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Reviews
Peterson - Irish Flake 50g
Very Good
There have been periods of time for me where life’s luster is diminished. In such as these I will experience a shift in taste and desire. I found this happening recently when I spent more time in a particular city than I wanted to. I won’t complain here; we’ve all been affected by the pandemic. During this time though, I found myself reaching for Peterson Irish Flake more and more until it became a daily ritual. The tobacco itself was not new to me. It has occupied a corner of my mind since the first time I tried it, wandering the streets of Dublin in the company of a woman I had recently met. She eventually married her Spanish beau. But, he wasn’t there that evening; just she and I. We shared a meal at The Woolen Mills on Valentine’s Day. After, we walked along the River Liffey in the chill of the winter night. Opening the tin I am met with a rich aroma. There are undertones of smoke and a long whole-note of deep fruit buried way down. Riding atop it all is an anise-like pungency. It reminds me of fresh Copenhagen. I usually break the flakes and let them air out for a while, careful not to wait too long, though overly drying it doesn’t really diminish the richness of the flavor. The smoke is rewarding and full upon lighting. After that, I let it combust slowly, sipping the smoke. I taste the rich tobacco. There is slight a taste of the char on a Pittsburgh-rare steak. The anise-like element is there too, and a mild sweetness of a Virginia. This is a full-flavored smoke. It pairs well with most good whiskeys or black tea. I get that catch in the back of my throat from the nicotine, and some days I set the pipe down for a while. Some days I don’t. As the bowl progresses, I get a more spice on the retrohale. I write in my notebook and watch the old man across the alley spit on the cats down below. Life here and now is not ideal, but it never has been. Having a tobacco like Peterson Irish Flake can make everything seem a little less absurd. Even if for just a short while.
