Samuel Gawith Navy Flake

03-06-2005 Not a bell ringer for this piper.

Appearance and Tin Aroma: Smell sweet in the tin. Not sure what type of Rum that was used, but it is not overbearing.There is a slight odor of Latakia. The flakes are stacked neatly and look dark and feel sticky.

Packing and Lighting: even though the flakes are sticky, I just stufed them lengthwise in my pipe and let her rip. Surprisingly, it lit fairly easy, 4-5 lights max.

Initial Flavor: Sweet rum, Va tastes on the mature middle to low end flavor spectrum.

Mid-Bowl: A slight increase in strength. Not nuch complexity. Burns cool. Is there Latakia in here?

Bottom of Bowl: Just a slight increase of flavor. Nicotine is there but not overbearing. Definitely enough nicotine to require a good meal before smoking, though.

Overall: Where's the beef? This is a smooth no-nonsense Navy Flake, but it just did not do anything particularly exciting flavorwise for me. It is just a smooth middle of the road smoke. For some, that is enough. The leaf used in this blend is of high quality. I much prefer C&D's Black Frigate over this one.

Rating: 3 out of 5 Points

This blend was not too bad. I love navy flakes, but like them with a little rum. The addition of latakia is nice and certainly not overwhelming. However, Sextant it is not! If you're looking for a Navy Flake with a little latakia, go with that instead.

It's a balkan flake light. I didn't get where the rum is but put this aside i consider this one as entry level to English/Balkan , while medium in strength .

Quality tobacco but to light for my palate .More latakia Please SG, and put some more rum next time.

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SUMMARY

To be honest .. this one isn't for me. the "meatiness" of the blend makes me feel like I'm smoking beef jerky.

TIN NOTE

1. Latakia

2. Some grass and citrus from the bright Virginias

3. Some stewed fruit from the red Virginias

TASTE

1. Meaty bbq taste

2. Mild Latakia , don't expect a Pirate Kake

3. Not really complex but I get why people like it

4. Very little sweetness from the Virginias

5. Heinz Ketchup in the background

MECHANICS

1. Make sure the flake is rubbed out properly

2. Make sure it is dry

3. If you fail in 1. and 2. please get a blow torch as you ain't gonna get it lit otherwise

4. If lit it's consistent but will require some relights

5. Does not bite

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Presentation: A nice light blue tin with a silhouette of a colonial sailing vessel.

Cut: Comes in somewhat neat, somewhat long, thinly cut flakes. This blend was Gawith level moist (that means the highest level). And with the rum topping, you need to devote substantial drying time to *attempt* to avoid it biting you in the ass.

Tin note: Smells earthy, figgy and a sharp note of that I assume is the rum.

Tasting notes: Smokiness intertwines itself with all other notes but is not overwelming in the slightest. Slight grassy sweetness, some earth, some creamy sweetness, figs. High complexity, hard to describe.

Mechanics: This blend smokes like a glass of water, even after several DAYS of drying time while rubbed out. This blend is very difficult to light. I must have made 6 or so charring lights before it finally gave me the smoke output I desired. This blend also definitely bites, beware for that if you're willing to put your tongue on the line. Also expect it to need a couple relights throughout the bowl.

Extra Remarks: I feel like I dragged my tongue through shards of glass. This blend mechanically, is absolutely atrocious; but flavorwise, is absolutely excellent. If it smoked as easily as Old Joe Krantz, being dry with zero bite, this would EASILY be 4 stars. Alas, it fails miserably at that. Try if you dare. There are other blends you can smoke without sacrificing your tongue or sanity. I might dry it out for a month and try again. Perhaps then it would be the blend of my dreams. As of now though, it is not even close. 2 stars.

Update: After drying for 14 whole days (336 HOURS), the bite is extremely reduced to a minimum. In its current state, the blend is smokable, although I feel like I have lost flavor for a mechanically better smoke. Be sure to dry this one enough or your tongue will pay! But like it is now, the blend is somewhat enjoyable, albeit on the mellow side. Still 2 stars.

So as seems to be the M.O. with me and Sammy G, I have such difficulty getting past the construction that the experience is lessoned. Here despite 3 years in one of my cellars, upon opening the tight vacuum these flakes remained too wet throughout the entire tin. Initially I could sense a nice light rum scent, but this didn't translate to the taste at all. Everything was dulled by the moisture here. Having said that, as is my experience typically with Sammy flake size is never consistent, so there were precious few flakes that were near paper thin and they were fantastic, profound in flavor, burn, smoke... but that was maybe three to floor flakes total. Good thing I wasn't relying on matches or I would have burned through a box in two bowls...yeah that is how wet it was.

This tobacco is a good Virginia with a hint of Latakia and a small scent of rum. I think that the Virginia play the main role and the Latakia is just there to give more structure but the rum.....is the ghost of the town. Still a good tobacco, but not my favorite

Bought 1oz from bulk. Wet out of the bag, it rubbed out well and dried on a plate for 10 minutes, packs well and burns well no relights for me. Fairly mild up front. I do get a sweet sea/seaweed fishy beach taste backed with a hint of latakia and a sweetness on my lips after a few puffs. For me it starts to taste bad or stronger on that sea taste as it burns deeper in the bowl and that's where it looses me. I gave it a few chances in different pipes and that's that, bye bye navy flake. I smoke outside so no room note.

wife doesn't fancy ('stinky-smoky but not as bad as cigars').

being an aromatics fan, I was expecting this to be a big no-no, but actually it is not bad. wet wood, gym socks, hints of peat,wet walls of an old building, burning moss. flavour..... smoky i guess?

overall not an everyday smoke for me, but wouldn't mind revisiting occasionally.