Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Louisiana Perique Flake

An interesting flake with a mellow pouch aroma akin to Cadbury's Drinking Chocolate. Unlike many reviewers, that's probably where Louisiana Flake's association with cocoa ended for me, but I have to agree with Dr Dyson review (see below) in that there's something in the perique blend itself which lends itself to tonquin, albeit the barest lick.

It's a moist a flake as I've had from G&H, and although I have succeeded in smoking it fresh, it could probably benefit from a little air time. It smokes earthy and grassy, with a rather spicy, prickly, pepper finish, which one can automatically attribute to the perique. It's not the strongest of flakes and the Vit N seems to be pretty mild too.

Rather like Ennerdale Flake, it's not particularly exciting in the first few puffs, but it really kicks in gloriously in the mid bowl, where it's at it's most flavoursome, releasing some great biscuit taste, coupled with the more savoury, meatier aspect of the pepper. It's really quite a strange combination, but it works.

Calming, intoxicating, and wonderful taken through the nose; G&H are beginning to win me over.

This is the unsung hero of Vapers. The flake rubs out nicely. and with a bit of drying, it lights and stays lit easily. A nice brown flake with a good touch of perique. It's not overpowering nor is it mild..it's just right. You get the lightest lakeland scent on first light which quickly yields to a mellow lightly sweet and spicey smoke. I don't get the chocolate flavor as others below have. To me this is an honest brown flake with just the right amuont of perique to spice things up but not so much as to make my nose tickle. 3.5 stars.

This is a nice Va/Per, produced from leaf of obviously high quality. It's one of the best of the G & H flakes, in my view.

So many people who have reviewed Louisiana Flake talk about a chocolate topping, but I have to say that I can't find it. There's a flavour of some kind, for sure, but it doesn't seem like chocolate or cocoa to me. I'd be more inclined to call it nutty, biscuity, malty or something along those lines, but it doesn't really lend itself to precise analogy. To some extent, the flavour is due, I think, to the Perique element itself; there is perhaps also an element of tonquin. G & H have something of a reputation for spoiling good leaf by overdoing the casing, but this certainly isn't the kind of floral 'soapy' Lakeland tobacco that so many reviewers dislike. It's a million miles away from Ennerdale Flake, thank God. Some people say that LF reminds them of the old Edgeworth Sliced.

Whatever it is, the flavouring of LF it isn't excessive. Far from it, in fact. Once the bowl is properly under way, the preponderant impression that it gives is of a natural tobacco that has been intelligently handled by the blender. The natural flavour comes through, and is enhanced rather than obscured or distorted by the topping. The flakes are thick and substantial and easy to deal with: best folded, with enough rubbed out at the top of the bowl to give you a good light. Thereafter, the burn is steady and the taste full and interesting: sweetish, but with a rounded, spicy Perique clearly making its contribution. DGT is rewarding also. The room note is quite pleasant. As always with VA flakes, it'll burn you if you take it too quickly, but I have to say that this is one of the coolest flakes I've ever smoked. Sipping will enhance the flavour, too.

This is a full-bodied, tasty, slow pipeful, with enough, but not too much, vitamin N. Recommended; a strong favourite of mine: nicest, perhaps, late at night by the fire, with a nightcap and a good book. Idyllic, in fact: this is what pipe smoking ought to be.

Nowadays I am smoking these dark colored flakes bought a while ago bulk. They are moistened well so I preffered to dry enough each time before smoking.

Louisiana Flake packs and lights well. It offers a long lasting smoke, with the peppery flavor of the Perique. I like VA-Per blends a lot. Although somehow I looked after for much Virginia sweetness in this blend. It has a medium nicotine strength which suits my needs and I think it would be much better for me if I could have some more pure, sweet Virginia flavor in it instead of the very poor Lakeland-like flavor. I think, just because of this reason the smoke was one dimensional for my tastes. I don't think this tobacco is as nutty as described.

The Virginia-Perique fans must try this one. It may be one of their favorites for sure.

About Louisiana Flake:

Once many aeons ago while ambling through the Mediterranean streets of the French Quarter in New Orleans I serendipitously chanced upon a dear friend I had not seen in many many years. We,of course spoke finally winding up at a sidewalk begniet(French doughnut) and coffe shop. It was nice.

Louisiana Perique Flake has somewhat the same interaction for me each time I smoke it. An unexpected meeting with a long unseen dear friend. I know this sounds a bit over the top but that's the feeling.

The strength of the blend is as near perfect as I believe is posible with the constituent tobaccos. Impeccable Virginia(no matter where they come from)and Louisiana Perique compliment one another----Dark roast Cajun coffee and fresh cream with just enough seweetner to marry up the two flavors. Like that! No use in asking for better.

Very good filling and burning qualites after a bit of judicious drying time.

Room note? Not really a concern for me with a very very indulgent wife and as far as other I personally don't worry about that.

Recommndation? I am ambivlent about this particular aspect as I do highly recommend it but don't encourage others to smoke it being rather selfish and a bit leary of the supply stratagies of most British blend houses. So try it but please don't get over-enthusiastic. Thanks.

The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (A Native Son of Louisiana)

This takes some getting used to and no mistake...and that's probably where some of the comments below originate; inexperience and rushing to judgement. It's a long way away from your average Vaper. Still everyone's taste is subjective.

This has, to me, the merest hint of chocolate; smoked gently it reveals creamy and fruity depths...thinking on it while puffing away, it's somewhat like the effect of stewed fruit and nice Devon custard, that sweetness and tartness so close together. It's a beautifully crafted and sophisticated virginia and perique mix. I'd go for G & H's solid, understated expertise in tobacco blending over most of the USA houses anyday, with the honourable exception of McClelland.

A fine, subtle and enjoyable tobacco worthy of its 4 stars 🙂

Willy wonker got his hands on this one. A good introduction to perique i'd say. It should be mentioned that this is certainly not simply va/perique. It's definitely cased and chocolate is the culprit. I think this is a well blended tobacco but it is not my cup of tea. each to their own and an interesting experiment for me. i'll keep it jared and will maybe come back to it one day.

The aroma of this blend is a bit odd as there is more than a hint of chocolate in there. There is also the Lakeland floral that I enjoy so much as well. As far as I can find, this is the only VaPer offering from the venerable Gawith and Hoggarth company. Could it be that we have a mix of something similar to Samuel Gawith?s St. James Flake mixed with G & H?s Bob?s Chocolate Flake? This possible combination has piqued my interest and so on to the review.

These flakes are large and take a bit to rub out. I got a pair of scissors and cut them down a bit before I started rubbing them. The moisture level seemed perfect when it was in flake form but once I cut it down it seemed a bit damp to me. So I set it out on a paper towel for about 30 minutes and it seemed ready to go.

After being cut down the flakes become a lot more pliable and this blend is fairly easy to stuff down in the bowl. The pipe I used had a medium-large size bowl. It might not be as easy trying to stuff these strands into a small bowl like on a churchwarden. It took to the lighter really fast and after one false light it was off and racing.

The initial flavors were easy to discern. Virginia, yep it?s in there. Perique, yet it?s in there too. Lakeland taste, yep it?s in there. But there is something on the outlying edges that was just whispering in there. After a few puffs I was able to identify it. Chocolate. Now because I had never run into this flavor combination I was excited and worried all at the same time. I was excited because the tastes coming together at this point were delicious but I was worried that if one started to dominate then the great taste would diminish.

After the halfway mark my worry began to slip away. They had nailed this blend. It was great all the way through. I highly recommend this blend. While it may not be your favorite, the addition of the chocolate to a VaPer blend is something interesting to behold. It also makes this blend hard to rank.

My overall experience was o.k. I guess when I see a flake that is predominantly Virginia and Perique, my mind tends to wonder back to the sixties and seventies when "Three Nuns," was "Three Nuns." This flake was a nice smoke, it is just that I found it average for this genre. Pleasant, smooth, good burning qualities. This is just not a flake to sit-back and "experience."

As a person who frequently smokes Virginia-Perique blends and enjoy many flakes including Gawith, Hoggarth products, I knew I would love this flake...Sorry not yet. Maybe my sample is too moist or young but I did not enjoy smoking this. I will update this review after the flake gives up most of the moisture and aroma that it contains now.

This is a G&H rendering that is similar to their Bob's chocolate flake but composed of different tobaccos. Namely instead of burley and brown virginias it uses brighter virginias and no burley. And it substitutes 6% perique for the latakia. This a somewhat lighter and tangier taste when compared to Bob's.

I do taste the chocolate but it is light in effect. More of a hint of cocoa. The flavor masks the perique for most of the bowl and only lets a little of the virginia tang through. You can taste some perique toward the end of the smoke but it keeps its character mostly in the background.

This flake needs very little rubbing in my opinion and burns quite steadily and on the dry side.

A little sharnpess sneaks through at times, and I am not sure if this is do to the fair amount of perique or the bright virginias. However, steady puffing keeps it cool enough for me.

I do like it as a substitute for Bob's. CAO's Patriot Flake is smoother but heavier in comparison (which too has a hint of chocolate but no perique). I think Louisiana Flake is better than G&H's first perique attempt with Mr. Pease a couple of years ago (Stonehedge flake, which I had a small sample of), which was blander. This new attempt has Louisiana character for sure.