TOM May 07-Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake

[kheffelf]

Put your reviews here for the tom for May. Doyle, I noticed it wasn't in your cellar don't buy any because it is coming your way. Should be there on Tuesday or Wednesday for the lottery.

[IHT]

Originally Posted by kheffelf

Put your reviews here for the tom for May. Doyle, I noticed it wasn't in your cellar don't buy any because it is coming your way. Should be there on Tuesday or Wednesday for the lottery.

he also got a small bulk sample in the list pif.

[solafid3]

I dunno... this tobacco definitely suprised the crap out of me. I packed my bowl by doing the fold and tamp for half the bowl. I've never had an all Virginia before but this tobacco is definitely powerful, and tasty.

Lighting it up was pretty hard, because it was my first flake, but I eventually got it lit with 3 to four tries with my lighter. I smoked this in my Tsuge Kaga Pot.

It's definitely spicy and sweet... but was definitely good. Got me a buzz from just smoking half the bowl. It's not an all day smoke but after dinner it's nice.

[ShawnP]

I guess I will crack the tin tonight and see what happens, I love straight VAs



Report back later......



Shawn

[NCatron]

Purchased 4oz bulk from smokingpipes.com.

First bowl: Windy outside, tobacco probably a bit on the moist end... so non-ideal conditions.

The flakes are very large and tough to break/crumble, shipped with pretty decent moisture level. I'm too impatient to dry it, so I tear into smaller pieces and stuff 'em in my new Tsuge Kaga pot, so I get about 1/4 of a large flake to fit. The flavor is very good. I'd characterize it as a collective of dark flavors. Brown sugar, chocolate, figs, etc. not one predominates, but it has elements that remind me a bit of each. Not surprising for a flake, the flavor is pretty steady from start to finish, but this is hardly disappointing when the taste is so great.

The burn isn't ideal, per the conditions mentioned above, but with some drying and minus the wind, I'm sure it'll improve.

Overall, for my first straight Va, I'm extremely happy, and it won't be my last Va.

4.9/5

[IHT]

i'll be sure to post a review whenever i get my luggage from CONTINENTAL AIRLINES!!

[IHT]

Place & Date = Hampton Inn, Ottawa, IL, Rm# 309, 10May07
Tobacco = Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake (bulk)
Type = flake
Cut Width = thick
Cut Length = long
Ingredients = "choice Virginia Leaf pressed to a rich brown color & flavor."

Evaluated Aspects scale of 0-4:
Appearance (package): 4 - bulk, so a bag.
Appearance (tobacco): 4 - very long flakes, a little darker than the tinned version.
Condition (humidity level): 3 - a little more humid than what i like to smoke, but perfect for storing and letting air dry for 30-40 minutes.
Smell: 4
Packing (easy to difficult): 4 - easy, you can fully rub it out, roll & stuff, rub/roll/stuff, whatever.
Lighting (easy to difficult): 1 - would easily be a 4 if i had a lighter or good matches, and the tobacco had time to dry out.
Taste (beginning): 3 - tangy straight VAs. a little bite due to humidity, puffing frequency to keep it going.
Aroma (beginning): 4 - it has to be terrific.
Taste (halfway): 3 - medium strength for a VA. sweet and tangy, a little burn out the nose - young and moist 'baccy.
Aroma (halfway): 4 - nice and light, has an "aftersmell" to it that's a lot like the taste.
Taste (end): 3 - same as above.
Aroma (end): 4 - same as above.
Consistency of taste: 4 - right on, dude.
Consistency of aroma: 4 - nummy-num-nums.
Combustion: 4 - once going, it stays going. took me a while due to crap hotel matches and not fully drying out the tobacco.
Humidity during smoke: 2 - currently a little too humid.
Tongue irritations: 2 - tobacco too moist, puffing a tiny bit too much to keep it lit. if i had a lighter i'd slow down, but i went through half a book of matches to get it going.
Throat irritation: 4 - ??? none.
Stomach irritation: 4 - ??? again, never heard of this.
Satisfaction of smoke: 3 - my own fault, puffing too much.
After-taste: 3 - solid. not a good choice to pair with Port, but water is working fine.
Smell to others (around you): 4 - can only assume, as i'm in my room by myself, with only CSI SVU playing in the background.
quality-price rapport: 4 - top notch in quality, as are all SG blends, and very easy on the wallet if bought online. this was the bulk version, so it's every cheaper on the bank account.

Impressionistic Evaluation (choose one):
_X_this is one of the best... blah, blah, blah.... (8 pts)
__i wouldn't mind paying for it... blah, blah, blah.... (6 pts)
__only if someone gave me a tin, etc (4 pts)
__i don't like it, but can understand other may (2 pts)
__one of the worst tobacs i've ever smoked (0 pts)

TOTAL SCORE OUT OF 100: 87!!

my own BS comments freeform style: i feel that i'm preferring the tinned version to the bulk. the tinned version seems to be presented in flakes that are more easily rubbed out than the bulk, with wider/shorter flakes. the flavor is pretty much the same as far as i remember. bulk version seems to be better suited to NOT be rubbed out, just due to the prior comment about the flake.
one of my favorite VAs. could be pretty strong if you use a large bowl and are not use to it. i'm starting to get some after-taste about 3 minutes after setting the pipe down to type... it's mixing with the port i sipped about 3 minutes prior to that. not so bad now... probably should stick with something less powerful in the flavor arena than port, like a nice ice water.
would have scored higher if i'd had let the tobacco dry out a LOT more, and then had a decent lighter or matches. slower is better.

[kheffelf]

Have had a couple of bowls of this stuff now. I bought the bulk version which like others have said are huge flakes. It was very easy for me to rub this out to the style that I like. Put this into a Tinsky and I really have enjoyed it. It isn't the strongest I have had so I would classify this as a medium strength virginia. Great taste very sweet. Burned very well for me in the bowl, only had to relight a couple of times which was probably more of the packers fault than the tobaccos. This isn't the greatest tobacco I have ever had but I would buy again and have a couple of tins to put a year on and see how the tobac will change. In the end this tobac for me is a 3/4.

[IHT]

Place & Date = Hampton Inn, Ottawa, IL, Rm# 309, 17May07
Tobacco = Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake (bulk)
Type = flake
Cut Width = thick
Cut Length = long
Ingredients = "choice Virginia Leaf pressed to a rich brown color & flavor."

Evaluated Aspects scale of 0-4:
Appearance (package): 4 - bulk, so a bag.
Appearance (tobacco): 4 - very long flakes, a little darker than the tinned version.
Condition (humidity level): 3 - a little more humid than what i like to smoke, but perfect for storing and letting air dry for 30-40 minutes.
Smell: 4
Packing (easy to difficult): 4 - easy, you can fully rub it out, roll & stuff, rub/roll/stuff, whatever.
Lighting (easy to difficult): 3 - this time i used a lighter, then a match. after the first charring lights with a ligther, i used two cheapy matches and it took off running.
Taste (beginning): 3 - tangy straight VAs.
Aroma (beginning): 4 - it has to be terrific.
Taste (halfway): 3 - medium strength for a VA. sweet and tangy - no burn this time out the nose.
Aroma (halfway): 4 - nice and light, has an "aftersmell" to it that's a lot like the taste.
Taste (end): 3 - same as above.
Aroma (end): 4 - same as above.
Consistency of taste: 4 - right on, dude.
Consistency of aroma: 4 - nummy-num-nums.
Combustion: 4 - once going, it stays going.
Humidity during smoke: 3 - almost right on the money, just a tad too moist, but about where i want it when i rub it out.
Tongue irritations: 4 - none.
Throat irritation: 4 - ??? none.
Stomach irritation: 4 - ??? again, never heard of this.
Satisfaction of smoke: 4 - excellent, my good man.
After-taste: 3 - solid. not a good choice to pair with Port, but water is working fine.
Smell to others (around you): 4 - can only assume, as i'm in my room by myself.
quality-price rapport: 4 - top notch in quality, as are all SG blends, and very easy on the wallet if bought online. this was the bulk version, so it's even cheaper on the bank account.

Impressionistic Evaluation (choose one):
_X_this is one of the best... blah, blah, blah.... (8 pts)
__i wouldn't mind paying for it... blah, blah, blah.... (6 pts)
__only if someone gave me a tin, etc (4 pts)
__i don't like it, but can understand other may (2 pts)
__one of the worst tobacs i've ever smoked (0 pts)

TOTAL SCORE OUT OF 100: 93!!

my own BS comments freeform style: i feel that i'm preferring the tinned version to the bulk. the tinned version seems to be presented in flakes that are more easily rubbed out than the bulk, with wider/shorter flakes. the flavor is pretty much the same as far as i remember. bulk version seems to be better suited to NOT be rubbed out, just due to the prior comment about the flake.
one of my favorite VAs. could be pretty strong if you use a large bowl and are not use to it. i'm starting to get some after-taste about 3 minutes after setting the pipe down to type...
not much else to add from the last time, other than it was less moist, i had a better time lighting it and keeping it lit, which allowed me to slow down even more.
my dumbass once again grabbed some Port to drink with it.. duh.

*blue text: change from previous review

[Hoplophile]

This is a good flake, and I come back to it every once in a while. It has the classic VA profile of a very subdued, light flavor that builds through the course of the bowl. The flavors are rather "dark", for lack of a better word, and the sweetness is a rich, butterscotch type of sweetness, but that quality never overwhelms the smoky tobacco essence. I find that this is a tobacco where the aroma through the nose significantly contributes to the experience; my favorite pipe for smoking FVF flake is a tiny Dunhill bent billiard because the bowl is very close to, and just under my nose. For a very interesting taste, try smoking it in a pipe that you use to smoke heavy Latakia blends... some Virginias taste really great that way, and this is one of them.

Full Virginia Flake needs to dry a good bit upon opening the tin. (I have not, by the way, smoked the bulk version). I don't rub it out, but the chunky flakes tend not to fit in the small bowls in which i enjoy this tobacco, so I try to tear chunks off against the grain. Curiously, this one of the only Virginias I've smoked that did not reward "Delayed Gratification" smoking to any degree; I much prefer to smoke it in one sitting.

[TimB]

I got mine in bulk and I am really on the fence. I just can't seem to really get into any pure VA blend, but this and Stokkebye's Luxury Bull's eye are definately the ones I go to when I am craving a Latakia free experience.

I really like the clean flavor profile and the tatse isn't too bad but I always feel as though I am missing something (I must be with so many folks devoted to the Va / Vaper genre).

I keep thinking I will like it more if I mix in just a bit of Latakia

Anyway I have only had three bowls, so I will give it a few more tries and potentially update this review. As it stands, I can see that it is quality tobacco, but I can't see myself rushing out to buy more.

[IHT]

bumping this to see if Booker will post a review.

[IHT]

only 7 reviews for this??

that's too bad, it's a great VA.

Originally Posted by IHT

only 7 reviews for this??

that's too bad, it's a great VA.

I really wanted to do a review but my new found NC
Allergies are killing me this year. I've smoked maybe 7 bowls within the last 2 1/2 months. WHich suxs. Nothing like having great stuff to smoke and not being able to touch it.. BUT i must say from the one bowl of FVF i've had, was very good.

[hyper_dermic]

Funny, im having the same problems this spring...
im getting my butt KICKED by allergies this season. it just saps all enjoyment out of smoking as i cant TASTE ANYTHING..

I suppose i can always do a stock review of FVF!
From what i can remember FVF is an excellent example of a dark VA flake.
I cant remember what level of complexity the smoke had, but i do know ive always got an open tin, and a couple that are ageing.
A nice, rich VA... not as sweet as some "lighter" VAs, but sometimes your in the mood for a deep, rich smoke.

Full VA flake is a perfect example of a fine VA flake. It burns right, tastes fantastic, and like most pipe tobacco is easy on the wallet. I prefer to rub out the flakes fairly fine. If i am smoking outside, i leave them a bit chunkier.

Compared to SG's Best Brown Flake, i think FVF is a much better blend and should be a staple in anyone's cellar.
If i can get any releif from this mucus onslaught from some OTC medecine ill pack a bowl and do a proper review!

-hyp