Samuel Gawith 1792 Flake

SG 1792 Dark Kendal Flake is as strong as Peterson Irish Flake to me. It also provides that deep roasted earthiness, except the almost creamy sweetness is obviously enhanced by the tonquin treatment. Very pleasant.

During the lighting process I additionally get the impression of pepper and spice, leading to an immediate piquant feeling in the entire mouth. If you can stand your ground for a couple of calm draws, you’ll be rewarded with a rustic, unique flavor. Due to the definite nicotine kick, I prefer this flake rubbed out, out of a small cob filled ¼ with meerschaum pellets as some kind of pipe-espresso.

Tonka, a.k.a. tonquin, is a Carribean bean often compared to vanilla, but very different. One bean is said to be strong enough for 80 cakes or desserts. It is illegal in the U.S. because it can, in very high doses, cause cancer in rats. It has long been used in tobacco, and recently become popular in chocolate.

1792 flake can be summed up as a strong, brown flake, cased in a heavy tonka bean extract, delivering a very high dose of nicotine.

The flake is typical for Samuel Gawith. I suspect they use a little tonka in their Chocolate Flake, which BTW tastes nothing like chocolate.

As aromatics go, 1792 is a fine smoke, if you like the unique flavor of tonka, and if you don't try to smoke it too fast.

It will forever be only two stars due to inconsistent quality from tin to tin.

This is a very high quality dark flake tobacco, and very well presented – as you would expect from Samuel Gawith; it seems to me to be the same whether you buy it in a tin as 1792 flake or loose, as Cob Flake, though – as is so often true with SG tobaccos, the tinned version is improved by a bit of drying out. For what it is, you can't fault it: cool, slow-burning, won't bite unless you beg it to, strong but not unbearably so, full of flavour – all the things you look for in a quality flake. Personally, I don't like it, because I don't like either the very prominent tonquin flavour or the room note; but each to his own: this is certainly worth a try, if only to say that you have. It's an acquired taste. If you like eccentric flavours, you'll get on fine with Cob/1792 Flake; if you like straightforward uncased flakes, you won't.

First off, I like Virginias. I especially like strong Virginia flakes and plugs, such as G&H Dark Flake and Bosun Cut Plug. I even like the heavily scented "Lakeland" flakes such as Ennerdale and Kendal, blends which are doused with an olfactory kaleidoscope of bizarre perfumes to the extent that my car smells like a 19th century French cathouse.

But this is way too much.

This stuff makes me sick, no matter how hard I try to like it. I first thought it was the nicotene but, upon reflection, I doubt it. I was a heavy cigarette smoker for years, and I know what too much nicotine feels like -- this isn't it. I suspect the flavorings are of a sort that violently disagree with my body's chemistry, as even a tiny bowl of this stuff makes me feel as though I'm fighting off an epic hangover.

That being said, I recommend that everyone give this a whirl at some point. The presentation is flawless, and I really like the idea of smoking a tobacco that's been around for so long. If nothing else, smoking a bowl of 1792 is an experience you'll remember, even if you don't want to repeat it.

This is just not my normal cup of tea. The tin aroma is somewhat intimidating. I love virginias and am not scared of Lakeland scents (Sam's Flake is superb), but Tonquin is strong. The VA's are pretty good and SG Va's age wonderfully, so even with a 2* rating I will retry in the future. I will, when they've aged anothe few months (3 year goal) try again without sticking my nose in the tin!

You should try a tin because the VAs are quality and you may miss an inexpensive (in USA) and unique tobacco.

What can I say? When you add too much of two opposite things the result is not always guaranteed. The tobacco is strong but the topping overwhelms it. The mix of a strong aromatic and a strong tobacco is wasted on me. I tried to get a reason to continue smoking this tobacco but the topping would not agree with my instincts so after four tries, I gave the remaining tin to someone else. Oh well you can't win them all!

Virginia lover

I was prepared to be floored by the nicotine level in this blend, but I found it to be lighter than Nightcap, and much lighter than Hal O' the Wynd, which is the strongest blend as far as nicotine kick, I have tried thusfar.

As for the tonquin flavor, the best I can describe it would be to put garbanzo beans in your pipe and smoke them. Not horrible, but I won't ever smoke this blend again, if this intriques you, by all means give it a try, but it failed to hook me in.

No other tobacco I have ever tried has tasted like this, so it may be worth a try just for that reason, just don't be too worried about the massive nicotine kick, as I feel this to be a reasonable amount for most people to handle.

With so many reviews, it hardly needs more of the same. This is a very unique tobacco that, for me, needs to be smoked when I have the craving for such a weed. It can be a bit much for the novice and too much for an all day smoke! It`s best enjoyed when you have the time to give it the attention it commands. A demanding blend but, with patience, a very satisfying and rewarding experience! The taste is very difficult to explain to someone else, a must try adventure!!

Many years ago I favoured the sweetest, blandest and 'goopiest' aromatic I could find (it was 'Checkmate' by Winston & Holmes - a long-dead tobacconist in Toronto, and still available from their descendant, Sleuth & Statesman). Now I know it wasn't vanilla & coconut, but tonquin that flavoured it. This is like a 'dry' version of vanilla, just the same but not as sweet. Certainly intense, though. This tobacco is very moist and should be aired. It is a smooth smoking, but positively aromatic experience. It has lots of nicotine. Lots. If you want to smoke an aromatic, but retain the respect of your English mixture colleagues, this will fit the bill nicely. On the other hand, if you hanker after the actual flavour of tobacco, go with its stablemate, SG's Best Brown Flake (NOT G&H Brown Flake #2, mind!)