Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Dark Flake

I picked up a 3-4oz. sample a while back of Dark Flake to perhaps find an economical alternative to a favorite of mine, Irish Flake. While comparisons such as these are likely to fail due to the subjectivity placed upon them, I was still able to find the worthiness of this blend anyways.

Yeah, it's not IF. After several failing bowls smoked confirming this point, I pushed on. It is a strongish blend, no doubt, but not in the same hug the toilet category as Five Bros.,Tambolaka, SG Black Irish XX, etc. I have smoked some big honking bowls of Dark Flake with nary a nicotine palpitation to mention. It can be creamy smooth...but not in a sweet cream or buttery sort of way. I see the word cigarlike used to describe it, and I concur...this may be the most straight forward cigar like blend I've smoked. Overall, an enjoyable bite free experience every light up. I wouldn't call it awesomeness in a bowl, but it's good...at least, good enough to get again. It's just I'm in no rush.

Three serviceable stars.

This is a much-appreciated gift. This review will bear re-writing, as I feel it and I are still only barely acquainted after several quiet bowls.

I am not well-versed in Virginias, and have only a small frame of reference.

It is, to begin with, dark-pressed Virginia. And it's strong stuff. It smells sweet and musty in the jar, qualities which softly evolve when a match brings this to life. The natural sweetness is complemented by something dark and earthy. Something in the pressing or the blending imparts surprising flavors, of incense, candle wax. Something about the treatment of the leaf gives a hint of smokiness.

This isn't for the faint of heart or empty of stomach. Treat it with respect, or it will smoke you.

And don't let the mellow flavor fool you.

Interesting, flavorful. Strongly recommended.

Mr Beeftip has really said it all in the review below. I think he has put his finger on the fact that the cigar flavour is really dominant in the aftertaste rather than the main smoke.

The only other things I was thinking to include are that, to me, the flavour of this flake falls somewhere between Highland Sliced and Brown Twist, both of which I have also reviewed. When the sweeter notes come through (and they are not present in any great quantity) it is momentarily reminiscent of the twist, then it reverts to being more like Highland Sliced when the mild topping asserts itself. I am thinking that there could be some cloves in there, but I wouldn't want to put money on that!

And yes, it is really strong. I have been smoking stronger tobacs recently in the evenings and am quite happy to work my way through a couple of pipes of Brown Twist without any need to take a break from smoking aside from what comes naturally due to relights etc. I am currently enjoying a bowl of Dark Flake as a mid-afternoon smoke and it is hammering me. Consider yourselves warned!

I think I probably favour Highland Sliced overall, but I prefer the presentation of this one and like the fact that I can purchase in bulk. Also, Highland Sliced is not so easy to come by, especially stateside I believe, so with these factors in mind Dark Flake gets a firm recommendation.

I smoke a lot of English & Balkan blends and love the taste but most leave me yearning for nicotine. Not this one. It is exactly what I wanted, very heavy in nicotine yet not a bite or burn in a bowlful.

I got stuck in a rut and didn't try new blends for years but I'm sure glad I shook loose of the mud and dust and started trying more of the selection thats out there.

This rubs out easily, packs well, lights and stays lit. Don't know about the room smell - my cats don't complain but I don't hang out with that many Humans to be able to comment.

Dark Flake has become a 'must have' for me. I use it by itself, I mix it with many other blends that I like the taste of but want to add a bit more nicotine.

If you don't like nicotine, you probably won't get along with this but if you are a 'reformed' cigarette smoker or a cigar smoker and want a satisfying pipe tobacco, Dark Flake might just be for you!

When I asked the fellow behind the counter about this dark and forboding looking flake, he told me that it was an "austere smoke". When I think of the word "austere", my first grade teacher comes to mind - scowling, tight lipped and serious. I gave it a try anyway.

Dark flake, as far as I can tell, has no flavoring nor floral agents. This has the kick of 1792 flake sans the tonquin. This is rich, dark and not sweet. My son says it smells like a fine cigar mixed with old socks but the palate-filling rich smoke is almost intoxicating when smoked in the chill of an early evening. Dark flake satisfies in the same way that dark chocolate would satisfy my wife.

Dark Flake is austere, but not in the scowling first-grade teacher sort of way. It starts off rather sharply but settles down into a spicy and rich smoking experience. Smoked slowly, Dark Flake is a rich and rewarding experience.

Received this in a sample from Synjeco. My first impressions were that of a basic Va. flake, thin slices that were dark and strong to the nose, certainly a Virginia. This tobacco was tried in my vehicle on the way from work, I thought that a good nicotine buzz would speed up the process, so on I went. A quater bent Peterson Donegal Rhodesian was selected, since I usually smoke on Va's in Peterson's, this seem to be the pipe. Rubbing this flake out was a bit of task, since my hands were on a sterring wheel at 60 miles an hour, on a secondary road at that! The charring process took just a few seconds, probably due to the moisture content, and away we go. A slow burning, deeply rich Virginia, and that is not cased, or at least my palate is suspect. Not so bad, tooling down the road, listening to some Jethro Tull, and WHAM!, it hits me, my head starts a slight spinning move, and that feeling of eating to pizza, indigestion sets in, the whole while I'm puffing away. My inintial reaction was that my tobacco was cut, with something, but the reality set in I realized that this is some potent stuff. I will rate this tobacco high because of the quality of the processing, the flavor, and richness, and quite simply, it surprised me. A hit for those who like a strong nicotine buzz, and for the many lover's of Virginia flake. Well Done!

I received this tobacco from Richard Kaminski, as he had received it from Tapio Pentikainen, and it has covered two continents to get to me! I'm really looking forward to trying this out.

These flakes are large! I've never smoked anything but a "broken flake" before this, and this is imposing looking. I can only imagine the tin 🙂 Almost all chocolate brown colored and shot through with birdseye of lighter colors. This looks delicious.

Pouch aroma : LSW said "that smells nice" and I strongly agree. Leathery and soft on the nose. I wasn't sure if it smelled tannic like a red wine, but I went back later and smelled again - it did smell like a deep dryish red wine.

Tobacco was dry and yet still supple - the flakes just started to break when I took them out of the bag. I separated one flake and folded it over a couple of times and rubbed it out against my palm. It separated nicely, and was easy to pack into my Aldo Velani bent billiard. This is my only pipe currently dedicated to VA's and I am working on converting three other pipes over. It lit well - raising a crown nicely. A second match and I was thrilled! Deep and dark are the right adjectives. Very cigar-ish overtones, almost like a maduro wrapper. The more I smoke this the more cigarish it feels. Perhaps that's the nico-weenie in me, but I think I need a smaller bowled pipe for this blend 🙂 The AV I chose holds a full flake - almost 6 inches by 1.25 inches of tobacco! There was just a little left over when I rubbed the flake out, so I put it back in the bag. Oops - a little gurgle here - run a cleaner down and it's all better. This makes my nose tingle as I puff.

As I smoke slower with smaller puffs, I notice far more of a campfire smell in the smoke. Very woodsy and pleasant. This will probably be one of my longest smokes as I don't think smoking this quickly will be good for my stomach

There's a tingle in the back of my throat after the first third of the bowl, and I'm pretty sure this is going to have to be DGT'd a few times over the course of the day - but it's very nice.

I got up to change the laundry over (my Sunday task), and I realized how wobbly I was - this is STRONG... If this is the average strength of a flake tobacco, then I'm in for a long smoke. My relight is a little ashy tasting - perhaps a cleaner down the stem - that helps.

About halfway down the bowl, I cannot light through the ash on the top. I decide to dump the ashes, which are pretty mottled grey with a touch of black in them and relight. The nicotine hits hard in my mouth in a strong rush. This is decidedly too strong for me. I'll probably finish this bowl, but I'm not sure that I'll light another. I'm sure that this is a tobacco tasty smoke, but I think it is too much for me. It's good, but it's not quite my thing.

I think I’ve got the right stuff, mine was labeled “Dark Flake Unscented’. I wish I had the palate demonstrated by other review, it’s been hard from me to graduate past a ➖✔️➕ style review system without poaching jargon form other reviews 😞

This is my first go around with this blend. I did note a sort of barbeque smoke out of my 1oz bag of flakes; they seem sort of oily. I didn’t dry it out any but did perform a coarse rub. Burns cool and slow with occasional relights. Has some cigar-like flavor which I found enjoyable. Might even be getting a scant amount of sweetness from it, I don’t know. Anticipated it being stronger, but I am smoking this after a meal in a small bowl. Reminds this neophyte of Conniston Cut Plug.

My type of smoke. This is a very full flavored uncomplicated blend which I really enjoy.

This blend takes me back in time. In my head, when I smoke a bowl of this I am all of a sudden trotting on a horse. Heading for downtown in some small village in the west nodding at folks while puffing my pipe. I digress, back to the tobacco.

Presentation is beautiful, dark speckled broken flakes. Not a whole lot of tin note.

Upon lighting you got a faint floral essence, which quickly fades. I just get deep rich tobacco flavor from this. Seemingly virginia forward with the backing of the burley. Consistent throughout. Rich, creamy smoke.

Does take a fair amount of relights, I will play with drying times.

Anytime I am able to purchase this I will, I believe age will benefit this blend.