Troubleshooting Bob’s Chocolate Flake

[Monssen13]

I want to love BCF. The cocoa and sort of musty sweet funk are really appreciated, but 2/3 times there seems to be a sort of undertone that frankly, I can only describe as a new basketball. Is this my technique, the Lakeland essence, or something else?

Fwiw I’ve had it in both a corn cob and a clay pipe, and I’ve been in the hobby for close to a year and a half, albeit on and off.

 

[fireground_piper]

Could be the lakeland. Have you smoked any other lakeland blends before and does that give you the same experience?

As a fan of cocoa/virginia/light touch of latakia, I went back and forth between English Chocolate, Bob's and Stonehenge before deciding English Chocolate was the one for me. I couldn't get over the lakeland of Bob's, nor the perique in Stonehenge but my taste lay with the sweet cocoa and slightly smokey latakia. It doesn't have a funk.

 

[Monssen13]

Could be the lakeland. Have you smoked any other lakeland blends before and does that give you the same experience?

As a fan of cocoa/virginia/light touch of latakia, I went back and forth between English Chocolate, Bob's and Stonehenge before deciding English Chocolate was the one for me. I couldn't get over the lakeland of Bob's, nor the perique in Stonehenge but my taste lay with the sweet cocoa and slightly smokey latakia. It doesn't have a funk.

I haven’t had any other Lakeland blends, which makes me think it may be the culprit. I may have to look into English Chocolate, that sounds fantastic.

 

[fireground_piper]

I haven’t had any other Lakeland blends, which makes me think it may be the culprit. I may have to look into English Chocolate, that sounds fantastic.

It can be a little sharp fresh, but it softens with a little time and is readily available for US folks. It’s worth trying a tin if those are some of the flavors you seek.

 

[solideogloria86]

I've never experienced "new basketball" from bcf (are we talking rubber or leather?). Chocolate, vanilla, sometimes a slight floral note. If it's a new leather basketball, that could be the Latakia. I can't think of anything that would give of a new rubber aroma/flavor. The Lakeland sauce is predominantly rose/geranium and people typically describe it as anywhere from soap to grandma's underwear. I've never really gotten a strong Lakeland from bcf either though.

 

[Monssen13]

I've never experienced "new basketball" from bcf (are we talking rubber or leather?). Chocolate, vanilla, sometimes a slight floral note. If it's a new leather basketball, that could be the Latakia. I can't think of anything that would give of a new rubber aroma/flavor. The Lakeland sauce is predominantly rose/geranium and people typically describe it as anywhere from soap to grandma's underwear. I've never really gotten a strong Lakeland from bcf either though.

Definitely more a rubber note, almost like walking into a new shoe store primarily stocked with sneakers. Perhaps, if I squint, I could see it being sort of floral in an acrid kind of way. Which makes me think it could be the Lakeland combined with burning too hot from undoubtedly lackluster technique. That’s my theory, wanted to see if anyone else had experienced this.

 

[OverMountain]

Haven’t experienced that with BCF. I wish it was more stronger scented with the cocoa like it was until GH changed it up.

 

[anotherbob]

I want to love BCF. The cocoa and sort of musty sweet funk are really appreciated, but 2/3 times there seems to be a sort of undertone that frankly, I can only describe as a new basketball. Is this my technique, the Lakeland essence, or something else?

Fwiw I’ve had it in both a corn cob and a clay pipe, and I’ve been in the hobby for close to a year and a half, albeit on and off.

latakia gives me that sometimes. Either way it's just the blend.

 

[OverMountain]

It’s just not that good anymore IMO

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It’s just not that good anymore IMO

Whenever I see or hear about a Gh or SG blend that sounds like I might like it, if I wait long enough... it'll change and everyone will hate it. Patience wins over FOMO.

 

[fireground_piper]

Whenever I see or hear about a Gh or SG blend that sounds like I might like it, if I wait long enough... it'll change and everyone will hate it. Patience wins over FOMO.

It's also really cool to say "It was better before" but you need to have that waiting period before you can start doing it.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It's also really cool to say "It was better before" but you need to have that waiting period before you can start doing it.

Some blends from the :::cough cough::: company seem to be different everytime I smoke them, so I can say... "I liked them between January of 2018 and March of 2019 best."

 

[lukasstrifeson]

It's also really cool to say "It was better before" but you need to have that waiting period before you can start doing it.

Every time I visit Chicago, people keep telling me how much fun it was 5 years ago... I imagine a similar psychological trait is at work here too!

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Definitely more a rubber note, almost like walking into a new shoe store primarily stocked with sneakers. Perhaps, if I squint, I could see it being sort of floral in an acrid kind of way. Which makes me think it could be the Lakeland combined with burning too hot from undoubtedly lackluster technique. That’s my theory, wanted to see if anyone else had experienced this.

What's your familiarity with latakia blends? I've heard people who don't enjoy latakia describe it as burning tires/gasoline fire.

 

[HeavyLeadBelly]

I like some of the GH/SG blends, BCF being one of them, but knowing how much prep time is needed to smoke this damp tobacco I don’t jump on these drops anymore. I’ve never heard “fresh basketball” as a flavor profile before for any tobacco, much less BCF, so that gave me a good chuckle this morning.

 

[fireground_piper]

Some blends from the :::cough cough::: company seem to be different everytime I smoke them, so I can say... "I liked them between January of 2018 and March of 2019 best."

 

[PaulRVA]

I smoke a lot of Bob’s Chocolate Flake and haven’t come across that before. Has to be either the Latakia or the Lakeland.
Try another Lakeland without Latakia like Rum Flake and see what you get.

 

[AndyNJ]

Only trouble I was having on FVF and Best brown flake: So difficult to light and keep lit...gave up on them for good.

 

[Monssen13]

Every time I visit Chicago, people keep telling me how much fun it was 5 years ago... I imagine a similar psychological trait is at work here too!

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What's your familiarity with latakia blends? I've heard people who don't enjoy latakia describe it as burning tires/gasoline fire.

I love Nightcap, which is the weird part.

 

[lukasstrifeson]

I love Nightcap, which is the weird part.

In that case, probably the Lakelands getting to you then.

You can always order a sample ounce of one of the aromatic Gawith flakes to confirm.

 

[Monssen13]

In that case, probably the Lakelands getting to you then.

You can always order a sample ounce of one of the aromatic Gawith flakes to confirm.

I’ll see about getting some Rum Flake or Ennerdale, good idea.