I love English blends, so I tried to forget about the adding of dark chocolate and just pack bowls and smoke it. Still sucks. I got bored with it. Smoked it just to get rid of it, because I feel like I paid too much for it.

puff puff pass...

When you first open the tin, there's an air of fruit cake with the faintest hint of chocolate. Not a cloying, over-sweetened chocolate but not the other extreme of bitter cocoa.

The flakes are roughly a millimetre across and about 40mm long. Mine had endured a trip from the cold of the US winter to the heat of the Australian summer but had survived well. They're very sticky to the touch. Almost like a fruit cake steeping in a sticky mixture of booze before it's properly finished.

I rubbed mine out a fair degree as I'm more used to ready-rubbed mixtures but there were few larger pieces that needed a bit of a squeeze along between thumb and fingers. I left this on a saucer for about 15 minutes to help bring it down to a drier consistency as the stickiness I mentioned before remains a little despite rubbing out.

It loaded neatly into a bent dublin and a pre-light draw check gave less of the fruit and more of the chocolate that was apparent from the tin. Still a little more moist than I'd usually prefer but not unbearably so.

Lighting took a bit more than I've experienced in the past. A few waves of a soft flame and a mild tamp to get things ready and the real fun begins.

The smoke is cool all the way through the bowl; no acidic burning here. Although the Latakia in mixture is very subtly detectable if you concentrate, it never steps to the fore and allows the rich, nutty flavours of the Burley and sweetness of the Virginia be the main act. The chocolate flavour dances in and out with the Latakia to provide interest and contrast to the bulk of the blend which, I would think, would be as the blender intended. Despite a love of aromatics, I'd argue that this could be classed as more of a crossover blend. The tobacco is the foremost flavour with the chocolate providing a little "something extra" rather than wading in bold and brash and cloying.

It all burns down neatly with the tiniest amount of dottle and a medium grey ash in the bottom of the bowl with just a couple of relights needed. I think the next run will be rubbed out a little finer and maybe aired for half an hour just to remove the last bits of stickiness and reduce the relight requirements. Vitamin-N hit was there but quite mild and you won't be needing a full stomach to handle a bowl without feeling woozy.

The smell of my garage afterward (wife doesn't allow it in the house) was really very pleasant. This would really allow for those of us who enjoy a good dose of tobacco relaxation without the offensive mess of fumes that non-smokers would object to. None of the sharp tang of cigarettes or the earthiness of a cigar. Just a light, soft sweetness that sadly makes an exit after 30-60 minutes.

Overall, I'd rate this quite highly. A good, solid 3 - 3.5 out of 4. If you're looking for a Latakia bomb or strongly cased tobacco, this is not what you're looking for. If, on the other hand, you're in the mood for a decent tobacco that won't annoy others with the smell, allows for a good tobacco flavour without being sickly sweet and won't leave a syrupy mess in the briar, this could be just what you seek.

Virgina sweetness and strong but not overpowering Latakia come though on the tin note with an earthy background of cocoa and chocolate. Really lovely.

The big coarse flakes rub out very well or can be folded and packed well into the bowl.

Its rather moist and does not lend to firing up easily or quickly but when got going is a joy to behold. rich and cool to smoke full bodied but not cloying or punchy. The Latakia comes in first followed by a slight sweetness from the Virginia. The chocolate is an underlying richness throughout and a soft cocoa aftertaste is present with a lingering of the Latakia again. No bite or bitterness unless smoked right down to the bottom of the bowl. I found leaving substantial dottle is best then taking it and drying it out Holmes style and using it the next day as a top fill works wonders.

Easily the best flake I have tried to date or will try for a long time for that matter. Perfect for any time of day. Pure class.

The cocoa is more subtle and less sweet than Bob's Chocolate Flake, which also has a more predominent cocoa aroma before smoking. I slightly prefer SG's version.

As usual with SG products, it's quite moist so a little drying before smoking is reccommended.

Overall, a well-rounded smoking experience. SG's Cholocate Flake will definitely remain in my rotation, assuming I can continue to find it.

Lastly, a word about Samuel Gawith. I've been a pipe smoker for decades but only came across SG a few years back when I started smoking flakes. There's a lot of good product here in the States but the folks in Lakeland are a cut above.

Tin aroma: potent slight perfume(masculine)cocoa& mild tonquin/woody waxy vanilla,(not dissimular to Gawith and Hogarth's 'Bobs Chocolate Flake')full dairy butter,earthy.

Appearance of uneven, dark bark brown coloured, roughly hand chomped, honest looking meaty flakes, with salt or sugar crystals.

I take some loose stuff and speculating that it will be difficult to light without pre-drying,i put it in a bud grinder to tear it into raggy little loose pellets to creat some more exposed surface area.

Lighting is quite easy actually and i don't get much expansion overflow due to the fully rubbed out nature of my preparation having already expanded it.

Tastes how it smells,i feel i can mainly taste a browned virginia,mature and fermented with a slight earthy burley backdrop.Very well melded together to produce a 'burginia/virley' where it tastes like a single tobacco. Whole wheat but thoroughly smooth ground with no lumpiness.

Meaty earthy full,but gentle,buttery with evident cocoa hint and very light tonquin & potters clay red terracotta/ bread dough mouth feel.Its thick and rich like a big butter pie pastry.

Slow and cool burning,but possibly faster than it would be due to the extreme rubbed out nature of my preparation;if i had smoked this in a more intact flake form,i am sure it would be cooler and slower again(but would it burn?)and i would probably be tasting the burley more. But seeing as i dislike relights and that this is already performing as good as i would like already,i don't see any need to alter my preparation methods.

Sweet and salty in equal measure at the same time,but not to the point of being brine like;the interface between sweet and savoury actually(kind of mocca coffee - meets malted night drink).

Simular to G&H 'Bobs chocolate flake',but no smokey latakia hint,and also this doesn't have half of bobs 'playdoh'factor(a factor i do like in bobs,but didn't want in Sams because i wanted this to be different).

Regarding the pipe,i am using a vintage 'Turbo Flow' aluminium stem system pipe with moisture trap ala falcon style,with about a @2.5mm draught diameter smoke tube which being slim amplifies and concentrates the virginias to be tasted at their fullest without compromising other ingredients.I expect this baccy will be a gentler option for those who are not so keen on the lakeland charecteristic which is stronger in G&H'S Bobs Chocolate Flake.

The moisture trap needs to be wiped out about 1 or 2 times in a smoking session or i drown;but its not a problem - and means the system is doing its job and i am getting a good dry smoke which doesn't leave unburned dottle.

Creats a sweet & savoury bakery room note with no sour stale ammonia or cigarettish hum/linger.

The post pipe aftertaste is akin to a powdery bakers flour/pie pastry mix with cocoa powder and slight brown sugar factor. No bite at all or soapyness either.

This and 'Bobs Chocolate Flake'make good contemporaries and substitutes when i want to smoke a chocolate flake like them. I will definately keep some on hand and would buy again.

The nicotine is medium to strong,but the heavyness of the rich tobacco that actually makes me feel like i have a full stomache afterwards, makes the nicotine probably feel higher than it actually is.It feels like a heavier weight strong dark english ale that while not high in percentage,it compensates in density(of which would probably be the perfect complimentary drink).

Once lit, it burns all the way down with little maintenance to a fine fluffy ash..

3 Stars*** recommended.

Update:just checking 'Tobacco Reviews' for a second oppinion,it mentions latakia;i admit that i never tasted any directly but it could explain a certain mouth-feel where its coolness was felt and perhaps amplified or disguised itself well with the cocoa to taste like a burn't cocoa,or like the well-done crust on a slice of bread if you get my meaning.

The latakia in here is definately in lighter measure than in Bobs chocolate flake.I would not change pipes to augment the latakia (bigger draught smoke tube)because i feel it will creat taste losses in the virginia,plus the latakia in here is probably serving some subtle technical background control function to serve the burley and virginia marriage rather than as a real 3rd tasting ingredient i recon(others may differ).

It's by no means a classic aro - there is no sweetness at all to this blend (not really chocolate), on the contrary, the added cocoa makes it a bit on the bitter side.

I've found that for the best taste and smoke-ability, one should rub it out and let it air out for about 40-50 minutes. Smoking it right out of the tin or with just a bit of airing won't do. Don't over-dry it either, though.

Word of caution: The latest batch of Chocolate Flake tins I ordered, the tobacco came very fresh, very unlike S.Gawith. It would need at least a couple of years of aging.

Instead, I got an interesting and mellow smoke whose core tobacco flavors shine through from top to bottom, never obscured by the casing, with the Virginias complemented by Burley which adds a touch of nuttiness and some body and punch. The Latakia is in the background -- backstage, actually, but it's there working to keep the whole show together. The chocolate flavoring, more cacao to me, is readily apparent in the bowl from beginning to end, and smooths out the rough, vegetal edges I find in many Virginias. It's a pleasant condiment that keeps it all integrated.

This is creamy, insense-like, tasty and consistent, a solid choice when you want to break things up with something interesting. I really enjoy the Sam Gawith mixtures for their smoothness and how fused and well-behaved all of the elements are. CF is no exception, and is yet another genius blend from Lakeland. It will be a nice addition to the rotation for an occasional change of pace. It's is equally good with coffee, a strong ale or even whiskey.

Dr. Scott was right about this, it reminds me a bit of Kendal Cream Flake too, which I hate hate hate hate hate (I can go on and on and hate forever)

Lets insert some Samuel Gawith cliche here: inconsistent cut, wet wet wet, few tobacco lots of empty space, dense and dark flakes, hard to rub, relight relight relight but no delight

tin scent was alcohol mixed with something pretending cocoa + vanilla but no chocolate there. it's as if someone poured ultra cheap copy of tia maria liquor over it.

it's supposed to be lightly cased or a light aromatic but I had difficulties tasting the actual tobacco. Also ghosts your pipe big time. Latakia? No, there's fartakia in it but not latakia. even if there was, I guess at some point latakia couldn't bear this stinky cheap liquor odor and took left to its mom's house.

Somewhat recommended because additional balkan flake to it makes it palatable. Otherwise not recommended.

And strange enough, people compare SG- CF to GH-BCF but it has nothing to do with bob's chocolate flake which I had liked very much, even though lakeland flavors do not appeal to me.

edit: considering the number of positive comments I've gotten, I've upgraded the room note to 'very pleasant' -- of course, it might be in relation to what people feel about other tobaccos I've smoked around them!

It comes wet in the tin and needs a long period of drying to make it smokeable. Closer to chocolate than the competition, the flavoring is more reminiscent of Kendall Cream Flake.

As usual with this brand, the moisture content is excessive: a fresh tin contains rubbery and wet flakes which are almost impossible to get lit (and when they do, taste is watery). A couple of days of airing and drying are heavily recommended!

Flavoring is quite light: the tin aroma is only slightly enriched by vanilla and cocoa, but the dominant smell is of good tobacco, especially dark virginias and burley. At the test of fire, the flavoring is almost nonexistant: only when sipping very slowly, you get a faint creamy cocoa taste.

It's not a bad tobacco, but it's quite light. I wish its taste were richer. I have tried it folded or fully rubbed out, and I would suggest that rubbing it out too much can make it smoke too fast and hot, and with even less taste. Personally, I find this flake rather unremarkable, although absolutely pleasant.

I don't think I will get another tin, it's more of a once in a while curiosity than a really satisfying smoke.

If you enjoy light flakes with a very moderate amount of sweet flavoring, by all means give it a try, though. Better than the more soapy/flavored Gawith & Hoggarth equivalent flake, anyway.