Tobias Lutz
02-19-2015, 05:25 PM
I want to start out by saying that I've never encountered a brand that delivered so well on 5 different randomly selected blends. The quality of all the G&H tobacco I have smoked is top notch and stands as a testament to their craftsmanship and dedication as blenders. Now...on to the reviews.
1. Dark Bird’s Eye Flake
This stuff comes in a very fine ribbon cut that requires zero prep before going into your pipe. It has a sweet, yet robust tin note that reminds me of leather and roasted meat. It has a note of hay, but it is extremely fragrant, not dry and one dimensional- very enticing. It packed beautifully in may bent Savinelli Fuoco. This may be the best straight Virginia I have ever smoked. It is definitely a stronger blend that will tickle your nose and throat if you are used to milder weed- for some reason it reminded me of C&D’s Exhausted Rooster, but so much better. I got notes of oak and a low-key sweetness I would liken to having a pinch of sugar in your double espresso. Supposedly it is cut so fine to make it easier for sailors to keep lit during a storm- whatever the reason, it burns great and something tells me it would be particularly good in a churchwarden. Virginias don’t get much better than this A+
2. Glengarry Flake
I was attracted to the “honeydew” topping description that I read for this blend. It is a straight Virginia topped with a proprietary concoction that smells faintly floral, but mainly like clover honey and brown sugar. The leaf itself offers a grassy contribution to the mix, but all in all it is a pretty mild smelling mixture. The moisture consistency seems a bit on the dry side and not as springing as some G&H blends. I smoked out of a straight Stanwell Day and Night. I found this to be a moderately strong tobacco but extremely mild on the aromatic side. I got flavours of honey and oats, followed by grassiness and vanilla, and concluded with a sweet raisin note. It burned well and didn’t bite. I would consider this to be a good aro for gents that mainly smoke Vas or VaPers. It’s pretty straightforward and delivered a decent smoke. B
3. Top Black Cherry (2012)
This stuff is a beast to rub out- the Cavendish is dark and sticky out of the tin causing it to cake rather than crumble between your palms. The only real solution for this is time on a plate (I actually left mine out over night. The scent is heavy with syrupy cherry goodness that smells very natural as opposed to some of the drugstore cherry blends. This had a couple years on it and I was excited to pack it into a Gatlinburlier no.79 housepipe. This started off very fragrant- almost perfumed. It really took on the flavor of dark bing cherries with notes of vanilla bean and liquor. It had a cool, clean burn and really offered a cut above the average cherry blend. It’s unique, but quite tasty, and I’ll give it a B+.
4. Bob’s Chocolate Flake (2011)
Ever since I was first introduced to BCF, it has been one of my favorite blends. It is rare to find an aromatic so artfully balanced- particularly one that includes Latakia. It rubs out beautifully and packs straight from the tin without any additional drying. One of the most unique things about this blend, in my opinion, is the way it doesn’t smell like much of an aro. The Virginia establishes a foundational hay scent, and there are certainly hints of the chocolate topping, but it smells like little more than the cocoa contribution of a good burley. The Latakia is almost completely MIA- offering only the faintest smokiness that can be missed if you don’t search for it diligently. I smoked out of a Vauen walnut and maple Wood. The bowl starts off nice with a light cocoa note that reminds me of chocolate nougat in a Three Musketeers candy bar. It is a milder blend and the sweetness really comes more from the Virginias than the toppings. The Latakia adds just the slightest pine flavors that combine with the chocolate to remind me a bit of Christmas time. I think this is a great blend for strong dark coffee because it doesn’t compete with, but rather compliments the flavors. I have, and will continue to recommend this to new folks- a great blend. A+
5. Rum Flake (2010)
This was a four-year old tin that had been transferred to a mason jar to avoid the loss of seal on the original rectangular packaging. A fairly sturdy broken flake, this rubs out to be a very fine, springy ribbon. It has a nice balance of burley and Virginias that contribute a grassy, nuttiness to the background while maple is the overwhelming scent coming off the leaf. It isn’t overwhelmingly sweet smelling, but it certainly entices the nose, like fresh syrup on a stack of buckwheat pancakes. The rum wasn’t evident to me in the tin note, but there was the slightest spice behind the maple that could have come from it. I smoked out of a Graco Ocean. This was very cool burning and a pleasure to smoke! It required one light (no additional char) to smoke the entire bowl while casually puffing down the highway. I was able to taste dark rum and nuts from the start. It moved into a delicious maple not that reminded me of maple covered peanut candy my grandmother used to always eat. There was the slightest bit of spice from the Virginias that tickled the back of the throat. Overall, I found this to be extremely unique and tasty, and it couldn’t have smoked easier. A
1. Dark Bird’s Eye Flake
This stuff comes in a very fine ribbon cut that requires zero prep before going into your pipe. It has a sweet, yet robust tin note that reminds me of leather and roasted meat. It has a note of hay, but it is extremely fragrant, not dry and one dimensional- very enticing. It packed beautifully in may bent Savinelli Fuoco. This may be the best straight Virginia I have ever smoked. It is definitely a stronger blend that will tickle your nose and throat if you are used to milder weed- for some reason it reminded me of C&D’s Exhausted Rooster, but so much better. I got notes of oak and a low-key sweetness I would liken to having a pinch of sugar in your double espresso. Supposedly it is cut so fine to make it easier for sailors to keep lit during a storm- whatever the reason, it burns great and something tells me it would be particularly good in a churchwarden. Virginias don’t get much better than this A+
2. Glengarry Flake
I was attracted to the “honeydew” topping description that I read for this blend. It is a straight Virginia topped with a proprietary concoction that smells faintly floral, but mainly like clover honey and brown sugar. The leaf itself offers a grassy contribution to the mix, but all in all it is a pretty mild smelling mixture. The moisture consistency seems a bit on the dry side and not as springing as some G&H blends. I smoked out of a straight Stanwell Day and Night. I found this to be a moderately strong tobacco but extremely mild on the aromatic side. I got flavours of honey and oats, followed by grassiness and vanilla, and concluded with a sweet raisin note. It burned well and didn’t bite. I would consider this to be a good aro for gents that mainly smoke Vas or VaPers. It’s pretty straightforward and delivered a decent smoke. B
3. Top Black Cherry (2012)
This stuff is a beast to rub out- the Cavendish is dark and sticky out of the tin causing it to cake rather than crumble between your palms. The only real solution for this is time on a plate (I actually left mine out over night. The scent is heavy with syrupy cherry goodness that smells very natural as opposed to some of the drugstore cherry blends. This had a couple years on it and I was excited to pack it into a Gatlinburlier no.79 housepipe. This started off very fragrant- almost perfumed. It really took on the flavor of dark bing cherries with notes of vanilla bean and liquor. It had a cool, clean burn and really offered a cut above the average cherry blend. It’s unique, but quite tasty, and I’ll give it a B+.
4. Bob’s Chocolate Flake (2011)
Ever since I was first introduced to BCF, it has been one of my favorite blends. It is rare to find an aromatic so artfully balanced- particularly one that includes Latakia. It rubs out beautifully and packs straight from the tin without any additional drying. One of the most unique things about this blend, in my opinion, is the way it doesn’t smell like much of an aro. The Virginia establishes a foundational hay scent, and there are certainly hints of the chocolate topping, but it smells like little more than the cocoa contribution of a good burley. The Latakia is almost completely MIA- offering only the faintest smokiness that can be missed if you don’t search for it diligently. I smoked out of a Vauen walnut and maple Wood. The bowl starts off nice with a light cocoa note that reminds me of chocolate nougat in a Three Musketeers candy bar. It is a milder blend and the sweetness really comes more from the Virginias than the toppings. The Latakia adds just the slightest pine flavors that combine with the chocolate to remind me a bit of Christmas time. I think this is a great blend for strong dark coffee because it doesn’t compete with, but rather compliments the flavors. I have, and will continue to recommend this to new folks- a great blend. A+
5. Rum Flake (2010)
This was a four-year old tin that had been transferred to a mason jar to avoid the loss of seal on the original rectangular packaging. A fairly sturdy broken flake, this rubs out to be a very fine, springy ribbon. It has a nice balance of burley and Virginias that contribute a grassy, nuttiness to the background while maple is the overwhelming scent coming off the leaf. It isn’t overwhelmingly sweet smelling, but it certainly entices the nose, like fresh syrup on a stack of buckwheat pancakes. The rum wasn’t evident to me in the tin note, but there was the slightest spice behind the maple that could have come from it. I smoked out of a Graco Ocean. This was very cool burning and a pleasure to smoke! It required one light (no additional char) to smoke the entire bowl while casually puffing down the highway. I was able to taste dark rum and nuts from the start. It moved into a delicious maple not that reminded me of maple covered peanut candy my grandmother used to always eat. There was the slightest bit of spice from the Virginias that tickled the back of the throat. Overall, I found this to be extremely unique and tasty, and it couldn’t have smoked easier. A