Rattray's Marlin Flake Pipe Tobacco

This blend is one of my favorites. I make sure to keep it in stock. It has a sweet yet full and rich taste and the retro-hale is very rewarding.

I normally go for a full bodied Latakia Tobacco but sometimes I want a change and Marlin Flake is ideal for me.

I received this Marlin Flake tin after hearing really good stuff about it. Well, it’s true. It’s really, really good in my opinion. First off, the presentation is pretty enough to put on a plate at a Michelin-rated restaurant and serve it. Seriously, it looks edible. Like grab a scoop of vanilla ice cream and put it on top edible. But…I don’t smoke presentation, I smoke tobacco and I have been fooled by this before. Let me also emphasize I think this flake will benefit from age as most do. But…out of the tin, whoa. The flavors are well balanced, Virginia’s are both deep and rich, with also a touch of grassy essence. Now I don’t have the most discernible palate to tell you all its nuisances but I can tell you it keeps lit well, is flavorful, not harsh, and if smoked slowly, is one of the tastier Virginia flakes I have ever had. Everyone should try this one just to appreciate a finer flake. I don’t smoke this every day only because it’s a flake and I am on the go a lot. But when I do, I grab my book and sit back to enjoy its flavors abounding.

This is my favorite VaPer, beating out the other two in my cellar St. James Flake and PS 400. I frequently open the jar and take a deep whiff of the pungent aroma. It can be a little bitey at tin moisture if you puff fast, but so delicious it is worth it. Or let it dry a little bit, still enjoyable and less pain. Lol

Wanted to try Marlin Flake for a while, no stock, Opened tin and the tin note is great the smell of pure tobacco, I can just breath this in. Flakes long and folded in the tin, almost black, It came wet had to dry a little. I rub out flakes, packs tight, taste is mild, sweet, can not say I taste the Perique, would differently suggest for the Virginia Flake fan.

Sweet dark and yummy. I mixed this with esoterica Cardiff for an absolute beautiful blend!

All the components of this blend combine to produce a natural sweetness that is just amazing! Not a lot of perique here, so it is a mild VaPer, and the Cavendish really cools things down. Easy to smoke, but complex enough to grab your attention. This one will definitely stay in my rotation for a long time!

Rattray's VA blends are quickly becoming some of my favorites. The three I've had the pleasure to smoke, HoTW, OG, and now this MF is smooth as a baby's butt. They are all similar but different enough to keep it interesting. Upon opening the tin I'm greeted with a familiar scent of figs, raisins, some slight fruitiness mixed with hay, grass, and some earth. Delightful. I love the flakes sliced up with dark brown, black, light brown, and a bit of yellow ribbons all pressed together. Easy to rub out or just stuff in your pipe. I prefer to have this one rubbed out and allow for just a bit of dry time (30m-1h). Lights easy and will take a few relights to keep it going with some light tamping. The smoke is soft and flavorful. To me, this is somewhere between HoTW (my favorite VA tobacco of all time) and OG. There aren't as many bread, toast, and tangy flavors as HoTW, but those flavors are present with the dark fruit sweetness. It's not as spicy and strong as OG, in my opinion, but there is some spice with hints of grass and earth. It's an enjoyable smoke that is better sipped than puffed on hard. It can get some acrid flavors if pushed too hard, but I didn't notice any biting. An enjoyable flavorful journey. I do enjoy it more than OG and just a notch below HoTW. Great stuff!! Pipe Used: Cob & Billard Age When Smoked: 6 months aged

Similar/same blend as Davidoff Flake Medallions, but much higher quality. Great take on the classic VaPer.