However, S.Gs St James is in my sort of humble opinion like the Milky Way of VAPERS.

It has this really delicious caramel flavor derived completely from the tobaccos and not some artificial topping.

Others have compared it to Escudo (good luck finding that anywhere nowadays) and I would agree with most of those comparisons. Escudo: 10, St James: 8.

When all is said and done, and youve laid down your hard or easily earned money, you wont regret your purchase of this quality tobacco. I bought 4ozs as a trial, and will be receiving a pound in a few days. I really like it.

This came very moist in the bag, long dark thin flakes, with a strong peppery perique scent. I rubbed one flake out just to make it dry quicker, when they are a bit drier I?ll probably try just folding a flake into a pipe. I eyeballed the flake and figured it would fill my Castello billiard, in between a Dunhill group four and five, perfectly. Even if I was wrong I wouldn?t admit it, but it was a real good guess, one flake is about a pinch more than a group 4. It still took the better part of an hour to dry enough to smoke.

Once dried it was an impressive smoke, assertive, flavorful, tasty. It?s a little heavier with perique than most factory blends out there, except when I?ve added perique to a Virginian I like I can?t remember having smoked a VA/Per as Per heavy. That?s not saying much, I?ve smoked maybe ten factory made Va/Per. In this blend it works well. Though I haven?t had a Gawith blend I didn?t like, I don?t consider their regular Virginians as real high end, or not in the same class as say Rattrays or Reiners. This is a perfect blend for them, a great balance between the Virginians and the perique bringing out the full flavor of both. Am considering ordering another pound before it shoots up another buck and a half (it?s a weak excuse, but any excuse to stock up on good tobacco is a good one).

Maybe it?s a bad idea to review a tobacco after just one bowl but I think of first impressions as the best. So far I haven?t needed to go back and edit a review, my opinion remaining pretty static, although, honestly, I haven?t tasted some of the Dunhill blends I?ve reviewed since they switched from Murrays to Orlik for the American export.

Four stars for St James flake, a heavier perique VA/Per, good solid, bold smoke.

07/27/09 UPDATE: I am revising some of my reviews. I have given out more 4 star ratings than anything else. That practice is probably not helping. So, I am reducing SJF to 3 stars, not because I like it less than I did before, but because I am limiting 4 stars to fewer than 25% of all my reviews. One day I may use the 4 star rating to designate my top five.

08/22/09 UPDATE: I found a pipe last month that is especially suited for smoking VApers. I have rotated several blends in this pipe, and for me bulk St. James Flake aged a year stands above the rest. I think it contains superior Virginias that are sweeter and present a greater range. The perique is tastier and more pronounced. Some VApers are near unidimensional in comparison. This is my King-O-VApers. Thus, it goes back to 4 stars.

I find this to more than pass muster as a virginia blend, where it fails as a VaPer, IMHO. The perique is "overwhelmingly subtle" to coin a phrase. I prefer a little more kick to my VaPer blends. Quite frankly, if I didn't know there was perique in this blend, I'd have mistaken it for a Lakeland-style top note that is very faint. Escudo, Davidoff Flake Medallions and the various McClelland blends such as St James Woods and #2015 still rule, as I can taste more of that incredible perique spiciness. This one is good but just lacks that spice kick.

Either way there was practically no pouch aroma. On putting light to the bowl there was a magnificent burst of flavour and smoke. The virginias are the stars of the show here, with perique used truly as a condimental tobacco. But what a condiment! Like saffron or coriander in certain cuisines, it leaves its unmistakable stamp. As a result the mixture is deep tasting, and deeply satisfying. Like all Gawith flakes I have tried this burns cool, and burns steadily without need of frequent relights. I tend to pack flakes somewhat densely, and on one memorable occasion a medium sized bowl lasted more than three hours. I am fortunate in having a family partial to pipe smoke - though detesting cigar and cigarette smoke - and the room note was liked.

A splendid addition to the repertoire, recomended to all for a serious trial.

I think this would be a great first smoke and a fantastic way to start the day but for an evening smoke it leaves me wanting. I don't usually talk about fruit and all that junk but there is defintely some fruity undertones taking place from the Virginia. I think there is defintely some better VaPer's out there and the lover of a strong Va Per may forego this one.

Edit: I upped it a star I heard from other that the smoke quality ranges from flake to flake, my first few smokes weren't that good but then i got some really good ones so I think 3 stars is fair for inconsistency.

There is much better Va/Per available from other makers.

Yes, this too is going into rotation, another SG winner.

Based on one of the reviews below I smoked this without rubbing it out, drying it for 30 minutes prior to lighting, and smoking it in a #4 size pipe. Rather than tamping I've found loosening the surface with a pick between lights facilitates smoking.

All-in-all, a nice flake.

August 19,2008 update: This tobacco ages nicely. With age, more mellow and sweet.