Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Best Brown #2

The G&H Lakeland tour continues, and continues to impress!

Nice even brown appearance in the (2 oz) baggie. Just a faint whiff of what has become to be known as "Lakeland florals" but I would regard this as a mostly unscented tobacco. Very similar to my tastebuds to the Brown Flake Unscented that I just smoked but unfortunately, I didn't do a side-by-side comparison. Tasting notes indicate that the BFU was more earthy and rough, perhaps from a higher concentration of burley. This one was creamier - an almost buttery finish to the taste. Milder, but still with a decently robust flavor. Since I've ordered pounds of both, I'll be able to compare them and update this review. As it stands, this seems to be the one to recommend to someone that found DFU just a bit unruly and feisty. BB #2 is a slightly tamer version, without the taste suffering.

G&H flakes are without peer. If you want to try one without a lot of the extra flavors/scents they put in their blends but still want one that is mild, here is a good start.

Gawith Hoggarth - Best Brown #2.

Quite a surprise initially: often as not flakes can be a bit too damp but this one has an incredible level of moistness. I always rub my flakes and getting this rubbed is totally straight forward: it only needs a light rubbing, not the heavy ordeal that some need. I know this includes a few floral/Lakeland attributes but I find this to be very vague from the un-lit aroma; all I really detect are the tobaccos.

Once lit it's easy to form my opinion, do I like it? Yes. There's a slight floral/Lakeland addition but this is only really made available via retro-haling the smoke. The tobaccos are superbly balanced giving a full Va-bur taste. The temperature isn't too warm, but below medium. The burns consistency is faultless.

Nicotine: medium. Room-note: mild Lakeland.

This would be an excellent regular smoke.

Four stars.

What is it with folks who persist in writing reviews on blends of tobacco they clearly know at the outset they will not like. I have no problems with an objective critique...but when you get comments which run like *I don't like Lakelands and this is a typical example* and then give it 1 star, kinda negates the whole reason for these pages in the first place. If you do not like a genre, then fine, leave it alone and don't rubbish it on TR. Try the varities you do like and write about how you compare them. That way we all learn something 🙂

Looking at the sensible reviews for Best Brown no.2 then, it would appear that there are two utterly different flakes masquerading under the same name!

The Best Brown no.2 that I know is a gentle sweet, slightly rummy and completely delicous flake somewhat reminiscent of its cousin Rum Flake but NOTHING like the Lakeland Florals that some of our friends here seem to be having problems with. Juna Gu is a case in point and to my mind the poor lad's not actually had Best Brown no.2 to review. I agree with him that the Lakeland florals are a difficult genre for some to come to terms with in order to extract the yummy tobacco flavours, but I promise him and the rest of you that BB no.2 is definitely NOT a Lakeland Floral...its a gentle sweet and fresh buttery flavoured flake. Anyone who gets the Lakeland Floral has been sold the wrong baccy.

So my friends....read the reviews that match creamy, sweet, buttery flavours and you'll be reading about BB no.2. The others are I know not wot 🙂

First up, yes, there is some sort of essence used in this. However, I don't believe it is any sort of floral or herbal essence or combination of them, so I wouldn't really call this a 'Lakeland' in the sense that Grasmere (foral) or Ennerdale (floral & herbal) are. Looking over all the comments, I wonder is the idea of it being a light rum might not be correct. I also wonder if most GH base tobaccos aren't produced in some way that give some smokers a mouthfeel that they identify as 'soapy' even when there aren't any extra flavors added. (Or perhaps I am just too used to Lakelands now.)

In any event, this is a nice slow-burning flake, the combination of VA, Burley, and whatever flavor it might be making it a somewhat complex easy-smoking mixture.

My first experience with anything Gawith and I am impressed. In fact, I don't think I have finished any tin as quick as the 50g I purchased from P&C. I will definitely need to buy much more and in bulk.

As to Lakeland/floral/soapy, there is back and forth as to whether this blend contains any. I am by no means an expert, but I must add that I tasted something that definitely resembled what I frequently see described as Lakeland essence. I enjoyed it, and started noticing that the same scents that I was smelling did smell an awful lot like perfumes of ederly women who happened to cross my path, so I can certainly now see why these aromatic toppings are often compared to these perfumes and soaps.

Aside from this the base tobaccos (Virginia and Burley) were more than evident in this and the topping/essence was light and by no means overwhelmed the leaf. The virginia and burley really mesh together to give a nutty sweetness that plays well with the sugary/floral aroma. This is also a very forgiving flake to smoke. You can puff away like a choo choo and barely heat up the bowl; nary a chance of a tongue bite with this one.

I am anxious to immerse myself in Gawith and think I will start with an order today.

This is a great medium bodied smoke. The flavor is slightly sweet & spicy with a prominent tangy quality to it. There is an added top dressing but I really had to search for it and when compared to most other G&H offerings, it is very subdued. The flavoring is listed as “floral essences” but I get more of a honeyed-citrus scent with just a smidgen of a nondescript floral note. Regardless, this blend is a superb Virginia/Burley with nice flavor and exceptional balance. It also burns wonderfully. As the flavors develop, I get hints of a grassy oat-like flavor along with a spiciness that gradually builds adding a bit of welcomed strength & complexity.

Very flavorful, high quality, cool smoking and about the most straight-forward natural tasting tobacco of the G&H flakes I have tried. Excellent stuff.

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 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.

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!