OK, so I like it.

Popping open a tin, one encounters the ubiquitous floral scent of Gawith's Virginias. A scent that is both strangely alien and curiously familiar. This scent then fades into the rest of the tobacco, almost as if it was done on purpose to remind us of whose tobacco this is. Then the musty, sweet leathery smell of pressed Va's comes through. One finds, wrapped gently between the folds of virgin white paper, the unfolding of which brings that same joy and anticipation we once knew in our Christmas or Hanukkah youth, a great mass of wavy, almost sinewy, dark flakes, moist, no two nearly alike, flecked through with bright spots like a perfectly marbled New York Strip.

I've enjoyed this weed in any number of pipes: from the narrow, small Peterson tankard packed with folded flake, to a wide size 6 meerschaum and rubbed tobacco.

I find myself, despite my oft loquacious nature, at a loss for words worthy or accurate enough to do justice in attempting to describe the experience of sipping this tobacco. No prose, not even from Shakespeare himself, could come close to fully relating to those who have yet to try it just what they ought to expect. Suffice it to say that I enjoy this tobacco so much that I almost want to eat it, and inhale far more sips than I ought to, out of nothing more than the sheer desire, seemingly beyond my own control, to experience this tobacco as fully as possible. I remember one of my first thoughts being "this is what tobacco should taste like." Both mild and massive, sweet and musty, playful and restrained, it is always everything I want it to be. "Bite" simply does not enter into the equation.

Indeed, there are a number of other tobaccos, all with their own personality and unique traits, that I feel equal this pipe weed. But I cannot imagine, nor have I experienced anything that I would call better without being a most complete liar.

But do not take my word for it! If you've made it this far through this review, you now owe it to yourself to reward such an effort with a tin of Samuel Gawith's Full Virginia Flake. And if you don't like it, that's ok! We're all wrong about something!No, I kid. The often contrary descriptions and opinions pipe smokers experience are part of what makes the world of pipes and their tobaccos so much fun. But I warn you: if you choose to dispose of an unfinished tin in the trash, the tobacco gods will certainly punish you!

This is a very slow burning flake that has a spicy and creamy taste. The ash is brown/cream in colour.

In between bowls upon bowls full of Prince Albert, I'll look to the rear of my tobacco cabinet and notice its jar. A feeling of guilt overwhelms me as I faintly remember my past experiences with what can only be described as simple elegance. For some reason, it seems that this tobacco shouldn't be smoked daily, lest one not appreciate it sufficiently, but when it calls out to me, I never hesitate to answer.

Smooth, simple, and satisfying. No tongue bite, and no off-putting tastes or smells. Inhale it for a moment, and you'll notice the nicotine. If you treat it right, it will be one the best smokes you've had.

I find that one strip is a nice amount for a pipe full. I break into broken flakes and then rub out a little more. It's not that hard to do. Full Virginia smokes well straight from the tin. You could probably air it out for a half an hour or so if you have trouble getting it lit though I didn't need to.

A basic tobacco which requires basic treatment, othervise you'll just lose time, effort and spoil large amounts of quality tobacco during the process of reinventing the wheel. rub it out, pack with 1/3+1/3+1/3 method, flatten, light it, you're good to go. just a little bit on milder side for my own taste, nevertheless beautiful smoke, highly recommended.

Moisture content was high with my fresh flakes, so it may be best to let it dry for a bit after rubbing out, before packing, or you will most likely get a fair amount of moisture in your pipe or need to relight. Otherwise, it smokes very well down to the bottom of the pipe, producing a nice, thick smoke.

The taste is pure VA, with a very sweet, almost sugary aftertaste to each puff. A very nice mellow and relaxing tobacco, without any hidden unwanted surprises. Nice amount of nicotine to relax. The sweet, sugary taste made it stand out very high to me. Good stuff!

very mild and enjoyable with no bite whatsoever. my personal recipe for packing this is to pull apart the fine strands of leaf and then chop them into tiny cubes. pack lightly and puff slowly for a seriously relaxing smoke.

Opening the tin, the aroma is totally delicious. Pure VA beauty! The leaf in my tin is a flake of various sizes, thinly cut and at first rather wet. crystallized sugar is in evidence -- promising a sweet smoke.

And sweet it is. In my experience so far, this blend needs to be rubbed out; my attempts at folding and stuffing were disastrous, leaving large amounts of dottle that I could not relight with a blowtorch. Rubbed out, it still burns nice and slowly (and needs to be stuffed gently). The taste is sweet, with a full blast of VA acidity and some grassiness left in there. The room note is not a real winner, but still rated "not objectionable" by several people I asked. Little more than a mottled ash remains.

A beautiful smoke, and one which I will probably come back to, but there are some other blends out there that are, IMHO, just as good and which I can buy cheaper where I live. The standout feature of this flake is its full-tilt sweetness, which I do appreciate.

Opening the tin I'm blasted away with a very powerful aroma that is a combination of mellow sweetness, unbaked bread dough, raisins ... Complex to say the least.

The package contains broad chestnut colored flakes with golden stripes and all are completely covered with sugar crystals. Some natural fermentation at work it seems.

I smoked half a tin by folding one or 1+1/2 flakes and the smoke lasts for more than one hour. The taste is pure Virginia: grassy and citrus like (more like lemongrass), combined with the zest and taste of very high grade tobacco. The taste evolves as you smoke and leaves a mellow sweet and again a yeast-like aroma in the air. It gave me a nice nicotine kick as well.

Not my everyday smoke, but a nice treat from time to time.

As for the smoke it does take some getting used to - it is moist in the tin and I've tried drying it and rubbing it out and then just folding it and stuffing it in. I prefer to smoke it moist, even though it might take a couple more matches to get to the bottom of the bowl. Obviously this isn't the most exciting, intruiging of tobaccos, but it very, very good. I'm sure there are other good, and different, straight Virginias out there and this might not suit everyone's tastes but it is certainly worth a try (which is obvious by now, huh), you just might find what you've been looking for.

May SG carry on making this stuff just as it is till all the lights go out.

As has been said, it is quite moist out of the tin. Once dried a little and rubbed out (I like pieces about 1-1.5 inch by a 16th of an inch) it burns evenly and cool, and I cannot make it bite. I get a nice little hit of nicotine, just enough to loosen up and relax. Great stuff and I will be sure to have some on hand.

I agree with some of the reviewers here that it's overrated. It's high quality tobacco, but pure VAs for me are just boring.

For a VA blend it doesn't give me MUCH tongue bite. I've been smoking this mostly in bigger pipes and there's always a decent nicotine hit waiting at the END of the bowl.

Like most of the other SG blends this comes moist straight out of the tin, so needs some drying out.

A must if you are a fan of straight virginias.

I have tried the fold and stuff method with limited success, so have settled for rubbing out the flake(s) to an consistancy somewhere between ribbon and broken flake.

This virginia blend if smoked with respect, can bring on an alomst perfect harmony with ones briar.

I find this a great outdoor smoke.

Try it...

A must, definitly.

Plenty of reviews showing that this blend is a true virginia- masterpiece!

Thank you tobacco-reviewers!

If I do everything right-- properly drying it, rubbing it out evenly (my preference), packing it well in the right pipe, and smoking it slowly, it provides as delicious and satisfying a smoke as I've ever had. But if I try and smoke it too moist, or too quickly, or pack it poorly, it descends into a boring tasteless concoction that is hardly worth the trouble to smoke. Even mid-bowl it will turn mundane on you if you speed up your pace-- but slow down again and it comes right back in all its glory.

I like it best almost bone dry, rubbed completely out, in a meer. Sipped slowly, it makes my eyes roll back in my head, it's so good. And for those who enjoy DGT as I do, FVF is nonpareil.

An unforgiving tobacco that is more than worth the trouble. I'll never be without it.

There are much better Virginia blends to be had.

Companion infusion: Quinta da Romaneira 2007 Vintage Port.

The rest of the reviews do an excellent job at describing this fine tobacco so I only want to echo what a few other reviewers have noticed, mainly that FVF suffers from some consistency issues. My last tin had several evenly thick and moist flakes but also contained several thin and dry flakes that were tough to rub out and did not smoke as well as the others. This is definitely a 4-star tobacco when the consistency is there but with all the great praise it receives comes a lot of scrutiny. Also, some reviewers exaggerate the strength of this tobacco. Definitely a medium strength tobacco. This, however, is not a detriment. Definitely try this excellent tobacco and hope that you get a good tin.

After about 30+ tins i still can not recommend the best method for preparing this flake:) I suppose its up to everyone's personal taste....For me its either fold and stuff or rough rubbing to manageable pieces.

The taste is absolutely wonderfull!!! Natural, sweet VAs with many layers of taste, which are easier to reveal themshelves with slow sipping....

This is NOT a blend to rush...not because it bites but because you will miss a lot of its fine properties, so the only drawback here is that you best smoke it when in the proper relaxed mood (but after all thats what pipe smoking is all about- relaxation and serenity:)

For those interested in VAs this is an absolute must!!! Sometimes i think (with a hint of exaggeration) that if this blend was disappearing i would probably quit my pipe smoking!!! It is this good!!! Do not pass it or you will miss the epitome of Va flakes:) Well done SG!!!!

I smoked it in a larger size pipe that I use just for Virginias. No tongue bite for me. At times, it could burn quite hot. No trouble keeping it lit if you dry it enough prior to smoking.

Less full than some Virginias. Expensive. Takes a lot of work to rub out and dry prior to smoking. After I figured it out, I enjoyed my smokes, but I probably won't be buying it again.

FVF would be in my top 10 tobaccos and has remained there for some time now. Exceptional presentation, complex notes, and appropriate strength.

Smoked in a group 5 size bowl, straight billiard or apple.

...a pipe is to be savored...

FVF is a masterpiece Sic et simpliciter!

Post scriptum

I disagree with those who argue that FVF and BBF are similar, they are very different in concept and in the final result: BBF can be regarded as a "grand cru" of a single variety, FVF is a blend of different varieties with a declination of larger complex and "fougére" flavors. IMHO both can be considered complementary rather than competitors.

The flakes are a little large for the pipe I smoke them in, so I usually shred a full flake by hand and allow it to dry in the open air for about 15-20 minutes. Then after loading I like to draw on the pipe unlit to allow for savoring the straight tobacco aroma.

I usually do 2 or 3 charring lights depending on the moisture. This allows a nice charred "cake" to form on top. After that its on to the enjoyment. This tobacco is very pleasurable for the aromas it imparts, as well as a flavor that reminds me of fresh cut hay. I spent summers on my grandmothers farm (mentioned briefly above) and that taste is unmistakable. They say that taste and smell are tied to memories, and this brings back some of the best for me. Anyhow the flavor is very unadulterated and I find it highly relaxing. It also stays on the pallet for a while after smoking so I usually find myself wondering when I can get the next bowl! Its that good.....trust me.

I usually sit down and allow time to smoke every last bit in the bowl, as even the dottle is not overwhelming like other tobaccos I have tried. Ash is always a white/gray color and smoke is a thick creamy white. My live in room note adviser (AKA my wife) says the room notes are very tolerable, and she like the smell.

All in all this is a no nonsense VA blend that should be tried at least once. I venture to say this is the best of the Gawith blends. St James Flake is also recommended for a good change of pace.

Happy smoking, and please remember to support your local tobacco shops!

if you just dry out for about 30 minutes or microwave for 5 seconds and leave for 5 minutes. just ready to fold and stuff into your pipe, with just a little rubbed out on the top, to light and your in for a very slow burning, enjoyable slow smoke, which lasts for ages.

you will not be disapointed at all, believe me, enjoy.

So much has already been said about this particular offering from the esteemed Sam Gawith that it is fairly hard to make any new observations other than personal ones about this blend.

So here they are:

Really a professionaly done product. The Virginias used(wherever they come from) in this mixture (flake) are superb. Simply that. The initial light up is a delight and the following burn is ,of course , remarkable. My pipes and my taste buds and my contemplations all are overjoyed with my choice of this tobacco in my daily itinerary of smoking indulgences. We just loves it!

Strength: Perfect, not overpowering but definitely robust and hearty. I have several other of the Kendal tobaccos from Sam Gawith and from Gawith and Hoggarth that I enjoy but I always return to the main course- Full Virginia Flake confidently and often. I am justified each time with the choice. Conistency of taste and all the other looked for attributes are the result.

Flavorings: Good Tobacco and various undertoines that are very pleasing. I am not sure if they are natural to the tobacco or applied. I really don't care either way. It really makes little to no difference in the "botto0m line" taste for me. The best advice I can offer for those wanting to know exactly what the taste is I can only say try it. I really can't say anything authoratative as some have about"rasins" or "figs" or any other subtle taste aspects. Mama and Papa's marinara sauce was like that. Nobody seemed to have time to ask why it was so good they were too busy enjoying it.

Room note: I don't give this much thought. It is tobacco, good tobacco burning and that's good enough for me. I'm not sure how everyone else does it but personally I can't much smell what I'm smoking. I refuse to get up and go outside to clear my sinal passages to find out. I am too busy enjoying myself for such activity. Besides which it is just not that important to me and mine.

Recommendation: Fairly obvious from the above review I would think. A professionally done product with everything that a medium to mild blend of Virginia tobaccos could posibly be expected to provide for a grateful pallet.

Get some.

-------------The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

This is my second review. However, I have now sampled about 30 brands/blends and am starting to have my own frame of reference. I can easily understand why someone would rate this 4 stars. But for now, and for me, Balkan Supreme, Butternut Barley, Solani Aged Burley Flake, and YES -Pease's Westminster are my Go Tos. For some strange reason - even faced with so much excellence, I still like Mixture 79 every so often, as it brings back some fond memories. In truth though, it does not compare with all the above in quality.

At some point I do want to tackle a review on Pease's Odyssey.

Also, I have a very small pipe, it's a half bent prince Fe.Ro about 1" deep and 3/4" wide bowl. Yet I am able to smoke for well over two hours, sometimes 3 hours and I still have some dottle at the bottom. Is this normal? Am I doing something wrong?

The flakes are cut a little thicker than I like, which makes smoking them folded quite a chore, so I usually rub them - which is a pity, as they taste better folded. Someone suggested this (the cut) varies sometimes, so maybe my tin was from a monday production run or something.

I might get more FVF tins again in the future since it has many nice qualities, but in the end it didn't quite deliver what I expected from it, so I don't think I'll be in any particular rush to get more.

I can tell that this is a quality tobacco. No doubt. However, it's just not my cup of tea. I want to give this tobacco 3 stars SO BADLY, but I just can't. It's much better than a 1 star tobacco. Borkum Riff is a 1 star tobacco. This is not. I don't know what my problem is. I wish i could love FVF... i really do. Chances are you'll enjoy it tho. Don't let me stop you.

Happy piping!

This is easily in my top two tobaccos, and a standard fixture of my daily rotation. I have enjoyed it both with morning coffee and with evening Scotch, and I suspect it would even complement an afternoon beer quite well.

If you have not tried this tobacco, you really should. As a testament to its popularity, I was only able to find ONE online tobacco store that both carried it in bulk and had it in stock.

I do not hand out four star ratings lightly, but I truly believe FVF deserves such treatment.

One note, however: maybe it's just me, but for some reason the nicotine in this stuff can really sneak up on me and kick me in the butt. At the very least, it's convinced me to put off trying Peterson's Irish Flake for at least a year...

It smells, and tastes, of figs, raisins, and hay. It isn't nearly as tangy as other VA's I've tried, and is naturally sweet. There's definitely depth of flavor, which intensifies the longer you smoke a bowl. The room note is a double edged sword. My wife said that it leaves a pleasant aroma, hay and figs, but she found the smoke to be nauseating after 45 minutes, unlike the smoke from my other blends, like 1-Q.

I've packed FVF several different ways. Fold and halve and pack, or completely rub out. I think I prefer to fully rub out this blend, as it means I have to relight it less often. Either way, I find it best to let a flake dry out for 24-36 hours before smoking it, as my tin was very moist.

A word of warning to those sensitive to nicotine, like myself. DON'T smoke this on an empty stomach! They don't call it FULL Virginia Flake for no reason. So, unless you enjoy having your head spin, breaking out into a cold sweat, and so on, please eat something before smoking a flake of FVF...

Why doesn't this blend get 4 stars? I recognize its merits as a VA, which I enjoy, but it still doesn't quite hit the spot. I will purchase another tin, some day, and let it sit for 6-12 months before opening it to see if that improves the blend.

*UPDATE* Now that my tin has been opened a couple months, it only takes a rubbed out flake 45 minutes to dry out. This has really improved the smoking quality of FVF for me, as it doesn't smoke so wet now.

Nearing the end of the second tin, there is a decernable change in the smoke from this latest batch; I therefore find myself agreeing with the preceding reviews in relation to inconsistancy. I am all astonishment! as I have smoked FVF on and off for for the last 10 Year's or so, and have never had ocassion to challenge its quality before.

I know the chaps in Kendal are just back from the Chicago Fair and I hope you guys on the other side of the pond haven't been feeding them too much bourbon - they're country folk from England's Lake District and not at all used to City life!

Even so - to the point, this is still a good smoke, even when not at its best; Don't give up on it, but nonetheless, questions will be asked of Samuel Gawith's before May is out.

Sticking with McClelland Virginias is not a bad idea as they have always been consistent for me and quite tasty. I particularly like Dark Star, 2035 and #27. They are all better than FVF when it is mediocre.

I'm certainly not giving up on it yet, but for now, I must be honest and state that I found this to be a somewhat plain, underwhelming, bitter headache/nausea inducer. Perhaps it's because I was never a cigarette smoker? Perhaps my humble four years as a pipe smoker hasn't yet allowed me to appreciate the subtleties of this renowned leaf? - I suspect that might be the issue -

If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears. I've tried different pipes, different lighting methods, drying/not drying the tobacco, offering a prayer to the four winds, etc. Again, it's always an adventure with a new tobacco and sometimes it just takes a little getting used to. Please don't let my review discourage you from giving it a try, odds are you'll like it. I'm going to save what I've got and give it another go, perhaps after summer is over. Till then, I'll stick with the McClelland VA's I enjoy.

And fine it is: it smells fruity but not soapy; it's soggy, but smokes both smooth and long. It's far from weak, but it doesn't send you reeling from the first puff. It's good. It's really, really good. Sing Hosanna!

I shall cut mine as short as possible.

I do consider FVF a milestone in the family of Va flakes, possibly the most natural one I have ever smoked, far better than his cousins BBF and SF of the same brand. It enormously benefits aging, drying, and extremely slow sipping. It developes a wide range of delicate tones, from grassy to malty, biscuity, sometimes even cigarish& never harsh or bitter or hot or biting, no matter how hard you draw. The mellow sweetness is steady and natural, comes from the tobacco itself, no aids beyond nature.

But it does not get me enthusiastic, even I would, that is why I am rating it three stars. Virginia based tobaccos are my top preference; but have to admit that, after my 50th bell rang and some better self knowledge, need they are helped by something else, be that the Perique or even a (very moderate) topping/casing. I am not a so patient smoker to mine so deeply in search of flavours as they were diamonds.

Not that it is boring, but I would a more in-your-face experience.

I have smoked this rubbed out, straight out of the tin and it was too moist. The best way to enjoy this, is to rub it out, and let it air for about an hour and thirty minutes.

If you search here for the tobacco with the most 4 star reviews you have Full Virginia Flake. No, not an English type, and not a likely SMM substitute, but how could I go about my quest of trying all of these tobaccos while ignoring numero uno?

In May 1607, the London-based Virginia Company?s three ships landed in Virginia and founded the first permanent British settlement in North America. It was a for- profit expedition. They hoped to find a route to the Far East (the infamous Northwest Passage) in order to further advance trade with China and/or to discover gold. They accomplished neither, while their mortality rate due to disease, starvation, & Indian warfare approached 70%.

What saved the remaining intrepid souls and their colony at Jamestown?

Tobacco.

Seedlings from the Caribbean blossomed in the inviting Virginia soil & climate and Virgina-Type tobacco was born. So flavorful was this tobacco that it?s reception in England was overwhelming. Demand skyrocketed from a little known or used product to a popular pastime. A colony was saved, which lead to a nation?

And now I know why, having sampled FVF! Oh, Virginia tobacco!

Sometimes we try too hard, and seek too fiercely, that which has always been. Like Mother?s comfort food, Samuel Gawith?s FVF satisfies us because it is simple, and simply, good. You don?t have to put this brand in a cellar for 20 years to enjoy it, or search the far corners of the earth to find it, or pay dearly to buy it. Just open a tin, rub out the delicate flakes, pack your pipe, and relax. Your pleasure is assured.

I like this stuff a lot, and I now recognize that it is a very important component of SMM, and that blends without a proper Virginia component do not appeal to me. Virginia is the richness & the body. Add Latakia for it?s wonderful smokiness, & Orientals for some complexity and viola: Perfection in a tin! Easier said than done perhaps, but we are closing in.

Smells too sweet in the tin, but doesn?t smoke that way. The flakes are delightfully moist and any attempt to dry them would be immoral. Put down whatever you?re doing instead, and just smoke. If you do that, I promise it will burn perfectly. And you?ll savor the creamy richness that is the hallmark of a moist tobacco such as this. It is a proper example of how long a tobacco should burn, which is a long time for FVF! If you dry it out and then go on Tobacco Review to write how you find FVF to be boring and unappealing, I will come and find you?...

Rubbing out the flakes is fun and easy, but I suspect as a regular daily tobacco this process might become somewhat tedious.

I would add that everyone should try FVF except that, -based on the review numbers-, everyone already has!

Update: I prefer my tobacco tinned, even though it is more cost effective to purchase bulk. I like knowing that everything is perfect and undisturbed in that tin until I open it, and that specifically includes proper moisture content. But it seems everyone is out of FVF so I resorted to ordering in bulk, specifically the original 500g box that comes direct from Samuel Gawith. I was expecting to be a little disappointed, but I was surprised instead. The flakes arrived completely sealed and with perfect moisture content. And for those upset about "quality control" when broken flakes are found in their tins (I fail to grasp the import) a 500g box is a thing of beauty to open. The box is specifically designed to hold flakes, there must be a million flakes in a 500g box, and (in my box at least) every flake was perfect and intact, all neatly aligned, row upon row, of delicious fragrant flakes.

Update: Fourth star added. I figured out how to coax the sweetness out of this beauty. As others have said, I rubbed it out thoroughly and let it dry for a couple of hours. Man, what a difference. Amazing stuff.

Thankfully, no Lakeland florals are present. This is a rich flavorful, no-nonsense virginia flake that has loads of depth, color and nuance. A complex flake that yields vast riches of complexity. Not much to add to other wonderful reviews here except to say that if straight virginia is your thing (if you're a Hal O' The Wynd fanatic as I am) you definitely need to check this out! I won't say it's "better" than the Rattrays but it will sit proudly alongside the Hal in my tobacco bar. I'll bet this stuff ages beautifully! Well done, SG!

Loaded with flavor as well as subtlety and nuance. The best of both worlds in that it has fullness as well as delicacy. Never overpowering but always seems to deliver a fully satisfying smoke. I love this stuff.

It is a bit moist, especailly in a fresh tin, but not bad. I rub it out about half way and fold and stuff smaller strips into the bowl. It takes me a few lights to get it going, but then burns well. Also, remarkably easy to smoke without tongue bite or gurgling given a modicum of restraint.

I might have trouble picking my only English, Balkan, and VaPer if I were packing for Gilligan's Island and could only bring one blend of each, but this would be my unflinching choice for pure Virginia.

It can't be said enough - smoke it gently and the flavor opens up.

Wow. Sweet and cool as I sipped, this hit the spot. Grassy, somebody said banana, earthy, clean burning, did I say sweet? What a treat! Nice vitamin N tingle. No bite. No roof of the mouth coat. I smoked every crumb, and I can report it was delicious.

I am adding this to the rotation. I might go so far as to reserve this pipe (or a new cob) for straight VAs.

07/27/09 UPDATE: I am revising some of my reviews. I have given out more 4 star ratings than anything else. That practice is probably not helping. So, I am reducing FVF to 3 stars, not because I like it less than I did before, but because I am limiting 4 stars to fewer than 25% of all my reviews. One day I may use the 4 star rating to designate my top five.

And bliss this is. To me, this is the standard against which all Virginias are compared. Some are excellent, like HOTW, but there's only one Full VA Flake. Rich, full, cool. There just isn't a lot more to add to everyone else's comments. It's simply my very favorite VA. Chop it up, and it goes from superb to untouchable. It features prominently in my Hall of Fame of best blends; with Escudo for VaPers, Penzeance and Westminster for Latakias, etc. This is just amazing stuff.

Will buy a second tin, from a different source, and give it another chance. (not really sure if I´ll smoke the rest of my current tin)

I finaly got the plot, it took me a very long time, but FVF kept teasing, revealing from time to time the potential of this very fine virginia. to cut a very long story short, I air dried this well beyond any normal drying (by my standards) until it had the consistency of cornflakes, this for me, was the key. I now get a rich, smooth creamy smoke every time. This has to be the virginia by which others are measured. An excellent 4 Star Tobacco.

Original

I am green with envy of other reviewers, especially those who find this to have so much taste and flavour, I have tried and tried and tried again with this tobacco, and all I get is a very fine quality virginia (as one would expect from Sam Gawith) with a little bit of a smooth creamy flavour, having said that, I didn't get much more from Golden Glow by the same maker when I first started smoking it, that is, until I found out how I needed to smoke it !!!!!

Now, I reach for Golden Glow to start my day, can't do without it. FVF on the other hand remains a mystery to me. I have in recent weeks, though confessing to be a mild to medium virginia lover, sought a stronger more fuller flavoured tabac than I usualy enjoy, hoping to find a flake that would be full in both taste and flavour without being overpowering, the results have not been encouraging. Irish Flake, (ye gods) 1792, (I hope I can one day save my poor pipe) Bracken Flake, (I submit) and FVF, which of the four has been by far the most civilized.

I am very much aware that I am in the minority with this flake, and pleased to be so, for if I can find a way to extract from this the sweet notes which so many find, I shall be a happier man. I therefore give FVF 3 stars even if FVF only gives me one and a half........... for now!!!!!!

The presentation of this tobacco is much darker and more uneven than of Light Flake. This is not necessarily a bad thing, however. Tobacco is an organic product-to see it being too uniform seems unnatural. These dark flakes smelled heavenly and were coated with what seem to be sugar crystals.

Like Light Flake, the charring light yields a sweet, haylike rush of flavour with fresh bread overtones. The depth of flavour is much greater, however, with Full Virginia Flake developing into a much sweeter smoke. It is a much stronger smoke as well, however. Best smoked in a narrow pipe. I found it a little overwhelming in a bigger bowl.

While I still think there is a place for Light Flake (if available), Best Brown and others, this is surely going to be a staple of mine. Now if I can just afford to cellar a ton of the stuff!

I will always be grateful.

I can easily get bitten by some tabaccos, and this one was so gentle to my tongue, although I thought "Virginias" might bite.

I am not a salesman from SG, but I am convinced that this is the proof of an unbeatable top quality product, which is by all means very cheap in price.

I do not really get it as I have been reading in some reviews which compare its wonderful full flavour to cigaretts, probaly they have never tasted a top hand-rolled cigar or a wonderful red wine.

Upon lightning it reminded me immediately of the top quality cigar producer floor de selva from Nicaragua. (Robusto or Churchill)

Yes, Full Virginia Flake resembles to them in many ways, enourmously creamy almost buttery with a hint of carmalized sugar. Later on slightly peppery and even some leather aromas.

WOOOOOOOOW

The smoke is loaden with nicotine and therefore I would also recommend to sip and not to puff on it, your stomach will appreciate it.

I have rubbed it out, with this method it burns even and does not demand a lot of attention. When I formed the flake to a ball it needs more relights, probably I have to dry it a little olnger.

The perfect after lunch or dinner smoke, which certainly deserves at least 10 stars; and two thumbs up.

It leads on my personal hit list with tabaccos such as, Westminister from G.L Pease and the Flake Medaillons from Davidoff.

Closest I find the description of the full virginia flake from Daniel on www.synjeco where I had ordered FV on bulk:

"First, by no means I can use the word "Full" to describe this tobacco. It's so smooth on palate, tongue, throat and stomach. The taste is simply fabulous. It's a tobacco I could smoke all the time for the rest of my life. I most highly recommend it to those of you who appreciate the wonders of natural pressed Virginias."

To try and add more than what has already been written about this product would be pointless.

The only complaint I have is that from batch to batch or tin to tin there seems to be inconsistency, it is always good but sometimes better than others. My 2nd favorite is MVF.

Two stars for the tobacco itself, but I?m withholding two stars because it?s too strong for its own good. Such a complaint is subjective, of course, so I?m sure someone with a higher tolerance will have a much better experience than I did.

It is a one note song from start to finish.

I give it two stars, which it barely deserves. It earns its second star due to it's strength as a blender. With out that, I'd rather pick up a pack of cigarettes.

Cigarettes only take two minutes to finish, so you can ignore the blandness.

A deep bowl of FVF rubs its blandness in your face for over an hour.

Creamy, smooth, and slightly sweet are the discriptions, that I get from FVF. I had trouble with this blend at the start. I could only get the flavors out of a meerschuam. I kept trying to smoke FVF out of a briar. Then after some advice, I slowed my puffing rate. The harsh strong flat smoke became sweet, smooth and creamy.

It appears stoved virginias have a very narrow range. Miss this small window, stoved virginias go flat. If my bowl gets hot, I slow it down. The taste comes back. This is a revelation!

Dark Star with its reluctance to burn forced me to smoke slow, but FVF does burn well. So, I forced; I got flat flavor. I still mess up and puff to often, but at least I know now what to do.

Before reviewing, I would like to make an observation from my travels. This tobacco seems to be more sensitive than many to the humidity in the area in which it is stored. As I travel the USA, I have had the privilege of getting to know several tobacconists throughout the country. I've bought this tobacco in bulk form through several fine establishments, only to discover that the way in which it has been stored significantly impacts this flake. It seems that the best way to keep this tobacco happy is to store it in the humidor, and never let it dry out until you are ready for a smoke. The establishments that do this offer a significantly different tobacco - both in terms of texture and aroma -- than those that allow it to be stored in the bulk "baggy" on the shelf.

As soon as I have purchased it, the first thing I do is open the baggy and take a strong whiff. If the tobacco has been stored correctly, there is the wonderful aroma of freshly-mown hay. I consider this wonderful because it reminds me of my childhood in Virginia (50 years ago), helping my cousins bale hay on my uncle's farm in the Shenandoah valley. And it also reminds me of the smell that emanated from the tobacco drying sheds that were near my home when I lived in Bangkok, Thailand. The smell that triggers those happy memories is enough to give FVF three stars, even before I light it up! BTW - I have never noticed a "soapy" smell - just freshly-mown fields and aging leaf.

As others have noted, I find that I must let this one dry out for a while before smoking. One trick I have found -- take out a couple of flakes during the last thirty minutes of an airline flight. The altitude and cabin dryness seem to dry this out to just the right consistency for me. And I get to enjoy the aroma for the last thirty minutes of what is often a memory NOT worth remembering (air travel in America!)

I have smoked this fully rubbed, as well as folded and packed in a large billiard (EX606 Savinelli). Either way, the key is to let it dry a bit before smoking so that I can keep it lit without puffing. If I puff it, it does resemble cigarettes (albeit excellent ones!). But if I take the time to sip it and enjoy, the nuances and flavors just keep on coming. This is an extremely sweet and satisfying smoke, all the way to the bottom of the bowl.

Strait to the point, If you dont mind paying few dollars more, and Really enjoy a good Virginia with your pipe, somthing truly rich, truly complex, then buy Rattray Hall o the Wynd

This tobacco doesn´t only smell like ciggs but it tastes like them too. I´ve tryed it in different pipes, rubbed and as flakes but it tastes bad no matter what i do. But if you like a good cigarette you will probably like this.

To me, FVF smells like a good cigarette tobacco, with zero complexity or nuance. De gustibus non est disputandum. jm

FVF is certainly a medium to full smoke but really delivers the goods if pampered. My best results have been rubbing out, drying it for an hour, then packing with the Frank method which let me burn consistently to the bottom with no tamping or relighting.

Good draw, but whenever it threatened to go out I?d pull the old back flow trick, blowing through the pipe for a seven-count until it was happy. Then on the next two or three draws I?d pull a couple big, deep mouthfuls and the strong creamy smoke was delicious! Then it was back to sipping for the next several minutes (or risk getting bit!). This gives the sense of two tobaccos in one, the subtle, flavorful creaminess that people rave about while sipping, and the strong mouthful of huge, creamy, earthy, smoky flavor that is equally delicious but never biting if you don?t overdo it. Those who find this tabac flavorless or un-inspiring might try the pampering method before giving up on this excellent tobacco.

After an hour and a quarter the pipe finally went out and I was curious to see if it actually smoked all the way to the end. The ash was fine with lumps of charcoal. There were only a few shreds of dottle in the bottom of the bowl. For fun I packed ?em and lit ?em, and had about four puffs of very strong but very tasty goodness before calling it quits.

I will definitely be buying this stuff by the pound for aging.

This is amazing stuff. Upon opening the 50gr tin, I thought perhaps I bought some beef jerky. It even had a rich smokey aroma. I did have some issues figuring out how to "rub" it out. On YouTube there was a video of a guy just wadding it up and igniting. In a narrow bowl, this woorks very well.

This is, to date, my favorite 'backy. If you haven't, you must. If you have, then you know...

The only problem I had with it was that in rubbing it out, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the strands to a decent size for proper packing and burning. They tended to be long and coarse. Reverted to Pipestud's trick of a quick whack with an electric coffee grinder for 1-2 seconds and everything came out just right.

This stuff is wonderful. Once it is the right size, it packs well. lights nicely with one match, stays lit easily, burns cool and evenly, no hint of a bite, clouds of smoke without having to suck up, rich, unadorned taste of high quality Virginia, goes to the bottom with no gurgling or overpowering strength buildup, and left the pipe with no bad after odor or taste. FVF is quite monochromatic but it is a very pleasant taste that does not get boring. If one were not looking for variety, it could easily be an all day, everyday smoke.

Other than the flake size problem, I cannot find fault with this great blend. It easily earns it's reputation and I will keep it around as long as I can get it. Would be good for letting a newby know what a REAL baccy is like.

Update: I, like others, have some times questioned 'quality control' in some of Sam's flakes but I think a little differently now. There is no lack of consistency in the leaf, it's prep and processing, and the exact taste and manner of smokability. What changes is it's appearance which changes in how you order it (quantity and packaging). For example; if you order a 2-4-6-8 oz package some one at your supplier has to break off an approximate pinch to meet your requirement and then pinch it up or down to get close to what you ordered. This makes a mess just as it does on your own working surface. I personally believe something similar to this occurs when they're packing the tins to hit the 50g mark. However, If consistency in appearance is important to you(as it is to me) order the 1 pound pack that has not been stirred up from the time it left the house of S. Gawith. It rivals MacBaren in quality packaging. True, each flake is not the exact same thickness but it's not scattered around like something that someone had started to rub and then changed their mind. True, this adds to the challenge of proper pipe packing (especially if you, like me, smoke a flake and not something you turn it into by various form of massaging the tobacco into something other than a flake.)

I apologize for the rambling lecture but this was important to me and I appreciate you letting me get it off my chest.

PS: The 1 pound box of flakes is the perfect length for a 1 qt mason jar if your into that.(1lb=1 jar) A little tricky but you can do it if you try. I currently have five pounds in five jars and one pound in the original package. If this "review", such as it is, is still around a couple of years from now, I'll let you know the results. At least as I percieve them.

Almost a year later now, and my opinion hasn't changed. Does improve in a jar. I am savoring the final two ounces and will buy it again, when I have thinned out my cellar a bit.

22-09-2008 update

Notwithstanding the rave reviews and the fact that i've tried this in a flake pipe, in fact no matter how FVF ("flat virginia flake") is smoked or prepared it cannot be compared to the fantatic Rattray (HOTW) or McClelland (blackwoods flake) offerings at all. This is a bland smoke with very little taste at all. I will have to downgrade my rating to a mere 2 stars.

Description: "Full Virginia Flake"

Appearance: Thin sliced flake tobacco resembles beef jerky with veins of lighter tobacco showing in the slices. Needs to be rubbed out and breathe to dry out somewhat.

Aroma: Intoxicating earthy smell of fine Virginia tobacco, slight hay smell.

Packing: I find rubbing out burns best and gives better flavor for me, pack loosely for better burn.

Lighting: Requires some relights.

Taste: Amazing full tobacco flavor, intoxicating and delightful.

My Impressions: A wonderful tobacco that should not be rushed. I only smoke this fine tobacco when I have the time to sit down and savor the moment. Always an amazing smoke. The tin does seem to be getting better as it ages even though it's open.

The first tin of this I smoked was outstanding for about half the tin and then sour and bitter for the second half. The second tin was consistent, always good, but never quite as good as the first half of the first tin. The second tin was much more spicy and almost harsh. It was as if they had overcooked it. This deserves at least 3 stars even when it's only so-so. But the occasional mind-blowing smoke puts it at three and a half at least.

This always seems to lose flavor after a while. I know others don't experience this, so I'm a bit baffled by it. I'm still trying to figure it out, and it's given me enough smoking pleasure to merit the effort.

I don't know if it is possible to give more stars. If so, I give the WHOLE SKY AND THE MOON.

Thanks to all the reviewers below because they knew what subject they were talking about.Thanks again, friends, from Spain.

Furthermore, I have recently found it's value in blending. I mixed this with an otherwise dull Cherry Cavendish and brought it to life.

The moderately-bodied natural tobacco flavor of FVF has a tangy sweet citrus note. I believe this is the apex of stoved Virginians. I smoke it thick and it has never bit my tongue.

The room note is somewhat sharp ? though not acrid ? with a hint of the citrus-like flavor.

The burning characteristics are a touchy. It's challenging to get FVF smoldering, and I seldom get it reduced to a fine ash. I'm not certain whether 1) the smoking characteristics aren't quite bad enough to diminish my value of the tobacco or 2) the flavor is so good as to render the smoking characteristics inconsequential.

The tobacco comes far too moist to smoke in long flakes of somewhat irregular thickness. Flakes are about four inches in the tin and twice as long in the bulk box. I have tried smoking this as a folded flake, partially, and fully rubbed out. Currently I fully rub-out the flakes and let a pipe-full dry for about 20 minutes before stuffing and lighting.

The tobacco is too strong for my all day smoking. I've made myself ill from smoking one bowl too many.

----

I first purchased this tobacco when learning about pipe tobaccos. My idea was to sample different tobacco types ? Virginia, Burley, etc ? in their purest form. I chose FVF because it had a three star average on this website (this was a while ago) and the name "Virginia" in its name.

What a stroke of luck! I always try to have two pounds in the house; one in a bale-top canister for everyday use and one aging in a mason jar. When the bale-top canister is empty I rotate the aged pound forward and order another pound to start the aging. This is bargain priced in tin or in bulk online at JR or SmokingPipes. I worry that Samuel Gawith will figure out that I'd pay twice as much for this! (A while ago everyone was sold out and I paid twice as much for poor substitutes.)

I've ordered some McClelland Perique to see what I can create.

(05/26/2008) Even better with one year of age on it! An amazing tobacco!

Tastes great in all my VA pipes. When properly dried, its so easy to sip this blend & extract the fine sweet flavor so many reviewers have noted. Sometimes it tastes like a sweet cinnamon roll, other times like a pecan pie, or a good oatmeal treat. Truly an all day blend, never boring, never a bite, always cool. Weather it's a Meershaum, a coated bowl, or uncoated bowl, straight, bent, or system pipe, this blend delivers complete satisfaction. Aged or fresh from the box, it's a great experience.

Mostly a VA Flake smoker here, Samuel Gawith makes my top three favorites, FVF, Medium VA Flake, & Best Brown Flake. All slightly different taste, all throughly enjoyable.

I list my 7 remaining VA blend list as a point of reference: McClellands #27, Blackwoods Flake, 5100, G&H Bright CR Flake, McCranies Red Ribbon & Red Flake, Rattray's Hal-O-The Wind.

3/14/08: FIVE Stars!

5/16/08: Hermit 78 had the same experience as I had, almost to a 'T'. It's a favorite of mine, superb blend.

*_*_*_ KEY: Dry a strip it in the microwave for 10 seconds *_*_*

This last go around I noticed FVF?s similarity to Kendal plug which I also really enjoy. FVF does not have the tart undertones but I noticed the zone produces a similar honey baked sweetness. I guess with this and Best Brown being made from the same tobacco you could expect this. It just never ceases to amaze me how an uncased tobacco could produce such a wonderful flavor and aroma. If you have never tried this flake you owe it to yourself to see why we smoke a pipe. FVF is the epitome of pipe smoking enjoyment. As mentioned, be sure to have a clean pipe and a little (or a lot) of drying time does wonders.

4-23-08 After using the fold and stuff method for this blend, I've found that gently rubbing it out will produce better results. Don't rub it into a powder. It burns better, and seems to give off even more flavor. This stuff is really yummy. I will be buying more of this - to be sure!

This stuff is really self explanatory. If you are a fan of natural Virginia flakes, I just can't see how you can go wrong.

I agree, this needs a pipe with a deep bowl. I don't rub it out either. The only downside for me is I have to smoke this stuff when I have a lot of time to kill, as it seems to last forever.

In other words, I don't get to enjoy this often. But it is great when I do have the time...

UPDATE Two things really...firstly I discovered the tin I was complaining about in my original review had rusted from the inside! Hence the disgusting flavour I guess. Secondly, I bought some of the bulk version from the nicest guy in Vermont and I can recommend it again at last. Wonderful, smooth, rich and addictive...I like the addictive description written by others...certainly is.

Makes a nice change from my American VA's because FVF is definitely not an American smoke.

UPDATE: As I've gained experience with thos tobacco, I've come to appreciate it more. This is on a short list of flakes that perform better if not rubbed out. I usually tear off large pieces, loosely roll them into a ball and push into the pipe. Once lit FVF burns nicely with a mild flavor and a nice nicotene level. A bowl lasts a long time...........

I just want to give some advices to those who have not fully appreciated.

First, all tobacco from Samuel Gawith are as fully hydrated as can be, because they are most reserved for the maturation. A long maturation (over 30 years) requires a high humidity at start.

Of course, you can smoke these tobaccos from the moment of their purchase, but if so, let them dry for a very long time (it depends on the time during which the tin was stored at the factory, at the distributor and at the retailer, of course).

This said, if smoked too young, it loses all the benefits that could be derived from a good maturation.

Here are some key moments in the maturation: 6 months, 2 years, 10 years, 20 years, 30 years and more (but more than 30 years, that becomes risky).

Secondly, you must never smoke a tobacco too quickly, if you want to extract all the flavor, and avoid tongue bite.

Third, choose a pipe which matches the tobacco. For the FVF, I recommend a deep bowl, in order to allow developing all its nuances. If you smoke it in a too short bowl, you'll have no more than the equivalent of the first third of a deep bowl, the bland part.

Try again this tobacco and respect, at least, the last two principles. You'll be surprised. Conserning the maturation, that depends of your patience. ;)

Packing & Lighting: Packed about like you would expect a rubbed-out flake to pack, needing a little effort, much like Gnossos(07/12/2006) pointed out. Lit easily, with one relight mid-bowl. Though dry, it produced light gurgle, mid-bowl, that disappeared.

Taste & Aroma: Several of the descriptors of previous reviewers apply, chiefly a mix of dried fruit, buttery pancakes,and hay, but, I find FVF to be more subdued, bland, than some have indicated. It gave no bite; no sharp, tangy, or grassy aspect.

Initial Flavor & Aroma: bland, weak, natural VA.

Mid-Bowl: This is where an appreciable intensity develops; not very sweet at all. The bowl itself had a rubbery pancake and butter aroma. As the bowl progressed closer to the bottom, the VA characteristics were a little more pronounced. Absolutely biteless.

Nicotine: A nice kick, yet moderate. The sidestream did qing the nose just a little.

Room Note: Almost nonexistent

Overall: Better than, but different from, McClelland's Red Ribbon. Try C&D's Briar Fox or #517R, GLPease's Laurel Heights, McClelland's Blakeney's Tawny Flake, or Dunhill's Standard Mixture Mild as a comparison, though the Dunhill certainly has other components. Orliks Golden Sliced makes another good comparison.

Standard, light VA hay scent, too bland to stand on its own, it would serve as a blending agent. I don't see it as *the* standard from which to judge all others. The factor that drew me to FVF is that Samuel Gawith does not use humectants, producing several unflavored, natural blends.

Simply recommended. 3 stars.

Ok! Bear in mind that this is a review based on my very first bowl of this tobacco.

I got this tin today, opened it, and there where almost no smell, other than dry hay. This was a relief, since I still have a smoking session involving Peterson University flake fresh in mind.

The tobacco fel a bit moist, and "dusty" or how to say, like small particles of sand covering the flake. I sat a piece of flake on my desk to dry up a bit, and at the same time build up a tension on what was to come, I have read the reviews here a few times already.

Half an hour later, could not wait any longer, I folded and stuffed it into an old trustworthy briar, that have been nowhere close such a thing as a peterson blend.

Fired up, first few puffs, nothing.. very mild... pipe went out. Tamped it a bit, slowly lighting the pipe again. And now, magic, a sweet very soft round smoke lingered from my pipe. I fell back in my chair, gently sipping my pipe, some inhales had a sweet banana like taste, the next few was just a sweet round virgiia smoke. By sweet I mean nowhere near anything like a candy bar, or sugar eaten as is, this was more delicate, more finesse.

Now I just feel good, Satisfied.

FVF has that clean taste I find in a good Virgina and the flake style is my favorite. Burns cool and slow with no bite. A great all day smoke, easy on the throat. Too wet on opening but a few days in the humidor and all is well.

His abundant flavor is not excessively-complicated but FVF is maybe the smoother, richer and more pleasant flake VA.

It is smooth and rich without tongue bite.

In fact, the name ?Full Virgina Flake? describes it well.

Rough, unveven flakes in the tin with a 'hand-made' look about them. In my opinion a truly wonderful tin aroma - good quality and complex Virginia notes that are born out in the smoking too. It is a little too moist when freshly opened and I find the flakes quite hard to rub out. I usually end up with a broken flake/folded flake pack that provides a slow, cool and long-lasting burn. I have all sorts of trouble getting this one started, but it is worth a little patience.

The flavours are typical good Virginia - grass/hay/peat/earth - with some welcome Virginia brightness to liven it up. Copious quantities of smoke once you have it going well. I find the flavours interesting and well integrated as well as long lasting - no fade-off with this one. I class this as a medium strength. It is a satisfying but smooth smoke and usually leaves me wishing the bowl hadn't ended. A nice clean burn to grey ash too. No bite at all.

4 stars from me.

All in all though a real winner for the virginia fan and still very reasonably priced.

Right off the bat I'll say that I really liked this stuff. I rubbed the flakes out fully and let them dry for about an hour before lighting them up. I packed them into my Stanwell Golden Danish Bent Acorn and went out in the garage because it was too darn cold on the back deck.

The best way for me to describe this, and I think it was mentioned before, is that this tasted and smelled like a very clean tobacco. I was able to smoke it slow since I dried it out and the taste was great. Pure sweet virginia tobacco is what you get here. This is the first all virginia tobacco that I have had and I can't really remark on anything bad about it. I had to do probably about 4 relights because I'm still new at this and I didn't want to get it smoking too hot.

I know that a lot of people have this in their cellar or have tried it in the past, but if you haven't then definitely get a sampler or buy a tin sometime. You won't be disappointed.

I keep only a few VA blends in my rotation, as change-of-pace tobaccos (I prefer Balkan/Oriental blends). FVF has earned a spot in the lineup, along with Old Gowrie, Hal o' the Wynd, and Dark Star.

Bob

1) Like other S.G. Flakes, this benefits from drying out. I usually pop the tin a few days before I smoke my first bowl, and sometimes leave the cover off for a day or two.

2) Even with a few days drying, I rub this out completely for the first week or two. It is too wet to fold and stuff until I get almost halfway through the can.

3) IMHO It is a bit stronger than S.G. Best Brown Flake. On the medium side of "mild to medium".

4) Please smoke this in a clean pipe. If you find the flavor dull or boring, clean your pipe and try again. There is a lot of nuance to appreciate.

*old review* Well, I like this most of the time, when I note a little chocolate sweetness (not that it's flavored). Sometimes, however, and I don't know if this is the difference between rubbing it out and not, I sort of get this caramel-coated celery, if you can imagine such a thing, that I don't particularly care for. I should say that I bought this bulk, not tinned. I think it smokes better and tastes better simply torn in half and stuffed into a pipe, rather than rubbed out.

After trying SG's Medium Virginia Flake and liking it, I was most disappointed with Full Virgina Flake. While the flakes were well constructed (dark and firm), I detected little of the aroma that others report. It was also more difficult to rub out and light than most flakes, though once lit it burned well. Taste-wise, it was quite bland, with very a slight grassy flavor (becoming slightly more pronounced towards the end of the bowl), no sweetness, and a mild Perique- like tang. At least there was no bite. Mine came loose from the tobacconist (it was sold as "bulk"), rather than tinned. Maybe that accounts for the disappointing experience.

A bit difficult to work with but more than worth the effort.

FVF has a delicious tobacco taste with a nice nicotine kick. This is one of the finest virginias I've ever smoked.

* * * *

-Flakes are cut with inconsistent thickness which affects burn...not the worst thing but can be a pain due to some tunneling down the middle of the pipe pack.

-Smells great in the tin, moisture content is high but I dry my flakes to a desired level anyway.

-Not as much smoke produced as I would like. Needed quite a few relights. Aroma was monochromatic...not as much flavor depth as BBF.

-I was expecting something stronger but this was just soso.

I'd much rather smoke BBF and if I had my preference I'd take a bowl of Chocolate Flake...the latakia is mild, the toppping is not sweet but wonderfully dry and full of flavor...great volume of smoke..a true winner.

If you are a big straight Va fan this might be worth a try...I think there are better Vas out there.

A must try for all VA lovers.

Highly Recommended

There are a lot of really fine Virginia's out there. FVF is among the best. Not to be missed.

Luckily I only ordered a 2 ounce sample of this stuff. Was thinking of buying a pound of this stuff from the reviews. Comes in nice strips, very moist, which I prefer actually. Needs to be dried out of course, I let it sit out for three hours before I tried to rub it out.

Has a nice smell, mild, but sweat. Pretty strong, like smoking a cigar. I got a small nicotine buzz off of it. However, I find the taste to be very bland, like most Virginias I've smoked. Not much depth to the taste, it's there, but it's not doing anything.

Overall I wouldn't recommend it right now. I've canned the remaining portion I have of it, since I've heard Virginias age very well. Hopefully I will enjoy it more when It matures a year or two. I'll update my review then.

The next morning I popped open the tin and felt the tobacco. It didn't feel to wet to me so I tried rubbing it, nothing, hmmm. Thag is definitely feeling confused here, so he does what any caveman would do in that situation and starts tearing it apart. OK, that seems to work better and is definitely more satisfying so I stuffed a small Comoy with one ripped up strip and smoked it. I didn't get much out of the first bowl, but nothing unusual there. It usually happens that way...

So retry the same way, but this time I choose a bigger pipe and stuff two ripped up strips in - Wow! A little slow to light but easy to keep lit. This is an excellent sweet smoke. A lot of tobacco taste. The aroma is intoxicating. Curiously, I don't detect any soapy taste. Oh well, that didn't sound fun anyway.

We have a definite winner here and a real confirmation of my suspicion that it would be better to order from an internet source than buy any more of that bland stuff from the local tobacco shop. This tobacco is now on my regular rotation and I doubt it will be ousted by another, though I will surely try many. Do yourself a favor and go out and get some, but be warned, if you aren't a habitual pipe smoker now, you will be!

03.23.2007. this is pure virginia, which is quite rare to come by these days. a luxurious, heavily stoved flake, which i can only smoke late in the evening, as i prefer something a little sharper and less strong most of the day. as a go-to-bed smoke it is absolutely beautiful. an elegant, deep, sweet, "tobacco-y" and RICH smoke, and yet it is funny how the faintest taste of something "soapy" sneaks in at the last third of the pipefull. all natural, though, as far as i can make out.

i mostly fill the pipe 24 hours before smoking it, as this is almost dripping wet tobacco (goes for all the samuel gawith flakes). some find that gawith is cheating on the weight, but it's fine with me. rather a humid tobacco which takes a little work, than one which dries out the moment you open it.

some tobaccos taste fine in almost any type of pipe. not so with fvf., which imo performs best in a "dunhill-size" 2-3 billard/lovat, due to the coarseness of the flakes.

Opening this nice box of flake, it looked like bacon! 6-inch slices about an inch and a half wide. I tear them into 4 pieces and rub between my hands... it balls up quickly into a soft wad, then falls loosely as I gradually release it. It drops easily into my pipe of choice (smokes well in every pipe I've tried) and then packs perfectly, needing little interim tamping. It smokes continuously until you put it down for more than a minute then goes out.

The taste is full and satisfying with a strange perique tingle... I love perique, so this is a GOOD thing. Bits that I inhale occasionally light up my smoker senses and make me happy. This is a great smoke, but I'll need to buy a tin sometime and compare...just to see.

From Utopia TX... havagoodun!

1. Buy corncob pipe. 2. Buy SG virginia full-flake 3. Puff away!

This smoke is just a pleasure. I found the tin aroma of this high quality virginia absolutely intoxicating. The room note was sweet and very pleasant. Taste was full and satisfying, with adequate nicotine.

I can smoke this all day quite happily, and have been doing so. Right out of the tin the tobacco may be a tad wet for folding, but it rubbed out beautifully and smoked like a dream. If you haven't tried this tobacco you are definitely missing out!

Am going to try the 1792 flake as I have enjoyed this one immensely and want a bit more kick.

Puff in peace.

As I smoke this excellent offering, I imagine relaxing in a fine leather chair inside a gentleman's club in 19th-century India, surrounded by English Army officers and wealthy entrepreneurs. A rattan-bladed fan rotates overhead, creaking every now and then. It's warm, humid, and sweat runs down the side of my highball glass, now only half-full of gin and tonic water. A heavy puff from my pipe, and all seems well in the colony.

I'm of the fold-n-stuff school for flakes and this one works well with that particular treatment.No biting, and it's not particular about the pipe you smoke it in.

02/19/03 FVF is a dark stoved Virginia, but not as oily and dark as Dark Star. In the tin, it has a real tobacco smell with just a trace of the perfume or soap that turns some away from Lake District blends. In each flake there are traces of a bright tobacco which runs in streaks. Small bird's eyes of lighter tobacco are also mixed with the dark Virginia. My tin is over a year old and a little on the dry side; just the way I like flake tobacco. If I look closely, I can see a few spots where crystals are beginning to form.

I decided to smoke FVF in a small, straight Jorn billiard. I stuffed the flakes in and then rubbed out a small amount to ease lighting. At first, I enjoyed a rich, smooth, and slightly sweet smoke that produced a slight tongue-bite. Midway through the bowl I tasted a slight soapy taste, but not bad at all. The blend is not as complex as other Virginia flake tobaccos. However, the rich earthy flavor more than compensated. The complexity built near the end of the bowl; I tasted more sweetness with a little peppery spice. Just near the end, the nicotine really hit me. The bowl finished smooth and strong.

I think this would be a "must" for serious Virginia flake smokers, but it might be a little too much for your first leap into Virginia flake tobacco.

By the way if you are into mixing, 2 parts this to one (coin) of Escudo is four-stars- plus.

I did completely dry this out - tried it fresh out of the tin, halfway dry, and completely dry. Fresh out of the tin it wasn't very good at all, halfway dry and somewhat dry it was alright. Rubbing out was a difficult procedure and even after concentrated effort I ended up more with little chunks as opposed to well rubbed-out flake, which made the packing of the bowl somewhat annoying. When it was completely dry it felt like packing pebbles and in general air flow was hindered in all periods of wetness / dryness by the way it packs.

The taste, for me, was rather bland. It had some good strength to it though, there being a nice nicotine kick.

The most redeeming factor of this tobacco is its smell. The side smoke smell is nice and sweet. Still, I like Rattray's Old Gowrie, McConnell's Scottish Cake, Brookline News and Gift's Boston Harbor, and Gawith's Broken Scotch much better.

I had rather high hopes for this when I first got it. It looks very nice in the tin, the sugars obviously coming out, a nice, dark, dense flake. And then it just went sort of downhill from there. So, if you feel like experimenting, check it out, maybe you'll be one of those who love it. But I don't see myself buying another tin of this.

I can?t add much to the glowing reviews of those who appreciate this fine tobacco, except to reiterate the sound advice offered by others. You do yourself and the tobacco a great disservice if you smoke this stuff without drying it and rubbing it out. Do so, and you will be rewarded with a fabulous smoking experience.

The flakes are thin and long. (bulk purchase) It's a little work to rub out, but work is fun. I rub it most of the way to ribbons and let it dry out some. It's rubbery at this point and isn't the simplest pack in pipe smoking, but it's worth it. Don't pack it too tight since it is dense. Two matches and a light tamp are enough.

The flavor is there in buckets. Some people want more complexity and I like that, too, sometimes. But this is an all day smoke and a contemplative sitter; both for the price of one. Speaking of price, this one's pretty good by the pound. I can't think of a down side, except that it's gone too fast.

It was obvious upon opening the tin that the initial moisture level of my first flake would need a day of controlled drying in an empty cigar tin. A dark brown flake, there were some crystals evident, which some suggest is sugar from the Virginia. Simply folded in half, roughly twisted to loosen some leaf, and stuffed into the bowl, the joy of packing flake never fades.

FVF is a rich and rewarding smoke. Getting better through the bowl, cool smoking, gentle sweetness with a complex flavour suggestive of prunes, dried fruits and unadulterated, pressed and aged Virginia tobacco.

Too bad it takes so long to smoke a single flake to get the most out of it. Justice is not served if this is smoked while doing other things. Ashamed to admit it, but I am a product of the hurried world, and I find that to get the most out of this, I need more time to make a regular go of it. Nonetheless, a fine product worth cellaring.

Meerschaum Man Smoking an Altinok Canadian Smooth

Upon opening the tin, I was disappointed by the aroma, somewhat reminiscent of asphalt, or road tar, or some other similar concoction, perhaps old shoes.

Taking a chance it would smoke better than it smells, I filled an old Comoy bent about halfway. Upon lighting, the taste, to me, was rather indistinct and mild, almost tasteless. Room note somewhat reminiscent of cigarette tobacco.

Flakes that I rather enjoy include, not in any particular order: Marlin Flake, Dark Star, Germain's Medium Flake, Old Gowrie, McClelland Blackwoods Flake, McClelland Dominican Glory Maduro, McClelland No. 24 Matured Virginia, Ashton Black Parrot, Ashton Brindle Flake, and Ashton Pebble Cut.

As you can see, my taste in flake tobacco varies, but for some reason, I cannot seem to befriend the Gawith style, and it is not for lack of trying. Perhaps I will try again next year.

My recommendation: If you like the Gawith blends, then by all means partake. For me it doesn't work, but we all have different tastes, and many of you may not like what I enjoy.

Regardless, it is the holiday season, and my best wishes extend to all.

Mana from heaven for sure. This masterpiece beats all flakes I have ever tried, and I've tried a few in my 12 years as pipe smoker.

The flake is dense and dark, almost like rubber or pencil eraser and it is very difficult to rub out. It is also oily and greasy, but I seriously doubt that propylene glycol is being used here. FVF smeels sweet and stoved - like bright sultanas and prunes; which is, IMHO, an indicator of extremely fine VA.

Plumes of rich, thick and creamy smoke emerges from the bowl and notes of melted butter, whipped cream and Bailey's comes to mind. While being gentle this beauty also packs a good wallop, and to summon up: FVA has it all, not too strong as some Lakelands, not too sharp top-notes as some of the brighter VAs, not too zesty as some of the US products and most important: Not that German "remake-taste" as many blends tend to have these days.

One of the few true, still English made, quality flakes available. A true masterpiece from SG

Jakob Kiilerich, Denmark

This FVF is NOT a standard that other virginia tobac's should be compared to. Hal O' the Wynd is much more Tangy and Tasty!!

Appearance and Tin Aroma: Beautifully arrayed 1" by 3" flakes with lots of sugar crystals evident. Mostly darker VA leaf. Smells like a good fortified hay, definitely rivals the best out there.

Packing and Lighting:I tried many ways and settled on rolling a slice and then peeling a few strands off of another slice and gently rubbing out on top of the rolled slice in the pipe. This blend seemed to taste best in this way IMO. The flakes are pretty oily and when the tin is firsst opened, can be a little fussy to light. 3-5 Lights typical, but worth it.

Initial Flavor: This is smooth, complex, and rich from the get go. I am sorry I waited so long to try this flake. You get sweet notes, middle notes, bottom notes, etc...

Mid-Bowl: Delicious, round, and smooth. There is a symphony of flavor. DGT works awesome at this point.

Bottom of Bowl: Yes, there is a definite increase in strength, but it is not overbearing. I usually will take a sip, let it go out and relight and repeat this until done. Ash is mottled and fairly fine. Can leave a lot of moisture in the shank when the tin is first opened. You will be left pleasantly satiated when done.

Overall: This is a world-class VA flake. I thought that Marlin Flake was the standard by which to judge all other flakes. I was wrong. This blend is the standard. It is truly delicious and ages marvellously. Go get some now! Lastly, you do not have to worry about tongue-bite with this blend as it generates plenty of flavor at the slightest sip, nicotine is there a plenty too, so eat before you smoke. Enjoy....

The review of fourshephards below completely agrees with my experience with FVF, so I get off easy here. A top-notch tobacco, a standard VA flake.

In my opinion, Full Virginia Flake should serve as the standard of comparison by which ALL other Va flakes should be judged. It has a smooth, almost buttery flavor that is as depndable as a swiss watch. It has perfect burning characteristics - always burning down to a fluffy mottled white/brown ash. The flavor, grassy and a little sweet at the match, gathers some strength sa the bowl is consumed, though it never gets sour or bitter. It can nip at your tongue if you get too aggressive with it, but this is rarely a problem as you will want to smoke it gently in order to make it last longer.

In the tin, it appears as thin, flexible pieces of asphalt with some lighter mottlings here and there. It may need to dry out a bit as it can be a little moist at the tin's first opening.

I feel FVF performs best in a mid-size or larger bowl in order to give it time to develope as you smoke.

Highest marks, Highest Recommendations.

A cigarette is to be smoked. A cigar is to be enjoyed. A pipe is to be savored.

I rate this tobacco 9.98 out of 10.

Absolutely not flavored (which is good, compared to some soapy scents that Samuel Gawith applies to the vast majority of their products), this is almost exactly what the name says. "Almost", because it's not that full in my opinion: it's very tasty, but it's actually a medium bodied tobacco and nicotine content is low (I had two whole flakes in a huge Mastro de Paja and at the end I was perfectly allright).

A sweet, natural, very pleasant tobacco: pure virginia (probably African) joy. Nothing is wrong in this tobacco: honeyed flavors, a gentle round smoke, no nasty notes, no tonguebite.

Why not a maximum rating? Probably because it's so "perfect" that sometimes it leaves me wishing for some interesting "excess", for some weird change of taste or a sudden growth of intensity.

But this is a very minor complaint: it's one of the very few Virginias I'd pick immediately for a relaxing, uncomplicated evening smoke.

Ian Weeks Chicago, Illinois

I had already been a fan of "Best Brown Flake", but I believe that "Full Virginia Flake" is even better. The flavour was full, rich, and heady without being overwhelming or cloying. The room note reminded me of hay and leather (good quality leather used for saddles, baseball gloves, etc.) After I realised how much I like this, I began puffing even more slowly, in hopes of making the bowl last longer.

I detected nothing unusual or unpleasant in the flavour, aroma, or burning characteristics of this tobacco (except that it doesn't last long enough to suit me). This is the first tobacco I've tried in a long time that I feel warrants a bulk order...and soon!

FVF is the closest thing I've found to two of my old favorites, Capstan Full and Gallahers Rich Dark Honeydew flake (when they were manufactured in England). Capstan Full was a wonderful flake and I'd almost say that this is the same tobacco.

For those who like a rich, cool and satisfying 100% Virginia Flake then you need to try this. Superb!

This is a nice, straightforward Virginia flake, similar to other nice, straighforward Virginia flakes I've tried. This tastes particularly similar to the flakes I find in my local tobacconists' jars. I'll let the currect tin age awhile and try again later.

The flakes are gooey enough to plug a radiator leak. How this thing burns at all is beyond me.

Addendum, 9/04: For me, this blend practically defines the phrase "I smoke this on occasion." The floral components are not nearly as heavy handed as in other VAs bearing the Gawith name, or as in any of a number of more over the top British offerings. Although they are at first somewhat intriguing, if not compelling, they nonetheless grow less interesting with repeated use, leaving a very monochromatic smoke. When I use it infrequently, I am pleased, but when I visit it too often, I am not.

Regardless, opening the tin revealed a nice scent, not unlike Nori, that blossomed into a wonderful earthy raisin/date/fig-like aroma. The smell is mouthwatering. The flakes arrive moist, but not drenched. However, they're way too wet for me to smoke out of the tin.

I always allow flakes like these to dry before smoking, and I only set out and prepare as much as I think I'll need for the bowl in hand. I slice the flakes into two sizes: a cube-like cut that I rub out, as well as some very narrow strips that I fully rub out to use as kindling.

Packing this stuff requires a gentle hand. I never use any pressure to load a bowl. I sprinkle in what will fit, tap the sides and bottom of the pipe to get everything to settle, then continue loading. Midway through, I'll sprinkle some of the narrow-cut leaf in to aid the burn. Then I add more of the broad-cut leaf and top the whole thing off with the narrow.

The light is simple, though a few lights may be necessary. This stuff can burn all the way down with one or two lights, and it's smooth enough that I can puff the way I want to without experiencing bite.

FVF offers a good mouthfeel and a flavor-forward smoke that serves up one big note after another, rather then weaving them in and out. You may note some grassy flavors, particularly if your embers are about to die out. The cilantro/soap notes are kept to a minimum. They're actually quite nice in this instance, and I rarely experience them past the early puffs of the top third. Otherwise, it's rich, sweet, natural VA flavor. Great stuff.

The mid-bowl notes also are fantastic: freshly baked bread, dark coffees, dark chocolate, roasted nuts, and other savory delights. End bowl is as good as the rest, but if you smoke this stuff on the wet side, you may find some dottle. If not, it smokes clean to the heel.

The smoke is constantly delicious, never getting bitter or too hot. Nicotine is not an issue. The "Full" in FVF must refer to the flavor and/or body.

FVF is a regular in my VA line up, right along with Dark Star. FVF is worth buying by the pound (by the truckload??), aging, and smoking regularly. It's truly a satisfying and wonderful smoke. Enjoy it.

a) I like this tobacco very much.

b) At minimum, this is an essential tobacco for rounding out the experience of the gourmandizing pipester.

c) Read Paddy's excellent review in this sequence, if you haven't already.

Maybe just a touch sweeter than some of its competitors.

Tin aroma: Hmmm, very interesting. Intriguing, even. What IS that? Not quite McClelland ketchup, not quite G. L. Pease raisin, close to molasses but a little less sweet-- then I named it: A1 sauce! But not in a cloying way, just enough to tantalize your nose and taste buds and promise a little sweetness and complexity.

Flavor: Creamy, slightly sweet and complex, just honest Virginia what-you-smell-is-what-you-get. Good nicotine hit, can be too buzzy if smoked too fast, along with that old tongue bite if not puffed gently to let it remain cool. A bit hard to light without thorough rubbing out because of the moisture, I like to let a few flakes dry out for a day or so before loading them. Then it just gets better and better, and the flavor grows as the bowl burns down. It's great as is, but sometimes I like to try mixing different blends, and my favorite home blend involves a few flakes of this along with an equal amount of bulk pressed Burley (McClelland bulk X-30) and just the tiniest pinch of Latakia. The result is smooth, creamy, nutty, slightly sweet, and complex with a hint of campfire, everything I look for in a cigar without the stink! Room aroma is true to the flavor and tin aroma, medium strong but very pleasant. Very nice-- a keeper in my stash anyday.

When you open the tin you can't help but be impressed by the excellent presentation that Samuel Gawith gives the tobacco. Nice thick, "meaty" flakes. I let a flake sit and dry for a while for this review, then rubbed it out roughly and loaded it into one of my favorite pot bowl pipes. A charring light, a tamp, and a second light got the tobacco going nicely. Once the ember got going, the full mellow VA tobacco flavor comes through. I had no trouble with any tongue bite; this is a nice cool smoke. No relights were required until the final 1/4 of the bowl, when a few relights were required (which could be due to a poor packing job). There is a fair amount if nicotine in this tobacco, but not enough to make it unpleasant. I've also found that this tobacco works well with the DGT treatment. Overall an excellent tobacco for the lover of pure, unadulterated Virginias.

On opening the tin I detected an interesting grassy "green" vegetation sort of smell. My cats heard me opening something (with some tins such as GL Pease they think it's me opening a can of cat food) and immediately came to check it out. Normally they take a quick sniff and flee, but they actually found this tobacco rather interesting (they like eating grass and stuff). Luckily they finally decided that it wasn't fit for their consumption. Anyway, it was kind of strange to find a tobacco that they found interesting. Hopefully this "green" smell isn't a sign of insufficient age.

Early on in the tin this stuff had a very strong flavor which I interpreted as just natural tobacco flavor, but that seems to have died down after a couple of weeks, or maybe I have just gotten used to it. (The "green" smell has died down as well. This makes me wonder if it's actually a topping of some sort that I was tasting.) Now the tobacco tastes a bit soapy or something like Dunhill Light Flake.

Overall this tobacco is not as sweet as other virginias I've tasted but it has more of that leafy sort of tobacco flavor than most. I think it's got less topping than dunhill light flake.

Maybe I'm just too picky or something but I think I prefer virginias with less topping and more "spice" and natural sweetness. If this and light flake are both "Lakeland" tobaccos then, though decent, perhaps lakeland isn't my favorite. Of such scented flakes though I think this is my favorite of the ones I've tried.

ADDENDUM

After writing that review I discovered that the pipe I was using had too much gunk built up in the shank. I have only used this pipe to smoke virginias and lately only this tobacco, so I figure that must have been exaggerating the topping (especially after smoking in a cleaner pipe seemed to bring out a more natural flavor.) Anyway, even after smoking in a clean pipe I'm sure this has at least a bit of that perfumey flavoring. Even with the buildup I had rated it only "very mild" on flavoring and I just changed that to "extremely mild".

I have since taken the dirty pipe, scraped out ALL the cake, and scrubbed the shank quite thoroughly with those bristle pipe cleaners and alcohol. I'll have to be more careful about cleaning these things in the future (even if they've only been smoked with one tobacco since the last cleaning).

The pressed, pliable flake and steamed aroma mark this tobacco as a Lakelands product. The hay-like qualities and lack of TEFs lead me to believe that this is from Samuel Gawith?s fine line of unscented Virginias. I love this line. They have the ?brown? richness of Zimbabwean steamed Virginias (like G&H), plus a grassy, sweet character that is tantalizing.

I was only able to smoke one bowl of this before SWMBO's smoking moratorium (Memorial Day to Labor Day) kicked in, but this seems very close to Samuel Gawith's FVF. But is seems a bit sweeter and more complex, with less of FVF's nice edge and strength. If it is BBF, my high opinion is maintained. If it is one of SG?s other Virginia flakes, I have yet another SG to add to my top tobacco list, to join the other fine SG blends.

(Postlogue: The donor of this tobacco later revealed that this sample had been aged for 2 1/2 years, perhaps accounting for the changes noted).

I love the tin aroma of this blend - rich and buttery sweet tobacco.

Some may claim that it is one-dimensional in flavor. Hmm, take some time and ponder the many dimensions. I don't know that "full" is the operative word in this blends description, but it is of the highest quality. This is what straight VA flakes aspire to attain when they grow up.

I can smoke this and ellicit comments of how good is smells, interesting response for a "straight" tobacco.

How can I describe this one? Rich and buttery, even the smoke has a creamy texture in the mouth. This is something you must try if you like a good Virginia.

4.5 out of 5 halos (smoke rings).

Personally I wouldn?t smoke it all day, because by the end of the bowl you do get a subdued harshness that tends to go relatively bitter. It also provides quite a strong nicotine kick. But other than that, it seems to me an excellent example of what a clear-cut, uncomplicated Virginia tobacco tastes like. Again, if someone out there is trying to switch from cigarettes to pipe smoking, Full Virginia Flake can be an excellent choice, albeit it?s by no means a beginner?s tobacco.

A joy of a smoke - this really is an example of why pipesmoking is the superior way to smoke. Don't deny yourself the pleasure of this baccy.

NB: This blend has none of the horrible "soapiness" that sometimes comes with some of the other Samuel Gawith flakes (e.g. Best Brown) which is a relief.

This has a very ordinary and nothing to shout about flavor, and, it will certainly bite your tongue if you puff too rapidly. A slow burn brings out the flavor better anyway. It is a difficult smoke for me to appreciate as the flavor puts me off a bit. It does have a lingering room note that won't run off the wife and kids.

If a grassy tasting straight virginia is a regular menu item for you (it is not for me), then this may be for you. I suspect aging will mellow out this blend and according to my palate, it does indeed need mellowing. I know a lot of folks are shouting this blend's wonders, but I just don't get it myself.

I will not search again my quote from Alfred Dunhill, to the effect that "Empire" [i.e., Zimbabwe] flakes are rather monotonous and one-dimensional: I get a generalised feeling of bloated smokiness from FVF that is not unpleasant, but not very stimulating, either, and, at flake-length, becomes boring.

I am sorry to be a party-pooper, but I don't really see what all the fruity-toned crowing about the "Lake District" marvels is all about?I am yet to try one truly memorable mix from S. Gawith & Co., or Gawith, Hoggarth, Ltd. Would so much clucking ensue if the 'baccies were blended in, say, the vicinity of Lake Winnipesaukee?? I think not.

Royal Vintage has put out flakes just as predictable, and as well processed, as this. Not to mention such legends as ST BRUNO, the stronger CAPSTAN, or the Sobranie Pure Virginia?R.I.P.

My own favourite Virginia flake, bar none, is the misnamed LIGHT FLAKE from Dunhill: it is a flavoursome beauty, much more entertaining than this monochromatic, stolid heavyweight, and made, not in some swampy backwater, but where NIGHTCAP and My MIXTURE 965 are made. It has a much nicer finish than this lake thing.

Physical Characteristics: Perhaps the prettiest flakes I have ever seen, they are predominately dark drown with flecks and swirls of tan and light brown through them. They really are a marvel to look at. I am not one for rubbing out a flake, prefering to fold and roll, which this flake is amply pliable to handle, and my experimental flake did rub out nicely.

Notes: Now this is a satisfying smoke! Big bold tobacco taste, a slightly spicy, lingwering aftertaste, and a good sized nicotine hit. What a perfect flake for an ex-cigarette smoker. This flake and some strong dark coffee create some wonderful early morning experiences. For me, a good first smoke of the day, it gets me up and moving. Being that it is a Lakeland district tobacco, I was on the lookout for the telltale 'soapy' flavor they are all said to have, but I have not been able to discern as such. The room note is rather strong, and not what I would call pleasant to a non smoker, or another smoker for that matter, so be warned!

The tin aroma is attractive yet subtle, especially when one considers the flavors this tobacco offers when smoked. Although it can be a slight pain to get the burn going it is well worth it. Virginias are touted highly for their sweetness, the naturally high sugar content. FVF is no excpetion, err, but it is... it's not sweet in a kid in a candy store manner, rather in an adultlike "pass the molasses for my oatmeal..damn, this is real good sh*t" way. It's certainly not the most complicated Virginia I have smoked, but it's one of the most consistent and it solidly delivers taste and pelasure down to a pale greyish white ash. Due to the steaming process, this tobacco is much headier than many of the lighter Virginia flakes -and bites much much less. Defintiely worth trying....definitely worth putting away in the cellar for aging.