Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Dark Flake

I'm not sure where this falls on the general consensus "strength meter". I found it less strong than Kendal Dark and much preferable. Cigar-like? Well, yes, in a way. It didn't taste much like a cigar but it had the "mouth-feel" of a potent Honduran to me. I tasted some sweetness and a gentle soapy character that wasn't terribly off-putting as I usually find such a flavor. That character lasted the entire bowl for me.

The flake itself is gorgeous! Nice long black flake tobacco. It worked best for me fully rubbed out and at baggie moisture level (no drying), although I can't really say what it's moisture content is like fresh. It came to me at the right moisture level, somewhat dry but nowhere near tinder. Rubbed out, I had no problems with excessive relights.

I will smoke this only occasionally, such as after thanksgiving day dinner. It's excellent for what it is but I generally prefer a little more complexity in my bowl. But if you like a full, robust smoke or you just like to get a buzz from your pipe tobacco, definitely check this out.

I got a sample from a friend, and I have been smoking it in various pots. Most of it has been in a GBD. My sample came mostly rubbed out, and it was at a good level of hydration for me.

Smoked this is a full "tobacco on tobacco" taste with a whiff of Lakeland topping. The effect was pleasant and there is a spicy, nutty, smoky and slightly sweet combination of tastes. There is a somewhat creamy, thick quality to the smoke. I did not really pick out component tobaccos in the taste, and I found a slightly herbal flavor from time to time. In terms of strength, it is up there with Irish Flake, and the faint-hearted should beware.

Despite another review, I found this DGT's fairly well. Smoking qualities were good, and it was no challenge to smoke slowly, smoke to the bottom, etc.

This is a solid 3 on the scale. I am glad I tried it, and it is good. ODF scratches my itch in this category of smoke.

Not all that easy to come by in the States, Dark Flake Unscented is an interesting flake that offers deep, rich flavor. I was somewhat surprised at the complexity of flavor. The slight Lakeland flavor I believe comes from either the processing or leaf used, but not from the addition of any topping. It’s very earthy, offers a bit of herb, and it slightly sweet. I don’t get any nuttiness from the Burley. I prefer this in a smaller bowl and broken into small pieces with a bit rubbed out at the top. It is so, so smooth too! It burns cool without a hint of bite. I don’t get much of a cigar flavor, but did notice somewhat of cigar smell in the room note. Definitely an outdoor smoke for most folks, but highly recommended for the experienced pipester!

You usually expect a tobacco to evolve and get stronger as you progress more and more in your smoke, but this particular one shows all of its strength as you light up your bowl right from the outset. This is a full-bodied/strength tobacco that might turn the stomach of the most experienced smoker, so be advised. The tin note is difficult to describe, but it gives you this hint (nor very pronounced) so characteristic of most of the Lakeland tobaccos. This shows in your smoke too, but it does not affect your smoking experience after it dissipates. The moist content of these flakes is quite high and they seem to be very slow burning even after you dry them up. This tobacco smokes quite evenly in your bowl and it produces a fine white ash very similar to that of a cigar's. I find the smoke it produces a little bit harsh to pass through your nose, but this might as well be due to its cigar qualities and the way it smokes. As a matter of fact, I find this tobacco closer to a cigar than pipe tobacco in so many fronts. The appearance of these flakes are very appealing too and their deep dark colour would give the impression they've been heavily fermented. This tobacco is ticking off so many boxes in my book, so I will give a 3 stars.

I used a small pipe for this as a late evening smoke. Let it dry a bit so you don't have to relight and/or puff so hard to keep it lit. The taste is not overshadowed by the strength, like a good Maduro cigar, you get a full bodied flavor of earthy, caramelized tobacco.

For experienced pipe smokers, who are able to smoke according to the tobacco in their pipe. If you don't like to think about your pipe, this flake will frustrate you because of it's strength if puffed too fast.

Virginia lover

Want a strong dark cigar with lots of N in your pipe? Try this! Dark dark dark tobacco flavor and lots of it. Try it in a smaller pipe first!

Having dipped snuff for forty plus years, I would highly recommend this robust, ‘in-your-face' leaf for briar brothers of similar constitution. Yes, for me Dark Flake satisfies with sufficient vitamin 'N' and yields billowy plumes of smoke with an occasional appearance of Virginia creaminess dependent on my current disposition and last meal. For the most part, it's simply a soothing, no nonsense smoke. It's best when aged for at least a year, should you have the discipline. Draw from your store only as much as you may need in a week, dry it, rub it out, and savor it in a dedicated narrow chambered briar.

My palate finds this blend to issue a moderate to full tobacco taste, but admittedly monochromic. On my first light of Dark Flake three years ago I was immediately aware of the Lakeland essence that I found to be ‘interesting'. Now that Dark Flake is in my daily rotation, all of that has disappeared. Only on rare occasion do I taste a wisp of Lakeland and when I do, again I find it to be ‘interesting' and welcomed.

Here's a parfait you may want to try that incorporates the savory Dark Flake, a delightful experience of three equal parts of three robust tobaccos: Dark Birds Eye as the bottom layer, Perique in the middle, and Dark Flake dressing the top. Again, this seems to work best in a narrow chamber. (I drool as I write this) Bon Appétit!

This is an excellent dark fired flake. Sour and smokey. Comparisons to Peterson's Irish Flake are apt IMO.

Yes there is a whiff of Lakeland. But for the most part it is very slight, notably fades after the initial light, and any remaining essence is welcome to my tastes as it compliments the sourness well.

Of the 2 previous reviews I find Dogwood's more consistent with my thoughts about all G&H blends. All of our tastes vary. And I certainly understand that the whole Lakeland thing isn't for everyone.

But I struggle to understand how one could knock G&H in terms of quality. I've smoked a number of Sam G. and Esoteric blends and find G&G blends to be at least of equal superb quality.

G&H brings the added benefit of actually being available on a regular basis.

Stonehaven is in my mind without peer. But, frankly, I've grown weary of waiting for the stars to align and the whim to strike Sam G. and Esoterica to bless us with their product once in a blue moon.

In any event back on point. Dark Flake is a wonderful dark fired burley and semisweet VA flake. Certainly worthy of a try for any serious smoker.

The one issue I have with this tobacco is that despite how well it rubs out - for the life of me - I can't get it to smoke well in a large bowl pipe. Yeah I know, so I've been told by the flake experts that flake tobaccos are better smoked in smaller pipes. But that doesn't stop me, especially with a beast like this baccy, from trying to appreciate the fullness and strength of this loosely formed flake through an extra large nicotine delivery device.

With that said, a person looking to try Dark Flake for the first time should not be put off by the "strong" ratings of this tobacco. However, do heed some good advice from other reviewers about taking your time with it - as one reviewer stated, "it can nip." Respect for it? Yes. Put off by it? No. It's a tame beast, not a wild one, which starts with hints of perfume and developes a dark, rich, bold flavor with some mild smokiness from the fire cured tobaccos. Finishes with a slight soapiness that gently washes my palate. Also, as with many tobaccos, a person may have to smoke this several times before giving it his or her final verdict. So sit back, relax and give this tame beast the time and respect it deserves. And it'll behave best for you, according to the flake experts, in a pipe within the size category of a Dunhill Group 3.

Update: In my personal opinion, this tobacco smokes best in a pipe with a chamber diameter of about 1.9 cm (.75 in) or less. Bowl height really isn't an issue provided you dump the ash about midway through. However, it does smoke well for me in an old bulldog with a slightly larger diameter at the top.

For what it's worth: I know many smokers would sooner smoke two or more small bowls of the same tobacco (especially flake) in a row opposed to one big bowl all at once. But for me, once I get used to the tobacco in the first pipe along with the development of flavors and complexities only acheived by smoking a tobacco all the way down, upon lighting the second pipe, the flavor and experience isn't quite the same. In other words, the taste of the second pipe doesn't pick up where the first pipe left off. It would be similar to smoking two cigars in a row; even though they might be the same brand, size, etc. the second is still affected by the taste of the first. Anyhow, just a thought.

Final Update: No matter where I stray in the endless world of pipe tobaccos, this is one I always come back to. As a matter of fact, Dark Flake is the first tobacco I run to after a long day or night - even over the other various forms of it (plug, shredded, etc.) If I were given a choice of only one tobacco I could smoke for the rest of my life (boy I wish we could get Revor Plug in the U.S.), Dark Flake would be that tobacco.