Detergent taste

[PMR]

Hi all,

I saw in another thread here in the pipe section that a couple of people had experienced a detergent like taste and it rang a bell for me. I purchased some Kendal Rum Flake made by Gawith and Hoggarth and I thought it was mostly unsmokeable because of this awful chemical detergent taste. WHat on Earth is this from and can I do anything about it?

[Emperor Zurg]

LMAO! That awful flavor is called the 'Lakeland Essence'. Some people actually like it - albeit probably folks who were not disciplined as kids by having their mouth washed out with soap for saying a bad word. I've resolved to research any SG or GH&Co tobacco I'm thinking of buying to make sure it's not considered a Lakeland blend because if it is, I ain't going to like it.

The good news is I've found it diminishes greatly with neglect... er... 'aging'. I had a tin of Bob's Chocolate Flake that had that nasty flavor and I couldn't stand the stuff. I chucked it in the back of a drawer for about a year, never bothering to seal it up or anything. It dried out to resemble brittle slices of tree bark. For some reason I decided to re-hydrate it with a little rum a couple months back and gave it another try. Lo and behold, the Lakeland soap taste was virtually gone.

I just picked up some GH&Co Rum Flake too (@Branzig is to blame for this) and I can't stand it either. I plan to give it the same treatment and see how it is in a year or so since the BCF isn't bad at all now.

[Nature]

Although my experience is limited, I have detected this taste reminding me of soap a few times. I actually kind of like it, although I think it is more of a floral taste. Many soaps are perfumed with floral notes, but we often associate it as being soapy or detergent like because that is what we are familiar with. Taste and smell are described or associated with our past experiences and comparing to what we know.

[Pugsley]

Anything with latakia tastes like soap to me, never could get used to it.

[mooster]

The good news is I've found it diminishes greatly with neglect... er... 'aging'. I had a tin of Bob's Chocolate Flake that had that nasty flavor and I couldn't stand the stuff. I chucked it in the back of a drawer for about a year, never bothering to seal it up or anything. It dried out to resemble brittle slices of tree bark. For some reason I decided to re-hydrate it with a little rum a couple months back and gave it another try. Lo and behold, the Lakeland soap taste was virtually gone.

Key point: not sealed! I opened a jar of Bright CR Flake that had been sealed for three years, and the essence was much stronger than when it was fresh. Completely unsmokable for me.

[Tobias Lutz]

I smoke a Lakeland and it gives me flashbacks to having my mouth washed out with a bar of Ivory by my granny. That said, I never noticed it in Bob's Chocolate Flake...it's one of my favorite flakes.

[StoneDog]

PMR, if you think that's bad stay away from the horror known as Ennerdale Flake.

The first time I tried Latakia (GL Pease Westminster) I could swear I'd just gargled with Calamine lotion. After improving my technique (that is, slowing down on the puffing and just relaxing) the flavors calmed down and became quite enjoyable.

[cigarsarge]

I love lakelands...Send any unwanted to me. Love Condor, Ennerdale, ect.

[PMR]

@cigarsarge , one tin of GH&Co Rum Flake with only one bowl missing is yours. PM your address.

[cigarsarge]

Many thanks PMR.