Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Ennerdale Flake

Ennerdale Flake [Lakeland Flavor];

Star Rating = 3.5;

Rating Scores - 10 is the Best and 0 is the Worst;

Pouch Note = 9;

Room Note = 9;

Flavor = 9;

Bite = 9;

Burn = 9;

After Taste = 9;

Raw Score = 54;

Rated Percentage = 90%;

Comment = Smooth, Mild, this has the famous Lakeland Floral Rose like Flavor, No Bite, Slight After Taste

I love reading reviews from people who so dislike a product they need to insult other pipe smokers just to feel better. Some go so far as to continue buying blends from the companies that make the offending smoke in hopes, I suppose, that they might once again be so relieved in public. Reminds me of the guy who kept hitting himself in the head with a hammer because it felt so good when he stopped.

But, once again, I must digress. Ennerdale is great! I can see the comparison to Kendal Flake but Ennerdale has the almond note and Kendal doesn't seem to. There's also to me a distinct toffeeosity to the smoke as soon as the flowers burn off. That's usually about a third into the bowl. From there on out, I don't get much of the, um, 'TEF's' (I'm glad to admit, that's not my term). It is Flavored, but not nearly as much as say, 1792, Cannon plug or even Erinmore. Lights and smokes well even when a little too wet for my liking. Plus, more comments than I can remember on the great room note (I couldn't care less) and Nicotine! Highly Recommended!

P.s. I enjoy this most while ironing my bloomers in a freshly starched camiknicker, extra powder. Anyone got a problem with that? Go find yourself some crumpet! (Bridge for sale)

Was gifted an ample sample of this by a good friend who really loves this flake.

This one surprised me. Not only by it's flavor, but by how much I ended up liking it. I was expecting to choke on granny's perfume and the initial few puffs nearly filled those expectations. Then the Lakeland calmed down and a very nice nutty flavor began building. By mid bowl it was more nutty than floral and I found myself really enjoying it. The nuttiness has more than one source. Part topping, part Burley, and if my taste buds are accurate there is also a little from the Virginias. All subsequent bowls of this flake were more enjoyable as it seems to be one of those blends that grows on you. A very nice smoke. Not quite 4 stars for me, but it may get there if I keep smoking it. Right now 3.5

Body is medium to strong. Taste is medium to full. Flavoring is mild to medium although medium to mild may be more accurate as that's how it smokes. Burns very well.

With out a doubt true pipe smoking nirvana. A pipe tobacco blend fit for the gods. Every time I smoke a bowl of this fine mixture I feel at peace with life and the universe. The almond, vanilla, floral, rum and mixture of other scents. Just takes me to somewhere else. Somewhere where humans are kind and help one another, somewhere where life is a little slower and kinder. I want to go fishing. Or sit in a lavender field and listen to nature. If you don't like this mixture I understand. If you like this mixture as I do. I also understand. A very complex blend not for everyone. Peace.

First let me say that this tobacco is flavored with almond oil or extract. I bought some almond cookies at Christmas, couldn't figure out what the flavor and scent reminded me of. Until I opened my jar of Ennerdale flake. Almond Cookies! So the tin description is correct...almond!

Ennerdale comes In a broken flake wrapped in a plastic bag inside the tin. The tin note is Almond oil, with scents of lavender, tonquin bean, and bergamot. These flavors show themselves throughout the bowl. Very creamy and enjoyable. The Virginia tobaccos are extremely flavorful with hints of baked goods, with the mouth feel of burley. At times I can sense a Fruit Punch flavor near the bottom of the bowl. The flake never bites and the nicotine stays at a mild to medium, depending how fast you smoke.

I cannot recommend Ennerdale Flake enough.

From the description, this tobacco does not sound like my thing. I have to say I enjoyed it, and I would smoke it again. I am almost done with a 25 g sample. I rub it out as a ball between my palms and let it dry a little before smoking it.

This presents as a high quality Virginia with a little burley for body. There are citrus, vanilla and almond notes the description predicted. I did not get any of the floral others mention, but there is a quality to it and the combination of flavors that is hard to describe.

It is a medium/full flavor, and the toppings work quite well. They are tasty and well balanced and don't overpower the tobacco experience. This is a high quality aromatic that delivers. I recommend it.

Edit: 8/17 I seem to have acquired taste for this. I bought a half kilo and am working my way through it. That makes it a 3.5 on the rating scale for me.

Ahhhh!.... This reminds me of the first whiffs I caught as a youngster as the old boys would walk by, and I was caught in their slipstreams of swirling blue smoke!!

I'm no tobacco snob nor to that matter do I feel the need to spend more than £50 on a pipe. This stuff, whilst admittedly having a soapy nature to it, the almondy, rummy, vanilla, and liquorice aromas produced by this billowing blend are captivating..

It's a nice run of the mill, 'what you smell is what you get blend'. If you're a tobacco snob, and are looking to inanely dissect every atom of the smoke, the flavour and the nuances of this blend, until the very laws of oral-factory physics have been re-defined........In your own head. Then you'll probably call this a boring plain smoke, with an overpowering aroma...

Just as well that I'm smoking it and enjoying it soley for myself and not you then isn't it!!

Huzza!

Having enjoyed some of the other scented flakes, and reading that this was among the most richly flavoured, I decided to try it. I was expecting to enjoy it (I rather like the perfumed, slightly soapy edge to some of these tobaccos, it's very distinctive). However, on opening the pouch and smelling it, I was struck by an uncomfortable feeling of dread... It smelled like cheap perfume, fairy liquid and toilet cleaner all rolled into one! There was little aroma of tobacco detectable, nor could I smell any almond or vanilla. It just smelled like artlessy mixed essential oils, mostly lavender.

I decided to smoke it anyway (I had to try it), and on lighting it, the main taste was of lavender, with a hint of incense. I hoped this would fade into the background, as with other scented flakes like Erinmore. But no, it just got stronger, and otherwise remained unchanged throughout a 2 hour smoke. My mouth felt like it was coated in lavender oil and soap, which I didn't much enjoy. There was no flavour of tobacco, or of almonds or vanilla, just soap. Worse still, after smoking it, the flavour hung around in my mouth for hours. I couldn't even taste pure hot pepper sauce!

In fairness, it must be good quality tobacco, for it lit with ease, burned cool, slow and without a hint of bite, and required few relights. It must appeal to those who like heavily perfumed tobaccos, to such an extent that they no longer care much for the tobacco. Personally, I enjoy Erinmore flake (Piquantly fruity), St Bruno (rich and full, the sweetness is complemented by the hint of bergamot oil) and Conniston Cut Plug (rich and deep, with just a hint of perfume) but to me, the flavouring in this is wildly excessive. Did their hands slip at the blenders? Is this a bad batch? I don't think I will risk my palate finding out. As for the wife rating:

'Often my husband asks me to take a sniff of his tobacco in the pouch/tin and tell him what I think it smells like. After a few long draws of this tobacco, I can confirm that it smells *exactly* like the cleaning fluids used to clean the public toilets in Addenbrokes' Hospital, Cambridge (I used to work there). I consider myself quite a laid-back non-smoking partner, and I usually enjoy the smell of pipe tobacco. But this stuff was FOUL! Wifes of all unsuspecting pipe smokers - beware!'

And she really likes the smell of Latakia!

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UPDATE

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I've actually started to love this tobacco. I smoke it quite regularly. I think the scent takes a little getting used to, is all, then you're hooked. It smokes so well!

I've tried several GH flakes, and picked this one up out of sheer curiosity, somewhat because of the name that reminded me of the laughably horrible British TV program "Emmerdale Farm" and because of the favorable reviews here. This should be a decent flake, and you may like it.

But for me, this was the first flake made by any lake district blender in which I just couldn't find something to love, or even like---and in fact, I intensely _dislike_ this blend.

Is this made by a reputable blender? Absolutely.

Is it made from quality tobacco? Um, I'm pretty sure.

Does it taste like regurgitated cheap rum punch? Well, unfortunately, to me, yes.

Despite what must be decent leaf here, the topping is so fruity and almost poisonous to the taste that it is overwhelming and noxious. I think everybody must have had this experience once or twice with some topped flake blend, and ennerdale must just be my personal kryptonite.

I would still encourage any brave lakeflake smoker to give the stuff a try---it may be just what you were looking for. As for me, I'll stick to the BCF and SG's Kendal Cream and never touch another bottle of Malibu ever again, no matter what.