Tavern Tobacco Co. Laurel Flake

I recently had my one and only tin of Laurel Flake, made for the Tavern Tobacco Company by Sam Gawith. My tin was from 2005 and I don't believe it is available anymore under that name, however, it still is available under the name St. James Flake by Sam Gawith! Yup, it is the same tobacco! Tavern had a tad bit more moisture added during process, but otherwise it is the exact same blend as St. James. This is not my opinion, but comes directly from the fine folks at SG. Now aged, is a sweet VaPer, LF's “leathery” appearing flakes have more of an “earthy” sweetness and it is enjoyably smooooth! If you don't mind paying the eBay price to get a unique tin, it is definitely worth the added cost.

miss Tavern Tobacco (by Knox Cigar). Every once in awhile they would come up with a blend or some blends that I found to be really good. Laurel Flake was one of their tinned blends from Gawith and was a Virginia/Perique that was middle of the road in both strength and flavor. Presented with the Gawith special processing that allowed the Perique to come through but in a laid back way. I only managed to get a few tins and smoked my last one a couple of years ago. Sigh.

I have about 5oz left from 8/02. Sweet and tangy, with a slight vegetal note in the jar. Almost has that McClelland "tang".

Packing can be a bit difficult, but maybe it's just me. It needs constant relights while smoking, but because it does, that means I am smoking this right. This is one of my favorite flakes, great VA flavor, and the Perique is done perfect. I don't have much else to add, but if you know anyone who has some of this cellared, steal it. lol.

Paired well with a Grand Marnier, 2 ice cubes.

I stopped into the Knoxville Cigar Company last week (in town on business) and the tobacconist gave me a sample of this flake. I smoked a bowl and am grateful for the gift. This is a wonderful tobacco. It is similar to Best Brown by SG, but more complex. There are deeper notes of plum from the Perique which help balance the higher notes of the Virginia. It is sweeter than Best Brown, but as mild and easy on tongue and palate. It never heated up and was quite tame. This flake is a great all day smoke. I will be ordering more.

A Virginia Perique flake of the highest quality. The tin aroma is excellent, and the tobacco is not overly moist. It burns well and evenly, and is flavorful from the first puff. The Perique is certainly noticeable. Indeed, midway through the bowl it predominates. The taste is pleasant throughout, though, and my only criticism is that it tends to be hot as the bowl "closes." You might not want to smoke this one all the way down, as it were.

Finally, I have purchased this both in bulk and in the tin. My impression is that the tinned variety is superior. It tasted somehwat more aged to me, though this may be mere perception.

An excellent smoke!

I bought two tins of this from Knox Cigar a couple of months back because it was made by Samuel Gawith. Ater a few bowls, I immediately stocked up the cellar with it, and will continue to add more. This is made with the extraordinarly good Virginia of Medium Flake, Best Brown and Full Virginia Flake, but it is even darker than FVF. The tobacco is almost black and comes in narrow, moist strips. Before they dry, I roll them out to a broken ribbon and allow them to dry a bit. The Virginia flavor of this tobacco is one step deeper than FVF, and the smoke delivers this rich tanginess consistently. The perique is barely noticeable to me, adding just bit of spice but functioning more as a complement to the Virginia. I think the perique has been completely submerged into the Virginia through the process of pressing the tobaccos into flake form. This is a mild, mild smoke with pronounced Virginia flavor and no hint of bite. I look for the day when this can be bought in bulk. Most highly recommended for the Virginia lover. Paddy.

Like csimser, I've purchased LH in both tin and bulk. Unlike csimser, I could find no difference in the moisture content, quality, or flavor. There were differences of cut and color that did not seem to affect the tobacco in the least.

With an aversion to nearly anything that contains burley, I was somewhat reluctant to try LH. However, the many positive reviews herein persuaded me to give it a try.

LH is much sweeter than many of other vapers I smoke, especially those from Rattray, SG, and G&H. This is due, I suspect, from the addition of the Cavendish.

Like most others, I find the moisture content a but high but quite manageable. I've smoked this in large and small pipes with equal enjoyment. Buying LH in bulk not only saves one a good deal of cash, but allows the smoker to appreciate the differences of taste as the tobacco ages (even for six months or so) and to set aside some to breathe.

LH is easy to pack, lights easily, burns perfectly, does well with DGT and has none of the "soapy" taste one might expect.

In short, one of the nicest and most flavorful tobaccos I've had the pleasure of smoking.

Laurel Flake has to be one of the best Virginia/Perique flakes I have ever smoked. It isn't overly sweet like some of the Virginia/Perique flakes I have smoked. That may be because the Virginias are said to be from other places other than America. There is certainly less sweetness in what the folks at Samuel Gawith used in this flake. Don't get me wrong. I adore the sweetness that I find in many other Virginia blends. Perhaps the addition of Perique in the right amount discourages this. Anyway, Laurel Flake burns wonderfully and flavorful from top to bottom. I can even puff hard and not get burned. This give the advantage of being able to smoke this fine flake at any time of day. It has such a great taste that I find myself turning to it even late at night. This is unusual for me because I like to end my days in Latakia bliss. Laurel Flake seems to be packaged a little damp, more in the tin than in bulk. Nothing unusual about that. However, I have found that I can smoke it with little or no time drying it out. In fact, it lights and burns well rubbed out, or not. When one is faced with our usual busy lives, it is nice to be able to have a Virginia/Perique flake that allows you to grab it and go. This is a truly wonderful flake in that respect. The smoker will always be rewarded with consistent flavor, no matter what his preferences are in smoking a flake tobacco. I do prefer to smoke all of my Virginia/Perique blends in smaller bowls, but this is one that I might even venture into a larger bowl with. Laurel Flake is certainly a tobacco that I will purchase more of. It should be come a regular part of my cellar, as I want to store away a good supply away for aging. If I could say just one word for Laurel Flake it would be "WONDERFUL"! My thanks go to Tavern Tobacco Company/Knox Cigar for bringing Laurel Flake to us all!

This is an excellent flake tobacco. I received my sample and as I was rubbing it out, thought that it would burn hot, only because the tobacco was so moist from the pouch. I was most pleasantly surprised. It was a cool, pleasant smoke, with the Perique slowly asserting itself without becoming harsh. This is a VA/Perique blend on par with Escudo, but milder in taste and body. I feel it also compares with the venerable McClelland bulk favorite, but it is different. The Virginias of African and Indian provenance taste different, and have less of the subtle sweetness found in American varietals. At the end I did get a mere hint of the "Lakeland" flavor, but oh so gently, and not soapy. Truly, this is a great tobacco. I'm glad the fellows at Knox commissioned it.