Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Glengarry Flake

If anyone is put off or afraid of Lakeland flakes due to their "soapy" or "floral" character and doesn't want to be overwhelmed with dark taste or nicotine, this is what I would recommend. Both the flavor and the flavorings are subdued, with just a bit of the Lakeland essence coming through. This is a "tweenie" - somewhere between the dark unflavored G&H blends and their more heavily flavored ones. Ditto blends like Perique Flake and the various brown flakes. But where those leave their own mark of complexity and depth, this one falls a bit short in that department.

I find nothing to dislike here and indeed I give this a 3 star rating, which is "recommended". As mentioned, it is a good starter Lakeland, neither overly sweet nor complex. The taste is of the proverbial grassy, slightly sweet nature. Nothing too offputting. However, it simply doesn't distinguish itself the way other G&H flakes do. The flavor is a bit too subdued for my tastebuds. The aroma, however, is fantastic! If the smoker wanted a natural taste but a great room note, this is one place to go. Recommended as a good "all-dayer" but might leave you wanting when a more robust flavor is desired.

Glengarry Flake is a solid, middle of the road Lakeland style flake from GH. It isn't too soapy or too floral. As one of the other reviewer mentioned, it is a good starting place for the pipe smokers that want to begin smoking Lakeland style blends. The flakes only need a small amount of dry time and I prefer to smoke it fully rubbed out. GF smokes cleanly to the bottom of the bowl, but even with the lesser amount of Lakeland scents, it will still need to be smoked in a pipe that is dedicated to Lakelands. The flavor is slightly sweet and a bit “hay-like.” It shares some the same flavor profile as GH's Rich Dark Honeydew (a blend that is very hard to find here in the US) but I must admit that in a blind taste test I don't think I would identify the flavor as honeydew. I enjoy Glengarry fresh from the tobacco shop, but I am much fonder of Glengarry when it has been aged. The flakes darken and the flavor really deepens. Glengarry is a great blend for the cellar! Recommended.

The topping is light here; here you will not find the overwhelming "Lakeland essences" of Ennerdale, or even of Kendal Flake. The "light honeydew" topping goes well with this type of Virginia, which is claimed to be a similar blend to Bright CR Flake (one of my favorites from GH), and is never overwhelming. Indeed, it is quite subtle to my tastes, though I have smoked many of the more strongly topped and floral offerings from GH and SG, so perhaps I am somewhat jaded. There are those who are so turned off by these "Lakeland essences" that they will claim to find them in a product such as Brown Flake Unscented, which might have picked up something of a whiff of those essences simply by being in the same room as the likes of Ennerdale and Kendal, but for those like me who enjoy the entire spectrum of GH tobaccos in their varying degrees of flavorings and scents, this tobacco is just right for those times when, though I may not want a very strongly scented Lakeland flake, I also do not want a purely unscented Virginia either.

As always with this manufacturer, the quality of the Virginias used is excellent, and I do tend to believe the description when it claims the blend is similar to Bright CR: it tastes like Bright CR with a very mild topping. This would be a good tobacco for lovers of Virginia Flake who would like to begin to explore those "Lakeland essences," which seem to be almost of a love-it-or-hate-it nature, without going straight to loading up one's pipe with the likes of Ennerdale Flake.

The flake is attractive and somewhat mottled, though with the lighter shades predominating, and breaks apart easily. Since I have been smoking this flake, it seems to be one of those tobaccos that require some relights, and I am not sure why, but it may be simply because with this blend, I like to sip very slowly and lightly, as this seems to give me the best results taste-wise.

No hint of bite, just a clean, gentle smoke with only that subtle touch of flavorings, and a very pleasant room note. I have no problems with it in any way, though there may be nothing overwhelmingly enthralling or knock-your-socks-off special about it. It is just the usual quality Virginia smoke one would expect from GH, on the low (but not no!) end of the flavorings spectrum. Recommended!

Edit: 5-19-13

Glengarry Flake is actually a good blend for any GH fan to keep around. When you get tired of the really flowery, Lakelandy blends like Ennerdale or Kendal for the moment, this one provides a much purer Virginia smoke, with just a light touch of sweetness, sort of that "honeydew" thing, but again, very mild topping. It's like Bright CR Flake, if anyone has tried that, but a little milder on the nicotine, and with only a touch of flavoring. Certainly no aromatic. I've got a few bowls left, and could see getting some quantity at some point.

If you like the Lake District flavored flakes, you are probably going to like this one. It is first rate quality with excellent tobacco taste. It is not heavily scented as say, Bosun's, Conniston, or No. 7, but it does possess a trace of that unique aroma found in many of the G&H blends. For the most part it is straight tobacco, and it is plenty sweet. You won't find heliotrope, cloves or other exotic flavors. I make this out to be just good, straight tobacco with a lightly scented sweetener added. This could be an all day smoke for the lover of this type of Virginia flake. This tobacco, I think, could bite if pushed, but when enjoyed in small sips, it is a fine smoke. I smoke it slightly moist which makes for a slow burn. Well recommended. Paddy.

GLENGARRY FLAKE: it is almost the same tobacco as his brother BRIGHT CR FLAKE. Both straight Virginia and it is employed the same high quality Virginia. A little bit more scented and flavored, Glengarry Flake is a typical Lakeland tobacco with a scented flavoring (Kendal flavoring). In this case it is not a strong flavoring, but it is easily recognizable. If you like a flavored straight Virginia and if you like a Lakeland tobacco try and enjoy this one and you will not be disappointed; this is certainly your tobacco. In my personal rating system (from 1 to 10) my score is 8/9 and three stars.

For a flake that I can only rate with three stars, I certainly have smoked a lot of this over the years. It’s been about six years since my last bowl and this batch is about seven or eight years old. It has darkened considerably during that time. Tasting it again now I realize that there is indeed a lot to like here, although since the passing of the Four Square flakes and the changes in Capstan I have never really been able to appreciate those in which the flavoring is overt. This is an exception.

I agree with the esteemed DK’s review here and recommend it to you. If you are interested in lighter, bright virginia fare, that has an honesty about it in spite of the added flavors, you should definitely give this one a go. It’s also a good option for smoking around others that are less inclined to accept the fumes of our savoring. Works best for me when I dry it considerably and rub it out thoroughly.

Although I tend toward darker, fuller blends, I find this fascinating. I always return to this one, albeit only occasionally, with a smile.

**Update-I kept smoking this stuff off and on trying to decide whether or not I liked it as much as I thought. Before I know it, I'd gone through an ounce of it. Guess that means I like it. Glengarry will never replace Erinmore Flake for me, though in the future it may have to, but I like it enough to buy it in bulk. Once I got past the feeling it gave me of being an English fancy pants smoke, I really enjoy it. It burns so well, and so cool. My palate finally translated the perfumy taste into a warm sweet aroma, reminiscent of flowers, but definitely not soapy or perfumy. I will upgrade this to three and a half stars, maybe four if I can completely shake the feeling that I should be dressed in a silk bathrobe when I smoke it.

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Let me start off by stating that this is really better than two stars, but I would only "somewhat recommend" it due to its floral overtones. In other words, there's not a doubt in my mind that more than a few people would hate it.

I wanted to try the lakeland style, and since it's available in bulk, I was able to buy just a few flakes rather than a whole tin. I find Erinmore to be delectable, so I thought I would probably enjoy this stuff.

This tobacco lights fairly easily, and stays lit really well (at least in a large Peterson Irish Army straight shank). The floral taste only lasted about thirty seconds or so, then settled into a tobacco flavor with slightly sweet, slightly flowery overtones throughout the rest of the smoke. It is definitely very high quality.

Smoking it was a little strange. Not bad, not unpleasant, just strange. It seemed 'snooty'; almost like it was saying that I wasn't good enough to be smoking it. Whereas a full English blend makes me think of mustachioed gentlemen in a walnut panelled billiards room, Glengarry brought to mind English noblemen in powdered wigs and shoes with big gold buckles on them.

Then it hit me. One of my favorite television shows is the BBC comedy 'Keeping up Appearances'. This tobacco is what she would want her husband to smoke. I can see Hyacinth marching into the den to tell Richard that he really must start smoking Glengarry Flake, as "all the men of Windsor smoke the Lakeland variety of tobaccos". And Richard would whine, "..but why can't I smoke my Rattray's Accountant Mixture?" Tsking, Hyacinth would simply reply, "An accountant, Richard? You're too good for that."

I found Glengarry to be good, but it was very reserved and understated in overall character. If ever there was a tobacco with a stiff upper lip, this is it. That's not to say it isn't good; it is. I just had the distinct feeling that it was meant for someone of a more reserved, genteel, disposition than I.

02-11-2005 Another Classic Flake.

Appearance and Aroma: This one comes only in bulk. The Flake are about 6" by 1 1/4" and look light brown to medium brown with some birdseye here and there. It smells slightly perfumy and sweet.

Packing and Lighting: While I typically rub out my flakes, this did better with the roll and stuff method. It was at he right moiture straight out of my tobacconist's glass jar and lit after 2-3 lights.

Initial Flavor: I like these Lake District blends and this one seems to have the least "soap" of the bunch. That is what you taste from the get go, but as someone else has noticed, each one has a distinct character.

Mid-Bowl: The "honeydew" flavor comes out at this point and the "soap" recedes. The tobacco used is also very tasty and cool for a Va.

Bottom of Bowl: a slight increase in strength. The toppings never get bitter or harsh. Your tongue is not assaulted and you are ready to reload another bowl of this fine blend.

Overall: For those of us that like these "soapy" blends, this is another fine entry to the genre. This one is my personal favorite, with Rum Flake and Bob's CF close behind. There is strength here from the leaf as well so eat well before smoking. the burning characteristics are also amazing in this particular flake. It would burn well and cool in just about any of my dedicated pipes.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5 points.

My first sampling of Gawith, Hoggarth and Co. tobacco. I must admit, I was reluctant based upon the amount of "floral" and fruit flavoring described. But I was in the mood for something completely different in my last tobacco order, so I included a sample of Glengarry Flake.

Nice texture and appearance - I enjoyed rubbing out the strips into a bit of "rough" and much finer flakes.

The scent is distinctly like very flowery incense. I began to question whether or not I could stomach it. First light immediately melded and toned down the scent. It became a very pleasant aromatic odor within seconds.

Two relights later and I was on my way. Burning through the bowl I found the predominant flavor to be the sweet virginia, enhanced - not taken over - by the amazingly mild topping.

Even after enjoying the smoke, I found the scent in the container a bit cloying. But after subsequent bowls the attraction to the pleasant, sweet and amazingly subtle smoke remained. The taste is not terribly complex or layered, but remains consistently good with the tang and sweetness of the tobacco and topping playing off through out. Giving some time between relights certainly enhances the flavor and makes the scent more robust.

This probably won't be something I dream about on a daily basis. But it will likely retain a spot in my rotation as "something different" for quite a while.

Burning qualities are exceptional - it stays well lit and is easy to deal with. Glengarry flake burns cleanly to the end with the aroma growing increasingly subtle instead of overwhelmingly sickening.

This is an encouragement to further explore the Gawith tobacco line.

UPDATE After letting it settle and continuing through my sample, I've found I like this leaf even more. The flavor and aroma becomes VERY subtle and is slowly climbing its way up to the top of my favorite VA aromatic. I'm looking forward to more Gawith tobacco.