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For those who love the sea few things in life are more satisfying after a long day on the salt than dropping anchor in a quiet harbor and enjoying a beautiful sunset. C&D invites you to enhance the experience with a bowl of Sunset Harbor Flake, a classic Balkan style blend made with the finest Izmir Oriental to add a touch of spice to the end of a perfect day.
Favorite Of 2 Users
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gentleman Zombie (729) |  |
Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
This was an interesting blend. The three components seemed to be well married by the processing of the flake. This created, at least for me, a less complex but very tasty flavor profile that held together well for the first three quarters of the bowl. The flavor was one of a smoky, sour, creamy, mildly spicy, cheese. It is literally mouthwatering. I mean it flipped my salivary gland switch to full ON. The last one quarter of the blend saw an increase in the creaminess and a mellowing of the other nuances creating a nice "let you down easy" finish. This blend requires very little of the smoker. It's a blend for doing yard work, tinkering at the work bench, or for just kicking back and relaxing. I like it.......yes sir......I like it a lot.
Pipe Used: MM General
Age When Smoked: fresh
Purchased From: smokingpipes.com
Similar Blends: Gouda cheese????????.
33 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADz Pipes (7) | |
Medium to Strong | Medium to Strong | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
This is the bomb - took a tin to my local pipe club in Nottingham UK - and almost brought home an empty tin!! Very nice stuff indeed superb in every respect - strongish stuff and full of flavour, burns well but takes a bit of lighting - but then it burns to white ash, and is a mega smoke, not a wife pleaser or female nostril attracter !! But for the Latakia, Perique Oriental lover - this is a power house and easy smoke more than one bowl of it! My very good pal in the US has got me two more tins - this is why I say we don't have much choice in the UK! Miss it - miss out - nuff said!
21 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pipestud (1829) |  |
Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Very Pleasant |
The touch of Izmir made this an interesting smoke. Since Izmir Orientals are usually reserved for cigarettes, I guess I thought this would be more cigarette and less pipe in taste. I was wrong.
Although this one did not hit me with the knockout punch that other reviewers here received, it was a palate paster and I knew I'd been involved in some serious smoking.
This blend is dry upon opening the tin and burned very cool. I am sure I would have liked it better with more Izmir and less Latakia and Perique, but that's just me.
Overall, another nicely done C&D offering.
18 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumarinophil (108) | |
Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Tolerable to Strong |
Sunset Harbor Flake feels like a very soft crumble cake that falls apart in my hands and makes every method to fill your pipe obsolete. Using the advanced “just put it in there somehow and light it up” method I get an immediately gentle and extraordinary smooth smoke. It has a slight but deep sweetness reminding me of Tonka, Cardamom and maybe Cinnamon. There is also a satisfying mellow spiciness, that’s never upfront or aggressive. I find remarkable, that the aftertaste is pretty intense only when smoked right out of a fresh tin and becomes barely noticeable when aged a few months.
A soothing experience that feels like a warm blanket when you sit out on your porch and the sun goes down on late summer evenings (I should stop looking at the tin while I write…). Enjoy!
Pipe Used: Various
Age When Smoked: fresh to 2 yrs
Similar Blends: HU Dockworker Flake.
16 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JimInks (3050) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
The smoky, woody, earthy, musty sweet Cyprian Latakia is the lead component. The woody, earthy, dry and sour, floral, spicy, sharp Izmir is a strong supporting player. The spicy, raisiny, plumy, earthy perique is just above being a condiment. The strength is a step past the medium mark, while the taste level is a slot past that. The nic-hit is almost medium. Won’t bite, but fast puffing may result in a harsh note or two, and there are plenty of rough edges. This is more of a crumble kake than it is a flake, and may need a light dry time. Burns fairly cool, very clean, and a bit slow with a very consistent, mildly sweet and very savory flavor from start to finish. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and requires some relights. The after taste has a bitter note. The room note is a little strong. Not an all day smoke. Two and a half stars.
-JimInks
15 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| StevieB (2082) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Cornell & Diel - Sunset Harbour Flake.
Love it, love it, love it.
The appearance is more that of a broken flake, it's dark brown, and at a good level of hydration. Although the bottom of the tin contains pieces that don't need any further rubbing the top half still needs some. But, this couldn't be a simpler task: they don't need a firm rub, and turn into more of a fluff than ribbons. But, be warned, upon ignition the 'fluff' can swell, and tumble out of the pipe!
The flavour is beautiful. Beautiful? Is that a bit over-the-top? Whatever!!! The Latakia's clear to taste, but doesn't monopolize the smoke. This gives smokiness, woodiness, etc., but the Oriental adds zest, lots of character, a slight creaminess, and the Perique gives a bit of a 'punch'. The temperature from Sunset Harbour's cool, and I find the burn faultless.
The room-note: I like it, although it's strong. Nicotine: above medium.
Sunset Harbour Flake? HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
Four stars.
Pipe Used: Rattray's The Clan.
Age When Smoked: Four months
Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com
13 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| RCUSElder (244) | |
Strong | None Detected | Full | Strong |
Another fine blend by C&D
It reminded me a bit of Penzance, but not as complex. This is a rich heady blend that still remains to be complex enough to keep me smoking it.
Upon opening of the tin, you will notice it needs some drying time. The flakes do smell delicious. Rub them out, let them dry on the tin cap for 15-20 minutes, then pack and enjoy.
Warning: This blend gets very intense at the bottom of the bowl and it will occlude your tastebuds for a good long while. But, it is worth it......
Yes, it is Latakia heavy, but still highly recommended.
BTW it will scare people away with its room note, so enjoy with fellow pipers.....
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Gr8tefuldawg (87) | |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
C&D sunset harbor flake
This blend tin art is a beauty to behold, but so is what’s inside the tin. This blend comes in somewhat broken flakes although moist upon opening they dried quite quickly, I prefer to fold and stuff my flakes these seem unable to hold that consistency and fall apart more frequently.
The matter of the flakes breaking apart may be a good thing as this stuff smokes great, every bowl I’ve had smokes cool and remains flavorful. This has that quintessential Balkan taste, although it has the sweetness found in SPC plum pudding special reserve or black house it’s a bit tamer.
The oriental leaf place a larger part with the Latakia smokiness contributing but never overpowering. The sweetness from the VA’s comes and goes but is always a welcome addition when it appears for a chat.
I have to say I’m glad I took a chance on this blend, it’s become a great replacement for Dunhill durbar and until that blend( if it returns) comes back this will be stocked in my cellar and remain in my rotation.
The tin I’m smoking was dated 28mar19, I am dwindling down to breadcrumbs but have plenty stocked to replace, the aging process helped smooth it out a bit, but it smokes just as great fresh.
4/4 highest of recommendations.
Pipe Used: Various
Age When Smoked: Fresh to 9 months
Purchased From: Tobaccopipes.com
6 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| HeavyMetalPiper (64) | |
Medium | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
The smell is sweetish and with a kind of ripeness.
This was one of the first blends I ever bought about a decade ago. I like Erinmore Flake and this was another flake available at a local shop. I liked it then, but having it again with a more refined palate has me enjoying it even more. The taste is smoky, and also sweet yet sour. It's what I expect when a blend is described as Balkan, and it does not disappoint. I'm in the process of building a proper rotation and this is a very strong contender and will take a lot to unseat.
You can find my video review of this blend here:
Pipe Used: SMS Meerschaum Skater
Age When Smoked: 7 Months
Purchased From: Smoking Pipes
6 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30194) | |
Medium to Strong | Medium | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I found this Balkan flake to be without a doubt the best I have ever tasted. It burns so cool and is so intensely flavorful that I was truly disappointed when the bowl was finished. I smoked this blend in a group 5 or 6 Wilke billiard and it provided a long and pleasant smoking experience. This blend will not bite, not even if you smoke it fast. Nice work, Craig & Co. Four stars!
6 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Stan (179) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
A Balkan broken flake, with a varietal, Izmir.
Cool, dark and having all the savory properties of a decent Balkan or good full English.
Somewhat comparable by me to Penzance but not as intense.
Not much more to say, other than I like it. Let's see what others add.
6 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| ATW (110) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is definitely not a typical Balkan blend. The fact that this only contains Turkish, perique, and Latakia is what draws me to it. And honestly, this is not what I imagined.
The tin aroma is slightly smoky but a fruity sweetness is mostly dominant with a slight mustiness from the Turkish. Of all broken flakes that I've experienced, this is the most different and best one to handle. A very soft Flake that just falls apart but just touching it. Loads in a pipe very well. The first and second 3rd of the bowl is smoky, fruity and musty. I'm the last third, the izmir really pops through. It finishes to a nice gray ash. Burns cool and absolutely no tongue bite.
This was a very unique and pleasant experience. Also goes well with a chocolate milk. Wouldn't want to smoke it everyday but makes a very good treat while relaxing on a cold night.
Update 5-28-19. I've found this blend has by far became my favorite English/Balkan blend. It's so consistent bowl to bowl and no tongue bite with plenty of nice rich flavor.
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| TallPuffO'Burley (633) | |
Medium | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
My third of four reviews today and none will get more than 2 stars. This blend hung around as an open container for me for nearly three years. This is less an indication of what I thought of it and more an indication of how many open Latakia blends I have at present. This one was just forgotten.
This blend has a lot of latakia and its presence is nearly overwhelming in the blend. At least it is to me. C&D makes several blend with a lot of latakia. Pirate Kake, Mountain kake and Billy Budd come to mind. The difference of SHF to those is there is something more to the latakia that makes each bowl interesting. With SHF, all I get is smoke and the dreaded Lat tongue rendering nearly everything I smoke within a few hours after to be tasteless.
I don't have many good things to say about this blend, but will add this. It does have a lot of nicotine. This is something rather uncommon with heavy lat blends. If this is something that you desire then this may be the blend for you, but I would still recommend GLP Key largo over this to accomplish the same end as it will just deliver a better sensation on the palate. This one lies between 1 and 2 stars, but I am bumping it up to 2 stars, perhaps out of my bias to C&D blends which I enjoy so much. It does have their quality leaf.
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| LivingFreeinTN (24) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
This seems to be a hidden gem by Cornell and Diehl. For some reason, SHF isn't talked about as much as it probably deserves. This is a nice Balkan blend that is perfectly balanced and delicious. No component ever seems to take over, but compliments each other throughout the bowl, doing just enough to keep it from becoming boring. My tin was full of nice, dark, broken flakes that rubbed out easily. Some drying time was necessary to avoid relights but smoked great once dried. Any fan of Balkan blends should give this one a try.
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30194) | |
Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Tolerable to Strong |
Sunset Harbor Flake has a strong flavor and decent ingredients but lacks any real depth or complexity. I keep coming back to the tin every so often hoping that it was the wrong pipe or I was in the wrong mood the last time I smoked it. Nope. Just a very mediocre blend where the components never seem to get on well with each other.
I am continually unimpressed with C&D offerings and this one is no exception. It has all my favorite ingredients but, like the half dozen other C&D blends I've tried, it just has little to recommend it over much better offerings from other blenders. (Which is odd because Low Country's Cooper Flake is made by C&D and it is outstanding).
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| p4p4 (59) | |
Medium | Medium | Very Full | Tolerable to Strong |
An excellent balkan flake rich in latakia and orientals but with a tender and placid sweetness. Good flavour and very good taste. It remains very very very long time in your mouth:a great pleasure! For relaxing moment. Four stars, of course !
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30194) | |
Extremely Strong | None Detected | Extra Full | Pleasant |
This is a very nice, full flavored flake. I can't stress enough that this is big huge full power. I smoked it during the day once, and am afraid to smoke it again during the day or when driving because this knocked me on my a**! But this tobacco is full of flavor and I do recommend it. Just save it for the evening.
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30194) | |
Medium | None Detected | Full | Tolerable |
I have become a bit leery of Englishes. I have a pretty low threshold for latakia. But I recognize a good blend when I smoke one. I first tried this as a broken flake, and later as a normal flake. They smoked about the same. this will undoubtably change with ageing. My suggestion is buy 2. Open one and hold off 6 months on #2. Start up light does bring the latakia to the front as expected. But rather than being overpowering, it as a nice exotic backbeat from the izmir. Once cruising speed is reached, the perique adds some different spice, while the latakia calms a bit....Strength increases a bit toward the end, but not unpleasant. Overall this is a nice english flake. The overall effect is a plus. Nice estetic tin, Great presentation, Flavor is perfect for after dinner or a stroll in the cooling winter air.
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| lastOFtheBOHEMIANS (5) | |
Mild to Medium | Medium | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
Fine leather, aromatic cedar, sandalwood, black pepper. Smooth smoke that is full of flavor. I like to dry it completly before enjoying, but I prefer most blends dried well.
Age When Smoked: Less than 1 year
Similar Blends: SPC plum pudding, Frog Morton On the Bayou.
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| BrokenRecord (124) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
Sunset Harbor Flake is a distinct full English. It is a Latakia and perique bomb with a cedar smokiness and a spicy maduro like quality. There is just enough Izmir leaf to bring some kind of balance. Overall, it reminds me of a flake form of C&D Byzantium.
*This review is based on a small sample and limited life experience.
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| gladi8tor96 (143) | |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
Upon opening the tin you are greeted with a sour, smokey, earthy scent that is quite delightful. The tobacco seems to be more of a broken cake/flake mix. When one 'grabs' one of the, dark brown with black and yellow flecks, flakes it quickly breaks apart and can easily be rubbed out into an almost powder. This actually makes it extremely easy to load, without rubbing it out. Just fill your pipe and lightly tamp, repeat until the pipe is full of your desired amount. It make it easy to light and keep lit with no relights and light but firm tamping along the way.
I was skeptical of this blend based upon the components. No Va's? Hmm.... I love my English blends with VAs and my straight VAs as well. However I was nicely surprised to find this to be a rich, creamy, sour and smokey tobacco. The components are married perfectly and it's a no fuss blend. Just load up, light, and enjoy. It's complex enough to keep one interested, but consistent and easy going that one could enjoy it all day. I'm a fan now as it has really grown on me.
Pipe Used: Savinelli Bent Billard
Age When Smoked: 4 Months
Purchased From: Smoking PIpes
Similar Blends: Can't think of any other blends that are similar.
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Philo Beddoe (221) | |
Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
I wouldn’t call this necessarily bad, but the dusty spice flavor wasn’t my cuppa. The tobacco was a quite moist broken flake and upon opening the tin and each bowl required 30-60 minutes drying time to be smokeable. I didn’t care for the smell upon opening the tin, the smell reminded me of a bad Mediterranean food joint. The taste was actually a pretty bland English with occasional puffs of that unpleasant spice note, which must have been the Izmir in retrospect. Not awful, but I won’t be finishing the tin.
Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Farmingpiper (3) | |
Medium | None Detected | Full | Strong |
these flake are crumbling realy easily and are easy to pack and smoke. i found it not relly evolutive from start to finish but it's not a bad thing. It taste alot like chocolate to me and i like the little spiciness. It leave a good after taste in the mouth like a floral nutty taste if i can say.
Pipe Used: cob and brigham chinook 421
Age When Smoked: from 3 months to a year
Purchased From: 4 noggins
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| jankoez (69) | |
Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Quite dry blend which burns almost to quickly (maybe it was just my tin...). Anyway, it is good tobacco, but without any thrill. Cornell & Diehl has better mixtures.
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30194) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Strong |
I've opened a tin from more than one year old and smoked a pipe of this. Not so heavy in latakia in my opinion. A very good and sweet taste coming from the latakia and oriental spiced with perique. Not a latakia boost like Pirate Kake but the latakia is clearly there. Broke up the flake almost completely, very slow burning, one lightning.
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30194) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
I you would like to try Cornell & Diehl's version of the McClelland Blakeney's Best Latakia Flake ,this is it. Draw your own conclusions.
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| getyur@sstomars (26) | |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
The some of the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts. Best describes this gem.
We're all very familiar w lat, per, and ori/turk. But these strains, in this ratio, delver tremendous flavor without being overwhelming. It's some of the best feeling tobacco between the fingers. It has a fine fluffyness to it. The flakes will rub themselves out just by mean-mug'm, smells familiar in a very unfamiliar way. If a feathery trait could everbe applied to a flake tobacco, than this is it.
The perique really doesn't make it's self to noticed IMHO. Has a earthy, spice/musty, unique flavor. Won't bite, even if you try. nic hit is mild to medium mild. Leaves the most powdery,light ash. Smokes dry, and is great while you work on a project or relaxing and savoring the exp and flavors.
Very interested in trying a tin w some age.
And they call this a Balkan blend, further confusing me on the subject.
Pipe Used: Sav. LiverPool. WO Larson paneled egg
Age When Smoked: Young
Purchased From: S.P.com
Similar Blends: Nothing I've ever had..
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| troyniss (38) | |
Mild | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Presentation: Mixed together with smaller pieces throughout the semi intact flakes come in different lengths and sizes and not one is alike to the other. Looks more of which someone took a crumble cake and fashioned it into slices. Further breaking apart requires no effort and falls apart easily. Still, a unique presentation that I have yet to find in another blend. Moisture is a little more than usual out of the tin, but can be smoked right away.
Palette: The Latakia comes through first with a slightly smoky essence. Not a typical campfire strong latakia, but a rather sweet BBQ glaze with a little bit of charring. The orientals play a significant role next to the Latakia in the minor wood notes followed by a sour zest. These two combined create an almost creamy like mouthfeel you might attribute to a plain Greek yogurt. What is interesting with this blend is that even though it contains no Virginia components, it still retains a delicate sweetness that is noticeable throughout the smoke. The perique adds just enough spice on the retrohale. It is slightly prune and black pepper, an even mix with both never dominating the other. It has a somewhat savory essence to it too. Reminds me of the salt on the rim of a well done margarita. As you take sips, the salt gently soaks up some of the sweet liquid until you are finished. You take swipes with your tongue to the glass and it is sweet, sour and salty all at the same time.
Performance: You can either rub the flakes out and have medium sized pieces and layer them, or rub it out completely to have fluffy, even smaller sized pieces. Either way, the blend burns really well. Doesn't bite unless really pushed being that there are no Virginias to burn too hot. Nicotine is mild to me and even after a bowl I don't feel too much. Leaves a little dottle at the bottom along with some moisture. Requires about two false lights and one true light, with one relight, sometimes two. Not an all day blend, but some who fall in love can easily smoke this more than once a day, if a few bowls in a row.
Conclusion: A super underrated Balkan that I'm surprised is top tier in terms of quality and flavor. I suppose some pipe smokers may be hesitant to purchase this blend seeing that there is no Virginia leaf added to the blend and may assume that it is bold and heavy, but I think that what Sunset Harbor Flake does with the form factor, it melds the flavors together to give it a unique and rich, mildly complex, semi sweet smoke. I can usually smoke this blend two bowls in a row. I wish they would make this in 8oz or 16oz tins, as I would love to cellar this deep. For now, 2oz tins it is.
Pipe Used: Morgan Bones Thick Bulldog
Age When Smoked: 8 months
Purchased From: SP
Similar Blends: GL Pease Lagonda, SPC Plum Pudding.
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| tabaco (112) | |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
A decent, competent blend, but nothing special and typically C&D/Pease. Earthy, sour, sometimes sweet and sour, burns and packs well, moderate vitamin N. There's others which put the wind in my sails more than this one.
Fun to try; however, I shan't purchase more.
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| FrozenChurchwarden (6) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Strong |
(First Bowl, 2021 Spring) Fresh from the tin, stuff and go (Lazy Frank Method). Took three tries to light but this is my first bowl in five years so I don't have a lot of practice. As I was lunting the first few minutes were mostly starchy and ashy, settling down in some grass brought the flavor, lightly savory, consistent to the end. One re-light halfway. Dumped the last bit of dottle.
Pipe Used: Custom Ashton Billiard (40mmx17mm Bore)
Age When Smoked: 1Yr
Similar Blends: G.L. Pease Gaslight.
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uban1 (1) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Considering its components, the sweetest blend lacking Virginia I know of. It is not too complex, but develops the sweet taste from mid-bowl to a slightly wet bottom ash. Lat dominates, but pleasantly so. A real all-day Oriental/Balkan. Best in small to medium-small bowls.
Pipe Used: Cob, Meerschaum, various briar.
Age When Smoked: 2 yrs
Purchased From: P&T
Similar Blends: durbar.
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rustedrailsmokes (293) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
This has come highly recommended from folks in the Bones Pipe Club.
My tin has a 032819 date on it, so just over a month of age. Tinnote is fruity/spicy. The flakes crumble apart, haven't seen anything quite like that. Easy to load and light.
Taste starts out smoky from the latakia. There is def some fruit taste from the Perique and some "spice" from the Turkish. It is a real consistent smoke as I didn't notice much difference from beginning to end. Nicotine was stronger than I expected but not overpowering.
I can see why this one is so popular.
Pipe Used: Morgan Bones Fat Author
Age When Smoked: 1 month
Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greybeard (66) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Strong |
Sunset Harbor has been a difficult blend for me to rate. It's Latakia forward, with a rich smoky flavor, and backed up by other Orientals with a floral essence. Perique is not overpowering and just gives this blend little extra spice. No difficulties with lighting, or tongue bite, and perfect moisture out of the tin.
I enjoy the richness of the Latakia, but just doesn't have the wow factor I've enjoyed in other English/Balkan style blends. I can really only give this a somewhat recommended as I don't think it's for all pipers.
Pipe Used: Brebbia Sabbiata, Savinelli Tundra, cobs
Age When Smoked: 1 year
Purchased From: SmokingPipes.com
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| JaWiBr (568) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
Tin note of tangy fruit, smoky, and mild spice. Tobacco flakes rub out super easily. The dark brown flakes need no drying. Burns slow with a few extra relights. The strength is medium and nic is mild to medium. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium to full and consistent, with notes of smoky, raisin spice note, lemon zest, musty sour wood, dry earth, floral, mild tart plums, mild sweet grass, mild bitter herbs and a moderately peppery retro. Latakia and Izmir are tag teaming the lead, with perique providing support. Room note is tolerable to strong, and aftertaste is great.
Pipe Used: 2013 J.M. Boswell Poker
Age When Smoked: 3 years
Purchased From: smokingpipes.com
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stah (153) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
Appearance: 2 oz tin, production date May 19, 2010. 13 years is a long time for a Balkan blend, so I suspect the latakia has weathered a bit. The blend has dried slightly and over the course of storage has turned into a broken flake, almost entirely the color of a medium roast coffee, in which it is almost impossible to distinguish visually the individual ingredients. The tobacco is very easy to prepare by simply kneading the particularly large flake pieces a bit. It's light, lush, a little dry, and generally ready for immediate consumption.
Flavor: A smoky, slightly woody, cheesy acidity blend of latakia and oriental is the first thing you smell. The latakia notes are very mild, smoky rather than peaty. Smoked cheese on an oak board comes to mind. A little later, as the aroma begins to pick up new notes, spicy cardamom and allspice open up. Very light notes of raisins and prunes make it clear that the perique has been used only as a spice in this mixture. After lying in the air, mixed with woody and spicy flavors, the initial excessive acidity turns into something that looks like a slice of green apple. Other than that, the sweetish notes in the flavor are generally absent.
Taste: creamy-spicy, slightly sweet, with a mild hint of meat juice, nuances derived from a mixture of latakia and oriental, somewhat dominate the palate. For the second roles there is a slight spice of perique, quite noticeable only at the beginning of smoking. The overall bouquet is bright enough, but smooth. Towards the middle of the pipe, the taste gains a little more woody notes, and the smokiness of the latakia goes into the background. The tobacco becomes a mild-sweet and spicy blend and stays that way until the end, which I find somewhat atypical given the lack of Virginia in the lineup. The woody notes are more pronounced in straight pipes than in bents. The strength of the tobacco is somewhat above average, a slight nicotine kick is possible even in a medium sized pipe. The tobacco burns slowly, evenly, very cool, does not bite, leaves some moisture in the pipe. The aftertaste is not persistent, woody and spicy.
The smoke from the tobacco has a spicy smell with a hint of smoldering wood. It is persistent enough in the room, but quite bearable.
Conclusion: A rare old-school blend among Balkan blends that doesn't contain Virginia. Its absence may scare off those who are afraid of large amounts of latakia, but in this blend it is very mild, and nicely flavored with izmir. The amount of perique is insignficient, and almost doesn't affect the overall flavor and taste picture. I believe the taste will be more vivid when fresh, but the old tobacco was very good, although I would not call it an everyday tobacco. It's a tobacco for the mood. A glass of rum would be a very good accompaniment to it.
Pipe Used: Peterson 106, x220, 999
Age When Smoked: 2010
Purchased From: Gift
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| FrostyPipe (7) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
Like too many C&D flakes, this is not. Best described as a very rough broken flake. Another all too common problem with C&D flakes is an extremely odd 'chalkiness' in the feel of the tobacco. It put me to mind of tobacco dust that had been compressed. And should you try to rub this out, that's exactly what you get: dust. A tug of war between latakia and Orientals, with a pronounced aged cheese and latakia aroma in the tin. Zero bite, cool smoking. But a dull, and blunt flavour profile. It's missing that incense and spice I usually find in an average Balkan or English. Not nuanced or complex enough to be one of the greats. No point in aging as the Virginia content is low and of mediocre quality. There are many many better Balkans.
Age When Smoked: 3 years
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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