My 50g had no trace of any flavouring or floral aromas/toppings at all. A bit damp as supplied (though not dripping wet).

Rubbed out it's a finely cut shag in texture. Smokes easily, with little bite. To be honest I think it tastes as it looks - brown, uninspiring and ordinary. It seems to be lacking something - kind of like it's the backing track to a song, but with the lead vocals yet to be added.

Maybe that's not surprising, as it's basically the scented brown flake without the scent - kind of a base intended to carry added flavours well.

It's not unpleasant, but there are very many more interesting tobaccos about. Two and a half stars, maybe.

IF YOU DON'T LIKE LAKELAND FLORAL SOAP THEN DON'T BUY THIS

There is the barest hint of florals at first light, but then the tobacco settles into a quite rich Virginia-dominated smoke. There is sweetness here – expected in a blend of mature Virginia with a smidge of Burley and a smidge of dark fired leaf. But the sweetness here is modest and isn’t cloying as it is in, for example, Sam Gawith’s Full Virginia Flake or even SG’s Best Brown Flake. The flavor profile, which typically comes off as vaguely chocolaty, isn’t at all complex. But it is beautifully balanced and a thoroughly comforting smoke for Virginia lovers.

There is a great deal of similarity between this and G&H’s Best Brown #2 and some similarity between this and Germain’s Brown Flake. The Germain’s product is perhaps more earthy and savage with a drier flavor profile. But for those with a little bit of a sweet tooth, G&H’s Unscented Brown Flake is a fine product.

Note: one can get a whiff of those Lakeland scents even in this flake. After all, it is made in the same factory with the likes of Ennerdale and Kendal Flake. Some smokers may just not like these scents at all and be sensitive to their presence even as a "ghosting," but I do not think any flavorings were intentionally added to BF U/S.

Nice, even colored flakes with a pleasant but not overly robust bag aroma (2 oz sample). I preferred this rubbed out, as I typically do. I also preferred it with some moisture in it, as when it became too dry, it tended to sizzle my tongue just enough to make it mildly uncomfortable.

The flavor was robust but not strong, sweet but not sickeningly, and mostly devoid of the proverbial "Lakeland taste" of florals. This floral taste tends to come through with the manner of leaf used rather than artificial flavorings, at least with the unscented versions. Quite frankly, this one makes me want to try the aromatic one as well! This blend was a nice marriage between highly flavorful and cigar-notes with an all day sort of tobacco. Nicotine didn't seem too high. The mouthfeel leans towards the rough, but it's far from unpleasant. Faster puffing unleashes not tongue bite or bitter flavor but just a heavier undertone of the basic taste of this wonderful blend. Highly recommended. Another pound or so is on its way to my cellar, and I'm excited to find out what a year or more will do for this stuff.

I picked this 2-3 ounce sample from the local B&M for cheap...they had just received it, and the clerk forgot to label it...it was a mystery weed. One look, and whiff, told me it was a quality mystery, and I was able to get it on a discount. (I called the following day and had the original clerk confirm it as Brown Flake.) Man, good stuff! Strong in that UK Virginia sort of way, without being a total slap to the head. Tasty and non biting, I could see me dropping this into a rotation...if I ever settle into one, that is!

I have to say, between this and the slew of 'scented' G&H flakes I've had, none have been clunkers. This makes me think that I've found a favored blending house. It helps that they are available when I want them to be, too. My next step will probably be to try Bright CR and Dark Flake (and KK, and Bird's eye...)...try the opposite ends of the spectrum that Brown seems to split. If they are close to what I think they'll be, I won't have to stress purchasing (quite) so many tins. Gotta love bulk.

yinyang...smoking the last of his Brown Flake stash in a Hackert antlered General.

Four stars.

Big, robust flakes, mid-brown in colour and with a typical fermented Virginia pouch aroma. Great moisture level too and I found it a very easy tobacco to live with in terms of smoking rate, lack of relights etc.

The strength and volume are just right for me. Plenty of mouth filling, medium level rounded flavour with a bright Virginia sweetness backed up by the Burley giving background and satisfaction. Overall, I just get the impression of a good Virginia, which I suppose points to a well blended and aged tobacco. Some welcome fruitiness there too, but I don't find is swamped with Lakeland funk like some are.

The downside for me was the tongue bite. I had to go very, very carefully with this one to avoid it, but the easy-going nature of the smoke made me forget all the time. Ouch! Three stars.

BF is a fairly mild and satisfyingly tasty smoke, without the cigar overtones and sharpness that I find in G & H’s Dark Flake. It burns well and evenly all the way to the end, doesn’t bite (if you take it at the steady pace that Virginias need and deserve), and has an acceptable/pleasant room note: Klio (cat) and SWMBO don't mind it. It’s better folded than rubbed out: not a cheap way to smoke a flake, but very satisfying in terms of flavour and duration. It does rub out satisfactorily, though, and if you store it the flakes will disintegrate naturally after a while.

BF will give you a good long smoke in a big bowl: the nicotine hit is not excessive, and it doesn't ask anything more of you than passive enjoyment. If you smoke all day (I don't), this would be a good all-day tobacco. It's one I always come back to: one of my personal Arcadia blends. Samuel Gawith's Medium Virginia Flake runs it pretty close, but Brown Flake still has the edge IMO. I wish I could give it more than the maximum number of stars.

BTW: this also comes in an aromatic version. My prejudices being what they are, I think this ruins a wonderful baccy; but people might like to give it a try. At any rate it's a lot less over the top than Ennerdale Flake.

This has a characteristic Lakeland flavor, which I interpret as a flowery sense on the palate. However, this should not be taken to mean a light sense. It is full of flavor and full to a VA oriented palatte. It may appear thin to a palatte that is attuned to a Latakia standard.

The blend responds well to a DGT treatment and is quite tastey after 20 min followed by 12 hours.

anyway, this does resemble bright cr flake a lot. the same whiff of perfume, only weaker. the same spicy discreet sweetness. only, here you get a bit of added strength and earthyness from the burley (and probably the dark fired, though i can't taste it). the pouch aroma has a bit of vanilla/tonquin bean in it, but luckily there's no trace of it in the smoke. it may just be the kentucky, actually.

it is certainly not an in-your-face tobacco, but it kinda sneaked in on me, and i soon thoroughly enjoyed it. one of my favourites.

I've tried this rubbed out and simply folded up. But this didn't hit its peak for me until the flake had been in a jar for several months and -- as a result of that time -- had naturally fallen apart into small, easy-to-pack strands that were still properly moist but much easier to pack.

It also became much more rewarding in the bowl after all of that jar time. As others have noted, Brown Flake is not a complex blend, but it can be extremely satisfying. If you don't take to it right away -- but you're likely to be partial to its ingredients -- let it sit in a jar for a month or so and then see what you think.

Bob

Appearance: A mostly dark brown with some lighter brown and tan mottling with a few yellowish bits leathery flake of varying thickness. Tin aroma: The first thing that is apparent when opening a tin of Brown Flake is quite simply tobacco. You couldn't possibly mistake this for anything else. I don't detect any casing or topping at all, just a fresh tobacco smell, deep and rich. There are nice stewed fruit tones, with leather and spiciness and a deep nutty mustiness which I associate mostly with mature Burley.

This tobacco is absolutely perfect for smoking, no drying time required. As with most flake tobaccos I simply take several flakes together, fold them in half and insert them length-wise into the bowl trimming off the excess. I find it has a much better burn this way and makes for a long enjoyable smoke. For this review, I?ve chosen an Nording Silver Series Canadian which is dedicated to Virginia based flakes.

A first light is brings billows of rich white smoke, followed with a brief visit of the tamper to settle the light crowning effect and then a tamping light. Immediately this blend is there, full and rich. A rich dark stewed fruit taste with nuts and mustiness. When exhaled nasally there is a slight sharpness and citrus quality and deep leathery flavors and scents. The first third of the bowl gradually builds in slowly increasing intensity. This has a very rich creamy mouth feel which I find irresistible.

Mid Bowl: Approaching mid-bowl, the fullness tends to build and while I wouldn?t call this mixture particularly complex, the flavors slowly deepen into a rich deep harmony. The Virginias build in depth and character while the Burley slowly builds and begins to assert dominance. Eventually the Burley becomes the main statement, though in a very refined way, tempering the brighter Virginia qualities. The Burley seems to enhance all the finer points about the Virgina, lending depth and mustiness. From time to time rich almost Maduro like scents are just there, however briefly.

Home Stretch: As end of the bowl approaches, I find that it becomes more intense though never overpoweringly so. The Burley eventually becomes the most dominant component with the Virginias with their stewed fruit scents fading. Deep and resonant forest, leather and cigar tones emerge from the heart of this blend, and it pleasantly drones on like a fog horn. If there were ever a deep rich Virginia and Burley flake for cold winter nights this is it. The final third of any bowl of this become very rich indeed. The perfect compliment to a nice cup of strong tea by the fireplace in late evening. I highly recommend this blend to a mature seasoned smoker. Plenty of interest for those who prefer English/Balkan products as well.

Supplemental Notes: This is a regular part of my rotation as a especially for late Autumn or Winter nights. **** 4 full stars

I prefer not to rub it out; I think I get a little more flavor and it burns slow and steady. The flavor is very similar to the pouch aroma: earthy, hay-like, and slightly creamy. I enjoy the room-note; it?s very natural and slightly sweet. I like Brown Flake best in the morning, particularly outside or in my car on the way to work with the window open. It?s a blend that can be enjoyed year-round. Brown Flake is not terribly complex, but straightforward and satisfying. There are no substantial high notes like Bright CR Flake, but it?s smoother and creamier, which is probably due to the added burley. It could easily be an all-day smoke.

Update 09/25/05 All my other comments still hold, but I want to upgrade my rating. Its creamy and smooth nature deserves 4 stars.