Samuel Gawith 1792 Flake

I'm a relatively new pipe smoker. 2 months now. I've read a lot about SG's 1792 Flake, so I decided to take the plunge. I love this tobacco! A very cool smoke. The taste is quite peppery in the first half of the bowl and then it settles down to a wonderful full smoke. I've heard comments about nicotine content. I find this quite light, nicotine wise. Peterson Irish Flake is a lot stronger in my opinion. Nevertheless, if any pipe smokers out there haven't tried this blend, I would recommend that you do. The tonquin flavour in my tin was perfect, not overpowering at all. And the moisture level was perfect too. I still dried a bit out for about 15 mins, just to make sure. All in all highly recommended. This and Petersons Irish Flake are my fav smokes to date. Strong and fulfilling. I will definitely be purchasing this flake again. A big 5 stars!!!!!

On my second tin of 1792 I decided to mix it with SG Medium virginia flake due to the strength of 1792. The result is that 1792 now tastes better and smells better! As has been noted many times this is a strong smoke. For me at least, mixing it down with a milder virginia has led to a most excellent smoking experience. This is one flake that everyone must try, straight or not.

Update: My first review ~2002. I have since bought several newer tins and I believe the quality has increased dramatically. I recall several bad batches during that 2000-2002 timframe. This stuff is really good today. Yes, the emperor is naked, smelly, and wonderful!

2002: My "desert island" smoke, my holy grail of tobaccos. This is the only tobacco I purchase by the pound. 1792 is simply amazing; very mild with a strong earthy flavor. You see, I'm not a lover of latakia or aromatics; just honest to goodness real tobacco flavor...and this is what 1792 delivers. The base taste is very similar to Brown Rope #4 but the tonquin bean additive mellows the earthen flavors, yet adds a unique aroma to the experience. When I smoke 1792 in large Oom Pauls, the overall smoke is very mild, however, small well-caked bowls seem to awake it into a sharper more pleasant smoke. You may keep your raspberry-vanilla-mocha-chocolate-cherry-flavored tobacs, 1792 is real and a classic. Thank you SG.

I'm a newbie, and only smoke a couple of times a week now, so I expected to be overwhelmed and put off by this tobacco, but that is not my experience. I rather like it.

I've smoked it twice now, both times in a small cob, sitting outside watching the sunset, and it was a pleasant experience both times. The first time was after a meal, and today on an empty stomach. The nicotine was definitly there, and for a few seconds both times I was aware of a slight queaziness in the stomach, but it wasn't severe or prolonged.

I love the presentation, and the tin aroma is rich and delightful. Rubbed out, it burns fairly well even without much drying, and once it gets going it produces copious smoke and requires little effort to stay lit. Whatever it is about the tonquin that upsets others doesn't seem to bother me at all. At various times there is a slight peppery feeling on the tongue, and occasionally a strange irritation/taste way at the back of the tongue - otherwise it's smooth and rich tasting. It was easy to burn down to a grey ash. It left my mouth feeling fine.

So, not my favorite, but fairly satisfying and pleasant, at times even fairly contemplative. I'll try it again from time to time. I recommend other newbies not be automatically put off by the reviews below: it's worth a try.

I tried 1792 at an informal pipe club I have with a couple of friends. We accompanied it with some Islay scotch.

No one spoke for a very long time. As I looked up we were all grinning madly.

I must advise caution. this stuff will lay low the mighty if smoked from a large bowl.Mid-bowl there developes an exuisite, spicy flavor boquet, sip this smoke very gently,and from a smaller pipe. I smoked '92 in my largest Nording,oops, so i did expieraince pounding heart, weak knees and some cold sweats, the cure for this is to get up and sprint around the block a few times. Tin smell is much like roofing tar, and when first lit is a bit rough, ounce you get past that you are in for a unique smoking expieriance, a must try for the flake lover.

When I smoke this heanenly tobacco I recall how it was the saviour of my pipe smoking career. Having spent a long time smoking Camels before taking up the pipe, I spent years looking for a tobacco which I could smoke all day, with no tongue bite and which satisfied my craving for a top quality virginia tobacco.

Here is my saviour, just as delightfula tobacco as can be had anywhere.

This is my Desert Island tobacco. I would not care if every other pipe tobacco were to be discontinued as long as this 'Nectar of the Gods' is around.

One of the only tobaccos I buy in bulk for cellaring like the finest of wines.

Not for everyones taste especially for the candy store tobacco wimps.

God bless 1792 True Manna from Heaven. 5 Stars out of four!

I have never found 1792 to be as powerful (nicotine-wise) as some have found it. Nor do I find that the tonquin flavor puts me out, in fact, I very much enjoy it. I have tried this blend in a merschaum, in a corn cob and in a Peterson 314 System pipe. It behaves about the same in each, though the Pete apparently provides enough of a bowl for 1792 to fully develop, and this tobacco develops better in a larger bowl than that of a typical corn cob. It is a mellow tobacco, and in smoking it, apart from the tonquin I am also able to get occasional flavors which remind me of how clover smells - quite sweet and light. There are other flavors which vaguely remind me of prunes, dates, dried apricots and figs... it is not a boring smoke, though to enjoy it fully it should be smoked quite slowly. Smoking it slowly is easily done if the flakes are well rubbed and the tobacco is then lightly packed - much like you would pack some of the larger cut Balkan type blends. I don't find myself smoking 1792 on a real regular basis, but there are specific times when only 1792 will do... for instance, when I have a head cold and want something which will free up my sinuses. I always have a tin or two of this tucked away in the back of one of the four drawers I use as my baccy cellar. If this tobacco was a person, it would be Lucius Cornelius Sulla, Dictator of Republican Rome - "No worse enemy, no better friend." It is worth trying and, in my opinion, very much worth smoking... treat it as it should and it will be a treat.

My favorite tobacco for the past six years. However, like fine wines, it has its seasons and shifts in quality. A few years ago, a very large bad batch of it hit the US, and I had several tins that were markedly off in flavor from the older, sweeter tobacco. Fortunately, this appears to have been a temporary glitch and today it is as excellent as ever. It has a curious mating with my body chemistry in that this is one of the very, very few tobaccos that I can smoke for bowl after bowl with no bite. It is strong stuff, and can easily knock the uninitiated for a loop, especially if smoked on an empty stomach. The rich tonquin flavoring makes it one of a kind. Anyone who enjoys this blend is also encouraged to try Bracken Flake, a sweeter, more aromatic blend that shares some familial qualities with 1792.