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 - 40 of 61 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 20, 2022 | Very Mild | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable to Strong |
Going back through some of my cellar/hoard, trying to ward off a growing TAD attack. Cracked a tin that doesn’t seem to have retained a date code. I know I’ve had it stashed for at least a year. Pairing happens to be a snifter of Mount Gay Jamaica rum.
Tin note is fairly subdued and more metallic than most latakia blends I’ve had; a little copper, a little creosote. Even after all this time stashed away, the flakes retain a fair amount of moisture. Actually, near perfect for smoking, and fold and stuff works very nicely in this little Astley Oom Paul. Lights fairly easily, too.
Rather muted flavors to begin with. Creosote, mainly, with a little flake salt, a little charred hardwood. The hardwood isn’t flamboyant and fragrant the way it would be in an oriental blend; it’s a function of the very fine latakia, as is the barest suggestion of spice that I get— a gentle tingle on the tongue. I don’t taste the Virginia unless I pull hard, in which case they chime in with a whisper of brown sugar sweetness. Speaking of pulling hard, this is a very well-behaved blend. No chance of tongue bite, and the pipe stays comfortably warm. The rum turns out to be quite a pleasant accompaniment, with its molasses sweetness tempering the smokiness and gently accentuating the sweetness.
There’s something about Gawith blends. The top-notch quality of their components means they can make a simple blend like this and it comes out seeming more complex than it is. Truly more than the sum of its parts. Their Va/pers don’t taste like other Va/pers. Being a confirmed Virginia addict, I wouldn’t mind having that brown sugar sweetness show up more assertively. But then it would be a different tobacco. Balkan Flake is what it is: a cool-smoking, well-made, well-behaved flake that scratches that latakia itch without demanding the attention and care that a complicated English mixture sometimes demands. My palate doesn’t take too readily to a really heavy latakia flavor, but this has just enough quality on the one hand and just enough tempering, balancing Virginia on the other to make it an excellent choice for a straightforward and emphatic latakia experience.
Tin note is fairly subdued and more metallic than most latakia blends I’ve had; a little copper, a little creosote. Even after all this time stashed away, the flakes retain a fair amount of moisture. Actually, near perfect for smoking, and fold and stuff works very nicely in this little Astley Oom Paul. Lights fairly easily, too.
Rather muted flavors to begin with. Creosote, mainly, with a little flake salt, a little charred hardwood. The hardwood isn’t flamboyant and fragrant the way it would be in an oriental blend; it’s a function of the very fine latakia, as is the barest suggestion of spice that I get— a gentle tingle on the tongue. I don’t taste the Virginia unless I pull hard, in which case they chime in with a whisper of brown sugar sweetness. Speaking of pulling hard, this is a very well-behaved blend. No chance of tongue bite, and the pipe stays comfortably warm. The rum turns out to be quite a pleasant accompaniment, with its molasses sweetness tempering the smokiness and gently accentuating the sweetness.
There’s something about Gawith blends. The top-notch quality of their components means they can make a simple blend like this and it comes out seeming more complex than it is. Truly more than the sum of its parts. Their Va/pers don’t taste like other Va/pers. Being a confirmed Virginia addict, I wouldn’t mind having that brown sugar sweetness show up more assertively. But then it would be a different tobacco. Balkan Flake is what it is: a cool-smoking, well-made, well-behaved flake that scratches that latakia itch without demanding the attention and care that a complicated English mixture sometimes demands. My palate doesn’t take too readily to a really heavy latakia flavor, but this has just enough quality on the one hand and just enough tempering, balancing Virginia on the other to make it an excellent choice for a straightforward and emphatic latakia experience.
Pipe Used:
Astley Oom Paul
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 30, 2021 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
A straight forward, plain, simple top-notch VA/LA blend. Tipical SG flake, where VAs lead the game and LA is a good companion, to provide with a very pleasant smoky note. Flakes are dark and thick, come out of the tin quite moist and can give some challenge in keeping lit, so I have my personal prep method: when I open a new tin I rub carefully all the flakes out to get a kind of coarse cut, let it dry for about an hour, and put the baccy back in the tin for the next smokes. This way it needs short drying time (10-15 mins) and you are ready to enjoy :-). Smoke is cool, with predominant nutty floral notes from the VAs and a gentle smoky background from the LA. Result: a cool, easy going and quite satisfying smoke throughout the whole bowl (it improves in the 2nd half as its body becomes rounder then). Lady N plays in the background. This is, to my personal taste, a great morning smoke and if it had a little bit more muscles it would be a perfect all day satisfying smoke.
Pipe Used:
Various
Age When Smoked:
new
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 16, 2019 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
My third Balkan sample from Sol Cigar Oslo, is probably the mildest one yet. The Latakia is barely noticeable, but will leave a woody aftertaste, along with some almonds between puffs. The smoke itself is not even medium bodied, and I do not find it as cool as other balkans. It’s not a bad tobacco, but neither is it outstanding in any way.
PurchasedFrom:
Sol Cigar Oslo
Age When Smoked:
Unknown
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 26, 2018 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Strong |
This one is a keeper, sweet Virginia with healthy dose of in your face Latakia , the Latakia in this one is pretty similar to what you find in full English blends, now the f;ave is easy to work with either left alone or rub out its impossible to get this to burn your tongue but word to the wise it will turn ashy quick if you overpuff the nicotine is on the tame side now one thing is for sure I don’t think that this blend works well in a deep bowl a size 3 to 4 max is where it shines anything bigger than that the flavors become muddle. Would I buy this again? Absolutely! Is just a darn shame that finding SG blends is spotty at best.
Pipe Used:
GBD 9242
Age When Smoked:
3+
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30, 2016 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
I expected a lighter Commonwealth. In fact it is but in its bulk version it lacks personality compared to its more spicy and satisfying "older brother". I suggest to buy it in tin. The flake cut, however, provides a cool a slow smoke which I love. 4,0/5 in my personal system.
PurchasedFrom:
Stop and Smoke, Milano (Italy)
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 05, 2016 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
Nothing to add to what was said. A nice flake for all day, pleasantly cool and some "medicinal" flavor. It's okay... But does not satisfy. I prefer the Commonwealth
Pipe Used:
Chacom Billiard
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 27, 2015 | Medium | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
CLASS: Mixture TYPE: Latakia mixture CONTENTS: Virginia and Latakia RATING: 3,5 stars. In my personal system rating (from 1 to 10) my score is 9.
Very tasty, Balkan Flake is really aromatic and smokey and you can perceive an ancient flavor. Among Latakia mixtures this one is unique in taste and I recommend to try it for her individuality and distinctiveness.
Very tasty, Balkan Flake is really aromatic and smokey and you can perceive an ancient flavor. Among Latakia mixtures this one is unique in taste and I recommend to try it for her individuality and distinctiveness.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 10, 2015 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
love the taste of this latakia blend but having to deal with flake tobacco is pain in the *ss. will buy again if there is no stock of old dublin/red rapparee/meat pie and other ribbon cut tobacco around.
PurchasedFrom:
romeogift.com
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 11, 2014 | Medium to Strong | Extremely Mild | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
A decent smoke. The Latakia in this is very strong. Quite similar to the iodine smell of Penzance. Good for the occasional smoke.
Why is it call Balkan when there are no Orientals in it?
Why is it call Balkan when there are no Orientals in it?
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 21, 2014 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
It is not very easy to be a fan of Samuel Gawith’s flake tobaccos. Athough they usualy taste well, the quality, condition and shape of the flakes is at least uneven. In fact, I have nothing against hand-cut flakes of a variable thickness—Rattray’s tobaccos prove it can be done right. But Gawith’s attitude is definitely on the very bottom level. Exaggeratedly moist flakes have no visible structure of the tobacco leaves, they look more like a pressed dust, like a trash. When you try to brake a flake to the fibres, you allways end up with a dust.
Balkan Flake reacts to the popularity of Balkan Sobranie. Full English/Balkan mixtures, based on Latakia and Virginia are usualy supported by high quality orientals. But not in this case, Gawith offers us pure Latakia/Virginia blend. Too simple for Balkan. The flakes are very dark in colour and very moist, the aroma reminds me of an old motor oil. Surprisingly, the taste is quite pleasant from the very beginning. Not too overwhelming, but still full and deep as it should be. Balkan Flake is easy too keep lit and easy to finish to the bottom. It the manufacturer used real tobacco leaves instead of tobacco dust, these flakes were much better. Looking for Latakia blend? Try this one. Looking for Balkan? Try something else.
Balkan Flake reacts to the popularity of Balkan Sobranie. Full English/Balkan mixtures, based on Latakia and Virginia are usualy supported by high quality orientals. But not in this case, Gawith offers us pure Latakia/Virginia blend. Too simple for Balkan. The flakes are very dark in colour and very moist, the aroma reminds me of an old motor oil. Surprisingly, the taste is quite pleasant from the very beginning. Not too overwhelming, but still full and deep as it should be. Balkan Flake is easy too keep lit and easy to finish to the bottom. It the manufacturer used real tobacco leaves instead of tobacco dust, these flakes were much better. Looking for Latakia blend? Try this one. Looking for Balkan? Try something else.
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