Tobaccos Samuel Gawith - Lakeland Dark

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3047)	2017-10-04		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

The very woody, earthy, mildly nutty, leathery, musty, slightly spicy and floral Kentucky takes a small lead over the woody, earthy (almost muddy), mildly fermented, slightly tart dark fruity, herbal dark red cured Virginia. I do get a light essence of Lakeland, but it doesn’t interfere with the intrinsic properties of the tobaccos. The strength starts out as medium and falls a hair short of being strong by the last quarter of the experience. The taste level is mostly consistent, and falls just short of being full. The nicotine hit is almost medium. No chance of bite or harshness, but it does have a rough edge here and there. The tobacco is really a more of a ready rub than a broken flake. Burns cool and clean at a reasonable pace with a mostly consistent, deep and rich, mildly sweet with a touch of savory flavor from start to finish. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires a few relights as the tobacco is a little moist. Has a pleasantly lingering after taste and stronger room note. Not an all day smoke, but it’s repeatable. I recommend a smaller bowl for this one.

-JimInks

32 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2013-01-10		Strong	Mild	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is THE stuff!

I'd been dying to try Lakeland Dark for sometime, but the one mail-order place in the US where I could find it, was out of stock for the longest time. Finally got restocked, and I ordered some immediately....and WOW!

I generally prefer GH&C offerings- but in this case, Sam Gawith takes the cake! This is a strong tobacco, with a good deal of nicotine, and very well-mannered. It provides a rich, full, creamy smok; and despite it being a shag (I normally prefer ropes and flakes) it doesn't even heat up nor bite.

The best part is the flavor! It has a complex flavor which is hard to describe. I usually find SG products too subtle and lacking in flavor....but this one is the exception! There is abundant flavor- nay, many flavors.....including a hint of Lakeland essence. No one flavor jumps out at you- but rather, they weave a unique medley, wafting through each puff, to create a rich, sophisticated and complex smoke with every puff.

Sophisticated, yes- but yet, don't be fooled, this a real-man's old-world tobacco- not some sissy "boutique" clap-trap. It's really the best of both worlds. Perfection!

This has become my new favorite- and will likely stay so- as I can't envision ever finding anything better- this is what I've been looking for!

31 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pseudo Nim (129)	2015-11-16		Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A broken flake, Lakeland Dark is 1792, without the added tonquin bean flavouring. I must have got one of the first tins off the production as I could still taste a hint of tonquin, however, allowing this to dry a for a while I was left with a strong robust Virginia with a nicotine kick so strong (mind you as was smoking this last thing at night after about 10 bowls of Golden Glow and warrior plug) I thought I had met my Waterloo, however, the more I smoked this, the more I liked it. A small bowl will do nicely and I sleep like a baby, love it. This tobacco is definately not for the novice or the faint hearted

Pipe Used: Parker reject

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: My smoking shop

Similar Blends: G&H Dark Plug, only Lakeland Dark is smoother, Creamier and much less "Tarry" residue is left in the shank and stem.

25 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2016-03-04		Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I am posting my comments under Lakeland Dark and Lakeland Dark Flake because the new blend in the States, called Lakeland Dark meets the description listed under Lakeland Dark Flake however there is no mention of the word “Flake” on the tin, only Lakeland Dark here or in the EU that I can find. In both cases, the tin photo is simply that of Lakeland Dark. With that out of the way, I bought a couple of tins when it was recently released here in the States and left one open for nearly two weeks as it was very wet. It was worth the wait. The tin note is herbal, leathery and smoky. I prefer it in a small bowl and was “wowed” at first puff. Typical Lakeland style treatment with no topping that I can detect. For a fairly simple tobacco, it is complex, slightly sweet. Cool burning, it is best sipped to enjoy the earthy, leathery, smoky flavor. Since 1792 ages quite well, I would expect this great smoke to be even better in a few years with the Virginia component only getting sweeter. I find myself now pushing my few remaining tins of 1792 to the back of the closet to make room for this excellent, somewhat strong broken flake. This is going to be a love or hate blend for many, but fans of this type of Lake District tobacco will not be disappointed!

Age When Smoked: New

18 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2016-12-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I suppose you could call this a broken flake, but it's more broken than most! It's almost a ready rubbed cut of dark black and dark gray leaf with a lighter tin note than I expected based on its color. It didn't need much rubbing to load, as SG was apparently kind enough to do most of the work. Not too much drying needed, either, which is odd coming from a Sam Gawith Virginia.

I realize that I'm a huge snorking advocate and everyone's tastes are different, but there are very few blends I've smoked that showed more differences in a snork than this one. Mouthpuffing brought out a nice SG version of an old G&H Dark Flake with a rich but subdued flavor (compared to G&H's much more robust version) of Kentucky-style Virginia. I'm not sure if there's Kentucky in this batch but it reminded me of Mac Baren's Old Dark Fired with just a bit more flavor. And the snork? It brought out a rich dark rye biscuit flavor that I could not resist. That flavor was hugely subdued when not snorking, so I found myself snorking almost every puff. I got no Lakeland flavor from my tin. My main fear before cracking this tin is that it was a rope in disguise, and I've had no success with those. Again, this was G&H's version but subdued in strength and therefore, harshness. The flavor was still all there. Complexity was light but I didn't mind - the flavor of this was so satisfying that I smoked almost the entire tin without interspersing other blends. A new favorite! If you enjoy Mac Baren ODF, I think you will enjoy this at least as much. This replaces ODF in my rotation.

Update: Unless you smoke this in about 3 days, remove it from the tin and place it in a baggie or jar, as it dries out FAST!

15 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2016-04-23		Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Full bodied, but not as strong in nic as I expected. Still though, it has a good bit. The Virginias and Kentucky provide about an equal amount of flavor. The Virginias have the same basic flavor that you find in the ropes, The Kentucky is earthy, woody, mildly spicy and a touch acrid. I wish there were a little less Kentucky and more Virginia. There's very little sweetness and I think it could benefit from some. There's very little evolution throughout the bowl. What you get at the beginning is pretty much what you get at the end. It does get just slightly smoother. I get just a touch of Lakeland floral in briar and clay. I get none in a cob. Other than that I noticed no difference. Two stars is the best I can give this one.

I'm gonna rate this as strong, but I'm referring to body when I do. I'd rate nicotine at medium to strong. Extremely mild flavoring. Taste is full. Burns very well whether rubbed out or left as is. Like SteelCowboy did, I'm gonna post this under both listings.

Pipe Used: Jobey pot, MM Country Gentleman, Dutch Gouda

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DeathMetal.org (231)	2017-05-05		Medium to Strong	Mild	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

The bowl begins with the rich flavor of dark fired leaf, but as the heat distributes through the tobacco, begins to take on the caramel flavor of heated Virginia, ending with a spicy molasses flavor that continues through the bowl. Like many great combinations, this one seems paradoxical, in that the strong biting taste of dark fired leaf threatens to overwhelm the gentle harvest sweetness of the Virginia, but the triumph of the blender here is that past the first few puffs, the two begin to meld and produce an entirely new flavor.

This mixture compares favorably to other dark fired British isles style blends like Peterson "Perfect Plug" and "Irish Flake," but brings out a sweetness more explicitly, but by binding it to the dark fired flavor, gives it dimension and strengthens the taste of the combined components, making them something greater than the sum of their parts.

For those who like myself fear the "Lakeland Ghost" and its comparison to soap favored by old ladies and Turkish bathhouses, rest assured: despite being described as the famous "1792 blend" without tonquin, this mixture has only the faintest background hint of the combined geranium-and-early-death sensation of Lakeland essence. A solid, complex smoke, this ready-rubbed mixture clocks in at a medium-to-strong at least in comparison to other SG/GH blends, and could easily be an all-day favorite for someone who spends time outdoors and likes hearty, sustaining blends.

Thanks to former Pipes Magazine Forum member "misterlowercase" for this sample.

Similar Blends: Peterson - Irish Flake, Peterson - Peterson's Perfect Plug.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	hawky454 (107)	2017-03-04		Very Strong	Extremely Mild	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A forum buddy of mine turned me on to this one (among several others) as I had no intentions of ever trying it because I like 1792 Flake a lot and I enjoy the Tonquin top dressing so Lakeland Dark just sounded uninteresting to me. How amazed I was to find that the removal of that top dressing created an entirely different tasting blend with a whole new spectrum of notes and nuances. Superb! This is a rich, smooth and complex smoke and make no mistake, the nicotine content is in the high range, so those looking for a strong baccy, look no further. This is similar to the taste profile of it's cousin blend, GH&Co. Dark Flake U/S and I also get a lot of similarities between this and Westmorland Slices. I found room in my rotation for this one along with 1792 because to me they are completely different blends. Come on over to the dark side!

Essential

Pipe Used: St. Regis, Rattray's

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: www.smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Westmorland Slices.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2081)	2016-12-09		Very Strong	Very Mild	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

Samuel Gawith - Lakeland Dark.

Nothing new for Sam G, it's far too wet. Although it's badged as a broken flake there's not many pieces in the tin which resemble a flake, broken or whole. Apart from one length of flake, the mix is made up of really dark ribbons; REALLY dark

The flavour from Lakeland's very full, albeit quite caustic. I get lot's of the fiery Kentuckiness but none of the grass or hay from the Virginia; it's a very indomitable smoke. Towards the end of a bowl this caustic note increases in strength, and becomes a sort of harsh liquorice taste. I find the actual smoke quite comfortable in its make-up: not too hot and bite free.

Nicotine? Very strong; a good breakfast blend, and the room-note isn't very good.

There's no way I could smoke this regularly, I nowhere near macho enough. So this results in a subjective rating of one star, but objectively speaking it's well made, so I'll somewhat recommend it.

Two stars.

Pipe Used: Altinok Lee Van Cleef

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: My Smoking Shop

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2002-04-03		Very Strong	None Detected	Medium	Strong

I hate to say this, but I really can't imagine anyone smoking this tobacco for fun. It is very strong, very harsh,and remains that way throughout the bowl. It will wear you down like Sherman's army. I have done my duty in the name of science, but I won't be smoking this stuff again.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-07-04		Very Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Need a bit of a pick me up? Need to feel like a man for an hour? Has the flavor of Pirate Kake become just too bland for you? Is your tongue really made out of leather? These are just a few questions you can answer after having a bowl of this wonderfully flavorful but dangerously strong tobacco. If you are a fan of intensely strong and extremely flavorful VA tobaccos this blend is for you. Just be careful to smoke it slowly and be sure to sit down. The earthy and sweet flavors will be your reward. put it in a group three or smaller pipe, and enjoy!

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Warwick (37)	2016-07-02		Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Summary: I expect this blend will sing with age.

As a fan of Bracken Flake, 1792, and GH Dark Flake, the initial bowl from the tin was rather disappointing. It seemed full but muddy: strong but rather bland. Not entirely pleasant, I admit.

However, there seemed to be some promise in there, so into a jar it went for a few weeks. Now it has begun to come to life, as though it just needed to spread its wings a bit. The flavor is now still full but more nuanced, more coherent. It is satisfyingly full and flavorful.

This strikes me as a blend that will continuously improve with age - really developing its depth of flavor to match its fullness. I look forward to storing more of this away to enjoy several years from now.

As with 1792, I find this works best in a low, wide bowl. It requires a bit of drying, but its fairly lenient in this regard.

Pipe Used: Savinelli Qandale

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes

Similar Blends: Samuel Gawith - 1792 Flake, Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Dark Flake.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	MAGNUM207 (2)	2016-03-03		Very Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Samuel Gawith- Lakeland Dark is an extremely flavorful, creamy, full-strength, broken-flake tobacco. Within ten-minutes of air drying out of the tin, it packed easily. About three lightings and it was smoking smoothly with no bite, whatsoever. Unless you are used to smoking Black XX or Rope #4 on a daily basis, I would caution you to sip this mixture, as it can sneak up on your bloodstream in quick fashion. In my opinion, this full-strength tobacco is creamier and "slightly" less full than the aforementioned Black XX/Rope #4, with absolutely no harshness. I would highly recommend this tobacco to anyone wanting to experience a deliciously strong, well-balanced tobacco.

Pipe Used: Ben Wade "Unicorn Sable"

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

Similar Blends: Samuel Gawith Black XX Rope.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tomobedlam (16)	2005-11-17		Very Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant

I've been smoking my way through several of the S. Gawith and G&H bulk tobaccos and was looking for a rope, which I haven't smoked in some time, but my local shop was out of it, so I landed on this blend, which has a similar fragrance to the ropes, actually its smell is somewhere between the unscented ropes and the full flakes. The cut was fairly narrow and comes in clumps that were pretty moist in mine, and could have benefitted from a little airing out, but I'm an impatient sort and I crammed it in my locally made Andre pipe and lit up. On lighting the flavor and aroma seems akin to G&H Dark Flake: a full and thick herby flavor totally unlike other dryer virginia flakes. I didn't experience any "harshness" as others have remarked upon, but I suppose it may be a matter of taste. As this is a high nicotine tobacco I saved it for my late night smoke out on the porch. I sat reading my book puffing away when it hit me. Phew! 'Scuse me while I kiss the sky! Still, it isn't at the psychedelic/bummer tent level of the ropes. About half way down my pipe was gurgling and I had to run a pipecleaner through to clear the stem. Next time I'll dry it out a bit I think after rubbing it out. This is really just an occasional blend for me, but I like it and I'll smoke it again, it might even be nice to blend in and ratchet up a lighter blander tobacco I might not smoke otherwise. This blend is not going to be for everyone, but its nice if you want something unusual and have a chair to sit in. Um, don't smoke this while operating heavy machinery.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Thilywan (1)	2017-04-11		Very Strong	Medium	Full	Pleasant

A tobacco about which I had little heard. Thus I had to get and, it myself, especially as to like the 1792. The presentation in box is traditional, nothing particular. The photo is attractive and reminded the Lake of Conemara, lake which makes mirror for burned lands. It is very beautiful and, tempts to go there, Ireland attracts us for its landscapes, its pipes (Peterson) and its tobacco. Let's go, let us go on a journey. At first the formalities, not always pleasant, even if in the end it is a pleasure, because at the end of the way, there is always something to return in the luggage. Let us open the box! Always difficult at Samuel Gawith to describe, according to me, what we feel by smelling their tobaccos. Here a little simpler for once, there has of the 1792 inside it is an obvious fact. Other element, it is known, there are no tonka beans or what is of use to him as substitute. What we feel is rather powerful, intrusive. I know what I am dealing with and I like that, it is bitter, but not tart, it tickles, but that does not fall! I want to say: "smoke, it is of the Belgian!" Do not be mistaken, it has no report with Semois. No, it is not there, that the Belgian side lives which I give to him. Belgium is not known in the world of the tobacco that by Semois, nor in the brewing world that by her beer, it is also known for its chocolate. It is the smell of chocolate that titillates my nostrils. Attention nothing sweet! But the dark chocolate, the bitter the minimum 86 %, as the one who recovers truffles. The tobacco is darkened, of the deep brown to the intense black, its cup is an already undone flake. He is still very wet, I refrain from smoking him before one hour. It is long, one hour when we want to enjoy anything, but, I am a pipe smoker, no? Thus I am patient and I leave the open box. The cup is "unrefined" and it is nevertheless necessary to play fingers to fill better the pipe. In the affected, I have the impression to have barks of still wet wood and some dry mushrooms between fingers, it is pleasant, the earth is wet in Ireland! Ignition in the match, that is the way it is, at my home, with a new tobacco! Easy, the time made its work, I did well to wait to taste. The first draft, I never worry about it, I light, I do not pay attention to my sensations, nevertheless ... Indeed, it is good a tobacco loaded in nicotine! Yes, the first draft is smelt. The tobacco is alive, he tells me clearly that you should not smoke him without giving him all the merit to which he is entitled. There is a rustic side in this tobacco, he has no caustic side, he does not assault the palace, nor the tongue. He is heady, certainly. He is everything in curvature in the mouth, he invades the oral cavity in general, it is the privilege of powerful tobaccos. However that his power dominates the palace, he is soft and develops aromas of peats, still Ireland

Pipe Used: Peterson

Purchased From: Demoulin, Liège

Similar Blends: Samuel Gawith - 1792 Flake.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mawnan Smiff (28)	2016-08-09		Very Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Pleasant

I was rather intrigued about this particular blend after reading many reviews. My tastes tend to lean towards stronger blends and after a not particularly interesting experience with 1792 flake gave this one a try, it is after all supposed to be 1792 minus the tonquin flavourings.

Opening the tin I was presented with a mish mash of coarse shreds, predominantly dark brown in colour with some jet black in there too. Tin note was of nice new leather shoes. Not your namby pamby slip-ons but a nice pair of Northampton made stout brogues. Moisturewise it was typically wet as all SG and G&H blends tend to be so the contents of the tin were tipped out onto a tray to get some air around those shreds.

I loaded up my McQuade bulldog and fired up. Despite two hours of airing it still took a while to get a decent burn but I got there. The first thing that struck me was the taste of burning tar or rubber and I recalled reading in at least one review that someone had made the same observation, not a good start!

Once settled flavours more associated with tobacco came to the fore. Smoky wood and bitter chocolate with a little burnt coffee is what I got from this blend. Nicotine became very apparent come mid bowl but not eye crossingly so. Some folks are put off this blend purely because of the nicotine content! One thing I would like to add is that at no time did I taste any of the famous/infamous 'Lakeland Sauce' which was a welcome surprise.

This is most certainly a very strong blend and not one for beginners. The flavours are pretty consistent throughout the bowl leaving a damp squidgy dottle at the bowl's finish.

Interestingly the listed components of the broken flake variety (which is what is reviewed here) simply states Virginia tobacco whereas for the flake version they mention Kentucky & Virginia. As to whether mine has Kentucky or not I am not sufficiently experienced in the minutiae of tobacco blends to comment.

Would I buy this again? I'm not too sure I would. It wasn't an unpleasant blend but it was a tad overpowering for me. Perhaps if mixed 50/50 with a sweet straight Virginia (Golden Glow?) it might make for a more mellow smoke. I would give this 5/10.

Pipe Used: McQuade bent bulldog & Bernina bent billiard.

Age When Smoked: Fresh.

Purchased From: Mysmokingshop.com

Similar Blends: Nothing yet smoked..

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Big Train (118)	2016-02-13		Strong	Extra Strong	Overwhelming	Strong

Samuel Gawith makes some of the best pipe tobacco available . I have been enjoying it for many years . I have avoided their tobaccos heavy with Lakeland flavoring because I simply do not enjoy it . I was a little excited when I discovered this tobacco which was billed as 1792 flake without the tonquin . I opened my can with anticipation and found a darkish broken flake that looked inviting . The tin note gave out a strong aroma of Lakeland flavoring and I began to doubt my good luck . When I lit it up I was overcome with one of the foulest tasting blends that I have ever tried . It actually got me sick , I was unable to finish the bowl . Now , for people who like Lakeland flavoring this might be a fine tobacco . This , however was way over the hill with the Lakeland . I can tolerate Lakeland in some of the G & H mixtures because it is not flavored as strongly but this blend was simply unsmokable . I am not putting down Samuel Gawith for marketing this blend because I'm sure there are many folks out there who enjoy that type of flavoring . I will look for one of those guys to give the rest of this tin to . I will continue to smoke the many great blends made by Samuel Gawith but not this one .

Two weeks later....... My friend Tad Gage told me this wasn't as bad as I had thought so I opened the can and tried another smoke . The Lakeland smell was pretty much gone and the tobacco still looked inviting so I tried a bowl in a nice Parker pat# . I was shocked to find it wasn't that bad , actually some high notes of flavor at one point . Although this is not one of SG's finest hours I will now rate it as a smoke, mind you , just . Maybe the key to Lakeland is to let it sit in the can a while , a long while.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	atomicbuster (79)	2020-05-29		Mild	Extremely Mild	Very Mild	Tolerable

I tried this because I had good experience with other blends with "dark" and "Kentucky" in the name. This blend does not measure up to the others. The flavor is very light and the taste is very harsh. It's not that it tastes strong, it just tastes bad. The smoking characteristics are okay once it's dried out a bit, but it's almost not worth it. I couldn't detect much nicotine, so if that's your thing, I think you'll be disappointed. Since I've had worse I'll give this 2 stars, but I do so reluctantly.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Skando (203)	2018-06-29		Very Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Love or hate thing ? No, it’s just to find a personal approach with this beast of a tobacco…

Every time I approach Lakeland Dark in pure form, I try to do respectfully. It’s strong and needs committed piping. I damn myself every time I realize that I was not prepared to that pipeful, because this smoke You must not rush, it will brutally slap Your face… no count of hiccups…

I’ve smoke a number of 250grm bulks. It comes with a correct wetness, uncommon for the SG’s. That is far from meaning that LD smokes steady. No, not indeed. It always needs relight, fortunately that is not influencing the smoke so badly. The pouch aroma is heavenly of burnt aromatic wood, leather and earth, just a wee bit fruity. No Lakeland essences here, just tobacco. This is the pipe tobacco for the Toscano cigar lovers. Strong in body and nicotine. Releases a smoky/sweetish flavour. Room note (I don’t smoke indoor) is nearly tolerable.

Anyway, LD is a bit too much for this smoker. And I found my way to keep with it, by adding it to a lighter Virginia (mainly Golden Glow), as a condiment. A somewhat recommended tobacco, not for it faults (the only one, in case, is a poor cumbustibility) but for the potential limited pleatea of smokers able to appreciate this no-frills thing.

Regarding me, and the way I use it, I will keep buying LD.

Pipe Used: all my fleet

Purchased From: local tobacconist

Similar Blends: GH's Dark Flake Unscented ?.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mosessupposes (11)	2017-08-25		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Full bodied, but modest flavor. Great for mixing, such as with Golden Glow or Kendall Flake. Free of Lakeland essence or tonquin. Smokes cool without bite. Typical SG rough broken flake, easy to rub out and fill.

Pipe Used: Average briar.

Age When Smoked: Just purchased

Purchased From: Smokingpipes

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	unclebuccs (4)	2017-07-08		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

After purchasing 1 1/2 years ago, I finally popped open a tin of Lakeland Dark. The only thing I have to add to the previous reviews is that the tin aroma is more "fire cured", but the smoke itself is VERY reminiscent of G&H Dark Bird's Eye.... The finer cut of the Bird's Eye, along with it's availability in bulk, might make it a preferable option for most.

Age When Smoked: 18 months

Similar Blends: Gawith & Hoggarth Dark Bird's Eye.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sybariten (61)	2016-05-28		Extremely Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Very Strong

Conclusion: This is a potent and forceful tobacco. It does not apologize, nor should it - it is quite good. For those times when one wants to unwind, let go of the days troubles, this is perfect.

Taste: A deep, dark taste of earth, salt, leather, coffee and spice with hints of floral notes comes through at first light. This keeps building in intensity through the bowl and the spice grows stronger as the earthy leather grows bolder. There is sweetness in this, but not as in honey or caramel but rather it is like that piece of dark chocolate that goes with a nice espresso. This is full flavour at every draw, and it lingers on the tongue long after the conclusion of the smoke, notes of sweet leather, spice and coffee. Some have complained that this is a harsh smoke, I do not agree but rather I would say it is a strong, bold smoke. If one is not a seasoned smoker, this might be too strong and therefore be perceived as harsh or coarse, thus I would recommend that new smokers think twice about trying this. At least I would recommend them to have but a small bowl at first.

Mechanics: A ready rubbed, comes less wet than the typical Gawith but is still a bit hard to keep lit and will require some relights. As for the nicotine, this is one of the strongest blends that I have tried - I am used to strong tobacco but this really warms my chest (and I do not inhale). No bite at all, really kind for a virginia.

Similar Blends: Samuel Gawith 1792 flake and/or Toscano cigars.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Timelysmoker (5)	2016-03-17		Extremely Strong	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I quite liked this, no bite and it's quite creamy even if you puff like a locomotive. I got tastes of light oaked rum and bananas.

There is however a load of nicotine (a good thing!), this will hit the back of your throat and give you a nice lift. Perfect after a big lunch before an afternoon snooze. So for me not an every day smoke (and I wouldn't want be become acclimatised to that much nicotine).

Leave it for 10 minutes to dry a little beforehand though.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrT999 (318)	2016-03-16		Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

10 reviews so far, and it seems as if there are 3 or more very different tobaccos being discussed. The tin I've been working through is a broken flake, and what I get is unrelieved Dark Stoved VA and Kentucky flavors -- certainly much more so than I would have expected from unflavored 1792 (if that's what this actually is, then that Tonquin in 1792 is applied with an even heavier hand than I would have believed). Very moist in the tin, although it dries fairly quickly; certainly easier to light and kept lit than 1792. If you get a tin like mine and enjoy Dark Stoved and Kentucky, you'll likely enjoy it to some greater or lesser degree. To me, it's good, but I wouldn't want it to be in a regular rotation.

Pipe Used: briars, cobs, and meers

Age When Smoked: 2 months after purchase

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	shakenbake (11)	2016-03-13		Very Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I had the good fortune to buy two tins of this blend from one of my favourite suppliers. However, I would not say that it is similar to 1792 Flake without the tonkin flavouring; more like Bracken without the coumarin, IMHO.

Out of the tin, it smells like Black XX or possibly Brown No. 4, due to the curing process it has gone through.

The cut is more like a ribbon cut than a shag, being broader cut than fine cut. The tobacco is a beautiful dark brown to black, moderately moist and fragrant. It is relatively easy to pack, and light, and stays lit for a long while after it takes to the flame, needing an occasional tamping to keep it going. The ash is a dark grey.

I did not notice too much change in flavour from the beginning to the end of the bowl. However, it is a strong tobacco and becomes somewhat stronger near the end of the bowl. Vitamin N is there in large doses. This would be a good smoke after a heavy meal, or before bedtime. There was quite a bit of moisture in the dottle, possibly due to its relatively young age, or the fact that I was smoking it outdoors on a cool, damp day. Nonetheless, it did keep burning with a coaxing of a pipe tamper.

I should want to give the contents of the tin a bit of time to breathe, to see if it helps a bit with the moisture accumulation, and to see if the tobacco mellows out and/or develops some complexity. All-in-all, for a first go, I would recommend it, to the more experienced pipe smoker.

Pipe Used: Old Royal Bent Dublin (35-year-old pipe)

Age When Smoked: Fresh? Recenly Releaed

Purchased From: Somokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Samuel Gawith - Black XX Twist (Rope), Samuel Gawith - Bracken Flake.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Job Pipe (1)	2022-04-09		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

I got the wrong impression from other smokers' reviews of this Fantastic Lakeland Dark. It had been judged "Too Strong", but it is not true! it is full-bodied, satiating, vigorous, but never overly strong. A really high variety of tobaccos and aromas, very harmonious, herbaceous, sweet, earthy, toasted, never edgy and at times slightly "spicy". No tingling on the palate or tongue, it smokes fresh, but you have to prepare it well before loading the pipe, chopping the larger pieces and letting it dry a little. I recommend pipes with a not too large Bowl.

I love this tobacco and I could smoke it every day! 4 Stars Certainly

Pipe Used: Bud Of Steel - Reverse Calabash Stainless Steel

Age When Smoked: 45

Purchased From: I'm a Tobacconist

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JJ Sir Emmitt (40)	2021-07-27		Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This is a nice looking broken flake. It is very moist from the tin, definitely needs some dry time before smoking.

This blend is very sweet almost sugary sweet. A little too sweet for me. But there are some deep darks flavors present in this blend. Plum, maple, sugar, nuts, wood, earth, grass and with some pepper spice. But this is a very sweet blend.

As for performance if you give this enough dry time it breaks apart and loads easy. It needs a few relights. It deliver good smoke output. Overall a good blend.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Big T (5)	2020-11-12		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I've been a fan of Sam Gawith tobaccos for many years and this is up there with their best. The Kentuckies are the star of the show with the Virginias providing some nice sweetness in the background. The flavor is complex and robust. If you're new to pipe smoking, you may want to tread carefully as the nicotine hit is quite powerful. The tobacco comes ready rubbed, and is easy to pack and light. I wouldn't call this an all day smoke. I enjoy smoking this late at night before going to bed.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Manuel86MI (2)	2019-09-01		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Tried for the 1st time in 2016. I fell in love. Great quality kentucky on the front and good sweet virginia on the background. Rude and refined at the same time it's a high level nicotine tobacco. Truly satisfying and only for kentucky lover. After a good meal it's great, specially in cooler months.

I let it dry 30 min. before loading my pipe. It's quite weat!

When I want to taste this great tobacco in the morning, I mix it with some virginia to make it more tolerable to my palate and stomach!

Somebody says it is an unscented version of 1792. For me they are very similar but not the same at 100%.

Pipe Used: many Savinelli and Dunhill pipes

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DenizBeck (323)	2019-05-26		Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

A tasteful treat for Kentucky lovers! If you know SG Flakes, you know what kind of moist-mess is awaiting you - but don't give up by now, let it dry out for a while, stuff it into your pipe (preferably a smaller bowled one, as this has some nicotine packed) and enjoy a rather monochromatic, yet intense flavor you'd associate with dark fired Kentucky blends.

Smoky, earthy, woodsy, richly spicy and somewhat dry... perfectly balanced with the Virginia's sweet and refreshing qualities to make it a very appealing blend. There may be a hint of Lakeland essence, but I guess if so, it's rather from the machines they use, than a casing/topping that was added intentionally.

Very good blend, yet - for me - not as good as the Mac Baren Kentuckys (namely Bold Kentucky and Old Dark Fired) and maybe it shares some similarities with HU Tobaccos "Manyara" - albeit Manyara being far more complex, but the Kentuckys have similar taste-qualities. But this definetly can be considered a "un-flavored 1792 Flake / Cob Plug", yet to me the 1792 Flake / Cob Plug is superior due to the skillfully applied Tonquin essence! 3,5 stars

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Effluvinator (60)	2017-05-28		Strong	Medium to Strong	Full	Strong

I like this a lot--not as much as 1792, but it's very good in its own right. Reminds of Dark Flake Unscented, but I can smoke a larger bowl of this by a wide margin. DF seems to become tiresome after a while in more than a small amount. Not nicotine OD but just beyond satisfaction. Lakeland Dark, on the other hand I load up in a good-sized pipe and go off to Nirvana, just like 1792. I still miss Bracken . . . But hopefully this will not suffer a similar fate. It's deep, dark, meaty?, not terribly complex to my jaded palate but definitely a keeper. As far as the aroma it smells okay to me and the neighbor's labrador puppy loved it!

Pipe Used: Handmade Brax17 eBay

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Smilokungpipes.com

Similar Blends: Dark Flake..

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2002-01-15		Very Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable

For those who love Gawith tobaccos, the Lakeland series (Light and Dark) is not one to be missed. It contains most of what people seem to like (and dislike) about S.G. in general, doing what the English company has done well for so many years ? make a full-flavored, robust blend for the smoker to enjoy. The aroma in my sample 2oz bag is familiar, that perfumy/soapy scent that hangs in much greater degree about any and all S.G. plug and rope tobaccos. A dark and musty scent competes as well, totally lacking in the usual softening of Virginia sweetness. In appearance the tobacco is very dark, black and brown/black being the only discernable colors. The cut is very marrow, medium to long in length, and came to me in a collection of loosely pressed chunks that fell apart quite easily. The moisture level of my sample was low; indeed, this tobacco was nearly as dry as a C&D blend. Packing was easy, once the chunks were separated, and lighting was very quick. This blend burns very well, needing a lower than average number of relights. The initial flavor in the first third of the bowl is dark and musty, very close to the bag aroma of the tobacco. There are nutty elements, almost as if Burley was present, and there is the normal initial harshness I?ve come to expect from S.G. blends. It ?catches? at the back of my throat, and I would not dream of exhaling this through my nose at this point! Nevertheless, the smoke is very flavorful, dark, and fairly complex. I have also noticed that caution is needed with this ? the high nicotine content is obvious from the first. The second 1/3 is similar in flavor to the first, though the harshness is not as bad. There is increasing smoothness, complimented by slightly more complexity in the smoke. I have noticed no moisture at all to this point. In the final third, the annoying harshness is totally gone, leaving a smother, darker, and still complex flavor. This is by far the best part of the bowl, perhaps better than ?good?. There has been a total lack of bite throughout the smoke. The nicotine is not weak, and I?m really noticing it at this point; don?t use a large pipe for this, unless you are used to it!. Despite the kick, I am able to smoke this to the bottom of the bowl, clean and dry the whole way. Overall, I?d call this a good tobacco, very good or better if not for the harshness at the start. The finish is almost worth it, but can?t quite offset the first two thirds for myself. If you don?t mind (or even like!) this initial flavor, you should truly enjoy this high-quality dark Virginia blend. I, however, prefer Esoterica or McClelland Virginias, and will likely not order more of this when I run out.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stan (179)	2019-09-04		Strong	Very Mild	Full	Tolerable

A broken flake. Dark and scenty.

Maybe my imagination, but I senses a little licorice type essence. Very little, but enough to make it sparkle a bit.

Full bodied, dark and rich, smooth, cool. Needs some re-lites.

Bit milder and approachable than a true dark flake.

I liked it but not an all day smoke.

Pipe Used: Wilke

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: Mayan Imports

Similar Blends: Amphora Kentucky, G&H Dark Flake.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	LVciAn777 (7)	2019-08-02		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Strong

This is one of the first tobaccos I tried and was immediately love. Is one of the SG products that i frequently smoke and I noticed that sometimes the cut is a broken flake and sometimes is similar to ribbon cut... but in any case there is a little taste changes. Kentucky is the leading actor of this blend and should be Italian Kentucky that is famous for his quality and attribute of Toscano Cigars, generally is more surly and strong than american one. Virginia is in background,but you can feel it and gives sweet notes that mitigate kentucky character. The result is a creamy and tasty smoke,never aggressive to mouth, sumptuos, magnificent. I like it very much ,a treasure for kentucky lovers!

Pipe Used: Castello Sea Rock,Mastro Grandolfo Olive wood pipe

Purchased From: Sansone Shop, Rome

Similar Blends: SG Brown n.4, MST Forte, Motzek Dark Twist, SG 1792 Flake.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Falliver (42)	2019-05-25		Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

The tin aroma is dark, leathery, and smokey, with some musty and herbal characteristics, dark and dried berries. The leaves are dark as the abyss, and quite moist, probably demanding drying up for most.

It packs fairly well, and require a relight at the start, but once lit, keeps on giving. Delivering a smooth, creamy, and full bodied smoke, it tastes leathery with pure, dark tobacco delight. Is it slightly tangy? Waxy? Oily? I think I sense some olives dancing in the back, especially on the GL Lillehammer, offering a slightly longer stem than the Norrøna. It neither bites nor go harsh, but it is a great tobacco, offering a great smoke, much like the gentle kisses of the kindest Rottweiler. Or pitbull. Or bulldog. My canine knowledge is not too good, but please imaging a mean-looking dog.

With my untrained palate, I’m unable to distinguish all the different flavours of the tobacco, but the more I pay attention to it, the more delightful it becomes. Truly an outstanding tobacco.

Pipe Used: Norrøna Lillehammer Pipe 1212

Age When Smoked: From the tin

Purchased From: Tobakkland Majorstuen

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteveH (37)	2019-04-13		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

A dark brown, rather tarry broken flake, that needs some rubbing out. Strong and rich, something of a plum-pudding tobacco. Excellent post-prandial or late evening smoke. Deserves to be taken seriously.

Pipe Used: Blakemar bent apple.

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: My Smoking Shop

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Knightsmoker (218)	2018-10-01		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

This is a great VA/KY blend. For me the KY is the dominate of the two. It is woody, earthy, slightly nutty, with a light spice note. I get a little leather from time to time along with a slight musty note that moves in an out. Right behind this and fighting for the lead at times is the red VA's, which have a dry earthiness and dark fruit note to them with a sweet spicy note that reminds me a little of cinnamon. After the mid point of the bowl I also pick up an iodine note (cigar smokers will understand this) that moves in and out occasionally. The nic is closer to the med. range for me but the overall body is solidly in the med to strong category. Very full flavor profile. I like this best in a med bowl. It stands out above ODF, Bold KY, Orlik's Dark Strong KY, and other similar blends for me and hence the reason for the 4 star rating. If you like full flavored VA/KY blends this is a must try.

Age When Smoked: 1 yr.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	L'Italiano (233)	2023-05-26		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

One of the best Virginia/Kentucky you can find in the market. Strong blend, not easy to smoke, only for experienced pipe smokers and only after a good meal. The taste is full: a little bit of sweetness from Virginia, then only earth, leather and some stable manure. Very satisfying and filling smoke. Ideal for those who love a strong, natural, unflavored blend. Not suitable for sweet, mild and light blends lovers. In my personal rating system (from 1 to 10) my score is 10 and four complete stars.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	claudiobande (31)	2023-01-02		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

A very particular tobacco. It's not for everyday smoking, but it's still very enjoyable. It has a strong presence of smoke and burnt wood, which I like to pair with either a coffee in the afternoon or a bourbon at night.

Pipe Used: Dunhill - Castello

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tomcat (223)	2022-11-25		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Unnoticeable

Samuel Gawith Lakeland Dark- Nice musty fermented smell from the tin . Strong , full and slightly creamy . Savory and floral and a wee bit of sweetness. Earthy and nutty . Tastes like a tiny bit of Tonquin in the smoke. A few tea notes . Nicotine is up there past medium . Solid 3

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JaWiBr (561)	2022-10-30		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

in note fire cured, slightly sweet and cardamom like scent. The tobacco is black and dark brown broken flake, mostly already rubbed out. Could use a little drying, burns consistently once lit, requires relights. The strength overall is strong, starting off a little more than med getting stronger as it goes. The nic isn't as strong. No flavoring detected, or rather any I could recognize, despite tin note. The taste is full, and consistent. Notes of leathery wood, slightly sweet, very spicy and minor floral. Kentucky is driving, with Virginia riding shotgun. Has an almost intolerable room note, but a nice after taste.

Pipe Used: Wally Frank Limited White Bar Sandblast 128

Age When Smoked: 6 years

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ukpipeandcigar (3)	2021-03-11		Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Tolerable

This came "Gawith" wet in the pouch, so dried out on tin foil on hot radiator for 5 min, then air for 10 min to a suitable moistness.

The cut is evenly sliced long broken Flake, which I broke up into smaller pieces & rubbed out a little.

Dark sweetness from char light. Very sweet Virginia taste to start. Creamy, thick, herby, smoky wood, then a little Lakeland taste appears from time to time. No harshness or bite. Nicotine is above medium, so I wouldn't smoke this on an empty stomach. Numerous relights, I guess I could have dried it longer. Yes, this is the cigar of the pipe world with its earthy, smoky bold flavour. Sweetness in the smoke continues, but leaves a sour taste in the mouth at times. Past half way and the light Lakeland essence has gone, and you are left with the dark smoky sweet & earthy full bodied smoke. Being a Flake it lasts a long time too. Recommended-as a cheaper alternative to a Toscano cigar, but some may find it too full bodied. 3.5/5

Pipe Used: Parker pot briar

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: GQ tobaccos

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Antonius Blok (192)	2020-10-15		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Looking for an alternative to Mac Baren's HH Old Dark Fired Ready Rubbed, which I had run out of a couple of days earlier, it occurred to me to open the Lakeland Dark tin with the huge surprise that it looked almost like a clone of the previous one. The tobacco comes at its right moisture point to be loaded immediately when it is removed from the tin, burning evenly and well. In the flavor, I find a mixture of earthiness and sweetness, intense and somewhat chocolatey, not without its robustness.

However, when I compare it, I like the aforementioned Mac Baren mix a little more, since it has a slightly more pronounced bittersweet contrast and I have the impression that the smoke is also slightly creamier than here, In addition, this Lakeland Dark is heavy and scratchy in flavor, too wild, to put it in some way. In his defense I will say that with ODFRR something similar also happens to me, but it is somewhat smoother than this one.

So if you know ODFRR you can get an idea of what you are going to find with it. Other users have also compared it to Samuel Gawith's Black XX with which, indeed, it shares some similarities, but here I find that the variation between the two is more remarkable than with ODFRR.

Pipe Used: Soler Freehand

Similar Blends: HH Old Dark Fired Ready Rubbed (Mac Baren).

Nobody has rated this review yet.