Hello lads. I dug out the 1792 Flake yesterday to see how it had held up to the ravages of time. 3 years, 10 months to be exact. When I first bought this tin of tobacco I popped it open and thought I'd stepped into a rubber factory! It reeked. It was also fairly moist and did not rub out well. It smoked harshly and I thought I'd really stepped in it this time. So I put it away for a month or so and revisisted it. Much better but still quite strong and provided a nicotine wallop. It really did smoke much more mellow that time around. All the recent talk of pipes and tobacco just made me go get it out.
Over the last few years I've really neglected the pipes. This comes and goes for me and especially over the summer I don't crave the Hobbit Weed. Comes a late September or October wind from the north and I immediately want my wool caps, briars, and a hefty Virginia flake. This aged 1792 does not dissapoint. As you can see from the photos, these flakes look like jerky or fried bacon. When I first got the tin they were an oily looking black. As you can see they dried up considerably and shrunken a bit to boot. As it stands now, they are really too dry. I should toss on of my humidifying buttons in the tin for a day or so. However, I grabbed up a Stanwell bent went to work. The rubbing out of the flake was much easier now but it tended to break in little shards. It really does need just the tiniest hint of moisture. It was tough getting a charring light going but once I did the smoking was easy. I sip these flakes gently and if they go out, so be it. This one did a number of times and I gently relit with the Corona Old Boy lighter to no ill effect. Virginia tobaccos are very forgiving of relights in my experience and this was no exception. It started off strong like a cigar tobacco but at mid bowl it developed a sweeter and nuttier flavour and became mild. A very flavourful and cool smoke followed and it was an altogether enjoyable 45 minutes or so. I suspect I had a 1/2 tsp. of unuburned dottle in the bottlom of the bowl. Only very little moisture was to be seen in the bowl afterward. If properly humidified and prepped better, I would not have been surprised to have gotten an hour out of the fairly large bowled Stanwell.
All in all, this 1792 is an amazing chameleon. To be sure, it is not for the faint of heart. Especially at first opening. I also caution you about open tins. Most aging of Va. tobaccos is done in a sealed tin. Once it's open the dynamic changes. I kept this one closed up and in a fairly stable temp in a closet in the house. Away from strong temp and light changes. It worked out quite well but sometimes these things go straight south. I am truly amazed at the properties of aged Va. tobacco. The mellowing alone is worth the wait most times. The complexity and nuanced flavours are what keeps these at the top of my list. Better weedage in the Shire I can't imagine.
Regards, Todd
Over the last few years I've really neglected the pipes. This comes and goes for me and especially over the summer I don't crave the Hobbit Weed. Comes a late September or October wind from the north and I immediately want my wool caps, briars, and a hefty Virginia flake. This aged 1792 does not dissapoint. As you can see from the photos, these flakes look like jerky or fried bacon. When I first got the tin they were an oily looking black. As you can see they dried up considerably and shrunken a bit to boot. As it stands now, they are really too dry. I should toss on of my humidifying buttons in the tin for a day or so. However, I grabbed up a Stanwell bent went to work. The rubbing out of the flake was much easier now but it tended to break in little shards. It really does need just the tiniest hint of moisture. It was tough getting a charring light going but once I did the smoking was easy. I sip these flakes gently and if they go out, so be it. This one did a number of times and I gently relit with the Corona Old Boy lighter to no ill effect. Virginia tobaccos are very forgiving of relights in my experience and this was no exception. It started off strong like a cigar tobacco but at mid bowl it developed a sweeter and nuttier flavour and became mild. A very flavourful and cool smoke followed and it was an altogether enjoyable 45 minutes or so. I suspect I had a 1/2 tsp. of unuburned dottle in the bottlom of the bowl. Only very little moisture was to be seen in the bowl afterward. If properly humidified and prepped better, I would not have been surprised to have gotten an hour out of the fairly large bowled Stanwell.
All in all, this 1792 is an amazing chameleon. To be sure, it is not for the faint of heart. Especially at first opening. I also caution you about open tins. Most aging of Va. tobaccos is done in a sealed tin. Once it's open the dynamic changes. I kept this one closed up and in a fairly stable temp in a closet in the house. Away from strong temp and light changes. It worked out quite well but sometimes these things go straight south. I am truly amazed at the properties of aged Va. tobacco. The mellowing alone is worth the wait most times. The complexity and nuanced flavours are what keeps these at the top of my list. Better weedage in the Shire I can't imagine.
Regards, Todd
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