Virginia Tobacco » Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake Tobacco Reviews

FVF will put you in a contemplative mood.

About 6 months ago I received a one pound box of bulk FVF and found the contents sealed in plain cellophane; so I immediately transferred the entire contents to half-pint Mason jars. The flakes are dark brown, with a grassy dark aroma that matches their appearance. FVF rubs out very nicely into thin ribbons for ease of packing, lighting, and burn. But before you get that far you'll have to give it some drying time. I use a gentle hobby type hot air gun to get the job done quickly because I'm impatient, and I rarely plan my next smoke in advance.

This is not a bright, sharp Va. flake. Neither is it sugary sweet. Perhaps Gawith's "hot pressing" technique has tamed both of those Va. properties, rendering a smooth, mild smoke with only the subtle sweetness of a cooked root vegetable. Although it belongs in the family of grassy Va.'s, somewhat like rye, whatever sharpness it might have had has dissipated like a Cheshire cat, leaving only a soft spice-like flavor that reminds me most of fennel. Other dark tastes and impressions ebb and flow throughout the smoke, including a nutty toastiness and an ineffable dark fermented flavor approaching that of soy sauce. The finish is long lasting and suggestive of non-sweet cocoa.

I don't taste any Lakeland essences and flavorings, so if they've been used, it is so sparing that they're making their subtle contributions without leaving any signature. Like G.L. Pease said in another context: if you have to ask, then they must be doing it right. In this regard one thing is certain, the ghost of FVF will not haunt your pipe with any untoward odor.

Although I have no reason to believe there is anything other than specially processed Virginia leaf in this blend, perhaps with some very mild flavoring, it does remind me of Rattray's Hal O'The Wynd (which achieves the resemblance using Kentucky and Perique.)

FVF produces a good volume of velvety smoke that is most relaxing. It is a mild, slow burning blend with medium strength, good body, and full flavor. It is a very dry and cool smoke, and just refuses to bite. I didn't find any evolution of flavors as the smoke progressed; but I do limit myself to smaller (group 3 or 4) pipes for a shorter smoke because the full flavor of this blend fatigues my palate quite easily. YMMV.

A Great Virginia Flake!

I have smoked this blend in both tinned and bulk. The tinned version contains a little more moisture and that is where the differences end. I can detect no difference in flavor, aroma, or any other qualities from either the tinned or bulk versions.

The tin aroma is a straight forward Virginia tobacco aroma. It is accompanied by that tangy Virginia smell that I find really appealing with a very slight sweetness far in the background. I rubbed out a few flakes into a slightly chunky mixture and loaded the pipe.

The first thing that I noticed is the nice natural sweetness of the Virginias, it is very nice. At no time did the tang from the tin aroma make itself known in the taste of the tobacco. There was just that nice Virginia sweetness. There is nothing complex about this blend, but it is a great smoke. It is a straight forward Virginia tobacco blend. It has a slight naturally sweet finish that lingers for a bit. If you push it too hard, it will bite. So be careful and take your time to slowly smoke this and savor every puff.

Now make no mistake; this blend might not be complex, but it is a great pure Virginia blend. In my opinion, it is one of the best Virginia blends made. It smokes slow, cool, and dry. It is in my top 5 favorite tobaccos and has been since I first smoked it about 3 years ago. If you like or love Virginia blends, (I love them), this is an absolute must try.

I Highly Recommend it.

Deep straight VA. Recommended