It's rare now that I smoke a new tobacco that really rings my bell. Somerset Slice not only rings it but accomanies it with singing angels!

I received a half pound from Dad last Tuesday in a trade. I jarred up a few oz's and put the remainder in a sample jar. It's semi dry and cut into long strips. It's color is dark brown and black. It's scent, sour and earthy. My overall impression is supreme quality!

As with all of my flakes I simply "roll" them into the bowl. Packing is easy. I don't push down firmly as to leave a good sized air pocket at the bottom. I choose a large Stanwell shape #86 and settled down. Lighting is a snap and the entire bowl needed very few relights. The flavor is typical burley with an earthy and sweet flavor. It creates clouds of thick smoke. It may not be a winner with your wife because of this. It's character remains all the way down the bowl and due to it's slow buring rate that bowl will last seemingly forever. It burns to a dirty grey ash. Tongue bite seems simply nonexistant no matter how hard I pushed it. Smoking one bowl immediately makes me want to fill another. It reminds me of a more mature version of Wessex "Burley Slice". A definte keeper for me and I plan to buy a few pounds to put away sooner rather than later.


If there's a draw back, it's the price. I was told a pound goes for $72.00! This is pretty steep considering I pay around $40.00 for a pound of Navy Flake. Take my word for it folks, it's well worth it.

* * * * * 5 Stars!

Good Son, Very Good, Dad
Pacem en Puffing!

It costs less for those of us outside Mass. But we have to pay shipping. It's been several years since my last purchase. Don't recall what I did pay.

Thanks for the excellent review. I've only tried 333 and Park Sq from Peretti's and I found both of those blends to be top notch. I'll definitely order some Somerset on my next Peretti order.

Nice review, thanks. If it can compete with Aged Burley Flake then I'm in for giving it a go!

Also I'm still interested in hearing what Pipetongue has to say about those C&D burley flakes.

A very informative review, Dock, she's on my list!

A couple of comments. Ken sent me some Somerset Slice. Damned fine stuff!! Really, it's that good. To me it's similar in taste to blend DD but with a much smoother, fuller bodied, nuttier burley taste to it. I bought a half pound Peretti's paint can of the stuff, $30. No MA tax. To me, it's worth the price. For $3 more you can get a 14 oz bag of Uhle's Perfection Plug which is also damned good, but Somerset slice is still worth the few extra bucks. Being a true flake it seems to go farther, rolling up a flake into a small pipe produces a very long, satisfying smoke.

Out of every burleyweed I've tried - and I've tried a bunch of them - I'd rank Somerset Slice #1 edging out Uhle's Perfection Plug by just a nose, Peretti's DD third. There are a handful that rank as most worthy behind that and a slew that aren't really worth bothering with anymore. Certainly there are more yet to try and I'll try to get around to them as I can, but I definitely have my list of half a dozen that I can stock up on for the future. When you're buying for future certainty of enjoyment, $30 for a half pound isn't so exorbitant as to to deter me. Like some of the better Pease weeds, they're worth every penny.

A big thanks to pipetongue for turning me on to this one!

I am currently in Boston for a conference and just made a quick trip to Peretti's where I purchased some Somerset Slice (2oz.) and Oxford Flake (2oz.). While at the shop I smoked a bowl of each in the small Austrian-made meer which I normally bring with me on short trips like this, met some nice folks, and enjoyed both very much. I have never had a Burley flake quite like Somerset, and the fact that it is in long supple strips just adds to the wonder. I will do a proper review in due time, and will probably be ordering a goodly amount by mail once I return home. The Oxford Flake struck me as an excellent Virginia flake, and I look forward to exploring it further as well.

I would never had known to try Somerset flake (or even probably stop by the shop) had it not been for this forum!

Sounds like one to try. I checked out the Peretti site but didn't see it - am I blind?