Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Best Brown #2 pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 43 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >
doc'spipe	03/21/2013	Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
I've been enjoying GH offerings as of late (Brown Flake Unscented & Scented, and Rum Flake). I now decided on Best Brown #2. Packed in the typical GH way in the plastic baggie, folded neatly and inserted into the tin. Moisture content was good and not overly moist as with SG tobaccos. Initial tin aroma had no soap smell whatsoever. The tobacco smelled like yeast/unbaked bread and with deep sniffing something I was familiar with but couldn't quite describe. It was not floral in any way. At times it reminded me of a ginger snap cookie, but I'm not sure if what I was smelling was actually ginger. What ever it was, I did like it. There was no pre-light taste detected on the draw. I rubbed it up a bit and it loaded easily. Lighting was no problem and only required a few re-lights along the way due to its freshness. Overall the smoke was very smooth. The Virginias made themselves known but in a subtle, spicy way. There was no taste of the typical Lakeland soap or florals in this one. I would have to say that this is one of the most balanced Virginia/Burley blends I have ever smoked. It was sweet in a natural way, not cloying, but good Va sweetness, and had no bitterness whatsoever. It never burned hot regardless of my puffing cadence. There was no moisture/gurgling issues. Just a clean, smooth tobacco taste with that hint of that Virginia spice throughout. The Burleys were not at all harsh and there were no throat issues either. It is milder than their Brown Flake Unscented - not as full bodied - but also different in taste profile as well. This, for me, is a set it and forget it smoke that is enjoyable from first puff to the last. A well put together flake and one I could smoke more than one bowl a day, each and every day. Much preferred over SGs Brown Flake by way of comparison. My experience is GH smokes are smooth and SG smokes are rough. Highly recommended! UPDATE 3-25-13: Flakes are drying out nicely in the tin/bag they were packed in. Sniffing reveals a real nice depth in the aroma. Deep like licorice -and in combo with a subtle hint of molasses. Translates into the taste very nicely, too!
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joeljcj2	03/01/2013	Very Mild	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant
i am currently smoking from a 500g bulk box of gh-bb2 which i sealed 2 yrs ago. it is quite wonderful. mild and gentle, smoothed out nicely by burley,nice fresh virginia taste, chocolate? a wee bit lakeland-floral but not excessive. i usually smoke sam gawith best brown, and this is more different than i had remembered---more floral certainly, maybe even smoother. it burns beautifully, cool right down to a fine white powder. i do not taste either perique or any latakia or that family.... no spice. it is remarkably consistent from the start right now to the dottle. ( eh- a little sharp at the dottle but what isn't?). this makes a fine tobacco when aged like this. i wish i had aged more of it.
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JimInks	11/28/2012	Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable
The Lakeland essence is present, but not as much as the floral, herbal taste that tends to dominate the burley and Virginias all too often. This is top quality tobacco that pleases, even more so if you dry it out a little, though that seems to strengthen the vegetative taste somewhat. I can't smoke it regularly, but when I do, I find it to be a good outdoor smoke that goes well with coffee. If you have a taste for this kind of blend, it'll be more of a regular smoke than the stronger versions will allow.
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Puffingstuff	08/16/2012	Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
I'm with my Engish friend who say's he's never found a soap that smells like tobacco. I too get tired of hearing "soapy taste".But I guess if that is what it tastes like to you...very well then. This is very fine tobacco that I think doesn't get enough respect. Do you like Stonehaven? Well here you are! Just with an almond and floral essence that makes it even more delectable. Smooth, mild, nutty,sweet and well rounded. This tobacco can be an all day smoke. Goes great with a coffee.
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nesta	08/07/2012	Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is my very favorite tobacco, and I've identified it as such for quite a while. However, I haven't reviewed it here, and I suppose I have a good bit to say about it. I am smoking a bowl of this right now. Probably the fourth bowl of the stuff today, maybe only the third. I did smoke a bowl of Kendal Dark earlier today, another favorite of mine. The past two days I smoked nothing at all except for Best Brown #2. Why? I wanted to get reacquainted with it. I wanted to get to know it better. I think I have, and while I don't think I can write a review to do it justice, I can express my take on it. This was the first GH tobacco I ever smoked, and I certainly didn't know what to expect. At first I found it overwhelmingly flavored, with a bizarre, highly floral and perfumed taste. I had never had anything like it before! Now as I sit here smoking it, I have to really concentrate to get any floral notes. Did they disappear? I don't think so. I just got used to them. I think that for those who haven't allowed themselves to become accustomed to floral tobaccos, the bizarre novelty of this blend may exaggerate the matter. It certainly eclipsed any tobacco flavor for me at first. But it is, in fact, applied conservatively and I now have to work to find it in the flavor. This is rather sweet but never cloying. It has a solid tobacco backbone and is medium in strength; mild enough to accompany the morning coffee or tea, strong enough to satisfy after a big meal or at the end of the day. It is slightly fruity, and very slightly spicy - I think I get a hint of clove. There is something floral going on here, but the more I smoke it the less I taste it and the more I find what I consider the true character of the blend. This comes both tinned and loose, and I've had both. They taste the same, but in my experience the tinned flakes are thinner and easier to work with. I'm smoking from a 500g package I bought, though, not the 50g tin. For me this burns cool and with minimal relights when rubbed out and allowed to dry slightly, but not bone dry. If dried to a crisp it can get bitey when pushed - otherwise I've never gotten any tongue bite from this blend. I highly recommend this, and it is a favorite of mine. I recommend trying it, with the caveat that it is not at all "for everybody." But if it suits your tastes, it may just be the perfect all day smoke for you. It is for me.
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internurd	06/24/2012	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant
I have tried every Gawith Hogarth blend and I have settled on this as the most "reliable". I keep going back to it. Our American friends detect soap in some of these blends - I have never found a soap that smells like a Gawith Hogarth tobacco, or vice-versa,just wonderful aromas of floral and almond and so on in the tobaccos. There should be a separate website to discuss American soap, I would like to sample some and see if it smells like a pipe tobacco! (Pipe smoker of ten years), age 61. Available in UK in specialist shops only, my nearest is 20 miles away in Durham City, or I buy from many retailers on the internet.
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TallPuffO'Burley	05/29/2012	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable
My first experience with anything Gawith and I am impressed. In fact, I don't think I have finished any tin as quick as the 50g I purchased from P&C. I will definitely need to buy much more and in bulk. As to Lakeland/floral/soapy, there is back and forth as to whether this blend contains any. I am by no means an expert, but I must add that I tasted something that defintely resembled what I frequently see described as Lakeland essence. I enjoyed it and noticed a lot of floral scents in soaps and perfumes that reminded me of it. I am anxious to immerse myself in Gawith and think I will start with an order today.
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rintrah	05/08/2012	Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant
Excellent leaf. Highly recommend it.
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StylesSharpman	04/20/2012	Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
Lakeland in BB#2 ? I think not my friend, or so very little as to be undetected by me. Nope, all I get is a pleasant Burley Virginia smoke of medium strength. no bite
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Burner	03/02/2012	Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant
This is a fine Virginia burley flake with a subtle hint of Lakeland flavouring. I cannot understand the people who give this wonderful tobacco a one star review simply because they don’t like Lakeland flavouring – Which in this is so subtle as to make it scarcely noticeable. Simply saying I don’t like it is only a review of your personal proclivities not the tobacco itself. This is a solid three star blend which smokes cool and without bite, steamtrain puffing not withstanding. The Virginia base is rounded out nicely by the burley and the medium nicotine level combined with the luxurious texture of the smoke never fails to satisfy. If VABUR’s are your thing and you aren’t prejudiced against the merest hint of Lakeland flavouring, like some of the Pavlovian one star reviewers here, you will love this stuff.
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pipelovingcalvinist	11/23/2011	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
All in all, not a bad tobacco. It is presented in nice dark flakes with a light floral note in the tin. Upon smoking, the light floral note comes through which I rather liked. My biggest complaint is that the flavor just isn't bold enough for me and becomes boring after awhile. Other than that it is a decent flake deserving two and a half stars in my book. Soli Deo gloria!
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CoolPilot	10/27/2011	Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Lakeland flavour is disgusting. What a bad idea to buy GH tobacco tins, this is the second one I must give away after the Rum Flake.
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Vladlon	06/24/2011	Mild	Mild	Mild	Tolerable
So far not so good - hot burning (burley?), not so pleasant aroma...maybe this is a pipe, but i didn't think so....still keep trying...
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Mr. Big	06/16/2011	Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium	Tolerable
look, I don't like "Lakeland Floral" and this has it. The tobacco is of good quality but in my opinion is ruined by the "soap" flavor. I admit that the "LF" is very light, but even when I eat one piece of caviar it still tastes like rotten fish to me!
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TK Pipe	03/14/2011	Mild	Medium	Medium	Tolerable
Best Brown. #2 … Once you get by the third world tin presentation, you will be rewarded with a smooth, mild and bite free smoke, with outstanding burn characteristics, complimented with a unique mild bar soap, aroma and taste, with few familiar Virginia flavors present. After so many years of smoking the likes of McClelland, C/D and a splash of Danish Virginias, I have come to expect a certain flavor profile from my Virginias, not found in this blend, this stuff is to strange for my taste. But in all fairness, just because I don’t like anchovies on my pizza, does not mean you won’t, some love it that way, and some will love Best Brown #2, just not me. Guess there right, you can’t teach an old dog anything new.
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DK	02/09/2011	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
The G&H Lakeland tour continues, and continues to impress! Nice even brown appearance in the (2 oz) baggie. Just a faint whiff of what has become to be known as "Lakeland florals" but I would regard this as a mostly unscented tobacco. Very similar to my tastebuds to the Brown Flake Unscented that I just smoked but unfortunately, I didn't do a side-by-side comparison. Tasting notes indicate that the BFU was more earthy and rough, perhaps from a higher concentration of burley. This one was creamier - an almost buttery finish to the taste. Milder, but still with a decently robust flavor. Since I've ordered pounds of both, I'll be able to compare them and update this review. As it stands, this seems to be the one to recommend to someone that found DFU just a bit unruly and feisty. BB #2 is a slightly tamer version, without the taste suffering. G&H flakes are without peer. If you want to try one without a lot of the extra flavors/scents they put in their blends but still want one that is mild, here is a good start.
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Budman	10/10/2010	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
I really do not understand some of the reviewers complaining about the floral and soapiness. This blend does not have that at all. This is just a great old fashioned Burley and Virginia flake. In my opinion the sweetness is merely from the high quality Virginia used and not a topping. No need to reinvent the wheel here. Rub it out, let it dry some and smoke it. Highly recommended.
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KinnScience	09/26/2010	Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is a great lakeland flake. It is the epitome of English tradition. I've always said that the flavor of anything can be reduced to terms that carry negative connotation. McClelland flavor to Ketchup, Lakeland to soap and flowers, etc. The problem with this is that our tongues can only detect a limited number of flavors, and we can reduce anything down to a common term such as "ketchup" or whatever. Someone can say that a delicate Merlot tastes like "grape kool-aid with too little sugar added" if they seek to "reduce to absurdity", if you will. Ignoring the subtle delicacies that play upon our palate to "sweet", "sour", "bitter", ignores the subtle combinations. I wonder how Lakeland was described before the masses had "dove" soap, or whatever folks are calling the Lakeland flavor these days. Most people in the 1800's didn't know what modern day soap tastes or smells like ... especially men. To these populations, this Lakeland tobacco was probably described as having a "buttery" flavor married with a "blackberry wine". Perhaps our modern day industrial society has produced so many artificial flavors along with condiments with preservatives that we begin to identify everything we taste by common foods, condiments, and toiletries that are mass produced. If we want to reduce what would otherwise be experienced as enjoyable flavors in our wines, tobaccos, teas, etc. Then we may be missing something. I've heard those with developed palates say of many things, "you have to develop a taste for it". Caviar is one such experience (though I never have developed a taste for sturgeon eggs... salmon .. sure.. but not black or green caviar). "Bitter" is another "developed taste" (English beer .. heavy on the hops). What if someone said that John Adams beer tastes like raw Kale? Would that be accurate? I won't say BB#2 it tastes like soap and flowers. Instead I'll say that It renders subtle flavors of blackberry and buttered brandy. The nutty flavor of Burly comes through and Burly is further tamed by the Lakeland flavor. The Virginia offers a subtle and natural sweetness. For those of you who don't enjoy a "full-on" Lakeland flavor, aging takes the Lakeland down considerably. After a year, The Lakeland is better than half of what it was when fresh. Also, the Virginia comes through better over the Burly. Be sure to dry it a bit before smoking (I fill my bowls the night before smoking). For those who don't want any flavor at all ... try the G&H Best Brown Unscented. One final note: The Lakeland flavor/aroma is something for which you have to develop a taste. :-) 3 stars
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Perique Freak	07/27/2010	Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
The current unavailability of Samuel Gawith flakes, my favorites, has sent me on a tour of Gawith & Hoggarth tobaccos. Since all my old English favorites from the last century (Rattray's et al.) have moved to the continent and been changed beyond recognition, I try to smoke only tobaccos actually manufactured in Britain. At first I was put off by the descriptions (floral notes, soapy aroma, etc.), but I decided to give them a try. Maybe I've gotten accustomed to the tastes now, and in any case I'm sticking to the ones that are not listed with lots of added flavors, but I'm finding them to be excellent tobaccos. My favorite so far is this Best Brown #2. This is a bit of a surprise to me, because I normally don't like Burley, but here it adds some depth to the smoke, and perfectly balances the sharpness of the Virginia. As with Sam Gawith's products, the quality of the leaf is superb. The initial hit of floral note on light-up quickly dissipates, and the flake burns slowly and coolly down to the end. For my taste, these flakes were made for corncobs, and it's made me rediscover the virtues of corncobs. The moisture content is perfect for me straight from the baggie, and I just fold and stuff the flakes right in.
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Tony	07/20/2010	Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant
Hey man this dark brown flake is really satisying to me and nice nicotine hit with out being intestinally challenging. After I got the tin opened I stuck my nose in the bag and received a good hearty burley kind of aroma. I rubbed out the flake and found the moisture level just right for lighting immediately with out needing to let it dry some. I did put the remaining flakes into a jar as the tin didin't seem to keep a tight enough closure. I have to say this is a classy blend. Not too heavy but nice enough for that late just before retiring smoke. A strong THREE star rating for sure. 8/27/2010: In my previous review I was noting on BB#2 from a tin. Today I want to say the I just recieved BB#2 in bulk. Upon opening my package I immediately broke up some of the flake and had a smoke right away as I was seriously anticipating having BB#2 around again. I was treated with a nice full wholesome smoke and what surprised me is that the taste and room note reminded me of a sample of McQuaid Plug! Now I don't want to steer anyone away from this blend by mentioning that it only 'reminded' me of a plug tobacco. I know that there are people that shy away from plug at just the idea of it. This is ONLY my humble untrained observation. BB#2 is a great blend and I recommend it to anyone who indulges in briar. Also I feel it necessary to say that just becasue it reminded me of plug it did not leave a ghost in my pipe. I fired 'er up in my large bowl Nording pipe only a couple months old and it faired very well. I'm going to give the bulk BB#2 a FOUR STAR t this point!
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 43 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >