Sam Gawith Burnt Ends

[smudgersmissingleg]

Everyone in the UK knows that this is just the sweepings from the floor around the press mixed with beard trimmings from the guys who work at the factory.

They've boxed it up, given it a nice sounding name then sent it over to the US. Now, the poor Americans are sitting around for hours on end hitting refresh on their computer keyboards. Until finally.........





Obviously, i'm joking and it sounds like an interesting idea. Can't wait to read everyones' thoughts on the differences.

 

[ThermionicScott]

I was taste-testing some of the Burnt Ends that arrived today and I notice that there was an interesting heterogeneity with this product. Some portions had plenty of "sauce" (I'm not a blender, so call it what you will) and other portions had none. In the photo you can see "Burnt Ends - Sample #1" is a very bright Virginia and "Burnt Ends - Sample #2" is quite dark and has a treacle-like sauce that sticks to your fingers when you handle it. The portion without the sauce tasted very grassy and green and had practically no depth of body. In appearance it is similar to Golden Glow except that Golden Glow has more body, presumably because it is "sauced" in whatever way it is. I suppose this bright "Sample #1" is a portion of the flake that didn't get any sauce. My assumption, in any case. It's interesting to me because it tastes exactly like a Full Virginia Plug that I purchased last year and that was similarly flat and uninteresting (I felt the same way about several plugs I purchased around 2019 as well). The Full Virginia Flake, on the other hand, that was purchased that same year, apparently has more sauce (not much) and it tasted a little deeper, richer perhaps. One the whole I seem to remember the Full Virginia Flake (~2015) being wetter, yes, but perhaps even more thoroughly sauced as well. I can only speak to what I observe and remark on my observations of the product as it has changed to my tastes over the years, but the difference in treatment within the particular sample and the comparison across samples has been an interesting one, for my part at least.
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I don’t have a position on whether FVF is sauced and with what, but some of the difference you’re seeing here could just be due to the pressing. When you squeeze tobacco leaves hard enough, they’ll release dark juices of their own. It could be that sample #1 came from a part of the block that was less dense, so it still has that “pile of leaves” look.

 

[greeneyes]

I don’t have a position on whether FVF is sauced and with what, but some of the difference you’re seeing here could just be due to the pressing. When you squeeze tobacco leaves hard enough, they’ll release dark juices of their own. It could be that sample #1 came from a part of the block that was less dense, so it still has that “pile of leaves” look.

That part of sample #1 was attached to a flake that was pressed and was identical to it--I just photographed that particular part because it was easier to see how blonde the unpressed leaf was. It also seems to me that the flavor in the dark portions (sample #2) isn't "tobacco juice" flavor, but sauce. I've tasted tobacco juice.

Per @greeneyes experience, it’s fascinating to see how much the sauce makes up the overall experience of pipe tobaccos—even for FVF— a blend that’s often described as unflavored and “pure.”

I hate to say it but I think based on this trial that the sauce is 90% of the attraction with Full Virginia Flake. I had some Wessex Curly Block in between and I must admit that I enjoyed it slightly more. I'm generally less a devotee of German-manufactured tobaccos as I find they tend to rely more heavily on what's applied to the tobacco rather than the tobacco itself--the tobacco tends to be a "sponge" for the flavors that are applied to it. When they vanish (i.e. the tin is open too long, the tobacco was left out overnight) the flavor tends to evaporate and leave behind a monotone hay tobacco.

The opposite of this is McClelland. The underlying tobaccos were always top notch, so even bone-dry samples of bulk can be rehydrated to delicious a delicious smoke.

Not all Virginias are equal. I stronly believe that African Virginias are some of the best out there, and whatever boutique American Virginias the McClelland Tobacco Co. were sourcing for their flagship flakes were outstanding as well.

I don't know if Samuel Gawith and Gawith Hoggarth use the same raw Virginia but I don't seem to have this problem with GH Bright CR Flake. Even dried out it's a delightful and complex flake. Somehow Samuel seems to be getting the lower-quality Virginias, or perhaps a greater proportion of cheaper Virginias.

 

[TheWhale13]

FVF is most definetely "sauced". Just smell it. It does not smell like raw tobacco.

I wonder if the lighter portions are just the ends missed by heat or flavoring?

 

[woodsroad]

It’s GH’s version of “Best of the Rest”!

 

[Sobrbiker]

It's basically FVF but with a little bit of Turkish leaf thrown in and a spritz of tonquin.
For me, it's right there with FVF and Best Brown.

Great, now I’ve got to try that!

 

[gawithhoggarth]

I don't know if Samuel Gawith and Gawith Hoggarth use the same raw Virginia but I don't seem to have this problem with GH Bright CR Flake. Even dried out it's a delightful and complex flake. Somehow Samuel seems to be getting the lower-quality Virginias, or perhaps a greater proportion of cheaper Virginias.

The same leaf is used to make Samuel Gawith as Gawith Hoggarth, same machines, same staff....

It's basically FVF but with a little bit of Turkish leaf thrown in and a spritz of tonquin.
For me, it's right there with FVF and Best Brown.

Please see SmokingPipes video about Burnt Ends. There is no Turkish leaf added to the FVF or any spritz of addition tonquin or anything else.

 

[Sobrbiker]

Please see SmokingPipes video about Burnt Ends. There is no Turkish leaf added to the FVF or any spritz of addition tonquin or anything else.

Pretty sure the post was referring to Sam’s Flake, but you’re the expert

 

[bluegrassbrian]

The same leaf is used to make Samuel Gawith as Gawith Hoggarth, same machines, same staff....

Please see SmokingPipes video about Burnt Ends. There is no Turkish leaf added to the FVF or any spritz of addition tonquin or anything else.

He asked about Sam's Flake.

 

[gawithhoggarth]

OK. He replied to someone asking about Sam's Burnt Ends so presumed he meant Burnt Ends, but yes I guess could have just meant standard Sam's Flake.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

OK. He replied to someone asking about Sam's Burnt Ends so presumed he meant Burnt Ends, but yes I guess could have just meant standard Sam's Flake.

Is there a plug version of Sam's Flake?
Could there be at some point?

I've always been a huge fan of FVF/Best Brown, but Sams has become a major player in my cellar.

 

[Puffaluffaguss]

OK. He replied to someone asking about Sam's Burnt Ends so presumed he meant Burnt Ends, but yes I guess could have just meant standard Sam's Flake.

Yes I was asking about "Sam's" I'm sorry for the confusion. But now that your here, can I ask if there might be some "Gawith Hoggarth" type of burnt ends coming?

I would love me some "Louisiana Flake" Burnt Ends or like stated above, "Bright CR Flake" Burnt Ends". I'm sure those would be just as highly anticipated as "FVF" or "St James Flake" Burnt Ends are.

 

[gawithhoggarth]

It is really dependent on what we have a large demand for in terms of flakes and so have a good number of "ends". But we certainly hope to expand the range in the future.,

 

[Puffaluffaguss]

I'm sure you guys could almost make an unlimited amount of flakes as the ones stated above to meet demand as they are almost always sold out within minutes. It's the raw materials and production which is still a time consuming aspect and probably the main reason for such high demand. It's hard to say if you guys could make burnt ends because of the normal amount that's produced for each blend.
I'm gonna stay optimistic in that "GH" and "SG" will be able to meet demand,not on the Burnt Ends but regular production blends and as such the extras will become more readily available.

 

[karam]

Is there a plug version of Sam's Flake?

If there's a flake, there's been a plug

I'd probably buy this if it was available in Switzerland and priced ~40% lower. I've always wondered if plug trimmings are added to some hodgepodge ribbon cut like...sausage meat is. My dad always used to tell me not to buy sausages unless they're from a butcher I know (or burgers unless the meat was ground in front of me from a piece I chose) because it's "all the leftover meat cuts and fat they have no other use of, stuck together with a lot of salt and spices, and then smoked to cover the bad taste". I love sausages

 

[Mrs. Pickles]

My dad always used to tell me not to buy sausages unless they're from a butcher I know (or burgers unless the meat was ground in front of me from a piece I chose) because it's "all the leftover meat cuts and fat they have no other use of, stuck together with a lot of salt and spices, and then smoked to cover the bad taste". I love sausages

Heck yeah, give me some of this “nose to tail” tobacco.

 

[karam]

Heck yeah, give me some of this “nose to tail” tobacco.

Jokes aside, the flavour is indeed in some of the tough, unpopular cuts in both the pig and cow.

 

[ThermionicScott]

Heck yeah, give me some of this “nose to tail” tobacco.

"The Whole Beast Plug" has a nice ring to it.

 

[Sobrbiker]

"The Whole Beast Plug" has a nice ring to it.

“Going Whole Hoggarth”

 

[canucklehead]

"The Whole Beast Plug" has a nice ring to it.

Scrapple Cake