Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Dark Flake
(3.33)
A very strong, but very cool smoke is the result of combining in equal proportions only Malawi dark fired leaf and Indian dark air-cured leaf. No additional flavours. You can smell in this tobacco the smokey flavour of the dark fired leaf derived from its curing process of being hung above smoky fires, and the sweeter, yet still strong 'cigar type' flavour of the dark air cured Indian leaf.
Details
| Brand | Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. |
| Blended By | Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. |
| Manufactured By | Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. |
| Blend Type | Virginia/Burley |
| Contents | Burley, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | Bulk |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Strong
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.33 / 4
|
Reviews
Please login to post a review.
Displaying 21 - 30 of 104 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 06, 2008 | Strong | Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Irishlefty and Tomobedlam pretty much hit the nail on the head with this one.
There's a family resemblance between this and Dark Birdseye, but this smells and tastes less cloying, darker and sharper in flavour. Kind of strong slightly bitter chocolate.
The way I deal with this tobacco is to rub out a couple of flakes and fill as many pipes as it'll do then put them on one side to let the tobacco dry out a bit. Here in England, I tend to have a few pipes full of Dark Flake sitting in a bowl next to my PC so some might be a few days there before I smoke them.
They light easily and smoke comfortably...I like them in briars and meerschaums pretty much equally...I have an old meerschaum lined Lovat shaped briar that deals with Dark Flake beautifully. It's a clean smoke from top to bottom with really no dottle or gurgle; gives me a satisfying but by no means excessive amount of Vitamin N and I often smoke three or four pipefuls an evening, one straight after the last.
I read the comments about Nicoblasting but personally I don't find this anything more than a medium strength tobacco. For me 1792 tends to give me the sweats and occasionally a Rope will. This never has.
Dark Flake is a clean tasting, strong and very satisfying old fashioned stoved Burley/Virginia tobacco: it outclasses most of it's competitors and I find that the quality is always steady.
Most highly recommended.
Addendum...
This is the one I keep coming back to. I look up and there in front of me, on the shelf next to the PC, is a 500 gramme box of Dark Flake Unscented along with a few packets of Revor Plug...the world is good:-)
There's a family resemblance between this and Dark Birdseye, but this smells and tastes less cloying, darker and sharper in flavour. Kind of strong slightly bitter chocolate.
The way I deal with this tobacco is to rub out a couple of flakes and fill as many pipes as it'll do then put them on one side to let the tobacco dry out a bit. Here in England, I tend to have a few pipes full of Dark Flake sitting in a bowl next to my PC so some might be a few days there before I smoke them.
They light easily and smoke comfortably...I like them in briars and meerschaums pretty much equally...I have an old meerschaum lined Lovat shaped briar that deals with Dark Flake beautifully. It's a clean smoke from top to bottom with really no dottle or gurgle; gives me a satisfying but by no means excessive amount of Vitamin N and I often smoke three or four pipefuls an evening, one straight after the last.
I read the comments about Nicoblasting but personally I don't find this anything more than a medium strength tobacco. For me 1792 tends to give me the sweats and occasionally a Rope will. This never has.
Dark Flake is a clean tasting, strong and very satisfying old fashioned stoved Burley/Virginia tobacco: it outclasses most of it's competitors and I find that the quality is always steady.
Most highly recommended.
Addendum...
This is the one I keep coming back to. I look up and there in front of me, on the shelf next to the PC, is a 500 gramme box of Dark Flake Unscented along with a few packets of Revor Plug...the world is good:-)
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 24, 2003 | Very Strong | None Detected | Very Full | Pleasant |
I keep a stash of the G&H and Samuel Gawith dark tobaccos on hand next to my big chair. I usually smoke Dark Flake in the late afternoon with a Guinness or in the evening with a cup of black coffee. It is a treat to look forward to an evening that starts out with Dark Flake and then moves on to Dark Birdseye, Sliced Brown Twist, Sliced Black Twist, and then finishes up with SG 1792. As a variation you can substitute some of the G&H dark scented flakes. Dark Flake rubs out easily into almost shag form which is the way I like to pack it. It lights easily and burns beautifully. The smoke is mild with no bite. It does have a flavor that resembles that of a dark maduro wrapper, but the smoking experience is definitely that of a pipe tobacco rather than a cigar. The tobacco flavor is relentlessly intense. I believe it has been treated with a light, neutral sweetener which gives the smoke a bitter sweet quality. Dark Flake also provides a nicotine kick that you can feel on the tongue. Because of the strong flavor, it is necessary for me to clear my palate regularly. This is not an all day smoke or one that I smoke every day. But once or twice a week, it is a treat. Highly recommended for those who occasionally like a trip to the dark side. Paddy.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 23, 2023 | Strong | None Detected | Full | Strong |
Package note of barbeque smoke, mildly floral, and peaty vegetation. Tobacco is a Flake of dark brown with flecks of light brown. Moisture content is ok, most pipe smokers will want to dry it a bit. Burns slow with many relights. The strength is strong and nic is medium to strong. No flavoring detected. Taste is full and very consistent, with notes of fermented vegetation, wood, floral, spice, smoky, toast, rich earth, nutty, cigar, leather, dry, molasses, lemon grass, savory, spicy, herbal, tart and tangy citrus, a sweet dark fruity background note, and a peppery retro. Virginia is leading with Burley supporting. Room note is strong, and aftertaste is great.
Pipe Used:
2016 Northern Briars Premier Rox Cut #4 Prince
PurchasedFrom:
smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 01, 2021 | Very Strong | None Detected | Extra Full | Tolerable |
I had my first bowl of this (in years) today - so just a quick note of my initial impressions. For me, it's an old favourite.
The jar note reminds me of Old Dark Fired, a tad stronger but you can tell it's virginas (as there is no burley in here). Zero Lakeland essence is detected. It does have a little BBQ sauce in the quality but more savoury than the aforementioned blend.
Flavours start out clean and smooth, but almost immediately whacks to full-on intensity. This is a very bold smoke (bolder than HH Bold Kentucky by quite a wide margin).
Spicy, earthy leathers and dark, bitter chocolate with some floral hints. This is not subtle, and it does make me think of a good cigar. The thick smoke coats the mouth leaving a rich and lingering aftertaste.
Nicotine is very strong on this one (comparable to ropes), so it's not a blend for the weak.
A very rich and very fine flake indeed.
The jar note reminds me of Old Dark Fired, a tad stronger but you can tell it's virginas (as there is no burley in here). Zero Lakeland essence is detected. It does have a little BBQ sauce in the quality but more savoury than the aforementioned blend.
Flavours start out clean and smooth, but almost immediately whacks to full-on intensity. This is a very bold smoke (bolder than HH Bold Kentucky by quite a wide margin).
Spicy, earthy leathers and dark, bitter chocolate with some floral hints. This is not subtle, and it does make me think of a good cigar. The thick smoke coats the mouth leaving a rich and lingering aftertaste.
Nicotine is very strong on this one (comparable to ropes), so it's not a blend for the weak.
A very rich and very fine flake indeed.
Pipe Used:
Viprati Bent Apple
PurchasedFrom:
smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 31, 2019 | Strong | None Detected | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Quite possibly one of the longest flake I have seen! Makes it fun curly it up into a jar. This is a nice flake. It has a complex taste, you can smokiness from the curing first and this then gives way to a plethora of flavour. Within a bowl you can taste floral notes, apricots and smoked plum. This give way to an earthy taste with some woodiness, cedar kind of flavour. It’s nice. It needs a little bit of time to dry before smoking, but it does not bite and it burns slowly. So you can really sit back and enjoy a smoke for a good couple of hours, depending on the size of your bowl
Pipe Used:
Talamona by croci artisan and corn cob devil anse
PurchasedFrom:
My smoking shop
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25, 2018 | Very Strong | Very Mild | Very Full | Tolerable |
Well, I've already sang my praising hymn to Gawith Hoggarth's line of Dark Tobaccos in my review of G&H Dark Plug. I won't copy-n-paste my Dark Plug review here, I'd just briefly summarize my humble opinion that G&H Dark Plug is nothing less than The Best Tobacco In This Galaxy.
What I may add regarding the Flake variety of the same tobacco? The Flake in my opinion is a bit less of a win than the Plug. Not so much that to distract a star from the well deserved four, but still, the Plug is better. When I order G&H Dark bulk next time I will order just Plug and no Flake. Because the Flake (unlike the totally unscented Plug) is unfortunately sprayed with some Lavender Essence.
Not to say I have something against Lakeland florals. I love G&H's wildest aromatics like Ennerdale and Conniston as well as the scented variety of the same tobacco, Dark Flake Aromatic. But here in Dark Flake the Lavender syrup is applied too lightly to make it a true aromatic and too boldly for it to stay within the pure non-scented blends. Which puts it in between the two categories and leaves no chance to win in either.
Anyway, Highly Recommended. I know no better tobaccos in this part of the Universe than Gawith & Hoggarth's Darks.
What I may add regarding the Flake variety of the same tobacco? The Flake in my opinion is a bit less of a win than the Plug. Not so much that to distract a star from the well deserved four, but still, the Plug is better. When I order G&H Dark bulk next time I will order just Plug and no Flake. Because the Flake (unlike the totally unscented Plug) is unfortunately sprayed with some Lavender Essence.
Not to say I have something against Lakeland florals. I love G&H's wildest aromatics like Ennerdale and Conniston as well as the scented variety of the same tobacco, Dark Flake Aromatic. But here in Dark Flake the Lavender syrup is applied too lightly to make it a true aromatic and too boldly for it to stay within the pure non-scented blends. Which puts it in between the two categories and leaves no chance to win in either.
Anyway, Highly Recommended. I know no better tobaccos in this part of the Universe than Gawith & Hoggarth's Darks.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 17, 2016 | Medium to Strong | Very Mild | Full | Strong |
Summary: strong dark-fired and air-cured tobaccos balance each other for a rich, earthy smoke with hints of nuttiness.
Although this is the "Unscented" version, it still bears a fair amount of the flowery Lakeland perfume which is either sprayed indiscriminately around the factory or used as a casing. Unwrapping this dark chocolate-colored flake reveals the "Malawi Dark Fired Leaf and Indian dark air-cured leaf" pressed on each other in layers. The resulting flavor is both warm and smoky, with a rich nuttiness and faint sweetness in aftertaste, making for a good extended smoke especially with red wine or black tea.
Thanks to Pipes Magazine forum member "Cosmic" for this sample.
Although this is the "Unscented" version, it still bears a fair amount of the flowery Lakeland perfume which is either sprayed indiscriminately around the factory or used as a casing. Unwrapping this dark chocolate-colored flake reveals the "Malawi Dark Fired Leaf and Indian dark air-cured leaf" pressed on each other in layers. The resulting flavor is both warm and smoky, with a rich nuttiness and faint sweetness in aftertaste, making for a good extended smoke especially with red wine or black tea.
Thanks to Pipes Magazine forum member "Cosmic" for this sample.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 21, 2014 | Strong | Very Mild | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
This one was alright for me. It has that rich industrial diesel taste, but not nearly as overwhelming as 1792 or Brown Rope Number 4. The light scent is pleasant enough and subdues that petrol type tastes enough to make it a pleasant enough ass kicker. Yes, it does have a boot of nicotine in it as would be expected.
I would probably go more to two stars on this one, but if this is your flavor, then I would recommend this over the others mentioned above. Still for the high nicotine content blends, Irish Flake rules the roost in my cellar.
I would probably go more to two stars on this one, but if this is your flavor, then I would recommend this over the others mentioned above. Still for the high nicotine content blends, Irish Flake rules the roost in my cellar.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 16, 2014 | Medium to Strong | Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
I ordered the unscented version. What I was sent was labeled unscented. What I smoked was not unscented. Your guess is as good as mine on this one.
I get mellow, mild, smoked Virginia flavor along with the floral Lakeland "perfume". It's medium to full in body. It does have a vague resemblance to a cigar; one that is mild in flavor. I don't much care for this, but it is tolerable to smoke.
I get mellow, mild, smoked Virginia flavor along with the floral Lakeland "perfume". It's medium to full in body. It does have a vague resemblance to a cigar; one that is mild in flavor. I don't much care for this, but it is tolerable to smoke.
Pipe Used:
MM Freehand, MM General
PurchasedFrom:
smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
fresh bulk
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 22, 2012 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
After smoking two pounds of this stuff and nothing but. I would like some more. Deep dark & very rich tasting tobac that will never bite you, ever.
target="_blank"
