Samuel Gawith Bracken Flake
(2.93)
We have blended a carefully balanced selection of Kentucky & dark fired leaf to give this medium to strong flake. For the pipe smoker who seeks a satisfying smoke, then experience Bracken Flake, with its unique and alluring aroma, brought about by the application of a long-used essence.
Details
| Brand | Samuel Gawith |
| Blended By | Samuel Gawith |
| Manufactured By | Samuel Gawith |
| Blend Type | Virginia/Burley |
| Contents | Kentucky, Virginia |
| Flavoring | Other / Misc |
| Cut | Broken Flake |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Production | No longer in production |
Profile
Strength
Strong
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Mild to Medium
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
2.93 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 11 - 20 of 106 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 06, 2006 | Strong | Mild | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is my "desert island blend".
I recommend this blend to those who like 1792, ropes and fire-cured Kendals. If you dislike those, you'll probably dislike BF.
Nicotine is about a 8 out of 10 for me. (I'd put 1792 at 8.7 and DF at 9.7, and ropes fall in between those.)
The tins seem to be pretty damp, so a good bit of drying time should be expected.
Upon opening, the tin aroma is potpourri-like and I shuddered at the thought of that aroma infecting the smoke. However, upon lighting there was no potpourri note, no Lakeland floral/soapy note, nor any tonquin note. I would largely agree with a former employee of Knox Cigar in this regard that this is essentially 1792 without the tonquin.
Unlike, say, GH Dark Flake, Bracken Flake is darker, earthy, lacking the brighter vegetal notes of DF, yet darkly sweet (i.e., molasses/caramel-like). It is no aromatic, to be sure - this is a dark, strong Kendal tobacco flavor throughout.
BF burns slowly, even when bone dry, and there is no tongue burn. It can get bitter in the last 3rd and I don't usually get good DGT results with this blend. It is one of the few that sometimes benefit from judiciously dumping the ashes from the first half of the bowl in order to re-invigorate the last 3rd.
A pipeful of Bracken Flake and a glass of Lagavulin scotch make a glorious combination.
I recommend this blend to those who like 1792, ropes and fire-cured Kendals. If you dislike those, you'll probably dislike BF.
Nicotine is about a 8 out of 10 for me. (I'd put 1792 at 8.7 and DF at 9.7, and ropes fall in between those.)
The tins seem to be pretty damp, so a good bit of drying time should be expected.
Upon opening, the tin aroma is potpourri-like and I shuddered at the thought of that aroma infecting the smoke. However, upon lighting there was no potpourri note, no Lakeland floral/soapy note, nor any tonquin note. I would largely agree with a former employee of Knox Cigar in this regard that this is essentially 1792 without the tonquin.
Unlike, say, GH Dark Flake, Bracken Flake is darker, earthy, lacking the brighter vegetal notes of DF, yet darkly sweet (i.e., molasses/caramel-like). It is no aromatic, to be sure - this is a dark, strong Kendal tobacco flavor throughout.
BF burns slowly, even when bone dry, and there is no tongue burn. It can get bitter in the last 3rd and I don't usually get good DGT results with this blend. It is one of the few that sometimes benefit from judiciously dumping the ashes from the first half of the bowl in order to re-invigorate the last 3rd.
A pipeful of Bracken Flake and a glass of Lagavulin scotch make a glorious combination.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 20, 2019 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Unnoticeable |
Bracken, a coarse fern common in the U.K. I acquired a small sample of this (3 large bowls) from an estate tin dated April 2006. It is from the same gentleman that passed away and have mentioned in other reviews. I met his wife as she was selling his cellar to a local brick and mortar. This must have been about 6 or 7 years ago. I recognized the guy’s handwriting on the tin that he dated. You could not believe how much this guy had cellared. Quite a bit of the old stuff I have today is from what I bought. On to the review. This is a dark flake, somewhat thin with a nice earthy smell to it. I crumbled up a flake and then I noticed the sweet smell of their ‘secret sauce’. Real faint but this could be due to the age of the tobacco. I really enjoyed this one and of course it is no longer available. I have read from other reviews due to the lack of selected tobacco or due to the scarcity of the essence used. I don’t know for sure. But what I do know is that it is a great quality tobacco that if I could buy some at suggested retail price, ha, I would. Smooth and mild with hardly any essence detected while smoking. I smoked all three bowls yesterday so that is all she wrote.
Pipe Used:
Corn Cob
Age When Smoked:
13 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 08, 2019 | Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This was a gift from a friend. The flakes are a beautiful dark brown, and the pouch note is earthy and a heavy sweet with a hint of fruit. I rubbed out the flakes.
Smoked, this was very good. It is earthy, a little sweet and slightly spicy. Strength is medium, and some of the fruit pouch note comes through in the smoke. There is a hint of floral from time to time, but the defining taste is tobacco, and I found the topping to be fairly mild. This was a very satisfying smoke, and it seems to favor the tapered bowl in an African meer Dublin. It took a match and burned without drama. It was easy to smoke slowly and the flavor was consistent through the bowl.
This tobacco is NLA, and that is a pity. I enjoyed this, and find it easy to recommend. I suspect it was intended as premium smoke for the one-blend smoker. It would serve well in this way. There is enough to maintain interest and not so much going on that you are distracted by it.
Smoked, this was very good. It is earthy, a little sweet and slightly spicy. Strength is medium, and some of the fruit pouch note comes through in the smoke. There is a hint of floral from time to time, but the defining taste is tobacco, and I found the topping to be fairly mild. This was a very satisfying smoke, and it seems to favor the tapered bowl in an African meer Dublin. It took a match and burned without drama. It was easy to smoke slowly and the flavor was consistent through the bowl.
This tobacco is NLA, and that is a pity. I enjoyed this, and find it easy to recommend. I suspect it was intended as premium smoke for the one-blend smoker. It would serve well in this way. There is enough to maintain interest and not so much going on that you are distracted by it.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 01, 2016 | Overwhelming | None Detected | Overwhelming | Overwhelming |
I smoked it four years ago, so this review is only the feelings that I remember. First: tin aroma and first puffs smells like "horse shit" (seriously). The nicotine hit is very intense. I never finished an entire bowl. Fex puffs and down to the ashtray. Room note is extremely strong, and no flavouring at all.
not recommended
not recommended
Pipe Used:
briars
PurchasedFrom:
pipomarket Istanbul
Age When Smoked:
newly opened old tin
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 27, 2004 | Strong | Very Mild | Full | Strong |
Appearance: Small flake, with some broken, and some whole. The thickness of the flakes in NOT uniform, some being quite thick. To me, this is a quality control problem. Overall, very dark, with occasional bright flashes.
Aroma: Strong and pungent, almost cigarish in aroma. I suspect this is dark fired Kentucky. I don?t detect any Tonquin. Obviously not a close relative of 1792.
Packing:. Flakes break up fairly easily, but unevenly. Again, this is the variance in thickness of the flakes. Not an endearing trait.
Lighting:. Takes at least two charring lights to get it burning evenly and well. Once lit, seems to need a bit more draw than other flakes.
Initial flavor: Very full, smokey taste from the dark fired leaf. Some Virginia sweetness, but this is a background sensation. No layering of tastes noticeable.
Mid-bowl:. Maintains its flavor rather uniformly through the middle of the bowl. Burns cool always, but does need more relights than I would prefer. For me, seems to gurgle a bit. Probably my reaction to the dark fired leaf
Finish:. Gets a bit stronger in flavor at the bottom. Also gets a bit harsh in the mouth.
Summary:. A nice change of pace from more refined Virginias, but not compelling. I miss the nuances of the flavors.
Aroma: Strong and pungent, almost cigarish in aroma. I suspect this is dark fired Kentucky. I don?t detect any Tonquin. Obviously not a close relative of 1792.
Packing:. Flakes break up fairly easily, but unevenly. Again, this is the variance in thickness of the flakes. Not an endearing trait.
Lighting:. Takes at least two charring lights to get it burning evenly and well. Once lit, seems to need a bit more draw than other flakes.
Initial flavor: Very full, smokey taste from the dark fired leaf. Some Virginia sweetness, but this is a background sensation. No layering of tastes noticeable.
Mid-bowl:. Maintains its flavor rather uniformly through the middle of the bowl. Burns cool always, but does need more relights than I would prefer. For me, seems to gurgle a bit. Probably my reaction to the dark fired leaf
Finish:. Gets a bit stronger in flavor at the bottom. Also gets a bit harsh in the mouth.
Summary:. A nice change of pace from more refined Virginias, but not compelling. I miss the nuances of the flavors.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 25, 2022 | Medium to Strong | Mild to Medium | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is an incomplete box, forgotten in a bag, there are the KC and bracken, because move, they should be sleeping in my memory for 15 years or so, each piece inside are covered with a layer of white frost, when I was a young pipe smokers, may be the character of tobacco, stop to continue.
I'm tasting Bracken, a cigar with a flavor that's like coming to a temple in India.
If you like cigars, there are many better than this, and it does have a lot of nicotine in it, which I visit once a year because it's discontinued and I just want to think of it as a kind of baroque classical music.
I'm tasting Bracken, a cigar with a flavor that's like coming to a temple in India.
If you like cigars, there are many better than this, and it does have a lot of nicotine in it, which I visit once a year because it's discontinued and I just want to think of it as a kind of baroque classical music.
Pipe Used:
Briar
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 22, 2016 | Very Strong | Extremely Mild | Medium to Full | Unnoticeable |
"They Don't Make 'Em Like That Anymore". It's a pity that SG don't produce this good, strong, old-fashioned mix anymore. The slight casing aroma is barely noticeable in the tin and almost totally fades away when smoking. The elusive aroma is quite unusual, I can't put my finger on it. It reminds me... well, of bracken! You know, that earthy pleasant smell of decaying leaves and bracken glades in the woods. I wonder, if they used some actual bracken essence... bracken is not a healthy plant to consume in any form, so perhaps that's why The Bracken Flake has been discontinued? I stocked some tins of this rare weed to smoke in the mornings, when I smoke my strongest tobaccos.
Recommended. If you find a tin around, buy it and try it. Cause They Don't Make 'Em Like That Anymore.
Recommended. If you find a tin around, buy it and try it. Cause They Don't Make 'Em Like That Anymore.
Pipe Used:
Parker
Age When Smoked:
5
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 26, 2016 | Strong | Medium | Full | Strong |
Ohh Bracken, smoking it almost feels like wrestling with Kraken! It smells really nice, both in the tin and when lit. Easy to fill, burns also nice, but: it is like heavy lifting with the chest. You feel full after smoking ten minutes. Best after lunch or dinner. It is a fine tobacco who wants to experience a tasty and satisfying smoke.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2014 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I fully understand the 1 star reviews for this. If you aren't ready for a strong full bodied smoke then this one will be hard to enjoy. Definitely not for the first timer. I bought my tin from a place that just couldn't sell it. It is a minimum of 5 years old (on the shelf 5 years. Unknown production) and looked every bit like something brought over on the Mayflower. Black, broken tarry flakes with minute crystals. Tin note was similar to Copenhagen snuff on steroids, smokey, fermented tar odor. Some have criticized the look of the flake, uneven, thick/thin torn. To me, this is proof of handmade artisanal products. Not perfectly cut and portioned flakes as with others. I tried "Z" stuffing and hand rubbing. Hand rubbing resulted in fine shreds and grains. Lighting, tamping then re-lighting gave a steady smoke that burned to the bitter end. The smoke is definitely strong and a strong tea or high quality highland single malt would go hand in hand with this. I found no tongue bite and enjoyed the smoke rather well. I rolled it around my tongue and exhaled through my nose. This is a bit heavy for an early in the day smoke but makes a great after dinner puff. I would recommend this to the learned smoker as this could prove to be harsh and off putting to the beginner.
Pipe Used:
Several Peterson's
Age When Smoked:
5 years sealed
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 11, 2011 | Strong | Mild to Medium | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
A beautiful VaK flake, moderately scented in the purest Lakeland tradition.
Perfectly balanced flue & dark fired tobaccos of the highest quality. Needs to let drying in the tin some long time for reaching optimal burning, but then it rewards you with wonderful plums of sweet/leathery smoke. The flavouring (a combination of essences of the like of bergamot, anise) is applied very coherently, the true tobacco base is never hidden. The strength builds gradually to the strong side, with plenty of body. Smokes very cool and as long as one hour in the smallest group 1 bowl which is pretty enough to satisfy the smoker…
Not my all-day smoke, but something worth having in normal rotation.
Flawless quality, four full stars.
Perfectly balanced flue & dark fired tobaccos of the highest quality. Needs to let drying in the tin some long time for reaching optimal burning, but then it rewards you with wonderful plums of sweet/leathery smoke. The flavouring (a combination of essences of the like of bergamot, anise) is applied very coherently, the true tobacco base is never hidden. The strength builds gradually to the strong side, with plenty of body. Smokes very cool and as long as one hour in the smallest group 1 bowl which is pretty enough to satisfy the smoker…
Not my all-day smoke, but something worth having in normal rotation.
Flawless quality, four full stars.
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