Samuel Gawith - Best Brown Flake pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
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rramstad	03/07/2010	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Earlier in the day I smoked some Kendal Plug as a contrast. I have a lot of problems with light VA and bite, especially things like Coniston Cut Plug and MacBaren Virginia #1. BBF unfortunately bites me quite a bit, on a scale from 0 to 10, with 10 being the worst, I rate it a 4. (For reference, 5 would be something I'd smoke very occasionally because I like the flavor enough and am willing to put up with the bite.) The taste profile on this is a bit thinner in body than Kendal Plug, and also somewhat more monochromatic. It's a nice flavor, but doesn't really change or develop down the bowl as much as other offerings from Samuel Gawith. FVF is still my favorite in this line, along with Squadron Leader.
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ProdigalWeb	01/16/2010	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is a great all-Virginia flake. The tin aroma is to die for. That great Virginia aroma of ripe figs and raisins. The flavor is very nice but very plain Virginia. I'm getting used to a little more spice from perique or orientals. I'm sure SG makes these too. The tobacco is a little wet out of the can, so I'm experimenting with what is the right moisture. I'm also experimenting with whether to smoke it as a flake or to rub it out. I'm having better luck with rubbed out at the moment but my flake technique is improving.
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Prior Wrath	01/10/2010	Mild to Medium	None detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is my everyday smoke. Exceptionally great virginia flake with myriad of nuances. No rubbing necessary, I just like to fold it so it just fits into the pipe. Keep it very slow.
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Easter Egg	01/06/2010	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
My first pure virginia without added orientals, and also my first attempt at a flake. Took the flakes and tore them into narrow strips of about 2 cm (a bit longer than 3/4 inch for our non metric friends) then let them air out for 5 minutes. Packed in a churchwarden with medium size bowl. I think next time it might need a bit more drying next time, I had to relight quite a few times. Great cool smoke, fabulous taste, no tongue burn, just the right amount of Nic for my liking. Next time i might have the courage to try the packing method as explained on the Mac-baren website : http://www.mac-baren.com/TopMenu/Expert-Knowledge/Flake-Tobacco/How-to-fill-a-pipe-1.aspx Will let you know later on how that turns out. After this first bowl, I am pretty confident BBF will come into my rotation together with Squadron Leader.
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DrDyson	12/30/2009	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
This is a nice, mild, gentle Virginia Flake: nothing fancy, with a sweet flavour and an unexceptionable room note. The tin note is ‘warm’ and natural, with none of the ‘Lakeland’ chemical properties that so many people dislike. It gets off to a humdrum start (the first few puffs taste like a strong cigarette, I find), but the flavour builds to a pleasant fullness after a few minutes, and you get a slow, cool, civilized smoke: no bite and no bizarre flavours. Enough nicotine, but certainly not too much. I don’t, to be honest, notice all that much difference between BBF and SG’s Medium Virginia Flake (aka Golden Glow), though BBF is possibly a bit milder: a tad too mild for some palates, perhaps. Like flakes in general (IMO), it’s better folded than rubbed out. When you first open the tin (you can also buy it loose, I believe) it’s a good deal too moist. This is a problem endemic to SG’s tinned tobaccos, and BBF, like so many of its companions, is best dried a bit before you light it. Apart from the minor drawback of excessive moisture, BBF is an excellent smoke for those who like VA flakes. A good all-day smoke, and a good tobacco to relax with; though I can imagine that some people will find it boring after a while, and want to turn aside to something a bit meatier.
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Thunderchunkie	12/21/2009	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
This one makes me wonder why I smoked ciggarettes for so many years. I would consider myself a complete idiot if it were not for the fact that I had enough sense to pick up a tin of this, lol. Toasty, Brown, slightly nutty tasting, almost malty. Very mild, smooth and gentle on the tongue, this is what tobacco should taste like. Being the first flake I have tried, preparing it was an adventure too (finally got it right on the 3rd bowl, hahaa!) Definitley damp out of the tin, needs some drying or it prob wont stay lit, didn't for me. baccy baccy num nums!
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Walkman	12/09/2009	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Best Brown Flake is one of my favorite tobaccos. It’s a medium brown Virginia that’s naturally sweet, nutty, and smooth. BBF doesn’t bite, requires few relights, and provides a nice volume of smoke. Highly recommended.
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kg0mz	12/08/2009	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is docile for a VA flake, not at all harsh on me billy goat. I like to rub it into a ball, poke it in there, and top it off with the crumbs. Steamy and grassy at first, but sweet like toasted bread by mid-bowl. Smooth and creamy. No bite and never bitter. Burns like a champ. Adequate strength. Not as bold as FVF, but not as astringent. I like both, but this I can enjoy as often as I please.
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babysinister	12/05/2009	Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant
I like the sweetness level in this mature Virginia. The sugar doesn't screw up the Virginia; burns well, just a little on the hot side but no drawbacks there, as it has no bite, which is a good thing in a straight Virginia. Perfect flake cut that is easy to fill and loves you a looong time. I just fold and insert in the bowl using the air pocket method, which works really great in a Dublin. Don't evade the sidestream, for it delivers a tobaccoey aroma that is nutty and redolent of a field of sweet hay on fire. And to put this review in perspective, I primarily like English/Balkan blends. Or at least I did up to now. Yes, this could be a realigning experience. Time will tell.
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dk-piper	11/30/2009	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
delicious flake. tobacco smells like citrus, orange, sweet. Very intense smell. Once lit, the tobacco reveals nutty aromas. Sidestream is just wonderful...roasted almonds and caramel come into my mind. Similarities to FVF are there. The best way to describe this baccy is..."the simple things/tobaccos in life are the most enjoyable." BestBrownFlake is a down-to-earth-tobacco. Very honest, very pure in taste. Smoke is gentle and smooth as silk. Mr. Gawith did it again! :)
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John W	11/19/2009	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
My favourite tobacco to date! I have for many years smoked aromatics and only in recent months ventured into pure Virginias, and also into flakes. The most notable thing is that unlike aromatics which in my experience tend to taste nasty in the final third of the bowl BBF smokes to a fine ash with no deterioration in taste at all. In fact while subtly changing the final third tastes easily as good as the first puff. I've mixed it with SG's Firedance when smoking indoors as the aroma seems preferable to my wife, but quietly yearn to retreat to my study for an experience uncontaminated by any topping at all. I enjoy it dried out a little or even straight from the tin, a flake or two simply rolled and stuffed, and it stays lit pretty much throughout. If you haven't tried it yet, order a tin!
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Rehfeldttw	11/12/2009	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
This is an excellent flake tobacco. It has a earthly/smokey taste with the strength being medium. Very mild sweetness to it which I have to look for carefully. Otherwise it is difficult to find that VA sweetness. Sip this blend and try not to puff too hard or you will get a bite. I recommand drying the tobacco for 10 to 15min per side. Overall a good tobacco to have in rotation.
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Morgoth	11/09/2009	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
Very natural Virginia, that is mild in taste and strength. The subdued flavour is of molasses and toasty oats...and is faultless for that ‘contemplative’ smoke. This blend does not have the minuscule sweet-spot that Full Virginia Flake seems to only rarely (IMO) reveal. Highly recommended. A companion infusion: a cup of java.
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karnevil9	10/27/2009	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
I will first say I love this. I love anything Samuel Gawith has. However it is a flake. I am not very fond of flakes. I found this one very hard to rub out. I found it even harder to light. This being said. Once it was lit and was going it was excellent. slow burning, cool, but not at first. The longer it burned the better it became all the way to the end. It has a nice sweetness to it from the Virginia's. It is just wonderful straight tasting tobacco. what could be better than that.
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PeterD	09/02/2009	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
This flake is a mighty fine example of pure Virginia tobacco. No flavorings, toppings, and no casing. It is not as one-dimensional as some say, rather a straight forward Virginia flake tobacco that I smoke any time of day or night. I do not dry this out too much as I prefer higher moisture content in flakes/plugs. This flake ages and maintains its character well. I smoke this in a group 4/5 straight billiard. I give this a 4 star recommendation as I find this a perfect example of top-notch manufacturing, flavor, consistency, and taste. ...a pipe is to be savored...
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Pipemanuk	08/22/2009	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
Well...this is the one Sam Gawith tobacco I have problems with. I don't doubt any of the positive comments made by others and my problems with this variety may be entirely due to the 500g box I have been struggling through, but every time I smoke this I get a sore roof of my mouth, EVERY time. The quality of the flakes is very uneven and there's lots of light striations to them as if there's a lot of sliced stalks in it...that's why I queried whether is a QC issue. Apart from this blend and an absolutely disgusting tin of FVF I had to throw away, I totally admire all their other blends. Other tins of FVF have been fine so I surmise that their QC leaves something to be desired sometimes. On the other hand it may be that the chemistry in my mouth just reacts badly to this particular blend. I have got a feeling someone else reported the same reaction as me so that may be it.
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Old Puffer	08/19/2009	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable
Although this blend is reminiscent of Full Virginia Flake in taste, I think it has it beat, hands down. FVF is darn hard to rub out and requires additional grinding to get it to a manageable grain size for packing. Not so with this blend. BBF is a finely shredded baccy that rubs out extremely easily and the thin string cut (with no sticks) makes it a snap for easy packing. The only drawback I found in it's delivered condition was too much moisture. Had to dry it out 2 full days on a cookie sheet to get it right. Packs extremely easily; lights easily with one false light; stays lit with no effort; smokes all the way down with no bad changes in flavor or smoking characteristics and leaves a nice, clean dark ash. Leaves the mouth and pipe with no bad after odors (the wife hasn't complained) or tastes. The flavor is IMHO pure, high quality, unadorned Virginia, and lots of it. Does not smoke hot and never a trace of a bite. This has become one of my favorite baccys and I will certainly keep a good stock on hand. A good everyday smoke that I don't think I could ever get tired of. Thank you, Sam!
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Rodrigo de Xerez	08/15/2009	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
Well, I normally do not like flakes... but this one has some delicious Virginias on it! Easier to fill the bowl than St.James or Balkan Flake. The colour is more brownie than colour in Golden Glow. Burns well and evolves in a good virginia smoking experience... creamy, slightly sweet and not boring at all. The taste is more toasty than the taste in Golden Glow (which I do prefer) Nevertheless, a recommended one for Virgina fans. Only problem is this can become a little bit boring if smoked bowl after bowl and tin after tin. RdX score: 87.90 (I revisit now and then, but I only regularly repeat tobaccos over 90)
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Steden	07/27/2009	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Update 09-20-2009: More smoke this tobacco and more I appreciate its incredible purity and quality. Dante Alighieri said: "nulla è più buono dell'uovo col sale" (transl. nothing is better than an egg with salt)he meant that the simple things are things better. Smoking BBF I can understand why. Original review: This is a wonderful Virginia! I agree completely with both the caption on the tin and with the previous reviewers. What I was pleasantly impressed is the high quality of the leaf and its perfect maturity and seasoning. The smoke is smooth, cool, velvety, with deliciously sweet taste, aroma and flavour of grain and delicate herbs. Smoking it is very relaxing, highly recommended.
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SirLoirn	07/10/2009	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild	Tolerable
Tin: A light colored blend, hues from blonde to light brown with some dark interspersed. A natural sweet hay and oats smell, not fragrant or floral. Comes folded in gold paper remniscent of Orlik GS , and in a form that reminds me of Wessex RVF and GVF. The pressed flake is a sheet 1x3x1/16". It is a little moist. The moisture level actually made it cool the touch in a warm room. Packing & Burning: The flake feels rather moist. Just twist one strip into shreds for a medium size bowl, two strips for a large bowl. A medium size bowl is easy to keep lit; a large bowl is dfficult to keep lit and has moisture when the bowl is finished. Smokes moderately slowly. Taste & Aroma: A very mild honeydew on oats taste; BBF is one of the most natural and easy on the palate blends. It is refreshing and vaguely sweet. Absolutely none of the signature Kendal floral scent. About the last 1/3, after the tobacco has stoved a little, only then does it approximate the flavor of FVF. The particular large bowl that I used produced a burnt taste throughout the bowl. Nicotine: Mild to medium, closer to mild Overall: Those square tins don't seal well. On par with the blends mentioned above and Wessex BCDF. BBF seems different from other Gawith blends I have tried, in a category of its own. This has very little similarity to FVF. The only thing this could be is an all day indoor smoke, it is so refreshing and easy on the palate.
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