Samuel Gawith - Best Brown Flake pipe tobacco reviews

Review

Please log in to add or edit a review. If you do not have an account yet, you can sign up for one here.

Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 193 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >
Gus Tation	06/11/2013	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
I had found that the SG line of flakes were very inconsistently sized. The cut would be thin for one flake and then thick for the next flake. Also the flakes were a little difficult to rub out. Lastly, I had trouble keeping this stuff lit and producing an acceptable amount of smoke. These flakes had really nice flavor though. Eventually dropped the whole line of flakes due to these drawbacks. Christ loves you...seek Him and he will meet you with open arms.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Hurrian	06/10/2013	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Passion	05/13/2013	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Strong
The virginia flake second only to FVF. BBF is sweeter, less fig and raisiny and sometimes a bit grasslike. This does need dry time and I prefer to rub it out or cube cut it. If you like your virginia blends on the sweeter side, this is the one to try.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
silverowl	05/12/2013	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable to Strong
A quite satisfactory flake from Samuel Gawith. Easy to light and smoke. I prefer to smoke it without drying so this way you can smoke it for quite a long time. I will definitely buy it again. It is mostly tolerable for bystanders but there were some people who changed tables to put some distance to the smoke.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Vovinam	02/14/2013	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong
If you are looking for a Virginia that is perfecly straight, sweet natural and well rounded like a Burley this maybe can be your choice, but it's just tooo much straigh for me: no tones, no colours, no variety. I don't wanna say that is poor, but it's exepensive and for that money I can buy a almost one and a half tin of Capstan navy and this is way better! Anyway I found that the BBF it's a pretty good base for homemade Mix. In particular is amazing with a hint of added orientals and you can also create a very good and perfectly balanced EM by adding just a little syrian latakia, those ideas can be a good way to give it variation and deepness. It's up to you. Type: Natural Virginia flake ; Contents: Brown virginia (I think) ; Cut: Flake (better rubbed) ; Humidity: Wet and tender with a very good smell of dried fig ; Lighting: Not so easy in the first place, but once lighted constant burning ; Pipe recommended: Rubbed in a bent pipe
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
O'Confrère	02/04/2013	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I know... it just depends on what you are looking for and what you want out of it. BBF is an old staple of mine. It is not multi-dimensional nor complex, but it is a reliable smoke that always tastes good and sometimes delicious. It's one you can go to when you don't want to think about which tobacco you'd like to smoke next. It's a good companion. Like a faithful dog, it doesn't require much attention but will reward it. For that: four stars. However, again like an old dog, if it is too wet you don't want to get too near it (although it does smell better). It often needs a considerable amount of drying. I remove it from the tin, rough it up and leave it open in a jar overnight, then cap it and put it away for awhile, checking it, and if necessary, opening the jar again for awhile. Once it dries it is an easy smoke anytime, and stays fresh in the jar for onks. It's also a good staple for the 'cellar' as it gains with age. BBF is a classic. It is a no nonsense, easy-does-it flake, with which every smoker should be acquainted. P.S. Sometimes I think this may contain a smidgeon of Turkish (Izmir) leaf... Don't pick it up on the tongue as much as I catch an occasional whiff in the air...
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
cakeanddottle	01/29/2013	Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
My favorite tobacco from April to November, when FVF takes over during the winter months. This beautiful Va flake is earthy in a brighter way, with bread-y notes, honey sweetness, and a sun filled hay loft body. Not as flavorful during the winter months when the palate is less sensitive. The opposite side of the coin to FVF, and the most similar to it of any tobacco made. You can not beat a Samuel Gawith Va flake, period. FVF and BBF comprise a third of my cellar, and there are only three other Va flakes that I consider worth keeping around as a diversion. This is just a brilliant, historical pipe tobacco.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Backer211b	01/17/2013	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Full	Pleasant
The Best Brown after Barak Obama.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Juna Gu	10/16/2012	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
I'm heavily biased towards liking anything and everything from S Gawith (not so much Hogarth) so take that into account. The Lakeland tour. This might be my Coniston Old Man. Very straightforward flakes of Virginia. In my 50g tin the flakes are thick cut and chunky, slightly sticky and moist. I always make the mistake of trying to smoke straightaway upon opening the tin and then upon realising my mistake get to giving the flakes plenty of time to sit in the air before smoking. Like FVF it can be tricky to get right but I've hit the spot a couple of times with this so far and it can be seriously sublime. One night I managed to get that almost-going-out tempo with it and it smouldered for a full hour delivering the tastiest trickle of smoke. Utterly becalming and joyous. Other times it's just alright and requiring plenty of relighting. Basically though the tobacco is top notch; it's my pipe smoking and my pipes that are wanting. At the moment I'm smoking this back to back with St Bruno Flake and the difference is marked. At some point I'm going to get something from S Gawith in bulk and this could be it.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Sir Claude	10/09/2012	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is the best straight VA that I have ever smoked. Even though FVF has a special place in my heart, BBF is virtually almost identical to FVF. The difference is that it is pressed under heat for a shorter period of time. BBF is slow burning, very creamy, woodsy and earthy in taste, just like FVF. Its advantage, I find, is that it is easier to master in its smoking, which gives my preference over FVF. If you are looking for a pure and delicious straight VA, try BBF. The only thing that prevents me from giving it 4 stars is that SG's flakes are hard to deal with, making them harder to smoke and keep lit.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
THB	10/06/2012	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant
I just reviewed Full Virginia Flake and my remarks about Best Brown Flake are virtually identical. Best Brown Flake is one of the most enjoyable blends that I have smoked. The tin note is that of pure, natural tobacco. It smokes slow and smooth. I like it best after letting it dry for a few hours and then fully rub it out. Comparing it to Full Virginia Flake is difficult for me because they're different, but both have that something in common that keeps me from deciding which blend I like the best. Samuel Gawith blends have a dryness to the smoke that I like very much. Best Brown Flake might be just a little milder than FVF.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
AlexL	08/26/2012	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild	Tolerable
It's Full Virginia Flake with downgraded nicotine content. I've already revised FVF, have nothing to add. The relation pain/gain is too high for me.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
thisshiphassailed	08/15/2012	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Having just finished an ounce of bulk, I really like this tobacco. It's grassy and sweet with a hint of dried fruit perhaps. Fold and stuff a slightly dry flake in a medium sized bowl for the best results. This is when I grasped the true flavor. These flakes are very thinly sliced and rubbing them out seems to dull the flavor. It's not too complex, but in a good way - a perfect candidate for a mindless comfort smoke.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Quaffer	08/03/2012	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
This is by far my favorite tasting virginia, it burns well all the way to the bottom of the bowl. There is no bite, and it offers a very smooth smoke. This tobacco really offers the full sweetness that one should expect from straight virginia's. I found this tobacco to be a lot more full flavored than FVF, and smoked a lot smoother. I got a tin of this stuff to get myself back into pipe smoking (I hadn't been smoking much the past 6 months or so) and I found that very quickly my pipe would get really hot, but after letting it dry out and packing a bit looser, it smoked nice and cool. This stuff is great for everyday smokes. Like another review stated, it's one dimensional so you'll be getting pretty much the same experience every time you smoke it. But I don't mind.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
ap	07/13/2012	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Excellent flake!! Cool burning with medium strenght this Va tastes very good and does not bite. A sweet and smooth classic !
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Eric	07/10/2012	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is a one-dimensional smoke that is very cool with a small amount of bite and burns well once you air it out a while (very moist). I enjoyed smoking it, but I will not buy it again. I gave it three stars due to the high quality of the tobacco, I just wish it tasted better and had more depth in flavor; the hay like taste just does not work for me.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Problematic	07/04/2012	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
What can I add to that last review. Nice one. What clay pipe said. A should try. Nice mild flake. Not really my thing, I want a stronger flake. I'd give it 4 stars for quality aged strips but I took two off because you're really only getting a little over 1/2 a tins worth once it dries to an acceptable level to smoke. Way way too wet for my money.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
who broke my clay pipe?	06/18/2012	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
50g rectangle tin. Tin aroma:Sour citrus/sour plum,stewed fruits-very juicy, fruity, fruit salad-sour apples. Contents:Golden brown tigers eye streaky gold,ginger & brown rough cut stringy uneven flakes.(i don't really care about presentation as long as its good baccy)looks like loose sold but in a tin. Quite moist to touch,i have to admit i was expecting a darker or "un-chocolate" flake to be honest-like their chocolate flake offering. This is quite wine-like,fruity wine,and reminds me at this point of a flake equivalent to Dunhill Royal Yacht's ready rubbed. Considering its moisture it takes light ok(i rubbed it out into a semi stringy flakey ball and just loaded,feels like grass). First off i get a bright citrusy virginia,followed by a darker burn't orange(alegorically speaking),more mature virginias, or darker maybe redder virginia.It has slight tang but definately no bite. Winey and slightly sour (definately no bitterness)but not so multi fruity in the mouth at this point.In my mind this baccy has been re-christened "golden flake",it tastes more gold than brown in my mind. Smoking this in an old vintage 'Park-Drive' aluminium stem system pipe with moisture trap ala Falcon style:This pipe has a very slim @ 2.0-2.5mm draught diameter smoke tube which concentrates the taste nicely for the virginias in this juicy sweet and lemony sour virginia flake.There maybe some small burly in here but i am mainly getting virginias. Tasting a cross between a number of already familiar smokes in my current possetion;Dunhill light flake,Dunhill Royal Yacht,Gold Block(when smoked in the ronson 3 way),Capstan Ready Rubbed,Peterson 3ps. I like it already;think of it as a Dunhill medium flake but ultimately Samuel Gawith - it has the SG meaty and full pastry butchers pie factor;think of earthy new potatoes;rich but medium,not a dark flake. I get hints of cloudy bitter lemonade in here,naturally sweet and definately unsweetened - perhaps like a pancake with lemon and no sprinkled sugar. Bitter lemonade seems to be my best alegorical description to describe the taste and aroma,perhaps sour apple,or lemon grass -lemony apple. A darker golden brown and more forgiving equivalent to Capstan Ready Rubbed - this is lemon as opposed to lemon peel(but i do like Capstan a lot btw)aromatically closer to peterson 3ps overal;for all the lemon going on in here it doesn't have any soap factor and hasn't once implied lemon squeezy dish water detergent. Burns cooler than all its competitors i recon - its unique factor is its slight playdoh earthy new potato hint which assures you of its SG identity next to its simular contemporaries. Probably mid level nicotine which feels like more, probably due to the taste association with other Samuel Gawith heavy hitters,it seems a heavy virginia that punches more than its body weight. Burns down to a totally burn't fluffy ash,i only have to wipe out the moisture trap about twice in a full medium bowl session. Very mild lemony room note,leaves no strong amoniac linger. Definately worth 3 stars at this point.Not as easily available to purchase in the highstreet,but is a lot more cooperative than other simulars. I will definately keep some on hand and buy again because i have a feeling i will get through this tin quicker than a lot of others. Easily an all day smoke,very easy.Complimetary drink would be iced lemon tea. UPDATE 04/07/12 I have finally realised what this baccy really tastes like because i just so happened to be drinking while smoking at the same time recently,i can best describe the taste of this as like an old english cider,think of "strongbow" cider. If you like apple cider the chances are that you might appeciate this because the taste is as near as dammit.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
cigrmaster	06/13/2012	Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant
This was my first foray into the world of Old Sam and boy did I fall in love. I am a big fan of Virginia Flakes and why I did not try this years ago, I know not why. The flake is a beautiful brown soft and pliable. The tin note smells like raisins and figs and is quite sweet. I broke out some flakes and rubbed them out, let them sit for about an hour and a half and then loaded my pipe. The tobacco flavor started out sweet and tasty and continued that way to the half way point. The flavor got richer and deeper the longer I smoked and I basically fell in love. The tobacco burned to a fine white ash and left nothing in my bowl. There is absolutely no bite to this tobacco and it has now become one of my go to smokes. The fact that you can buy this stuff by the pound makes it an exceptional value in my book. I highly recommend this to any Virginia lover and anyone who happens to smoke a pipe.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
KahveDelisi	04/23/2012	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
Nice! I've got best results fully rubbed and straight out of tin without extra drying time. Because it's too wet out of tin, it needs more relights at the begining but tastes much better than dried or folded versions (at least for me).
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 193 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >