Here at Toad Hall we've been smoking our way through the collection of pipe tobaccos I received in last month's order. In service to the pipe smoking community on Steemit and at large, we are ready to report our findings and experiences. It's a service that My Lady Nicotine and I are happy to provide!
Smoke with me!
We'll start with Peter Stokkebye's Luxury Twist Flake
Retailer's Description
Smokingpipes.com says:
a pure Virginia blend from the best fields of Zimbabwe and the eastern United States, these leaves are hand-rolled into a spun cake, then pressed and sliced.
Pipesandcigars.com says:
a wonderful, all-Virginia flake made in a singular way. Virginias are layered with a smooth added essence and rolled into ropes which are then placed into a form and firmly pressed. After pressing, the block is sliced for easy preparation.
I wonder what "added essence" means? Let's find out!
Jar Aroma
It definitely smells sweeter than I was expecting - there's no mistaking that a topping has been used. But it's not over-powering or obnoxious, or really obvious. Bit of a sweet tea with floral notes, and maybe caramel - pleasant, not too perfume-y. I'm open to a flavoring if it can enhance rather than overwhelm a blend.
Preparation
This tobacco is one of the prettiest preparations of a flake that I've seen. Layers of light and dark Virginias alternate in waves, and you can see just a hint of the crystallizing sugars.
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It rubs out easily, crumbling into fine ribbons. It's best to pack this one firmly. I've noticed that most of Stokkebye's tobaccos tend to burn fast, and this one does too (which is rare, for a flake).
If I were to smoke this outside, I would just fold a couple of flakes in half and cram them in that way, since less surface area means a slower burn.
Smoking
Luxury Twist Flake is one of the few tobaccos where the aromatic component seems to remain present in the flavor, giving it the mellow, sweet-tea piquancy I smelled in the jar. It starts to fade by the second half of the bowl, and then come back occasionally to surprise me.
This is very mild for a Virginia blend. Just slightly sweet, very smooth, and very mellow. There's not a lot of complexity to it beyond that topping, but the fundamentals are satisfying.
It burns cooler than many Virginias, and with no threat of tongue-bite.
There's not much of a nicotine kick to it either. I was able to try it out in two pipes, consecutively, without getting dizzy.
Room Aroma Report from 
:
"Sweet undertones. The first thing I think of is Marzipan -- a cross between sweet marzipan and a smoky scotch."
This blend has been rated safe for spouses!
Summary and Score
A good early-morning blend or an all-day smoker, particularly if you work outside and need an easy flake for smoking outdoors. Highly recommended for aromatic fans who are looking to branch out into Virginias.
A solid four out of five stars.