Lakeland Flakes?

[MisterE]

Ok you Lakeland experts, I am curious to find out what you have to say. What do you recommend?

I´m thinking of exploring this area and need some guidance. Been almost exclusively into VaPers this last year and need to expand!

 

[Doc Manhattan]

If you're really up for trying Lakeland as in floral, flavoriffic Lakeland, get a sample of GH Ennerdale Flake and Brown Flake unscented... of the widely-available blends, those to me are two ends of the spectrum from very assertive flavoring to very faint. The Bosun Cut Plugs (scented and un) are somewhere in-between.

GH Rum Flake and Bob's Choc. Flake are less of the Lakeland style, but are tasty nonetheless.

 

[Frost]

Personal favorites are the G&H Brown Flake U/S and Bosun Cut Plug. The Bob's Chocolate was good, but not really my thing.

Recently had a few bowls of G&H Lousiana Perique Flake and found it very good, but not "familiar" enough with it to really recommend yet.

Went through a few tins of SG Kendal Cream Flake Deluxe a while ago...sometimes it was really good and other times it was just really weird. A pretty unique experience...might be worth a try if you are feeling adventurous. I think I posted a stupid long review of it somewhere around here...

I know you wanted flakes, but a couple of the ropes are really good and fun too. Don't count 'em out just 'cause they look like dog turds.

Edit: Disclaimer - I'm far from an expert...just providing my thoughts on the ones I have tried.

 

[Warwick]

My 2 cents:

GH Dark Flake Unscented
GH Coniston Cut Plug Unscented
GH Brown Flake Scented Edit: Doh, I meant GH Kendal Flake (which is scented)
SG 1792 Flake

Note that the "unscented" versions above still have that Lakeland "soapy" note.

 

[talrmn35]

https://www.brothersofbriar.com/t11956-revised-dark-flake-and-or-dark-plug-sale

Did you see this post? might be what your looking for...might not.

 

[Jar]

Ok you Lakeland experts, I am curious to find out what you have to say. What do you recommend?

I´m thinking of exploring this area and need some guidance. Been almost exclusively into VaPers this last year and need to expand!

By no means I am not an expert, but let me ay as following:
if I think: Lakeland, the old English blends of scented Va with no Latakia came to my mind. No, not all of them, but just these specially scented, to be smoked in presence of ladies. This is what I've been told these ca 60 years ago, when I begun to distinguish these characteristic, specific smells/aromates.

In my understanding the typical blends of this kind are: mentioned above Ennerdale Flake and it's "brother" - Glengarry Flake - both by Gawith and Hoggarth. I believe that their description at the Synjeco pages are accurate.
http://www.synjeco.ch/pataall/taba/3022.php?i5s7s2
Then came the mentioned Kendall Cream. Then - a little different in smell and taste, but very "Lakeland like" the specific mixture - or plug Grousemoor; it reminds me indeed the atmosphere/smell of misty moss early in the morning by the lake shore in foggy air of English countryside by the lake shore.

The blends of so called Kendall character may be in the same category like known to us other old English blends - St Bruno or Condor. I have the impression, that the Kendall character is called today "soapy". Oh yes, in old days the lavender soap was kept in drawers to add nice smell to bed linen, and all this was somehow connected with character of old fashioned some English and within this wide category the Kendall style tobaccos.

Let me ask here more knowledgeable Brothers for adding more on these Kendall tobaccos, once so characteristic for English tobacco tradition.

 

[itsKot]

Out of the few I've tried, I'd recommend Bright CR Flake by G&H. Very very light topping from what I'd say, smells and tastes of sweet hay almost like tea a bit as well. Throughout the bowl other notes come and go that I can't quite pin down, as crazy as it seems I almost get the taste of charred marshmallow (which is how I prefer mine, I've known others to hate it). The other I'd recommend is Best Brown #2, once again a light topping though a bit more than Bright CR's. I'm like you in the fact that I'd like to try something new as well. I've seen grousemoore recommended too, I may decide to try it as well one of theses day, perhaps some rope too.

 

[Jar]

I understand that Bright C.R. seems to be a tobacco with topping added, but known to me descriptions, like this one:
http://www.synjeco.ch/pataall/taba/3021.php?i5s7s1
...100% pure virginia leaf with no additional flavours made from a blend of Brazilian, Zimbabwe and Malawi bright vrginia leaf. The pressed tobacco as with all flakes, is left to mature before cutting into flakes, to allow for the best combination of flavours....
say that there is no topping, just blended Virginias. Some smokers find it similar to old edition of Capstan. IMO highly reccomended, indeed, although some do not find there much of the Lakeland scent/flavour.

 

[itsKot]

That interesting that the link you posted comments on it being "creamy." Which I suppose would have been a much more straight forward explanation as opposed to my marshmallow analogy, haha :lol:

 

[Jar]

- is it not so, that the marshmallow analogy refers to taste and/or smell, and the term "creamy" refers not to taste, but is used as opposition to "harshness" and reads as "smooth on the palate' ? Perhaps the term "creamy" in tobacco description is an analogy to the term "round in taste" used in the wine world.

 

[itsKot]

That could be, but I'm also one to believe everyone's palate is different. What one may taste as an earthy spice is figgy and sweet to another, that's why there's such an amazing array of decisions out there for people to try, and pave their own way to enjoyment. Either way it's a top notch tobacco that I'd highly recommend to anyone willing to give it a go.

 

[glassjapan]

That could be, but I'm also one to believe everyone's palate is different. What one may taste as an earthy spice is figgy and sweet to another, that's why there's such an amazing array of decisions out there for people to try, and pave their own way to enjoyment. Either way it's a top notch tobacco that I'd highly recommend to anyone willing to give it a go.

Glad to hear you're diggin on the CR flake! I think it's really one of the best introductions to Lakeland tobaccos.

 

[docwatson]

Love em
Glengarry Flake, best brown flake, RUM flake, and the "soapiest" of 'em all Ennerdale. Must be from the early childhood days of puffing on that darn bubble pipe. LOL
Doc

 

[MisterE]

Thanks guys for your replies! i have a bunch of things in mind and some of them are on the way as I write this! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

I've never tasted any Kendal/soapy taste other than just occasional whiffs of it with Dark Flake. I don't find this objectionable at all. But then again I've really only smoked:

Gawith

Full VA Flake
1792

GH

Dark Flake
Dark Plug

Something that promises to be anything more than lightly scented doesn't find its way into my pipe, except 1792, which doesn't taste soapy to me.

 

[itsKot]

Thanks guys for your replies! i have a bunch of things in mind and some of them are on the way as I write this! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

Good to hear! What's on its way to your doorstep?