Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Louisiana Perique Flake
(3.10)
Gawith Hoggarths only VaPer (Virginia & perique) flake and has the added twist of a chocolaty topping. The perique is used sparingly to give a light figgy taste, but none of the punchy twang found at higher levels. The light chocolate topping brings out a nutty sweetness from the Virginias and combines for a mellow and flavoursome smoke. Medium bodied and a great introduction to perique tobaccos.
Details
| Brand | Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. |
| Blended By | Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. |
| Manufactured By | Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. |
| Blend Type | Virginia/Perique |
| Contents | Perique, Virginia |
| Flavoring | Cocoa / Chocolate |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin, bulk |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.10 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 94 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 16, 2016 | Mild to Medium | Medium to Strong | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
I was graciously and generously gifted this amazing tabac. I've had my share of G&H blends, but this one eluded me. Thankfully, I have been given the opportunity to light it up. Fortunately for me...it's not just a G&H blend, it's been aged. This tabac was blended in the year 2000! Yeah that's right, seeing that its 2016 right now, well, I'll let you do the math. Now, on to the review!!
So, no tin to talk about, but it was vacuum sealed. The aroma after breaking the seal was very G&H. I always pick up a vinegar and ketchup smell. However, there is also a sweet smell and some kind of alcohol note.
It is a thick, chunky, pressed flake. Nice and dark with thin ribbons of golden leaf. It looks sleek and shiny and as I mulled it over and broke some of the flakes apart, I could see a glorious veneer of those lovely "sugar crystals" and as I saw them...ohhh I got so giddy! It has a great feel to it, ever so slightly moist but a minute out to dry, and its perfect for smoking.
I prepared the flake three ways and have used three pipes to smoke this blend.
Fluff and fold Roll and go Standard Rubbing out
There are minute differences, but the fluff and fold really pulled out the intensity of this complex blend.
It took to flame very well, initial char and re-light. Initial flavor I picked up was...like waxy chocolate. It had all of the other usual G&H flavors, but that waxy chocolate came out and totally brought back memories of Bob's Chocolate Flake. I smoked butt-loads of that in Laughlin while getting smashed on White Russians, it's kinda hard to forget. However, unlike Bob's Chocolate flake, it doesn't have that bitter sweet and smokey aspect. Now, I don't want you to think its some chocolate gooper, no no no, it's weird, the waxy chocolate is mildly sweet and it works with the sweetness of the Virginias. So, this weird mix of flavors just totally caught me off guard, after-all, this is supposed to be a Va/Per. Well, yes it's definitely a Va/Per as the Perique rears its head and adds that plum/fig flavor and it dances around the first part of the smoke to the mid part of the smoke.
By the middle part of the bowl, the sweetness of the VAs kick up. At the right time the other notes calm down. I was really happy about this because I really wanted to get to the Va and Perique and leave the G&H flavorings behind. The perique is a little more noticeable and it started to pepper up and get a tiny bit spicy. Snorking here really pulled out that great marriage of very mellow VA's and mildly spicy Perique. It became very very mellow by this time. It was just so smooth and sweet and silky. It remained this way lasting until the very end.
It burned down to a dark grey and black ash with tiny bits of dottle. Not goopy in the pipe and had no weird smell afterward.
It left a very nice, but waxy aftertaste. Seeing that I smelled some kind of alcohol-like aroma, I was surprised that I got none of that in the smoke itself. When it comes to Perique, I personally taste a plum or fig like flavor, this was more sweeter, on the plum side, and surprised me when the spice came on rapidly as if it was delayed.
Room note, it was weird, my brother didn't particularly like it. It was kinda...floral, sweet and musky all at once.
I had a hard time pairing drinks with this, seeing the complexity of flavors, it made it hard to match or compliment cocktails. I ended up finding the Dark n Stormy to be a nice drink with this, the dark rum and slightly spicy ginger beer really work well with this blend. Irish coffee also worked well for me. Most of the time coffee works just well with any tabac, but seeing that this is such a mosaic of a blend, I think coffee of some sort would be the go-to for most.
All in all, this is definitely on the list for most unusual Va/Pers I've had the pleasure of tasting. To be honest, smoking it is definitely a ride, going from very complex to exxxtremely smooth, it was sinfully smooth. The chocolate flavor was a fun touch. I'm a bit of a perique nut, I'm not sure if it was the amount, or just age, but the dancing around was a little too sparse for me. I was expecting a little more of a kick, but I was happy at its quick hit of spicy towards the middle and end of the bowl.
All in all, being so unusual for my palate, it actually blew my mind. I'm happy about that. Deciding to smoke this blend was definitely a good life choice.
So, no tin to talk about, but it was vacuum sealed. The aroma after breaking the seal was very G&H. I always pick up a vinegar and ketchup smell. However, there is also a sweet smell and some kind of alcohol note.
It is a thick, chunky, pressed flake. Nice and dark with thin ribbons of golden leaf. It looks sleek and shiny and as I mulled it over and broke some of the flakes apart, I could see a glorious veneer of those lovely "sugar crystals" and as I saw them...ohhh I got so giddy! It has a great feel to it, ever so slightly moist but a minute out to dry, and its perfect for smoking.
I prepared the flake three ways and have used three pipes to smoke this blend.
Fluff and fold Roll and go Standard Rubbing out
There are minute differences, but the fluff and fold really pulled out the intensity of this complex blend.
It took to flame very well, initial char and re-light. Initial flavor I picked up was...like waxy chocolate. It had all of the other usual G&H flavors, but that waxy chocolate came out and totally brought back memories of Bob's Chocolate Flake. I smoked butt-loads of that in Laughlin while getting smashed on White Russians, it's kinda hard to forget. However, unlike Bob's Chocolate flake, it doesn't have that bitter sweet and smokey aspect. Now, I don't want you to think its some chocolate gooper, no no no, it's weird, the waxy chocolate is mildly sweet and it works with the sweetness of the Virginias. So, this weird mix of flavors just totally caught me off guard, after-all, this is supposed to be a Va/Per. Well, yes it's definitely a Va/Per as the Perique rears its head and adds that plum/fig flavor and it dances around the first part of the smoke to the mid part of the smoke.
By the middle part of the bowl, the sweetness of the VAs kick up. At the right time the other notes calm down. I was really happy about this because I really wanted to get to the Va and Perique and leave the G&H flavorings behind. The perique is a little more noticeable and it started to pepper up and get a tiny bit spicy. Snorking here really pulled out that great marriage of very mellow VA's and mildly spicy Perique. It became very very mellow by this time. It was just so smooth and sweet and silky. It remained this way lasting until the very end.
It burned down to a dark grey and black ash with tiny bits of dottle. Not goopy in the pipe and had no weird smell afterward.
It left a very nice, but waxy aftertaste. Seeing that I smelled some kind of alcohol-like aroma, I was surprised that I got none of that in the smoke itself. When it comes to Perique, I personally taste a plum or fig like flavor, this was more sweeter, on the plum side, and surprised me when the spice came on rapidly as if it was delayed.
Room note, it was weird, my brother didn't particularly like it. It was kinda...floral, sweet and musky all at once.
I had a hard time pairing drinks with this, seeing the complexity of flavors, it made it hard to match or compliment cocktails. I ended up finding the Dark n Stormy to be a nice drink with this, the dark rum and slightly spicy ginger beer really work well with this blend. Irish coffee also worked well for me. Most of the time coffee works just well with any tabac, but seeing that this is such a mosaic of a blend, I think coffee of some sort would be the go-to for most.
All in all, this is definitely on the list for most unusual Va/Pers I've had the pleasure of tasting. To be honest, smoking it is definitely a ride, going from very complex to exxxtremely smooth, it was sinfully smooth. The chocolate flavor was a fun touch. I'm a bit of a perique nut, I'm not sure if it was the amount, or just age, but the dancing around was a little too sparse for me. I was expecting a little more of a kick, but I was happy at its quick hit of spicy towards the middle and end of the bowl.
All in all, being so unusual for my palate, it actually blew my mind. I'm happy about that. Deciding to smoke this blend was definitely a good life choice.
Pipe Used:
"French belge, Kaywoodie Standard, Ropp
PurchasedFrom:
Gift
Age When Smoked:
16 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 01, 2011 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
Here we have the VaPer for those who think they don't like VaPers. The perique was mildly tingly but not peppery or heavy. It added just a breath of additional flavor and it worked beautifully with the depth of the virginias. I didn't really taste the cocoa but it did add a mild sweetness to the mix that wasn't a sweet I associate with virginia tobacco. Whatever they did, it worked spectacularly!
Beautiful dark golden flake that came over-moist. I preferred this very, very dry - almost tinder. Doing so did add the faintest precept of a bite at first light but it backed off nicely after the first half-dozen puffs. The flavor was sweet but with a toasted bread essence. The perique was most noticeable when I exhaled through the nose and never tickled my throat. This blend was very gentlemanly but it had exceptional flavor. Typically I prefer my perique to be more present and have even commented on lighter fare with a certain touch of wistfulness. Not here. This blend simply works on all levels. My 2 oz sample was parlayed into a 500 gram purchase and this has made my regular rotation with a bullet!
Beautiful dark golden flake that came over-moist. I preferred this very, very dry - almost tinder. Doing so did add the faintest precept of a bite at first light but it backed off nicely after the first half-dozen puffs. The flavor was sweet but with a toasted bread essence. The perique was most noticeable when I exhaled through the nose and never tickled my throat. This blend was very gentlemanly but it had exceptional flavor. Typically I prefer my perique to be more present and have even commented on lighter fare with a certain touch of wistfulness. Not here. This blend simply works on all levels. My 2 oz sample was parlayed into a 500 gram purchase and this has made my regular rotation with a bullet!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 02, 2015 | Medium | Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
The lightly floral Virginias offer a fair amount of tart and tangy citrus, grass, some tangy dark fruit, wood, bread, vegetation and earth as the lead components. The earthy, woody perique is always noticeable: very spicy with raisins, figs and dates. The chocolate is mild, and more obvious to me once I got through the first quarter of the bowl. The Lakeland topping is a shade floral with a soap note, and while it doesn’t upstage the tobacco flavor, it’s always present. The tonquin is mild and sweet. The whisky is a very minor addition, not always to be found, and I doubt I'd notice it if I didn't know it was there. The toppings moderately sublimate the tobaccos, but not enough to lose their intrinsic aspects. The strength and taste levels are medium. The nic-hit is a rung past the center of mild to medium. Won't bite or get harsh. Has a few rough edges. May need a slight dry time, depending on your preference. The flakes easily break apart. Burns clean, cool and a little slow with a mostly consistent, deeply rich flavor. Requires some relights, and leaves little moisture in the bowl. Has a lightly lingering, pleasant after taste, and room note. Not an all day smoke, but it is repeatable during your smoking day.
-JimInks
-JimInks
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 07, 2011 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is one of my favorite GH flakes! The pouch scent is mainly of chocolate mixed with the usual raisin/fig smell associated with VaPers. I prefer to let the tan/brown flake dry out some as it arrives moist. I have smoked it folded and rubbed out and I find rubbed out brings out the most in LPF. As others have mentioned, the perique is added with somewhat of a light hand, but really helps to balance out the sweetness of the blend. I am fairly certain that the sweetness is a result of manual manipulation and not simply the result of the Virginia's. I do taste a light chocolate flavor and that along with the well blended tobaccos make for a wonderfully balanced blend. I don't pick up the florals to the extent that others have mentioned, but it could be because I smoke a lot of GH blends with far more floral taste. For those that like to cellar their blends, Louisiana Perique Flake should be a great candidate for long term storage.
Lovers of GH flakes and those looking for a different take on the typical VaPer, LPF should be on your “must try” list. Highly Recommended.
Lovers of GH flakes and those looking for a different take on the typical VaPer, LPF should be on your “must try” list. Highly Recommended.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 06, 2005 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
I note that many of the reviewers of this blend compare Louisian Flake to Bob's Chocolate Flake. Admittedly, it has been a year or so since I smoked BCF, but I sure don't remember it tasting much like LF.
I found Louisiana Flake neatly tucked in a pouch as a sample with a recent tobacco order from one of my favorite etailers. The flake was much drier than most G&H tobaccos I have tried, and it rubbed out easily. It is not a very dark combination and the flavor was on the lighter side as well. A little of that "Lakeland perfume" was present, but not unpleasantly so.
Quite ordinary in comparison to many other G&H offerings I have tried. You will taste both the Virginia and the Perique, so if you gravitate toward that combination, you may appreciate this blend.
Update 4-09:
A friend recently gifted me some 10 year old Louisiana Flake. It was darker in color and richer in overall flavor (and, certainly more mellow), than the fresh batch I smoked. The Perique element was almost non-existant. The nicotine content seemed higher.
I found Louisiana Flake neatly tucked in a pouch as a sample with a recent tobacco order from one of my favorite etailers. The flake was much drier than most G&H tobaccos I have tried, and it rubbed out easily. It is not a very dark combination and the flavor was on the lighter side as well. A little of that "Lakeland perfume" was present, but not unpleasantly so.
Quite ordinary in comparison to many other G&H offerings I have tried. You will taste both the Virginia and the Perique, so if you gravitate toward that combination, you may appreciate this blend.
Update 4-09:
A friend recently gifted me some 10 year old Louisiana Flake. It was darker in color and richer in overall flavor (and, certainly more mellow), than the fresh batch I smoked. The Perique element was almost non-existant. The nicotine content seemed higher.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 08, 2014 | Medium | Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
When I first smelled Louisiana Flake in the bag, I could smell the chocolate that others have noted. My first go with Louisiana Flake was that it burned a little hot, but it once got the right cadence, things settled down. I like to fully rub out LF rather than folding and stuffing it. LF starts out with a medium amount of flavor than moves to full. The flavor offered a floral taste and I was unable to detect any chocolate. As the smoke goes on, the floral disappears and I am left with a fruity and peppery spiciness from the Perique that isn’t overwhelming. LF builds in strength and by bowl’s end is a little stronger than I prefer. While not a top choice for me, I would recommend giving it a try.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 27, 2017 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Louisiana Flake.
Note: another of my early reviews I decided wasn't too useful so deleted to re-post.
The moisture of this pouch on arrival was good, it needed no time to air at all. In the pouch-note the chocolate is the only added flavour I recognize, I can't pick out any Lakeland/floral additions.
My first piece of advice with this is when ordering don't bother with a 25g pouch, get the biggest you can, it's bloomin' lovely! The chocolate's a notable addition, but never does it become too sweet, or sticky. There's just enough to add another dimension to the smoke, without it seeming 'aromatic'. Although some folks identify a Lakeland/floral appurtenance, this escapes me. The Perique's a lighter variety: enhancing the Virginia with mild spice, but it doesn't take over with vinegary causticity. The Virginia's the prominent tobacco, by a long score. I get no issues with the burn: cool, consistent, and of a medium speed. Nor do I have a complaint about bite: none.
Nicotine: medium. Room-note: pleasant.
Louisiana Flake? Highly recommended:
Four stars.
Note: another of my early reviews I decided wasn't too useful so deleted to re-post.
The moisture of this pouch on arrival was good, it needed no time to air at all. In the pouch-note the chocolate is the only added flavour I recognize, I can't pick out any Lakeland/floral additions.
My first piece of advice with this is when ordering don't bother with a 25g pouch, get the biggest you can, it's bloomin' lovely! The chocolate's a notable addition, but never does it become too sweet, or sticky. There's just enough to add another dimension to the smoke, without it seeming 'aromatic'. Although some folks identify a Lakeland/floral appurtenance, this escapes me. The Perique's a lighter variety: enhancing the Virginia with mild spice, but it doesn't take over with vinegary causticity. The Virginia's the prominent tobacco, by a long score. I get no issues with the burn: cool, consistent, and of a medium speed. Nor do I have a complaint about bite: none.
Nicotine: medium. Room-note: pleasant.
Louisiana Flake? Highly recommended:
Four stars.
Pipe Used:
Altinok Lee Van Cleef: Friday pipe
PurchasedFrom:
Various
Age When Smoked:
Various
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 22, 2014 | Medium to Strong | Medium to Strong | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
Not much of a VaPer here. More like a FloPer (Flowers and Perique) or maybe a PerPer (Perfume and Perique). The Lakeland scent just smothers the Virginias. It's enough to make you gag. Never again. Hey...the room note's great though.
Pipe Used:
MM Freehand, MM General
PurchasedFrom:
smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
fresh bulk
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 30, 2012 | Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
I find myself reaching for this tobacco more than any other I smoke. The quality of the leaf is top notch, and the flavor is perfect. If you're a VaPer purist, you might be a little disappointed. Also, if you're not accustomed to Lakeland toppings, you might be put off when you first try it. They can be mildly "soapy" until you get used to them. Louisiana Flake is no exception. The Lake Sauce, like the Perique, is lightly applied but definitely noticeable. Taken as a whole and unique creation, this is a brilliantly crafted blend. Highly recommended.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 14, 2012 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Unnoticeable |
Bought this at local B&M, who are growing pipe tobacco part of biz. First non- tinned baccy, 7ish per oz. Long caked flake, nice complex colors, good texture, unsure of what moisture content should be as this was nearly last oz in large jar, moist enough...
Smelled of good powder cocoa, and Virginias. I got no other smells, no whiskey or anything else. Nearing end of oz, as it has dried out its taken on a very peppery taste. I reside in SE Louisiana, love Perique (and all things spicy, fwiw) and this was very spicy.
Orlik Golden Sliced is a go to in my rotation, and as I understand it to be a Danish Vaper, more mild. This ounce -however - would be akin to comparing ketchup to Tabasco. Also, don't know how the tonquin fits in, maybe it adds to the pepper? It makes my mouth somewhat....numb after!? It is very tasty, will try to get several ozs when I catch a fresh batch at the store, see if there's a difference. Won't likely make permanent rotation- of which a Vaper is always present, but if your up for some zip in your pipe, give it a try.
Edit: Having smoked several VaPers since this review, decided this was tasty enough to purchase it by the pound! I missed it that much 🙂
Smelled of good powder cocoa, and Virginias. I got no other smells, no whiskey or anything else. Nearing end of oz, as it has dried out its taken on a very peppery taste. I reside in SE Louisiana, love Perique (and all things spicy, fwiw) and this was very spicy.
Orlik Golden Sliced is a go to in my rotation, and as I understand it to be a Danish Vaper, more mild. This ounce -however - would be akin to comparing ketchup to Tabasco. Also, don't know how the tonquin fits in, maybe it adds to the pepper? It makes my mouth somewhat....numb after!? It is very tasty, will try to get several ozs when I catch a fresh batch at the store, see if there's a difference. Won't likely make permanent rotation- of which a Vaper is always present, but if your up for some zip in your pipe, give it a try.
Edit: Having smoked several VaPers since this review, decided this was tasty enough to purchase it by the pound! I missed it that much 🙂
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 04, 2012 | Medium | Extra Strong | Overwhelming | Tolerable to Strong |
I hate to go against all the positive reviews here but my experience has been quite different. The flavoring is way over the top. I have smoked Lakelands before and really enjoy them. This stuff however, does not taste of Perique or Tonquin to me. I can only describe it tasting like Johnson and Johnson Baby Power smells. Picture that in your pipe and you have it. This is one of the worst tasting blends I have came across.
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