Sillem’s is a German brand currently manufactured by Kopp Tobacco, with roots going back to the 16th century in Hamburg, Germany. Commodore Flake is a blend of Latakia, Dark Fired Kentucky, and Black Cavendish. The tin note is sweet and fruity, with hints of nuts and raisins. The flakes are very soft and easily turn into more of a broken flake. The moisture content was better than I expected, and it packed nicely into the bowl and lit fairly easily.

Right off, I pick up notes of smoked wood, nuts, and stone fruit, with undertones of a brown sugar sweetness. The finish is very creamy and smooth, with flavors of nuts, cherry, and faint notes of chocolate sweetness. The retrohale has a warm, smoky baking spice to it.

As the bowl develops, the Latakia becomes more forward with its smoky, mesquite, and tangy notes joining in, enhancing the smoky, nutty flavors of the Kentucky. The retrohale also becomes more mesquitey, and the spice more peppery, but it is still a smoother, gentler spice.

In the back half of the bowl, the brown sugar sweetness of the Black Cavendish deepens, adding further complexity to the Latakia and Kentucky, making them present in darker yet smooth and creamy tones.

This was not only my first time smoking Commodore Flake, but also my first exposure to Sillem’s tobacco. They have set the bar high for future reviews! As I have admitted in previous reviews, I do not often smoke English blends as I kind of overdid it smoking heavy Latakia blends in the beginning of my pipe smoking journey. Truth be told, I find it hard to tell the difference between a lot of English blends—to me, they all have an eerily similar profile. This is an exception. It is not at all what I was expecting and was notably different from any other English that I have tried. It is full-bodied and has more strength than most English blends, thanks to the Dark Fired Kentucky. There is certainly plenty of Latakia here, but the Kentucky and Cavendish make it present in a refreshingly different way. This is definitely not just blowing smoke and will likely become part of my regular rotation. Highly recommended.