Sam Gawith Flake Inconsistentcy

[hiplainsdrifter]

Given the current hubub over Gawith products and their limited availability, I thought it would be interesting to revisit the topic of inconsistentcy of their blends. Newbies pining after a tin of FVF may be unaware of the issue. And of course it makes me chuckle about a similar thread about Stonehaven a few years ago, when Germain said to quit faffing around with their product. Check out these photos of jarred Best Brown from 9/2015, 8/2016, 9/2016, and 3/2019 respectively. Obviously aging has a big effect, but I also noticed that this latest batch seems a lot drier than usual. I am wondering if they used to case/top their blends more liberally, which might cause the flake to darken faster? https://photos.app.goo.gl/wL9p729J2TKj7Geu9

 

[bent1]

Is the 2015 on the far left & the 2019 on the far right?
The far right looks like Golden Glow (Medium VA Flake). The color difference (if all is BBF), may be attributed to different amount of steaming/press time.

 

[hiplainsdrifter]

That's correct. I agree, the 2019 looks markedly different than I remember when fresh. Smell seems right though.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

You're dealing with an organic product and 19th century manufacturing processes. Here's what I've noticed about SG tobacco. It is consistently good. Very good. Perhaps they were tired if hearing people bitch about how most their tobacco was. Perhaps you had an unusual tin or even batch.

 

[lochinvar]

Same with my BBF. It looked much lighter and like someone had already rubbed all the flakes out. Things happen. Taste was still good. The Navy I got still looked like chunks of tar, so all is well there.

 

[hiplainsdrifter]

Yes Hoosier, those are all possibilities that occurred to me.

 

[bent1]

Here's what I've noticed about SG tobacco. It is consistently good. Very good.

.....and that is truly remarkable, consistent from year to year. Tells me they really pay attention to their process, given the different lleaf stock & necessary adjustments to their process. I hope SG always keeps this at the forefront.

 

[hiplainsdrifter]

Exactly my point, I have found their products to be decidedly inconsistent. I understand Hoosier's argument, if it is still good does it matter, but yes, it does matter to me. I want to know that when I am buying my favorite blend, that I am getting the same thing I have grown to love, and not some random slapped together mystery blend.

 

[mechanic]

Does it taste the same or just color diffrence?

 

[hiplainsdrifter]

Good question. I pretty much only smoke BBF with a few years of age, so we shall see.

 

[hawky454]

Same with my BBF. It looked much lighter and like someone had already rubbed all the flakes out.

Looks like y’all got the bottom of the barrel stuff, so to speak. That’s happened to me before, especially in the boxes but it doesn’t bother me at all, I rub Gawith flakes out anyway. I’ve been smoking BBF for several years and it’s been as consistent as any other blend on the market, as consistent as it gets with organic materials really. It looks like the differences are due to the age as it’s most certainly going to darken as the years go by, I can pretty much bet that the jar on the right will be just as dark as the jar is on left in 4 to 5 years. I got two boxes of BBF a couple of years ago, one box was perfectly sliced flakes and the other was more like a ready rubbed but both were/are stellar nonetheless. I have FVF from several different years, the oldest is almost jet black while the newer stuff is a golden brown, the darker the better in my opinion and it looks like the OP has a nice lil stash to keep the rotation going so that you can always be smoking the aged blend and just continue on with the cycle, that’s how I do it too.

 

[cigrmaster]

That last jar looks like the dregs of a run. Or it could be Golden Glow as mentioned above. I know one thing, I would have contacted the retailer and asked them to replace it.

 

[jzbdano]

I recieved 2 boxes of the drier, looser looking flakes last year. They are still intact but they don't have the moisture to keep it all glued together. I smoked a couple bowls of the scrap flakes from the bottom of the bag and there was no noticeable difference in taste.

 

[mso489]

No robotics at the SG blending barn. Inconsistent is the least of it, and there are those pesky acts of God. The Lake District is its own world.

 

[jeff540]

Guess you got their Best Brown Shake ::

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

The Lake District is its own world.

+1