Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Ennerdale Flake

This is a strange one which I feel is in a different league to Condor and St Bruno which I love. The first time I tried it I felt sick and stopped to smoke something else. I later found out I couldn't taste my other tobacco afterwards. I thought what the hell and went back to the ennerdale. When sipped it was great and the virginia flavors were there. The topping calmed and I was getting fruit and almonds. Next time I dried it out a while and the flavors were good but now it bites me big time. I'm gutted because if the bite wasn't there I would love the stuff. I've tried a few more bowles and my mouth is ruined. If you like lakelands this could be for you. I think its worth a go to say you've tried it and who knows you might love it.

I am apprehensive about writing this review because this is a love/hate tobacco. And unfortunately, I hated it.

That said I still accept this as a good tobacco and reward it some praise on merit. It's got a strong virginia base that is actually quite nice and would be lovely if it weren't for the god damn casing that's on this tobacco. I don't get a soapy taste as many have said they get but I do get a strange flavor that I don't agree with, so much so that I can't finish a bowl of this stuff. The room note wasn't bad but it wasn't great either. I wouldn't brag about it but no one will call you out on it's odor.

Anyways, it's a tobacco I think you should definitely try at some point because you never know, it might be just what you're looking for. It's just not my style I'm afraid.

Ennerdale Flake is a perfect example of too much of a good thing.

I admire Gawith & Hoggarth's scented flakes. I find several of them to be quite outstanding. Moreover, every piper who has an affinity for these offerings has at one point wondered the same thing – “What would be like to smoke a heavily scented G&H tobacco?" If you've ever asked yourself that question, look no further than Ennerdale.

Altogether it burns nicely and as usual the tobacco is beautifully presented. Ennerdale's flavor is driven by its rich, heady topping. It also has a serious half-life. I have smoked it in the middle of the day, only to find myself still tasting it the next day before lunch even after several cups of strong black coffee or brisk black tea.

Someone on this board once said that whether or not you enjoy a particular scented Kendal product comes right down to whether or not you admire the topping. I agree with this to a certain extent, but I also feel that one must factor in just how much of that topping is applied. That said, I would enjoy this more if the added flavoring was not as heavy.

As far as the flavor goes, I can't pick out the almond or citrus. Almond blossom or citrus peel, sort of. Bergamot or an Earl Grey like flavor, yes. Vanilla, not so much. If you’ve got a good imagination you might actually be able to taste a bit of the tobacco.

Lakeland flavorings diminish greatly with age, so I am going to see what Father Time does for my 4oz stash of Ennerdale. In the meantime, I'll stick to smoking a handful of Gawith Hoggarth scented blends that I prefer more, namely Grasmere & Kendal Flake and Broken No. 7.

Good tobacco but too soapy for me. Once you smoke in a pipe ever you feel the ghost.You have to use a dedicated pipe.

The fundamentals of this tobacco are good. A quality semi-broken flake in the tin that lights and burns so well to a white ash. I partially rub out the flakes and dry a little before packing. The room note is at the bottom of my list of requirements in a tobacco, but it gets positive comments.

The main flavors are almond extract and the floral and citrus notes common in this genre of tobacco. These flavors can be quite strong and literally overwhelm the taste buds and mask the underlying tobacco flavors easily. I have found that the lightest of puffs carefully metered allow all the flavors to come through balanced. Very light puffs! Otherwise, it becomes an overload of almond with little to no tobacco flavor that makes me feel like I am smoking an incense stick.

Somewhat recommended. For me, this is a quirky change of pace to revisit periodically.

i have to say that this might be one of those love or hate tobaccos. now that being said, i am an aromatic smoker mainly however i appreciate good quality tobacco when i taste it and this blend is no exception. the leafs used are of high quality as expected from G&H, however the casing are a bit odd. lakeland, vanilla, citrus and almonds, all are there indeed but the combination just didnt do it for me. the casing is strong and it is sweet but neither it was straight vanilla cream nor it was fruity like danish or american market offerings persay. i tasted many G&H blends and i respect what they offer and i guess this blend will find its place among others favoritea. the moisture level was just right although it seemed sticky frim the pouch but it burned evenly to white thick ash. the smoke is cool and the strength was just about right to be an all day smoke. not really a social tobacco when it comes to room note i had to say. i advice that you try a small sample before indulging in big purchase just to be sure whether it will suit you or not.

This is my first try at the floral Lakeland tobaccos. This seems too overly strong on the floral end and just takes away from a very nice blend. I can tell that the tobacco components are first rate. It is moist, some would say overly moist, right out of the tin. But it did light up and burn very easily. I just could not get past the floral room note. Personally I do not really like this in my pipe smoking pleasure, but it seems to be a love it or hate it blend like so many in this part of the field. I would say at least give it a try, you may like it.

Tin aroma is at first the roses and anise (soap & licorice), stronger than you'd expect from a scented Lakeland blend, slowly cereal Virginia sneaks up in the background. Citrusy fruit and vanilla help sweeten the whole thing. Anise (Licorice) aroma must cover up the almond and any nuttiness from the small amount of burley. I don‘t detect any in the tin aroma.

Nice moist flake - rubs out beautifully.

Rose / soap flavor follows through on light up, joined momentarily by a much lighter version of the licorice. I get the impression that all those old American Burley Blends, were trying to create something like this. But here I taste no chemical flavors, as strong as the flavoring is, It tastes like real anise and rose petals. Sweet dry oatmeal of the Virginia increases as the bowl burns down. Hints of molasses drift in and out turning the background from oatmeal to ginger snaps and graham flour. All behind the rose petal fragrance, with the anise growing in prominence later down the bowl. Damn cool smoke too.

Smoking Lakeland tobaccos makes me feel as if I'm experiencing something old. Like some timeworn tradition, (perhaps from a galaxy far, far away). Every pipe smoker should try Lakeland blends (Scented & Unscented). They are in a class by themselves. The way these flakes are blended and the traditional way they steamed and pressed, make them unique. A tradition maintained by a few tobacco blenders around the town of Kendall in the Lakelands (County of Lake) in England Love ‘em or leave ‘em they are a piece of pipe history. They aren't like the over flavored chemical laced American blends, the flavors (as strong or odd as they are) aren't there to cover up crappy tobacco and factory handling. Try the style even if it's not this blend.

Like everyone here says, with this flowery version, you are likely to either love it - or hate it. It's still an excellent example of the Scented Lakeland style. Although the floral-anise flavor may not be a flavor I would choose to smoke regularly, it was a surprisingly pleasant change-up in the batting order. And who doesn't like to be pleasantly surprised.

One downside is the lingering rose fragrance. My office still smelled like Grandma's perfume for days after smoking. Also continued to taste rose and anise the next day. In fact, after a few bowls, I realized that smoking this stuff indoors is not a good idea. Not only does the scent take hold and hang on, but breathing my own “second hand” smoke from this blend started to irritate my sinuses and throat. Finished the tin outdoors, no more worries. Have to knock it down a star for that. 2 ½ Stars

If you want to try the scented Lakeland style without all the flowers, try Bob's Chocolate Flake or Rum Flake, both also from Gawith Hoggarth & Co.

A sensible, honest, middle-of-the-road flake, that is both inoffensive and unspectacular; it's plain to see why this is G&H's flagship flake - and one enjoyed by a broad spectrum of pipe-heads.

It's very much in a league of its own with a rather peculiar, yet intriguing flavour and aroma: Almond? Hmm... Ok, I'll just about give you that, although I'm more inclined to fall on the side of 'Other/Misc'! It reminds me very much of an aged potpourri, all spice, and cinnamon, mixed in with something like a touch of anise. It really wouldn't appear out of place tucked in a kitchen spice rack. In principle, the casing seems very heavy, but in reality it smokes rather light on flavour. Neither is the tobacco particularly strong. Indeed, it's such a cool smoker that you're hard pressed to believe that there's any Burley in there at all. It all comes across as... well... a little bit boring, if I'm honest - as if there's so much going on that it serves to cancel itself.

Ennerdale doesn't seem to behave in the pipe quite as well as the other G&H flakes, tending to err on the side of wet through the mid bowl, and the need to re- light. However, it's also far less flowery, which probably accounts for its popularity.

All in all, a decent enough sweet, slightly spicy smoke, but a largely forgettable flavour, despite all its boasts.