I am too new to the pipe and too ignorant of tobacco to pretend to review a product but I can relate personal experience, sans any claim of objective knowledge.
In the four months since stopping cigs in favour of the pipe I have concentrated on English and Balkan style blends. My first Virginia broken flake was a local house blend suggested by a friend. I liked it well enough to smoke it, found it improved smoked slow in a small cob, but was not overly impressed.
The same friend recently filled my bowl with Samuel Gawith's 1792 Flake. I was immediately hooked. I'm near the end of my first tin. Having ran out of City Cigars take on 965, my regular all day smoke, I was smoking nothing but 1792 and was beginning to tire of the Tonquin.
Stocking up for the month I got some of S G's St. James Flake, wanting to try something with a strong perique component. St. James is proving a bit rough for me, sometimes a bit harsh but not biting. Tonight I accidentally put some 1792 on top of half a bowl of St. James before dashing out the door towed by a large dog.
I was immediately thrilled by the sweet smoky taste of the 1792 but during the walk noticed something special as the ember got near the St. James on the bottom. In the middle it became different in a wonderful way.
Yes, of course, when I got home, I dried half a flake each then rubbed them together. I'm smoking it right now and very pleased with the combination. I may try it on the Best Brown Flake when I get around opening that one.
The pepper is still there but it is sweeter with the tonquin of the 1792 going well into the background and the St. James Perique seems a bit tamer.
I'm right pleased with this happy accident.
In the four months since stopping cigs in favour of the pipe I have concentrated on English and Balkan style blends. My first Virginia broken flake was a local house blend suggested by a friend. I liked it well enough to smoke it, found it improved smoked slow in a small cob, but was not overly impressed.
The same friend recently filled my bowl with Samuel Gawith's 1792 Flake. I was immediately hooked. I'm near the end of my first tin. Having ran out of City Cigars take on 965, my regular all day smoke, I was smoking nothing but 1792 and was beginning to tire of the Tonquin.
Stocking up for the month I got some of S G's St. James Flake, wanting to try something with a strong perique component. St. James is proving a bit rough for me, sometimes a bit harsh but not biting. Tonight I accidentally put some 1792 on top of half a bowl of St. James before dashing out the door towed by a large dog.
I was immediately thrilled by the sweet smoky taste of the 1792 but during the walk noticed something special as the ember got near the St. James on the bottom. In the middle it became different in a wonderful way.
Yes, of course, when I got home, I dried half a flake each then rubbed them together. I'm smoking it right now and very pleased with the combination. I may try it on the Best Brown Flake when I get around opening that one.
The pepper is still there but it is sweeter with the tonquin of the 1792 going well into the background and the St. James Perique seems a bit tamer.
I'm right pleased with this happy accident.
