Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Louisiana Perique Flake

The more I smoke G&H flakes, the more I appreciate the remarkable subtlty they exhibit in their flavors. Most of the milder G&H blends don't have anything about them that really hits you in the face; no immediate 'wow' factor. However, they always remain in my regular rotation due to their quality and complexity.

Louisiana Flake is another one of those great, but subtle, offerings from the folks at Gawith & Hogarth. I expected it to be more like a standard va/per blend, but was very pleasantly surprised at how different it was from Escudo or Elizabethan. I don't think I would even classify this as a va/per blend, as it does not behave in the same manner.

Typical of G&H flakes, lighting is a bit ornerous. But once lit, the smoker is greeted with a pleasant tobacco flavor with, as is stated, hints of chocolate. The perique imparts more of a tartness than a tanginess, and really does more to round out the virginias than anything else. The expected lakeland floral taste which I have come to enjoy was quite lacking. I believe that, due to the blending process of this flake, the floral overtones have become the chocolatey undertones.

Halfway through the bowl the tobacco begins to take on a warm character. It doesn't heat up, it's just the sweetness barely peeking through to create a warm taste sensation. The perique tartness goes really well with this sensation, and gives an impression of an even drier smoke than what one is really experiencing. While the tobacco maintained these characteristics throughout the entire smoke, I wouldn't call it boring or one dimensional. Throughout the entire bowl there was a nice interplay of nutty and chocolately flavors dancing around in the background.

If you are already a fan of G&H offerings, this one will be a good fit in your regular rotation. For those of you who have been leary of trying the lakeland tobaccos, this would be a really good one to try.

Well, I have been an ecclectic smoker for a few years. No one blend has WOWed me enough to sit down and smoke it on a regular basis. Well, so long to that idea. I have smoke 1000 grams of this since I got my first taste of it in the summer of 2004. This has become my "go-to" blend. In fact, if I smoked nothing else, I could finally be content.

This blend is flavorful, has a room not that makes my sons happy, and delivers a bold spicy kick of perique with rich, deep, sweetness.

I have enjoyed Escudo for years, this is smoother and richer.

Some have talked about a similarity between this and Bob's Chocolate Flake - I don't see it. I like BCF, in fact, it is part of my rotation and makes up a good part of my cellar. This is something different entirely. Also, I have balked at many Lakeland blends which sport either the soapy or floral notes - I do not like them. This has neither.

This blend gets a full 5 out of 5 halos. Wonderful stuff.

I should disclose that I have only smoked about ten bowls of Louisiana Flake. I'm a GH fan and a lover of VA/perique flakes, so it figures I would enjoy this blend, and I do. Of course, it's presented beautifully. Louisiana Flake comes in a brown and black rectangular plug that is sliced into thin flakes. It comes too moist for my tastes, so I allow it to dry quite a bit before smoking. I prefer to smoke the flakes as intact as possible.

The initial flavor is that of semi-sweet chocolate or cocoa. Initially I thought this was the natural tobacco flavor, but now I'm convinced it's a mild casing that is extremely well done. Perhaps this is the same casing used on Bob's Chocolate Flake. The initial flavor dissapates quickly and then just appears periodically during the smoke. The predominant flavor is slightly sweet and somewhat tart. It seems most like Bright CR Flake, but the perique really sets it apart. What strikes me is the smoothness of this blend, and I credit the perique and the casing. The strength and flavor is medium, so LF could be an all-day tobacco.

I am very impressed with this blend. It smokes great right out of the box after some drying, but I think it would improve with aging. I've already sealed 500g of Louisiana Flake in a Mason jar for long-term aging while I enjoy another 500g of the fresh stuff.

Very similar to Bob's Chocolate Flake but with the addition of perique. It is probably identical to Tavern Tobacco's Rusty Hinge which is also made by G&H. It has good tobacco flavor with the distinctive flavor of Bob's Choc and the added zip of perique. It can nip if not thoroughly dried. I like to smoke all three back to back. It makes for an interesting evening. Well recommended! Paddy.

To my knowledge, this blend is Gawith and Hoggarth's first attempt to include Perique in a Virginia flake. Not surprisingly, they've done it to near-perfection.

I've been smoking it outdoors in a GBD apple and a small Saseini patent apple. I don't rub it out; just fold the flakes into the bowl. It burns slightly hot at first, and takes several relights. Once going well, however, it stays lit and cools down. About a third of the way down the bowl, the deep flavours kick in. I wouldn't describe the flavour as chocolately (see above); I don't detect any added flavouring or floral notes. I think "nutty" and "buttery" best describe the flavour. I can make out the Perique just slightly here, but it's more of a complement to the other flavours; it doesn't stand out on its own. It burns very cleanly to a fine, powdery ash.

I love both Virginia/Perique blends and the Lakeland flakes, and Louisiana Flake combines the best of both. I've added this blend to my regular rotation. Highly recommended!

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Revisiting this review after smoking several more bowls in each pipe, to correct one statment I made. There seems to be a slight floral note after all. It's not at all unpleasant, and much more subdued than in many Lakeland flakes, but it is noticable.

Summary: a Virginia blend with a smidge of Perique and chocolate/floral topping.

Making a Va/Per that is both good and distinctive can take up a lot of brain cycles, but this blend spaces itself out from the Va/Per angle to instead focus on a type of "English garden" of flavors added to an intensely sweet but mild Virginia blend. The Lakeland Essence is present with its clove, cinnamon, geranium, and incense flavors, but so is a small amount of Perique which adds a wine-like spice instead of a dark fermented pressure in the other ingredients. As a result, this blend serves up light and bright Virginia flavor with enough depth to keep you going, although not enough nicotine for your average GH/SG consumer.

If you get this expecting a classic VaPer then you will probably be a bit disappointed as the perique is just a condiment in the same way that some people like to flavour chocolate with chilli. The pouch not is powdery chocolate and some quality Virginia. I don't really pick up on any Lakeland florals here but it doesn't need any. This one lights beautifully and is an absolute delight to smoke from first light to the heel end. This is quickly becoming a firm summer favourite for me and although I prefer something a bit stronger first thing this is easily an all day smoke providing you sandwich it between your favourite VaPer in the morning and evening. The flavour of the excellent Virginia improves throughout the bowl and has just enough nicotine to keep you going. The chocolate that's evident in the pouch note is there through the bowl but I wouldn't class it as a chocolate flavoured tobacco. Rather it caresses the Virginia and Perique and serves to marry them really well. I would recommend that all pipers try it at least once, and if it doesn't work for you then jar and cellar it as the flavours become deeper and richer over time. I'm giving this one a strong 8/10.

Initially smell of the tobacco was a bit confusing to me. The chocolate flavoring was a little weird for me, maybe because i expected it to be like HU's Tillerman Flake although the smell is pleasant.

Easy to rub out and smokes like a champ, needs no relights.

After smoking few VaPers i was a bit concerned about this baccy nevertheless i loved Louisianna Flake. The first half of the bowl was much sweeter and less spicier. Flowery, chocolaty Virginia Flavor with a little spice coming from Perique. Definitely not a Perique bomb. Seems like a fabulous starting point for smokers who want to try VaPers. I smoked a whole bowl to the end and this tobacco is now one of my favorites. Can be an everyday smoke. You have to try this one. Highly Recommended, cheers

Chocolate? Just a pinch. Some kind of floral sweetness and cocoa. Flakes are too moist. Pls dry it as good as it get. Taste is much more noticeable. Taste is sweet chocolate, with hint of figs and again with some kind of floral toping.

Need several relights, but dried well even burn with perfect pace. No need to be afraid of hot bowls. Leave only dot of moisture.

It took some time, when find proper pipe to this tobacco. Can not help to myself, but from cobs it was almost unsmokable.

G&H Louisiana Flake - Here’s the thing w/ Gawith Hoggarth and Samuel Gawith . When Lakeland Essence is applied , you don’t know which one is will be . The rose - geranium or Tonquin is quite nice . Whatever is on this flake is very good IMO and I get a little cocoa also . This flake is fruity also and could be just the Vaper tobaccos but hard to tell . A little hay , baked bread and dark fruit , raisons but not much spice . The Virginias are just sweet enough and Perique is mild bit noticeable, to my liking . Mild to medium nicotine . A great tasting flake . Much better than brown #2 . If I didn’t read the description I would have thought there was a pinch or two of Burley in this . Gawith and Hoggarth is delivering the goods . I have a few more blends to try from them . 3 1/2 stars

Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Louisiana Perique Flake is exceptional. The light chocolate topping hides beneath the sweetness of this deeply satisfying VaPer. Easily medium strength but I sip, which makes for a higher hit. Prepared and smoked Louisiana Perique several different ways and each was just a little above ‘the best you can get’. Rubs out easily. I always use rubbed out dust on top to ensure an even charring light no matter what way I pack. Relights very well. Comes moist so can be stored or smoked that way for full flavour. Truly superb in a loose packed chimney.

I fail to notice any Lakeland-soapiness, as some commenters do, but retrieve a sweet and dry tobacco scent. Being sent as a sampler from a fellow at Oslo Pipe Club, it’s spent some days in the mail box before I was able to open it. It was thus dry, as some others seem to have receive overly moist tobacco. It didn’t bother me, but it required some relights.

Upon smoking, a dry, medium-bodied smoke presents some breadiness, nutty sweetness, and a tinge of bittersweet cocoa. As promised by its description, no overly Perique-tanginess is present, but ads a mild figgy taste. Quite pleasurable, this is a unique take on the VaPer tobacco, and recommended for its mellow smoke and flavours - as some other put it: gentlemanly.

Best smoked in my small, bent Norrøna Lillehammer 1212 pipe.

In August 2016 Smokingpipes.com was running a sale on this tobacco. In 40 years of pipe smoking I've never tried any Gawith Hoggarth & Co. blends but since I'm a VaPer smoker thought I'd buy some and cellar it for a while before smoking.

Today, while rumaging through my cellar I found it and decided to give it a try. I opted for an old Stanwell Majestic pipe with a deep and narrow bowl that I haven't smoked for at least 7 years.

This review is after smoking just one bowl - but as they say first impressions are always lasting.

This tobacco comes in long strips of about 5". It rubbed out well, packed well and took to the flame well. The package note is sweet but not that grassy, dried fruit and fermented smell of "classical" VaPers athat I love. It surely must have a top dressing or light casing but I just couldn't identify it.

At first I was getting a mild floral scent off the retrohale, dare I say, akin to Erinmore flake along with a similar taste. At this point I'm thinking to dump the bowl and get rid of this stuff. But after about 1/3 of the bowl was smoked I began to get a more traditional virginia taste and a barely detectable perique after taste. OK I thought, I'll give it my real taste test I give all tobaccos - smoke it indoors and outdoors.

Outdoors it smelled and tasted more like a traditional VaPer - I was able to tease out a liitle more of the perique hiding behind that grassy smell / taste of the Virginia - not to bad I thought.

Returned to my office and the first thing I noticed was the room note - extremely sweet, almost like an aromatic but subdued - reminded me of warm domestic beer and apricots - really smelled good.

At around 2/3 of the bowl the taste changed to a more nutty character with mild overtones of raisins - probably caused by the oils in the perique starting to come out. Quite enjoyable.

The remaining 1/3 of the bowl yielded a mild nicotine hit and the virginia took a seat to the lead of the perique.

The tobacco smoked cool & dry to a white ash in the bottom of the bowl. It is a mildly sophisticated blend and probably best enjoyed by seasoned smokers as the subtleties may escape a "newbe".

It was an overall enjoyable experience. Although it will not replace Escudo or my remainig stock of. St. James Woods it is nevertheless worthy of moving onto my B list of VaPers. I'll leave out enough for a few more bowls and return the remainder to my cellar for another year or so to see how or if it changes.

The flakes come a little wet and heavy/thick. It needs drying and airing out for sure. As usual with G&H blends it starts a little heavy on the tonquin bean/floral essence/whatever. The Lakeland scent steadily begins receding to the background, but I always noticed that damned tonquin bean. I think I have a mild allergy with that stuff tonquin, although it's fairly tolerable here.

A sweet smoke, minus the usual peppery overtones associated with perique, or at least not much to make me sit up and pay attention. Even though the floral essence notches down a bit after the first few puffs, it was a while before you taste the virginia. Just wait for it. While smoking, I had trouble discerning the Acadian perique that was up front in the tin note. It eventually showed up, but remained more of an aftertaste and it certainly didn't get in the way of the virginia or the tonquin. But you can tell it's in there somewhere because of the depth of the smoke as the bowl burns its way down. Once the perique finally makes an appearance, it remains a muted presence, more so than in any VaPer I've tried before. The smoking experience here, however, does finally settle down to a tasty, flavorful and sweet one, once you get past the initial floral and tonquin onslaught.

Flake size is distinctive, larger and thicker than other flakes I've experienced, but fills the bowl reasonably well. I enjoyed that it was a very sweet smoke, in my Ardor Urano pencil-shanked poker. Overall, a fairly solid if offbeat smoke the first time around. The kind of blend that requires several smoking sessions for a definitive personal appraisal.

Good tobacco, it smokes cool with no bite and has a nice sweet Virginia taste. This tobacco I think is Bright CR flake with added perique, mild enough to be smoked all day and strong enough to be satisfying.

Good lord, my third tobacco and my first english blend. My first review too. The tobacco is nice, leathery but supple, very nice to work with out the pouch. I've only had a third of a bowl so far, since its breaking in my new peterson pipe on non aromatic english and american blends. my first brush with Perique too. The note in the pouch is raisiny, but with hints of bran flakes, as well as definite tobacco. Smokes cool, with no bite detected yet. Is this what I was missing with the aromatics? Definetly be buying more of this again. Just dont smoke it around the better half.

This tobacco burns slow and cool. It tastes naturaly sweet and raison-like as you would expect from a Va/per. But there is something else in here too... something new that is not common for Va/pers. It is slightly minty and leathery... I suspect tonquin bean? This latter flavor is not extreme or overwhelming as I believe it is in Gawith, Hagarth & Co.'s Dark Flake. Rather it is lightly added as a compliment.

Good solid VaPer with a very slight 'Lakelands' flavour in the background.

Well,

my review is based in 50grms coming from a 500grms brand-new brick. I'm mid way to end those double length flakes, the rest will go sleeping in one of my small glass vases just to see if/how time will improve, supposed that LF needs ...

I'm just thinking why I haven't bought the whole brick; but it was a matter of choosing some U.S. blends (GLP, C&D) and those had my priority at the moment.

Preamble: I don't feel any chocolate/cocoa topping, no way indeed. This is just a VaPer of the best quality. Maybe something has changed during the time, if so it changed for the better. Medium in strength and body, very good combustion qualities, no need of drying time for me. It goes nice with DGT too. The combination deliveres a good volume of smoke with the biscuity/peppery flavour I like so much.

I would rate this 4* if only some more sparkles, neverthess this is a very solid smoke, no doubt that a whole brick will come with me as soon as I can put my hands on it.