I just tried (fresh) Samuel Gawith's Full Virginia Flake

[Kyle Weiss]

Yes, I put "fresh" in there for a reason. I managed to get 3oz (of 4oz) of bulk recently, which I think I was pretty lucky to get. Stuffed in a small 4oz mason jar, I really wanted the opportunity to check this stuff out since the pipe community as a whole is wild-eyed and rabid about it. "Fresh" will be the key word here because I also have a couple of aged tins from early 2008--also a lucky find.

What a great day to try something special and new!

The smell is somewhat pungent, strong and slightly sweet with mild acidity. The flake broke apart with some effort, this stuff is REALLY crammed together. Half a "flake" was probably far too much. It kept lit relatively well throughout the bowl. The first 1/4 bowl had a slightly sour, grapefruit-like note to it, not unpleasant at all. There was also a "fresh cigarette" note to it which was unappealing, but mellowed out after the first 1/4, as well. From that point on, I got straightforward, smooth, meaty Virginia. Safe to say the grapefruit "nose" was present throughout. It didn't bite at all, smoked cool, and was very good, but it was relatively non-dynamic. Nicotine was moderate to high. I found great pleasure in "DGT" (delayed gratification technique) where I put the pipe down to let my palette rest a little, and each tamp and re-light was a real joy, but settled down into the same bold, thick and "basic" good Virginia.

Overall, an enjoyable smoke and one I cannot deny the quality and craftsmanship. I can't say I've been swept off my feet into Pipe Nirvana as some would have led me to believe I would, but again, the aged stuff is going to be a different beast, methinks. I wanted to compare this to other Virginia I have tried, like GL Pease Union Square and McClelland 2000/5120 Fragrant Mature varieties--which are dynamic, toasty, sweet and lovely. Fresh compared to fresh, I have to say, I prefer the other three to this particular FVF. As I also have some aged Union Square and SG Best Brown Flake, that too, will have to be revisited and considered. This little 3oz in the jar is going to sit in the back to grow up a little.

As FVF, the seemingly undisputed, most loved tobacco I can find pipesters going to, I have to say as a fresh Virginia, there's others I'd pick up to open and use fresh before this one, and as hard as it is to get, I'm not going to beat myself up if I get it and either have to cellar it and wait, or just manage to find some aged stuff. I like this tobacco, but fireworks did not ensue. Squadron Leader is by far my favorite SG blend...for now. Makes me curious what Medium Virgina Flake (or others in the line) could be like...

With that said, when I finally stop hesitating and crack open one of the almost five year tins of FVF I have, this is only half the story. 8) So don't string me up at high noon on my opinions of FVF quite yet. :lol:

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

Only during the Zimbabwean days did I feel fresh FVF was something special. Since then it has been a good, but unremarkable, VA.

 

[JT]

Kyle:

Unfortunately, others do not share Mike's estimation of FVF as a "good, but unremarkable Virginia." Otherwise, there would be no shortage of it available to those of us who love the stuff. He's right that the older stuff was more consistently sweet and richer, but IMHO it is still the best Virginia pipe tobacco available today.

BTW, before you smoke your next bowl, dry the tobacco to the point where it breaks when you bend it - it may even feel a little too dry - and see if you notice a difference. When moist, FVF is definitely "unremarkable," but it is really at its best when smoked drier than you would most tobaccos.

Good luck, brother.

irate:

 

[MisterE]

Kyle:
BTW, before you smoke your next bowl, dry the tobacco to the point where it breaks when you bend it - it may even feel a little too dry - and see if you notice a difference. When moist, FVF is definitely "unremarkable," but it is really at its best when smoked drier than you would most tobaccos.

My first "wet out of the tin" experience with FVF was just that: unremarkable. +1 for a good drying out. You will notice a big difference.

 

[Muddler]

I fully agree with the comments about drying. I dry FVF almost to a crisp. But then I do this with all Va flakes - GLP, McC etc. FVF can take a good few bowls before you "get it" so don't give up. And it really needs at least a year of age to settle down. To my taste, not only is it a remarkable blend but is the benchmark for all Va flakes.

 

[ZeroContent]

I found FVF too sharp young but the flavor is fantastic. It'll need some time in the cellar to take the edge off, can't wait.

 

[Anonymous]

1) "Fresh" (as used here) = Green (?) Two years = minimum.

2) There's a learning curve that goes into smoking FVF (& GLP weedage) @ tin moisture level. It's less tricky when it's drier but, while nice, the flavor is a ghost of what it is @ (IMHO) optimum moisture level.

:face:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Well, as was stated, I have some good aged stuff, and the patience to wait out the stuff in the jar. Next bowl: I will try dried. Thank you all for the tips.

I knew this wasn't a "one trick pony," there's a lot of depth in the tobacco, very good quality, I just wonder what other tricks it can perform. 8)

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

I must have bought a pound sometime in the dark ages. I still have 10 ozs, and I know that I've given away 6. I also know that I've bought 2 or 3 tins along the way. My guess is that I've smoked it on and off. Had I found it remarkable it would have stayed in my rotation; that's why I have to piece together my smoking history now.

But I hear that others have had quite a different experience with this tobacco, especially when dry.

I'm going to wait until my unopened jars mature this May and give it due consideration.

 

[Cadfael]

No more Zimbabwe?

 

[Dutch]

Great review once again..... :cheers:

 

[Anonymous]

Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) is still there. But the White landowners who grew the stuff carefully and properly aren't. The situation's probably parallel with Cuba, post-1959. So SG (& GH) have had to scramble to come up with alternate sources & tweak what they can get into conformity with their flavor profiles as best they can.

The other factor is probably the long-term contract Z signed with China to sell it some huge amount (I forget the exact number) of cigarette tobacco every year.

:face:

 

[Anonymous]

I knew this wasn't a "one trick pony"

I didn't say it was. I said that, IMHO, Samuel Gawith was.

:face:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I didn't say it was. I said that, IMHO, Samuel Gawith was.

:face:

Well, I didn't say you said anything of the sort, either. So, neener-neener. :lol:

Also, a great information opened up with SG versus the Zimbabwean tobacco growing issue--thanks, Mike and Yak, for bringing that up. Any more stuff I can read about that hangin' around someplace?

 

[riff raff]

I was overwhelmed by the nicotine on my first smoke and underwhelmed by the overall experience. I let mine set in a jar for a few months and gave it another shot. I think another big difference was I switched to lighting with a match versus butane lighter. It was drier and I didn't have to beat the daylights out of with the flame. With a match, I was able to discern some more subtle flavors and it was overall more enjoyable. Neil Roan has an interesting article about the match vs. lighter on his blog. It struck me that was a big point of difference in this tobacco and a few others.
http://www.apassionforpipes.com/classic-blog-posts/the-thermodynamics-of-pipe-smoking.html

 

[s.ireland]

Only during the Zimbabwean days did I feel fresh FVF was something special. Since then it has been a good, but unremarkable, VA.

Hey Mike do you recall what actual years qualified as the Zimbabwean days? I ask because I have quite a few pounds of FVF from 2004-2009 and some is dark and covered in bloom and some is lighter brown and still pretty sparkly. I've enjoyed both varieties a great deal but they are different

And I'm in the camp that most blends are better on the dry side so I'm in complete agreement with those that suggest drying out FVF in order to really enjoy it

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

I can't remember exact dates but I do know that the heydey of my appreciation was in the beginning of my pipe career, and that would put it between 2001 and 2003.

 

[user 2031]

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[user 2031]

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[Wet Dottle]

1) "Fresh" (as used here) = Green (?) Two years = minimum.

2) There's a learning curve that goes into smoking FVF (& GLP weedage) @ tin moisture level. It's less tricky when it's drier but, while nice, the flavor is a ghost of what it is @ (IMHO) optimum moisture level.

:face:

Here's a man who has seen the light! Yak, you took the words right out of my mouth.