Bob's Chocolate

[Peterson314]

Maaaaan. I just re-upped my Bob's Chocolate which I haven't had in about a year. I really missed the chocolate.

I couldn't find it. I smoked slow, I sped it up, I got in the usual pocket. Nothing. I spent about an hour hunting around the burley and virginias (and they say latakia is in the mix, but I don't believe it) trying to recapture the magic. I didn't get it. But I did swirl from the Vitamin N.

LL-7 has more chocolate than Bob's did, and I think it's a more enjoyable smoke. Is it just me?

 

[coming to_falling too]

I enjoyed the only tin that I've ever smoked of Bob's, and I did notice the lat. It's a pretty good blend but I'm off the lat at the moment.

Is this tobacco that you've had, or was it purchased relatively recently?

 

[Peterson314]

I bought Bob's in 2019, and I thoroughly enjoyed dipping into that jar for years. I got some new stuff earlier this year and just popped it, and felt like half the flavor was missing. The first jar tasted like someone sprinkled hot chocolate powder on the blend. This bowl was very light.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Try English Chocolate.

 

[Peterson314]

Try English Chocolate.

Two Friends?

I ALMOST want to try the Cobblestone Cafe Hot Chocolate.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Two Friends?

That's the one.

 

[condorlover1]

I have a jar of Bob's Choc Flake from 2019 and I have some of the recent release and there is a difference. I am sure the various G&H 'Minions' will suddenly start racing around here screaming 'Untrue' and making fart sounds but it is just my personal opinion. Luckily I have a large supply of pre-2019 Gawith blends and I have been buying and smoking the stuff for over 40 years so I do notice changes in toppings. I know I am not the only one on here since @Chasing Embers and I both agree that something odd happened with the Ennerdale Flake topping. Remember taste is and always will be a subjective matter and if you are new to Gawith blends and have recently started smoking them then you will probably be very happy!

 

[puff_not_snuff]

I have a few tins of 2015 or so Bob's which I haven't cracked yet but maybe I will soon. Can't say what the current one tastes like but I can say that the new "tin art" for it is ugly AF.

 

[craig61a]

I ordered 8 Oz. of BCF last February.

Mainly because it was available, and pushed my order into free shipping territory.

I didn’t notice any lack of flavor. Compared to the past I can’t say I’ve noticed a lacking of flavor. I do have several 500 g. boxes of BCF from mid 201X. I didn’t want to dig them out and open them. I sealed the contents in Mylar and put them back in the boxes for a long nap.

As I recall I ordered some Ennerdale last year, maybe in the Fall… I didn’t notice anything off with that either. And I’ve got plenty of that stashed away from prior years.

Guess I’m not seeing or tasting the conspiracy…

 

[Kobold]

I couldn’t taste the chocolate at all but could taste the Latakia. I’ve been letting it sit in a jar to see if my tastes change.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Anyway I always found Bob's to be about something other than chocolate although it gave me a sense of chocolate but I found it to more akin to some weird type of tobacco Mexican mole which just one of many components being chocolate but not in an overwhelming way.

 

[OverMountain]

I agree. Bobs Chocolate Flake is very mild if any chocolate taste. I like it, but it makes me wonder if the power of suggestion is most of the “taste”.

Something has changed.

I have an order of Bobs Square enroute to see if it is any more chocolatey.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

I have smoked BCF since the 1980's. It is my favorite blend. It is a chameleon. Even from the same 500 g bag, I notice different flavors predominate. It isn't and never has been a chocolate bomb. If I want a real dose of chocolate I reach for Mac Baren Burley London Blend. With BCF, sometimes I do get an overriding, but still subtle, Chocolate flavor, sometimes not. Sometimes the Latakia comes through, more often not. I was nearing the end of a 500 g Box a few months ago, and son of a gun if I didn't get more than a hint of Vanilla. It is always a cool and dry smoke, pleasant, and even though it has a decent amount of nicotine, I have many times made it not only an all day smoke, but gone a week or more smoking nothing else.

My own opinion is that nothing about the flavoring level has changed. @gawithhoggarth has stated that leaf sources have changed for many blends over the years, and that might well be true of BCF, but I simply can't detect much if any difference. But compared to tobacco leaf, sauce is cheap, and there is no fundamental reason to skimp on it.

I have always smoked BCF from bulk, going back to the days when GH was brought to the US sporadically by Bob Lynch, and when I ordered from UK shops. Given the tin issues that GH has had over the last few years, I can see a reason for significant flavor variances with the tinned version. I stopped buying Ennerdale tins a few years ago for this reason, and switched to bulk, which to me tasted like the Ennerdale I was used to. 500 g of Ennerdale will last me a much longer time than 500 g of BCF.

While there are noteworthy exceptions, I think the majority of GH blends are flavored to enhance the tobacco, not overwhelm it. BCF is, to me, in that category, unlike Ennerdale or Grasmere (to me).

 

[puff_not_snuff]

I agree. Bobs Chocolate Flake is very mild if any chocolate taste. I like it, but it makes me wonder if the power of suggestion is most of the “taste”.

Something has changed.

I have an order of Bobs Square enroute to see if it is any more chocolatey.

I don't think that Bob's Square, as of what I bought 2+ years ago, tastes more like chocolate than the flake. I like both but much prefer Bob's Flake.

 

[anotherbob]

Glad to hear i am not the only one that gets vanilla from this one. Have to also admit it's always been two things to me underwhelming and slightly inconsistient

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Glad to hear i am not the only one that gets vanilla from this one. Have to also admit it's always been two things to me underwhelming and slightly inconsistient

Well, that's another thing- some of the best hot chocolates I've had, had other components as well. Black pepper, vanilla, etc.

 

[pantsBoots]

Gawith & Hoggarth has been skimping on the sauce these last couple releases. They claim they haven't, but more likely they're not willing to admit to the change because the account is run by an attorney, not a pipe smoker. Whether it's intentional or not is unknown, but I just gave away a 500g bag of Coniston Cut Plug. There was literally no sauce in it at all.

Plenty of other good tobacco to buy out there, so I'll enjoy the last of the old G&H/SG stuff I have and call it done.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

Gawith & Hoggarth has been skimping on the sauce these last couple releases.

If so, what could the reason conceivably be?

 

[Chasing Embers]

If so, what could the reason conceivably be?

Cost cutting and/or attempting to appeal to a broader audience.

 

[vosBghos]

Anyway I always found Bob's to be about something other than chocolate although it gave me a sense of chocolate but I found it to more akin to some weird type of tobacco Mexican mole which just one of many components being chocolate but not in an overwhelming way.

Yeah I taste the Mole too , a spicy coco ...