Tobaccos Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Bright CR Flake

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Deimitori (11)	2013-08-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

The Bright CR Flake is my favorite Virginia flake.

This nice tobacco is being pushed aside by the famous Full Virginia Flake of Samuel Gawith, and in my opinion having not the acceptance it deserves.

Opening the bulk bag of this tobacco I prime the lightness perfume of "Lakeland". It is a natural aroma, not an artificial one and as I learned that "secret" aroma is coming from the flower of the plant Geranium Rose {"Rose Geranium"} (Pelargonium Graveolens).

The bright colour flakes, "shiny" and "tawny", are nicely chopped, and can be rubbed very easily and comfortably filled the bowl of the pipe.

Varieties of Virginia tobaccos from Brazil, Zimbabwe and Malawi ripen to give a light and creamy taste. Gentle to moderate nicotine, can comfortably be the first morning pipe smoking of the day.

Delicious, with flavors alternating the natural aroma of tobacco and dry alfalfa hay, wet soil (sense of earthy soil after rain), with brief "passages" of pepper, flowers and fruits (I taste somewhere citron) but also some suspicion of cinnamon and anise.

All these result from the excellent quality of tobacco combined to make this beautiful flake rather than adding artificial fragrances. The "Lakeland" aroma sense I think it originates from the common area of production, ripening and storage of tobacco Gawith & Hoggarth. Some smokers call it "soapiness", I still did not felt it at all bad as a perfume, imperceptible to light, with an especially pleasant feeling of flowers and fruits.

By drying the tobacco yields even better, offering comfortable and pleasant smoking that can be enjoyed throughout the day.

Smoked without terrible swings and delicious surges from the top to the bottom of the bowl, some smokers may characterize it as drab or one-dimensional, I again found it delicious and very enjoyable from start to finish smoking it.

Not "bite" at all, it creates no liquid and leaves "clean" light gray ash finishes and staining very little the pipe filter.

In long-term ageing, it gets "sugars" (creating crystal sugars in the flakes) and gives an even more complex flavor, slightly sweet, creamy smoke.

I am smoking the Bright CR Flake in pipes of all types and materials (straight, bent, half bent, with filter and without filter, made by briar, olive wood, pear wood and corn combs) always enjoying a very good and enjoyable smoking.

Perhaps those smokers who are looking for more "loud" nicotine hit and stronger flavor intensity Virginia tobaccos may not be extremely charmed by Bright CR Flake.

I certainly appreciate this Virginia flake a lot and consider it an excellent pipe tobacco of highest quality that can be smoked very pleasant every time of day or night!

Highly recommended!

33 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2011-06-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Bright CR is one of (if not the) lightest G&H blends I have had the pleasure to smoke. It won't beat up the tongue and palate, but certainly has enough flavor to satisfy. I smoked it a variety of ways but fully rubbed out and dried for an hour or so before loading up seemed to work best. It's a little steamy if smoked moist, IMO.

If you appreciate Lakeland style flavor in lighter doses, Bright CR would make a fine choice.

24 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3047)	2014-01-15		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

The Lakeland topping is floral, but not strong. The grassy/hay-like tangy citrusy sweet Virginia also has light earth, wood and fruit notes, plus a slight acidic hit. The strength is just past the center of mild to medium, while the taste is a slot past that mark. The nic-hit is a tad short of the center of mild to medium. Won't bite, but it does need to sipped a little for best effect. Burns fairly cool, very clean and a little slow although the flake isn't as dense as some can be. No real complexity to speak of here, but it does have a very consistent sweet, grassy, floral flavor from start to finish. Requires a few relights, and leaves little moisture in the bowl. Has a pleasantly lingering after taste and room note. It can be an all day smoke.

-JimInks

15 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-11-02		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Pleasant

Nice presentation of light-colored virginia flake. This was a small bulk purchase. Very, very slight Lakeland aroma in the bag.

I agree that this is a light-tasting flake, probably the lightest in the G&H stable that I've smoked. Not a ton of flavor, this is a mild version of the basic Lakeland flake, minus the florals. Certainly less flavorful than any of the G&H or SG flakes that I've smoked. No bite even when provoked, although it can get a trifle testy and bitter. The flavor is grassy and lacks the usual virginia character I'm familiar with from this blender. It's also lacking anything resembling complexity. Just a nice, steady smoke for those who want to sample a virginia flake from this region without getting the floral, flavored character famously associated with G&H. There is the faintest trickle of that character but it goes away quickly.

There are many, many fine Virginia flakes on the market. This is far from the best but it's not the worst, either. Worth a sample for those that prefer a mild, grassy flavor that won't overwhelm. I'm giving this 3 stars for what it is but it's probably more of a 2 for my personal taste. Just not enough going on for me.

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2014-01-15		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

While doing a year end cleaning of my pipe room, to my wife’s delight I might add, I came upon an ounce of Bright CR. It had been sitting for two years in a jelly jar that was not airtight. As one would image, it was dry as a bone. But after reading comments here on TR about smoking it dry, I stuffed a pipe and wow! I have always enjoyed many of the GH blends, but I tend to lean more to the darker or more cased GH blends. This is by far the lightest GH blend I have smoked thus far. The unique Virginia flavor, I believe, is from the processing of this blend or the origin of the leaf (or both) rather than a topping. The flavor for me is on the medium to full side of things. It’s lightly sweet and complex all the way to the end of the bowl. I enjoy this far more than FVF. I can only imagine how good this blend must be when properly aged. Great stuff!

Age When Smoked: 2 years

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kilmarnock Piper (251)	2011-06-27		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I don't think this flake is exactly light. It is a fairly mild and simple Virginia flake though, and kind of reminds me of a milder version of FVF. I got the full 17.5 oz. box because it was on sale, and was greeted by nearly perfect 6'' flakes when I opened it. I promptly cut them in thirds and stuffed them into a couple mason jars to age, and have enjoyed a few bowls thus far. This is the essence of an unflavored Lakeland (there is a slight hint of a scent, probably from being in the same room as the likes of Ennerdale Flake!) and offers a pure (African and South American) Virginia experience. Don't look for complexity here, but lovers of Virginia flake with no added flavors will rejoice! I will add more if this shows me new facets after a couple years in the jar, but for now, just good, clean VA smoke, and I'm so glad GH is around to deliver (deliver being the operative word) a flake like this to the US when SG can't, or won't do so.

Update 3-4-12: I love this stuff, but I hate myself for not buying more than one pound (well, 500g) last summer when it was $43 a pound and not over $60! It has even improved a bit since then in the jar. Opening the jar, it kind of smells to me like fine tea. The appearance of the flake is beautiful; fine sugar crystals when you move it around under the light, a "furry" look and feel around the edges, but not mold; some kind of breakdown of the tobacco in the aging process. Indeed, this flake has a nice, almost meaty texture when rubbing it out. It's one of the finest Virginia flakes I've smoked, and the slight hint of Lakeland scents one gets from time to time, as I said in my original review, is probably only due to merely being in the same room as such tobaccos as Ennerdale and Kendal Flake...

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2003-06-29		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This blend is a real sleeper. It's composed of 6" long flakes that are sliced perfectly thin. I usually rub them out a little and then just stuff them in my pipe. One flake goes a long way towards filling my largest pipes. CR Flake is composed of exotic Virginias that have just a touch of that floral taste.

This tobacco is really a treat for me and I don't smoke it every day; one could get spoiled very easily. It's not too complex, but the flavor is remarkable; it contains just the right combination of Virginias. Smoke this one slowly and appreciate its delicate sweetness.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2003-11-12		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This is my favorite of the Gawith, Hoggarth & Co flakes thus far, barely edging out Bob's Chocolate for that top spot. I discovered it later than some of the others as I've worked my way through the forty-odd blends that are available from Gawith Hoggarth & Co.

Though others have compared it to Samuel Gawith blends, that's not what I'm getting here. It brighter (visually and on the palate) than most of the English style flakes that I've tried. In many respects, it reminds me more of North German style flakes in some respects. It's still obviously an English style flake-- the predominantly African & South American virginia leaf that constitutes this blend have their own character (a slightly more woody taste? Or is it my imagination?). That said, the lighter body of smoke and generally brighter characteristics on the palate are vaguely reminiscent of (if not necessarily similar to) Heinrich's Golden Sliced or Reiner Long Golden Flake (without the Perique) or Orlik Golden Sliced (without that slight honey top-note). Simply, it seems like an English style flake, made with English flake components in an English way, but styled on a German style flake (does that make any sense at all?).

Anyway, I love it. It's something of a best of both worlds for me. I love virginia flakes-- from both England and Germany/Denmark (without nitpicking, the Germany/Denmark flakes can probably be broken down into a number of sub-categories, but the macro-category suffices for this comparison).

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipeologist (27)	2020-12-26		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

We’re so lucky, over here in the U.K., to get our mitts readily on Gawith and Germain tobaccos. I recently bought about ten samples, some to my liking, some not. This offering I particularly enjoy. From the packet, golden flakes of pure Virginia waft delectably into the olfactory apparatus. None of that Lakeland thing, which can often be sickly and overwhelming. Slightly moist, but no hindrance to packing and lighting. No touch ups or relights required and absolutely no bight whatsoever. It’s nice just once in a while to enjoy a tobacco that hasn’t been blended with the intention of stupefying the smoker with a myriad of philosophical nuances. Just straight forward medium tasting Virginia, which I often crave. FVF seems to be one of the Holy grails in the pipe word and comparing the two, I much prefer this. So, after half an hour of bliss, I can heartily say that this is my favourite straight Virginia, so far! The room note is highly agreeable to the missus, praise the Lord, so without any hesitation, I highly recommend this beauty and will be purchasing more, albeit at a ridiculously high price, here in what is still Great Britain, but only just.

Pipe Used: Savinelli

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Gq

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2081)	2017-09-05		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Bright CR Flake.

The flakes are medium in build, nicely hydrated, and easy to rub, but it smokes equally as well folded and stuffed.

The burn is faultless, as is the temperature from it. The smoke has a milder Virginia flavour, with a very mild Lakeland topping. It gives a recognizable character, without monopolizing the smoke. The delicately added flavour works pleasantly alongside the easy-going flavour from the Va: it isn't too sharp, but quite calm and sweet tasting. I can't see this biting anybody, it's comfortable beyond belief!

Nicotine: mild. Room-note: pleasant.

This is a nice enough smoke, albeit, it becomes a touch boring after a while. Still, for the quality it gets three stars:

Recommended.

Pipe Used: Peterson Jekyll & Hyde #05

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: My Smoking Shop

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2004-10-26		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

I have a lot of hobbies, and I wish that each of them had so comprehensive a reviewing site as this one. The level of expertise (obviously indicative of the worldliness of the reviewers) to be had here is truly extraordinary. Read enough of these reviews, and you'll develop a keen sense of the particular tastes of the individual contributors. Whether I agree with them, from a strictly subjective point of view, frequently (Tantric, Inquisitor), almost always(Sykes, Eulenberg), or rarely (Pipestud), they, and scores of others, bring a compendious body of knowledge to the site.

Bright CR Flake is another unheralded tobacco that may lack the cachet and recognition of others, but yields little in terms of quality. Perhaps it is a victim of its own balance, as a lack a flamboyance is often mistaken as being pedestrian. Fans of the overtly sweet, heady, tangy, or what have you may have nothing to point their finger at. Rather, it serves as an archetypal blend incorporating many elements in an enjoyable, easy to digest form, along the lines of an Old Gowrie. Anyone who happens across this one should be satisfied, if not overwhelmed.

Update, 8/04- In the year since my initial review, I find myself smoking BCRF less and less, and enjoying it more and more. Perhaps I have too many selections of VA flake available (is there such a thing?), and find myself reaching for moment-specific selections out of habit. I don't know why, since Bright CR almoost always leaves me satisfied, and I find the ever so gentle presentation of the all too often heavyhanded floral component particularly endearing. Good stuff!

Addendum, 10/04- Undoubtedly, the questions regarding the unusual flavors to found in some of the English-style VA flakes are controversial. Some are enamored of the floral/soapy/Nivea components, while others are appalled by their presence. While the Condors,St. Brunos, or stronger expressions of the genre can be atrocious, if not downright disgusting, a light hand can nevertheless be endearing. When these flavors appear as wisps or hints, they can add a mystifying beauty to a blend. In this regard, Bright CR Flake makes for a gorgeous smoke.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Knightsmoker (218)	2017-08-29		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

A very light VA. Not much nic. so don't grab this if you have a craving. Still this is a very well made flake. The VA's are slightly grassy with light citrus notes. They have a little earthy note that comes and goes and there is a very slight woodsy note as well. Finally, I get a sweet toasted grain note as well. The VA's because of the region they come from do have a very slight floral note but this is not the "lakeland scent" that everyone talks about. All that said, the flavors are very mild overall and it will not blow out your taste buds and ruin any following bowls. I would recommend this one to someone looking to try a mild VA or just getting started on VA's. It was a very nice smoke in the late summer afternoons of August. I do not enjoy heavy blends in the heat and this was a very good blend for that purpose.

Age When Smoked: 9 months

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2015-12-07		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

An enjoyable Virginia flake with a just a touch of floral essence on the finish.

Bright CR displays a certain level of maturity in its smoking characteristics that I find quite compelling. It tastes like a well aged Virginian tobacco. I have noticed this flavor trait in both recently purchased and aged samples from my cellar. Bright CR is very mellow with no edges. The flavor strikes an even balance between grassy-sweet and earthy. Bright CR Flake isn’t a complex tasting blend but it does have a certain depth to it. It burns cool and it’s easy on the tongue. The smoke is soft and smooth with a subtle peppery mouthfeel.

Now there are fellow pipers who claim that they can detect no flavoring here, but I definitely taste a sliver of a floral topping, especially on exhale or when retro-haling.

Altogether, a tasty and casual Virginia flake from Gawith Hoggarth.

Pipe Used: Cob

Age When Smoked: 3 years

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2015-07-30		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

A simple, but nice tasting flake. Mild Lakeland over a hay-like Virginia. A nice bit of sweetness. This thing couldn't bite you if it wanted too. Very smooth and cool smoking. Very satisfying.

Mild to medium in body and taste. Flavoring (Lakeland floral) is mild. Burns very well.

Pipe Used: Chacom cutty, MM Country Gentleman

Age When Smoked: fresh bulk

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2015-02-22		Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This is great stuff but not really my style of virginia anymore. When I first started smoking a pipe about 10 years ago I bought a bunch of bulk tobaccos- mostly english then moved on to McClelland, C&D style virginias. Anyway, I smoked some of this back when I started pipe smoking, enjoyed it but stashed a bunch of it away and forgot about. Now I have about 10 ounces that I jarred up and has 10 or so years age on it. It is awesome now. It's a mild sweet, hay tasting flake (golden virginia taste) with a light lakeland flavor. All of the G&H flakes are scented (the "unscented" are scented but more lightly). The scenting on this one is nice but takes a little getting used to. It's top notch quality tobacco and I love the way the flakes are pressed and sliced. I still enjoy some of the english tobacco on occasion. It's always nice to have some on hand. I enjoy the medium strength G&H lighter scented stuff. Definitely try this if you like virginias. It's been around for like 200 years! It's got to be good.

Age When Smoked: new to 10 years

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrT999 (318)	2014-02-26		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Unlike some of the other reviewers, who needed to dry their samples, mine came very dry, even a bit 'crunchy' in parts. This resisted any attempts to hydrate, and so burnt a bit hotter (but not anywhere near uncomfortably so) and faster than other GH flakes.

I could detect some faint florals, but if this was from a hint of Lakeland florals or from the 'bright' VAs, I could not really be certain. Otherwise, a pleasant, straightforward 'bright' VA flavor and room note. Since I know there are many tobaccos out there I would rate a 4, the question arises would I rebuy this particular tobacco, assuming my tastes don't change much more. In this case, the answer is probably not.

Pipe Used: various briars and meerschaums

Age When Smoked: 1 month

Purchased From: pipes & cigars

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	leafy (4)	2014-02-21		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Two weeks into smoking this blend it has revealed itself in the pipe. At first it smoked clumped with sweetness fuming off the top but I now rub the whole lot our (it comes as loose flakes) and air it overnight, spread on a tray. That does the trick and a week on I welcome it as confirmed in my rotation. It smokes with a nutty, elegantly harmonised Virginia taste. To date, I smoke it exclusively in filter briar and meerschaum filter pipes as found it too raw in plain pipes but will persist with plain to see if it matures therein. Medium to mild but not tame, patience will be rewarded here as the pipe builds sufficient cake to yield a surprisingly good smoke and one you will want to keep.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	chimney (2)	2014-02-12		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

If you like the sound of acoustic string instruments, you will like this blend. It reminds me of wooden guitar and violin, clean, warm, comforting, simple in a complex way.

It needs some time to dry a little bit, otherwise will be steamy and pale. Better performs in a smaller bowl, especially when the fold & stuff method is used.

Sometimes, very little "lakeland flavor" appears at the first two or three puffing, but fades away very soon, not sure if G&H does this on purpose or it's just an unintentional inflection from the lakeland enviroment.

The room note is plain, OK for both smokers and non-smokers, I guess.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-11-23		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Oh this is good stuff! The tobacco smells of sweet hay. Comes slightly moist but does not require drying to smoke.

Breaking up the long 6 inch flakes and rubbing it out, it packs well into the pipe. Lighting is easily done and it stays lit with minimum relights. No bite.

Lovely, clean tasting Virginia with no artificial taste of after- taste. I did not detect any floral scents. Just sweet and nutty quality Virginia smoke. The room note is intoxicating! I kept going back to the smoking room just to catch a whiff of the note.

5 stars!!!

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-08-04		Very Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Very curious about the taste of this offering especially after reading the ingredients list and seeing the inset photo at Pipes and Cigars.com. I tried to order some but they were completely out which I considered a good omen(must be good if everyone is ordering it and causing a shortage like all wothwhile things) but a bit of a tease. Found some finally at 4 Noggins.com . Ordered a couple of ounces and was very pleased with the tobacco. An unparalled mild,friendly Virgina blend!

As a tobacco it has everything I require in a lighter blend. Easy to prepare and to fill the pipe.Excellent mositure content and light-up-ability and a very remarkable first few tokes. An especially nice morning smoke in one of my "hobbit" (handmade by yours truly) churchwarden and a nice way to greet the very early dawn hours. Great taste with the bonus of a very pleasant aftertaste. A great launch off for the more "serious" fulsome smokes of the day by way of either of the Gawiths or anyone else. Easy steps from Bright CR to perhaps Medium Virginia (Sam Gawith) to Full Virginia Flake(Sam Gawith)to Curly Cut Deluxe and Broken Scotch Cake(Gawith and Hoggarth) and on and on up the more potent offerings from many different suppliers.

All in all a very welcoming and friendly smoke. I am not all that sure about the others coment here about "soapy" tastes or "floral" this and that. I just know it smokes very very well and as a blend and it and I seem to have struck up a good friendship. I have noticed that it also smokes well in any size pipe of any bowl diameter or height. Another plus for me , personally.

It is therefore a very highly reccomended blend by me and very versitile for early morning or indeed as an all day smoke. I'd say order a bunch of it if you can find a suppier with a large inventory since you will probably want more.

-------------The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Effluvinator (60)	2006-01-01		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant

This was the very first G H flake that I tried, and while there are many VA's I have not yet had the chance to smoke, I am certain Bright CR will remain a favorite. I loved this one from the first time I smoked it and was inspired to try more of the G H VA's. This is just a smooth, mild, slightly sweet VA. More full-bodied but not so sweet as something such as Orlik Golden Sliced, it leaves me feeling quite satisfied. I have not been bitten by it and think it could be an all-day smoke if one were so inclined. I keep a ridiculous amount of tobaccos in circulation but this is one that I find myself craving to smoke on a regular basis.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2003-07-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

A good companion to GH Brown Flake, CR has more top-range than its cousin, probably due to more bright Virginia. It can burn a bit hot if overstimulated, but a McClelland-trained Virginia smoker like myself had no problems in that area. While it is slightly more complex than Brown Flake, it has a smidge less of the earthy/cinnamony GH character that satisfies me so well. But it is very good.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2022-05-14		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Bright CR is a mild, decent virginia flake. Considering its price point, I honestly don‘t get the hype. It has everything you‘d expect from a natural virginia, including tongue bite. I sipped it but it didn‘t quite agree with me. I think it‘s a tad too acidic, leading to „chemical tongue bite“ if you know what I mean.

Burns down well with very few relights.

I‘d probably rate it three stars if it wasn‘t so damn expensive, difficult to come by (EU) or prone to biting me.

Pipe Used: MM Cobs

Age When Smoked: Unknown

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sir John Moore (29)	2022-01-14		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

As a straight Virginia this is a solid smoke with excellent character and a good flavour profile with spice, fruit, hay and bread. The flakes from bulk are on the slightly moist side and require some drying out. Tongue bite is a risk as with many straight Virginia's so I use 6mm filters for myself and this gives the best results if the flakes are a not quite in the goldilocks zone taking the edge off any steam or over dry heat. I did not detect any rosewater or soap in the pouch note or charring light. This could be specific to this batch and could vary but for myself no flavours other than good tobacco were detected. If Sam Gawiths Full Virginia Flake is difficult to come by this is a great alternative and certainly worth a try if available. Satisfying and enough depth to keep you interested throughout the smoke.

Pipe Used: Falcon and MM corncob with 6mm filters

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: The Black Swan Shoppe

Similar Blends: Full Virginia Flake, Union Square.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Martini (17)	2021-01-05		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

In 46 years of pipe smoking this is one the best, ever. Mild strenght but a lot of complex flavor and taste. It is sweet but not flavored at all. It is just natural excellent Virginia. Very delicate with many nuances. A lot of pleasure. It smokes evenly and slowly. In a large bowl can last even 2 hours, but the nicotine content is not affecting. In the middle of the smoke you may find some honey tones. I really do not know what may become when aged. It reminds the Samuel Gawith Best Brown Flake, but that is rough compared to this. What can I say? I wish I found this earlier... I an a large Castello it may take you to heaven.

Pipe Used: Castello, Caminetto, Ascorti

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: Monica Dubini - Chiasso

Similar Blends: Samuel Gawith Best Brown Flake.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ilpipatoreinamerica (5)	2020-09-30		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This is definitely my favourite bright virginia tobacco.

it is so sweet and full, so satisfying to be smoked, with a nice evolution.

It's creamy, not zesty but more like vanilla kind of sweetness. It is easy to be smoked and full of sugar, it will age beautifully.

Not much to add here, simply one of the best.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DenizBeck (323)	2017-10-23		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild	Pleasant

Even though it claims 100% VAs without any flavors added, I do perceive some Lakeland-ish essence on the unburnt tobacco! Lovely, long flake cut with citrusy-sweet bag-note from my sample, that also holds some honey tones and maybe a whiff of grass to it. It's a joy fiddling with these long ribbons of flakes.

Also in the taste there's definetly some (very mild) Lakeland essence to it! Whether it's "contaminated" by being produced next to Lakeland tobaccos, or they added it and claim it to be unflavored...it's there, especially in the first few puffs and then fading in the first quarter of the bowl. Besides that I was surprised that it has some decent spice to it that's slowly overtaken by a rich grassy, decent citrusy and moderatly sweet aroma that is building up quickly. Has some delicate honey-ish sweetness to it, maybe a bit of hay notes by times. The spiciness fades after the first few puffs, but some of it remains present throughout the bowl. Pleasant!

Not the best straight Virginia I had, but certainly not a bad one! Deservers 3/4 stars to me.

I was thinking this would harmonize with some blending Perique, so I set up a bowlful of it in a 65(BrightCR)/35(Blending Perique) ratio (yea..I like me Perique...:-P) to try... and it's delicious! 20-25% would be enough though, but it adds a peppery, sour-fruitiness to it, that gives depth and intensity to the aroma. Worth trying!

Pipe Used: Clay Pipes

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	glondus (4)	2017-06-23		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

very easy tobacco with a cool and tasty smoke. nice and easy virginia flake tobacco.do not rub it to pack, leave as is for a better taste and cooler smoke

Pipe Used: bend

Age When Smoked: new

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (633)	2015-07-28		Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I really wished I would have bought more than an ounce of this one as I think I went through this one a little too quickly as I was starting to garner some love for it.

I got this in a GH ordering frenzy where I ordered 1 ounce samples of several of their blends. I had been curious about CRF for awhile, so it was one of the first ones thrown in my cart.

First off, it is GH so a certain amount of Lakeland essence (or soap for many) should be expected; I personally like this essence so It does not bother me. If the faintest whiff of this bugs you, then I will save you as this will have a light bit of that essence to it. All GH blends I have tried to date have this, they also have something else; a complete lack of any bite. I think GH makes the coolest smoking blends of any blender out there. And CRF is no exception.

The name bright flake, referencing the fact that it is all bright Virginias seems to convey a sense that this could be a bit of hot smoke, but not at all. It is well behaved as all the other GH blends I have tried. I do find the Virginias to be very mild in body and perhaps in flavor. The topping does tend to play tricks with the latter diagnosis. When I first started into my one ounce sample I was not that impressed with it, but my appreciation did grow as time went on.

There is no doubt that I will be purchasing more of this and will put up some to age as well.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Christrom (34)	2015-07-11		Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I've just tried a bowlful of this as a sample. I left it to dry out for a while, but I think even longer would be better as I had to regularly swap my pipe out with a cleaner. Really nice taste, uncomplicated and earthy with virginia brightness. I'm a huge Gawith Hoggarth fan and this one does not disappoint. I think it would make a good summer smoke. Only negatives I would say is that it is not very complex, just a nice straight virginia

Update 2018

Just tried this again, with a little more pipe smoking experience. It is lovely, with heavy, chunky flakes. I just rubbed it out just a bit and stuffed it into the bowl. It smokes easily and slowly, with no bite, and is very inoffensive in a good way. I don't find the flavour bright, more muted and slightly tasting of cement and soil mixed with straw. This is a three stars, but a very solid tobacco. I like the satisfaction to that of smoking Solanki aged burley flake, although the taste is obviously different.

Pipe Used: corn cob

Age When Smoked: new

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	incognitopoet (37)	2014-09-07		Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant

The sweetness of this flake is remarkable. It is a light, ethereal sweetness that is never cloying, and leaves the pallette refreshed.

I rubbed out several flakes that I have aged in a jar for about three years and loaded a very large Nording freehand. Immediately I was greeted by a sweet, clean citrus flavor. There was just a hint of floral scent. I agree with several reviewers' speculation that any floral notes probably come from the atmosphere of the G&H building. In any case the floral note combines with the superb tobacco flavors to tease my nose and palette with whispers of frankincense. A nonsmoker friend noticed the frankincense effect in the room note. He liked the smell as I puffed away on my balcony.

Even after three years in the jar the flakes were moist enough to drench my Nording. If you live in a humid area, drying is a good idea. Once dried the steamy bite is no longer a factor.

The nicotine seems pretty light to me, but it was enough to keep me comfortable. I tend to puff a little too fast early in the bowl when the nicotine offering is as light as it is in this blend. If I am not careful this can cause bite which would not otherwise be a problem.

This flake is a great chance to enjoy the exotic tropical tobaccos G&H uses without the distraction of floral topping.

Pipe Used: Nording unfinished freehand

Age When Smoked: 3 years

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	balkan_boy (49)	2013-10-23		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I've had a few bowls of this fine flake before putting it in a jar for ageing, and was surprised how they've brought up that fine lakeland note with so little casing. When it came, it was somewhat too wet and required a good amount of drying before packing. Still doesn't burn perfectly, but it's ok. Surely it's one of the most quality VA flakes out there. I like that nice fresh lakeland aroma that stays present through first half of the bowl. After that it gets a bit blunt, but still delicious. In a nutshell, it's awesome. Puff it easy, it tends to bite if not cautious.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	butman (50)	2013-03-23		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I actually backed into this one. Started with the Glengarry and found that a bit much. Then I read the Pipestud's review and stabbed into a bit of this. I rubbed it out and let it set and fell in love. This stuff is just pure Virginia with a bit of a scent that you pick up as you go. Just love to smell it burning vs. the delight of puffing. It makes a bad pipe taste better and a great pipe taste terrific.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TW (38)	2012-09-06		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A mild tasting, smooth pure Virginia flake. No trace of any toppings in my sample, no Lakeland florals either.

I find it's smokeable without needing drying if rubbed out fully, but does need drying if smoked as broken flake or rolled and stuffed.

It tastes pretty much as a mild Virginia should really - not very complex, but smooth and pleasant with very little bite. Nothing about it is particularly outstanding or attention grabbing, but there's nothing particularly against it either. Makes a good first smoke of the day.

Well worth a try if Virginias are your thing.

Update, 25th November 2012

I've really come to like this over the last few months. In particular that it has the virginia "high notes" that darker flakes like FVF generally lack, and is actually fuller and more complex than them as a result. A good all day tobacco.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-04-19		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a first class Virginia flake for those who prefer a good sweet and true tobacco taste. It is a nice blend of dark and light Virginias and offers a very nice combination of flavors. It burns slow and cool giving a full satisfaction. However it may be light for nicotine kick lovers. For me it is an all day and any time smoke.

If you look for some complexity this might not fit to your needings. But for sure it will satisfy you with nice and remarkable flavorful smoke. I highly recommend it for pure and sweet Virginia smokers.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-07-01		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Bulk: Looks identical to SG's FVF, black-brown tobacco pressed then cut into 6x1x1/16" sheets, maybe with slightly more mottling of blonde. Bright CR Flake is lighter, compared to SG's FVF's much deeper and resinous smell. Bright CR does have a very vague Kendal floral fragrance. The supply I was sent is almost dry but the pressed cut sheet is pliable.

Packing & Burning: It is folded in half and twisted into smaller flakes or splinters. The rubbed out flake is just dumped into the bowl and lightly tamped. Stays lit if the puffing rate is controlled. Takes one or two relights down the bowl. Being a hard, rubbed out flake, BCRF burns for a long time.

Taste & Aroma: A light smoke, smooth, mild, slightly sweet lemon, a slight floral note, with a very light grassiness. A mild oily, nutty flavor develops around mid bowl.

Nicotine: medium and lingering

Room Note: Quite mild for a VA, a light VA fragrance

Overall: SG's FVF has a competitor. BCRF is slightly more complex due to the vague citrus component and the slight transition down the bowl.

Orlik's Golden Slice has a similar texture, a strip of VA, but is substantially milder. Another good comparison is McClelland's No. 27 Virginia.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	bent-1 (39)	2007-10-31		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Found this blend at my pipe shop & bought a 2- oz pouch, of which is almost gone. Verdict, I like it. I'm not a big fan of Lakeland Scents, but the pouch note did not lend evidence to it's presence. The flakes are thin & easily rubbed out, which I prefer with this tobacco. The sample I had was ready to smoke, no drying was required.

The initial light is a lemon citrus sweet. The floral component quickly fades, but the lemon citrus sweet remains constant with each draw, throughout the entire bowl. It sounds monotonous, but to my pallet, each draft was tasty & reliable. Mid bowl, a very slight nutty flavor appears & runs it's course till the end. All that remains at the end of the bowl is a nice white, fluffy powdery ash.

It is a unique blend, and won't supplant my mainstay VA's, but has earned a permanent spot in my cellar.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-08-02		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Bright CR Flake is a quality offering, easily rubbed out and burns nicely with only one light. It has a mild, somewhat satisfying, if unexciting, tobacco taste.

It also has a bit of that flowery taste/aroma that I despise but am learning to tolerate in order to enjoy the otherwise wonderful blends from G&H.

Bright CR does have its own certain charm, but for my money, there are many better choices in the mild/medium virginia genre.

2 or 3 stars, depending upon whether or not you like flowers with your virginia.

1/2

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2005-02-22		Mild	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A very quality flake. Comprised of bright VA and some darker leaf. This tobacco has a refreshing undertone and, lends itself to being a good year round blend. It possesses a similar fragrant body to other G&H blends yet, not as pronounced as their dark cured leaf. The moisture content is a bit high but, when rubbed thoroughly and dried it is quite pleasing. I noticed more of a sweet-vanilla texture in this blend as opposed to the darker VA from G&H. This tobacco has bit more sugar content than other and, will age well. I've got a few oz's cellard for aging. Recommended for VA lovers, yet I think that better options are available from other blenders.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ferrigno (7)	2023-02-13		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I'm smoking Gawith's Bright CR flake in parallel with other straight Virginias: Samuel Gawith's Full Virginia Flake, GL Pease's Union Square, Mac Baren's HH Pure Virginia, Peterson (former Dunhill's) Flake, Dan Tobacco's Veermaster and Amphora Virginia. Bright CR Flake is a compact flake, wet but not soaked with moisture, with a peculiar floral and acetic note. After rubbing and some drying time, both the front flavours tend to disappear in favour of some hay, chocolate, figs and aromatic Mediterranean herbs. This straight Virginia provides a pleasant floral and herbal aroma at the beginning, evolving into something darker. It is smooth and relatively gentle to the tongue, provided it's not too hot outside, otherwise it will tend to overheat the pipe and cause tongue bite.

Pipe Used: Castello, Savinelli, Meer, others

Age When Smoked: 12 months

Purchased From: Swiss tobacconist

Similar Blends: Full Virginia Flake.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	krog (22)	2022-09-19		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Very good hay, grassy, flowery, light, slightly citrusy and sweet Virginia for hot summer days although it’s not my taste. I prefer the dark Va profile. I think that some age would really improve that baccy. Its obviously good. But not extraordinary

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pikey Mick (49)	2022-02-23		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Strong

I don't get the hype. I have tried this folded and stuffed, totally rubbed out, and broken. I allowed the tobacco to dry out considerably. Lights fine, but to me it tastes like rhubarb with no sugar. It didn't bite its just nasty to my palate which disappointed me because I love Gawith and Hoggarth flakes. And I wouldn't call it the lightest of their flakes, or creamy at all. I will cellar the rest of it and revisit it in a year or so. I guess I really don't enjoy super tangy Virginias. Oh and the room note smells like a stale, full ashtray.

Pipe Used: Peterson 303, corncob, Amphora half bent

Purchased From: GQ

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HabaneroHardy (403)	2021-10-04		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Unnoticeable

Granted one bowl does a review not but here is my two cents worth. I found this to be extremely mild and this was fresh from a fellow pipe club member who brought this in. He had a hook up in England I believe. This had a sweet faint apricot smell to it and also smoked a little bit sweeter than I care for in a Virginia. Though no flavor is listed it seems to me to be cased with something that I do not care for and I could be wrong. It might just be a really sweet natural Virginia. I smoked this out of a new cob so there was no ghosting from other blends in a pipe. Nice to try but just not for me.

Pipe Used: New Corn Cob

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	awt (20)	2021-07-20		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild	Pleasant

Let’s put it that way , a light unflavoured Virginia flake you can smoke all day long. Perfect for a first pipe, excellent during the day. Perhaps late night you may crave for something stronger . Has a Kendal background. Should be smoked in larger pipes where I mean max group 4 because it takes time to develop its mild flavour. Is smoked in tiny pipes you will not get it and have an unsatisfactory smoke. I have rediscovered a good chimney pipe as it burns easily. Short chubby billiards are also good (Castello 10) . Short story get a pipe which can enhance the flavour and hit as it could be otherwise slightly bland. Puff slowly please , this is not an easy tobacco and I wouldn’t suggest it to beginners. I’ll stick to it for a while perhaps a very long while . Definitely 4 stars in the category of light flakes. It’s summertime

Pipe Used: Various good quality pipes

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Dubini CH

Similar Blends: Any bright light virginia flake.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DeathMetal.org (231)	2021-07-12		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Summary: a classic Bright Virginia flake which brings out the unique flavor of this type of leaf.

Tobacco companies early on learned that people liked blends which tasted like foods, such as the gingerbread cookie of "My Mixture 965" or the jelly donut that is "Escudo." Bright Virginias generally appeal because they taste like breakfast cereal: a light toasted rice or wheat with an inner sweetness. "Bright CR Flake" takes these characteristics and matures them, producing something which tastes more like malted syrup on whole wheat bread. It tastes to me like some red Virginia crept into the mix somewhere, but that could simply be the maturing of this leaf in the pressing processing. These soft flakes expand quite a bit, so pack loosely, but offer a steady sweet flavor with natural undertones for a long, simple, and satisfying smoke. You can see why writers like J.R.R. Tolkien favored this type of smoke, namely that you can load a pipe, light it, and type away while enjoying an intense but subtle sweetness.

Similar Blends: Newminster - No. 400 Superior Navy Flake, Mac Baren - Capstan Original Navy Cut, Sutliff Tobacco Company - Virginia Slices #507-C.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Steerpike (156)	2020-07-27		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a very nice straight Virginia from the house of Gawith Hoggarth, and I recommend it to any fans of the style. I'd agree that it's a less well known baccy, pushed aside by Full Virginia Flake (stronger and fruitier) and Best Brown Flake (actually quite similar but as I remember, breadier and a little stronger). This tobacco has no flavouring or aroma added at all, unlike many other "natural" Virginias I could name which all contain a smidgen of something. If your Bright CR Flake has a lake district perfume to it, you've either made the mistake of having it shipped in the same package as scented tobacco, or your tobacconist has made a error in its storage.

The tobacco arrives as a bundle of flakes, of a lighter shade of tan brown. The aroma in the packet is of ripe hay and horse food. Lovely! The flakes are nice and thin, and rub out easily. They accept the flame just as readily, and the enjoyment begins. Smoke this low and slow. Little sips, "breath smoking" if you will. The flavour is naturally sweet, hay and bread, delicious. It doesn't seem prone to bite, but I think if pushed the subtleties of the flavour will be lost. It stays cool and delicate if smoked slowly, but can warm up if pushed in the heat. It's a type of tobacco that I lean towards on the hotter days of summer, but it's better smoked in the shade, and outstanding on a cooler evening. It doesn't have a big nicotine hit, and it's better in a larger bowl, but lightly packed.

Overall, top marks, this is another fine natural Virginia on a par with the Best Brown and Full Virginia flakes, and worth having as well as them as its the lightest of all. I'll be buying more to squirrel away for ageing.

Pipe Used: Rattrays Harpoon, Lorenzo lumberman

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Mysmokingshop

Similar Blends: Samuel Gawith's Best Brown Flake is most similar but a tad richer, Full Virginia Flake is stronger and fruitier..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stefanos (222)	2018-04-20		Extremely Mild	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

The flakes are neat, not very thick, pliable and a very nice aroma of dried hay, decaying grass and damp earth with a whiff of something like milk chocolate also a hint of sweet floral aroma.

Bright CR Flake seems to be as straight a Virginia as it gets and yet I do get the feeling that it comes from the Gawith factory. It is of a solid medium strength with no rough edges with a soft creamy mouthfeel. It is very flavorful with yeasty aromas dominating but it is also grassy with floral notes as well which seem to be from the tobacco itself mostly. Bright CR Flake is one of the easiest tobaccos to handle and smoke that I’ve ever encountered. This is an unreserved four star Virginia flake!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jorge Soler (203)	2015-06-14		Mild	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Is this one of the Lakelands? I dare to say it is. For a non-aromatics, I find this tobacco rather soapy, but not in a bad way. It will dissipate as you progress in your smoke though. There is this floral aroma in it which is quite apparent from the outset as you light up your pipe. I find the virginia tobacco, on the other hand, somewhat spicy and full flavour. Some reviewers seem to be saying that this flake is rather mild, but this is probably due to the Lakeland additives and not so more because of the tobacco itself. I did not find it strong enough in the nicotine department though, but it seems to be quite fulfilling anyway. The appearance of the flakes are simply gorgeous with gold bird eyes scattered all along, but they will benefit from some drying time. As they are very easy to crumble, this tobacco is better smoked as broken flake, so my advise is "don't rub it all out." Not a bad smoke, this isn't, but I'd rather expend my money somewhere else

PS. 15/10/19 I cannot remember the reason why I did this review, but over time I have become so used to smoking this tobacco, that I cannot corroborate what I said the first time around. To start with, there no Lakeland topping here at all. As for the flavour, it is far from being full. Then, in terms of nicotine, or strength if you like, it is rather mild. This tobacco has a very distinctive citrysy note that will evolve into this sort of creaminess the more you progress with your smoke. The only thing I would stand by is the spicy undertones and the fact these flakes look gorgeous. .

Pipe Used: Parker

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Hybrid12 (26)	2014-10-19		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Well after trying a handful of different Gawith, Hoggarth Flake, it seems as though Bright CR Flake may be the best offering. It does have the "lakeland" essence but to a much lower degree than the others I have tried which are simply a little tobacco with a lot of nasty flavoring. I like this offering because beneath the lakeland flavor I can actually taste tobacco. The shag offerings made by Gawith Hoggarth are by far my favorite and do not taste soapy or floral and its a damn shame that they don't make a flake like they do a shag. With this shipment of Bright CR Flake, I also ordered Ennerdale Flake and upon smelling it realized that it smelled like an old woman that had put on a bottle of perfume. I think I will buy a cob and might be able to smoke a whole bowl. I really do not understand why so many people in the UK and elsewhere like all of these casings that Gawith, Hoggarth puts in their flake tobacco. If I have to smoke one at this point it would be Bright CR Flake, while possessing less of the soapy flavor, I still prefer the flavor of a good dark fired flake. If you just have to try a Gawith, Hoggarth flake I strongly suggest this one over the others. If you can't stand the casings of this tobacco, chances are you will hate the other flakes made by this company. The Tobac lakes the nicotine of the Dark Flake, but also lacks as much topping as the Dark Flake and others. Someone please tell them to make a flake with Dark Birds Eye, or Kendal Kentucky, or Kendal Dark shags that taste like tobacco instead of getting the taste that you licked an old lady's neck that was covered in horrible soapy perfume.

Pipe Used: Brian, Cob

Age When Smoked: Fresh from the soap factory

Purchased From: Smoking pipes

Similar Blends: a less flavored version of one of the other Gawith, Hoggarth, flake tobaccos. They need to stick with what they make best, a good shag tobacco....

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ven (16)	2013-07-26		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I wanted a good, basic flake Virginia, for mixing and smoking straight, so I tried this Bright CR Flake. Perfect for what I needed. The Virginia tobaccos are the stars, here. Nothing else interferes with the flavors. Straightforward and high caliber quality tobaccos. Love it straight, but personally I really loved mixing with it. I needed a major Virginia in my mix, and this was exemplary. Tastes distinguished, and delicious. Very, very glad I followed the advice of some of the good reviews here, because this is very satisfying Virginia tobacco. Rather a treasure, this.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-10-21		Mild	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant

There are almost two reviews warranted here. The tobacco itself and the topping.

The topping is very interesting and makes a wonderful smoke wonderfully unique. 4 of 4 stars.

The tobacco itself is about the best I've ever sampled. Mild yet, very very sweet Virginia without a trace of bite. I would love to be able to sample this without any Lakeland scent at all. For the tobacco 10/5 stars!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-10-13		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

A nice medium Virginia, reminded me somewhat of Dunhill Flake. Nothing stood out to me in this tobacco, just a nice solid Virginia flake.

Soli Deo gloria!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	bence (34)	2012-04-23		Mild	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

One of my favorite VA. Amazing, pleasant baccy, with beautiful mild smoke. It leaves a nice fragrance around the pipesmoker, so it is absolutely 'passive friendly'. One of the finest natural taste va blend. 4 stars.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	itsKoit (5)	2012-03-22		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

Lovely mottled brown flakes in perfect form, they breakdown easily but don't lend themselves to rolling or folding very well in my experience. A very light tobacco that tastes like sweet hay to me at least, with some age it deepens a bit, picking up a hint of black pepper to stand along the sweetness. No real casing or flavor that I can pick up, not even a lakeland aroma, but some say there's something extra there, but I've yet to see it. Might not be for everyone due to the almost extreme mildness, but for me I could smoke this all day. This tobacco comes highly recommended from me, try it in a conical bowl for best results!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SmokeQuest (20)	2011-05-16		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a good all day tobacco, it's mild, slightly sweet, burns relatively cool with no bite or nicotine kick. This tobacco is in the same genera as Samuel Gawith Medium Virginia Flake with a little more flavor.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-10-22		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Pleasant

An excellent tobacco. Highly Recommended. = 5 star.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-06-18		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

I smoked lots of tobacco flakes, one in particular that I bought in Edinburgh in 1992, it was a dream. As what I have not yet found, but this is really good, lets just like anise aftertaste. I bought 2 oz by 4Noggins to prove it, came entirely perfect, very humid as I like. For lovers of the VA, my advice is to at least try it. Smoked in a pipe straight and small, with very light load, appreciate its great taste. I would recommend it to anyone, but perhaps not very easy to smoke very humid. To me the VA, like so, as the time in Scotland!

Pipe smoker, find this flake!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	dk-piper (25)	2010-03-10		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A wonderful virginia-blend and a great introduction to the Floral-lakeland-tobacco-world. It has a very light floral taste/aroma...NOT soapy or perfumy. Once lit up you'll bring spring to life.

Fantastic natural sweetness. Indeed a great allday smoke.

It's really one of my favourites. Preferably smoked in a smaller to medium sized bowl.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-01-22		Mild	None Detected	Very Mild	Pleasant

Pretty much what OSR said. It's a quality tobacco, but it's so mild that it borders on bland. For now I'll stay with Orlik's Golden Slices.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	OSR (78)	2005-04-14		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Pleasant to Tolerable

I like virginia flake and prefer the blends that have some nicotine to them; F&T Cut Plug is one of my favorites.

Bright CR is (as always from G&H) quality virginia but is a little flat when it comes to the body I get from other flakes.

For those who like a mild VA this is a good one and has absolutely no bite. For me, I'll have to stick with flakes with a little more body.

Excellent quality! Low on taste.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ranger (79)	2005-03-25		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Just finished sampling for the second time a few non-flavored tobaccos from G & H. Brown Flake, Curly Cut and Bright CR FLake were all smoked in two separate batches the last two years. After finishing the second batch I have to say that Bright CR Flake is definately the one I would reach for again. It has a clean fresh virginia taste that I didn't find as pronounced in the other tobaccos. Nice long flakes with great aroma and perfect moisture level for easy smoking. Each bowl left me wanting for more which I couldn't say for the others.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2005-02-09		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Virginia tobaccos from Africa and South America. Blended stacked pressed and sliced into long leathery bright flakes. Is this good? Absolutely, it's good. It is, as someone else has noted, very earthy,and tastes like tobacco. The room note is alomost cigarette like but sweeter. The taste is round and full, but in a sence mild as well. It does have a slight floral note,but it's restrained,and delicious.

Most highly recomended

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JB (44)	2004-04-14		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This blend DOES have a "bright" taste to it. This in contrast to Brown Flake which is earthy and medieval. CR Flake has a lively taste and a beautiful room smell.

I go through this stuff very quickly because it is an easy blend to smoke and is consistently good.

I think CR Flake would be a good tobacco for aromatic smokers to jump over to. Your pipes will thank you, trust me! ;-)

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2002-09-25		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have smoked about 10 bowls of this and think that I finally have it figured out enough to report what I?m seeing w/this blend.

I am not a regular flake smoker, but have tried various techniques over the years. After trying multiple times to use very lightly rubbed flakes, folding, rolling, what have you, I have finally settled on just rubbing it out, and this is now working for me.

This comes in a long, six inch or so, flake that is sometimes cut in half by tobacconists for the convenience of packaging. The flake is a mix of light and dark browns, with some bird?s eye showing. Flakes are thin, perhaps 2mm thick. The unsmoked scent is lightly floral and grassy.

This is a very nice flake. The initial flavor on first and on relights after a rested palate displate a floral scent that is pleasant and not overwhelming. It rapidly retreats to the background. I have noted a similar flavor in Sherlock Holmes. Both tobaccos are described as unflavored and natural by others; I do not know if this is due to limited familiarity with British Commonwealth VAs by me, or if the scent is natural and mischaracterized by me. The early flavors are very much in line with the unsmoked scent, dominated by a fairly light grassiness. I have not experienced any episode of ashy taste or bitterness, even with the 2-10 day periods that I use to smoke flakes at times.

All in all, a nice, light smoke that is not overwhelming on the palate.

September, 2002.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	NEWMAN (305)	2002-08-20		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I only had a complimentary sample of this bulk tobacco and really didn't get a chance to experiment much with this blend. The nicely prepared pressed flakes contain predominantly medium brown to darker VAs. All you get here in tin aroma and taste is pure VAs. Some may find the uniform taste boring but if you like full, straight VAs, you might enjoy this. I wouldn't suggest this blend to a neophyte to straight VAs. I don't fully appreciate the influence of the exotic, bright VA leaves that apparently drives the cost to ~$40US/#. Overall, an enjoyable smoking experience but < some of my favorite VAs from McClelland and Stokkebye that are available @ lower unit cost.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2002-01-24		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

A full virginia flake , with the pressed smokey flavor similar to FVF . I like this one . A little most , some drying time helps this smoke cool .

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Uncle Al (17)	2018-10-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a phenomenally great Virginia flake which I found to be mid-strength in terms of nicotine and consistently semi-sweet in taste for the entire bowl. I sip it slowly, moist, rubbed and lightly packed. This is exceptional tobacco, especially when compared to more expensive Virginia flakes. Very highly recommended to smoke now, to store away for later or both. I suggest a Chimney/Stack bowl as Bright CR Flake relights well.

Pipe Used: Various

Purchased From: 4Noggins

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cajomu (80)	2018-03-03		Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

GH&C Bright CR Flake is a tobacco par excellence. It delivers wonderful flavor from the first light to the last puff.

The long, light brown flakes are perfectly cut and smell of sweet, high grade Virginia tobacco. It a little moist as delivered and so benefits from a half hour or so of drying, It rubs out nearly to a shag, packs and lights easily and needs few relights.

So, how does it taste? In a word, delicious. Upon lighting, the Lakeland Essence is the first thing you notice -- honeysuckle and lavender -- but it's mild and doesn't overwhelm the taste of the tobacco. The florals die down fairly quickly and, about a third of the way through the smoke, the rich and citrusy Virginias come to the fore -- think marmelade on dark toast. Toward the last third of the smoke, the flavors become darker, reminiscent of peat and leather. From first to last, the tobacco is exceptionally sweet. BCRF will not bite no matter how hard you puff but, to get the most out of it, take it slow and savor it. I imagine that, after a year or so of aging, it will be even sweeter and richer.

I notice that many reviewers compare it to SG FVF. To me, it is more reminiscent of SG MVF, which I find sweeter than FVF.

If you like rich Virginias and don't mind a bit of that famous (infamous?) GH&C taste, I think you will love this tobacco.

Pipe Used: Barling African Meerschaum

Age When Smoked: Recently purchased.

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

Similar Blends: Samuel Gawith Medium Virginia Flake.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	L'Italiano (233)	2016-09-02		Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Bright CR Flake is a pure straight Virginia of the best quality. It is from the side of Lakeland tobacco with an extremely mild flavoring (Kendal flavoring) and no other extra flavours added. Great tobacco, you can smoke it straight or as a base of your own mixtures. Perfect with Perique in the amount you prefer. Opening the pouch you can smell a very good tea/tobacco scent and smoking it the room note is pleasant. In my personal system rating (from 1 to 10) my score is 9 and 3 stars.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Capt (339)	2015-10-20		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This is a great all day flake. I detect a slight floral aroma in the bag, but it doesn't seem to transfer to the smoke. G&H always seems to have the moisture level spot on, as I don't recall ever having to perform an 8 second nuke like I do with Sam Gawith flakes. Preparing this flake can take a bit, as the flake seems to be pressed quite well. Not a very complex blend, but it does possess great Va flavors, and isn't boring. Just a great straight forward tobacco flavor. Lights and smokes well, I find it works best if loosely loaded, lit, and the final pack is done with the tamper after the initial light.

Age When Smoked: 2 years

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gustaw (5)	2015-01-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I remember that at first it wasn't my favourite tobacco. Mostly because it was one of my first pure blend. Now I just love the smell and taste, and how it burns to gray ash. I just love it truly emotionally.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Smoke_Ring (158)	2013-07-24		Strong	Strong	Very Full	Strong

Bright CR Flake;

Star Rating = 3.5;

Rating Scores - 10 is the Best and 0 is the Worst;

Pouch Note = 9;

Room Note = 9;

Flavor = 9;

Bite = 9;

Burn = 9;

After Taste = 9;

Raw Score = 54;

Rated Percentage = 90%;

Comment = Smooth, Strong Strength, Full Body Natural Tobacco Flavor, slight After Taste.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-09-12		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I got the unscented bulk... This one is for the virginia lover. Maybe a little to boring for the smoker who likes a more complex smoke. This is top quality carolina. It's sweet, lightly scented with something or other.

I reach for this in the morning or as an all day smoke.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-12-11		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

half a year has passed since my first review of bcrf, and it's time for some additional praise: this is quite simply one of the finest virginis available. very clean tasting, with discreet sweetness and citrusy-woodsy flavours, and a remarkable depth considering that it is mild-medium. it is now one of my absolute favourites. an exquisite, refined tobacco!

with this one and the virginias from sam gawith available, one can hardly ask for more. but i still look forward to trying other probably splendid offerings from g&h :-)

be aware, though, that the "nina ricci"-content - the etherical flavour barely noticable - that i mentioned in the first review, seems to vary. my first batch had enough in the room note for my wife to notice it, the second did not.

update: last night, wife described room note as "nina ricci" :-/

05.31.2007 what briarrabbit said, except that i find it to be of medium strength :-)

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2006-12-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Absolutely first class. Reminds me of Sobranie Flake, which I smoked in another life. Beautiful, untainted, cool smoking Virginia, but not easily come by in England. Glengarry and Bright CR are both a better prospect than Ennerdale. I regret giving the latter four stars.

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