Samuel Gawith Balkan Flake
(3.21)
A beautifully formed dark flake of pressed Virginias and a generous helping of latakia. Relax and enjoy this medium strength tobacco with its "smokey" flavour and cool, smooth characteristics.
Details
| Brand | Samuel Gawith |
| Blended By | Samuel Gawith |
| Manufactured By | Samuel Gawith |
| Blend Type | Virginia/Latakia |
| Contents | Latakia, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | Bulk, 50 grams tin |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.21 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 31 - 33 of 33 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 09, 2008 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Opened a tin of this last week without any anticipation of what it would be. I'm still not sure and I have smoked the entire tin in three different pipes. Three inch long strips of slightly too moist but attractive tobacco. Balkan? I don't believe this comes up to what my expectation of a balkan blend would be in the tasting.Pleasant? Yes, but not what I think of as Balkan. The tobaccos used are very good and result in a mild to medium smoke of the English variety. I perceived no bite from the VA's and all-in-all it is a pleasant enough smoke but nothing I'll buy again. Balkan smokers don't waste your time or money. It's nice but it ain't a Balkan. Were it not for the really fine grade of VA leaf, I'd only give it two stars.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2007 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
Ah! The blessed leaf! This is a truly balanced and tasty tobacco. Many blends, or should I say blenders, claim balance, this one really does deliver. I walk freely between the virginia and latakia smokers camp. Balkan Flake satisfies on so many levels. It is rich without being overbearing, smooth without being boring, enjoyable to the last puff. This is a keeper for me and will never be far from reach!
Buy some. On second thought don't. I don't want popularity to drive up the price!
UPDATE 5-01-13: I smoked a bunch of this and at some point either my taste changed or subsequent tins were off. It began to have a bad chewing gum flavor similar to stale wintergreen.
Buy some. On second thought don't. I don't want popularity to drive up the price!
UPDATE 5-01-13: I smoked a bunch of this and at some point either my taste changed or subsequent tins were off. It began to have a bad chewing gum flavor similar to stale wintergreen.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 17, 2005 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
Notes: I have smoked a 3-4 ounces of this in several pipes. I actually prefer it in my Ukranian Briar pipe, as this helps to bring out the spicy top notes, but quite good in briar as well.
Appearance: A dark brown to black relatively uniform 6" flake.
Aroma: Sweet, oily, reminiscent of the Balkan Sobranie Original Mixture or 759 in some ways, but slightly more feisty and less dulcet. Smoky, with suggestions of walnuts, Brazil nuts, and cloves, and mace.
Taste: A faintly spicy vinegar and ketchup taste is detected. The overall flavor is very smoky, with frankincense, sandalwood, patchouli, allspice, nuts, the faint suggestion of stewed fruit. Slightly bitter at times throughout the smoke. The flavors are gentle in their presence, not intruding upon you, but there if you contemplate them.
Comparisons: A latakia-laden blend with not so many of the other oriental leaves as a result. Less full, nevertheless than Penzance or Krumble Kake, but with a subtlety reminiscent of the old Balkan Sobranie, although the blend is not the same. Slightly less sweet and less present than Gawith & Hoggarth's Balkan Blend.
Bottom Line: For those who enjoy the smoky taste of latakia, but not so much as Penzance demands, this is a quiet, mellow smoking mixture.
Appearance: A dark brown to black relatively uniform 6" flake.
Aroma: Sweet, oily, reminiscent of the Balkan Sobranie Original Mixture or 759 in some ways, but slightly more feisty and less dulcet. Smoky, with suggestions of walnuts, Brazil nuts, and cloves, and mace.
Taste: A faintly spicy vinegar and ketchup taste is detected. The overall flavor is very smoky, with frankincense, sandalwood, patchouli, allspice, nuts, the faint suggestion of stewed fruit. Slightly bitter at times throughout the smoke. The flavors are gentle in their presence, not intruding upon you, but there if you contemplate them.
Comparisons: A latakia-laden blend with not so many of the other oriental leaves as a result. Less full, nevertheless than Penzance or Krumble Kake, but with a subtlety reminiscent of the old Balkan Sobranie, although the blend is not the same. Slightly less sweet and less present than Gawith & Hoggarth's Balkan Blend.
Bottom Line: For those who enjoy the smoky taste of latakia, but not so much as Penzance demands, this is a quiet, mellow smoking mixture.
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