In the late summer or early fall of 2001 Greg Pease and John Gawith of Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. got to the long-discussed business of collaborating on a blend. The result, a Lakeland-style Virginia-Perique flake, was a small run of 1,500 two ounce tins. It was called Stonehenge Flake, and it was good. Ready for the market around Christmastime of the same year, the entire lot was gobbled up by pipe smokers nearly immediately. It got bought, smoked, and it got cellared. And then it was gone.
Today if you're lucky you can still find a tin of Stonehenge (as it came to be called) on a dusty shelf in the back room of a small tobacco shop in the remote country. You're more likely to acquire one at a pipe show from a private collector who knows exactly what it's worth.
But today a fresh two ounce tin of Stonehenge is just a few clicks away.
Stonehenge! 'Tis a magic place
Where the moon doth rise with a dragon's face
True to the original, Stonehenge follows the same formula and protocol concocted by Greg and John back in 2001. Bright flue-cured and sun-cured leaf, and a smidgen of Burley and Perique all get mixed together, steamed and hot-pressed into blocks, matured, and then sliced into delicate two inch long flakes. The result is a gently sweet, piquant, slightly peppery smoke with nutty chocolate undertones.
With infectious schoolboy enthusiasm, Greg's reported to us more than once he thinks this last iteration of Stonehenge is better than the first. (Blasphemy!) Of course you don’t have to agree with him, but it is damn good. And that it’s back is mightily epic and worthy of song. Keep your fingers crossed you won’t have to wait sixteen years for another batch.