my review is based in 50grms coming from a 500grms brand-new brick. I'm mid way to end those double length flakes, the rest will go sleeping in one of my small glass vases just to see if/how time will improve, supposed that LF needs ...

I'm just thinking why I haven't bought the whole brick; but it was a matter of choosing some U.S. blends (GLP, C&D) and those had my priority at the moment.

Preamble: I don't feel any chocolate/cocoa topping, no way indeed. This is just a VaPer of the best quality. Maybe something has changed during the time, if so it changed for the better. Medium in strength and body, very good combustion qualities, no need of drying time for me. It goes nice with DGT too. The combination deliveres a good volume of smoke with the biscuity/peppery flavour I like so much.

I would rate this 4* if only some more sparkles, neverthess this is a very solid smoke, no doubt that a whole brick will come with me as soon as I can put my hands on it.

For me the first couple of puffs still bring through the chocolate flavouring which seems to disappear for a while but return within the last quarter of the bowl. It is a very relaxing after dinner smoke, thoroughly enjoyable.

Review based on freshly bought and not cellared.

It's a moist a flake as I've had from G&H, and although I have succeeded in smoking it fresh, it could probably benefit from a little air time. It smokes earthy and grassy, with a rather spicy, prickly, pepper finish, which one can automatically attribute to the perique. It's not the strongest of flakes and the Vit N seems to be pretty mild too.

Rather like Ennerdale Flake, it's not particularly exciting in the first few puffs, but it really kicks in gloriously in the mid bowl, where it's at it's most flavoursome, releasing some great biscuit taste, coupled with the more savoury, meatier aspect of the pepper. It's really quite a strange combination, but it works.

Calming, intoxicating, and wonderful taken through the nose; G&H are beginning to win me over.

So many people who have reviewed Louisiana Flake talk about a chocolate topping, but I have to say that I can’t find it. There’s a flavour of some kind, for sure, but it doesn’t seem like chocolate or cocoa to me. I’d be more inclined to call it nutty, biscuity, malty or something along those lines, but it doesn't really lend itself to precise analogy. To some extent, the flavour is due, I think, to the Perique element itself; there is perhaps also an element of tonquin. G & H have something of a reputation for spoiling good leaf by overdoing the casing, but this certainly isn't the kind of floral 'soapy' Lakeland tobacco that so many reviewers dislike. It's a million miles away from Ennerdale Flake, thank God. Some people say that LF reminds them of the old Edgeworth Sliced.

Whatever it is, the flavouring of LF it isn’t excessive. Far from it, in fact. Once the bowl is properly under way, the preponderant impression that it gives is of a natural tobacco that has been intelligently handled by the blender. The natural flavour comes through, and is enhanced rather than obscured or distorted by the topping. The flakes are thick and substantial and easy to deal with: best folded, with enough rubbed out at the top of the bowl to give you a good light. Thereafter, the burn is steady and the taste full and interesting: sweetish, but with a rounded, spicy Perique clearly making its contribution. DGT is rewarding also. The room note is quite pleasant. As always with VA flakes, it'll burn you if you take it too quickly, but I have to say that this is one of the coolest flakes I've ever smoked. Sipping will enhance the flavour, too.

This is a full-bodied, tasty, slow pipeful, with enough, but not too much, vitamin N. Recommended; a strong favourite of mine: nicest, perhaps, late at night by the fire, with a nightcap and a good book. Idyllic, in fact: this is what pipe smoking ought to be.

Louisiana Flake packs and lights well. It offers a long lasting smoke, with the peppery flavor of the Perique. I like VA-Per blends a lot. Although somehow I looked after for much Virginia sweetness in this blend. It has a medium nicotine strength which suits my needs and I think it would be much better for me if I could have some more pure, sweet Virginia flavor in it instead of the very poor Lakeland-like flavor. I think, just because of this reason the smoke was one dimensional for my tastes. I don't think this tobacco is as nutty as described.

The Virginia-Perique fans must try this one. It may be one of their favorites for sure.

1-16-10 Revisited this tobacco after a long hiatus. I still get a sense of chocolate from it, but am no longer convinced that it has chocolate in it. I like this smoke better in the second half of the bowl; this time I let the pipe go out while I roamed Wal-Mart for a new tobacco-jar and some beer (new Samuel Adams Noble Pils-try it: it's the best I've ever had of their beers!), and the difference this made was quite palpable. Maybe I'll try that DGT thing. So I guess the jist is, I would keep this tobacco around if I had someone to smoke the first half of the bowl for me, or some kind of smoking machine. I have about three loads left, so this unusual flake still has three more chances to convince me. Even though I may seem wishy-washy about it, this is still at least three-star quality weed, and is obviously four-star for some.

Once many aeons ago while ambling through the Mediterranean streets of the French Quarter in New Orleans I serendipitously chanced upon a dear friend I had not seen in many many years. We,of course spoke finally winding up at a sidewalk begniet(French doughnut) and coffe shop. It was nice.

Louisiana Perique Flake has somewhat the same interaction for me each time I smoke it. An unexpected meeting with a long unseen dear friend. I know this sounds a bit over the top but that's the feeling.

The strength of the blend is as near perfect as I believe is posible with the constituent tobaccos. Impeccable Virginia(no matter where they come from)and Louisiana Perique compliment one another----Dark roast Cajun coffee and fresh cream with just enough seweetner to marry up the two flavors. Like that! No use in asking for better.

Very good filling and burning qualites after a bit of judicious drying time.

Room note? Not really a concern for me with a very very indulgent wife and as far as other I personally don't worry about that.

Recommndation? I am ambivlent about this particular aspect as I do highly recommend it but don't encourage others to smoke it being rather selfish and a bit leary of the supply stratagies of most British blend houses. So try it but please don't get over-enthusiastic. Thanks.

The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (A Native Son of Louisiana)

This has, to me, the merest hint of chocolate; smoked gently it reveals creamy and fruity depths...thinking on it while puffing away, it's somewhat like the effect of stewed fruit and nice Devon custard, that sweetness and tartness so close together. It's a beautifully crafted and sophisticated virginia and perique mix. I'd go for G & H's solid, understated expertise in tobacco blending over most of the USA houses anyday, with the honourable exception of McClelland.

A fine, subtle and enjoyable tobacco worthy of its 4 stars :-)

These flakes are large and take a bit to rub out. I got a pair of scissors and cut them down a bit before I started rubbing them. The moisture level seemed perfect when it was in flake form but once I cut it down it seemed a bit damp to me. So I set it out on a paper towel for about 30 minutes and it seemed ready to go.

After being cut down the flakes become a lot more pliable and this blend is fairly easy to stuff down in the bowl. The pipe I used had a medium-large size bowl. It might not be as easy trying to stuff these strands into a small bowl like on a churchwarden. It took to the lighter really fast and after one false light it was off and racing.

The initial flavors were easy to discern. Virginia, yep it?s in there. Perique, yet it?s in there too. Lakeland taste, yep it?s in there. But there is something on the outlying edges that was just whispering in there. After a few puffs I was able to identify it. Chocolate. Now because I had never run into this flavor combination I was excited and worried all at the same time. I was excited because the tastes coming together at this point were delicious but I was worried that if one started to dominate then the great taste would diminish.

After the halfway mark my worry began to slip away. They had nailed this blend. It was great all the way through. I highly recommend this blend. While it may not be your favorite, the addition of the chocolate to a VaPer blend is something interesting to behold. It also makes this blend hard to rank.

In my experience this flake does not compare to Bob?s Chocolate regardless of other descriptions. BCF is one of my favorites and I am waiting on a pound of it right now (review to follow). I completely agree that they are on different ends of the spectrum with Bob?s being a darker tasting fuller bodied flake in conparison. I love the aroma of LA flake and the creaminess of the smoke once it settles in. And yes at times there is a mild nuttiness that evolves. I also detected a subtle floral aroma in the background that was, in my last batch somewhat subdued. I really enjoy the floral notes of Gawith flakes so more of this would have been even better for me. The Perique does its job nicely adding body and rarely if ever comes to the forefront. Mainly there is a straight forward brighter tasting Virginia that is semi sweet to sweet. And of course the presence of chocolate is there too in the right amount throughout the smoke making for an interestingly pleasant combination.

This could easily be an all day smoke for those so inclined (like me) and is a regular in my rotation. As with all of these types of flakes it takes time, a little solitude and a dedicated pipe or two to appreciate the quality of blending and the nuances they produce.

LA flake teeters on complex or better yet contemplative at times which most of the time I was not expecting. This one worked well for me in smaller bowls for some reason but it smoked well any clean pipe that I used. If you like English flakes in the Gawith tradition, this one is well worthy of your attention. I think this is one of G&H?s better flakes that no one is giving much attention to which makes my cellar quite happy.

This is a nice well-balanced flake that skilfully manages to weave a slight cocoa note into a VaPer blend. And though it is a little on the mild side for my liking, it still manages to hit the spot and hold its flavour after smoking the strongest tobaccos.

If the mentions of Bob's Chocolate Flake may put you off, then don't worry. The two are at completely different ends of the scale to one another.

Well worth a try.

Louisiana Flake is another one of those great, but subtle, offerings from the folks at Gawith & Hogarth. I expected it to be more like a standard va/per blend, but was very pleasantly surprised at how different it was from Escudo or Elizabethan. I don't think I would even classify this as a va/per blend, as it does not behave in the same manner.

Typical of G&H flakes, lighting is a bit ornerous. But once lit, the smoker is greeted with a pleasant tobacco flavor with, as is stated, hints of chocolate. The perique imparts more of a tartness than a tanginess, and really does more to round out the virginias than anything else. The expected lakeland floral taste which I have come to enjoy was quite lacking. I believe that, due to the blending process of this flake, the floral overtones have become the chocolatey undertones.

Halfway through the bowl the tobacco begins to take on a warm character. It doesn't heat up, it's just the sweetness barely peeking through to create a warm taste sensation. The perique tartness goes really well with this sensation, and gives an impression of an even drier smoke than what one is really experiencing. While the tobacco maintained these characteristics throughout the entire smoke, I wouldn't call it boring or one dimensional. Throughout the entire bowl there was a nice interplay of nutty and chocolately flavors dancing around in the background.

If you are already a fan of G&H offerings, this one will be a good fit in your regular rotation. For those of you who have been leary of trying the lakeland tobaccos, this would be a really good one to try.

Before lighting,I removed just enough tobacco to fill my pipe and let it air-out on a sheet of paper for about 10 to 20 min's.

It lit with-out alot of fuss,and just a few tamp's along the way was all that it required.

Here's a real treat that doe's not blow you away with any tongue bite,but doe's have just the right amount of delicious flavour's of both the virginia and perique.

Delicious,but not overpowering at all,and is a great all day blend.

My top 4 Virginia-Perique's are,Escudo,Three Nun's,Mc's 2015 & Louisana Flake.

Highly recommended.

This blend is flavorful, has a room not that makes my sons happy, and delivers a bold spicy kick of perique with rich, deep, sweetness.

I have enjoyed Escudo for years, this is smoother and richer.

Some have talked about a similarity between this and Bob's Chocolate Flake - I don't see it. I like BCF, in fact, it is part of my rotation and makes up a good part of my cellar. This is something different entirely. Also, I have balked at many Lakeland blends which sport either the soapy or floral notes - I do not like them. This has neither.

This blend gets a full 5 out of 5 halos. Wonderful stuff.