Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Bob's Chocolate Flake

Good God was this awful.....I am still looking for an incredible chocolate blend. Back in the late 60's, I would visit Churchill's of Birmingham and get their chocolate. So far nothing comes close and this stuff was the worst. Upon opening, there was an overwhelming scent of latakia and no chocolate to be found. I hesitantly smoked one bowl and it smoked worse than it smelled. If you are looking for a chocolate...this is not it......

My pipe now tastes "Zestfully Clean", thanks to this disgusting, revolting blend. Good for childhood flashbooks to getting your mouth washed out with soap.

Yuck.

In my nearly a year of pipe smoking I have not come across anything so bad. If I’d of smoked this as a first blend I think I’d of knocked pipe smoking on the head. The only up side is the tin note of powdered chocolate So thought I was in for a treat. Was I wrong what you get is a soapy Lakeland which is overpowering and had to give up after half a bowl. There have been other blends I’ve given a second chance but this never. Glad it was a small sample

Very nicely packed flake. Could barely make out the latakia and the chocolate. Very different. Had an almost perfumy type of taste. Only one bowl done so will wait until I will be able to evauate objectivly in different pipes. For now, so different that I can't really say if I like it or not. Would recommend with reservations if someone likes an aromatic. If someone wants something totally different than what one has been smoking...this is it and I recommend you try it.

After a few more bowls, I am not recommending it unless someone wants to try something totally different. Also felt that the blend leaves a strong reminder in my pipes that I am masking with heavy latakia smokes. Not for me. Too much like smoking incense.

I can not give this tobacco a very good review but before I explain why perhaps it would be a good idea to give you some info on my tastes. I am somewhat new to pipe tobacco and was not a tobacco user before pipe smoking. I am as most beginners still intrigued with aromatics. I especially like the McClelland brand of aromatics but have been looking for new varieties with a little more tobacco flavor and taste.

After reading the reviews of BCF I though that it would be a good tobacco to try. I eagerly looked forward to my order arriving. Unfortunately my supplier was out of the BCF in a tin so I opted for a few ounces of bulk.

Quite honestly the aroma when the bag was opened was very disappointing. It has a rather strong soapy, perfumy, artificial smell and much to my disappointment I smelled not a hint of chocolate. And even more to my disappointment the flavoring when smoked is just as artificial and soapy as the bag aroma.

Furthermore it burns too hot for my liking. Maybe I just don't get it but I would not recommend this to a beginner it really doesn't have much of a good tobacco experience for my liking. IMO it is an acquired taste and one I am not likely to try again.

In the end though I found an acceptable solution. I bought some McClelland Vanilla Black Cavendish and blended two parts VBC with one part BCF and the result was a pretty good smoke for me. The mildness of the strength and flavor of the VBC toned down the strength of the BCF making for a decent smoke.

We come a long way baby since the colonial blends. All that I can say about this blend is that Not only have I stepped in it. But I have now smoked it too. PPPPPPPPPP

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If you can taste the chocolate through the overwhelming flake. then your a better man then me. I know why there is all those unknowns in this description. You cannot list that flavor of a burnt cup of coffee and dirt. As for the aroma it is better to light this while marooned on a desert island as not to offend or damage anyone's old factory senses.

(Review) 1-27-05 This tobacco was tasteless, had tongue bite and was down right flat, maybe for a little change of pace, I may hit it again....3 out of 10 stars...MZMN.. Update 8-29-06 VILE WEED! This tobacco is down right NASTY, and you may as well throw your pipe in the fire pit when your done smokin this garbage. I repeat, you will NEVER get the smell or taste out of your pipe! M.Z.M.N

This is different than the Gawith Chocolate Flake because it has more strength & less burley. But I warn you: it is hot, hot, hot & strong as the kick of an ox! Sit down when you smoke this or it will knock you over. To be sure, the ingredients indicated above are exotic & lend to the drama of smoking a deep English flake. Though, again, it's Gawith, and leaves me yearning for greater subtlety. Gawith must be one of those blenders that has either a loyal following or harsh critics; there's no middle ground here. This is strong stuff & it's smokey, but other than that, what's the point? It's too moist to rub out well, but if you fold it directly into the bowl you'll be overwhelmed by heat radiating to the palate and throat. Try a slice if there's an open tin. Otherwise, move on to something else!

Two of five stars

I should have more closely read the reviews of this, particularly CaptnDan's. Maybe it was the five puffs of Mixture-you-know-what over 30 years ago that permanently traumatized me, but I have no tolerance for soap in my tobacco, no matter how well disguised, crafted or dilute. Gak!

Update 11/04: I have begun to heal old traumas with soapys. Being a cheaparse, I tried this a couple times more and concentrated on other qualities, using an old broken pipe so as not to foul a good one. Actually, I tolerate it now as a change of pace. The soap is truly minor and the flavor is complex and interesting. I just won't buy any more of it.