Characterisation:
The Latakia Flake lies in narrow, barely 1 cm wide flakes in three clean stacks wrapped in gold paper. The flakes are dark brown with a few golden speckles. The scent is reminiscent of damp autumn leaves, but also apricot and anise are to sniff out, in addition to a sweet spice, tickling in the nose. The tobacco is almost a little too wet, so that the flakes are very elastic, this facilitates the insertion into the pipe, however, the foreseen flakes should be allowed to slightly dry previously.
Plugging:
Due to its elastic nature Latakia Flake is very easy to bend and fold, but you should make sure that you do not overtighten the flake by plugging it into the pipe. Also, if you prefer to smoke the flake rubbed, you should give it air, since the compact tobacco fibers either way under the flame tend to rise. A few loose tobacco crumbs uppermost facilitate the rapid adoption of the flame.
Light up:
Despite of pre-drying and careful plugging the Latakia Flake requires two flames. Under the first flame the tobacco rises, what should be compensated by carefully smoothing with the tamper. Then you can ignite the surface with the second flame uniformly. But then the effort is rewarded by the Latakia Flake with a very modest combustion.
Smoking properties:
The amount of Latakia mentioned by the manufacturer promises a strong tobacco and so you get. The flake is clearly smoky-spicy, the sweet nuances of the Latakia and also of the Oriental are more ethereal suspecting in the background. This is clearly to taste in the second third of the filling, if it succeeds, smoking the tobacco cool. This is also advisable to avoid gargling and save yourself a more elaborate cleaning. The remaining very bright, gray and fine ash is typical for an "english" tobacco, which comes here in an unusual but interesting flake form.
Redolency:
The room touch of Latakia Flake is strong and typical "English" by the used oriental tobaccos - so perfect for an autumn stroll or a group of afficionados.
Conclusion:
The Latakia Flake is a typical English blend, in the form of black-brown, narrow, very accurately cut flakes. Its aroma is typical of wet leaves, smoky with a subtle sweetness. This sometimes gentler sometimes stronger flavors are also found in the smoke again, which - if the tobacco was carefully packed and the smoker keeps the pipe cool - is undergoing an interesting development during the filling. The little care requiring preparation, the rich content of oriental tobaccos and the peculiarities of a flake do not necessarily lead the Latakia Flake to an entry-level tobacco. But who wants to indulge in a true Englishman in the not quite ordinary garb of a flake, does nothing wrong with the Latakia Flake of Mac Baren.
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with friendly support of Dennis Hübel
