If you like your virginia blends on the sweeter side, this is the one to try.

Type: Natural Virginia flake ; Contents: Brown virginia (I think) ; Cut: Flake (better rubbed) ; Humidity: Wet and tender with a very good smell of dried fig ; Lighting: Not so easy in the first place, but once lighted constant burning ; Pipe recommended: Rubbed in a bent pipe

However, again like an old dog, if it is too wet you don't want to get too near it (although it does smell better). It often needs a considerable amount of drying. I remove it from the tin, rough it up and leave it open in a jar overnight, then cap it and put it away for awhile, checking it, and if necessary, opening the jar again for awhile. Once it dries it is an easy smoke anytime, and stays fresh in the jar for onks. It's also a good staple for the 'cellar' as it gains with age.

BBF is a classic. It is a no nonsense, easy-does-it flake, with which every smoker should be acquainted.

P.S. Sometimes I think this may contain a smidgeon of Turkish (Izmir) leaf... Don't pick it up on the tongue as much as I catch an occasional whiff in the air...

The opposite side of the coin to FVF, and the most similar to it of any tobacco made. You can not beat a Samuel Gawith Va flake, period. FVF and BBF comprise a third of my cellar, and there are only three other Va flakes that I consider worth keeping around as a diversion. This is just a brilliant, historical pipe tobacco.

The Lakeland tour. This might be my Coniston Old Man.

Very straightforward flakes of Virginia. In my 50g tin the flakes are thick cut and chunky, slightly sticky and moist. I always make the mistake of trying to smoke straightaway upon opening the tin and then upon realising my mistake get to giving the flakes plenty of time to sit in the air before smoking. Like FVF it can be tricky to get right but I've hit the spot a couple of times with this so far and it can be seriously sublime. One night I managed to get that almost-going-out tempo with it and it smouldered for a full hour delivering the tastiest trickle of smoke. Utterly becalming and joyous. Other times it's just alright and requiring plenty of relighting.

Basically though the tobacco is top notch; it's my pipe smoking and my pipes that are wanting.

At the moment I'm smoking this back to back with St Bruno Flake and the difference is marked.

At some point I'm going to get something from S Gawith in bulk and this could be it.

BBF is slow burning, very creamy, woodsy and earthy in taste, just like FVF. Its advantage, I find, is that it is easier to master in its smoking, which gives my preference over FVF.

If you are looking for a pure and delicious straight VA, try BBF. The only thing that prevents me from giving it 4 stars is that SG's flakes are hard to deal with, making them harder to smoke and keep lit.

This tobacco really offers the full sweetness that one should expect from straight virginia's. I found this tobacco to be a lot more full flavored than FVF, and smoked a lot smoother.

I got a tin of this stuff to get myself back into pipe smoking (I hadn't been smoking much the past 6 months or so) and I found that very quickly my pipe would get really hot, but after letting it dry out and packing a bit looser, it smoked nice and cool.

This stuff is great for everyday smokes. Like another review stated, it's one dimensional so you'll be getting pretty much the same experience every time you smoke it. But I don't mind.

A should try. Nice mild flake. Not really my thing, I want a stronger flake. I'd give it 4 stars for quality aged strips but I took two off because you're really only getting a little over 1/2 a tins worth once it dries to an acceptable level to smoke. Way way too wet for my money.

Tin aroma:Sour citrus/sour plum,stewed fruits-very juicy, fruity, fruit salad-sour apples.

Contents:Golden brown tigers eye streaky gold,ginger & brown rough cut stringy uneven flakes.(i don't really care about presentation as long as its good baccy)looks like loose sold but in a tin.

Quite moist to touch,i have to admit i was expecting a darker or "un-chocolate" flake to be honest-like their chocolate flake offering.

This is quite wine-like,fruity wine,and reminds me at this point of a flake equivalent to Dunhill Royal Yacht's ready rubbed.

Considering its moisture it takes light ok(i rubbed it out into a semi stringy flakey ball and just loaded,feels like grass).

First off i get a bright citrusy virginia,followed by a darker burn't orange(alegorically speaking),more mature virginias, or darker maybe redder virginia.It has slight tang but definately no bite.

Winey and slightly sour (definately no bitterness)but not so multi fruity in the mouth at this point.In my mind this baccy has been re-christened "golden flake",it tastes more gold than brown in my mind.

Smoking this in an old vintage 'Park-Drive' aluminium stem system pipe with moisture trap ala Falcon style:This pipe has a very slim @ 2.0-2.5mm draught diameter smoke tube which concentrates the taste nicely for the virginias in this juicy sweet and lemony sour virginia flake.There maybe some small burly in here but i am mainly getting virginias.

Tasting a cross between a number of already familiar smokes in my current possetion;Dunhill light flake,Dunhill Royal Yacht,Gold Block(when smoked in the ronson 3 way),Capstan Ready Rubbed,Peterson 3ps.

I like it already;think of it as a Dunhill medium flake but ultimately Samuel Gawith - it has the SG meaty and full pastry butchers pie factor;think of earthy new potatoes;rich but medium,not a dark flake.

I get hints of cloudy bitter lemonade in here,naturally sweet and definately unsweetened - perhaps like a pancake with lemon and no sprinkled sugar.

Bitter lemonade seems to be my best alegorical description to describe the taste and aroma,perhaps sour apple,or lemon grass -lemony apple.

A darker golden brown and more forgiving equivalent to Capstan Ready Rubbed - this is lemon as opposed to lemon peel(but i do like Capstan a lot btw)aromatically closer to peterson 3ps overal;for all the lemon going on in here it doesn't have any soap factor and hasn't once implied lemon squeezy dish water detergent.

Burns cooler than all its competitors i recon - its unique factor is its slight playdoh earthy new potato hint which assures you of its SG identity next to its simular contemporaries.

Probably mid level nicotine which feels like more, probably due to the taste association with other Samuel Gawith heavy hitters,it seems a heavy virginia that punches more than its body weight.

Burns down to a totally burn't fluffy ash,i only have to wipe out the moisture trap about twice in a full medium bowl session.

Very mild lemony room note,leaves no strong amoniac linger.

Definately worth 3 stars at this point.Not as easily available to purchase in the highstreet,but is a lot more cooperative than other simulars. I will definately keep some on hand and buy again because i have a feeling i will get through this tin quicker than a lot of others.

Easily an all day smoke,very easy.Complimetary drink would be iced lemon tea.

UPDATE 04/07/12 I have finally realised what this baccy really tastes like because i just so happened to be drinking while smoking at the same time recently,i can best describe the taste of this as like an old english cider,think of "strongbow" cider. If you like apple cider the chances are that you might appeciate this because the taste is as near as dammit.

The tobacco burned to a fine white ash and left nothing in my bowl. There is absolutely no bite to this tobacco and it has now become one of my go to smokes. The fact that you can buy this stuff by the pound makes it an exceptional value in my book. I highly recommend this to any Virginia lover and anyone who happens to smoke a pipe.