Big, robust flakes, mid-brown in colour and with a typical fermented Virginia pouch aroma. Great moisture level too and I found it a very easy tobacco to live with in terms of smoking rate, lack of relights etc.

The strength and volume are just right for me. Plenty of mouth filling, medium level rounded flavour with a bright Virginia sweetness backed up by the Burley giving background and satisfaction. Overall, I just get the impression of a good Virginia, which I suppose points to a well blended and aged tobacco. Some welcome fruitiness there too, but I don't find is swamped with Lakeland funk like some are.

The downside for me was the tongue bite. I had to go very, very carefully with this one to avoid it, but the easy-going nature of the smoke made me forget all the time. Ouch! Three stars.

BF is a fairly mild and satisfyingly tasty smoke, without the cigar overtones and sharpness that I find in G & H’s Dark Flake. It burns well and evenly all the way to the end, doesn’t bite (if you take it at the steady pace that Virginias need and deserve), and has an acceptable/pleasant room note: Klio (cat) and SWMBO don't mind it. It’s better folded than rubbed out: not a cheap way to smoke a flake, but very satisfying in terms of flavour and duration. It does rub out satisfactorily, though, and if you store it the flakes will disintegrate naturally after a while.

BF will give you a good long smoke in a big bowl: the nicotine hit is not excessive, and it doesn't ask anything more of you than passive enjoyment. If you smoke all day (I don't), this would be a good all-day tobacco. It's the one I always come back to: my personal Arcadia. Samuel Gawith's Medium Virginia Flake runs it a pretty close second, but Brown Flake is still the best IMO. I wish I could give it more than the maximum number of stars.

BTW: this also comes in an aromatic version. My prejudices being what they are, I think this ruins a wonderful baccy; but people might like to give it a try. At any rate it's a lot less over the top than Ennerdale Flake.

This has a characteristic Lakeland flavor, which I interpret as a flowery sense on the palate. However, this should not be taken to mean a light sense. It is full of flavor and full to a VA oriented palatte. It may appear thin to a palatte that is attuned to a Latakia standard.

The blend responds well to a DGT treatment and is quite tastey after 20 min followed by 12 hours.

anyway, this does resemble bright cr flake a lot. the same whiff of perfume, only weaker. the same spicy discreet sweetness. only, here you get a bit of added strength and earthyness from the burley (and probably the dark fired, though i can't taste it). the pouch aroma has a bit of vanilla/tonquin bean in it, but luckily there's no trace of it in the smoke. it may just be the kentucky, actually.

it is certainly not an in-your-face tobacco, but it kinda sneaked in on me, and i soon thoroughly enjoyed it. one of my favourites.

I've tried this rubbed out and simply folded up. But this didn't hit its peak for me until the flake had been in a jar for several months and -- as a result of that time -- had naturally fallen apart into small, easy-to-pack strands that were still properly moist but much easier to pack.

It also became much more rewarding in the bowl after all of that jar time. As others have noted, Brown Flake is not a complex blend, but it can be extremely satisfying. If you don't take to it right away -- but you're likely to be partial to its ingredients -- let it sit in a jar for a month or so and then see what you think.

Bob

Appearance: A mostly dark brown with some lighter brown and tan mottling with a few yellowish bits leathery flake of varying thickness. Tin aroma: The first thing that is apparent when opening a tin of Brown Flake is quite simply tobacco. You couldn't possibly mistake this for anything else. I don't detect any casing or topping at all, just a fresh tobacco smell, deep and rich. There are nice stewed fruit tones, with leather and spiciness and a deep nutty mustiness which I associate mostly with mature Burley.

This tobacco is absolutely perfect for smoking, no drying time required. As with most flake tobaccos I simply take several flakes together, fold them in half and insert them length-wise into the bowl trimming off the excess. I find it has a much better burn this way and makes for a long enjoyable smoke. For this review, I?ve chosen an Nording Silver Series Canadian which is dedicated to Virginia based flakes.

A first light is brings billows of rich white smoke, followed with a brief visit of the tamper to settle the light crowning effect and then a tamping light. Immediately this blend is there, full and rich. A rich dark stewed fruit taste with nuts and mustiness. When exhaled nasally there is a slight sharpness and citrus quality and deep leathery flavors and scents. The first third of the bowl gradually builds in slowly increasing intensity. This has a very rich creamy mouth feel which I find irresistible.

Mid Bowl: Approaching mid-bowl, the fullness tends to build and while I wouldn?t call this mixture particularly complex, the flavors slowly deepen into a rich deep harmony. The Virginias build in depth and character while the Burley slowly builds and begins to assert dominance. Eventually the Burley becomes the main statement, though in a very refined way, tempering the brighter Virginia qualities. The Burley seems to enhance all the finer points about the Virgina, lending depth and mustiness. From time to time rich almost Maduro like scents are just there, however briefly.

Home Stretch: As end of the bowl approaches, I find that it becomes more intense though never overpoweringly so. The Burley eventually becomes the most dominant component with the Virginias with their stewed fruit scents fading. Deep and resonant forest, leather and cigar tones emerge from the heart of this blend, and it pleasantly drones on like a fog horn. If there were ever a deep rich Virginia and Burley flake for cold winter nights this is it. The final third of any bowl of this become very rich indeed. The perfect compliment to a nice cup of strong tea by the fireplace in late evening. I highly recommend this blend to a mature seasoned smoker. Plenty of interest for those who prefer English/Balkan products as well.

Supplemental Notes: This is a regular part of my rotation as a especially for late Autumn or Winter nights. **** 4 full stars

I prefer not to rub it out; I think I get a little more flavor and it burns slow and steady. The flavor is very similar to the pouch aroma: earthy, hay-like, and slightly creamy. I enjoy the room-note; it?s very natural and slightly sweet. I like Brown Flake best in the morning, particularly outside or in my car on the way to work with the window open. It?s a blend that can be enjoyed year-round. Brown Flake is not terribly complex, but straightforward and satisfying. There are no substantial high notes like Bright CR Flake, but it?s smoother and creamier, which is probably due to the added burley. It could easily be an all-day smoke.

Update 09/25/05 All my other comments still hold, but I want to upgrade my rating. Its creamy and smooth nature deserves 4 stars.

Brown Flake is a flavor-forward mixture that is naturally sweet and honest to the palate. The mouthfeel is on the full side, but that in no way means bite. This is smooth stuff, but you know you're smoking it. You also may notice a slightly sweet aftertaste. Very nice.

Brown Flake is easy to smoke. It burns nicely and remains interesting to the end. Highly recommended.

Initially, there is a strong "Lakeland" flavor which diminishes quickly to a very subtle, sometimes absent, note. Present througout the smoke is a distinctly British, but also clearly Virginia, sweetness. At the same time, there is a spiciness. Not spicy like pepper, but more like...baking spices (whatever they are!).

I find Brown Flake, well, mouth-watering. It's changes are slow and subtle, and its complexity is minimal. This is not, for me, boring, but rather satisfying. Like eating a slice of pumpkin pie.

Also noteworthy is minimal bite. Savored slowly, it is um...savory! Puffed hard, it will still return flavor with no bitterness, but far less chewy goodness.

As best as I can tell, the room note is not unpleasant. So, I find it a good smoke when wandering about the house, expecting company, or sitting in the park when I have a bit of time on my hands.

I find it rather earthy and musty by virginia standards-- and not quite as sweet as I had anticipated, given my experiences with Samuel Gawith's Full Va Flake (which I find almost cloying, depending on the pipe I smoke it in) and Best Brown to which this is often compared. I will continue to smoke it off and on-- perhaps I've missed something in these first four or five bowls.

All in all, there's nothing particularly wrong with this-- it's not at all unpleasant. I just find that there are other virginias (including some made by Gawith, Hoggarth & Co.), that I find to be more interesting.

U/S Brown Flake came to me as a broken flake with a pouch aroma reminiscent of freshly cut hay. I love the "grassy" smell of "un-fooled-around-with" virginias. The Malawi burley is not evident in the pouch aroma (at least as far as my allergy ravaged schnoz can tell), but if you inspect the broken flakes closely enough, you can see the blondish strands.

U/S Brown Flake lights easily and stay lit without much attention. The initial flavor is a musty/grassy/sweet tang that interplays with the faintest of florals that G & H is known for. As soon as I detected the floral in the background, I braced myself for the soapiness that often accompanies the florals. I am glad to say that this never developed and the floral essence dissipated quickly.

From that point I was left with a lightly sweet and clean burning smoke that burned down nicely to a mottled grey ash. The spicy aroma that often comes with VA's kicked in about 1/2 way down the bowl - right about the same time that the sugars started to develope. While this tobacco blend never kicks in with your sweet tooth, it stays lightly sweet and, thanks to the Malawi Burley, is a very satisfying smoking experience. No need for handfuls of pipe-cleaners while smoking this.

G & H Brown Flake DGT's very well. I might even suggest this as standard modus operandi for this good tobacco. Highly recommended.

Store a pound of this away - or more.