Kräftige Virginias (red&orange), fünf Jahren geaged danach mit Barbados Rum gepress. Zu broken Flakes Strips geschnitten, pure Freude für Virginia Fans.
On the Virtues of the Northern Virginia
It has often been said that the truest measure of a blender’s art lies not in his treatment of Latakia or Périque, but in his handling of Virginia. For this leaf, modest in appearance yet infinitely complex in expression, tolerates no disguise and forgives no haste. It demands patience, subtlety, and reverence for the quiet chemistry of time.
Such reverence seems to animate the craftsmen at TAK—a modest manufactory in Kiel, Germany, which continues the noble lineage of Motzek’s workshop. Their Vikings Hair is a study in restraint, a meditation on the natural beauty of Virginia leaf. Pressed into large, golden flakes and touched only by a breath of rum, it evokes the maritime spirit of old Northern Europe: the trader’s barrel, the sailor’s chest, and the gentle sweetness of the tropics meeting the cool austerity of the Baltic wind.
Composition and Appearance
The flake itself is of impeccable presentation—broad, resilient, and gleaming in shades of honey and copper. Its texture speaks of slow, even pressing, the leaf obedient yet still lively under the fingers. There is an honesty about its aspect that reminds one of simpler centuries, before the rise of the great blending houses and their florid casing arts.
The Cold Aroma
When brought to the nose, Vikings Hair yields a perfume at once humble and enchanting. It recalls warm bread fresh from the oven, malted grain, and the faint suggestion of raisins or dried figs. There lingers also a ghost of wooden cask—perhaps the quiet trace of the rum used in pressing, though never in the vulgar colonial sense of spirituous scent. Indeed, the rum here behaves not as an additive but as a medium of refinement, a catalyst that rounds the Virginias without asserting itself.
The First Light
Once packed—whether folded or gently rubbed—the flake kindles with little resistance. The first puffs bring forth a clean, grassy sweetness: sunlit hay, a whisper of citrus, a glimmer of raw sugar. Many bright Virginias shout their sharpness; Vikings Hair merely smiles. Its youthfulness is tempered by grace, its freshness by composure.
The Middle Act
Soon the flavours deepen. What was once meadow becomes bakery. There emerges that most treasured of Virginia qualities—the bready warmth that suggests both comfort and craftsmanship. Beneath it one senses soft echoes of vanilla, honey, and perhaps a touch of banana-like fruitiness, though never enough to betray its natural soul. The rum remains invisible yet indispensable, binding the leaf like the mortar of an old stone wall—unseen but essential.
The smoke at this point is extraordinarily smooth, with not the slightest tendency to bite. It may be sipped absentmindedly while writing a letter or tending the fire, yet it rewards full attention with quiet moments of revelation. One might call it a contemplative tobacco, fit for the morning hours or for late afternoon peace, when the mind turns from labour to reflection.
The Final Third
As the ember descends, the tone darkens. The sweetness recedes into malty, toasty richness; the Virginia’s deeper hues begin to speak. There is earth now, and faint nutty resonance, even a whisper of dried plum. Still, the overall impression remains noble and restrained. It does not collapse into bitterness or monotony but carries its harmony to the very end, leaving only a pale ash and a sense of quiet satisfaction.
Combustion and Character
Technically, Vikings Hair performs with the confidence of a seasoned craftsman’s work. It burns cool and evenly, rarely demands relighting, and leaves the pipe dry. The room note—light, wholesome, faintly sweet—is reminiscent of a baker’s shop in the early morning. Those nearby perceive not tobacco’s heaviness but its civility.
Historical and Stylistic Context
In its conception, Vikings Hair belongs to the lineage of Navy Virginias of the 19th century—those seafaring flakes cured with rum or molasses to endure long voyages. Yet where the old British blends often bore the salt and tar of the sailor’s chest, the TAK version refines that tradition into domestic elegance. It is less maritime adventure, more parlour conversation; less cannon deck, more mahogany desk.
Compared with modern Virginias from across the Atlantic—Sutliff’s Virginia Slices, GL Pease’s Union Square, or the late lamented McClelland vintages—Vikings Hair is milder, gentler, and perhaps less overdone. Yet therein lies its virtue: it offers not spectacle but poise.
Conclusion
Vikings Hair is, in every sense, a gentleman’s tobacco—modest in strength, immaculate in bearing, and deeply rewarding to those who listen rather than command. Its charm lies in understatement: the art of doing little, but doing it perfectly.
In an age of overflavoured blends from across the pond and impatient palates, TAK reminds us that simplicity, when pursued with honesty and skill, may yet attain the sublime.
One leaves the last bowl with gratitude—and perhaps the wish that more of today’s tobaccos would dare to be so quietly excellent.
Périque, but in his handling of Virginia. For this leaf, modest in appearance yet infinitely complex in expression, tolerates no disguise and forgives no haste. It demands patience, subtlety, and reverence for the quiet chemistry of time.
Such reverence seems to animate the craftsmen at TAK—a modest manufactory in Kiel, Germany, which continues the noble lineage of Motzek’s workshop. Their Vikings Hair is a study in restraint, a meditation on the natural beauty of Virginia leaf. Pressed into large, golden flakes and touched only by a breath of rum, it evokes the maritime spirit of old Northern Europe: the trader’s barrel, the sailor’s chest, and the gentle sweetness of the tropics meeting the cool austerity of the Baltic wind.
Composition and Appearance
The flake itself is of impeccable presentation—broad, resilient, and gleaming in shades of honey and copper. Its texture speaks of slow, even pressing, the leaf obedient yet still lively under the fingers. There is an honesty about its aspect that reminds one of simpler centuries, before the rise of the great blending houses and their florid casing arts.
The Cold Aroma
When brought to the nose, Vikings Hair yields a perfume at once humble and enchanting. It recalls warm bread fresh from the oven, malted grain, and the faint suggestion of raisins or dried figs. There lingers also a ghost of wooden cask—perhaps the quiet trace of the rum used in pressing, though never in the vulgar colonial sense of spirituous scent. Indeed, the rum here behaves not as an additive but as a medium of refinement, a catalyst that rounds the Virginias without asserting itself.
The First Light
Once packed—whether folded or gently rubbed—the flake kindles with little resistance. The first puffs bring forth a clean, grassy sweetness: sunlit hay, a whisper of citrus, a glimmer of raw sugar. Many bright Virginias shout their sharpness; Vikings Hair merely smiles. Its youthfulness is tempered by grace, its freshness by composure.
The Middle Act
Soon the flavours deepen. What was once meadow becomes bakery. There emerges that most treasured of Virginia qualities—the bready warmth that suggests both comfort and craftsmanship. Beneath it one senses soft echoes of vanilla, honey, and perhaps a touch of banana-like fruitiness, though never enough to betray its natural soul. The rum remains invisible yet indispensable, binding the leaf like the mortar of an old stone wall—unseen but essential.
The smoke at this point is extraordinarily smooth, with not the slightest tendency to bite. It may be sipped absentmindedly while writing a letter or tending the fire, yet it rewards full attention with quiet moments of revelation. One might call it a contemplative tobacco, fit for the morning hours or for late afternoon peace, when the mind turns from labour to reflection.
The Final Third
As the ember descends, the tone darkens. The sweetness recedes into malty, toasty richness; the Virginia’s deeper hues begin to speak. There is earth now, and faint nutty resonance, even a whisper of dried plum. Still, the overall impression remains noble and restrained. It does not collapse into bitterness or monotony but carries its harmony to the very end, leaving only a pale ash and a sense of quiet satisfaction.
Combustion and Character
Technically, Vikings Hair performs with the confidence of a seasoned craftsman’s work. It burns cool and evenly, rarely demands relighting, and leaves the pipe dry. The room note—light, wholesome, faintly sweet—is reminiscent of a baker’s shop in the early morning. Those nearby perceive not tobacco’s heaviness but its civility.
Historical and Stylistic Context
In its conception, Vikings Hair belongs to the lineage of Navy Virginias of the 19th century—those seafaring flakes cured with rum or molasses to endure long voyages. Yet where the old British blends often bore the salt and tar of the sailor’s chest, the TAK version refines that tradition into domestic elegance. It is less maritime adventure, more parlour conversation; less cannon deck, more mahogany desk.
Compared with modern Virginias from across the Atlantic—Sutliff’s Virginia Slices, GL Pease’s Union Square, or the late lamented McClelland vintages—Vikings Hair is milder, gentler, and perhaps less overdone. Yet therein lies its virtue: it offers not spectacle but poise.
Conclusion
Vikings Hair is, in every sense, a gentleman’s tobacco—modest in strength, immaculate in bearing, and deeply rewarding to those who listen rather than command. Its charm lies in understatement: the art of doing little, but doing it perfectly.
In an age of overflavoured blends from across the pond and impatient palates, TAK reminds us that simplicity, when pursued with honesty and skill, may yet attain the sublime.
One leaves the last bowl with gratitude—and perhaps the wish that more of today’s tobaccos would dare to be so quietly excellent.
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Stefan Quentin,
16.09.2025
Der Viings Hair der mit Abstand beste VA Flake, den ich jemals hatte. Unglaublich süffig und aromatisch und niemals bissig. Perfekt zum entspannten Rauchen mit immer neuen Nuancen, aber auch perfekt für nebenbei, wenn man sich nicht so sehr auf das Rauchen konzentrieren kann. Immer lecker, DER Tabak für alle Gelegenheiten. Ein echtes Meisterwerk! Ich hoffe, der bleibt für immer im Programm!!!!
Rauchen mit immer neuen Nuancen, aber auch perfekt für nebenbei, wenn man sich nicht so sehr auf das Rauchen konzentrieren kann. Immer lecker, DER Tabak für alle Gelegenheiten. Ein echtes Meisterwerk! Ich hoffe, der bleibt für immer im Programm!!!!
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Christopher Smith,
17.07.2025
Verrauche diesen wunderbaren Tabak gerade zum ersten Mal. Habe schon 2-3 Virginias probiert und war bisher nie begeistert. Den Viings Hair habe ich als Probe bekommen und muss sagen: einfach sagenhaft!
Dieser super dezente süße Unterton durch den Rum macht DEN Unterschied und katapultiert dieses Kunststück direkt in meine Top 3!
Perfekter Tabak für die Savinelli 320.
Wird definitiv bestellt!
als Probe bekommen und muss sagen: einfach sagenhaft!
Dieser super dezente süße Unterton durch den Rum macht DEN Unterschied und katapultiert dieses Kunststück direkt in meine Top 3!
Perfekter Tabak für die Savinelli 320.
Wird definitiv bestellt!
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Gilles Zuccarelli,
08.07.2025
L'équipe de Thomas ont encore fait fort... Un mélange d'une belle complexité... Tabac qui m'emmène sur les sentiers du logos ou un poétique de racé m'aide a me délivrer d'un Quotidien parfois rude... Pour moi fumer est une affaire d'importance, ses rituels touchent aux sacré... Des moments hors du temps, précieux, unique... De belles rencontres... À chaque bouffés nous communions... Étant amateur de mélange fort et naturel je trouve dans la gamme des tabacs Tak tout ce qu'il me faut pour mes voyages sur les fils du sensible... Ce tabac me fait penser à l'Orlik avec l'arrière goût citronné que j'aime tant... Mais je l'avoue depuis que je connais la Gamme des tabacs de Thomas je ne fume plus les grosses marques... Voilà je remercie Thomas et toute cette équipe de doux dingue.... Pour moi le tabac est de l'or, il ne peut être bien cuisiné que par ses Poètes... Merci à vous tous. Pleins de belles pensées pour vous et les vôtres. Amicalement. Gilles zuccarelli
ou un poétique de racé m'aide a me délivrer d'un Quotidien parfois rude... Pour moi fumer est une affaire d'importance, ses rituels touchent aux sacré... Des moments hors du temps, précieux, unique... De belles rencontres... À chaque bouffés nous communions... Étant amateur de mélange fort et naturel je trouve dans la gamme des tabacs Tak tout ce qu'il me faut pour mes voyages sur les fils du sensible... Ce tabac me fait penser à l'Orlik avec l'arrière goût citronné que j'aime tant... Mais je l'avoue depuis que je connais la Gamme des tabacs de Thomas je ne fume plus les grosses marques... Voilà je remercie Thomas et toute cette équipe de doux dingue.... Pour moi le tabac est de l'or, il ne peut être bien cuisiné que par ses Poètes... Merci à vous tous. Pleins de belles pensées pour vous et les vôtres. Amicalement. Gilles zuccarelli
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René Meyer,
05.12.2024
Ein unglaublich leckerer Tabak, danke Tom. Zigarre schmeck ich jetzt gar nicht, einfach nur tolle Virginias mit einem wunderbaren Rum-Aroma. Ich rauch den Tabak in meiner Molina Giant, eine wirklich riesige Pfeife. wo genug Platz für den Flake ist. Bisschen knicken und falten. und dann stundenlanger perfekter Genuss.
den Tabak in meiner Molina Giant, eine wirklich riesige Pfeife. wo genug Platz für den Flake ist. Bisschen knicken und falten. und dann stundenlanger perfekter Genuss.
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