Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Best Brown #2

Reading through the previous review notes I am amazed at the inconsistancy of some of the observations and ratings on this very good blend.

Some reviewers are too ready to stigmatise all G&H blends as being floral.This is certainly not the case here, or I am smoking a different blend!!

I have been smoking Best Brown #2 for several years now, I find it a great mild smoke,it is one of my everyday regulars.Easy to rub out and takes a light almost immediately without too much fuss.

I have no hesitation in giving it four stars and a highly recommended.

The current unavailability of Samuel Gawith flakes, my favorites, has sent me on a tour of Gawith & Hoggarth tobaccos. Since all my old English favorites from the last century (Rattray's et al.) have moved to the continent and been changed beyond recognition, I try to smoke only tobaccos actually manufactured in Britain. At first I was put off by the descriptions (floral notes, soapy aroma, etc.), but I decided to give them a try. Maybe I've gotten accustomed to the tastes now, and in any case I'm sticking to the ones that are not listed with lots of added flavors, but I'm finding them to be excellent tobaccos. My favorite so far is this Best Brown #2. This is a bit of a surprise to me, because I normally don't like Burley, but here it adds some depth to the smoke, and perfectly balances the sharpness of the Virginia. As with Sam Gawith's products, the quality of the leaf is superb. The initial hit of floral note on light-up quickly dissipates, and the flake burns slowly and coolly down to the end. For my taste, these flakes were made for corncobs, and it's made me rediscover the virtues of corncobs. The moisture content is perfect for me straight from the baggie, and I just fold and stuff the flakes right in.

The tin note has a very strong smell of vinegar. The Enerdale/Lakeland essence is quite apparent and it does not wane during your smoke, so be advised. The combination of virginia and burley tobaccos is quite balanced, but the virginia is more in the foreground. This leaves the burley tobacco lurking in the background adding body to this blend. I find this Lakeland pretty much in line with the rest of GH's tobaccos in this range, but the burley content will set it apart. As an overall achievement, I'd say it is not as sweet or earthy as other virginia based tobaccos, but the burley's floral essence is missing somehow. These flakes will need/benefit from some drying time and can be smoked as broken flake tobacco, so don't rub it all out for a better smoking experience. A very slow burner, this tobacco is. As for the nicotine content, I'd say is rather medium, but it will feel stronger the more you smoke. This goes for the taste too: it really buids up as you go past every quarter of your bowl. The room note might feel soapy at times, but I'd say is wife friendly and not overpowering at all. I think this could be a good mid day/early morning choice for those pipe smokers who like stronger blends throughout the day. And if you like most of the Lakelands, you should not miss it, so give it a go.

Edit1: this baccy is ticking so many boxes, so I am going to upgrade to 4 stars.

Edit2 (16/05/2016): I have been smoking this tobacco for quite some time now and I think I have a better appreciation of it at this point in time. This is perhaps one of the best GH blends that I ever had, so I decided to put it in my rotation. My only complaint, and this will apply to Brown Flake too, is that it does not seem to evolve as nicely as other blends I am familiar with the more you progress with your smoke. The first two quarters of your bowl are quite remarkable with its subdued sweetness and the casing hitting you here and there, but as you move into the last quarter, it sort of becomes acrid and somehow looses its cool. Not that you cannot profit from any of it, but not as enjoyable as the beginning of your bowl. As for the rest, this tobacco wants to be sipped at a very low pace and you will probably enjoy it the most keeping its moist content. Do not worry about relighting every now and then as it will burn through and through if your smoking cadence does not cloy it in the end. If you smoke it properly, you will end up with nothing but white ashes in your bowl.

Best Brown #2 doesn’t offer the strong aromatic scents of many of the other Lake District blends. But that’s not to say that it isn’t noticeable. But I would disagree with those that say this has strong or overpowering Lakeland flavors. The only way that would be the case would be if the other Lakeland style blends haven’t been explored by that person. Although I still would recommend a pipe dedicated to Lakelands. The flavor offers a bit of brown sugar along with the light Lakeland flavor. As others have noted, there isn’t much of the usual floral or soapy flavor, but something I can’t put my finger on. The Virginias are of good quality and the burley adds a nice backbone to the blend. I like it new, and I have smoked it up to about three years old and prefer it aged. I prefer to cut it into small pieces as that offers the best flavor for me. There is a bit of strength here too, but not as much as other blends in this genre. I would put it more at the medium level. As mentioned, BB2 cellars very well too. On a tip from a well-known blender, I have also tried it with just a pinch of Latakia and it makes for a totally different, but satisfying blend too.

This GH offering is far superior to SGs Best Brown and a more exciting melange of virginia and burley flavours. Try as you might, there is no bite with this one - under any circumstances.

Wonderful 'tang' and natural sweetness with no toppings and a reasonable nicotine injection. Could suit as an all-day smoke, but I prefer as an evening smoke when relaxing and have the time to nose the full flavours.

Bought this one loose and in bulk and it needs some drying. Top grade stuff and definetely recommended.

This blend is definitiely a classic G&H blend.

Appearance and Tin Aroma: It looks like a fine stoved VA flake, smells like one too, but also smells like a fine English style tea!

Packing and Lighting: It comes in a rectangular tin and is in a plastic bag within the tin. It is pretty moist upon opening. I recommend rubbing out a bowlfull and letting dry out a bit before packing. Once dried out a little, 2-3 lights max.

Initial Flavor: Classic Lakeland flavor, but restrained compared to the other offerrings by the same blender. Cool, but flavorful.

Mid-Bowl: The scenting does not build up in strength, the Va is in the forefront, the Burley is for body, sometimes I get a flavor hint from it. Round, mellow, gets ino the zone easily.

Bottom of Bowl: Strength does not build up too much, this is definitely a all-day medium blend. Ends with a dry, fluffy-grey ash. Leaves a clean taste in your mouth, not sooty at all.

Overall: This is a classic scented VA/Burley flake. Not something I smoke regularly, but will keep on hand for an ocaisional treat. This will flavor your briar, you have been warned! I have pipes dedicated for Light, Medium, and Full scented blends. This one falls into the "light-scented" category. Give it a try, it is a high quality offering from master blenders G&H, enjoy...

I've had two of these tins stashed away for two years now and thought it was time to sample one. I don't know what some of the other reviewers were sampling, but I find very little of the typical odors or toppings that can be associated with G & H or SG tobaccos. Also, this is much better than Brown Flake in my opinion. A delicate flake that needs little rubbing out and very little airing. The burn was perfect and the taste was incredible. Sweet, sugary with good body, and I mean sweet from good Virginia tobaccos, very minimal from toppings. I've been rotating Cairo and King Eider lately and BB#2 is a nice change of pace

Hey man this dark brown flake is really satisying to me and nice nicotine hit with out being intestinally challenging. After I got the tin opened I stuck my nose in the bag and received a good hearty burley kind of aroma. I rubbed out the flake and found the moisture level just right for lighting immediately with out needing to let it dry some. I did put the remaining flakes into a jar as the tin didin't seem to keep a tight enough closure.

I have to say this is a classy blend. Not too heavy but nice enough for that late just before retiring smoke. A strong THREE star rating for sure.

8/27/2010: In my previous review I was noting on BB#2 from a tin. Today I want to say the I just recieved BB#2 in bulk. Upon opening my package I immediately broke up some of the flake and had a smoke right away as I was seriously anticipating having BB#2 around again. I was treated with a nice full wholesome smoke and what surprised me is that the taste and room note reminded me of a sample of McQuaid Plug! Now I don't want to steer anyone away from this blend by mentioning that it only 'reminded' me of a plug tobacco. I know that there are people that shy away from plug at just the idea of it. This is ONLY my humble untrained observation. BB#2 is a great blend and I recommend it to anyone who indulges in briar. Also I feel it necessary to say that just becasue it reminded me of plug it did not leave a ghost in my pipe. I fired 'er up in my large bowl Nording pipe only a couple months old and it faired very well. I'm going to give the bulk BB#2 a FOUR STAR t this point!

if I get it I smoke it! I love brown virginia flake tobaccos and this one is a good example how different people smoking the same tobacco might taste it´s amplitude. There is a long story with lakeland tobaccos due to flavouring, meaning this is all about soap. This is rubbish and shows to me that most of the pipesmokers don´t even take their time to smoke a good bowl with excitement and slowly. If they do, they might taste that what they think to be soapy might become a taste made of hay and flowers. Especially #2 is a good example of rich tobacco. I would not mind if most of the reviewers downgrade a bad tobacco because of its taste, but I don´t accept it with this one. It is not a question of good and bad, it is just the taste question which starts the argumentation, but it still is a tobacco of high quality. It has a medium strength an is not a nicotine bomb, but you get a good quantity of this stuff right away. I recommend it to all pipesmokers who are fond of tobacco at first and who are anxious and willing to even taste more different aromas than the sweet danish type.