Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Kendal Flake

08/08/03 You know, I can't believe I like this tobacco. I generally prefer a natural VA flake, but I found Kendal Flake to have a wonderful flavor that is quite unique. The pouch aroma can be a bit intimidating for someone not used to scented flakes. But once I got past the mental block, I came to appreciate the wonderful synergy the flavors and the tobacco produce. The folks at Gawith Hoggarth really have a way with VA flakes.

Another way I enjoy Kendall Flake is to prepare a "sandwich" with Glengarry Flake. Glengarry Flake is much lighter than Kendall Flake and complements the latter nicely. A sandwich is prepared by folding a flake of each together and packing the pipe normally.

Update 12/26/06 After smoking Kendal Flake for over three years, I can now upgrade it to 4 stars or highly recommended. Along with Ennerdale Flake, this is one of the great scented flakes from Gawith Hoggarth. It burns perfectly, tastes wonderful, and has a pretty strong nicotine hit. What more could you ask for? I no longer feel like KF tastes soapy; I can taste the wonderful flavors that complement the tobacco so well. My next step is to dedicate a pipe to Kendal Flake rather than just to scented flakes in general. It goes perfectly with a strong cup of black coffee.

Not too sure what to make of this really, Kendal Flake is a prefectly good flake that I expect I could get to quite like if I smoked enough of it.. I just can't get over the rose flavouring, when you first light the bowl you get a strong blast of flowers thats rather like inhaling a bathroom freshener. The rose flavour backs down once the bowl is properly lit and tamped but its too much for me, as shame as its an exceptionally cool smoke.

I'm sure I could get to like this flake more but I can't see thats its worth the effort when there are so many other flakes out there.

Edit: I have since smoked some Best Brown Flake which is very similar to the Kendal flake, almost identical infact except without the rose air freshener taste. I prefer the best brown and am giving it 3 stars so i'm downgrading this to 2.

This flake comes in approximately 6 inch long neatly cut strips. I would estimate they are about a millimeter thick. There appears to be more red/brown leaf than yellow. The flake had the usual G&H high quality appearance, as if this flake had been lovingly prepared.

I was not deluded into thinking that the tobaccos would be the star players in this blend. There are so many toppings and casing agents applied in variously differing strengths. This really is quite a busy production with almost too many players on the stage. Yet, the result is a singular, unified, and distinguished performance.

I don’t taste or smell the following: whiskey, rum, sherry, vanilla, almond, coffee. The tonquin is barely detectable. The heliotropin and rose geranium are easily detected in the smoke, room note, and pouch aroma. The two biggest contributors are the musk and the rose. The toppings mingle to create a nag champa smell that is reminiscent of an old head shop or the oils used to smother body odor in the Grateful Dead parking lot scene. This nag champa essence comes through in the taste and retrohale, as does musk, sandalwood, rose, and patchouli. There are some peppery notes at the end of each bowl. I could not give the reader much analysis on the underlying tobacco flavor as it is so trampled by the toppings. While the toppings are stepping all over the underlying leaf, a unique and tasty flavor prevails. I probably won’t buy this again, but am grateful to have tried it.

WARNING: The smell of your pipe may attract hippies.

Thirty years ago I disliked anything Lakeland. Amazing how paletes change. Today these blends truly blow me away! This is very floral without being perfumed or soapy as some describe. The sauce is different and not as heavily applied as other GH offerings. Much milder than say Conniston but yet wonderfully flavorfull. I am grateful that I've rediscovered these blends. Definitely a love them or hate them relationship. If loved they raise the bar to another dimension.

This MAY grow on me, but the outlook for that is not great. This review is the result of a great selection of decade old samples a pipe smoking friend sent me. So we’re talking a 10-plus year old vintage of Kendal flake.

I’m a huge fan of GH flakes. And shags. And curly cuts. But especially the flakes. 90% of my tobacco intake is GH product. My current favorites include Scotch Flake and Bosun Cut Plug.

But this just isn’t clicking with me. One of the listed flavors that other reviewers don’t seem to mention is what dominates my experience: musk.

Seriously, it’s the star of the show. Which is a shame, because otherwise, it’s a great flake. Packs easily. Burns better than most.

But that musk. It makes me feel like I’m smoking something musty.

It’s not there in the bag aroma. That smells fine, like a typical GH flake. But it’s definitely there during the smoke, especially the first half of each bowl.

I’d definitely recommend that you try it for yourself, because it’s definitely got its share of fans. And my palate can be a little unusual. I pick up the trace amount of latakia used in GLP’s Filmore so strongly, it ruins that blend for me.

Pleasant aroma hit my nose after opening sample. Little dry for my use, but burns well. Typical aroma(not sure, which essence is used for this stuff) was presented for whole smoking. Not so overwhelmed like in case of Enerdale flake. I enjoy it even more. Sometimes when I burned tobacco with too hot flame, I noticed a bit cigarette smoke. Nicotine hit is at level medium to strong, which is too much for me.

All together good smoke for long lazy evenings, good companion to Enerdale f.

No. You don’t put all that stuff in my tobacco. Kendal professional blenders show, in this and other mixtures, how a good virginia leaf can be squandered. I understand that many smokers are accustomed to these flavouring, but to me it is somehow unacceptable: like ordering a good steak in a good restaurant, but the waiter goes “sir, we can enhance your blant steak by putting some pineapple/almond/cheese/wine/tomato/cucumber/garlic/onion/chocolate on it”. No, sir, I ordered a STEAK 🙂 “Ok wait, I’ll pour some floreal soap over all it” - what?

This review is from a jarred estate tobacco dated 10/02, God rest his soul. This is a dark brown flake with a slight sweet aroma to it in the jar. I smoked two bowls of this tonight and have already made up my mind on this one. This tobacco is in a category by itself. It is described as an aromatic but not in the traditional sense in my opinion. This is a floral scented tobacco and there lies the rub. The tobacco quality is excellent but I for the life of me I could not help but feel like I was smoking rose flavored soap. When the term Lakeland essence is used, they were not joking. I did make sure I was using a pipe that I did not care if it got temporarily ghosted. Good tobacco, but my palate just does not care for it, but that is not to say I won’t revisit this some time in the future.

I'm not usually one for aromatics, however this is a pleasant surprise.

I purchased 1oz of this bulk and was very pleased by the appearance when I received it. Out of the bag the relatively thick cut, slightly crumbly virginia flake was covered in crystals, not so surprising given that it is a virginia, but still very enjoyable to see. Slightly leathery it required a little rubbing to brake up to a point I was happy with.

The aroma is quite strong of the combination of over 10 different flavours, (including Rose Geranium, Vanilla, Rum, Tonquin, Musk, Heliotropin and Rose). However rose is the most dominant for me, and I don't get the Almond so much as is mentioned. I get peoples comments about joss sticks and such, but even with the toppings added I didn't find it too strong or overpowering, more interesting.

The aroma follows into the smoke, but again I feel is not too over powering, and proves more of an interest. I like a good virginia, and aside from the flavourings that is what this is for me and smokes accordingly, so whilst I couldn't see myself smoking this regularly it is not at all unpleasant occasionally for a change.

For anyone, who like me, usually avoids aromatics at all cost this could prove an interesting smoke as it has for me. If you aren't fond of virginias however I'd leave it well alone.