No. 13 Golden Flake

No. 13 Golden Flake is among the house blends of Wesley's, a South African tobacconist tracing its roots to the 1920s that opened its first shop in Johannesburg in 1971. The maker presents the blend under the English-type mixtures heading. It's prepared by combining medium-strength leaf flakes with Turkish (Oriental) leaf, relying on the leaf's own scent rather than casing.

It's a slow-burning, not overly full blend; the maker states it's suited to outdoor smoking. The Virginia flake base gives dry hay and a measured natural sugar, while the Oriental leaf adds a grassy, woody, lightly spicy layer; this combination holds a buttery sweetness together with a dry, tart edge. It suits smokers not seeking high nicotine who lean toward the slow pace of flake cut and unflavored leaf taste.