Samuel Gawith Balkan Flake

A nice take on the English theme! Beautiful sweet Virginias together with smooth and tasty Latakia which despite its high percentage does not overwhelm them. Naturally the absence of Oriental varieties is obvious, but Balkan Flake is none the worse because of it. Though the Virginias are sweet the overall impression of Balkan Flake is of a rather drier character than most English mixtures. Moreover, the absence of Orientals is somewhat offset by a slight floral topping which I believe is present. Latakia is very tasty indeed but in a sort of bitter-chocolate way and not so much camp-fire like.

The flakes in my tin where at just about the right moisture to smoke straight away and they are thin enough to fold and staff but I prefer rubbing out which is easy. The little dust from the Latakia can be placed on top of the loaded tobacco to facilitate lighting. I also found that for me it smokes better in bigger bowls.

Smokes cool, slow and relatively dry. Strength is medium but taste is really robust so I use it sort of like a desert tobacco once in a while, not all day. Definitely four stars.

Similarities to Lancers Slices and Old Ironsides are valid but the quality of the Virginias (from the Balkan region) used and the discreet floral topping which sublimates the tobaccos, makes Balkan Flake preferable to me than both the above. As for room note expect what holds for most Latakia mixtures, though myself I like it and anyway Balkan Flake is a great outdoors/cold weather tobacco.

Very nice if you like latakia blends. Smokes well. Im not really into latakia but understand if you are. I can easily see why this one gets good reviews. Pretty good and of the highest quality.

Loved this baccy from the first bowl, and it still remains one of my favorites and also is for me the best out of SG. The smell of this stuff is smokey delicious latakia. The taste in the beginning is full on latakia of course but after it gets going it turns into a rounded smoke with the virginia sweetness and the deep latakia with a thick smokey/chocolaty flavour. This baccy burns like a dream, i only needed one light after the charring light to keep smoking this till the very bottom. Third of the bowl still tastes very nice having a sweet and salty type taste. I can't express how much i enjoy this flake you just have to experience it yourself.

This would be top notch if it was just a wee bit more flavorful. I get the smoky wood flavor along with sweet hay and leather from time to time. Delicious, I just want more and I just cant seem to get it. Burns cool and the bite is not really that bad. The taste that is what you get, is outstanding but there needs to be more. I wish they would just pump it up more and it would be a dream smoke for me.

Nice dark flake presentation with a pungent and sour smell. As I approach my nose to the textbook flake, I get a sweet Virginia smell as well. Quite moist, it requires some drying out.

The Latakia is leathery, smoky and earthy and has a perfect marriage with the sweet Virginia that somehow has a little sourness. It's as advertised a delicious and cool smoke and I would add creamy and smooth with enough nicotine to satisfy.

Virginia lover

One of the best Latakia blends in my opinion. The flavour is smoky and even a bit sweet. The Latakias are superb and the Virginias remind me of FVF.

The reviewers who report a kind of "medicinal" flavour are right. Some elusive hint of capsicum plaster or something similar to it is definitely present here, which I prize a lot.

An excellent mixture, I buy it in bulks to have it always in my constant rotation.

It is raining here and the big heatwave went away, time for some real tobacco. That means I need something strong and full bodied, like a good English blend can offer. The summer was mostly dominated by some kind of Virginia flakes. Now is the time to go back to my beloved Latakia leaf.

The decision was natural to order some Balkan Flake from Samuel Gawith, a traditional English flake.

It is a very dark and smoky tobacco. When you open the tin you are greeted by the nice smell of Latakia. If I remember correctly there is 30% Latakia and 70% Virginia, so it has quite a bit of Latakia inside. You could call it a "Latbomb" but that is what I like about.

It is not the most complex blend. It is a simple but highly enjoyable high quality flake. I would call it even luxurious. On the tin it says "deliciously cool"! It is indeed an absolutely cool smoke, the coolest I ever had. No idea why or what it makes to be so "calm", it is not the minty note some describe.

There is one downside. The fresh opened tin is ridiculously moist! Let it air some hours or a day before putting the tobacco into your pipe. The best packing method for me with this blend is to rub out the flakes between my hands until I have very small particles and then filling the bowl as the tobacco is so moist that otherwise you would not be able to get it lit. With this method it burns very well with few relights. Relighting is also not changing the flavor and the flavor stays constant until the end, that is why I find it a simple blend in a positive way, no exceptional changes through out the bowl. Maybe for some smokers not exciting enough but for Latakia lovers it gives you what you expect.

It is not a womanizer, my better half runs always away when she notices the smell. Forgot to describe the flavor a bit; it is like burnt car tires :), leather and very very smoky. Short, a rich blend with a full flavor for lovers of natural tobaccos and a medium nicotine content. A real English, enjoy it with a drink of your choice and listen to the rainfall outside, pure pleasure. I have mine accompanied by a regional beer.

I love it!

In this mixture the Virginias not play the game, the smoke is bland and boring, dirty and the taste is bitter for the first two thirds of the smoke. A glimpse of Virginia, too small, only have enough to reduce the pungent mixture and make it bearable to not leave on the last third. Tobacco monochrome. I definitely rule. I'm not at all a smoker candy. This is more like to smoke the soot from a chimney. It will be a disposable tin gift for a friend who smokes all gratefully.

This is a review of the SG Balkan Plug which is the same tobacco as the flake. Came as a 10g sample from GQ Tobaccos England.

Attractive dark brown and gold block in which the constituent tobaccos are visible. Quite dense. I sliced and rubbed.

Pouch notes are caramel and pine. I believe there is a tonquin note here as well.

Takes a light well and the latakia and burning pine needles are well to the fore.

Despite the absence of orientals, initially, this tobacco still nudges the acidic side, but the sourness is balanced by the sweetness in the virginias.

The last half of the bowl the virginias come to the front with a pronounced sweetness.

Despite the initial energy of this tobacco, it is, overall, quite light and elegant.