A full strength, full flavored pipe tobacco. Seems that nothing much has changed in the cellaring. We are committed to providing our services only to people who are of the proper age, and to protecting our youth as best as we possibly can. Live and learn. A nuisance! Quite a bit of the old stuff I have today is from what I bought. It may not display this or other websites correctly. A down right good dark lakeland flake. I sampled a few draws before lighting but could not discern the taste which was very slight. And I think it would be a great introduction to this type of tobacco. 4 Rope 50g Pipe Tobacco Product Number: 003-059-0011 Samuel Gawith was the son-in-law of Thomas Harrison, a snuff manufacturer who moved his trade and equipment to Kendal, Cumbria, England from Scotland in 1792. After most of my first tin (and more tins shall follow), I can make out the chocolate/aniseed flavouring. They just push their "house" blends around here which are really Altadis and Lane stuff. ALL images are Copyrighted and NOT for open use. It's just too good. One star for quality, second for the reminder to smoke slow, but this is one SG I won't be buying again, SG do too many other tobacco's which IMO are far superior. Like all SG tobaccos it is certainly of high quality. Purchased From: Friend personal collection. 50 g tin. This one is not for those smokers with weak constitutions. If you exhale through nose can detect faint hints of tonquin in the background. I pick up tones of black cherry, something sweet and vaguely like molasses and hints of rose. http://www.4noggins.com/samuelgawith-tobacco.aspx. But for now (to me) it just isn't that great a smoke. 24.30 Samuel Gawith Sams Flake Pipe Tobacco. This stuff is too strong. For this review, I?ve chosen an Edward's Husky Canadian which is dedicated to scented flakes. Blend Preferences: Straight Virginia - Sometimes (Spring/Summer) VA/BUR - Primarily VA/PER - Rarely (I believe Perique should be used as a condiment) English Mixtures (Oriental/Balkan/Latakia) - Sometimes (Fall/Winter) American - Sometimes Aromatics - Never. Very coarse and quite difficult pack with more tobacco smell than anything else by the time it had aired. I love SG stuff, usually, and daily smoke FVF, Best Brown Flake, Golden Glow. I smoked two pipefuls of it. The amount in USD and EUR can vary as the exchange rate changes. So don't overdo the drying. I have recently reset all my reviews because I feel that only now I really know what blends I enjoy and now have the experience to accurately give an honest review based on my personal tastes. I have to relite several times in the course of a bowl, but that is no big deal, as the smoke is very pleasant and sweet. But rather than Tonquin, Bracken Flake brings it's own essences: chocolate, menthol, cedarwood, liquorish even? Harrison passed the company and equipment down to his son-in-law, Samuel Gawith, whose company . Unknown production) and looked every bit like something brought over on the Mayflower. Ohh Bracken, smoking it almost feels like wrestling with Kraken! Imagine tobacco with no flavor..just strong and really unpleasant. Obviously not a close relative of 1792. The strange thing is, is that it doesn't seem to be an added topping, it seems to be just the taste of this tobacco that has been aged. Even after drying this out it had no real significant taste,though it did smell like an out house that had caught on fire. Company No. It's mellow & smooth all the way to the bottom of the bowl. There are lots of comparisons to 1792, but for my taste, the added flavoring in 1792 (Tonquin) is nothing like Bracken and I find the added flavors in Bracken to be less pronounced than 1792. Smoked, this was very good. I will say however that this weed is not quite as unforgiving as 1792, nor as rich. There is a hint of floral from time to time, but the defining taste is tobacco, and I found the topping to be fairly mild. It simply isn't my cup of tea. May be a good mix. I agree that it needs to be smoked slowly as there are many flavors that can be experienced as its sipped; cherry, licorice, sweet maduro leaf and chocolate to name a few. Samuel Gawith has been a producer of fine, premium tobacco products since 1792, using much of the same equipment and recipes dating back to the beginning. Too start from the beginning, it is, like all Gawith flakes, of very nice high quality tobacco. I have lately been exploring Lakeland Scented Flakes, and this one was high on the ?to try? You gents must be true lumber jacks. Worth a try. Very dark and rich, monochromatic and powerful, but not bitter or over the top. Again, this is the variance in thickness of the flakes. While it's not as strong as Black XX Twist - which literally feels like you're having a bowl of cardiac arrest - it's still not advised for the newcomers. Definitely not for the first timer. With over 200 years of history, Samuel Gawith has a lot of experience in pipe tobacco. I've enjoyed this on climbing expeditions in the Lakes and Peaks, and in Scotland: perfect hill walking companion. Nowadays, my tastes have become subtler and more refined (which doesn't mean that this tobacco is gross and rustic: simply, it is stuff from another era). I feel a better description would be STONEHAVEN on CRACK!! Today, they still produce a huge range of flavoursome blends whilst still implementing the same traditional methods and, some of the original machinery from 1792. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Westmorland Slices. It might have been many years ago, when I enjoyed Gitanes cigarettes (the ones with the black tobacco). Another great blend from SG&C. Upon opening, the tin aroma is potpourri-like and I shuddered at the thought of that aroma infecting the smoke. MTLOGBY. Too bad. I miss the nuances of the flavors. Some flakes are thick and some not so much, so youll have told determine how you want to prepare them. Its nothing like the two I mentioned just shares some similar toppings Nothing beats this blend when paired with a nice cup of coffee, its the perfect wake-me-up. Still surprised to find none of the tin aroma flavours in the smoke. From April 2nd 2021 we comply with new Danish law that prevents us from showing pictures of tobacco products. Join our email list to receive product updates, discounts & more! Email Us | (888)366-0345 Account Login Create Account . The Lakeland essence seems to play off the top notes of the dark fired tobacco. It is a blend that needs to be smoked for a while to be fully appreciated, especially since it's so full-flavored. McClelland's Dark Star (tinned) and dark navy flake (bulk) are milder in comparison. What hit me was not the spicyness of the flavour but how sigularly peppery it is which appealed to me. What a mistake. FREE Shipping on Orders of $95+ (Continental USA) | Yes, we ship Worldwide. Bracken Flake has to be one of the slowest burning blends I've piped, it seems endless! Less tonka and a more subtle blend in the topping, the tobacco is a little less potent and it's a little less sweet. This is a weird one when I opened the tin, the first thought that came to my mind was soap. Cool smoke, rich flavor, lovely mildness. One tin of FVFthat's all I'm asking for. It is far from 1792 in taste and flavoring, so I would advise those deciding to try or not to try Bracken Flake based on their experience with 1792, or vice versa, to avoid doing so. 2023 TobaccoPipes.com No bite at all. First: tin aroma and first puffs smells like "horse shit" (seriously). Once lit, seems to need a bit more draw than other flakes. Samuel Gawith Cabbies Roll Cut Mixture Pipe Tobacco 250g Bag. Mint? Best after lunch or dinner. I get hints of unsweetened cocoa and a pronounced woody character overall. I will buy more of this as soon as I can. The sweet scent (be it dark cherry or whatever; certainly no strong "bean" flavors here) is just slight to make the dark toasted leaf smoke sweet. By mid-bowl the fragrant topping is pretty well gone and the Kentucky leaf is coming into its own. By mid bowl, the burley comes through complimenting the Virginia while the nicotine starts to kick in. Too bad its no longer in production. This has to be considered as a very robust smoke. Actually, it may be slightly less intense than 1792 in the nicotine department: it IS strong, but in a small bowl it doesn't make me sweat or my heart race madly like 1792 did. Now where did I put the sand paper for my tongue??? With a blend this sweet it does need a slower sip and can tingle if puffed too hard once fully lit. Set back, load a bowl full and watch your troubles float away with the smoke. Notes: I smoked this in a number of pipes, including a corncob, but I ultimately found it best in my Lakeland-dedicated Ashton, size 2. So I do respect the blend. I stopped smoking pipes pretty much. I mean: I like dark stoved Virginias, but only when they are smooth, leathery but still with a nice sweetness. Whatever it is, I don't really like it that much. I do not get complexity like in FVF, but a very satisfying smoke. Samuel Gawith Pipe Tobacco (Est. GQ Tobaccos, we often get quizzed about cigars and , Samuel Gawith - Grousemoor - 50g Loose Pipe Tobacco, Samuel Gawith - Cabbies Mixture Loose - 50g Pouch, Samuel Gawith - Lakeland Dark Pipe Tobacco - Loose, Samuel Gawith - Reunion Series - Brown House Roll Cut (Loose), Samuel Gawith -Bothy Flake Pipe Tobacco - Loose, Samuel Gawith -Perfection Pipe Tobacco - Loose, Samuel Gawith - Navy Flake Pipe Tobacco - Loose, Pipe Tobacco Sampler - Samuel Gawith Bestsellers - 40g Total, Pipe Tobacco Sampler - Samuel Gawith Flake 1 - 40g Total, Samuel Gawith -Best Brown Flake Pipe Tobacco - Loose, Samuel Gawith - Lakeland Dark - 50g Tin, Samuel Gawith - Black Cherry Pipe Tobacco - Loose, Samuel Gawith - Celtic Talisman - 50g Tin, Samuel Gawith - Kendal Cream Flake - 50g Tin, Lighting Procedure for Dunhill Tobacco Pipes. However, upon lighting there was no potpourri note, no Lakeland floral/soapy note, nor any tonquin note. Similar Blends: Samuel Gawith 1792 and Lakeland Dark. I can only fill small bowls with basically broken flake at best. I let it dry for about 15 minutes and proceeded to smoke. And the long and rich history is somehow perfectly reflected in their sublime tobacco blends; theres simply something remarkably old fashioned about them! I thought this was an excellent tobacco and I'll certainly be smoking it again. Super for those evening walks out in the snow. The first couple of pipes were quite a novelty, but after a good few (half a tin) I can only somewhat recommend it. It is dark brown, sort of stringy and moist. As with most Lake District flakes which come this moist, I like to rub it out right away before it dries, into a broken ribbon for easy packing. I bought my tin from a place that just couldn't sell it. Burns cool always, but does need more relights than I would prefer. The nicotine level was perfect for menot overly strong, but certainly noticeable and satisfying. The tobacco was too moist in all three tins. Wow, this is strong stuff, and this is supposed to be milder than 1792! This one smokes quite cool and slow enough even when rubbed out some. Smokes very cool and as long as one hour in the smallest group 1 bowl which is pretty enough to satisfy the smoker. On first opening your pouch or tin, it smells like chocolate with a little bit of soap in it. Rather, the Kentucky is a bit temperamental and can be over-puffed to the point of extreme bitterness. Best Brown. Created with Sketch . Whenever one of those appears here on tobaccoreviews.com, that usually means it is a stout tobacco. Frankly, the "soapy" taste leaves me cold. It stays good to the very last morsel. Unfortunately we cannot ship tobacco outside of the UK. They compliment and at times overtake the Virginias a little. 1.800.364.5126 Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm EST Tobacco Pipes Cigars Accessories Consignment Specials Apparel Chew Tobacco Samuel Gawith: FULL VIRGINIA FLAKE 8oz Sold Out Samuel Gawith: ST. JAMES FLAKE 8oz Sold Out This however, was different in the way that it was not moist out of the tin at all, but just absolutely perfect. Harrison passed the company and equipment down to his son-in-law, Samuel Gawith, whose company Samuel Gawith & Co, continues to this day. Highly recommended for the fan of Lake District dark flakes. Now, for breaking it apart and packing into the pipe. It said Samuel Gawith found a few remaining tins, had badged them with a simple white label (due to the previous artwork being redundant), and My Smoking Shop bought the lot! A tobacco that should be stocked up on as age can do incredible things to the flavor of this spectacular blend. Nicotine is there but I do not find overpowering. That is not to say that it will bite, I've never experienced tongue-bite with this blend. Samuel Gawith Samuel Gawith Pipe Tobacco There is not a pipe tobacco company currently, or past, that epitomizes the word tradition more so than Samuel Gawith, with its recipes dating back to almost a decade before 1800. I can also detect deep Virginias and an underlying nuttiness which I attribute to the air curred Kentucky. And I definitely preferred folding to breaking it up. They burn cool and slow, they offer a healthy nicotine dose, they smell and taste kind of funky, and offer a satisfying pipeful. E&OE. Most all of my usual sources now have S. Gawith in-stock!! The harshness did fade a bit halfway through the bowl, and I was getting some nice flavors from small sips-the tobacco does burn well. 2001-2023 STC Holdings LLC, a division of Mac Baren USA. The tin aroma is reminiscent of a muted Erinmore, somewhat liquorice-like in character, perhaps some anise? I won't give Bracken 4 stars as I feel it is inferior to the likes of FVF and 1792 but I find it quite enjoyable and will continue to keep it in my Lakeland rotation as it just agrees with my palate. This one is not my prefer tobacco, but i find it very interesting, complex and enjoyable. They are right. There is a bit of Virginia involved here, not providing much in the way of sweetness to this cigar-like, shreds-of-tar spice factory. This works very well in a briar or a meeschaum. If you're into strong, dark flakes -- especially of the Lakeland variety -- try it; if you're not, approach with caution. next to none on smoking pipes, Pipes and cigars, or TobaccoPipes. Taste: The scent of of the tobacco is that of an autumn forest; wet earth and moss, decaying leaves and a pine-like odour from the topping. This is a great Latakia, Virginia with a nice rum note. When i smoke at the first time it looks like 1792. You can burn it to ash, though you may have to stir up the last quarter of the bowl depending how much or if you gave it any dry time. In 1930's Samuel Gawith's expanded further, taking over the Penrith based tobacco firm of Messrs William Nevinson, who had their snuff machinery in an old mill at Eamont Bridge. This is a mixture of Virginias and Kentuckys, with dark fired leaf. That long used essence is noticeable throughout the bowl. as the famous or infamous SG "1792", but still a full tobacco treat in terms of body and taste. I detect the fruitiness in the topping when smelling the flake which is similar to cherry as well as anise. I also like the fact that Bracken gives the impression of an aromatic with a full tobacco flavor and presence. Having enjoyed Grousemoor so much, I decided to try several SG Flakes, Bracken and Bulkan Flake. Smokes well in a falcon or briar, I've never tried it in a Meerschaum, doesn't seem like that sort of a tobacco. I rub it out some before smoking, although I prefer flakes you can just roll into your pipe (which breaks them up some) and smoke. Why are most Samuel Gawith blends completely out of stock? I wish the flakes came unbroken, because the larger pieces, folded like whole flake, smoke better than the smaller pieces. Nice broken (bracken) flake, and one I'll repeat. Damn, you are in Toronto too. A lot of people say this is just 1792 with a different topping but I strongly disagree. While flavor should be the most important factor in choosing a tobac, some are just too darn fickle to deal with (like McClellands Dark Star). This is a dark flake, somewhat thin with a nice earthy smell to it. After proper preparations it is a dry and biteless smoke that will require some relights. Purchased From: The factory, various tobacconists. Brand: Samuel Gawith Category: English Blend Components: Virginia, Latakia, Orientals, Perique Flavorings: None Cut Type: Ribbon Available Packaging: 50g tin Price: $13.75 USD On to the review From the Tin: Interesting combination in the tin. I attribute this to the humid summers of Virginia and to be honest all my blends smoke wet when July rolls around. Otherwise, it hits you with no forgiveness and becomes more acrid too. Was very surprised how much I liked this. All rights reserved. It has some nicotine from what I hear and read but the smell and taste of it is just too overwhelming for me to enjoy it. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Not a huge problem, but it does happen. The presses and cutters used by S. Gawith are of Robert Legg manufacture, a company founded 1849 and became the major player powerhouse in providing heavy industrial machinery to the UK tobacco industry -- especially notable for pipesmokers are Robt. I hold them in the highest regard and Im very thankful to still have the wonderful blends they have in production today. I picture a lone arthritic old man who should have retired twenty years ago doing his best to meet his onerous quotas, slicing as quick as he can on his clunky Victorian machine in some Dickensian stone cellar. Beware, and be amazed. The taste is quite full and strong on the palate, earthy, with suggestions of cherry fruit and Brazil nuts. This was a gift from a friend. The second bowl (the next day) i took some of the larger flakes and folded and stuffed them in my pipe. I see the similarities in strength (Dark Flake) and flavor (1792) but neither is really accurate. Hand rubbing resulted in fine shreds and grains. Samuel Gawith 1792 Dark Flake Pipe Tobacco (Loose) 3.99. Overall, very dark, with occasional bright flashes. Well, sorry, but I really can't understand how someone may like such a fermented tobacco. After lighting up, I noticed a slightly sweet cigar taste and aroma. Anyway, it's mostly in the scent, because the taste of the smoke is dominated by the tobacco (as it should be). Samuel Gawith has been producing world famous pipe tobacco for over 200 years, which are full of strength and mellow flavours. But what I do know is that it is a great quality tobacco that if I could buy some at suggested retail price, ha, I would. I crumbled up a flake and then I noticed the sweet smell of their secret sauce. It packed much easier and lit easily as well. It comes quite moist & needs to be dried out for a while. I should have smoked it in a smaller bowled pipe. Once you get it lite it's quite good. It's hard to gauge the strength of this flake. There is a sweet component to the smell, and that carries over to the smoke. I agree with a number of the reviews, the aroma when opening the tin is pleasant, the first half of the bowl is very pleasant..a little strong for me since I prefer a milder smokebut I find it does tend to loose its flavour half way through. Bracken is a medium to full bodied flake that is exceptionally smooth, earthy and has an illusive fruity sweetness. Due to this I primarily smoke and enjoy stronger blends. Bracken is one of them. KC flake isn't as strong though, and the effect on that lighter leaf is quite different. The tin odor is funky, in a pleasant way. A high quality flake for the seasoned piper, recommended. The first thing I noticed upon cracking the tin is the beautiful dark brown flakes lined neatly in double-rowed stacks. The topping or casing is immediately there and while a bit odd at first becomes a nice compliment to the fine quality leaf underneath. This tobacco, when crumbling apart, becomes sticky and leaves a brown residue on your hands. Super stuff. The shiny specks are the carbohydrates in the tobacco, which over time, have broken down into sugar, and is probably also due to the addition of sugar water. I HIGHLY recommend this blend if you don't shy away from full- bodied, full-flavored tobacco. I enjoyed this, and find it easy to recommend. That tradition continues today and it's evident in every bowl. I advise to let it air out a bit before breaking up and loading up. Out of stock Add to Wishlist Name-Brand Favorites Brown Number 4 Finest Kendal Twist $ 14.85 - $ 47.88 Select options Sale ! Will re-review if I can find it. By chance, I was smoking Rattrays 7 Reserve, always felt too plain. ** 4 full stars. Braken Flake is supposedly "of a lesser density than 1792", whatever that means. I found this flake to be dark and moist, and quite pungent in the tin, much like 1792 and Full Virginia Flake. Cob plug is the perfect tobacco for the connoisseur pipe smoker as it packs a good punch of strength and flavour from this blend of dark fired, oven baked mellow tobacco. It doesn't make my regular rotation due to its mono-dimensionality but it's a good smoke and one that should be tried by the smoker that is put off by 1792 but likes the richness. Description says "unique and alluring aroma" hmm.. not so sure about it, actually the scent reminds me indian incense sticks which I don't like. A note about the strength. Similar Blends: Samuel Gawith 1792, Dunhill Royal Yacht, Sams Flake, Gawith and Hogarth Dark Flake. Why Are Samuel Gawith Blends Always Out Of Stock? :: Pipe Tobacco small smokey base for the virginia to start from. I rolled it around my tongue and exhaled through my nose. Due to the "board" reviews here, I chose to sample Braken Flake before giving 1792 Flake a try. Published on 12 Jan 2019 2 Comments It's a crisp January morning. Fruity and spicy on the palate. This must be what Bracken is for. latakia? A shame this is no longer in production, I think at the time I tried this my palette was simply not ready for the stronger tobaccos with the more robust flavours. Scented talcum powder? Description Description. After a 15 minute airing they rubbed out readily and were quite dry. It is powerful, and not unpleasant; but too much of it leaves me with a pain in my throat. Oh how fine it is! So, I snapped some up, and here's how I find it: Removal of the lid reveals some thin, almost black flakes. People in this forum have complained about various things with this blend. I wouldn't mind a few tins of a few SG blends myself. and five minutes later biting into what you thought was gum and turned out to be a disgusting balled up Tootsie Roll in the middle. Free shipping! Don't ever attempt this blend before letting it dry out for a bit but it's a beauty. If there is, it is below the radar. Dear Goodness boys, how can you ever like this stuff? The tins seem to be pretty damp, so a good bit of drying time should be expected. 4. Opening the tin, I was surprised. Free shipping! Fire-cured Tanzanian leaf and steamed and pressed Virginias are pressed then steam-pressed to further marry and caramelize the flavors before being cut into decadent flakes. Individual reviews are the opinion(s) of the contributor and do not reflect the opinion(s) 24.30 Samuel Gawith Skiff Mixture Pipe Tobacco. Not disappointing enough to get rid of, but not pleasant enough to spend resources on a second time. But I think that's a given when you look at the constituent tobaccos and consider that Samuel Gawith is the blender. With a smaller bowl this was not a problem, and the strength was noticeable, but enjoyable. Put side by side with Condor (another classic English scented flake) they smell very similar. Nicotine is about a 8 out of 10 for me. From being able to , Here at I will venture a guess that the name, Bracken Flake, comes from Bracken Co., Kentucky, USA, the birthplace of White Burley and still the home of all things Burley tobacco. As I have understood it this blend was discontinued because of a shortage of the leaf required, but if that is the case how come 1792 and Lakeland Dark are still in production? But still there is a flavoring of some sort that I find difficult to describe. Buy Samuel Gawith Tobacco Online Australia - My Humidor I had tried this flake around ten years ago, and browsing in my tobacco shop the other day I found a tin of this and decided to give it another spin. Eventually dropped the whole line of flakes due to these drawbacks. This tobacco is not for the novice for first time pipe smoker. Bracken Flake is a great example of the best tobaccos to be had coupled with expert processing in that good old English tradition of elevating taste without purging the flake of good old vitamin "N". copyright intellectual property of the reviewer and STC Holdings LLC and may not be I dont think its any stronger than Irish flake in the nicotine department. My favourite being BBF I went for something that had "cocoa-chocolate", a bit stronger than BestBrown. By mid-bowl the sourness has increased and also the alkaloid taste of the Dark Fired Kentucky.The fruitiness/muskiness of the tonquin topping moves to the background. This is not like the Lakeland toppings that I would describe as perfumed but more of a singular rose note more in line with what I get from Condor and St. Bruno. I love rich taste with equal mildness and this hit the spot. SKU: LIMIT 2 PER CUSTOMER. Cause They Don't Make 'Em Like That Anymore. I would largely agree with a former employee of Knox Cigar in this regard that this is essentially 1792 without the tonquin. The Bracken Flake is a wonderful weed indeed.Upon opening the tin your greeted with an earthy tobacco smell and something that reminds me of clover honey.I dont find the aroma of the long-used essence intimidating,but those around me have commented on it.The flakes are dark and a little moist.This blend is just slightly cased and the fact that only a small amount is used will prevent it from having more than an infinitesimal effect on tobacco ignition and combustion-if any. The essence is a complete mystery to me. But if you don't do those, you fill find a sweet taste on the tip of your tongue. Overall this is one odd blend. For those that desire more flavor this is worth a try and is on my reorder list. Cut: Flake. I guess the experience is trending in the right direction though. Samuel Gawith has been producing world famous pipe tobacco for over 200 years, which are full of strength and mellow flavours. It comes very moist and needs to be dried. Even after smoking several pounds of the bulk version I still find it hard to describe other than Bracken flake to me is like a scented "light" version of Irish Flake. Tobacco Reviews | Samuel Gawith - St. James Flake (Kendal Mayor's The topping on this beast is very unique and hard to pinpoint but I definitely pick up on some rose. I is very full bodied and strong, yet it does not give any tongue bite at all, and does not produce a lot of smoke. Samuel Gawith | Cob Plug Pipe Tobacco - 25g Packet - Smoke-King Bracken Flake is a very dark and fragrant burley and VA, with a good amount of that famous Lakeland essence, which I guess is Tonquin. If you receive this confirmation repeatedly, you will need to enable cookies so that your response can be saved. Dark, dark tobacco. BF burns slowly, even when bone dry, and there is no tongue burn. Wont bite even if pushed, and has no harsh or dull spots. It tasted like I was smoking pure Bull dung, not that I've tried bull dung before. Sam Gawith's tobaccos are among my favorites, but I can't get past the unusual flavoring. Almost a crumbly like texture, which surprised me as these things are usually very moist and need to be dried out. Again, really smokes similar to a perique blend. One should have some experience before firing this one up. It is a minimum of 5 years old (on the shelf 5 years. It is a whopper of a strong tobacco too. This comparison really highlighted the ''fuller'' feel of Bracken Flake. I am tickled that many out there just don't get this flake. Try it in a clean quality pipe and toke gently. Mechanics: Samuel Gawith and their flakes, one never knows what to expect (a feature I actually really enjoy). Similar Blends: Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake with Perique.. 47 people found this review helpful. Easy to fill, burns also nice, but: it is like heavy lifting with the chest. The ingredients declared are no more than Kentucky, dark-fired Virginias and a mystery "long-used" essence. Due to our close relationship and cooperation with Samuel Gawith we are composing an exclusive line of blends for our shop. It srcambled my taste buds, and made me ill. A heavyweight with a lot of body. It was easy to smoke slowly and the flavor was consistent through the bowl. Maintains its flavor rather uniformly through the middle of the bowl. Apart from their burning characteristics and fire cured leaf they are completely different. Stronger than Goliath it packs a punch few will shrug off, but a slow cadence treats the patient smoker to a sunset of impressions. It's tobaccos like this that (almost) make me feel sorry for non-smoking epicures who will shell out $110-an-ounce for a taste of Perigord black truffles, but will never experience the exquisite flavors we come upon.