Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Kendal Flake pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 35 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >
TheJayBee	05/13/2013	Medium	Medium	Medium	Tolerable
Smells like a less aromatic version of the grasmere flake. Rosy, slightly spicy and fruity. The tobacco once lit produces an excellent smoke (better than all other aromatics from GH), and the aroma is just as good if not better (roses, almonds mostly). However, the plus side of this tobacco is that the nicotine hit is a tad bit stronger, something which I like more and more now. Definitely worth trying...
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William H. Hardy	05/07/2013	Medium to Strong	Medium	Full	Tolerable
I love GH flakes. Especially those which are in bulk. They're thick, beautiful, and rich and they have a very nice mouth-feel when smoked. This may be my favorite tobacco of those I've sampled from GH. The flavors/scents are not overpowering, but definitely present and are an excellent complement to the tobaccos. It's a mixture of some relatively strong tobaccos, but, to me, it never really overpowers in Vitamin N. This one, to my taste, seems to have more of the floral scents than the others and less of the vanilla/licorice/tonquin flavors of, say, Ennerdale(which I also like). Personally, I refer GH to SG when it comes to tobaccos. SG tobaccos always come too wet to smoke and they really have seemed to be mediocre experiences. But I digress. I don't know if this could classify as an all-day tobacco, as it is definitely a bit over-the-top. However, I have to stop myself from smoking this instead of other blends that I have. An impressive flake tobacco, in my opinion.
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butman	04/11/2013	Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Here's a classic lakeland flake with the floral notes that some would find overmuch. It is not an everyday for me, but it is great especially outdoors on a breezy day. The bold flavor holds up with all the air. Indoors, it is good. The room note has not sent the wife to the other part of the room so it is okay. If you don't like the geraniums, leave it. If you like zip in your virginia flakes, give it a try.
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doc'spipe	03/29/2013	Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
A nicely prepared flake in the usual GH way; neat and beautiful to look at. Arrives at a good moisture level for immediate smoking. I couldn't pick up on any almond scent at all while sniffing the bag content. Overall it was like an extremely mild version of Brown Flake Scented as far as bag aroma; really very little bag aroma. Loaded and lit with ease. There is an overall bitter-sweet taste to this which is fine with me. What I did notice on occasion and liked a lot was in the side stream - there was the faintest cherry-like smell; I'm suspecting from the Heliotrope, very delightful. I could not identify any of the other flavorings individually with the exception of what PipesterJim calls violet, again, only on occasion and very, very light at that. No bite, heat, or gurgle. The overall experience was very satisfying, albeit mild. No soap with this one and certainly not floral. A solid offering that can easily satisfy as an every day smoke. Highly recommended.
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PipesterJim	12/27/2012	Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Tolerable
It's a bit splendid this one. Definitely a fully flavoured example of the lakeland genre. In the pouch I detect a smidgeon of the violet flavour that I disliked about GH&Co Brown Flake, but in the pipe there is a whole lot more complexity. Yes, that violet note is there but it is quite subdued and I think it mainly contributes to the soapiness of the blend, which is pretty intense when the tobacco is fresh, but dissipates a little after a few days in a jar. I can also pick out the tonquin, geranium and (now I have read a description to prime my senses) the heliotrope, which is described on basenotes.com as having a sweet vanilla/cherry cough syrup kind of vibe. I am sure there are many other flavours here too, but they are all so interlaced that it is very difficult to identify them as individaul components. What it does mean is that the flavour of the blend morphs and changes, subtley yet continually, as you work your way down the bowl. All in all it's very delicious. That tobaccos are the usual GH&Co fare, which is to say that they are excellent. I don't think you would get them to bite if you tried. I rate this one as on the strong side of medium, perhaps thanks to the air-cured component, although this doesn't come through in the flavour as it does in say Coniston Cut Plug or Dark Flake, which is the monster of the GH&Co family in this respect. My sample came at the perfect moisture level for smoking, possibly due to spending several days stuck in the UK postal system during the run up to Christmas without the benefit of air-tight packaging. This does also mean that the top flavours might have been somewhat diminished, and that a 'fresh from the tobacconist' sample would be even stronger in the lakeland department. The very thought has me salivating! I don't think I have ever worked my way through a packet of tobacco so quickly. This one joins Coniston Cut Plug and Bosun Cut Plug in my triumvirate of exemplary lakeland flakes. Must get more.
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DrT999	12/03/2012	Medium to Strong	Strong	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Grasmere Flake has Rose and Geranium florals; this is a real potpourri of scents (and, to me, even spices) on top of those. By itself, it just overwhelms my taste buds (albeit in a fairly good way). Cut 1/2 K Flake and 1/2 either Walnut Flake or St Bruno, I find it very pleasurable.
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Puffingstuff	08/07/2012	Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant
I purchased a full 500g that came in the G&H Kendal box. Nice soft light brown to gray flakes that broke up easily. I loaded an old Comoy billiard sandblast and lit the tobacco. It took the flame well and stayed lit. Billows of full to medium smoke started it's magic. I did not detect any "soapy" scent or any Lilac Vegital. I did get the almond and rose essence and it was remarkably nice. Laced into the tobacco, the almond, rose and whatever else is used in this blend works great and makes the taste of the smoke and nose scent friendly and tastey. It should be enjoyed slowly to really meet the floavours. Nicotene was hearty but not over the top. I really am surprized that I like this!
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SmokingMySav	06/11/2012	Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Tolerable
There are a lot of scents listed to describe this baccy but there is actually only one - Turkish Delight (roses). Good flake, easy to smoke, not for people who don't like floral scents.
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juanmedusa	03/26/2012	Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Tolerable
what can I say, I'm a big fan. I'm a little surprised but I really enjoyed it. to me the soap flavors more of a hand soap like a white bar type flavor but is not a distraction aside from the soap flavor the lake land essence I really enjoy it. to me the strength is kind of similar to peterson's university flake but of course the flavoring a stronger and in the different spectrum . I will buy this in bulk . give it a try but if you're gonna try it after having read all these reviews and still be surprised if there is a little soapiness then you're at fault yourself.
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tabaco	01/20/2012	Strong	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
. . . soap/Lakeland essence and plenty of it . . . Some folks adore it, others abhor it. Mark my card for the latter. Is it Sunlight, Dawn, or Palmolive. I tried to contact Madge the manicurist, to no avail. All facetiousness aside, this tobacco burns great, packs great and clearly is quality. However for me, far too soapy on the nose and combusting as well. I tried it various clean briars and the outcome was the same. I cannot recommend this to any of my pipe and cigar friends and I feel the blending house of Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. might simply be not my cup of tea; apples and pears.
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DoctorThoss	07/31/2011	Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Very Pleasant
This is my favorite of the Lakeland scented flakes, which is saying a lot at this point. A medium-bodied, medium-strength flake that has a delightful array of flavors applied. Don't be scared off by the ingredients list, as the combination of "scents" is applied in a more restrained manner than in, say, Ennerdale. What is not lacking is the bitter-sweet "floral" taste that so many smokers seem to hate (and I love). This is the most flowery of G&H's offerings, and the flavor remains the same all the way to the bottom. What's curious here is that you can still taste the top-notch VAs -- I don't know G&H manages to pull off this hat trick, but I wish that other aromatic blenders would learn a thing or two from them. The flakes smoke equally well intact or rubbed out. You may have to relight a few times, but the tobacco stays remarkably cool from first to last. No bite to speak of. Easily a four-star blend.
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Kilmarnock Piper	03/29/2011	Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant
I agree with the previous reviewer. I have had Kendal Kentucky, Dark Birdseye, and Coconut Twist. I would call this mild to medium in nicotine strength. This is the first true Lakeland I have had by GH, though I did go through a one-ounce sample of Louisiana Flake. I really like this: all those flavors are not at all overwhelming, but manage to convey a pleasant perfume to the smoke. Like they say, I get mainly almond, but a rather flowery almond! This is one of the better balanced Lakelands I have had. It will not bite even if provoked, but it is so much nicer to pet it kindly. Sip it gently, that is. The tobaccos underlying all those scents never rear their heads and become harsh in any way; rather, there is a perfect balance achieved between leaf and topping that make this one a joy to smoke. I am enjoying my present bowl of Kendal Flake with a rather strong, bitter ale (Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale). A libation such as this is a good companion to these lovely yet admittedly flowery British offerings. It cleanses the palate through contrast. Especially suited for nose-blowing, if you are attuned to that art. Great burner, little or no dottle with little maintenance. I will be trying many more of Gawith Hoggarth's offerings in the near future. Get you some, sucka!
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DK	01/28/2011	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
I'm going to go against the party line and call this a "mild to medium" smoke. Obviously, tastes are different and I find this to be a "different" smoke - so outside my norm and so perfectly fitting that it's really bias-dissolving for me. Beautiful looking medium-dark flake that I got best results from by rubbing out almost completely. The bag aroma from my 2 oz sample scared the daylights out of me. As someone who in the past could barely tolerate the lightest snootful of Lakeland soap, I had low expectations of this one. Very floral smelling. Yet, this added flavoring did nothing but enhance the high quality tobacco and the overall smoking experience. This ended up as a fully-flavored flake with a hint of the florals in the taste, and it worked flawlessly from lightup to dottle. I know there are added flavorings in this blend, but they are so expertly applied that I view this as a "natural" tobacco. I smoke a lot of "subtly enhanced" tobaccos, particularly burleys. In those cases, as in this one, if I wanted pure and natural, I can find it. Smoking this blend simply made me want to smoke more of it. I can't give a higher recommendation than that. A few puffs or half a bowl will not tell the story behind this blend. Neither does it require 50 grams. Just put your biases aside as I did and smoke a nice leisurely bowl or two. Granted, this is not for everyone, but if I'm any indication, this is for a lot more people than they realize. Highly recommended. This blend has hit my Top 10 and I expect to never be without it in my cellar or tobacco jar.
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renwardhoop	09/08/2010	Medium	Mild	Mild	Pleasant
A not-altogether flavourless flake from G & H. I agree with most reviewers that the initial tin aroma doesn't follow through to the smoke. But then, not many do. Almonds ? No. All those other flavours ? Nah. Mrs RH did think she got a whiff of Rose.... Scores ok on the room note then... Not a bad flake but it doesn't really have any outstanding qualities of note. Won't rush to buy any more.
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DrDyson	05/23/2010	Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant
I don't know if it's just me, but I find this tobacco very similar to Glengarry Flake, and a lot of what I said in my review of GF applies here. The manufacturer's description of the casing - Rose Geranium, Vanilla, Rum, Tanquid, Musk, Heliotropin and Rose - led me to think at first that this was going to be another whore's bedroom horror like Ennerdale Flake; but I was very pleasantly surprised. The casing is delicate and, to my palate, not at all ‘soapy’ or ‘floral.’ Like several reviewers before me, I find that the pouch aroma doesn't much carry over into the smoke itself. BTW: does anyone know what Tanquid is? Kendal Flake lights well, says consistent all the way down the bowl, doesn’t leave behind any goo to speak of, and has a pleasant room note. It's not exceptionally strong, either, though I see that some people have found otherwise. I find, incidentally, that - for once - this is a flake that's better rubbed out than folded. A good, slow, cool all-day smoke. Highly recommended, if you like Kendal Flakes. It's certainly joined my list of favourites.
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stephenspring	02/24/2010	Strong	Strong	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
When it comes to this flake, I feel like the aromatic smoker who cracks a tin of full bodied English with its pungent aroma and goes "yuk!" in reverse. This is a very well made flake; however, I agree with those reviewers who mentioned floral, SOAPY flavor. I'm afraid three puffs was all I could take. I enjoy some aromatics from time to time, but for me, this ain't it. It's a first class tobacco like all GH's products, it's definitely just not for me.
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Lord Byron	02/19/2009	Medium	Strong	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant
This is another masterfully blended flake from G&H. Being a fan of all things Kendall I was not surprised that I took to this one immediately. The topping in Kendall flake is strong, highly floral and simply brilliant with the sweet Virginias underneath. I found Kendall to be on the sharper side and was not sure if this was the effect of the topping or the leaf itself but it did take some getting used to. The primary flavor I detected was the rose geranium although there were other undiscernable floral notes in the background. There is a particular essence in Kendall that is used in LA Flake as well that I have grown very fond of. Not sure if it?s the almond or the heliotropin but it is quite pleasant, great for warm weather smokes. (for more on heliotropin go to http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/phytochemicals/pages/heliotropin.html) Once the topping settles in, there is a slight bitterness in the first third just before it hits the zone. And the zone with this flake is quite remarkable. I believe that Danno mentioned similarities to the last third of FVF; that was my exact impression as well. The ?honey baked? sweetness remains until the end with the bitterness of the floral weaving in and out. In a word?delicious. My batch came on the dry side and I had to re-humidify otherwise it seemed to burn a little hot. Once the moisture content was adequate it burned quite nicely and preferred a smaller bowl with slow sipping. Although I love the intensity of Kendall from an overall flavor standpoint I personally would not make it an everyday smoke. I have a half pound aging at the moment and will always keep some on hand for those times when I need my floral fix, which seems to be quite frequently here lately. Highly recommended.
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loosewatches	08/27/2007	Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Full	Very Pleasant
Although I don't taste anything close to almond in this Kendal Flake, I'm sure that all the above, even the ones I can't identify, are there...What in the world is Heliotropin? It's got something to do with Sassafras. And Tanquid---no idea. The only Musk I know of is a greasy secretion from a glandular sac. Well, with all these extracts and juices and scents and stuff, this may sound like a frightening smoke. I guess it could be. But, fear not-- it's tasteriffic! As always, with Gawith Hoggarth, the base tobaccos are cured and blended to have strong enough flavor to carry the casing. At first light, there's a rush of floral and and slightly sour tastes. Then comes the Dark Side, as mentioned in the tin description above. It smokes great and, like Bob's Chocolate, is much fun to rub out. For more information, read Blowfish and OSR's reviews...I can't add much to what they've said. This is truly a carnival for the senses. (It also mixes well -50/50- with Bob's square cut)
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Nick O'Teen	08/17/2007	Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Unlike some of the GH Flakes that use multiple flavorings, the combination of flavorings used in Kendal Flake sits well on my palate. I find this one to be a nicely flavored, satisfying, medium strength smoke. I enjoy this much more than Ennerdale Flake. If you haven't tried the GH flakes, you should order a small quantity of several of the ones that interest you. Once you find the ones that have the right combination of flavorings for your taste buds, they are really quite good. * * *
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Mr. Dottle	07/26/2007	Strong	Medium to Strong	Full	Tolerable
God bless those pipe smokers who like and enjoy Lakeland flakes. I have always been puzzled why some enjoy a soapy, floral and perfumy tobacco that, for me, brought to mind what were probably the scents and aromas of an 18th century French courtesan?s boudoir rather than those of a cool and airy, sun drenched tobacco field after a pre-dawn, morning mist, i.e., I like more natural flavors and tastes in my tobaccos. Kendal Flake did not provide the latter although the nic kick was to my liking. But, as always, to each his own. A cigarette is to be smoked. A cigar is to be enjoyed. A pipe is to be savored. I rate this blend 7.0 out of 10.
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 35 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >