Samuel Gawith - Balkan Flake pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
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Pipe-arazzo	07/30/2008	Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant
Lakeland Tour stop 7 I really liked this one. It was very user-friendly as opposed to some of the Lakeland virginia flakes. Perhaps because of the latakia, it dried out faster, and smoked pretty good even when wet. Also, it kept its flavor longer than FVF and BB2, but not necessarily more than BBF. The virginias here are not as sweet as those in Squadron Leader or Commonwealth, but sweet enough and more rounded, richer. The latakia was definitely present in the smoke but by no means overwealming. This is definitely mentholated. That makes it smoke cooler, and the added minty essence is definitely there, not overpowering and not really unpleasant either. It makes me wonder whether this might not be better, meriting 4 stars, without it. It's impossible to know. I don't know if I'll come back to this one, but I definitely enjoyed smoking it.
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herfinmickey	06/07/2008	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant
06/02/08 - Pure pipe tobacco delight. There seems to be quite a bit of debate as whether this superb blend is actually a "Balkan", "English" or a "Virginia - Latakia" blend. It appears each blender holds to his own standard concerning those definitions. Actually it is irrelevant as to what you wish to call this blend as the main point is that it is wonderful to smoke. I had just nicely reconditioned a lovely old Peterson Irish Army pipe (obtained as one of a shoe box full of old dust covered and very dirty and worn pipes purchased from a local resident) and chose my recently purchased tin of S.G.'s Balkan Flake for a "maiden voyage" with each. The tin opened with a pop and immediately my nostrils filled with the delightful sweet and sour aroma of the moist strips of pressed tobacco "flakes". I decided to rub them out and pack them. Some seem to prefer to dry out their tobacco prior to smoking. I never do. Like fine cigars, pipe tobacco if too moist may burn poorly but if too dried out all tobacco loses its flavor and will pick up some dull, acrid bitterness. A good pipe and smoking technique will allow you to smoke this and most other premium Tobaccos moist in the pipe but dry in the mouth. This tobacco lit nicely and burned well throughout the smoke only requiring one re-light near the bottom of the bowl. The flavors were absolutely marvelous; Mildly sweet/tangy and smoky, creamy with a round, ripe fullness. S.G.'s Balkan Flake's flavor is very rich but not at all overpowering and had not the slightest hint of tongue bite. While perhaps not as complex as Penzance for instance S.G.'s Balkan Flake is incredibly satisfying and leaves me craving and looking with anticipation to my next bowl. Highly recommended. An update 06/07/08 - I tried folding a strip or "flake" of Balkan Flake instead of rubbing it out. I gently packed it into my Peterson Killarney, a nice, chunky, straight billiard with a generously sized bowl. The burning characteristics of B.K. remained similar as when I rubbed it out. However the taste became somewhat muted and while still quite enjoyable it lost much of the marvelous richness that makes Balkan Flake so delightful. If you desire fullness and richness of flavor I would recommend that this blend be enjoyed rubbed out.
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jmrtsus	05/14/2008	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
I'll leave the Balkan or not debate alone... As to the tobacco I find this one a good example of a Latakia/VA blend. Smokes cool and lots of flavor. A nice change from Navy and VA flakes. Real tobacco taste without flavoring, room note is OK for me but then I don't really care! As with other SG tobaccos I like it and will buy again, not an everyday smoke for me right now as I seem to be in a Navy rut with a VA flake switch off. Balkan is my special treat for a change up.
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Sylvian	05/04/2008	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong
High-quality Virginia plus delicious Latakia, not Balkan really, but I was buying based on the description and reviews and not on the name, so I was not disappointed. Moreover, I find this flake a real delight. Smoked after Penzance it seemed at first a bit on the bland side with its absence of Oriental, but after a couple of bowls it's balanced taste began to unroll for me. The constant teasing interplay between VA and Latakia leaves you craving for more. Smoky, leathery, and delicious, whatever the packing method. Highly recommended.
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TechnoChimp	03/22/2008	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
Recently I ordered a tin of everything SG makes and some bulk Full VA flake. ALL their flake ships with ridiculous moisture content so their reasonable pricing is deceptive. Dried to any smokable state, the tobacco is 20% lighter. The Balkan has a muddy tongue coating effect. There is no burn and the smoke is cool. Either the VA is not bright enough to balance properly or the latakia is of low quality. The muddy flavor fades in the 2nd half of the bowl but its not worth the wait. Their Commonwealth Blend did not have the muddiness issue despite the higher latakia content so I suspect the VA is not up to its task in the Balkan. Its not bad but its not great. There are so many great latakia blends out there, this one won't be missed by me.
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Pipers	03/19/2008	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable
This is a very rich and complex virginia with a touch of latakia to spice things up. A pleasure to smoke. 3 out of 4.
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DoctorThoss	03/16/2008	Mild	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I'm going to keep this short: This is not a Balkan at all, but rather a straightforward Va-Latakia concoction that is smooth, extremely sweet, and nice to look at. The room note is unusually pleasant for a latakia mixture and there's not a hint of tongue bite to be found. After going through a tin, however, it simply failed to hold my attention. It was kind of like a ramped-up, all-natural version of Frog Morton, which isn't really a bad thing but isn't exactly spectacular, either. I'd recommend it in a heartbeat for those wanting to get their feet wet with latakia and those who enjoy a restrained English-type tobacco, but I don't plan on buying anymore.
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Katxinba	02/05/2008	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Unnoticeable
The only Balkan style tobacco I smoked before this one, was Balkan Sobranie ( one of the "untoucheables").That was 20 years ago, and never liked the stuff .I cannot tell what should or shouldn't be called Balkan ( I know the theory, but no practice). So, Balkan flake : opening the 50 gr. tin and unfolding the golden wrapping, I was expecting ( for not particular reason) a stronger latakia smell. I like the smell and colour of the flakes ( dark blackcurrant). I load a briar devoted exclusively to English blends ( untouched by any aromatic tobacco), folding the flakes ( no rubbing). Lighting goes fine, with a nice thick smoke. I get a mellow franckincense smell ( it came as a faint high pitch tune ).In about a couple of minutes, the franckincense smell starts to mature into a typical Latakia smell ,and start noticing the sweetnes of the Virginia . In 5 minutes I am getting an harmonious Virginia/Latakia duet that is maturing in flavour. You can guess how the smoke will develope, and it doesn't dissapoint. From then on, it continues as a delightful smoke, where the Virginia and Latakia are alternating in a very subtle way. P.S. I cannot vote on room note, as my smoke room is in the loft, and well ventilated ( wife not allowed, no smell feedback). The last 1/3 is the stage I spent thinking " 5 minutes more, please, just 5 more minutes ...don't finish". The final ash is snow white. After that first smoke, one week on and at the end of the 50 gr tin, I have been smoking it in meerschaum and briar: both ways , it is a wonderful smoke, and it creates addiction ( sometimes, at work, I am longing for some Balkan Flake). Is this a Balkan? Who cares. I love this tobacco, and I will keep smoking and enjoying it. Enjoy!
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student	01/09/2008	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Opened a tin of this last week without any anticipation of what it would be. I'm still not sure and I have smoked the entire tin in three different pipes. Three inch long strips of slightly too moist but attractive tobacco. Balkan? I don't believe this comes up to what my expectation of a balkan blend would be in the tasting.Pleasant? Yes, but not what I think of as Balkan. The tobaccos used are very good and result in a mild to medium smoke of the English variety. I perceived no bite from the VA's and all-in-all it is a pleasant enough smoke but nothing I'll buy again. Balkan smokers don't waste your time or money. It's nice but it ain't a Balkan. Were it not for the really fine grade of VA leaf, I'd only give it two stars.
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Stacey	11/02/2007	Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild	Very Mild	Unnoticeable
I was looking for something a bit stronger than Balkan Sasieni when I picked this up and boy did this disappoint. It's not even in the same league. Let's see, where do I start. At first I thought I detected a nice Virginia taste, but that disappeared after the first bowl. Now I get nothing but this faint minty menthol taste. I couldn't in good conscience recommend this to anyone. It is simply a weak tobacco that requires constant puffing to keep it lit. Who would like this tobacco? I guess if you are trying to give up Salem's, Kool's or some other menthol cigarette this might be better alternative(healthwise, though it won't taste as good), but if you like the mint taste you'd be better off eating a mint or brushing your teeth. I left the jar open for a night but I'm not that hopeful that it will improve much, though it might burn better. This one is probably destined to mulch my shrubs. UPDATE 11/2/07 - I tried to doctor up the rest of this just for grins. I boiled some water, then mixed in a bunch of salt and soaked the baccy in it. I poured off the mixture, baked it and put it in the garage to dry. Although this succeeded in nixing that weak menthol taste it didn't improve it enought to raise this a star. Per the other reviewer's suggestion I did buy this in a tin so no mistake there.
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Pipestud	10/19/2007	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
I think Bigblends hit the nail on the head with his recent and well put together review of Gawith Balkan Flake. While unable to match his superb review, I will offer a few added thoughts of my own after smoking my tin (and yes, I've since ordered a few more.) Balkan Flake is indeed a mellow smoke with a variety of flavors as you work your way down the bowl. It has a nice, rich complexity that will keep your palate entertained. The flakes are beautifully put together and as one who rubs out his flakes, I found that to be an easy chore. The tobacco packs very evenly, burns the same, and was an absolute delight to smoke. Most of the pipe smokers who are members here and submitted a review of this particular offering found Gawith's Balkan Blend to be an eloquent smoke and I concur.
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Fumatore	10/16/2007	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
This is a nice change of pace tobacco. As others have noted it is a one note wonder. To me that can be very pleasant at times. Certainly not a Balkan, but it is very well made. I find I use this as more of a blending tobacco, to tone down the oriental influence that overloads so many English blends.
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Kleophrades	10/04/2007	Strong	None detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong
Is it a Balkan? Who cares. If you buy this you get a soft, well balanced blend of Virginias and Latakia, smoother and sweeter than even a mild English, with a nicotine wallop. Probably the most complex of all the Gawith blends I've tried -- the only one to which I'd apply the word "subtle." Plenty of flavor, but gentle. Like most Gawith blends, it doesn't evolve that much as you go down the bowl. Unlike most Gawith blends, it comes damp from the tin (PG?) and needs some drying to avoid the gurgles. That said, it rubs easily into thick ribbons and with right pack stays lit even fresh from the tin. As for price (mentioned in some reviews), I'd say that Gawith is by far the best bargain out there for high-end (non-drugstore) tobacco; less than half of what a Pease or Butera charges, and it's good stuff.
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puro66	05/20/2007	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
Ah! The blessed leaf! This is a truly balanced and tasty tobacco. Many blends, or should I say blenders, claim balance, this one really does deliver. I walk freely between the virginia and latakia smokers camp. Balkan Flake satisfies on so many levels. It is rich without being overbearing, smooth without being boring, enjoyable to the last puff. This is a keeper for me and will never be far from reach! Buy some. On second thought don't. I don't want popularity to drive up the price! UPDATE 5-01-13: I smoked a bunch of this and at some point either my taste changed or subsequent tins were off. It began to have a bad chewing gum flavor similar to stale wintergreen.
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Skando	05/14/2007	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong
I confess that I share both Sasha's and Beer's reviews. Sure this is not a balkan. Small quantity of slices and quite moist. They MUST be dryed and rubbed out, otherwise your pipe will not stay lit. The smoke is very cool, slow and sweet, much more pleasant to the nose than to the palate, but there's nothing else to drive me crazy. If You think that SG's products are on the very top pricing list, and this one is priced EUR. 17.50 per 50grms ... Cannot give more than two star, and just because of the quality and tradition of SG. EDIT REVIEW OCT05/2009: during the months passed after my review, this Balkan Flake has never called me again... I even tried to mix it with something could bring it some life. I tossed the rest of the tin in good company of Sam's Flake. Never again.
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emmbee	04/17/2007	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant
My recent disappointments with changing European and American blends narrows my options of pipe tobaccos to which I can eagerly return to again and again. Narrowness might be a blessing in disguise though, as a catholic taste tends to make one flighty and undiscriminating. From amidst the gloom of mixtures that taste depressingly the same or have since fallen from grace, there arises Gawith?s time-honored blending tradition. Chief among these accomplishments is ?Balkan Flake?, which is most definitely a flake but without a trace of Balkan. Though only Gawith could get away with this. In this case don't get hung up on semantics or even blending components. Balkan is a magnificent smoking experience for the professional, grown-up tobaccophile. It reminds me a bit of the chewy, briny ?Stonehaven? but without the sour note of blackberry. It has that characteristic Germain aroma but more understated and refined in that characteristic Gawith only style. The latakia is pleasant and beautiful, a subtle complexity that renders peace and silence and solace. The only thing one wants to do while smoking this is smoke. Reading or watching a movie would get in the way of this pleasure. Thus, I suggest savoring slowly and free of distraction, when not in the mood to do anything else. A small, full, well-packed bowl offers an hour or more of smoking bliss. At last, a blend that I can get excited about, and that has been a long while. It?s no wonder Gawith has existed for over 250 years. A rare & wonderful flake that should not be missed by the most fastidious tobacco enthusiast. Pipe smoking doesn't get much better than this. Five of five stars
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Brutos	04/01/2007	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I purchased 8 oz. in bulk after smoking only two bowls. This reminds me a lot of Fairmorn's Lancer's Slices. Even though they both contain almost exact proportions on Va and Latakia, there is more sweetness from the Va and is more laid back on the Latakia in this blend. I have been smoking almost entirely Va & VaPer blends lately and Balkan Flake has allowed me to ease back into English types which I once smoked exclusively. I can smoke several bowls back to back with this one and not feel inundated with Latakia's smokiness. Sam Gawith Full Vir. Flake is a mainstay for me and Balkan Flake is a great variation on a theme.
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thedstnguishdgntlmn	03/14/2007	Medium	None detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong
The wonderful gents at Iwan Ries let me try some of this and I was pleasantly surprised.I thought it would be similar to "Commonwealth Mixture" due to the fact that it was from the same blender and neither blend has orientals in it. To quote a gentleman who spoke Lithuanian when asked : Is Lithuanian similar to Polish? His response was "Not even Close"! That is the case here with Balkan Flake. Where Commonwealth Mixture is rather mild, this actually has some spice to it.It is nothing like Penzance, Old Ironsides, or Karl Erik's Flake. It really is a simple, full English mixture, that has been pressed into a flake. It will appeal to both European and American tastes. Definitely worth a try. 3 English stars.
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ChicagoPipe	03/12/2007	Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
This was much more enjoyable than Bracken Flake. Even with 30% latakia, the flavor of the VA comes through and provides a nice touch of sweetness. There seems to be no Lakeland essence flavor (tonquin) in this tobacco. Smells like latakia and VA. I know there are other Balkan tobaccos that are fuller, but for my tastes, this flake is perfect. It was very moist in the tin, and so was the Bracken Flake. I leftthe tin opened for a day, and the mositure level was just fine. The flakes fold up nicely, and can be put right into the pipe. Smokes very cool with no bite, and burns down to a fine grey ash. Very enjoyable! Highly Recommended.
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A. Morley Jaques	02/28/2007	Strong	None detected	Very Full	Extra Strong
I visited the Samuel Gawith factory in Kendall a few years ago. Kendall was, far and away my favorite town in England and from my time there I have many stories. One of my best, as far as the world of pipes is concerned, is that I was one of the first people outside of the company to be able to smoke their new Balkan Flake before it was made public. I was intrigued and have gone through a few more tins since. On the whole it is a fine smoke, demonstrating all of the quality that one pays for with Gawith tobaccos. This is serious stuff, mind ye?. Not for the occasional smoker or the generally inexperienced. The Virginias, those that can be tasted, lend this flake a deep, almost brooding sweetness that one has to be in perhaps a brooding frame of mind to truly appreciate. It is, of course, the Latakia that Balkan Flake is all about. It is there in force and in a proportion that I usually regard as obscene, but here it works quite well. Works well if smoked slowly and softly, that is. Puff too fast and this will taste like you are chewing on a lump of hot leather (a hot, leather lump?say that four times fast). Otherwise, this is indeed all the best one could ask from a Balkan, with Latakia most definitely in control, but with the Virginia going along quite nicely. I, for one, am glad to have found a flake containing Latakia to which I would be happy to return.
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