Samuel Gawith Chocolate Flake

Just got in a few tins of the new Sam Gawith Chocolate Flake and after a couple of bowls I can say it is wonderful! Smells delicious in the tin. The very dark colored strips will need a bit of drying before rubbing out (if that is your preference.)

This tobacco offering produces thick, creamy smoke, so, you'll need to keep lots of pipe cleaners at the ready as the leaf does produce quite a bit of steam even when dried considerably. Rich tobacco flavor with hints of chocolate and a healthy dose of nicotine makes this blend delightfully savory.

I can detect a smidgen of Latakia as I smoke which compliments the other components perfectly. Beats the G&H version by a mile (IMO, of course.)

I believe I'll have the whole first tin smoked in record time!

First flake I've ever tried and, given the experience, won't be the last. After all, there's a certain charm to the ritual of preparing your tobacco, gathering your accessories and loading your pipe. Another two or three minutes is nothing to be worried over.

When you first open the tin, there's an air of fruit cake with the faintest hint of chocolate. Not a cloying, over-sweetened chocolate but not the other extreme of bitter cocoa.

The flakes are roughly a millimetre across and about 40mm long. Mine had endured a trip from the cold of the US winter to the heat of the Australian summer but had survived well. They're very sticky to the touch. Almost like a fruit cake steeping in a sticky mixture of booze before it's properly finished.

I rubbed mine out a fair degree as I'm more used to ready-rubbed mixtures but there were few larger pieces that needed a bit of a squeeze along between thumb and fingers. I left this on a saucer for about 15 minutes to help bring it down to a drier consistency as the stickiness I mentioned before remains a little despite rubbing out.

It loaded neatly into a bent dublin and a pre-light draw check gave less of the fruit and more of the chocolate that was apparent from the tin. Still a little more moist than I'd usually prefer but not unbearably so.

Lighting took a bit more than I've experienced in the past. A few waves of a soft flame and a mild tamp to get things ready and the real fun begins.

The smoke is cool all the way through the bowl; no acidic burning here. Although the Latakia in mixture is very subtly detectable if you concentrate, it never steps to the fore and allows the rich, nutty flavours of the Burley and sweetness of the Virginia be the main act. The chocolate flavour dances in and out with the Latakia to provide interest and contrast to the bulk of the blend which, I would think, would be as the blender intended. Despite a love of aromatics, I'd argue that this could be classed as more of a crossover blend. The tobacco is the foremost flavour with the chocolate providing a little "something extra" rather than wading in bold and brash and cloying.

It all burns down neatly with the tiniest amount of dottle and a medium grey ash in the bottom of the bowl with just a couple of relights needed. I think the next run will be rubbed out a little finer and maybe aired for half an hour just to remove the last bits of stickiness and reduce the relight requirements. Vitamin-N hit was there but quite mild and you won't be needing a full stomach to handle a bowl without feeling woozy.

The smell of my garage afterward (wife doesn't allow it in the house) was really very pleasant. This would really allow for those of us who enjoy a good dose of tobacco relaxation without the offensive mess of fumes that non-smokers would object to. None of the sharp tang of cigarettes or the earthiness of a cigar. Just a light, soft sweetness that sadly makes an exit after 30-60 minutes.

Overall, I'd rate this quite highly. A good, solid 3 - 3.5 out of 4. If you're looking for a Latakia bomb or strongly cased tobacco, this is not what you're looking for. If, on the other hand, you're in the mood for a decent tobacco that won't annoy others with the smell, allows for a good tobacco flavour without being sickly sweet and won't leave a syrupy mess in the briar, this could be just what you seek.

I am a big fan of GH's Bob's Chocolate Flake so I was quite interested in SG's Chocolate Flake. They are very different tobacco's in that I fully agree with Capt. in that this really is more of a cocoa flavor. Deeper, richer and less sweet than Bob's. Fresh from the tin I prefer this over my beloved Bob's, BUT....I am very much into aging my tobaccos (although I don't review aged blends unless noted) and I find that this blend doesn't age as well as BCF. I have smoked both with several years of age and to me Bob's wins hands down. So, if you want to enjoy an excellent chocolate flake, this one's the real deal. For me, when possible (rare these days for SG blends) I enjoy keeping a tin on hand. For aging, it's still Bob's for me. Recommended!

I do love this tobacco! I have seen many a review that states this offering is too moist on opening but I have not found this to be so. I buy my supply from one of the largest on line suppliers in the UK so I am not receiving old stock but have always found it to be fine straight out of the tin. I have rubbed it out and used the fold and stuff method and have never had a problem with re-lights or burn. This is the tobacco responsible for my conversion to flake tobacco. I tried it on a whim and have never looked back! If you are looking for a full on chocolate aromatic hit then I would suggest that this is not for you..... However if you are looking for a well balanced, well behaved, cool smoking tobacco with a suggestion of chocolate then this might just be what you have been searching for. As for the sam versus Bob debate I have tried both and in MHO sam does win hands down.

The immediate tin aroma is deliciously fruity and creamy, with just a tinge of tangy Latakia and cocoa, but quickly fades. The flakes were, contrary to most reviews, a bit dry in my batch, so I moistened them just a bit, but stick together just as well dry and moistened. Be warned that the slight whitening in tobacco is only sugar, and not the unpleasant surprise of mould I primarily thought (thank you Oslo Pipe Club to get my mind at ease).

It produces a slightly more than medium bodied, creamy smoke, with grassy and spicy notes from the Virginia, delicious nuttiness and sweetness from the burley, and woody, earthy, and citric notes from the Latakia. All blend perfectly, without being too dominant. The cocoa is present, but plays only a minor role behind a superb taste of tobacco throughout the smoke.

It requires a few relights, but is worth taking your time with.

===UPDATE===

For a truly pleasant smoking experience, cube cut the flakes for a delicious velvety smoke that really accentuates the nuttiness of the burley!

A very nice and balanced blend!once you crack the tin a nice and very natural smell comes out consisted of chocolate,cocoa in combination with some dark fruits and nuts.the blend moisture is medium and once rubbed it needs some time to dry out.packs ok and needs some effort to light.several relights are needed.while burning it has a complexity.the topping is present but never subtlimates the tobacco flavours.the virginias are the main players offering mostly dark fruits and some times grass and citrus notes.the burleys are sweet and nutty and the latakia are in the backround not always present with some smokey and woodsy notes.burns very slow and clean(depends how you rub it),medium hot with some moisture being created,to total ash without dottle.the nicotine level is medium and the room note pleasant.no tongue bite for me.in my opinion this is an all day blend wich refers to aromatic and non aromatic lovers.

This should be re-labeled as Cocoa Flake, but that would sound silly, wouldn't it? There is a big difference between cocoa and chocolate. This is plain as day cocoa. Latakia is hiding somewhere in the back ground, but it is done just right. I cannot believe cocoa and Latakia would pair very well in this flake. Best way I have found to smoke this terrific flake: Fold in half lengthwise, then fold in half the other way. Load into the bowl, then top with a wee bit of broken flake out of the tin. Light and enjoy! Truly a terrific chocolate, I mean cocoa tobacco. A must try.

Would pair well with a light roast coffee, black.

I can't say that I experienced chocolate on any sensory level, though I enjoyed the unique flavor that resulted from Gwaith's attempt. I would have to assume that naming this tobacco chocolate has more to do with the creamy and somewhat bitter flavor that one associates with very dark chocolate, but cocoa--no way. Nevertheless, a mild and flavorful smoke is still had. Needs to dry out a bit after rubbing out. Room note's out on this one.

I was able to obtain a large bowl size sample from 2005 some weeks ago. With 181 reviews I see that this one is very popular. It is medium dark flakes and had what I thought to be whitish plume but read a review where this was described as sugar so sugar it is. The only way I can describe the smell of this flake to me is that of smoked bacon and kind of earthy. I folded and stuffed it and light up. I can tell this is premium tobacco with a mild chocolate/cacao topping and taste. About two thirds of the bowl it kind of lost some flavor. I like it but not enough to buy more. Due to its age another rare find for me from my local pipe club.