Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Bright CR Flake

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.