Essential Information
Tobacco Specifications
- Tobacco Name: Evening Flake
- Manufacturer: Erik Stokkebye 4th Generation
- Blend Type: Virginia/Perique
- Cut: Flake
- Cellared Durations: 1, 3, and 5 years
The Experience: Side-by-Side Aging Comparison
First Impressions: How the Flakes Evolve
Across all stages, Evening Flake maintains its tidy, uniform slices, but the color tells a story. At one year, the flakes are only marginally darker than fresh—sun-bleached straw mellowed to light bronze. At three years, deeper russet and chestnut hues emerge. At five years, the flakes resemble polished mahogany with fine sugar crystal bloom across the surface—testament to Virginia’s natural sugars caramelizing and fusing with time.
The aroma shifts just as visibly.
- 1-Year: Hay, lemon zest, and faint bread crust remain dominant. A tangy vinegar note begins to emerge.
- 3-Year: The tin note deepens. Bready warmth, fig preserves, and cocoa drift to the front. Citrus has nearly vanished.
- 5-Year: Earth, leather, dried fruit, and fermented plum rise like mist from an old cellar. There’s now a faint aroma of spiced wine and cedar—complex, layered, and almost decadent.
Aging Journal: Side-by-Side Breakdown
| Characteristic | 1-Year Aged | 3-Year Aged | 5-Year Aged |
|---|---|---|---|
| Color | Light bronze, golden brown | Russet and chestnut | Deep brown, mahogany, sugar bloom visible |
| Tin Note | Hay, citrus peel, vinegar tang | Toasted rye, fig, mild cocoa | Leather, plum wine, antique wood |
| Smoke Texture | Crisp, slightly sharp | Rounder, warm, slightly creamy | Silky, rich, slow-burning |
| Perique Presence | Spicy, sharp pepper, dry fruit tang | Mellowed, fig-forward, sweet spice | Deeply fermented, earthy, rich fruit |
| Virginia Profile | Hay, lemon, white bread | Molasses, dark bread, roasted nuts | Honeyed oak, raisins, aged wood |
| Retrohale | Peppery bite, tingling citrus | Mild spice, deeper sweetness | Cinnamon, red wine, incense-like warmth |
| Nicotine Strength | Mild–Medium | Medium | Medium–Strong |
| Room Note | Toasty, faintly grassy | Warm bread, dark fruit | Rich incense, old cedar, faint spice |
Detailed Tasting Impressions
1-Year Aged: Familiar, But Tempered
Setting: Early spring morning, Peterson Arklow 606
Preparation: Rubbed, 10-minute dry
At one year, the tobacco still carries echoes of its fresh state. The Virginias are slightly rounder—less lemon zest, more lemon cake. The Perique, while not yet mellow, is less piercing. The result is a smoke that feels slightly more cohesive. It’s less grassy, more toasted, with a touch of fig and a vinegar tail.
Strength: Mild to medium
Flavor Evolution: Fairly linear, with brief complexity mid-bowl
Final Thought: It’s like a fresh blend that’s finally caught its breath—still bright, but breathing deeper.
Star Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
3-Year Aged: Depth and Dialogue
Setting: Autumn evening, rusticated Ropp cherrywood
Preparation: Rubbed, 10-minute dry
Now the story begins. Toasted rye replaces bread crust. The Perique—figgy, tangy, slightly port-like—acts not as a condiment but a co-star. Cocoa dust and oaky tannin round the mid-bowl. There’s a candied fruit edge that rises now and again, giving the impression of dried cherry dipped in sherry.
The smoke has slowed down. It lingers, swirls, tells a story. It asks for attention.
Strength: Medium
Flavor Evolution: Clearly layered, spicy entry, warm and sweet middle, dry oaky finish
Final Thought: Evening Flake becomes reflective, satisfying—no longer safe, but still subtle.
Star Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
5-Year Aged: Time’s Masterwork
Setting: Winter dusk, clay tavern pipe by the fireplace
Preparation: Fold-and-stuff, slow cadence
From the first puff, there’s something sacred here. The tin note has become its own incense. Flavors emerge like smoke from old barrels—oak, raisin, clove, and peppered jam. There’s zero sharpness now. The Perique has fermented into velvet. Virginias are honeyed and woody, with hints of toasted almond and dark wine. Retrohales offer spice-laced floral tones, reminiscent of incense and cedar chests.
Each bowl feels longer. Not in burn time, but in storytelling. It’s slow. Rich. Profound.
Strength: Medium to strong
Flavor Evolution: A true arc—from spiced fruit and oak to clove-sweetened fig and dark bread
Final Thought: An exceptional aged VaPer. Not the loudest, but perhaps the wisest.
Star Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5/5)
Final Thoughts: Should You Age Evening Flake?
Absolutely. While fresh Evening Flake is a polite, approachable VaPer, time transforms it. Each stage reveals a different identity:
- 1 Year: More relaxed, slightly deeper, but still familiar
- 3 Years: Integrated, flavorful, and rewarding
- 5 Years: Aged into complexity, depth, and almost sacred subtlety
This blend thrives under slow aging. Its structure—quality Virginias, measured Perique, and stable flake cut—makes it an ideal candidate for the cellar.
Recommendations by Year
| Smoker Type | 1-Year | 3-Year | 5-Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| VaPer Newcomers | ✓✓ | ✓ | — |
| Casual Evening Smokers | ✓✓ | ✓✓✓ | ✓✓✓✓ |
| Complexity Seekers | ✓ | ✓✓✓ | ✓✓✓✓✓ |
| Strength/Spice Lovers | — | ✓✓ | ✓✓✓✓ |
| Aging Enthusiasts | ✓✓ | ✓✓✓ | ✓✓✓✓✓ |
