Samuel Gawith Golden Glow (bulk)

I've just tried this Samuel Gawith broken flake for the first time. I'm a bit diffident about reviewing it on so brief an acquaintance; but my first impression is so favourable that I'm going to anyway. I'm quite sure that I shall smoke quite a bit of this in my remaining years (or until it too – like so many favourites – ceases to be).

MVF – I speak as a lover of Virginias and Va/Pers – is one of the finest Lakeland tobaccos I've come across; and I don't say that lightly. It's subtle, certainly: perhaps too subtle for the more demanding palate. You probably have to be in the mood for it, and there will no doubt be times when (say) G & H's Brown Flake or SG's Best Brown Flake will suit your fancy more. But when you just want to relax with a pipeful of something that isn't too taxing, smoke some of this slowly and reflectively in a big bowl. After a gentle start it'll reward you all the way down with a full, sweet, old-fashioned, natural, pure Virginia flavour that gets richer and rounder as you go on: no scents, no casing, no gimmicks – just tobacco. Despite what some people suspect, I'm quite sure there's no artificial flavouring here. MVF reminds me a little bit of Player's Medium Navy Cut.

I think it's worth emphasising, though, that you need a long smoke of this in a large bowl to get the full benefit. A short smoke of MVF would be rather a dull affair. I enjoy it hugely in one of my big Petersons; Klio (cat) likes the room note a lot; SWMBO doesn't dislike it, either.

There's really nothing to dislike about this tobacco. The broken flake packs well, lights well and burns consistently. The nicotine content is (surprisingly) high and, like Virginias in general, it'll burn you if you rush it; so take care. Don't rub out more of it than is necessary to get you well alight, and don't let it get too dry. Subject to these warnings, this is a good choice for the smoker who doesn't like or want a heavy casing. Much enhanced too by DGT. First-rate stuff: in my list of preferences, I would put it second after G & H's Brown Flake. Highly recommended; a possible all-day smoke.

Like FVF, this flake tobacco is superb! Yes, it is a lighter flake than FVF, but has its own character as well. A little more "earthy" in taste and aroma, yet builds a wonderful smoke from first light to the bottom of the bowl.

One of my top 10, the only wish I have is that I could buy this in plug form. Otherwise, I see no improvement in this tobacco.

Most often smoked in a group 4/5 size bowl, moist, lightly folded, and rubbed slightly. Depending on one's mood, this is an all-day tobacco, for sure.

Excellent with coffee or hot tea! A winner by any standard.

...a pipe is to be savored...

This broken virgina flake seems to bridge the gap in style and character between SG's Best Brown and Full Virgina Flake. Upon opening the tin, the aroma reminded me of some of Rattrays virginas that I tried years ago, slightly fig fruity with another vapor-like element present that I could only seem to liken to perhaps menthol. I suppose it's due to the degree of steam pressing. It has a mild but significant natural sweetness that Best Brown lacks while being noticeably milder in strength on the palate and relatively bite free even for a golden virginia of this type. It smokes slow in it's ready rubbed cake form that I would recommend not to rub out further. Despite it's milder virginia character I found this to be a more full tobacco in nicotine that only allows me to smoke about half a pipe at a time. An excellent virginia that some might find a bit rich as I do.

Found this in a 250g box whilst looking for Golden Glow by the same maker. Like Golden Glow (if it's not the same), I find a superb leaf of broken flake, I broke off a small chunk and part rubbed it out, leaving it to dry for a few hours. The rest remained in the foil bag which I "re sealed" by folding the top and putting it back in it's box. Previous experience tells me that like Golden Glow, I can come back to this time and again over the course of a month and still find a good moisture content.

This splendid golden tobacco, now nicely dried to my preferance, is fully rubbed and lights with a single match, a smooth creamy flavour, slightly sweet and with a touch of saltiness. A very fine "first thing in the morning smoke" or for that matter, come to think of it, an anytime of day smoke.

Medium Virginia Flake seems to alternate between the initial "Smooth Creaminess" followed by the "Sweetness" of the virginia with a little "Saltiness" coming and going. Although MVF is not a complex smoke, I would'nt describe it as monochromatic either. It is what it is, a good, honest, excellent quality virginia, and does'nt pretend to be anything but.

I bought a second 250g box along with this to see what effect a month of "Aging" will have on it. Like Golden Glow, dried out a little, it burns well with only moderate heat in a bulldog, no steam and no bite. For me, this tobacco is a must have.

HAY!!!!!!

I do remember being a kid. Once I sat and at a friend's behest, smoked a sun-dried yellow breath's worth of stalk. That was it. One breath, one stalk. It was some sort of West Coast 1970's actual, from the earth growing, mowable grass. It wanted to propagate. We wanted to do something fun. So we smoked it and damned if we were not but 6 years old.

Straw-plucking fire sucking fun. Mmmmmmm Medium Flake. A blast from the past.

That's Not my review.

But, now that you've mentioned it, some have these Gawith Virginias have some hay about 'em. This one in particular.

As a long time fan of FVF, I told my importer that he should try the medium variety, as he doth tend toward the lighter fair.

Striketh me down, did say he, I do believe we've found me my smoke. I've smoked quite a bit, a pound or two, since then, and I still stick to the full flake from Gawith. But, Dear old Daddy, he likes this stuff, and not only will I withstand it's cigarette room note and lack of what I would kindly call "flavor", I will on occasion, (that being when I must) smoke it and enjoy.

Heck. T'aint so bad, that smokin hay.

Really its sometimes good, even if it's a little ugly on the side.

This is a good Virginia tobacco in bright golden broken flake cut, naturally sweet, mild with some floral and Lakeland note, somehow bland with "metallic" taste that would please some palate no bite, inexpensive and can improve with age.

It is good VA, but not the best of mild Virginias out there, I prefer Mac Baren Va#1 or PSB luxury twist flake

It's funny this thing we call 'pipe smoking'. How some can wax poetic about a blend and others bemoan it's qualities.

I as of late have gotten away from the heavy latakia blends and have been exploring the world of Virginias and Burleys. This was my first experience with a Gawith product. I was very excited after I found it on sale for a very reasonable $30 for the pound.

The reviews may not have been as glowing as the ones for the Full Virginia Flake but non the less most were still 4****. Well after giving it a try in several different pipes of various sizes, I am thoroughly disappointed. Very bland , weak and boring with none of the Virginia sweetness that I so much love. The only reason that I am giving it 2** is because it doesn't bite and the aroma is okay. I've since used it for blending purposes just to use it up.

I hate having to disagree with so may distinguished members here whose opinions I so greatly respect but it is what it is.

Yep, It's funny this thing we call 'pipe smoking'.

this is the best virginia i know of in its category: the almost non-pressed-and-stoved flakes. somehow, it is what orlik's "golden sliced" and a lot of other continental flakes pretend and try to be but are not. though it is supposedly made by the same raw tobaccos as fvf and bbf, it is completely different in caracter: golden, broken up, a lot lighter in the taste and flavours.

natural sweetness, natural citrusy/vanilly/woodsy/grassy flavours, easy packing and lighting, dry smoking, lovely room note. what more can one ask?

does it actually contain some sort of artificial flavouring as some seem to feel? i can't say for sure, but i doubt it. true, at the last quarter of the bowl, some "soap" appears, in the form of a very slight lavender and mint aroma. as i see it, it could be all natural, though. and it certainly doesn't take over the bowl, as many artificial flavours will. at times, i've noticed the same phenomenon with fvf and bbf as well. probably a caracteristic of the virginias used, i'd say.

most highly recommended indeed.

On a hunch, my first purchase of MVF was a pound. After smoking one bowl, I knew I?d ?done good.? After a few more bowls, I wished I?d bought two pounds so that I could be aging some while enjoying MVF now.

Reviewers giving MVF more enthusiastic recommendations have said most of what I could say. I?ll add that MVF is lighter in color and weight than Brown Flake, much less FVF. It is not, however, a light blend in flavor or power.

I do not think it is a Virginia/Burley blend or soapy. It seems a 100% flue-cured broken flake of a delicate texture, a middling, rich flavor, lightly sweet, and an aroma in the bag of augmented leaf (maybe cased, unflavored nor scented). Nothing but pure tobacco comes through smoking MVF. This packs, lights and burns very well, leaving a nice, mostly white, dry ash. To me, MVF, as Best Brown and FVF, are just more interesting and tame than Rattray?s wonderful VA flakes (SG really needs a HOW equivalent, BBF being 'tween OG and HOW, FVF stronger than HOW). SG flakes are also so much easier handling than my dear Mc Clelland's offerings.

I am also interested in trying MVF as a base for my own home blends. My first attempt with MVF will be with a little perique and P&W?s black Cavendish.

I?ll try to update this review after smoking MVF aged one year in Kerr ?canning? glass jars. It will be hard leaving it alone even for six months!