Recently I found myself in the mood to celebrate Irish heritage, so I broke out some of Ireland’s finest fare: Peterson University Flake in a Peterson colored meerschaum. It’s like the two were made specifically for each other.

University Flake is a Virginia tobacco with a bit of burley to fill it out. It comes pressed in flake form and is topped with a very subtle plum flavoring. 

The flakes are a tad moist out of the tin, but not as much as a lot of other flakes I’ve tried. But to be safe and get the best smoke out of them I took a couple of the beef-jerky shaped bits of tobacco and let them dry for a few hours beforehand. The flakes smelled like sweet alfalfa with a very small hint of berry. You might miss the berry if you didn’t know it was there.

After drying, I folded the flakes in half and stuffed them into the bowl of the meerschaum pipe. They fit easily and I was able to tamp down to just below the rim for a perfect amount of tobacco. Lighting was relatively easy considering the flake was now less moist, and the aroma of the lit tobacco was amazing. You get the Virginia flavor without the sometimes harsh punch you get from blends like Orlik Golden Sliced, and the added sweetness of the prune topping comes through in the room note and taste.

If you smoke University Flake, I heartily recommend taking it very slow, savoring each puff as if you are not careful this one will bite back. It’s not a beginner’s tobacco, and while not as strong as Irish Flake, it does have a considerable nicotine kick that will catch you off-guard. Do not smoke this on an empty stomach.

The key thing to remember about this tobacco is that it is subtle. The flavors are not strong, so you will be tempted to puff harder, but resist the urge! The magic of this flake comes out in taking your time and enjoying it.

I’ve only had this a few times and already it is becoming a favorite Virginia blend, right up there with Orlik Golden Sliced and G.L. Pease Union Square. 

I give Peterson University Flake a solid 9/10.