Samuel Gawith Golden Glow

This is the fourth or fifth tin in some years, and while I perfectly remember the ribbons in the past, this one has got real broken flakes. And it is also quite smokable without drying. Much better. Taste and strength have both increased in these last years, in my opinion, and the blend is now quite different and better for those who love straight virginia. An interesting smoke, giving its best at the middle of the bow. Quite sweet room notes, and a powerful quantity of nicotine. It used to be a mild to medium strength, but now it is certainly a medium, or more. Overall, excellent for VA lovers, and 3 solid stars also for the fact it does not need drying anymore, and it can be smoked right out of the box.

"Broken Virginia Flakes" the tin label proclaims. Hmm. I don't know about that, more a chunky ribbon cut to my mind. That somewhat misleading description aside, the consistency and cut is first class and the overall brightness presents itself in a most attractive manner to my eye.

The moisture level is fairly high as one might expect from this top curator of fine tobacco. I actually like to snip it with scissors across the grain, unorthodox I know, but this then releases it into small chunks which soon dry to a nicely usable texture.

Pack it lightly, tamp it gently and fire it up. Oh my. Top quality Va personified. Sweet, yet tangy. Grassy and fresh. And yet somehow mature, with a little yeastiness, of the kind you might taste in sour-dough bread. It unravels with a marvellous forgiveness with even greedy puffing, which is frankly hard to resist, you just keep wanting that taste and savour.

Superb. I mean it. Big time.

Highly recommended.

It may be a bit tiresome if you don't have anything else to smoke, but it is a pleasant smoke every now and then -as every other virginias for me. It burns better than other Gawith's tobaccos I've tried, and it's tasty, but it might lack strenght, at least for me.

I find this to be another fine tobacco from SG. It really would be a good all day smoke for many. It lights and stays lit well, burns down to a nice ash at the bottom of the bowl. Very little prep for this basically stuff and puff with this fine blend from SG. Highly recommended.

A great all-day virginia. High quality leafs. Cool, delightful, ambrosial aroma: grass, citrus, light honey. Medium strenght. Easy to burn. Perfect in the summer.

Obviously many will find this one mild in every way compared to similar products but I don't. Infact I like this one much better. For now it meets all my expectations from a VA. Highly recommended if you're not a "strong" pal who seeks "strength" in everything.

A fine virginia flake. Mild but very nice to smoke. My 'everyday out-and-about' tobacco.

My first experience with this tobacco was not a positive one. It burned like a furnace and left me with a smarting tongue and sore mouth with little reward in terms of flavour. No matter how I prepared the weed the results were the same. Not good.

A year later and I decided to give it another try, but this time prior to opening my new tin I baked it in the oven for 5 hours at 90 degrees celsius. Now we're talking.

The harsh edges have been smoothed out and I am left with an absolutely delicious tobacco. Tasty and complex. The bowl begins with oodles of sweet, tangy Virginia goodness and becomes toastier and fuller as one progresses. Things really hit their stride at the halfway mark and by the time I reach the bottom nicotine levels have become sufficient to put a smile on my face. True, the flavour is not as forthright as Full Virginia Flake (less 'bass') but it is certainly not lacking. I have a well aged tin of FVF on the go at the moment and I find this blend equally satisfying, just slightly less upfront about things.

It benefits from some drying time and requires (and deserves) to be smoked slowly and delicately to reveal what it has to offer.

A definite winner for me in its baked form and I'm very glad I decided to give it another chance. Two thumbs up!

I will tell you now the room note is ugly but taste is great. I like to puff and this will burn your pipe before it burns you so watch out. This is what it is, broken Vrigina flake no more no less blond in nature. A little wet in the tin a little hot in the pipe even when dry so watch out,other than that it's great.Yes theres a hay smell but not in taste. Its one dimensional in taste but complex. I will add that the new tin I have smells like tea.