I've actually been quite scared of trying the Lakeland blends from Gawith, Hoggarth, and Co. for quite a while. They've jumped in and out of my P&C basket depending on what kind of reviews I read. I finally ordered some, and figured I'd review them both together, since it's my first time venturing into this territory.
Tin Note:
Dark Flake Scented:
The posters who mentioned oil of bergamot / Earl Grey tea were spot on. This was an extremely pleasant tin note, and I couldn’t really determine any sort of soapy or perfume-y aroma. It just smelled like an herbal tea.
Ennerdale:
Wow, now this is a tin note. It is probably about four times as strong as the DFS aroma, and certainly much more floral, perfume-y, and fruity.
Preparation and Smoke:
The flakes were, as I had expected, moist, but I let them dry for a while and they both smoked quite well.
Flavor:
Dark Flake Scented:
Overall this is a very flavorful tobacco, but I found the topping to be mild. The oil of bergamot / Early Grey aroma was certainly detectable by me, but my brother in law couldn’t smell it at all during my smoke, although he certainly could in the tin. The tobacco itself has full flavor, somewhat like 1792 or the G&H ropes: deep, rich, earthy.
Ennerdale:
Its bark is worse than its bite: the insanely powerful tin note translated to a comparatively mild taste and aroma during smoking. Again, my friends sitting around me couldn’t really smell the Lakeland essence, and they generally can detect sweet-smelling aromatics like 1-Q and Autumn Evening. On the other hand, the tobacco itself was substantially more flavorful than your average aromatic—a nice balance between Virginia and Burley.
Nicotine Level:
Dark Flake Scented is up there with G&H Twists, 1792, and other nicotine bombs—it is very strong. I did not detect any nicotine kick from Ennerdale.
In Summary:
Why do people recommend Ennerdale as one’s first Lakeland?! I understand it’s an archetypal Lakeland, but do they want to scare everyone off? I did like Ennerdale overall, but I can see why some (even most) would find it off putting. The aroma isn’t something I’d want to smoke very often, but it is pleasant in its own way. I’m sure I’ll get a hankering for it again, but it isn't going to be a favorite any time soon. I think Ennerdale probably doesn't appeal to most pipe smokers because the smell is a bit "feminine" to our noses, which cuts against the general associations with pipe smoking.
Dark Flake Scented, on the other hand, is amazing. If you like herbal teas, then you’d probably enjoy this—even if you don’t like the floral Lakeland blends. I did not find DFS topping to be floral, soapy, or perfumey--maybe cologne-y? It's certainly a more "manly" smell--British, dignified. If one isn’t scared nicotine bombs, I’d say to try this as a first Lakeland.
Tin Note:
Dark Flake Scented:
The posters who mentioned oil of bergamot / Earl Grey tea were spot on. This was an extremely pleasant tin note, and I couldn’t really determine any sort of soapy or perfume-y aroma. It just smelled like an herbal tea.
Ennerdale:
Wow, now this is a tin note. It is probably about four times as strong as the DFS aroma, and certainly much more floral, perfume-y, and fruity.
Preparation and Smoke:
The flakes were, as I had expected, moist, but I let them dry for a while and they both smoked quite well.
Flavor:
Dark Flake Scented:
Overall this is a very flavorful tobacco, but I found the topping to be mild. The oil of bergamot / Early Grey aroma was certainly detectable by me, but my brother in law couldn’t smell it at all during my smoke, although he certainly could in the tin. The tobacco itself has full flavor, somewhat like 1792 or the G&H ropes: deep, rich, earthy.
Ennerdale:
Its bark is worse than its bite: the insanely powerful tin note translated to a comparatively mild taste and aroma during smoking. Again, my friends sitting around me couldn’t really smell the Lakeland essence, and they generally can detect sweet-smelling aromatics like 1-Q and Autumn Evening. On the other hand, the tobacco itself was substantially more flavorful than your average aromatic—a nice balance between Virginia and Burley.
Nicotine Level:
Dark Flake Scented is up there with G&H Twists, 1792, and other nicotine bombs—it is very strong. I did not detect any nicotine kick from Ennerdale.
In Summary:
Why do people recommend Ennerdale as one’s first Lakeland?! I understand it’s an archetypal Lakeland, but do they want to scare everyone off? I did like Ennerdale overall, but I can see why some (even most) would find it off putting. The aroma isn’t something I’d want to smoke very often, but it is pleasant in its own way. I’m sure I’ll get a hankering for it again, but it isn't going to be a favorite any time soon. I think Ennerdale probably doesn't appeal to most pipe smokers because the smell is a bit "feminine" to our noses, which cuts against the general associations with pipe smoking.
Dark Flake Scented, on the other hand, is amazing. If you like herbal teas, then you’d probably enjoy this—even if you don’t like the floral Lakeland blends. I did not find DFS topping to be floral, soapy, or perfumey--maybe cologne-y? It's certainly a more "manly" smell--British, dignified. If one isn’t scared nicotine bombs, I’d say to try this as a first Lakeland.
