Tobaccos Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Louisiana Perique Flake

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-02-01		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Here we have the VaPer for those who think they don't like VaPers. The perique was mildly tingly but not peppery or heavy. It added just a breath of additional flavor and it worked beautifully with the depth of the virginias. I didn't really taste the cocoa but it did add a mild sweetness to the mix that wasn't a sweet I associate with virginia tobacco. Whatever they did, it worked spectacularly!

Beautiful dark golden flake that came over-moist. I preferred this very, very dry - almost tinder. Doing so did add the faintest precept of a bite at first light but it backed off nicely after the first half-dozen puffs. The flavor was sweet but with a toasted bread essence. The perique was most noticeable when I exhaled through the nose and never tickled my throat. This blend was very gentlemanly but it had exceptional flavor. Typically I prefer my perique to be more present and have even commented on lighter fare with a certain touch of wistfulness. Not here. This blend simply works on all levels. My 2 oz sample was parlayed into a 500 gram purchase and this has made my regular rotation with a bullet!

34 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3025)	2015-09-02		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

The lightly floral Virginias offer a fair amount of tart and tangy citrus, grass, some tangy dark fruit, wood, bread, vegetation and earth as the lead components. The earthy, woody perique is always noticeable: very spicy with raisins, figs and dates. The chocolate is mild, and more obvious to me once I got through the first quarter of the bowl. The Lakeland topping is a shade floral with a soap note, and while it doesn’t upstage the tobacco flavor, it’s always present. The tonquin is mild and sweet. The whisky is a very minor addition, not always to be found, and I doubt I'd notice it if I didn't know it was there. The toppings moderately sublimate the tobaccos, but not enough to lose their intrinsic aspects. The strength and taste levels are medium. The nic-hit is a rung past the center of mild to medium. Won't bite or get harsh. Has a few rough edges. May need a slight dry time, depending on your preference. The flakes easily break apart. Burns clean, cool and a little slow with a mostly consistent, deeply rich flavor. Requires some relights, and leaves little moisture in the bowl. Has a lightly lingering, pleasant after taste, and room note. Not an all day smoke, but it is repeatable during your smoking day.

-JimInks

28 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2011-12-07		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is one of my favorite GH flakes! The pouch scent is mainly of chocolate mixed with the usual raisin/fig smell associated with VaPers. I prefer to let the tan/brown flake dry out some as it arrives moist. I have smoked it folded and rubbed out and I find rubbed out brings out the most in LPF. As others have mentioned, the perique is added with somewhat of a light hand, but really helps to balance out the sweetness of the blend. I am fairly certain that the sweetness is a result of manual manipulation and not simply the result of the Virginia's. I do taste a light chocolate flavor and that along with the well blended tobaccos make for a wonderfully balanced blend. I don't pick up the florals to the extent that others have mentioned, but it could be because I smoke a lot of GH blends with far more floral taste. For those that like to cellar their blends, Louisiana Perique Flake should be a great candidate for long term storage.

Lovers of GH flakes and those looking for a different take on the typical VaPer, LPF should be on your “must try” list. Highly Recommended.

21 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2005-08-06		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I note that many of the reviewers of this blend compare Louisian Flake to Bob's Chocolate Flake. Admittedly, it has been a year or so since I smoked BCF, but I sure don't remember it tasting much like LF.

I found Louisiana Flake neatly tucked in a pouch as a sample with a recent tobacco order from one of my favorite etailers. The flake was much drier than most G&H tobaccos I have tried, and it rubbed out easily. It is not a very dark combination and the flavor was on the lighter side as well. A little of that "Lakeland perfume" was present, but not unpleasantly so.

Quite ordinary in comparison to many other G&H offerings I have tried. You will taste both the Virginia and the Perique, so if you gravitate toward that combination, you may appreciate this blend.

Update 4-09:

A friend recently gifted me some 10 year old Louisiana Flake. It was darker in color and richer in overall flavor (and, certainly more mellow), than the fresh batch I smoked. The Perique element was almost non-existant. The nicotine content seemed higher.

20 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SeoulSister (37)	2014-02-08		Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

When I first smelled Louisiana Flake in the bag, I could smell the chocolate that others have noted. My first go with Louisiana Flake was that it burned a little hot, but it once got the right cadence, things settled down. I like to fully rub out LF rather than folding and stuffing it. LF starts out with a medium amount of flavor than moves to full. The flavor offered a floral taste and I was unable to detect any chocolate. As the smoke goes on, the floral disappears and I am left with a fruity and peppery spiciness from the Perique that isn’t overwhelming. LF builds in strength and by bowl’s end is a little stronger than I prefer. While not a top choice for me, I would recommend giving it a try.

18 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2014-02-22		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Not much of a VaPer here. More like a FloPer (Flowers and Perique) or maybe a PerPer (Perfume and Perique). The Lakeland scent just smothers the Virginias. It's enough to make you gag. Never again. Hey...the room note's great though.

Pipe Used: MM Freehand, MM General

Age When Smoked: fresh bulk

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SouthBound (10)	2012-05-30		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I find myself reaching for this tobacco more than any other I smoke. The quality of the leaf is top notch, and the flavor is perfect. If you're a VaPer purist, you might be a little disappointed. Also, if you're not accustomed to Lakeland toppings, you might be put off when you first try it. They can be mildly "soapy" until you get used to them. Louisiana Flake is no exception. The Lake Sauce, like the Perique, is lightly applied but definitely noticeable. Taken as a whole and unique creation, this is a brilliantly crafted blend. Highly recommended.

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2076)	2017-10-27		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Louisiana Flake.

Note: another of my early reviews I decided wasn't too useful so deleted to re-post.

The moisture of this pouch on arrival was good, it needed no time to air at all. In the pouch-note the chocolate is the only added flavour I recognize, I can't pick out any Lakeland/floral additions.

My first piece of advice with this is when ordering don't bother with a 25g pouch, get the biggest you can, it's bloomin' lovely! The chocolate's a notable addition, but never does it become too sweet, or sticky. There's just enough to add another dimension to the smoke, without it seeming 'aromatic'. Although some folks identify a Lakeland/floral appurtenance, this escapes me. The Perique's a lighter variety: enhancing the Virginia with mild spice, but it doesn't take over with vinegary causticity. The Virginia's the prominent tobacco, by a long score. I get no issues with the burn: cool, consistent, and of a medium speed. Nor do I have a complaint about bite: none.

Nicotine: medium. Room-note: pleasant.

Louisiana Flake? Highly recommended:

Four stars.

Pipe Used: Altinok Lee Van Cleef: Friday pipe

Age When Smoked: Various

Purchased From: Various

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JustinCarcerated (99)	2012-07-14		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Unnoticeable

Bought this at local B&M, who are growing pipe tobacco part of biz. First non- tinned baccy, 7ish per oz. Long caked flake, nice complex colors, good texture, unsure of what moisture content should be as this was nearly last oz in large jar, moist enough...

Smelled of good powder cocoa, and Virginias. I got no other smells, no whiskey or anything else. Nearing end of oz, as it has dried out its taken on a very peppery taste. I reside in SE Louisiana, love Perique (and all things spicy, fwiw) and this was very spicy.

Orlik Golden Sliced is a go to in my rotation, and as I understand it to be a Danish Vaper, more mild. This ounce -however - would be akin to comparing ketchup to Tabasco. Also, don't know how the tonquin fits in, maybe it adds to the pepper? It makes my mouth somewhat....numb after!? It is very tasty, will try to get several ozs when I catch a fresh batch at the store, see if there's a difference. Won't likely make permanent rotation- of which a Vaper is always present, but if your up for some zip in your pipe, give it a try.

Edit: Having smoked several VaPers since this review, decided this was tasty enough to purchase it by the pound! I missed it that much :)

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Knightsmoker (217)	2012-11-04		Medium	Extra Strong	Overwhelming	Tolerable to Strong

I hate to go against all the positive reviews here but my experience has been quite different. The flavoring is way over the top. I have smoked Lakelands before and really enjoy them. This stuff however, does not taste of Perique or Tonquin to me. I can only describe it tasting like Johnson and Johnson Baby Power smells. Picture that in your pipe and you have it. This is one of the worst tasting blends I have came across.

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Wibblefishofdoom (139)	2013-04-24		Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Just near the end of an ounce of this one and I really feel like I've got my money's worth with this, properly been through the mill with it, but has it been worth it?

The packet aroma has something of both chocolate and cheap and not particularly pleasant bread, wasn't quite sure what to make of that one when I first opened it but I decided to get stuck in anyway, it wasn't overwhelmingly off-putting. Rubbing out, packing and lighting were immensely easy, especially given that it's a flake. My first couple of smokes where in a corncob legend and was particularly unimpressed by it, finding it rough and lacking in flavour. I then moved over to a briar I had sweetened with calvados after it had developed a bitter taste, once again I found it rough and bland. Now don't go thinking it was the pipe this time because I followed it up in that same briar with some Orlik Bull's Eye which proved rather palatable, so pipe salvaged if not the tobacco. Finally, I moved it onto another briar with a good cake on it. The first two or three smokes were only marginally better but on the fourth a hint of flavour managed to sneak in, something a little chocolately perhaps with a hint of fruit. After a few more smokes and nearing the bottom of the packet, I have started to warm to this one as the flavours have begun to strengthen, they seem to nicely dally between chocolate and a lemon like fruitiness which keeps it interesting. It's still a little rough but nothing a good drink to hand, say tea or water, won't solve.

So was it worth it? On the whole, yes. I am glad I stuck with it and have had a good journey sampling it. I think three stars is fair at this point in time but I do plan on investing in a couple of ounces sometime in the future to get to grips with it a little better.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2015-12-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I approached this flake with positive expectations; but, having tried it, I won't be getting more.

It needed a full day of drying time to be smokable: a bad start. Handling the flake left my fingers coated with a fine dust, neither here nor there, but that's similar to the mouth-feel. I expect a Virginia-Perique combination to have clarity of taste, zest, sweetness and spice. This was to my palate just muddled and unexceptional.

Too bad

...And a year later, everything I felt was lacking with the fresh flake was present, in spades. The jar-note after a year of aging was mouth-watering, and the experience only got better.

I will be buying more to set aside for awhile.

Pipe Used: Falcons and various briars

Age When Smoked: More than a year

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	OSR (78)	2005-10-10		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

As a big G&H fan, I received this generous sample with great anticipation. While I do enjoy VA/P blends (Elizibethan Mixture by Dunhill is the current favorite) my mindset was that G&H would "perfume" the mixture up somewhat and thus change the dynamic of the pair. In other words, I was expecting a "flower cascade" of flavor on top of a milder VA with a smidgen of perique.

This is NOT what I was expecting. If there is a flavoring agent in this tobacco it is entirely subtle. There may be a tad of chocolate or cocoa in this blend but that's about it.

Brownish and black in color, this flake arrived a whit on the moist side; No problem, I folded the flake up and cut it with scissors into an almost granulated cut. These days I find that this granulated cut smokes best for me.

After letting the tobacco air for a few minutes I loaded up my pipe and applied match; Wonderful! There is a creamy roundness to the VA's (a smidge of burley added?) and the perique is there but it's waaay in the background. Full flavor, quality tobacco which I totally expect from G&H.

What is this similar to? Nothing that I've tried in the line is similar to this. Louisiana Flake is more natural than the flakes that I so enjoy and the perique is applied with a subtle and masterful hand. You get the taste of the perique but without the "peppering" that (say) a blend like Elizibethan Mixture has.

At mid-bowl the blend hasn't changed much but has picked up a little steam, flavor and nicotine wise. While this isn't overpowering it IS full in flavor. And the perique keeps in the background yet I know it's there.

I'll buy a brick or two of this and smoke it this winter to see if my impression changes. My generous sample has been lovely. For those who like the fullness of G&H tobaccos then you'll like this one. The Perique adds a little zing to the blend without peppering your tongue. Quality and consistency is something that I always expect from Gawith and Hoggarth and this Louisiana Flake definitely continues in this tradition. Very nice and quite a surprise!

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kilmarnock Piper (250)	2009-10-04		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant

Too much cocoa for me. I can taste that soapy "lakeland" essence as well. I liked it, but would like it more if there were a little less of these two things. Some people like chocolate with hot peppers; the sweet and the heat supposedly complement each other. But Perique and chocolate? Perique's unique overtones are better enjoyed with unflavored Virginia, in my opinion. This said, I must admit I kind of like it; when the pipe starts to open up it has a nice rich taste I enjoyed immensely, and it did not overwhelm with heavy puffing. I'm just not cuckoo for those cocoa puffs.

1-16-10 Revisited this tobacco after a long hiatus. I still get a sense of chocolate from it, but am no longer convinced that it has chocolate in it. I like this smoke better in the second half of the bowl; this time I let the pipe go out while I roamed Wal-Mart for a new tobacco-jar and some beer (new Samuel Adams Noble Pils-try it: it's the best I've ever had of their beers!), and the difference this made was quite palpable. Maybe I'll try that DGT thing. So I guess the jist is, I would keep this tobacco around if I had someone to smoke the first half of the bowl for me, or some kind of smoking machine. I have about three loads left, so this unusual flake still has three more chances to convince me. Even though I may seem wishy-washy about it, this is still at least three-star quality weed, and is obviously four-star for some.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	arpie55 (77)	2018-03-26		Medium	Medium	Medium	Tolerable

I'm just not sure!! I guess I would say earthy and smokey, not sweet at all but the cocoa is evident. When you rub this blend out and load it up it will smoke to the bottom of the bowl without a single relight, no hint of tongue bite, but a bit of an aftertaste that is not unpleasant but smokey. Maybe heavy? I like it okay but it certainly is not what I expect in a VA/Per (sweet and spicy).

Pipe Used: Savinelli and Ascorti

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gibfried (1)	2015-04-28		Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I am really enjoying this tobacco the second time around. The first time I smoked it years ago, I was blown away with what some call the "soapy" aroma/flavor. I quickly turned away from the blend. Now that I revisit, I am loving it - especially the tonquin. I love good vapers and am happy with Gawith, Hogarth's take on this wonderful style. I will be buying more for sure.

I smoked this fairly fresh leaving most of the new flake moisture typically found with this blender. (I believe dry tobacco is a crying shame). I thoroughly rubbed it out, just sprinkled it in the bowl until it mounded over the top of the bowl, and then packed it down just below the rim. I lit it, let it go out, repeated, then lit it for the third time which took me to the end of the bowl. Burned cool, and was enjoyed to the fullest. I find it better to pack lighter than I thought possible, and make sure plenty of moisture still resides in the tobacco. Awesome stuff.

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Smoking pipes.com

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2013-04-23		Medium	Strong	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This could be amazing tobacco but its been ruined with perfume!!! what ever the baby powder stink is its disgusting and i keep getting blends with it, every blend from this company has it!!!! i hate it. Perfume this awful has no place in a tobacco called Louisiana flake period.

Update: after rubbing and drying some of this out to basically dust then smoking it, the baby powder smell seems to be gone, there is a slight faint bit left but its almost not noticeable, now this is smokeable and quite enjoyable, now i get a nice perique flavor and no bite.... i wont change my rating tho because I shouldn't have to go to this extent to clean the perfume out of my tobacco that i don't think should be there in the first place, its called Louisiana perique flake not grandmas perfume nighty tobacco.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-09-17		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is not a va/per, it's an aromatic, and a nasty one at that. Smoke it in a corncob, boys, because you will NEVER get the smell out of your pipe.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cajomu (80)	2018-01-24		Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

GH&C Louisiana Flake is a pleasant enough tobacco but, IMO, a little light on flavor. The flakes are quite dark and smell strongly of chocolate. As delivered, they are moist and benefit greatly from an hour or so of airing out. However, even smoked without drying, they light easily and don't require many relights. The strength is a bit on the high side but nothing to worry about if smoked with a regular cadence. It burns to a dark grey ash, leaving no moisture in the bowl.

The Virginias lend both grassiness and dark notes, plus a touch of sweetness. Quite nice. The perique balances the Virginias, beginning spicy but quickly settling down to fig and raisin flavors. The chocolate topping is always present but in no way overpowers the taste of the tobacco. I detected the famous Lakeland essence but only a bit. I liked it.

All in all, while I enjoyed Louisiana Flake, I prefer GH&C Bob's Chocolate Flake, of which it reminds me.

Pipe Used: Barling African Meerschaum

Age When Smoked: Recently purchased.

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

Similar Blends: GH&C Bob's Chocolate Flake.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	moniker (217)	2017-10-03		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I got some GH&C Louisiana Flake mostly to compare it to its ex-pat sibling, GLP Stonehenge. As much as I like the latter, I have to say, I think I like LF better! When I got my bulk sample I promptly put it in a jar that I left alone for a month, based on my experience with Stonehenge. Opening the jar, the moist, gold striated, dark brown flakes smelled like dark chocolate over subdued, stewed prunes, and - surprise – no Lakeland scent. Despite it’s a bit of a pain to smoke wet, I much prefer LF flakes this way, folded, spindled, and loosely stuffed into my Stonehenge pipe. It lights with effort at tin moisture, then, given regular attention, it burns down slowly to some black dottle that I presently toss out and write off as part of the cost of enjoying this fine-tasting flake to the fullest. As pronounced as the chocolate starts out in the jar, it’s barely there over deep, stewed prunes and very deep, exotic Perique when I smoke it. The Lakeland essence is also noticeable, though it’s much less so than Stonehenge. The VAs are pretty stout. They seem to be rich, sweet, slightly musty, air cured browns and deep, stoved reds. GH&C specify that just a small portion of Perique is used. You could have fooled me; I think there is plenty, not so much peppery as generally “spicy”, even dessert spices. Also, though there’s no mention of Burley in the TR blurb, LF smells and tastes to me of dark fired, so deep and so rich is this blend. Perhaps it is the rare, KY Cavendish? Regardless, I find LF to have a perfect balance of earth, brown sugar/molasses, spice, stewed, dark fruit, white pepper, cardamom, paprika and more. It’s darn near as deep and earthy as HH Bold Kentucky, though it’s not as spicy, nor as edgy; rather, it is soft and smooth by comparison. LF is deeper in some ways than HH Old Dark Fired. Finally, LF is deeper, “darker”, and more intense than Stonehenge, which does declare some KY. Strength is medium. Tastes are toward full from medium. Room note is tolerable at best. Aftertaste is a nice, trailing best of the smoke.

I would say, if you like the other blends I mentioned above, try Louisiana Flake. It’s cracking good.

Pipe Used: Stonehenge briar

Age When Smoked: jarred a month before smokingt

Purchased From: 4noggins

Similar Blends: Similar to GLP's Stonehenge redux, only deeper..

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Blake_Gibson (4)	2017-09-06		Medium	Medium to Strong	Full	Pleasant

High quality tobacco like all Gawith and Hoggarth. The virginias are similar to many of the other Lakeland blends from this company. Perique is for sure second fiddle in this blend only making itself known in the mouthfeel. Yes there is a Lakeland essence which tastes and smells like roses to me. Very light and sweet and more noticeable on retrohale. An excellent starter Lakeland or all day smoke in the hot months.

Pipe Used: Cob, briar, meer

Age When Smoked: Unknown

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Grumpy (5)	2017-08-30		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

I find this tobacco to be fruity, chocolatey and sweet. Being called Louisiana Perique,it left me wondering where the perique until I read a review saying just enough perique was used to bring out its raisin or plum flavors. As for citrus flavor, to me it's very subdued as is the hint of lakeland. With the riot of plums and chocolate going on I'd have to be looking for it to notice it. If Stonehenge came in bulk, it would be a toss-up between it and Louisiana Perique. I think that I do prefer the Louisiana Flake over Stonehenge. I find Stonehenge more subdued in it's flavors, at least the tin I got. Not having the patience to "rub it out" I usually take a chef's knife and cube it. In the future I'll give it more drying time so it's more easily lit. Without drying it takes three or four times to get it lit. Which may be a plus for Stonehenge, which is a thinner flake,thus easier to light.

Pipe Used: Peterson Silver Mounted Army (01) Fishtail

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Stonehenge.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jorge Soler (202)	2016-02-20		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

I find more chocolate flavour in this particular blend than in Bob's chocolate flake. All and all, it is a better smoke too. The Virginia/Perique leaf is quite apparent and it is all combined in a rather pleasant package that will deliver a very nice and satisfying smoke. These flakes are presented in this sort of irregular well aged format that it is so pleasing to look at. In my personal opinion this is one of the best Gawith Hoggarth VaPers, but the Kendall casing is somewhat missing in this particular blend. If you are undecided due to the fact you are not so much into aromatics, just to say you might like this particular one as the casing does not feel artificial and it won't bite your tongue. There is a huge difference in between English and Danish aromatics and Gawtih Hoggarth is quite representative in this sense. As a matter of fact, I don't regard any of the English aromatics as "aromatics." Rather, I call them "Kendals," for this is what they are.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	GenericusernameYOB (6)	2014-02-21		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild	Tolerable

Mine arrived quite moist, in a very dark velvety flake. Delicious cocoa drinking chocolate scent. Required an hour of drying before full rubbing out and packing. Upon packing, I was surprised at a green leaf or two skulking at the back. Extra drying revealed a Lakeland floral.

No problems with the light, and no real problems staying lit. No bite. The only problems henceforth were its lack of character. I know this review is at odds the the body of reviews before it, but if this is supposed to be an approximation of an American blend, then someone tell me why Lakeland floral is in evidence? Couple that with the fact that the chocolate notes in the tin were so muted when combusted, as to be outdone by the florals that I wonder why they were there to begin with.

I was recommended this as a replacement for Edgeworth RR, I couldn't make that comparison personally. I also got no nuttyness, more dry talcum powder. Not one that agrees with my preferred flavour profile.

EDIT: I tried this again with 5 months of age on my flakes, as though I didn't enjoy my first outing with this leaf, I thought I could have been judging it a little harshly. I wasn't; folded and stuffed this time, though the florals weren't evident, the talcum powder was all over the place - dry and dusty mouth feel, terrible taste.

Pipe Used: Astley's rusticated billiard

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	NEWMAN (305)	2004-09-27		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

These are nicely prepared, predominantly dark flakes, that pack, light and smoke evenly. However, to my taste, the advertised 'nutty/chocolate flavor' is absent and replaced by the 'Lakeland soap' too common to G&H blends. Although less evident than in some of their other blends, it's still enough to spoil the enjoyment for me. Unless you enjoy these floral trips, skip this one.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Paddy (127)	2004-08-21		Medium	Medium	Medium	Tolerable

Very similar to Bob's Chocolate Flake but with the addition of perique. It is probably identical to Tavern Tobacco's Rusty Hinge which is also made by G&H. It has good tobacco flavor with the distinctive flavor of Bob's Choc and the added zip of perique. It can nip if not thoroughly dried. I like to smoke all three back to back. It makes for an interesting evening. Well recommended! Paddy.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mijnnif (127)	2022-12-14		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Bag note musty sweet coco this G and H is not wet at all and surprisingly it was a bit on the dry side. This may be because it was purchased from a B & M in bulk. Rather than rubbing it out i break the flakes in half and stuff them in the pipe length wise I think this allows it to burn a bit cooler. This is much milder than I expected from the other reviews. The perique is present but not excessively but it builds as you progress through the bowl. Gives just a bit of tongue tingle. The most prominent notes are coco and some lite sweetness with the spiciness of the perique. Full tobacco flavor. The Lakeland soap is only slightly noticeable. Not an all day smoke but a super nice change. Nic hit is middle. quite enjoyable if you like perique.

Pipe Used: custom long stem small bowl cob

Age When Smoked: 3 months old

Purchased From: Chesapeake pipe and cigar

Similar Blends: Bobs.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SmokingHawk (54)	2018-08-25		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

A different class of VaPer ... flakes are dark and notes are of typical G&H tobacco. Packs and burns easily it gives you a spiciness feel upon lighting and continue through out mid to quarter bowl I don't think its of parique but some other ingredient there is just a hint of chocolate coco taste. As they say vapers are for summer days but this is well intended for the cooler afternoons. A very good enjoable somke.

Pipe Used: German Briar

Age When Smoked: 6 months

Purchased From: GQ Tobacco UK

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Goose55 (33)	2017-05-20		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Plain and simple, this is a delicious high quality pipe tobacco. The Perique in it does not offer the deep, plummy notes and/ or spicy/ peppery flavors one looks for in a VaPer, but I do not miss them when I smoke this flake. There is probably an equal amount of cocoa essence. Has a very nice fresh, oven baked bread like quality, as well.

I started out by getting a couple of small samples over a few months, but now have one 1/2 pint jar cellared, which I intend to let age. I expect it will become even sweeter. More will be ordered because I also like to smoke this new.

Pipe Used: Preben Holm Ben Wade half bent Brandy

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

Similar Blends: Nothing compares to this, that I have.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Leeboy (20)	2016-02-16		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Tolerable

Sorry to those who love this tobacco. I am currently going through a VaPer journey and thought this was worth a go. Once lit you get the usual topping like ennerdale flake but not as strong. Next there was a very strong sour taste and that was all I got. No sign of any Virginia or hints of chocolate just topping and bitterness. Plus a nasty aftertaste that almost made me sick. I will stick with SG St James flake or Halo the wynd which IMO are far superior.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Haebar (52)	2015-11-26		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

This light brown flake is relatively easy to rub out. It is at a moisture level where it is just fine for smoking right out of the bag. The taste is very pleasant, with Perique spiciness and Tonquin flavor. The Virginia is sweet and the balance of flavors is superb. This smooth smoke has finesse and is of moderate nicotine strength. With the Virginia, Perique, Tonquin bean, and whiskey flavor, there is depth and complexity. I really enjoy this tobacco and it is one of the best Vapers I have smoked. Particularly I like the creamy smoothness and the spicy, sweet taste. I smoked it in a medium/large Comoy's Guildhall billiard and a small/medium BBB Sovereign Dublin.

Pipe Used: Comoy's Guildhall billiard, BBB Dublin

Age When Smoked: Fresh from purchase

Purchased From: 4 Noggins

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	crazy owl (74)	2015-07-30		Medium to Strong	Very Strong	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

For me this is a ..... scam,I was looking for a honest VaPer and I found a horrible tutifruti broken flake.People that like aromatics probably would fly away only by reading "louisiana",and by our side,non aromaticians,we fall in the trap.If GH call this something like "Tropical Surprise",all would be right.Sorry if you perceive a certain note of hate in this review but I really hate this blend.

Pipe Used: charatan trafalgar

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: local tobacconist

Similar Blends: mac baren.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pecheur (19)	2014-10-30		Medium	Strong	Full	Tolerable

Bought loose. Supplied as lovely large flakes that are almost the perfect dryness straight from the pack, they rub out easily and require just a few minutes drying. The tin note is overwhelmingly one of milk chocolate, it's not subtle, maybe just a hint of stewed fruit in the background.

I found the generic lakeland topping incredibly over powering for myself. I honestly couldn't taste any tobacco flavour at all, just topping. I often see lakeland described as soapy, this one isn't.

Pipe Used: MM Washington

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: mysmokingshop

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-01-28		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

January 2006.

Before lighting,I removed just enough tobacco to fill my pipe and let it air-out on a sheet of paper for about 10 to 20 min's.

It lit with-out alot of fuss,and just a few tamp's along the way was all that it required.

Here's a real treat that doe's not blow you away with any tongue bite,but doe's have just the right amount of delicious flavour's of both the virginia and perique.

Delicious,but not overpowering at all,and is a great all day blend.

My top 4 Virginia-Perique's are,Escudo,Three Nun's,Mc's 2015 & Louisana Flake.

Highly recommended.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rev. Smoke (24)	2006-01-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Well, I have been an ecclectic smoker for a few years. No one blend has WOWed me enough to sit down and smoke it on a regular basis. Well, so long to that idea. I have smoke 1000 grams of this since I got my first taste of it in the summer of 2004. This has become my "go-to" blend. In fact, if I smoked nothing else, I could finally be content.

This blend is flavorful, has a room not that makes my sons happy, and delivers a bold spicy kick of perique with rich, deep, sweetness.

I have enjoyed Escudo for years, this is smoother and richer.

Some have talked about a similarity between this and Bob's Chocolate Flake - I don't see it. I like BCF, in fact, it is part of my rotation and makes up a good part of my cellar. This is something different entirely. Also, I have balked at many Lakeland blends which sport either the soapy or floral notes - I do not like them. This has neither.

This blend gets a full 5 out of 5 halos. Wonderful stuff.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-03-06		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I should disclose that I have only smoked about ten bowls of Louisiana Flake. I'm a GH fan and a lover of VA/perique flakes, so it figures I would enjoy this blend, and I do. Of course, it's presented beautifully. Louisiana Flake comes in a brown and black rectangular plug that is sliced into thin flakes. It comes too moist for my tastes, so I allow it to dry quite a bit before smoking. I prefer to smoke the flakes as intact as possible.

The initial flavor is that of semi-sweet chocolate or cocoa. Initially I thought this was the natural tobacco flavor, but now I'm convinced it's a mild casing that is extremely well done. Perhaps this is the same casing used on Bob's Chocolate Flake. The initial flavor dissapates quickly and then just appears periodically during the smoke. The predominant flavor is slightly sweet and somewhat tart. It seems most like Bright CR Flake, but the perique really sets it apart. What strikes me is the smoothness of this blend, and I credit the perique and the casing. The strength and flavor is medium, so LF could be an all-day tobacco.

I am very impressed with this blend. It smokes great right out of the box after some drying, but I think it would improve with aging. I've already sealed 500g of Louisiana Flake in a Mason jar for long-term aging while I enjoy another 500g of the fresh stuff.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2004-08-20		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

To my knowledge, this blend is Gawith and Hoggarth's first attempt to include Perique in a Virginia flake. Not surprisingly, they've done it to near-perfection.

I've been smoking it outdoors in a GBD apple and a small Saseini patent apple. I don't rub it out; just fold the flakes into the bowl. It burns slightly hot at first, and takes several relights. Once going well, however, it stays lit and cools down. About a third of the way down the bowl, the deep flavours kick in. I wouldn't describe the flavour as chocolately (see above); I don't detect any added flavouring or floral notes. I think "nutty" and "buttery" best describe the flavour. I can make out the Perique just slightly here, but it's more of a complement to the other flavours; it doesn't stand out on its own. It burns very cleanly to a fine, powdery ash.

I love both Virginia/Perique blends and the Lakeland flakes, and Louisiana Flake combines the best of both. I've added this blend to my regular rotation. Highly recommended!

================

Revisiting this review after smoking several more bowls in each pipe, to correct one statment I made. There seems to be a slight floral note after all. It's not at all unpleasant, and much more subdued than in many Lakeland flakes, but it is noticable.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Juanma (8)	2022-11-21		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant

El olor en lata es el de una onza de chocolate con leche. Es de fuerza media y sabor un poco más de medio. El perique se nota poco y y el sabor jabonoso yo no lo noto en absoluto. Sabe a cacao, a chocolate, a bombón. Es dulce y suave con un pequeño toque picante y algo terroso. No es un vaper típico pero está delicioso. Ideal como tabaco navideño y a los que están a tu alrededor les agradará la nota de habitación que deja. Recomendadísimo.

Similar Blends: Bob's chocolate flake. Aged Burley Flake 656 de Solani.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	L'Italiano (231)	2022-02-17		Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

LOUISIANA PERIQUE FLAKE (a.k.a. Louisiana Flake): Without any doubt it is a superior tobacco compared to a lot of junk you can find around. However, I will not give it four stars, but three and now I’m going to explain why (my review refers to the 50 grams tin). Excellent Virginia (really pleasant), perfect Perique, but Louisiana Flake is also a flavored mixture. The Lakeland flavoring is extremely mild but noticeable and it is on the side of the casing. Nothing to say, it is perfect, it integrates completely. Not so for the chocolate topping which seems to me a jarring note (for this reason only 3 stars). Obviously, it’s a matter of taste and this is only my personal opinion. Anyway, a very good tobacco with a medium strength (I confirm). Despite being a Virginia based blend, the Perique is well present and you can taste it from the beginning to the end of the bowl. Justly not overwhelming but in the right proportion (a spice must be felt, it must not cover). So, in my personal rating system (from 1 to 10) my score is 9 and three stars.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	AJS2323 (32)	2021-07-28		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant

I thought I would give this a try after recently deciding to try Virginia perique’s again. So I ordered 50g as a starter. So the flakes are as I would expect from Gawith and Hoggarth. They are very long about 1mm thick, straggly and rough around the edges. Rustic really. The smell in the bag is actually quite nice. You get the grassy hay sweetness from the Virginias, some sour notes and a very subtle smell of cocoa. If you pick up a flake and rub it out, you can smell the cocoa a lot more. The moisture level was excellent but I don’t know how it has been stored previously. So with a whole box it might be a bit moist.

It lit really easily and I only had to do the charring light and the full light. The burn was consistent and the tobaccos burns into a fine white ash leaving nothing at the bottom of the bowl. The taste is what I would describe as subtle. You get the sweet grass/hay notes that you would expect, I did have a little tingle which would be the perique and this is topped off by a sweet cocoa taste. It’s not overpowering though. In some of the G&H tonquin blends that is all you taste. It is not like that with this. I think with a big bowl you could spend a good couple of hours trying to pull out of the flavours. The beard note is very pleasant! There is not bite, I smoked some this afternoon between rain showers and in the wind, nothing at all. It was very pleasant.

What I would say is that it doesn’t leap out and grab you. It’s very middle of the line. It’s enjoyable and tastes nice but it feels very “meh”. It would be a good place to start with flake tobaccos and Virginia perique’s because it is middle of the line, doesn’t bite and has a nice cocoa after taste.

Pipe Used: MM Emerald

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: My smoking shop

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	hrhf (38)	2021-05-04		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

The past month or two has been very exciting and productive, as it pertains to my discovery of new tobaccos. I’ve been on a very lucky streak it seems. It’s as if nearly each new blend I try becomes my new favorite.

Such is the case with Louisiana Flake. I’d only just discovered—and fallen madly in love with—Dark Flake Aromatic (also by Gawith Hoggarth) and Rattray’s Marlin Flake, only to be even more blown away by this great VaPer from our dear friends in the Lakeland region.

I’m not one of those pipe smokers who loves most VaPers. To me, a little perique goes a long way... but if there’s too little, it may as well be a straight Virginia. The master tobacco wizards at GH have found the absolute perfect ratio of perique to Virginia.

I’m not going to get into tasting notes, just that this one is absolutely amazing, and I now understand why it sells out within minutes of being released to the public. The pouch note I found vaguely reminiscent of Escudo, and the perique flavor reminds me of that one as well, although there may be a touch more of it in this blend.

That’s not to say that this one smokes like Escudo. While I consider Escudo good, this one’s great.

The flavoring is light, and simply enhances the flavor of the tobaccos. Perfect. Just perfect.

I “only” have a 500g (and rapidly shrinking) stash of this fine product, and an already sweating how I'm going to be able to keep some of this perpetually on hand.

Because you see this is one of those rare blends I suddenly find myself needing instead of just wanting. Louisiana Flake from our friends at the house of Gawith Hoggarth may be the best thing I’ve ever smoked.

Pipe Used: Various

Age When Smoked: New stock

Purchased From: Another individual pipe smoker

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (632)	2020-10-13		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I just finished a one ounce sample of this I purchased 5 yrs ago and I really wished I would have tried it then, because I would have put a few pounds in the cellar. This is just a great tobacco, albeit not for the lakeland haters as it certainly has a bit of that floral essence so common in many(or all?) of the GH blends.

I am not a big fan of Ennerdale or some of the other heavily scented GH blends and this is definitely not one of the heavier ones, but I would put the essence a touch over what is within Best Brown Number 2.

I had read some of the reviews and most of the disdain for this blend does develop over the aforementioned essence, but I was surprised by some who claim the Perique to very light to almost non-existent in this one. I found it quite prominent in the second half of the bowl.

The first half was mostly floral essence with little Virginia or Perique. As you work into the second half of the bowl there is a very fine flavor that develops as the essence transitions to a deep sweetness that can only come from fine virginia and perique. While the Virginia is in the lead, I found the Perigue relevant in that is added both body and spice.

This was a special smoke for me and I loved every bowl I had out of the one ounce sample.

Age When Smoked: 5 years

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Danno (106)	2020-02-03		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

DK's review hits the right notes for this blend. I'll add a few thoughts of my own here.

Louisiana Flake has a heady chocolate nose when fresh, but this subsides with some reposing. I get a bit of chocolate essence on lightup, but it's largely a whiff, rather than an underlying taste. I also much prefer this very dry; it nips me otherwise.

Taste is on the 'oaty' end of the virginia spectrum, and the perique is very light. If I was tasting this blind, I'm not sure I'd know there was any perique present, but that could be a good thing for those who prefer a gentle hand with the stuff.

Medium in terms of strength, and decent nicotine. I prefer this in cooler weather, as it's a bit flat for warmer temps. Still, very pleasant. Doesn't do anything extraordinary, but I like the G&H flavour profile generally, and am slowly working through a big jar that is about 4 years along.

Recommended if you like Empire virginias and a trace of perique, and chocolate isn't a turn-off. Dry it well.

Age When Smoked: 2016ish.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Greekpipesmoker (201)	2019-12-18		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable

It's been a while since i tried a vi/per so my next choise was this flake.once the tin opens a nice sour smell comes out.a deeper smell reveals some sweet citruses smell.the mostly brown and dark brown flakes are in proper moisture either to fold as they are or to rub wich a prefer for easier lighting with fewer relights.while burning you realize that perique has the lead.lots of figs,dried fruits,raisins,plums and spices are there from the beginning till the end.virginias are mostly citrusy with grass and some earth notes.there is a light lakeland style topping with some cocoa hints and soapy notes.generally the flavours combine very well giving a pleasant and naturall taste.burns cool at medium speed to perfect ash with some moisture left at the end of the bowl and more at the filter.room note is bareable with a nice sweet and sour aftertaste and no tongue bite.nicotine level is almost medium.an all day blend.in conclusion i liked a lot this blend and i recommend it specially for those who like perique in lakeland style.recommended.

Age When Smoked: Fresh

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lingo (39)	2019-04-22		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Yes, I agree with previous comments: it is a VaPer for those who think they don’t like VaPers. So, logically, it is not a real VaPer! For more than one reason: perique is hardly noticeable, flavours -imho- don’t fit in with a VaPer (which is already full of natural lemons, figs, peppers..), the classical and well known interplay “ketchupy” va-per does not show, vecause of flavours. Last, but not least, the usual Kendal soap appears. (If so many Kendals are so,d, it means that the soap has its fans. But I am still sorry everytime I smell it, because some of the unscented (u/s) Kendals are oh so great! why do they keep on wasting them with flowers and soap?)?

Said that, the smell is nice, though very little perique reaches the nose. Flakes are well moisted, dark and stiff, with nice sugar crystals blinking here and there. Easy flake to rub and pack, smokes quite humid, so pack it loose. Finally, a vaper flake which doesnt look like a vaper flake, so try it if you don’t like vaper flake! (Huh? What have I just written?)

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	USVI sailor (16)	2019-01-24		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

In August 2016 Smokingpipes.com was running a sale on this tobacco. In 40 years of pipe smoking I've never tried any Gawith Hoggarth & Co. blends but since I'm a VaPer smoker thought I'd buy some and cellar it for a while before smoking.

Today, while rumaging through my cellar I found it and decided to give it a try. I opted for an old Stanwell Majestic pipe with a deep and narrow bowl that I haven't smoked for at least 7 years.

This review is after smoking just one bowl - but as they say first impressions are always lasting.

This tobacco comes in long strips of about 5". It rubbed out well, packed well and took to the flame well. The package note is sweet but not that grassy, dried fruit and fermented smell of "classical" VaPers athat I love. It surely must have a top dressing or light casing but I just couldn't identify it.

At first I was getting a mild floral scent off the retrohale, dare I say, akin to Erinmore flake along with a similar taste. At this point I'm thinking to dump the bowl and get rid of this stuff. But after about 1/3 of the bowl was smoked I began to get a more traditional virginia taste and a barely detectable perique after taste. OK I thought, I'll give it my real taste test I give all tobaccos - smoke it indoors and outdoors.

Outdoors it smelled and tasted more like a traditional VaPer - I was able to tease out a liitle more of the perique hiding behind that grassy smell / taste of the Virginia - not to bad I thought.

Returned to my office and the first thing I noticed was the room note - extremely sweet, almost like an aromatic but subdued - reminded me of warm domestic beer and apricots - really smelled good.

At around 2/3 of the bowl the taste changed to a more nutty character with mild overtones of raisins - probably caused by the oils in the perique starting to come out. Quite enjoyable.

The remaining 1/3 of the bowl yielded a mild nicotine hit and the virginia took a seat to the lead of the perique.

The tobacco smoked cool & dry to a white ash in the bottom of the bowl. It is a mildly sophisticated blend and probably best enjoyed by seasoned smokers as the subtleties may escape a "newbe".

It was an overall enjoyable experience. Although it will not replace Escudo or my remainig stock of. St. James Woods it is nevertheless worthy of moving onto my B list of VaPers. I'll leave out enough for a few more bowls and return the remainder to my cellar for another year or so to see how or if it changes.

Pipe Used: Stanwell Majestic

Age When Smoked: 29 months

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: nothing comes to mind.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stefanos (222)	2018-11-10		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Unsmoked Louisiana Flake smells of bitter chocolate and decaying grass-like Virginia tobacco. I bought in bulk and the tobacco came in the right moisture to rub out and smoke straight away.

From the first whiff I felt a tingle to my nostrils. Yet the Perique influence is only mild and it is felt like a mild spiciness in this overall round and sweet tobacco. Very easy to smoke and enjoy, I feel it will satisfy the more experienced smoker and the novice alike. Flavour builds up as does strength. It seems to me to also have a trace, but just a trace, of a Lakeland florality to it, which after all it’s only to be expected, the flakes coming from the Gawith factory. Strength is a little past medium but it’s within the boundaries of an all-day smoke, at least for me, moreover it’s a smooth smoke without edges. I find interesting the interplay of dark aged Virginia flavor with a touch of cocoa and a trace of Perique which is felt as a black pepper spiciness – a little bit like the original Mayan recipe of chocolate - with a little of dark stewed fruit juiciness. It has a considerable sweetness which is not excessive and although mildly flavoured it has the feel of natural tobacco like most of the G&H products.

As a Vaper it has a very small amount of Perique and as a Lakeland the florality is only marginal. In comparison to Bob’s Chocolate Flake, this is a stronger tobacco with less florality and more hay-like and grassy Virginias and of course it has Perique whereas BCF does not.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	thesmoggypipester (76)	2018-09-02		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

This was one of the first tobaccos I ever tried when I picked the pipe up nearly 10 years ago and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

for some reason I always intended to buy more but somehow never got around to doing so. Anyway after a small pay rise at work I decided to chuck 50g into my virtual shopping cart for old times sake and here is my thoughts.

on opening the pack the first thing that comes to mind is fresh bread just out of the oven, digging a little deeper I notice a cocoa powder note albeit quite faint it is there and nice grassy Virginia, but with a heavier note of an almost toasted wheat like aroma. The perique is there that typical plum like note with a hint of spice is easily found, although I think the perique here is not in a massive quantity, it is just used as a condiment like adding pepper to a steak so to speak, it is used just to give that final nuance of taste.

the flakes come in 6 inch long strips, by just under an inch wide and moist, not overly so but I find packing the pack and letting it sit a half hour so aids the lighting. rubbing out the flake is an overall easy affair.

lighting up again the first thing that comes to the pallet is that is that fresh out of the oven bread taste, a very hearty almost yeasty taste, the cocoa powder joins the show in fleeting visits and adds a nice dimension to the taste, the slight tart note of the perique is always in the background, it never overwhelms and adds a touch of plum here and there.

towards the middle of the smoke the plum and spice note rears its head a little more and adds a touch of peppery zingyness to the pallet, although the perique does come foreward a little more, the Virginia's are still the star of the show, it is not a light Virginia in my opinion it's got a bit more heaviness to it but it shouldn't be too heavy to overwhelm, there is a slight sweetness to be had but overall it is a bread like taste that dominates with an occasional touch of fresh grass and I want to say an almost beer like heaviness to it, like the after taste when you drink a propper dark beer.

towards the end the perique does a long slow fade, it's still there but gently and gracefully tapers off, the smoke takes on a gently caramelized note and gives an almost creamy aftertaste. The perique still adds in its occasional appearance of plum, pepper and tartness to compliment the Virginia, while the cocoa works to meld it all together in harmony.

All in all a very decent smoke from gawith and hoggarth, it is often said revisiting the past leads to crushing disappointment, but I have to say I have my trip back in time, and although I won't stockpile this like I do ennerdale and coniston i will keep some around for when I want something less strong and less flavoured.

Those of you seeking a perique heavy and foreward blend won't find it here, it's more of a gentle dip your toes in the water to try perique, strength is around medium and room note shouldn't bother most, it's quite pleasant but may raise an eyebrow or two with the wife. Could be a nice all day smoke and pairs brilliantly with coffee or a dark beer.

Pipe Used: curved falcon with dover bowl

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: mysmokingshop.co.uk

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kunsan (76)	2017-08-08		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Strange tobacco. Slightly spicey from the perique, the virginias appear to be somewhat fermented and lack genuine taste. Leaves a huge amount of pure white ash. Not the best of G&H tobaccos in my opinion. Won't buy it again.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	GabrielCRT (115)	2016-11-02		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Louisiana Flake is making a nice addition to my VaPer rotation. The Perique is very present with spice, pepper, and fruit. The bright Virginia is very smooth and smokes cool. The floral chocolate topping compliments the blend and I think pairs with Perique much better than Latakia. I would recommend this blend as a change of pace for VaPer aficionados.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rob73 (77)	2016-10-23		Mild	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Louisiana Flake is the perfect blend for those who want to start with flakes (easy to pack and smoke, in this case), VA-PE and also Kendal scent (with the same (although lighter) soapy note used in Ennerdale. Excellent for a morning smoke. 3,5/5 in my personal rating system.

Purchased From: Dubini, Chiasso (Switzerland)

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BigNick (59)	2016-10-16		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I was graciously and generously gifted this amazing tabac. I've had my share of G&H blends, but this one eluded me. Thankfully, I have been given the opportunity to light it up. Fortunately for me...it's not just a G&H blend, it's been aged. This tabac was blended in the year 2000! Yeah that's right, seeing that its 2016 right now, well, I'll let you do the math. Now, on to the review!!

So, no tin to talk about, but it was vacuum sealed. The aroma after breaking the seal was very G&H. I always pick up a vinegar and ketchup smell. However, there is also a sweet smell and some kind of alcohol note.

It is a thick, chunky, pressed flake. Nice and dark with thin ribbons of golden leaf. It looks sleek and shiny and as I mulled it over and broke some of the flakes apart, I could see a glorious veneer of those lovely "sugar crystals" and as I saw them...ohhh I got so giddy! It has a great feel to it, ever so slightly moist but a minute out to dry, and its perfect for smoking.

I prepared the flake three ways and have used three pipes to smoke this blend.

Fluff and fold Roll and go Standard Rubbing out

There are minute differences, but the fluff and fold really pulled out the intensity of this complex blend.

It took to flame very well, initial char and re-light. Initial flavor I picked up was...like waxy chocolate. It had all of the other usual G&H flavors, but that waxy chocolate came out and totally brought back memories of Bob's Chocolate Flake. I smoked butt-loads of that in Laughlin while getting smashed on White Russians, it's kinda hard to forget. However, unlike Bob's Chocolate flake, it doesn't have that bitter sweet and smokey aspect. Now, I don't want you to think its some chocolate gooper, no no no, it's weird, the waxy chocolate is mildly sweet and it works with the sweetness of the Virginias. So, this weird mix of flavors just totally caught me off guard, after-all, this is supposed to be a Va/Per. Well, yes it's definitely a Va/Per as the Perique rears its head and adds that plum/fig flavor and it dances around the first part of the smoke to the mid part of the smoke.

By the middle part of the bowl, the sweetness of the VAs kick up. At the right time the other notes calm down. I was really happy about this because I really wanted to get to the Va and Perique and leave the G&H flavorings behind. The perique is a little more noticeable and it started to pepper up and get a tiny bit spicy. Snorking here really pulled out that great marriage of very mellow VA's and mildly spicy Perique. It became very very mellow by this time. It was just so smooth and sweet and silky. It remained this way lasting until the very end.

It burned down to a dark grey and black ash with tiny bits of dottle. Not goopy in the pipe and had no weird smell afterward.

It left a very nice, but waxy aftertaste. Seeing that I smelled some kind of alcohol-like aroma, I was surprised that I got none of that in the smoke itself. When it comes to Perique, I personally taste a plum or fig like flavor, this was more sweeter, on the plum side, and surprised me when the spice came on rapidly as if it was delayed.

Room note, it was weird, my brother didn't particularly like it. It was kinda...floral, sweet and musky all at once.

I had a hard time pairing drinks with this, seeing the complexity of flavors, it made it hard to match or compliment cocktails. I ended up finding the Dark n Stormy to be a nice drink with this, the dark rum and slightly spicy ginger beer really work well with this blend. Irish coffee also worked well for me. Most of the time coffee works just well with any tabac, but seeing that this is such a mosaic of a blend, I think coffee of some sort would be the go-to for most.

All in all, this is definitely on the list for most unusual Va/Pers I've had the pleasure of tasting. To be honest, smoking it is definitely a ride, going from very complex to exxxtremely smooth, it was sinfully smooth. The chocolate flavor was a fun touch. I'm a bit of a perique nut, I'm not sure if it was the amount, or just age, but the dancing around was a little too sparse for me. I was expecting a little more of a kick, but I was happy at its quick hit of spicy towards the middle and end of the bowl.

All in all, being so unusual for my palate, it actually blew my mind. I'm happy about that. Deciding to smoke this blend was definitely a good life choice.

Pipe Used: "French belge, Kaywoodie Standard, Ropp

Age When Smoked: 16 years

Purchased From: Gift

Similar Blends: Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Bobs Chocolate Ready Rubbed.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2016-10-02		Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild	Very Pleasant

Louisiana Flake has not secured my interest to the point where I would buy it again. A major flaw was its tendency to be hard to keep lit, even when the tobacco was on the ideal dry side. I could make out the chocolate casing without any problem. Being very pleasant, the issue with it was that it was the only thing I could make out both when smelling the pouch aroma and smoking it. The casing is not strong by all means but it seems like it was enough to smother any tobacco taste. It had enough nicotine for my liking (medium) but I have serious issues smoking a tobacco that does not taste as such. The result is that I always tend to puff harder in order to get some taste out of my pipeful; and this always creates some tongue bite. This is unfortunate.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	steppx (186)	2016-09-06		Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I love this flake but I sort of admit its not in the classic category of Kendall Flake or Coniston Cut Plug or Boson Cut Plug. its not as strong, firstly. The nic hit is a tad over medium so its hardly a mild blend. But its not excessively strong. The taste is one dimensional, with cocoa and Perique dominating. If you like that cocoa taste with a little spice then you\re going to love this. I find that I reach for it more often than I might expect. Its great stuff, if you like GH flakes. And I do. But i cant quite give the full four stars. Call it 3 and a half.

Purchased From: 4noggins

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Phil Bennett (7)	2016-01-09		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Decent smoke. You get the sweetness of the Virginias with a slight twang of perique. Could do with slightly more perique. There is a hint of Lakeland essence, not as much as Bob's chocolate flake but it is there, if that puts you off. I am a Lakeland fan so for me the more the merrier. Surprisingly little drying time required and was easy to rub out. Burned cleanly and evenly in the bowl.

Pipe Used: Peterson bent

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: GQTobaccos.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BTGreenwald (13)	2015-01-27		Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This one is nice. Its kind of like Ennerdale, but with 75% less Lakeland Essence, and with the correct proportion of Perique. This is arguably my favorite Va/Per. In my lifetime I've had roughly 10 bowls and each exceeds the last with a wonderful balance of Toasty Brown Va's and LA Perique. IF I haven't been clear enough, the perique comes in with the perfect amount of bravado.. it is just right! One encounters notes of Chocolate, Raisin and Fig. Do yourself a favor and get some.

Pipe Used: Peterson Darwin System

Age When Smoked: 8 Months

Purchased From: SmokingPipes.com

Similar Blends: In a league of its own..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2014-09-17		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

At charring light there is a blip of sweetness along with just a tiny bit of spice. There’s also that certain flavor that’s uniquely Gawith & Hoggarth as well as an indicator that you’re in for a different kind of smoke. Gawith flakes from both houses are notorious for being overly moist and this one is no exception. However, once properly dried this is a loose enough flake to allow for folding & stuffing.

Louisiana Flake is not in format with other tobaccos typically found in the VA/perique phylum. It does not boast the archetypical vaper flavors that I enjoy, which tend to be brighter & sweeter, well nuanced & peppery. Instead it has much darker & murkier tone, as well as a certain gritty, unpolished flavor quality.

The perique is noticeable but does not have an overt pepperiness to it, nor does it provide any of the mouth-watering tanginess that I prefer. As far as the topping is concerned, I don't get anything floral or herbal from this blend & frankly, I don’t taste the tonquin or the whiskey. I am however smoking a relatively well-aged sample.

Lousiana Flake burns very cool but unfortunately it also has a certain harshness to it that becomes more & more unpleasant as the bowl progresses. The mid to end-bowl experience is not at all to my liking and the flavors taste much more muddled than married. Altogether, the more I smoke this tobacco the less I like it.

Thankfully Gawith Hoggarth produces so many excellent tobacco products that running into one that I don't care for is no big deal. A somewhat disappointing smoke from one of my all-time favorite blending houses.

Pipe Used: Briar & Cob

Age When Smoked: 7

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-10-07		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Testing with my meer pipe.

This is my first VA/PER tobacco and I have to say if the other VA/PER blends I bought are half this good, then VA/PER has to be (so far) my favourite tobacco blends for pipe smoking.

Some hints of Bob's choc flake, however the perique gives it such a boost in taste and the good old vitamin N here is felt much more I dare say.

I can't feel bean or whiskey (maybe because I am drinking white wine while smoking), but I can definitely feel a very mild cocoa flavour, akin to bob's choc flake.

I will update if I feel anything different with my other briar pipes. Recommended!

---------

Update:

Seriously, anything tastes better in a briar pipe. I am not sure if it's because I have a small bowl meerschaum, but the briar really mellows and ages a tobacco.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-08-13		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

A handsome flake tobacco that is just a bit darker than Kendal flake. The tobacco smells like fermenting hay, or silage. To really enjoy most G&H flakes I have to completely rub them out and I mean completely. At first light I sense the faint florals that smell and taste so light and wonderful. After the fire has caught, the perique comes in sending the taste deep. The perique seems like a cauldron of stewed dark fruits. The Virginias are softened by the perique and given bass notes. If there is chocolate here, I do not detect it. Another very fine offering by G&H that is hearty, spicey and tangy. My Favorite GH.

Update; This is my choice of the best G&H Flake tobacco they produce! Absolutely amazing!

Pipe Used: Larry Comeaux

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: St. James..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrT999 (317)	2012-06-01		Medium	Mild	Full	Pleasant

A good medium smoke, all things considered. The Lakelands are there for me throughout the bowl, but they aren't overwhelming at any point. I must say, I didn't get of the chocolate/nutty overtones, but they weren't missed. The Perique is v light. Not the easiest light, even after some drying, but it stays alight pretty well and the Va keeps up throughout.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-05-13		Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Stout but surprisingly smooth good flavoured tobacco. The perique adds a good sprinkling of pepper, but it's nicely seated in the mix, (I found it a bit like a good curry). Not particularly sweet but a good bran/cereal taste, turned a little sour mid- bowl but mellowed towards the end. Rubbed and packed, it stayed well lit, and had moderate nicotine. Definitely one to revisit.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PipesterJim (47)	2012-03-17		Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I think GH&Co have justifiably taken the number one slot as my favourite blender. I like the fact that they are from the UK and I like that they have history and tradition behind them. But most of all I like the quality of their unique tobaccos!

Louisiana Flake is not what I was expecting - it's better. My sample has quite a bit of soapiness. Perhaps it got an extra dose of whatever magic sauce the blender uses to create this effect, but that is no bad thing as far as I am concerned. The chocolate casing is subtley present throughout and the perique increases in prominence down the bowl until it seems to be matching the lakeland soap for dominance of the blend. This probably sounds like an awful mess. In fact, everything works in perfect harmony, creating a flavour that is certainly not typical VA/Per, but which is smooth, fullsome and very tasty (provided you like lakeland soap).

What is most surprising is the vitamin N content. For some reason this one seems to punch above its weight for me. Certainly strong enough to be an evening smoke and an indulgent treat if enjoyed during the day.

I have come to the tentative conclusion that I prefer most GH&Co flakes at least partially rubbed out, but this one seems to work just fine with a good old fold, twist n' stuff.

If you are a VA/Per fan who doesn't like Lakeland flavours then this isn't going to ring your bell, but if you are a devotee of GH&Co then this one deserves to be near the top of your 'to try' list.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-08-05		Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

My wife and I recently took a trip to northern England from the west Highlands of Scotland where we currently live. On this trip I picked up 6 15-gram samples of G&H tobaccos, 2 in Glasgow and 4 in Carlisle. These samples were enough to get me 5 or 6 bowls of each, enough for a rough review. I will smoke them in order of how much drying they need (they were all very wet for my preference). Luckily, this will also allow me to work my way up from to the nicotene powerhouses, because they were also the most moist.

Louisianna flake is mostly a light brown to yellow color, with dark, reddish brown to black streaks and clumps. When I first smelled the aroma in the tin, my first thought was: chocolate! That was by far the dominant aroma. After some drying, I smoked a few bowls. This has a medium nicotene content, just perfect in my book. The first few puffs give you a distinct lakeland floral taste and aroma, but this soon recedes leaving a nice sweet rounded and earthy flavor. I dried it out some more, and then the chocolate flavor came to the fore. This flavoring is never overbearing and compliments the tobaccos.

This is marginally better for my taste than the other G&H flakes I have tried so far. It has more flavor and a tad more nicotene than Best Brown #2, and a better flavor than Rum Flake. Nothing really outstanding, but a great anytime smoke that is easy to work with. Definitely worth a try.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-05-16		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is another excellent flake from G&H. I will admit that I stayed away from it for a long time because the thought of chocolate and Perique just didn?t seem quite right. But as others have mentioned it does work and quite well. I like smoking this in warmer months as it is not too heavy and the aroma reminds me somewhat of Grousemoor. Not that the two should be compared as far as taste but they both produce for me the same sense of relaxation that goes well with a warm climate.

In my experience this flake does not compare to Bob?s Chocolate regardless of other descriptions. BCF is one of my favorites and I am waiting on a pound of it right now (review to follow). I completely agree that they are on different ends of the spectrum with Bob?s being a darker tasting fuller bodied flake in conparison. I love the aroma of LA flake and the creaminess of the smoke once it settles in. And yes at times there is a mild nuttiness that evolves. I also detected a subtle floral aroma in the background that was, in my last batch somewhat subdued. I really enjoy the floral notes of Gawith flakes so more of this would have been even better for me. The Perique does its job nicely adding body and rarely if ever comes to the forefront. Mainly there is a straight forward brighter tasting Virginia that is semi sweet to sweet. And of course the presence of chocolate is there too in the right amount throughout the smoke making for an interestingly pleasant combination.

This could easily be an all day smoke for those so inclined (like me) and is a regular in my rotation. As with all of these types of flakes it takes time, a little solitude and a dedicated pipe or two to appreciate the quality of blending and the nuances they produce.

LA flake teeters on complex or better yet contemplative at times which most of the time I was not expecting. This one worked well for me in smaller bowls for some reason but it smoked well any clean pipe that I used. If you like English flakes in the Gawith tradition, this one is well worthy of your attention. I think this is one of G&H?s better flakes that no one is giving much attention to which makes my cellar quite happy.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-08-07		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Mmm, a chocolate VaPer that actually works!

This is a nice well-balanced flake that skilfully manages to weave a slight cocoa note into a VaPer blend. And though it is a little on the mild side for my liking, it still manages to hit the spot and hold its flavour after smoking the strongest tobaccos.

If the mentions of Bob's Chocolate Flake may put you off, then don't worry. The two are at completely different ends of the scale to one another.

Well worth a try.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-04-11		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Flakes are fast becoming my choice of smoke.This being a perfect example.Perique and choclate an odd combination but very tasty.Ive noticed a floral taste at first light as with Bob'sChoclate but it soon disappears.The perique and virginias act in harmony never outdoing each other,but strolling hand&hand together.The flavoring intertwines I believe making its self noticed in the background never jumping out and hiding the tobacco flavor.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Captain Pete (83)	2007-03-07		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

The more I smoke G&H flakes, the more I appreciate the remarkable subtlty they exhibit in their flavors. Most of the milder G&H blends don't have anything about them that really hits you in the face; no immediate 'wow' factor. However, they always remain in my regular rotation due to their quality and complexity.

Louisiana Flake is another one of those great, but subtle, offerings from the folks at Gawith & Hogarth. I expected it to be more like a standard va/per blend, but was very pleasantly surprised at how different it was from Escudo or Elizabethan. I don't think I would even classify this as a va/per blend, as it does not behave in the same manner.

Typical of G&H flakes, lighting is a bit ornerous. But once lit, the smoker is greeted with a pleasant tobacco flavor with, as is stated, hints of chocolate. The perique imparts more of a tartness than a tanginess, and really does more to round out the virginias than anything else. The expected lakeland floral taste which I have come to enjoy was quite lacking. I believe that, due to the blending process of this flake, the floral overtones have become the chocolatey undertones.

Halfway through the bowl the tobacco begins to take on a warm character. It doesn't heat up, it's just the sweetness barely peeking through to create a warm taste sensation. The perique tartness goes really well with this sensation, and gives an impression of an even drier smoke than what one is really experiencing. While the tobacco maintained these characteristics throughout the entire smoke, I wouldn't call it boring or one dimensional. Throughout the entire bowl there was a nice interplay of nutty and chocolately flavors dancing around in the background.

If you are already a fan of G&H offerings, this one will be a good fit in your regular rotation. For those of you who have been leary of trying the lakeland tobaccos, this would be a really good one to try.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BostonPipe (84)	2006-01-21		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

My overall experience was o.k. I guess when I see a flake that is predominantly Virginia and Perique, my mind tends to wonder back to the sixties and seventies when "Three Nuns," was "Three Nuns." This flake was a nice smoke, it is just that I found it average for this genre. Pleasant, smooth, good burning qualities. This is just not a flake to sit-back and "experience."

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Spike (296)	2005-12-04		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

As a person who frequently smokes Virginia-Perique blends and enjoy many flakes including Gawith, Hoggarth products, I knew I would love this flake...Sorry not yet. Maybe my sample is too moist or young but I did not enjoy smoking this. I will update this review after the flake gives up most of the moisture and aroma that it contains now.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stan (178)	2004-09-28		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a G&H rendering that is similar to their Bob's chocolate flake but composed of different tobaccos. Namely instead of burley and brown virginias it uses brighter virginias and no burley. And it substitutes 6% perique for the latakia. This a somewhat lighter and tangier taste when compared to Bob's.

I do taste the chocolate but it is light in effect. More of a hint of cocoa. The flavor masks the perique for most of the bowl and only lets a little of the virginia tang through. You can taste some perique toward the end of the smoke but it keeps its character mostly in the background.

This flake needs very little rubbing in my opinion and burns quite steadily and on the dry side.

A little sharnpess sneaks through at times, and I am not sure if this is do to the fair amount of perique or the bright virginias. However, steady puffing keeps it cool enough for me.

I do like it as a substitute for Bob's. CAO's Patriot Flake is smoother but heavier in comparison (which too has a hint of chocolate but no perique). I think Louisiana Flake is better than G&H's first perique attempt with Mr. Pease a couple of years ago (Stonehedge flake, which I had a small sample of), which was blander. This new attempt has Louisiana character for sure.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DeathMetal.org (231)	2023-02-19		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Summary: a Virginia blend with a smidge of Perique and chocolate/floral topping.

Making a Va/Per that is both good and distinctive can take up a lot of brain cycles, but this blend spaces itself out from the Va/Per angle to instead focus on a type of "English garden" of flavors added to an intensely sweet but mild Virginia blend. The Lakeland Essence is present with its clove, cinnamon, geranium, and incense flavors, but so is a small amount of Perique which adds a wine-like spice instead of a dark fermented pressure in the other ingredients. As a result, this blend serves up light and bright Virginia flavor with enough depth to keep you going, although not enough nicotine for your average GH/SG consumer.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pikey Mick (48)	2022-07-13		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

If you get this expecting a classic VaPer then you will probably be a bit disappointed as the perique is just a condiment in the same way that some people like to flavour chocolate with chilli. The pouch not is powdery chocolate and some quality Virginia. I don't really pick up on any Lakeland florals here but it doesn't need any. This one lights beautifully and is an absolute delight to smoke from first light to the heel end. This is quickly becoming a firm summer favourite for me and although I prefer something a bit stronger first thing this is easily an all day smoke providing you sandwich it between your favourite VaPer in the morning and evening. The flavour of the excellent Virginia improves throughout the bowl and has just enough nicotine to keep you going. The chocolate that's evident in the pouch note is there through the bowl but I wouldn't class it as a chocolate flavoured tobacco. Rather it caresses the Virginia and Perique and serves to marry them really well. I would recommend that all pipers try it at least once, and if it doesn't work for you then jar and cellar it as the flavours become deeper and richer over time. I'm giving this one a strong 8/10.

Pipe Used: Peterson full bent, Molina straight billiard

Purchased From: GQ

Similar Blends: Bobs chocolate flake but without the Latakia..

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	krog (20)	2022-02-06		Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Initially smell of the tobacco was a bit confusing to me. The chocolate flavoring was a little weird for me, maybe because i expected it to be like HU's Tillerman Flake although the smell is pleasant.

Easy to rub out and smokes like a champ, needs no relights.

After smoking few VaPers i was a bit concerned about this baccy nevertheless i loved Louisianna Flake. The first half of the bowl was much sweeter and less spicier. Flowery, chocolaty Virginia Flavor with a little spice coming from Perique. Definitely not a Perique bomb. Seems like a fabulous starting point for smokers who want to try VaPers. I smoked a whole bowl to the end and this tobacco is now one of my favorites. Can be an everyday smoke. You have to try this one. Highly Recommended, cheers

Age When Smoked: new

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sangagor (78)	2021-08-17		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Unnoticeable

Chocolate? Just a pinch. Some kind of floral sweetness and cocoa. Flakes are too moist. Pls dry it as good as it get. Taste is much more noticeable. Taste is sweet chocolate, with hint of figs and again with some kind of floral toping.

Need several relights, but dried well even burn with perfect pace. No need to be afraid of hot bowls. Leave only dot of moisture.

It took some time, when find proper pipe to this tobacco. Can not help to myself, but from cobs it was almost unsmokable.

Pipe Used: BPK, Stanislaw, cob

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: etrafika.cz

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tomcat (213)	2021-04-14		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Unnoticeable

G&H Louisiana Flake - Here’s the thing w/ Gawith Hoggarth and Samuel Gawith . When Lakeland Essence is applied , you don’t know which one is will be . The rose - geranium or Tonquin is quite nice . Whatever is on this flake is very good IMO and I get a little cocoa also . This flake is fruity also and could be just the Vaper tobaccos but hard to tell . A little hay , baked bread and dark fruit , raisons but not much spice . The Virginias are just sweet enough and Perique is mild bit noticeable, to my liking . Mild to medium nicotine . A great tasting flake . Much better than brown #2 . If I didn’t read the description I would have thought there was a pinch or two of Burley in this . Gawith and Hoggarth is delivering the goods . I have a few more blends to try from them . 3 1/2 stars

Pipe Used: Cobs

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	UncleAl (17)	2020-07-22		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Louisiana Perique Flake is exceptional. The light chocolate topping hides beneath the sweetness of this deeply satisfying VaPer. Easily medium strength but I sip, which makes for a higher hit. Prepared and smoked Louisiana Perique several different ways and each was just a little above ‘the best you can get’. Rubs out easily. I always use rubbed out dust on top to ensure an even charring light no matter what way I pack. Relights very well. Comes moist so can be stored or smoked that way for full flavour. Truly superb in a loose packed chimney.

Pipe Used: Various

Purchased From: 4Noggins

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Falliver (42)	2019-12-07		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I fail to notice any Lakeland-soapiness, as some commenters do, but retrieve a sweet and dry tobacco scent. Being sent as a sampler from a fellow at Oslo Pipe Club, it’s spent some days in the mail box before I was able to open it. It was thus dry, as some others seem to have receive overly moist tobacco. It didn’t bother me, but it required some relights.

Upon smoking, a dry, medium-bodied smoke presents some breadiness, nutty sweetness, and a tinge of bittersweet cocoa. As promised by its description, no overly Perique-tanginess is present, but ads a mild figgy taste. Quite pleasurable, this is a unique take on the VaPer tobacco, and recommended for its mellow smoke and flavours - as some other put it: gentlemanly.

Best smoked in my small, bent Norrøna Lillehammer 1212 pipe.

Pipe Used: Norrøna Lillehammer 1212 and Mesna Lillehammer

Age When Smoked: Bought in May of 2018

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	babysinister (55)	2011-06-25		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

The flakes come a little wet and heavy/thick. It needs drying and airing out for sure. As usual with G&H blends it starts a little heavy on the tonquin bean/floral essence/whatever. The Lakeland scent steadily begins receding to the background, but I always noticed that damned tonquin bean. I think I have a mild allergy with that stuff tonquin, although it's fairly tolerable here.

A sweet smoke, minus the usual peppery overtones associated with perique, or at least not much to make me sit up and pay attention. Even though the floral essence notches down a bit after the first few puffs, it was a while before you taste the virginia. Just wait for it. While smoking, I had trouble discerning the Acadian perique that was up front in the tin note. It eventually showed up, but remained more of an aftertaste and it certainly didn't get in the way of the virginia or the tonquin. But you can tell it's in there somewhere because of the depth of the smoke as the bowl burns its way down. Once the perique finally makes an appearance, it remains a muted presence, more so than in any VaPer I've tried before. The smoking experience here, however, does finally settle down to a tasty, flavorful and sweet one, once you get past the initial floral and tonquin onslaught.

Flake size is distinctive, larger and thicker than other flakes I've experienced, but fills the bowl reasonably well. I enjoyed that it was a very sweet smoke, in my Ardor Urano pencil-shanked poker. Overall, a fairly solid if offbeat smoke the first time around. The kind of blend that requires several smoking sessions for a definitive personal appraisal.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SmokeQuest (20)	2011-05-17		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Good tobacco, it smokes cool with no bite and has a nice sweet Virginia taste. This tobacco I think is Bright CR flake with added perique, mild enough to be smoked all day and strong enough to be satisfying.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-05-12		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Good lord, my third tobacco and my first english blend. My first review too. The tobacco is nice, leathery but supple, very nice to work with out the pouch. I've only had a third of a bowl so far, since its breaking in my new peterson pipe on non aromatic english and american blends. my first brush with Perique too. The note in the pouch is raisiny, but with hints of bran flakes, as well as definite tobacco. Smokes cool, with no bite detected yet. Is this what I was missing with the aromatics? Definetly be buying more of this again. Just dont smoke it around the better half.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-03-01		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This tobacco burns slow and cool. It tastes naturaly sweet and raison-like as you would expect from a Va/per. But there is something else in here too... something new that is not common for Va/pers. It is slightly minty and leathery... I suspect tonquin bean? This latter flavor is not extreme or overwhelming as I believe it is in Gawith, Hagarth & Co.'s Dark Flake. Rather it is lightly added as a compliment.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-02-14		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Good solid VaPer with a very slight 'Lakelands' flavour in the background.

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	Skando (203)	2010-09-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Well,

my review is based in 50grms coming from a 500grms brand-new brick. I'm mid way to end those double length flakes, the rest will go sleeping in one of my small glass vases just to see if/how time will improve, supposed that LF needs ...

I'm just thinking why I haven't bought the whole brick; but it was a matter of choosing some U.S. blends (GLP, C&D) and those had my priority at the moment.

Preamble: I don't feel any chocolate/cocoa topping, no way indeed. This is just a VaPer of the best quality. Maybe something has changed during the time, if so it changed for the better. Medium in strength and body, very good combustion qualities, no need of drying time for me. It goes nice with DGT too. The combination deliveres a good volume of smoke with the biscuity/peppery flavour I like so much.

I would rate this 4* if only some more sparkles, neverthess this is a very solid smoke, no doubt that a whole brick will come with me as soon as I can put my hands on it.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-06-27		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant

The flakes are about twice as long as the normal tinned variety and the minute I opened the packet I got a strong smell of chocolate/cocoa... very nice.

For me the first couple of puffs still bring through the chocolate flavouring which seems to disappear for a while but return within the last quarter of the bowl. It is a very relaxing after dinner smoke, thoroughly enjoyable.

Review based on freshly bought and not cellared.

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	The Full English (31)	2010-04-12		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

An interesting flake with a mellow pouch aroma akin to Cadbury's Drinking Chocolate. Unlike many reviewers, that's probably where Louisiana Flake's association with cocoa ended for me, but I have to agree with Dr Dyson review (see below) in that there's something in the perique blend itself which lends itself to tonquin, albeit the barest lick.

It's a moist a flake as I've had from G&H, and although I have succeeded in smoking it fresh, it could probably benefit from a little air time. It smokes earthy and grassy, with a rather spicy, prickly, pepper finish, which one can automatically attribute to the perique. It's not the strongest of flakes and the Vit N seems to be pretty mild too.

Rather like Ennerdale Flake, it's not particularly exciting in the first few puffs, but it really kicks in gloriously in the mid bowl, where it's at it's most flavoursome, releasing some great biscuit taste, coupled with the more savoury, meatier aspect of the pepper. It's really quite a strange combination, but it works.

Calming, intoxicating, and wonderful taken through the nose; G&H are beginning to win me over.

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	hufflepuff (8)	2010-02-25		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This is the unsung hero of Vapers. The flake rubs out nicely. and with a bit of drying, it lights and stays lit easily. A nice brown flake with a good touch of perique. It's not overpowering nor is it mild..it's just right. You get the lightest lakeland scent on first light which quickly yields to a mellow lightly sweet and spicey smoke. I don't get the chocolate flavor as others below have. To me this is an honest brown flake with just the right amuont of perique to spice things up but not so much as to make my nose tickle. 3.5 stars.

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	DrDyson (148)	2009-12-11		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

This is a nice Va/Per, produced from leaf of obviously high quality. It's one of the best of the G & H flakes, in my view.

So many people who have reviewed Louisiana Flake talk about a chocolate topping, but I have to say that I can't find it. There's a flavour of some kind, for sure, but it doesn't seem like chocolate or cocoa to me. I'd be more inclined to call it nutty, biscuity, malty or something along those lines, but it doesn't really lend itself to precise analogy. To some extent, the flavour is due, I think, to the Perique element itself; there is perhaps also an element of tonquin. G & H have something of a reputation for spoiling good leaf by overdoing the casing, but this certainly isn't the kind of floral 'soapy' Lakeland tobacco that so many reviewers dislike. It's a million miles away from Ennerdale Flake, thank God. Some people say that LF reminds them of the old Edgeworth Sliced.

Whatever it is, the flavouring of LF it isn't excessive. Far from it, in fact. Once the bowl is properly under way, the preponderant impression that it gives is of a natural tobacco that has been intelligently handled by the blender. The natural flavour comes through, and is enhanced rather than obscured or distorted by the topping. The flakes are thick and substantial and easy to deal with: best folded, with enough rubbed out at the top of the bowl to give you a good light. Thereafter, the burn is steady and the taste full and interesting: sweetish, but with a rounded, spicy Perique clearly making its contribution. DGT is rewarding also. The room note is quite pleasant. As always with VA flakes, it'll burn you if you take it too quickly, but I have to say that this is one of the coolest flakes I've ever smoked. Sipping will enhance the flavour, too.

This is a full-bodied, tasty, slow pipeful, with enough, but not too much, vitamin N. Recommended; a strong favourite of mine: nicest, perhaps, late at night by the fire, with a nightcap and a good book. Idyllic, in fact: this is what pipe smoking ought to be.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-11-10		Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Nowadays I am smoking these dark colored flakes bought a while ago bulk. They are moistened well so I preffered to dry enough each time before smoking.

Louisiana Flake packs and lights well. It offers a long lasting smoke, with the peppery flavor of the Perique. I like VA-Per blends a lot. Although somehow I looked after for much Virginia sweetness in this blend. It has a medium nicotine strength which suits my needs and I think it would be much better for me if I could have some more pure, sweet Virginia flavor in it instead of the very poor Lakeland-like flavor. I think, just because of this reason the smoke was one dimensional for my tastes. I don't think this tobacco is as nutty as described.

The Virginia-Perique fans must try this one. It may be one of their favorites for sure.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-08-22		Very Mild	Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

About Louisiana Flake:

Once many aeons ago while ambling through the Mediterranean streets of the French Quarter in New Orleans I serendipitously chanced upon a dear friend I had not seen in many many years. We,of course spoke finally winding up at a sidewalk begniet(French doughnut) and coffe shop. It was nice.

Louisiana Perique Flake has somewhat the same interaction for me each time I smoke it. An unexpected meeting with a long unseen dear friend. I know this sounds a bit over the top but that's the feeling.

The strength of the blend is as near perfect as I believe is posible with the constituent tobaccos. Impeccable Virginia(no matter where they come from)and Louisiana Perique compliment one another----Dark roast Cajun coffee and fresh cream with just enough seweetner to marry up the two flavors. Like that! No use in asking for better.

Very good filling and burning qualites after a bit of judicious drying time.

Room note? Not really a concern for me with a very very indulgent wife and as far as other I personally don't worry about that.

Recommndation? I am ambivlent about this particular aspect as I do highly recommend it but don't encourage others to smoke it being rather selfish and a bit leary of the supply stratagies of most British blend houses. So try it but please don't get over-enthusiastic. Thanks.

The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (A Native Son of Louisiana)

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	Pipemanuk (76)	2009-07-03		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This takes some getting used to and no mistake...and that's probably where some of the comments below originate; inexperience and rushing to judgement. It's a long way away from your average Vaper. Still everyone's taste is subjective.

This has, to me, the merest hint of chocolate; smoked gently it reveals creamy and fruity depths...thinking on it while puffing away, it's somewhat like the effect of stewed fruit and nice Devon custard, that sweetness and tartness so close together. It's a beautifully crafted and sophisticated virginia and perique mix. I'd go for G & H's solid, understated expertise in tobacco blending over most of the USA houses anyday, with the honourable exception of McClelland.

A fine, subtle and enjoyable tobacco worthy of its 4 stars :-)

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-05-06		Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Willy wonker got his hands on this one. A good introduction to perique i'd say. It should be mentioned that this is certainly not simply va/perique. It's definitely cased and chocolate is the culprit. I think this is a well blended tobacco but it is not my cup of tea. each to their own and an interesting experiment for me. i'll keep it jared and will maybe come back to it one day.

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	Slow Triathlete (62)	2008-05-23		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

The aroma of this blend is a bit odd as there is more than a hint of chocolate in there. There is also the Lakeland floral that I enjoy so much as well. As far as I can find, this is the only VaPer offering from the venerable Gawith and Hoggarth company. Could it be that we have a mix of something similar to Samuel Gawith?s St. James Flake mixed with G & H?s Bob?s Chocolate Flake? This possible combination has piqued my interest and so on to the review.

These flakes are large and take a bit to rub out. I got a pair of scissors and cut them down a bit before I started rubbing them. The moisture level seemed perfect when it was in flake form but once I cut it down it seemed a bit damp to me. So I set it out on a paper towel for about 30 minutes and it seemed ready to go.

After being cut down the flakes become a lot more pliable and this blend is fairly easy to stuff down in the bowl. The pipe I used had a medium-large size bowl. It might not be as easy trying to stuff these strands into a small bowl like on a churchwarden. It took to the lighter really fast and after one false light it was off and racing.

The initial flavors were easy to discern. Virginia, yep it?s in there. Perique, yet it?s in there too. Lakeland taste, yep it?s in there. But there is something on the outlying edges that was just whispering in there. After a few puffs I was able to identify it. Chocolate. Now because I had never run into this flavor combination I was excited and worried all at the same time. I was excited because the tastes coming together at this point were delicious but I was worried that if one started to dominate then the great taste would diminish.

After the halfway mark my worry began to slip away. They had nailed this blend. It was great all the way through. I highly recommend this blend. While it may not be your favorite, the addition of the chocolate to a VaPer blend is something interesting to behold. It also makes this blend hard to rank.

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