Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Bob's Square Cut

There are tobaccos with more Lakeland essence than this, though it is an important player here as it does tone down the tobaccos a little. The Cyprian Latakia must be lightly present because I only notice a slight smoke, earth and woody sweetness from it. The toasted, nutty, earthy, woody burley seems a little more prominent than the cirtusy, grassy, straw-like Virginia, which also has a touch of earth. The chocolate note is present in most every puff. For some reason, smoking this reminds me of being in a pine tree grove. The strength and taste levels are medium. The nic-hit is a step short of the medium mark. No chance of bite or harshness. Has a very consistent dry floral taste with a little sweetness. Burns reasonably well for a broken flake, though it does require a few relights. Leaves little moisture in the bowl. The after taste lingers a little. It's not quite an all day smoke, but it is repeatable.

-JimInks

Virginia and Burley in a square cut - hence the name. The first mixture to claim the inclusion of latakia where I could not taste it. Sometimes I even taste it when it's purportedly not there! Not even sure it did anything to this blend.

There was a bit of Lakeland essence but it didn't bring chocolate to mind. No, this is not a version of Bob's Chocolate Flake. The flavor reminded me of spices, like a light clove. Someone else mentions bergamot. Perhaps. There's something there but it was light in my batch but remained throughout the bowl. The scent was proto-typical G&H. If you enjoy Lakelands, this one can't miss for you. It's a medium-bodied tobacco with a fairly good nicotine hit, yet it's easy on the tongue. Even puffed rapidly, this one didn't bite. Furthermore, the flavor continued - a mix of light sweetness and warm spices. Also had kind of a bready quality with some toastiness.

This tobacco is an unqualified success. I just bought 2 more 500 gram boxes. One of the 2 or 3 best G&H tobaccos I've ever smoked and possibly one of the 10 best overall. If you're a Lakeland fan, this is not to be missed!

UPDATE 10/27/11

Ok, without trying to add to the confusion but merely attempting to clear it up for myself - all I can say is that I've been smoking a lot of this since my last review. It's in my Top 10 of tobaccos. I recently smoked a tin of Bob's Chocolate Flake. Based on my own taste buds, the only thing similar about the two blends is the name "Bob". They may have the same tobacco proportions but the flavors are totally different. Bob's Square Cut is a 4 star blend and I can barely muster 2 stars for Bob's Chocolate Flake. So if you're going into this blend with the expectations that it's some slightly different version of BCF, you *may* be sadly disappointed. Then again, you may be richly rewarded, whether it smokes like an amped-up BCF to you or not. 😉

Definitely NOT Bob's Chocolate Flake in different format. I have the "unscented" Square Cut...God help us if the "scented" version is stronger than this.

Tin aroma is a strong reminder of Wilson's Tom Buck and F&T's Seville Snuffs and Earl Grey Tea...I think it's Bergamot. A good airing out and drying help diminish the strength of this topping.

Rubs out easily, and I recommend this over the fold and stuff method. It does burn faster but the scenting makes a more rapid exit.

On initial light I am hit with a strong pine/cedar scent. Surprising, but not unpleasant. This settles down quickly to a spicy, sharp flavor with hints of citrus and lavendar. Mid-bowl the sweetness asserts itself from the Virginias, and a more natural tobacco flavor comes through with the burley barely showing up. Not bad, not good. An occasional smoke. I may toast some of this in a low oven to see if that helps eliminate some of the questionable flavors and aromas.

*Warning* This is Windex in the form of pipe tobacco.

---Update--- First of all, I contacted Gawith and was told this is Not the same as Bob's Chocolate Flake, but that there is a Bob's Chocolate Ready Rubbed, and that may be leading to the confusion. Secondly, after going through another pound of this wonderful stuff, I don't think there's any menthol in it, but who knows since both Gawith companies use some strange additives and are pretty secretive. Lastly, this is another flake that I like to mix around with. It's nice mixed with about 25% Penzance or Pirate Kake. There may already be a (very) little latakia in this, but basically it's a good strong base of virginias, probably with a little dark-fired, and burley. At least that's my humble guess. Upgrade to 4 stars!!

---

In a previous episode. . . Four ounces later, this stuff is good. Is it Bob's Chocolate Flake? Don't know, never had it. Latakia? A little. Vanilla? Nahhhh. This is a sour thing, a sweet thing,an unaromatic this is. Good leaf and good funky English people flavorings. Where did they learn how to make pipe tobacco? I love it. One more pound ordered. Why only three stars? I do believe it's mentholated.. Smoke it if you've got it.

Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Bob's Square Cut.

The pouch contains a selection of flakes, varying in size. The aroma from the pouch is confusing, it smells slightly sweet yet the smoke's a different story. The moisture's good.

It lights up easily enough, and gives a smoke which has a perplexing flavour. Perplexing, because there's no chocolate or vanilla, but there's a waft of bitterness. A little Lakeland-like, a touch floral, some alcoholic sharpness, and outright disgusting. Of the tobaccos I get the most flavour from the Burley, the Lat's lightly applied, and the Virginia's redundant.

Nicotine: medium. Room-note: tolerable.

Very disappointing:

Not recommended.

Mine is labeled unscented.....it isn't. Has a fairly strong Lakeland scent that completely covers any chocolate/cocoa/vanilla flavor that may have been added. I can faintly detect the Latakia. I cannot detect the Burley. The Virginias are tasty with a generic tobacco kind of flavor. With all of that said I still like this smoke. I should probably give this 2 stars for GH's deceptive description, but I like it enough to show some forgiveness. It gets 3 for being a pleasant and satisfying smoke.

Medium in body and taste. Lakeland is mild to medium, very nearly just medium. Burns very well.

Same constituent Tobacco's and scents of BCF, just blended and Scented with different proportions and cut into mini flakes. Square cut is more floral with a stronger scenting than BCF. The chocolate/cocoa and vanilla aroma and taste are more pronounced in Square Cut even though it is of a White Chocolate and Nougat flavor opposed to the more subtle Dark Chocolate vibe of BCF.

BSC and BCF have a few thing in common but are different enough to enjoy each for its own merits. I smoke both for the pleasure they deliver...that oh so smooth, creamy and rich flavor and aroma.

In reading the prior reviews there seems to be quite a difference of opinion on this one and sadly I think I'll be adding to the confusion. I DO think BSC has some similarities to GH's Bob's Chocolate Flake, but it is NOT the same blend. There is also confusion because I am told that it is called BSC "Unscented" from GH, but I don't this there is a scented version, at least not in the US. The "Unscented" IS actually quite cased. clear as mud?

I am huge fan of Bob's Chocolate Flake when it's well aged. I find Bob's Square Cut to be heavier cased than BCF with less chocolate and other added flavors, at least one of which tastes like florals. I smoke BCF in the same pipe as other GH scented blends, but I find the casing so intense with this blend that for me, it mainly stays in a cob. It's a full on aromatic for sure, Lakeland style. It does smoke best with some dry time and smoked in a small bowl. I will cellar a small amount to see if age treats this as well as BCF, but given the choice, I will reach for Bob's Chocolate Flake and the other GH scented flakes before reaching for Bob's Square Cut. Lovers of Lakeland aromatics should have this on their "must try" list.

This is one of my favorite GH flakes. Very lightly scented, a chocolaty note that I believe comes from the burley in the blend, if there is latakia it is minimal and merely adds its part to the gestalt. Rubbed out and smoked in a large bowl the flake can be a bit overpowering, but left whole and sipped in a mid to small bowl it really shines.