Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Kendal Flake

I got a 50 gram sample of this tobacco, it was around 1 and a half years old, and although it had not been jarred, I am led to believe that it was stored in an air-tight container. Before smoking it, I had it stored for a couple of weeks in a bag with other tobaccos, but it was wrapped in the original packaging it came in to keep it separate. I am mentioning all of this because - in opposition to all the reviews below - I found the flavour to be somewhat muted. Indeed, I have been smoking Glengarry Flake since, and find it to have bolder topping than this particular tobacco. That is not to say that I found it flavourless, but rather that I could easily detect the tobacco, and I think it outshone the flavours to such an extent that the flavour was largely inconsequential to the overall enjoyment of the smoke. With this in mind, then, be aware that my review may be very different to one that may be experienced when smoking a fresh sample which has not been stored (and perhaps not stored in an ideal fashion) for a fairly long period of time. Now, onto the tobacco itself. I did get a scent of a topping. The sweet, perfumey smell, which is not unpleasant, but somewhat of a shock to the nose of a more 'natural' tobacco fan like myself. I rubbed it out (as an aside - I am someone who normally likes to smoke flakes rolled up, but since I recently received a bundle of these 'bulk flakes' I am having to rub them out, I just can't seem to keep these lit when folded. I don't know what it is about them that makes them different to tinned flakes, but I have noticed it amongst them all), it rubbed easily & packed very well. It took the flame reasonably easily, and burned in a steady fashion. The smoke itself was not at all unpleasant, as mentioned previously, I got the taste & feel of the tobacco before I got any hint of the topping. The topping started to figure in the equation a few puffs in, and was a fairly pleasant background note to a straight good quality tobacco, it anything, in my sample, I would have liked the flavour to be more present, as I'm trying to expand my aromatic palette. Nonetheless, the smoke itself was pleasant enough, if unremarkable. The room note is standard Virgina with a perfumey quality which I quite like. To me this tobacco is truly 'aromatic', in that the topping is more detectable in the aroma than the taste, on that basis, I'll say that the room note is tolerable to pleasant. In strength, again, non remarkable. Perhaps should be medium to strong, but I will give it medium for as inaccurate as my nicotine-measuring abilities are, I know how I feel when I've had too much, and feel it here I didn't. The tobacco is good quality, and I wouldn't object to smoking it again, but I'm going to give it 2 stars out of 4, as my expectations of what a tobacco needs to be to get 3 stars has changed recently, and this just doesn't deserve it, I'm afraid. I would give it 2.5 out of 4, as it is better than 2, but doesn't have that spark that I think it needs to take it up to a 3. I found it somewhat pedestrian & it really didn't develop much beyond the first quarter of a bowl, and remained a standard quality Virginia with a muted backnote, which needed to be rubbed out to smoke, which is not the way I usually like my Virginia, but as I say. Not a bad quality tobacco, and a fresh sample may be required in future to see if it alters my perceptions of this esteemed smoke.

I love GH flakes. Especially those which are in bulk. They're thick, beautiful, and rich and they have a very nice mouth-feel when smoked. This may be my favorite tobacco of those I've sampled from GH. The flavors/scents are not overpowering, but definitely present and are an excellent complement to the tobaccos. It's a mixture of some relatively strong tobaccos, but, to me, it never really overpowers in Vitamin N. This one, to my taste, seems to have more of the floral scents than the others and less of the vanilla/licorice/tonquin flavors of, say, Ennerdale(which I also like). Personally, I refer GH to SG when it comes to tobaccos. SG tobaccos always come too wet to smoke and they really have seemed to be mediocre experiences. But I digress.

I don't know if this could classify as an all-day tobacco, as it is definitely a bit over-the-top. However, I have to stop myself from smoking this instead of other blends that I have. An impressive flake tobacco, in my opinion.

Grasmere Flake has Rose and Geranium florals; this is a real potpourri of scents (and, to me, even spices) on top of those. By itself, it just overwhelms my taste buds (albeit in a fairly good way). Cut 1/2 K Flake and 1/2 either Walnut Flake or St Bruno, I find it very pleasurable.

Edit: three years later, and I don't find this quite so overwhelming and even more enjoyable

A not-altogether flavourless flake from G & H.

I agree with most reviewers that the initial tin aroma doesn't follow through to the smoke. But then, not many do.

Almonds ? No.

All those other flavours ? Nah.

Mrs RH did think she got a whiff of Rose....

Scores ok on the room note then...

Not a bad flake but it doesn't really have any outstanding qualities of note. Won't rush to buy any more.

When it comes to this flake, I feel like the aromatic smoker who cracks a tin of full bodied English with its pungent aroma and goes "yuk!" in reverse. This is a very well made flake; however, I agree with those reviewers who mentioned floral, SOAPY flavor. I'm afraid three puffs was all I could take. I enjoy some aromatics from time to time, but for me, this ain't it. It's a first class tobacco like all GH's products, it's definitely just not for me.

Although I don't taste anything close to almond in this Kendal Flake, I'm sure that all the above, even the ones I can't identify, are there...What in the world is Heliotropin? It's got something to do with Sassafras. And Tanquid---no idea. The only Musk I know of is a greasy secretion from a glandular sac. Well, with all these extracts and juices and scents and stuff, this may sound like a frightening smoke. I guess it could be. But, fear not-- it's tasteriffic!

As always, with Gawith Hoggarth, the base tobaccos are cured and blended to have strong enough flavor to carry the casing. At first light, there's a rush of floral and and slightly sour tastes. Then comes the Dark Side, as mentioned in the tin description above. It smokes great and, like Bob's Chocolate, is much fun to rub out. For more information, read Blowfish and OSR's reviews...I can't add much to what they've said. This is truly a carnival for the senses.

(It also mixes well -50/50- with Bob's square cut)

Unlike some of the GH Flakes that use multiple flavorings, the combination of flavorings used in Kendal Flake sits well on my palate.

I find this one to be a nicely flavored, satisfying, medium strength smoke. I enjoy this much more than Ennerdale Flake.

If you haven't tried the GH flakes, you should order a small quantity of several of the ones that interest you. Once you find the ones that have the right combination of flavorings for your taste buds, they are really quite good.

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One of the best Lakeland Flakes.

There's not much that can be added to the existing body of reviews. It's a flamboyant, herbal flake, that always satisfies. Although, it can be a little rough at the back and lacks the milky tea taste that softens the whole flavour in Samuel Gawith's KCF deluxe. As such, I'd favour the latter but it's a really close call.

I recieved several flkaes recently and this is the one I finished first. My review may be a bit off for the pouch this came in had a lil hole in it which did not effect the moisture of the tobacco so much but I believe let the tobacco air out a bit. The result was a tobacco with less of the mention Lakeland floral flavor or at least to me it seemed to be present but not overwhelming. I liked this. It does not bite though please keep the smoking pace slowish like you would for any Virginia, and it burns very clean. A good relaxing flake.