Samuel Gawith 1792 Flake

Now this is a good smoke. Big, Strong, bold flavor. Love the Dark Fired Kentucky. Demands respect or will put you on your butt. The tonquin bean adds the nice mild vanilla taste. Wanted to try for a long time, finally had the chance and bought 250gr. Glad I did because sold out soon after my order shipped. Need to add this piece, it's like a T-bone steak with a red wine, soy sauce, Worcestershire, balsamic vinegar reduced sauce.

Dark Fire Cured is my favourite type of tobacco and it was a pleasure to sample this rich, strong and old-fashioned blend. (Old it may be, I'm sure "1792" is not the year when the blend was introduced: they made quite different kinds of pipe tobacco then. I guess it's rather a sort of commemorative name, but I have no sources to prove it).

Liking almost everything about this mighty blend, I tried (as I always do when sampling tobaccos) to verbalise my general impression of 1792 in a single word. The result was confusing as the most exact definition that instantly came to my mind was "sexy" O_O. "Sexy" is not a standard term in tobacco sampling vocabulary so it was really confusing. I kept smoking my way through the rest of the tin and every pipeful did confirm the first impression again and again: yes, it's sexy. Very very sexy. What's wrong with me?..

Finally I discovered the simple reason behind the strange phenomenon (I'm proud I didn't need a psychoanalytic couch to find it out). The Tonquin Essence, which this blend is generously sprayed with, in some twisted way recalled my long forgotten subconscious memories about perfumes worn by some sexy girls I knew back in the 1980s. Probably, their perfumes contained Tonquin Essence as well. To this day I've completely forgotten both the perfumes and the girls themselves. And the good old 1792 Flake took care to kindly remind me of them. (I'm lucky to not be old enough to remember what sexy girls smelled like in the 1930s or 1950s. Otherwise, I guess, I'd have quite similar response to Ennerdale Flake and its likes).

1792 is a really good tobacco. It's just me who's got a weird subconscious response to Tonquin. Next time when I want some Dark Fire Cured tobaccos from Samuel Gawith I better crack open my last remaining tin of the discontinued Bracken Flake or buy some more Lakeland Dark. Both are made of essentially same leaf as 1792 and have zero sexy flavourings.

Recommended.

I'm glad I tried this. I found out that I don't like Tonquin Bean. Other than that it's a decent smoke.

1792 is a dividing tobacco blend, that's for sure. Personally I love the stuff. Despite its reputation, when handled with care it's quite satisfying and smokes soft, sweet, creamy, flavorful and cool. I recommend dedicating a cob to it. I smoke it in a MM Country Gentleman that I rarely fill more than 3/4ths of the way full.

Tin note? I am tempted to classify it as repugnant, but let's just skip this part and get right to how it smokes….

Once lit, the flavor is deeply sweet and I find the room note surprisingly pleasant. The scent is ambrosia of dark spices, vanilla and talc powder which balances nicely with the earthy dark fired tobacco tone. The flavors do intensify as the bowl develops, but the casing keeps the smoke quite mellow at a slow puff.

Speaking of which, technique plays a very important role with this one. I smoke it slow and keep the ember barely burning. Like most strong predominantly dark fired flake you'll be treated to a challenging affair and spoil the subtleties if you stoke it up past a slow crawl.

Tin vs. Bulk - Infrequently I will notice larger or less subtle differences between a tinned and bulk version of a tobacco. 1792 Flake is one of those blends. An extended stay in a sealed mason jar does wonders for the bulk variety. Right off the bat the tinned version really does smoke sweeter, softer and altogether more balanced.

While no where near an everyday smoke for me, I do feel that every admirer of traditional tobacco blends should try this flake at least once.

Recommended

This is one of my absolute favorites, for all of the positive reasons covered in previous reviews. Many of the negative reviews though have me puzzled. First , the ubiquitous moisture complaints: most tobaccos need drying before smoking - so I never understand complaints about that. This blend burns beautifully when allowed to dry. It will easily rub out almost to a shag too, if you like. Second, when dry, the tonquin flavor mellows & sweetens, looses any mustiness or "overwhelming" scent & takes on a dried tart cherry aroma. Tonquin though, is a very complex flavoring & is obviously not for everyone. Third, I see a lot of complaints about the strength & body of this flake- but why purchase a 100% dark leaf, fire-cured, FULL STRENGTH flake, if you know you don't like strong tobacco? Then go as far as to give a negative review on a flake you were bound not to like?

This is Gawith's best selling flake, & is so for many good reasons.

Presentation: Iconic orange/gold label with all black art of a vine wrapped around the text and a fella on his horse in colonial attire enjoying a pipe.

Cut: Comes in messy, thick flakes. Moisture of this 1792 is good. I remember the 1792 I purchased 2 years ago as being pretty wet.

Tin note: Smells like cinnamon, light earth. ENCHANTING tin note. I wish they made candles with this tin note.

Tasting notes: Sweet earth, smooth smokiness, leather, bit of spice, a bit creamy. I have never tasted something like Tonquin, it's very unique and hard for me to describe. It makes the earthy note different though, the earth in here is very rich and different, much more intriguing.

Mechanics: This blend's moisture level was good but this blend will still not take flame as easily as you'd think. This is a very cool smoking blend and will NEVER bite. Kick back and enjoy.

Extra Remarks: Something similar to 1792 would be Gawith Lakeland Dark. It is very similar if not the same blend just without the Tonquin. Anyways, back to my baby. I have been smoking 1792 Flake for years now. Very strong nicotine level for some people, but it's nice to me. It is my absolute favorite tobacco. It's very unique tasting, full flavor, and while not the most complex blend, it has solid complexity. I could smoke this blend all day and sometimes do. I'd give 5 stars if I could. Impeccable blend -- 4 stars!

If the tonquin is too strong you’re smoking too fast. Take 1792 real slow. This old style, classic tobacco will teach you to sip. Great for gently slow mornings and soft, languid afternoons – make sure you’re sitting in a chair with a back to it. Best if you have a drink to sip. Strong; but smoked properly, very economical. Relights OK and can be used as a strengthening additive on the understanding that the tonquin will make its presence felt. I recommend drying and packing than adding some moist, finely rubbed 1792 to the top of your bowl, as the moist tobacco revives the drier beneath.

This is something to purchase in bulk and store away with a little dark rum added and immense pride! If you don’t like 1792; trust me, in time you will because the longer you leave it to rest in storage the more your tastes will advance and the more mellow in flavour it slowly gets while losing none of its fortifying strength. A real on the front foot masterpiece for the true connoisseurs. Delightful!

As said to the late, great Anthony Bourdain (about grouse) "It is a very adult taste. Somewhat repugnant, but something in that repugnance is quite compelling". It has been said this is a "Sexy" tobacco, and I agree. Not in a bubblegum-and-plaid skirt way; it smacks of leather, darkness, and musky sweetness. My perception of strength is not a good barometer for most people; this is certainly a powerful tobacco, but I never have any trouble with it. Certainly more approachable than many ropes. I seem to have gotten a drier tin, as it was immediately smokeable. There is sweetness to it, but a deeper, more savory sweetness than aromatic smokers may be looking for. In that vein, can this truly be called an aromatic? I don't think so, preferring to put it in a class all its own. The topping- though pronounced- seems to be integral to the tobacco. It accentuates and enhances the inherent qualities of the leaf, and I can't imagine this without it. Burns very cool and never offers to bite, even in a short Pipo. A little moisture left, but I tend to smoke a bit wet anyway. Nothing out of the ordinary. The room note is... Complicated. My wife actually likes it, but it tends to evoke less wistful nostalgia of "Grandpa's Pipe" and more of an... Ahem... Animalistic response. When I can get this in bulk, I'll stock up a lifetime supply.

Who would have thought that dark fired tobacco and the tonquin flavor would complement each other so well. 1792 Flake is a delicate balancing act. I found that this blend really shines upon sipping it. Too fast and you lose the synergism afforded by this blend. 1792 Flake earned its way into my regular rotation.