Samuel Gawith St. James Flake

[musicman]

This is not a formal review, per se, but a post in praise of Samuel Gawith's St. James Flake. I picked up a box of this in the latest Gawith drop. I had never tried it before but given that I love both VaPers and Full Virginia Flake I had a pretty good idea I that I would like it. I put away 200 gr to age and saved 50 gr to smoke now as a reference smoke.

And like it I do! This is a fantastic smoke. I've had somewhere between 5-10 bowls so far, all rubbed out and dried to a crisp. I haven't had a bad smoke so far, which is more than I can say for FVF. This is full of all the fantastic rich bready flavors of FVF, but with addition of considerable richness and spice from the Perique. Really high quality leaf, and I feel like this is one of those smokes that is greater than the sum of its parts. Love the presentation, with all the flakes stacked in a row, and it's surprisingly tasty for being so young (box dated June of 2020).

For me, this has become a reference point for a full flavored, stronger VaPer blend (for me, Dunbar is the reference point for lighter VaPers). I have a feeling SJF is going to be fantastic with some age on it.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

A bit peppery for me when fresh. Age tends to tone the pepper down a bit. Quality blend.

 

[prndl]

Another of my "usual suspects".

I, too, like it much better than FVF.

 

[sablebrush52]

Try it in 7 years. I just opened a jar with 7 years on it and was amazed at how the Virginias had gained depth and sweetness. Just a beautiful blend.

 

[hawky454]

Great write up! It is probably my favorite (at least top 3) VaPer blends and this one truly gets better as it ages in my opinion! Haven’t had a fresh bowl in awhile but I’ll probably do like you did, take out some to smoke now and age the rest with my other SJF that’s currently sleeping in the cellar.

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

Hear! Hear! Nice review and glad you enjoyed it. It is the VaPer by which all others should be judged for me. Absolutely love it!?️

 

[musicman]

Try it in 7 years. I just opened a jar with 7 years on it and was amazed at how the Virginias had gained depth and sweetness. Just a beautiful blend.

My goal is to wait at least 3-4 years to open the first jar, but it's so good fresh that I think I'm gonna have to pick up some more at the next drop (which hopefully will happen sooner with the new distributor). I can see this blend being a regular part of my rotation.

 

[Jwebb90]

it's so good fresh that I think I'm gonna have to pick up some more at the next drop (which hopefully will happen sooner with the new distributor).

If you want to grab more now tobaccopipes.com still has it (and FVF) in stock.

Also, I’ll echo the Amazon my aging potential of SJF. I just smoked through 50g from 2015 and it was absolutely amazing.

 

[Jwebb90]

*amazing

 

[gervais]

Thanks for the review! Gotta revisit this one soon

 

[logs]

I want to love St James Flake but it's got a little too much of that hay/alfalfa flavor straight out of the tin... which is never a good thing so far as I'm concerned. I'm hoping some cellar time will cure the sickness.

My current VaPer favorite is Deception Pass. It's got pepper and flavor in spades! No monkey business or cellaring needed--it's already there. (Thanks again to @hoosierpipeguy for turning me on to it. It may have had too much pepper for him, but I'm loving it).

 

[FurCoat]

Quality blend. Not over drying is key

 

[ashdigger]

I’m working through a jar from 2014. It is absolutely a fantastic smoke all the around.

if you live in the US I’ll be happy to send out a sample.

 

[cigrmaster]

St James is one of the worlds great vapers when properly aged. Don't lose patience smoke it with 6.347 years or more.
Anything less and you will ruin the experience.

Oh yeah, you might want to dry it a tad as even after 10 years that shit is fire retardant.

 

[ofafeather]

Anyone remember Tavern Tobacco (KnoxCigars brand)? SG made a bunch of stuff for them. I have probably 10 tins of Laurel Flake which I think is the same or similar to SJF. Can’t remember. Anyone recall?

 

[ashdigger]

Anyone remember Tavern Tobacco (KnoxCigars brand)? SG made a bunch of stuff for them. I have probably 10 tins of Laurel Flake which I think is the same or similar to SJF. Can’t remember. Anyone recall?

We did a group tasting with Laurel Flake and St. James about a year or so ago. It was really fun.

 

[musicman]

I want to love St James Flake but it's got a little too much of that hay/alfalfa flavor straight out of the tin... which is never a good thing so far as I'm concerned. I'm hoping some cellar time will cure the sickness.

My current VaPer favorite is Deception Pass. It's got pepper and flavor in spades! No monkey business or cellaring needed--it's already there. (Thanks again to @hoosierpipeguy for turning me on to it. It may have had too much pepper for him, but I'm loving it).

I enjoy the hay notes in the fresh SJF, so I don't necessarily see that as a negative, but I also think that time will turn that to rich Virginia sweetness. As for Deception Pass, it is the one VaPer from which I have not had a great smoke yet. I picked up a tin about a year and a half ago. Didn't really like it at first but I was still developing the right technique/cadence for smoking Va. I dip in to the jar about once every couple of months. Tried it about 2 weeks ago, and it just tasted flat and harsh. I've still got a few bowls left from the tin, so I'll give it another shot in a month or two, but so far, I have not quite figured that one out.

 

[musicman]

Quality blend. Not over drying is key

I had good results rubbing out first, then drying it to a crisp (although not so dry it breaks into dust). I even tried the microwave trick one evening when I didn't want to wait. Nuked a bowls worth on a paper towel for 15 seconds, then let it sit 10 minutes. It was also a fantastic smoke, pretty much indistinguishable from air dried.

 

[musicman]

I’m working through a jar from 2014. It is absolutely a fantastic smoke all the around.

if you live in the US I’ll be happy to send out a sample.

Oh man! Seriously? I'd love to have a preview of what mine is gonna taste like in 6 years!

 

[logs]

As for Deception Pass, it is the one VaPer from which I have not had a great smoke yet. I picked up a tin about a year and a half ago. Didn't really like it at first but I was still developing the right technique/cadence for smoking Va. I dip in to the jar about once every couple of months. Tried it about 2 weeks ago, and it just tasted flat and harsh.

That's a shame. I've been loving it but I'm not sure on the tin age that I've been smoking. It's definetly on the strong side of VaPer but that's what I want. To me, St James Flake is mostly VA whereas I want more PER.