Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Bob's Chocolate Flake

I think that people are often caught off-guard by this tasty flake: It is unequivocally an aromatic in that it includes numerous non-tobacco flavorings and scents. But the term "aromatic," as used in the last few decades, come to imply "sweet and candy-like." Since this flake is predominantly flavored with chocolate, which is primarily used in candy, it is only natural that people should expect a candy experience from it. Then it hits them. This is _not_ candy. The chocolate is savory, as in a Mexican mole dish. The significant dash of latakia adds a smokey, earthiness to the experience. Background flavors of vanilla and something florid (lilac?) add complexity. The smoke is certainly sweet, but not candy sweet. This is an English tobacco, both in origin and in style. It is full, solid, and rich. Smoking this is not a delicate or subtle experience--pack it loosely in a large bowl and enjoy it with a strongly-flavored beverage. I have smoked it while drinking several stouts (really, what could be a better combination than Bob's Chocolate Flake and Young's Double Chocolate stout? the flavor profiles of the two are spot-on) and also with strong English tea. Be sure to give it a solid time to dry as it arrives quite moist. Since it's a dense flake, don't be surprised at a significant number of relights. Also, as others have reported, this stuff _will_ ghost your pipe, so don't smoke it out of a pipe for which the residual taste will be a problem since it will stick around for the next dozen or so smokes.

GH- Bob’s chocolate flake

I have to admit that at first I was not a fan of this blend, I got nothing from it except hot air and wondered where the chocolate was.

This has been sitting in a jar for a year, bought in bulk.

I loaded this today and thoroughly enjoyed the nutty chocolate and Lakeland mix. It never overwhelmed, stayed cool and smoked well for me.

When I have a yearning for a well flavored aromatic Lakeland, I’ll be sure to grab this one. Not a favorite but good none the less.

I just finished my first tin of this flake that I have been wanting to try for so long. Overall, I liked it as I do most GH offerings. There is a common thread with all GH tobaccos. They don't bite, no matter how hard you push them; they use top shelf ingredients and they all have a tinge of lakeland aroma that distorts the tobacco and/or topping tastes.

With the other things being plusses across the board, it is only that last thing that can really cause me to dislike these products. If you abhor that lakeland aroma/taste, you would be wise to avoid any GH blends; however, if you are like me and enjoy a light lakeland essence, say somewhere south of Ennerdale or Grasmere, you should enjoy this one.

BCF is no Ennerdale, nor is it some chocolate brownie type American aromatic. Truth be told, if it wasn't written on the tin, I would have never figured it as a chocolate topping at all. I do taste the Vanilla and the latakia though and would say their presence, albeit also very light, is more easily perceived than any chocolate taste to me. As an added bonus, I noticed no ghosting in any pipe this was smoked in, so most bowls were smoked in briar pipes.

Overall, it is nice and the taste that stands out the most to me, is the Virginia leaf, which I believe to be mostly bright leaf. It has a very nice citrus sweetness to it. The other favors play well with this. I could easily smoke this one all day and have a few times. I usually smoke two to three bowls a day, so it is not that big a feat. This is also nothing like the GH aromatic twists in that you can smoke a whole bowl without shaking and getting the cold sweats. It certainly isn't weak on nicotine, but it is not heavy by any means.

I recommend it but will keep it to three stars as it does not rise to the next level for me.

Lakeland aromatics fill a niche in my rotation. This is my favorite of the bunch. The tin note is unique, and immediately something you will always be able to identify. Flowers, almonds, and a dark cocoa note. The smoke is fairly strong, in both nicotine and flavor. I taste Virginia and a small amount of Latakia. I also taste cocoa and baking spices. I really like this as a change of pace tobacco during the cold season.

Some of the reviews this, and other G&H blends, gets are rather.... let's say "strange".

1. Despite what a very popular review says there is no tonquin in this blend. None whatsoever. Tonquin has flavour similar to a "deeper and richer" vanilla and is not in the least little bit "floral" or "soapy". Blends that contain noticable tonquin, or nowadays the "tonquin alternative" coumarin, are 1792, St Bruno and Condor, though the last two also contain plant-derived flavours (though not the infamous "Lakeland florals") so for purest tonquin-style taste try 1792.

2. The "chocolate" is more like cocoa powder than a bar of Cadbury's or the sad ersatz excuse for chocolate called "chocolate candy" in the US.

3. Despite some claims there are no artificial flavours in this or any G&H blend. They blend using the limited range of natural flavourings allowed under the old English tobacco purity laws that prevented adulteration with chemicals. Those laws were repealed in 1988 to enable big cigarette manufacturers to use "re-natured tobacco". As a side-effect they also allowed the use of glycol as a humidity maintainer in pipe tobacco. None of that nonsense for either Gawith company.

So. The flavourings here are a small amount of florals, probably including rose geranium (which is one plant not two) and others that were particularly popular from the 1700s to around the 1920s. And vanilla. And cocoa powder.

On smoking the latakia adds just a hint of smokiness and the flavourings blend well with the smoke. The Va and Burley is almost certainly from Commonwealth sources used by British blenders since at least the 1850s, probably from Malawi and Zimbabwe. The leaf is very good quality, but does not taste like US grown tobacco.

I'll readily admit to not liking this blend, mostly because I don't get on with geranium scent very well. It is however a classic of its kind and well worth trying if you are looking for a tobacco that has an aromatic quality to it but one that doesn't make you think you are smoking cherryade or slightly aromatic fog. The presentation is good and like most traditional British/Irish blends loses out if dried too much - it's meant to be smoked a little damp and oily.

Overall I'll give it three stars because while I don't care for it myself it's a popular blend made from high quality ingredients. Many people like it, so might you.

It is a little disconcerting that the review that was found useful by the most people is so misleading. I wonder how many people may have never tried this blend based on an incorrect description or the repeating thereof.

This is not a tonquin flavored mixture.

Ill say it again, as this faulty review seems to equate the lakeland aromatic effect with tonquin - this is not a tonquin flavored mixture. Everyone is free to love or hate BCF on its own merits, but don't warn people off due to tonquin, when there is no tonquin.

It is impossible to say with certainty that this has 0% tonquin, because they apply an aromatic casing in addition to the chocolate and vanilla, which might, but probably doesn't, contain a tiny bit of tonquin. What can be said with certainty is that the result does not taste like tonquin, tonquin is not to any appreciable degree present in this flake, and the lakeland scent and flavor are not synonymous with tonquin. Warning someone to avoid this flake if they do not like tonquin or are not ready to try tonquin is misleading because this in no way shape or form tastes like tonquin or, per the mixture description, has any. Gawith 1792 flake tastes like tonquin, because it has tonquin. Tonquin to my palate tastes like a pungent cross between earthy liqourice and vanilla. Smoke 1792 and then see if BCF tastes anything like that - you will see that it does not.

The description also alleged that it had whiskey as a casing, which it does not contain either.

As for the lakeland essence, yes it is present to a light degree in the background. Again, not a tonquin predominant flavor or smell, "lakeland" is something different. It is floral and mildly soapy (but not in a bad way, if such a thing is possible). Some people hate it, others love it. Here it is very mild and very much rounding out the flavor, not forward in the mix like a true lakeland flake.

To my taste this smokes like a nice VA flake. I really do not get latakia at all, but I take them at their word that it is in there. The chocolate is present in the tin, but I really do not get the flavor when smoking. The vanilla is not very forward either. This smokes like a sweet, cool pressed VA flake with a little lakeland action happening in the background.

Gawith's chocolate flake is the 4 star iteration of this style flake. IT has far more complexity and flavor, and more chocolate flavor to boot. BCF is a fine, affordable flake that can be enjoyed in its own right, and deserves a full three to three and a half stars.

Dry out! Dry out! Dry out! It takes a forest fire to light if it is not dried out. It's not a strong as I hoped it would be. The Latakia ads to the bitter sweet taste of the chocolate flavoring. It's a clever blend, I would have to say that it's an acquired tobacco. It takes time to acquaint ones' self with the unique and subtle qualities if this tobacco.

I have wanted to try GHs Bob's Chocolate Flake and SGs Chocolate Flake for a good while now. Well, for starters I went with Bob's Chocolate Flake. The tin aroma was definitely perfumy - which was tolerable before I lit it up. The initial light was all soap; as if I put a bar of Ivory into my mouth! Not pleasant whatsoever. I persevered and found the "Lakeland essence" never diminished. Occasionally, I got hints of chocolate - very minimal, however. The overall tobacco flavor was too hidden by the lakeland florals for me to taste and enjoy. The blend seemed to be overpowered by this Lakeland presence, and I didn't enjoy it at all. 1 star.

UPDATE 4-20-10: How time and aging change things! I let this one sit in its tin since my original review and 1 star rating, and decided to re-try it. Well, there was still the presence of soap in the tin, but much less than previous. Lighting produced a much fainter soap presence than previous which stayed very much in the background and fading nearly to nil by bowl's end. I was actually able to taste and enjoy the tobacco flavor - a mix of good tobacco and chocolate. I couldn't, however, taste the Latakia which was not off-putting in the least. I knew it was there by the way Latakia always nips at my tongue in a very unique way for me. A very nice background sweetness and flavor was the final reward (like chocolate milk). I now can appreciate all of the 3-4 star reviews of this blend. I will re-visit from time to time, but if I ever get through my tin and order more, I'll need to open it and let some of that Lakeland presence dissipate off long before smoking.

UPDATE 3-16-13: After smoking a good amount of GH Rum Flake, Brown Flake Scented and Unscented, I truly have come to love the Lakeland flavor. A recent revisit to Bob's Chocolate Flake was very pleasurable, but since I am not a big fan of Latakia, this will hold to 3 stars for me.

The flake is dense and rubs out well, into chunks. Light early and requires some relights throughout the bowl. A flavorful rich smoke, not overly sweet. The topping is mild and to my palate rich like cocoa powder or dark chocolate. It smokes fairly slowly, dry and won't get harsh or bite you. The flavor is consistent throughout the bowl. This is on a short list of aromatics that I enjoy.