Samuel Gawith Sam's Flake
(2.94)
The 2nd in our Mayor's Collection. Sam's Flake is a combination of flue cured Virginias and Turkish leaf which after blending is pressed in the hot oven, cut and then treated to a light flavouring which adds another flavour dimension to the tobacco. Good smoke and room aroma with a medium strength.
Details
| Brand | Samuel Gawith |
| Series | Kendal Mayor's Collection |
| Blended By | Samuel Gawith |
| Manufactured By | Samuel Gawith |
| Blend Type | Oriental |
| Contents | Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | Tonquin Bean |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin, 40g, 100g, 250g pouches, bulk |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
2.94 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 51 - 60 of 88 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 24, 2013 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
I must point out that Samuel Gawith is in my top three tobacco companies. I currently have forty blends in rotation, and five of them are Samuel Gawith products. There would be more, but I am out of stock on a few. I am primarily a flake and English/Latakia smoker.
I agree with much of The German's review below. I will discuss my experience with the blend here:
The tobacco is fairly moist out of the tin. The flakes are all unique and no cut seems to be the same as the next (think snowflakes). If smoking right after cracking the seal, I recommend a looser pack. If dried and rubbed out finely, it can be packed by a traditional method (i.e. pack first pinch lightly, second slightly harder, third harder still, and so on depending on size/depth of bowl.
The Virginias are there the whole time, but seem to be more present in the second half of the bowl. This is even more pronounced if the tobacco is allowed to dry to where it is just slightly moist. The tonquin bean is more pronounced when the tobacco is wet and almost completely absent once the tobacco has been allowed to dry. I like the tonquin bean flavoring, as it is also present in some of my favorite blends (i.e. SG's Westmorland Mixture). The orientals (not latakia) are there the entire time, but take a back seat to the Virginias as the batch burns to the bottom of the bowl.
If moist, it needs a false light, a tamp, and a true light and tamp. From there it will keep burning to the bottom of the bowl with the occasional tamp. If allowed to dry to slightly moist, I find that it lights with one match and continues to burn with a few tamps along the way. In fact, as I am typing this, I am smoking a bowl and thought that it actually went out on me. I picked up the pipe, tamped it down gently as I lightly puffed in a quick rhythmic fashion to find the bowl started going again with no need to burn another match.
I would give this blend four stars if it had a little more vitamin N and about 10 - 15% latakia added to the blend prior to pressing. Then again, that might make it too much like Westmorland Mixture... thus taking away from the uniqueness of the blend overall. No need to canabalize one blend with another that is too similar. That wouldn't be good marketing 😉
I agree with much of The German's review below. I will discuss my experience with the blend here:
The tobacco is fairly moist out of the tin. The flakes are all unique and no cut seems to be the same as the next (think snowflakes). If smoking right after cracking the seal, I recommend a looser pack. If dried and rubbed out finely, it can be packed by a traditional method (i.e. pack first pinch lightly, second slightly harder, third harder still, and so on depending on size/depth of bowl.
The Virginias are there the whole time, but seem to be more present in the second half of the bowl. This is even more pronounced if the tobacco is allowed to dry to where it is just slightly moist. The tonquin bean is more pronounced when the tobacco is wet and almost completely absent once the tobacco has been allowed to dry. I like the tonquin bean flavoring, as it is also present in some of my favorite blends (i.e. SG's Westmorland Mixture). The orientals (not latakia) are there the entire time, but take a back seat to the Virginias as the batch burns to the bottom of the bowl.
If moist, it needs a false light, a tamp, and a true light and tamp. From there it will keep burning to the bottom of the bowl with the occasional tamp. If allowed to dry to slightly moist, I find that it lights with one match and continues to burn with a few tamps along the way. In fact, as I am typing this, I am smoking a bowl and thought that it actually went out on me. I picked up the pipe, tamped it down gently as I lightly puffed in a quick rhythmic fashion to find the bowl started going again with no need to burn another match.
I would give this blend four stars if it had a little more vitamin N and about 10 - 15% latakia added to the blend prior to pressing. Then again, that might make it too much like Westmorland Mixture... thus taking away from the uniqueness of the blend overall. No need to canabalize one blend with another that is too similar. That wouldn't be good marketing 😉
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 29, 2013 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
Typical SG quality, but surprisingly flavorless. It's tastes like nothing so much as a virginia flavored steam with hints of something oriental. Whatever personality it has is too subdued.
Not a bad smoke, in fact it's actually quite nice, but there's nothing special enough about it to recommend it either. Not one of SG's better flakes IMHO, but still worth a try, I supppose, as it seems to tickle the tastebuds of some of our esteemed brethren.
Not a bad smoke, in fact it's actually quite nice, but there's nothing special enough about it to recommend it either. Not one of SG's better flakes IMHO, but still worth a try, I supppose, as it seems to tickle the tastebuds of some of our esteemed brethren.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 11, 2013 | Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Tolerable |
I had found that the SG line of flakes were very inconsistently sized. The cut would be thin for one flake and then thick for the next flake. Also the flakes were a little difficult to rub out. Lastly, I had trouble keeping this stuff lit and producing an acceptable amount of smoke. These flakes had really nice flavor though. Eventually dropped the whole line of flakes due to these drawbacks. Again, this is not a flake I liked regarding the flavor, another odd additive, ugh!!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 04, 2013 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Opening the tin, the smell is of sweet Va and something like tonquin/flowery, the flakes are in different thickness and quite moist as usual with S.G. offerings, it seems that someone has sliced the cake with a rough axe and then sprayed all with a light touch of herbal/floral balm. Don't get me wrong, I don't complain at all: thickness and moisture are welcomed by me because I fully rub the flakes without drying too much, for my taste there's a drastic drop of flavors after the drying. Once lit, SF starts with a pleasant Va sweetness and after a few puffs some spicy/toastiness notes appear as well, the grassy/floral scent partially translates into the smoke, just a waft of "Lakeland blooming" moving in and out together with the sweet/toasty notes, near to the end the turkish roastiness increases in a pleasant way: SF never gets bitter nor sour, it smokes cool and smooth from the rim to the bottom of the bowl. Not in the top of my preferences but a good experience that I'll repeat for sure.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 05, 2012 | Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I waited a long time to try this, it is never in stock anywhere. I finally found an online source, and bought several tins, just in case I truly loved it.
The varying thickness of the flakes do not bother me, as I rub them completely out. But, even if folded and stuffed, why would it matter?
This tin note is a mix between Kendall Cream and 1792, I think anyway. It almost has that tonquin flavor of 1792, but the creaminess of Kendall Flake. The description above states it has Orientals in it. I can't find them. It is Va and Turkish. The turkish really stands out in this flake, bringing an slight acidic ashiness to the exhale. I love almost all Gawith blends, but this one really hasn't caught my attention yet. I will smoke the other few tins I have, and hopefully I can add at least one other star to my review. Pairing well right now with a Remy Martin VSOP.
The varying thickness of the flakes do not bother me, as I rub them completely out. But, even if folded and stuffed, why would it matter?
This tin note is a mix between Kendall Cream and 1792, I think anyway. It almost has that tonquin flavor of 1792, but the creaminess of Kendall Flake. The description above states it has Orientals in it. I can't find them. It is Va and Turkish. The turkish really stands out in this flake, bringing an slight acidic ashiness to the exhale. I love almost all Gawith blends, but this one really hasn't caught my attention yet. I will smoke the other few tins I have, and hopefully I can add at least one other star to my review. Pairing well right now with a Remy Martin VSOP.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 11, 2012 | Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
Among other samuel gawith offerings I've tried, I can easily say sam's flake is the only one I'd like to stock as much as I can. Gone through half of the tin in less than a week and at this rate I believe it won't take another week to finish of it all. It's so good I had to restrain myself from writing a review with my first bowl but as you can see I couldn't wait till I finish the whole tin already.
I've had the pleasure of being in the same room while other pipe friends smoked sam's flake. The room note reminds me of the scent coming off when roasting coffee, which is very similar to scent of baking bread. Through the half of the bowl I get slightly salty taste but other than that, it's like I'm smoking coffee from start to end. Obviously there's no coffee flavoring in this flake but either the addition of Turkish leaf or the Virginia itself or both of them combined, comes out as mild, semi-sweet, not so complex, clean coffee notes. Actually, Brazil yellow bourbon comes to my mind.
I got best results when fully rubbed and packed loose & wet (and when I say wet, I mean "just out of tin" wet) surprisingly it takes flame easier compared to other SG tobaccos I've tried.
I've had the pleasure of being in the same room while other pipe friends smoked sam's flake. The room note reminds me of the scent coming off when roasting coffee, which is very similar to scent of baking bread. Through the half of the bowl I get slightly salty taste but other than that, it's like I'm smoking coffee from start to end. Obviously there's no coffee flavoring in this flake but either the addition of Turkish leaf or the Virginia itself or both of them combined, comes out as mild, semi-sweet, not so complex, clean coffee notes. Actually, Brazil yellow bourbon comes to my mind.
I got best results when fully rubbed and packed loose & wet (and when I say wet, I mean "just out of tin" wet) surprisingly it takes flame easier compared to other SG tobaccos I've tried.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 01, 2005 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
As described by others, it is very siimilar to Full Virginia Flake in texture and appearance. The aroma of the tobacco in the tin reminds me of cinnamon toast. The smoke is quite mild with the natural taste of Virginia slightly spiced with Turkish. There is light, sweet element in the taste but none of the cinnamon aroma comes through. This is not a typical Lake District flake; no typical English flavorings interfere or complement the taste of tobacco. There are no "soapy" additives here. All in all, this is a nice Virginia and easy to smoke with no bite. Well recommended. Paddy.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 16, 2022 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
You'd think a Samuel Gawith blend named Sam's Flake would've hit it out of the ball park, and for some people maybe it did! Not so much for me.
I guess it's kind of a 1792 Flake (Virginia and tonquin bean) with Orientals added. I get the tonquin bean, the mild vanilla like essence, on the retro-hale but the Orientals kind of spoil the flavor of the Virginias. The Orientals bring a sourness to the blend which in my humble opinion doesn't go very well with the Virginia and tonquin bean flavors.
If you really like Orientals and you like the sourness that they sometimes bring to a blend then this might be a homerun for you. But on the other hand if you really like 1792 Flake and you enjoy the flavor of the Virginias, then this might be a bit of a disappointment.
I guess it's kind of a 1792 Flake (Virginia and tonquin bean) with Orientals added. I get the tonquin bean, the mild vanilla like essence, on the retro-hale but the Orientals kind of spoil the flavor of the Virginias. The Orientals bring a sourness to the blend which in my humble opinion doesn't go very well with the Virginia and tonquin bean flavors.
If you really like Orientals and you like the sourness that they sometimes bring to a blend then this might be a homerun for you. But on the other hand if you really like 1792 Flake and you enjoy the flavor of the Virginias, then this might be a bit of a disappointment.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 22, 2020 | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
On opening tin note is Virginias plus a sort of vanilla ish scent. Nice. Flakes are a bit damp and a bit uneven. Rubbed out easily. After a bit of drying time took light well but did needs relits. But that could be me as I tend to get engrossed and forget to puff.
Found the flavour to be a sort of mild creamy . I tried this flakes because it was suggested it was similar to 1792 flake but milder. Well no. Just no. It's like saying yoghurt is similar to stilton cause they are both milk based! I found it too mild in flavour the toping seemed to hide the other flavours.
Strangely enough the nic hit was high for me.
Not too much dottle.
Overall pleasant enough but a bit bland for me
Found the flavour to be a sort of mild creamy . I tried this flakes because it was suggested it was similar to 1792 flake but milder. Well no. Just no. It's like saying yoghurt is similar to stilton cause they are both milk based! I found it too mild in flavour the toping seemed to hide the other flavours.
Strangely enough the nic hit was high for me.
Not too much dottle.
Overall pleasant enough but a bit bland for me
Pipe Used:
No name Turkish meerschaum
PurchasedFrom:
On line GQ tobacconist
Age When Smoked:
At purchase
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 29, 2012 | Mild | Mild | Mild | Pleasant |
First of all, I am a fan of Samuel Gawith's products, always having at least 5-6 different tins in rotation. Now comes the but: recently I have some bad experience with SG's tins. Two of them were completely rusty: Sam's and Navy Flake. But anyway I had to remove the flakes from the tin because there were too moist: the flakes are chunks, very moist and hard to keep lit. Rubbing out and drying them for 2 (!) weeks didn't improve the situation much. This is simply a boring smoke, I was lucky when it tastes like bean soup with a few drops of sweetener, a little cinammon and leather. I highly doubt there is any Oriental in this "blend", to me it seems more like a standard VA plus Lakeland. The tobacco is for sure of high quality, but the bothersome preparation and the bland taste are not worth it. Sorry SG, I hope others are happy with Sam's Flake, I'm not - I wouldn't buy it again and so I don't recommend it. BTW, I ended up putting a few flakes into the microwave oven for a few seconds, at least this time I could "enjoy" a bowl without relighting every 5 minutes.
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