet, full straight Va and is worth being in EVERYONES cellar :p
 
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