Virginia Honey-Dew Flake

Virginia Honey-Dew Flake is a Virginia flake in the house-blend line carrying the name of Paul Bugge, a German pipe and tobacco retailer. As has long been the tradition in Germany, shop brands have their blends prepared by contract manufacturers; this blend, too, is sold under the shop's own label. The "honey-dew" in the name points to a light honey casing given to the leaf.

On the palate, tart, lemony, naturally sugared Virginia leaf leads; the honey casing layers a thin sweetness and a faint licorice suggestion over it, though not intensely enough to mask the leaf's own taste. Offered as a pressed, sliced flake, it needs rubbing out before packing and keeps its character when smoked slowly. Though flavored, it isn't fully aromatic; it occupies a middle ground for smokers interested in Virginia blends who find fully unflavored tobacco too dry.