Virginia Tobacco » Peterson Irish Flake Tobacco Reviews

A Fine Strong Smoke that Demands Respect

originally posted on pipesmagazine.com/forums

A Great, Strong Blend!

The tin aroma from this blend is a straight forward strong tobacco with a hint of tanginess. The moisture content is almost perfect for smoking right upon opening the tin. I took a couple of flakes and rubbed them out between my palms to get a nice rubbed out mixture. It rubbed out very easily.

The flavor is a straight forward, unadulterated tobacco taste; accompanied by slightly sweet, slightly smoky, and slightly tangy tastes that interchange with each other. What I mean by this is, sometimes I taste sweetness, other times a tanginess, and other times a smokiness. It does not happen at certain times of the smoke, it just randomly switches. The smokiness is nothing like the smokiness that I get from Latakia; it is a different kind of smokiness. It’s different, but very good.

This is one strong tobacco! Peterson’s is not kidding when they say, ‘For the experienced smoker’. I did not eat before smoking and by the half way point; I could feel it in my stomach. But I am an experienced smoker and can take it…(I think). I don’t think I would smoke this blend early in the day. It is more of a later in the afternoon and/or evening smoke for me. It is just too strong for early in the day. I pushed this tobacco a little and I got no bite from it. It has a nice sweet and tangy finish that lingers for a bit.

This is a very good tobacco and I will definitely be smoking more of it. It smokes slow, cool, dry, and doesn't bite. If you like good strong tobacco, I think that you will love this blend. Just make sure you eat before smoking it!

I Highly Recommend it!

A strong burley blend!

I should begin this review by stating that I discovered this tobacco before discovering etailers, and as such, the two and a half tins I've smoked, as well as the five others in my cellar, are all the older incarnation of this tobacco, in the deep rectangular tin, not the current, square tin. I have heard that the flakes are not as tightly packed in the newer tins (more akin to OGS in density), nor are they quite as strong, but definitely comparable.

Upon opening the tin, I am always struck by the physical beauty of these flakes - dark browns, marbled with tans and blacks, pressed tightly into a small(ish) flake.
The tin aroma is quite complex, bringing first strong scents of over-ripe fruit, leather (saddle leather in particular), dry saw-dust, fermented leaves and earth, and just a hint of must. As I rub out the flakes, the over-ripe fruit and fermenting leaf/earthy smells becomes even more pronounced, well the saw-dust, leather and must take a back seat.

My preferred method with this flake is fold-n-stuff, or roll-n-stuff, depending on the chamber of the pipe I've selected; I find when rubbed out, the flavours tend to muddle more than I like (which is contradictory, I know...).
The flake takes a flame decently, although I tend to go through a whack of matches on the charring light - more due to my technique than the tobacco, I'm sure, as this is the case with any flake for me. I find the ember is usually easy to control from true light through tipping, and is one of the few tobacco's that I don't have to relight every second puff at the heel.

The smoke is very rich and creamy, and begs to be sipped...it takes alot to make this tobacco bite, but the nicotine content can floor a person if they puff too heartily.
Strong nutty burley flavours are predominant, interspersed with hints of leather, musk, coffee, (bitter dk.) chocolate, and equine sweat. Every so
often, I will detect a hay-like sweetness with undertones of papaya, although this is never at the forefront of the profile.
As the bowl burns down, the sweetness is replaced by an almost peppery flavour, which slowly becomes stronger as the bowl progresses; although it never dominates of becomes overpowering, preferring to leave the flavours described above dominant.

The room note on this tobacco is strong, however even the non-smokers that have been subjected to this blend agree its enjoyable. Akin to musty sawdust, leather, musk and sweat, it takes me back to days gone by, when men were men.

I'm sure you've heard the nicotine in this blend is through the roof - well, I wouldn't go that far...but it is certainly there. One of the few blends that gets my tempurature up, and my stomach going if I'm not careful; but that said, its also one of the few blends that completely kills any hint of a cigarette craving for hours. Best enjoyed after a large meal; and go SLOW!

Despite the disclaimer "For the experienced smoker", I would recommend this blend to anyone who enjoys a strong rich smoke. Cigarette smokers in particular will find this blend strong enough in the N department to kill cravings, while the cigar crowd will appreciate the richness of the burleys.

Compliments strong black coffee, porters and stouts, and well oaked whiskeys extremely well.

Given the choices I have, this is my choice.

When I first met this blend, my trusted tobacconist told me it would most likely overwhelm me. He has since managed to get the egg off his face.

Tasty treat

I enjoy this one the most of all of the Peterson blends that I have tried. I am addicted to nicotine and enjoy stronger tobaccos. This smells like Copenhagen snuff in the tin but I don't get that in the smoking. IF is very rich in flavor of straight tobacco; I don't detect any casing at all. The flakes are perfectly uniform and while they look small in flake form, 1 flake will rub out to an average bowl filling amount.