Samuel Gawith Bothy Flake
(3.42)
A traditional blend of pressed Virginias with a hint of latakia and a dash of Highland malt whiskey make Bothy Flake a medium strength, aromatic and easy smoking tobacco. A Kearvaig Pipe Club Tobacco.
Notes: By K&K: Bob Gregory doesn't know how many "Bothies" (small huts) there are in the Highlands, but he estimates about 40 of 'em. The good thing about these cabins is that they are allowed to smoke here. You can do everything in such a hut: You can make a fire to keep yourself warm, eart the leftover food, and drink the leftover drink. The prerequisite, however, is that food an drink be stocked up again for the next hiker.
"These little huts have saved my life once" says Bob. "Many years ago, with m father I spent two nights in the Cairngorm Mountains in the wet, cold and windsy weather. My father had sprained his foot and could barely walk. Our luck was the Corar Bothy who gave us shelter during the storm."
The Bothy Flake is a thanksgiving to these small huts. Consisting of a full Virginia tobacco with a small share of latakia from Cyprus. The flake gets its smoky-peaty undertone with the addition of a typical Highland malt whiskey essence, which is highlighted by the latakia. Medium in strength and aromatic with a full-bodied room note. A genuine Highlander!
Details
| Brand | Samuel Gawith |
| Series | Kearvaig Pipe Club |
| Blended By | Samuel Gawith |
| Manufactured By | Samuel Gawith |
| Blend Type | Virginia/Latakia |
| Contents | Latakia, Virginia |
| Flavoring | Whisky |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Mild to Medium
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.42 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 11 - 20 of 28 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 06, 2019 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
Before I begin my review of Bothy Flake I want to offer a word of thanks to the powers that be who sponsor this sight. Over the years, Tobacco Reviews has provided me with hours of informative and sometimes entertaining reading. If one takes the time to read through the various reviews one will discover some interesting story lines. Some blend threads read like mysteries - does this really have Latakia in it? Some read like love stories - I've hoarded enough of this to last me till it die! Some read like hate mail - what were they thinking when they put this blow torch in a tin! All in all great stuff! Now on to my review. I saw this lonely tin of Bothy Flake sitting on the shelf at the local B&M so I decided to give it a try. I've smoked several other SG flakes so I was prepared to have to deal with hastily stacked, soggy flakes. Surprise, Surprise, these flakes were neatly stacked and at just the right humidity. And yes, the tine was properly sealed. Others have provided good descriptions of this blend,so all I will say is that the whisky, which was faint in my tin, does a nice job of adding a bit of peat to the Latakia smoke and give a bit of lift to the Virginia sweetness. I find that I am reaching for this more of the time, especially since the weather has turned cold. Bothy smokes well in all my pipes, but as is often the case, it shines in a dedicated pipe.
Pipe Used:
briars
PurchasedFrom:
Victory Cigars Oshawa Ontario Canada
Age When Smoked:
fresh off the shelf
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 30, 2018 | Mild to Medium | Medium | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This tobacco very satisfy to me . You can tasting sweet virginia and woody latakia same time . Flavouring wisky giving so relaxing a taste . Ly down a chair and spread your feet enjoy the Bothy !
Pipe Used:
Sahin 5 Star
PurchasedFrom:
Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
3 month
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 17, 2015 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
To be honest, I didn't like this much first out of the tin. As one reviewer stated, it had a very strong and not necessarily pleasant odour upon opening. Not peaty scotch, not tobacco, more like fermented meat. However, I rested this in the tin for ... a few months, and now not only is the moisture content much better--it was far too moist before-- but the acrid smell has settled, and I smell a nice Virginia flake here. I tried rubbing it out, and I think this is the way to go for this flake. It burns cool and smooth with a delicious and unique flavor profile, unlike anything else I've tried. I cannot detect much in the way of Latakia, however that could be me--I'm a big fan of heavy Lat blends and may be a bit desensitized to it, but now after some time, it's a very pleasant experience! BTW, here's a tip--with these flake tins--if you take the lid, and slightly bend each of the four sides in a little bit--so you can just get it back on the tin itself, it improves the seal of the tin and the air tightness considerably.
Pipe Used:
Larger "Flake" pipes
PurchasedFrom:
Smokingpipes
Age When Smoked:
6-12 months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 27, 2015 | Mild to Medium | Medium | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
As with most of Gawith's flake it is simply too moist directly from the tin but rubbed out and then let to dry for ten minutes or so pays dividends. There's a sweet virginia smoothness, with a delicious whisky taste and a peppery latakia hint in the background. It hits the sweet point about mid bowl and then gived such a rich taste that the mouth waters - velvety, creamy and with just the rights amount of tang. It's not exactly a nicotine powerhouse but it is not weak either, there is plenty of body on this beast. I'm adding to this review after the tobacco has had a few months in the tin....It's even better. Smoother with the whisky taste really coming to the fore. Man, this is a nice smoke.
Pipe Used:
Falcon
PurchasedFrom:
black swann
Age When Smoked:
fresh and aged a little
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 13, 2015 | Mild | Very Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Yesterday I purchased a tin of this tobacco. Right now I'm smoking the second bowl and I am enthusiastic. After giving one hour to dry, the smoke is cool and tastes like a good virginia with a faint whisky aroma and a little bit of latakia in the background. Thanks to SG for this!
PurchasedFrom:
Linzbach, Düsseldorf, Germany www.tobacco.de
Age When Smoked:
new
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 23, 2022 | Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
From a sample bag that came to me already dried. So I was able to smoke it without laying it in the sun to dry. SG blends are notoriously wet. Bag note was Latakia and sweet hay Virginias.
Similar to Navy Flake this is mostly a Virginia flake with some Latakia in it however instead of Jamaican Rum it’s Scotch Whisky. The whisky subdues the tobacco just the right amount for me, but maybe too much for you, while imparting a slight flavor of its own. It makes this mostly Virginia flake rather smooth, much smoother than FVF. I like sweet tobaccos however I wouldn’t call this tobacco a sweet blend or an English crossover blend. There’s sweetness to it but what I would expect from a fine Virginia tobacco. Less so then if it were topped with rum. The retrohale is fine indeed. I detect mostly grassy, vegetative, earthy, malty hay, slight citrus Virginias, a small amount of musty herbal smoke, and something unique that I’ll say is the whisky but I’m not sure.
Hay, sweet bread, wood, earthy, malty Virginias with a tiny dash of Latakia. Along with a unique highland malt gives this flake a welcome depth and flavor. Smoked well once dried. No bite, mouth tingle, or bad aftertaste. A Va/Lat with Scotch Whisky: this is a braw of a tobacco!
Similar to Navy Flake this is mostly a Virginia flake with some Latakia in it however instead of Jamaican Rum it’s Scotch Whisky. The whisky subdues the tobacco just the right amount for me, but maybe too much for you, while imparting a slight flavor of its own. It makes this mostly Virginia flake rather smooth, much smoother than FVF. I like sweet tobaccos however I wouldn’t call this tobacco a sweet blend or an English crossover blend. There’s sweetness to it but what I would expect from a fine Virginia tobacco. Less so then if it were topped with rum. The retrohale is fine indeed. I detect mostly grassy, vegetative, earthy, malty hay, slight citrus Virginias, a small amount of musty herbal smoke, and something unique that I’ll say is the whisky but I’m not sure.
Hay, sweet bread, wood, earthy, malty Virginias with a tiny dash of Latakia. Along with a unique highland malt gives this flake a welcome depth and flavor. Smoked well once dried. No bite, mouth tingle, or bad aftertaste. A Va/Lat with Scotch Whisky: this is a braw of a tobacco!
Pipe Used:
Briar
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 18, 2021 | Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
Bothy Flake dodges easy classification. Is it an aromatic? Not overtly, no, despite its topping. An English? Though it does have latakia, no -- it's not an English, either. A Virginia, then? Not as most understand Virginias.
So what is Bothy Flake?
Over the course of smoking a 50g tin, I've come to experience Bothy Flake more as a blend of sense associations than tobaccos. Bothy Flake is the sight of a slow moving river at dusk. Bothy Flake is rest after a late summer harvest. Bothy Flake is the weight of a fine gold watch.
Slow. Heavy. Rich. Smooth. Calm. Relaxing.
It's been my evening smoke for more than a month. While not among my absolute favorites, I've come to value it for its singularity, fine flavor, and gentle disposition. This is a beautiful, unique blend that deserves to be tried.
So what is Bothy Flake?
Over the course of smoking a 50g tin, I've come to experience Bothy Flake more as a blend of sense associations than tobaccos. Bothy Flake is the sight of a slow moving river at dusk. Bothy Flake is rest after a late summer harvest. Bothy Flake is the weight of a fine gold watch.
Slow. Heavy. Rich. Smooth. Calm. Relaxing.
It's been my evening smoke for more than a month. While not among my absolute favorites, I've come to value it for its singularity, fine flavor, and gentle disposition. This is a beautiful, unique blend that deserves to be tried.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 12, 2021 | Medium | Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
A flake that tastes fantastic. Required a fair bit of drying time and was a tricky blend to keep lit. Once I realised that relights were inevitable, I thoroughly enjoyed this extremely high quality flake. The first thing I noticed was the virginia, the classic subdued sweetness of traditional SG quality. The deep, fermented fruit flavours shine through at this stage. It is a delicious combination of dark raisin or plum with the sweet smoke. This is all built upon a hint of latakia and the unmistakable peaty flavours of the Scotch whisky. This is a blend that screams quality. It is very well balanced and leaves a pleasant aftertaste. I rate it highly - despite its difficulty in keeping lit.
Pipe Used:
MM Corn Cob
PurchasedFrom:
GQ Tobaccos
Age When Smoked:
New from tin
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 05, 2015 | Strong | Medium to Strong | Full | Strong |
This is not for the faint-hearted, but if you love a strong latakia, this is wonderful stuff. The whisky comes through well, too, and complements the lat. An excellent tobacco to relax with in the evening.
Pipe Used:
Northern Briars banded oriental
PurchasedFrom:
Bob Gregory of SG, at a Pipe Club of London meeting
Age When Smoked:
fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 18, 2020 | Medium to Strong | Mild | Very Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
C H E B O M B A. Davvero buonissimo...provato per caso (mi piaceva la figura sulla latta): un mix complesso ma amabile, autunnale, nobile e buonissimo!
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