Samuel Gawith Grousemoor

(2.84)
An original blend from Samuel Gawith, Grousemoor conjures up a vision of the Lakeland scenery with its accompaniment of seasonal scents. Manufactured in the heart of Lakeland for over 200 years. Using a combination of hand-stripped flue-cured leaf, Grousemoor is first steamed prior to being cut. After further steaming, to give Grousemoor its own golden color, the cut leaf is stoved then “rested”. The final stage of production is the addition of a unique melange of flavors. Grousemoor is a ‘must’ for smokers who want their days to have “Spring in the air”.

Details

Brand Samuel Gawith
Blended By Samuel Gawith
Manufactured By Samuel Gawith
Blend Type Aromatic
Contents Virginia
Flavoring Floral Essences, Fruit / Citrus
Cut Ribbon
Packaging 50 grams tin
Country United Kingdom
Production Currently available

Profile

Strength
Mild to Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

2.84 / 4
73

87

42

34

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 236 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 23, 2012 Mild to Medium Strong Mild to Medium Tolerable
I picked up Grousemoor simply because it was the only Sam Gawith blend available when I put in my last order. The hoarders had rushed to pick up all the more popular blends and I found myself curious about these hints of "lemongrass" spelled out in the tin description and thrown out there by reviewers. Now I've never tried lemongrass. I'm not even sure what the hell it is, but I love to seek out new flavors, and this sounded interesting--especially after reading the very polarizing reviews.

When I cracked open that tin for the first time, I must admit, the scent was bizarre. It wasn't the same floral note of the more traditional Lakeland tobaccos, Kendal Flake and the like. I just couldn't place it. The tobacco was a beautiful bright golden color, lighter even than many of the golden Virginia blends I have smoked. I was quite excited, actually, because this looked like something I had never seen or imagined, and I was optimistic that the flavor would follow that uncharacteristic path.

I hated it! It was horrible...and foreign. What is this?? Who would smoke such oddly perfumed rubbish? Who buys this stuff? Now I know why it's always the last of the Gawith blends to go! I've been tricked...I will never finish this tin! I said all of these things, liberally spiced with more colorful language.

When I had finished that first bowl, I threw the tin in my smoking cabinet. I figured, if they ever outlaw tobacco, I'll probably finish that tin. It was, to me, the British equivalent of Mixture No. 79. An abomination.

Over the course of a few weeks I'd pull many blends out of that cabinet, and I would grow increasingly drawn to that beautiful tin art and that strange scent. I found myself popping the lid, and taking gentle whiffs of that odd Grousemoor aroma. Those gentle whiffs became greedy gulps of intoxicating air, and that led to the inevitable and more frequent "occasional" smokes. I started with bowls in my smallest pipe, nothing more than ten minute concentrated smokes. I swore I wouldn't allow this tobacco to ghost one of my larger pipes. But as I continued with greater frequency in my experimentation, I found that I required larger bowls--to explore the nuances of Grousemoor, and isolate this "lemongrass" note that people kept mentioning.

It became a guilty pleasure, like gorging on Halloween candy. That sweet, oddly addicting additive kept me intrigued. I didn't even care about the lightness, the lack of nicotine. Grousemoor became an obsession. I wondered what the hell a grouse was, and learned it was a very swift bird, hunted by the British for game. "Oh..." I thought. That's why there are hunting dogs on the tin!

Well, this has been an educational experience, and in my budding studies, I learned that the blend was also sold as a plug--an absolutely beautiful brick of bombastic blending! I will hunt this tobacco with the ferocity of a man chasing wild game. Stay away! I will shoot you with my shotgun if you people turn Grousemoor into an endangered species!
92 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 21, 2006 Strong Strong Very Full Pleasant to Tolerable
Grouse-Moor is a very often maligned tobacco and this is simply not fair. It is a carefully produced blend of the finest ingredients and a consistent blending tradition going back over two hundred years. I would proffer that the reason so many would thumb their noses at it is because it is the sort of blend that we serious pipemen are told to shy away from because it is not laden with manly amounts of Latakia or smoky stoved Virginia.

For my part, Grouse-Moor is one of my favorite tobaccos, representing, as it does, the pinnacle of one of the most venerable traditions in the realm of tobacco, that of the English Lakeland. Only the finest steamed and stoved bright Virginia is employed, cut into deliciously long ribbons that pack easily and are perfect for slow, relaxed puffing. It is the top casing that truly defines Grouse-Moor, and the sauce used is the very best blend of essences of any that are employed for Lakeland-style aromatics, managing to be floral and herbal and fruity in delicate balance all at the same time. The essence used by Samuel Gawith is a secret blend of all natural components known only to one employee of that historic blending house. I can recall the time that I visited the factory in Kendal and the reverence with which the bottle of Grouse-Moor essence was brought out to be sprinkled onto a batch of leaf to fulfill my request for a pound of Grouse-Moor direct from the factory floor.

Oddly, to me, at least, it is the extra flavoring that people seem to dislike in this blend. The few people that like Grouse-Moor here have attempted to justify it by saying that it has been around for so long that it must be good. I believe there is more to it than that. The floral essence of a Lakeland aromatic is, in my opinion, one of the greatest innovations in the realm of pipe smoking. The specific flavor notes of Lakeland aromatic essences serve to heighten and exemplify the nuances of a fine Virginia and even cut out some of the excessive sootiness to be found in many examples of the leaf, as opposed to German and American style aromatics which only cover up the true tobacco flavor. Consider Earl Grey, among the most popular tea blends in the western world: the oil of bergamot with lavender notes with which the basic Ceylon/Assam blend is laden helps to better marry and mellow the invigorating bitter-sweet flavor of the tea. This is the same sort of relationship of taste that is to be found in Grouse-Moor and so many other fine tobaccos of the Lakeland tradition.

Forgive my rabbiting on for so long, but I have enjoyed this sort of tobacco for years and became tired of listening to a lot of brutes and cads guffawing and casting it aside for 'serious' tobacco. Grouse-Moor is serious tobacco. The Virginia leaf is not only of the finest quality, but also quite strong. The affect of the top dressing is perfect if approached with an open mind. This is a tobacco for real men, and by that I don't mean John Wayne and Mike Hammer, but guys who truly deserve the title like William Wordsworth and Thomas Hardy.

Regards, A. Morley Jaques
76 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 28, 2015 Medium Strong Medium to Full Pleasant
The Virginias are very grassy and more tart than tangy citrusy with some earth, wood, bread and tangy dark fruit. The toppings are a mix of Lakeland and fruit (seems like sour lemon, orange and a touch of plum), though I only notice a little of the Lakeland (especially when compared to the regular Grousemoor), and not very often once past the first quarter of the bowl. The other toppings seem a little obvious than the plug version. There is a minor sour hit, and many tart and tangy notes amidst the sweetness. In plug form, the power is lightly diminished compared to the ribbon cut version, but it’s also a little more well rounded, which is not uncommon. The strength is medium. The nic-hit is a rung lower than the strength level. The taste is a couple of steps past the medium mark. Burns clean, cool and a little slow, and though some prefer to dry it, I do not. Leaves a little moisture in the bowl, but no dottle. Requires some relights. Because this is more aromatic than the plug, the flavors are a little more intense. The after taste lingers a bit. Has a pleasantly lingering room note. It will ghost a briar. Not an all day smoke.

-JimInks
37 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 29, 2014 Mild to Medium Medium to Strong Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
Grousemoor was one of the first blends that I fell in love with as a new pipe smoker. Now, nearly three years later, I still really like it. It is a tobacco that has a very unique taste that is sweet with a strong floral note and I can taste the lemongrass. I think Grousemoor is something you either like or dislike, but I do enjoy this blend, it could be because it is so unique and different from anything else I smoke. This blend doesn't seem to change at all thought out the bowl for me and doesn't have a bite. Reminds me of being in a field of freshly bloomed flowers on a warm spring/summer afternoon.
33 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 14, 2002 Mild to Medium Mild Medium Pleasant
Well, the tin does have a handsome retriever on the front. This flue-cured Zimbabwe leaf is incredible, and needs slow smoking to bring out the unique flavor. This is a very light, fully rubbed out Virginia blend. I can see how our great grandfathers could have nearly worshiped this one!
32 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 06, 2012 Mild Strong Very Full Pleasant to Tolerable
Grousemoor has the distinction of being the only tobacco I have ever discarded.

I pitched my first tin after only one bowl (half a bowl, actually). Vile stuff, I thought.

And then a funny thing happened. I began smelling Grousemoor in my mind's nose at random moments throughout the day. I began smelling it (I'm not joking) in my dreams.

I would fish the heavily ghosted tin (how is a tobacco heavily scented enough to ghost metal?) out of my desk, where I was using it to hold paper clips... and I would inhale deeply.

I bought another tin. And when I'd smoked all of that, I bought another.

Its scent haunts me. I love it. And Grousemoor has become a regular.
19 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 27, 2002 Medium Mild Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
Appearance: Generally uniform light tan color, medium ribbon cut.

Aroma: A mild aromatic, not particularly fruity. The flavoring is an old family secret, and I would not hazard a guess as what is in it. The tobacco characeristics could not be deduced by their aromas. I was unable to tell whether this was because of the flavoring, or the steaming process.

Packing: Easily packs into almost any size pipe. Nice springy feel when pressed, no tendency to harden up on top.

Lighting: The blend lights easily, sometimes needing only one match to start.

Initial flavor: A light fresh flavor, an interesting change of pace for a dedicated Virginia and Oriental smoker like me, but not a typical aromatic. No clue about the primary tobacco, but makes me think it?s a Vrginia or close relative.

Mid-bowl: No real change in flavor or strength. There is some strength (nicotine wise), but the blend is a gentle smoker, as well as dry and cool.

Finish: As expected, the finish is just a tad harsher. Not unusually so, nor unpleasant. The ash was fluffy white.

Summary: An excellent change of pace, which will not goop up your pipe. Neither will it leave an excessive flavor or aroma in the bowl. From the smoking character, it may be deduced that there is no PG present, and that the quality of the leaf is top-drawer.
19 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 28, 2017 Mild to Medium Mild to Medium Medium Very Pleasant
There is a variety of reviewers...I’ll be brief...as a former upland bird shooter I was, of course, attracted to the English Setters on the tin cover... the smoke is not unlike upland bird hunting...SURPRISING...there is a glorious tin presentation and visual appeal to the flavorful golden tobac, it is a lively smoke with savory, deep and rich taste, yet not heavy; it is resonant and satisfyingly complex. Some reviewers report “ghosting” in their briars...I have not experienced this...yet... I’ve smoked dedicated briars. This is a harmonious smoke that highlights a good spot of hot tea! I’ve smoked Gawith Hogarth & Mac Barens tobac 40+ years and find this a treat....i recommend it to the experienced or newer pipers....
Pipe Used: Dunhill, Big Bend, Blatters, Ashton’s,Comoys
PurchasedFrom: SmokingPipes.com, Etc.
Age When Smoked: Aged 2 yrs to new
12 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 11, 2015 Mild to Medium Mild to Medium Mild to Medium Pleasant
I am not a big fan of the so called Lakeland tobaccos, but I find Grousemoor (the tin reads GROUSE-MOOR) to be a nice change of pace smoke. Lakeland tobaccos take their name from the Lake District in northwestern England, home of Samuel Gawith and Gawith,Hoggarth tobacco companies. The term Lakeland generally refers to the aromatic versions there produced, marked by a flowery, perfumy note. Not all of the tobaccos produced by these manufacturers have the aromatic essence. In addition, some refer to tobaccos not produced in that district but which have a similar flowery note, Condor and St. Bruno in particular, as Lakeland tobaccos.

Grousemoor is supposedly a secret recipe in excess of two hundred years old. Among the flavoring essences is something called Lemon Grass. The flavoring oil derived out of Lemon Grass has a distinct citrus note, similar to lemon, but not as sour. A subspecies of Lemon Grass is the basis for citronella, often used for adding aroma to soaps and perfumes.

This tobacco is steamed and stoved, although the color is not especially dark. It is in the form of a fairly broad ribbon. This is Virginia, and straight from the tin fairly moist. It does not take an easy light without overpuffing, Overpuffing invites tongue bite. Take your time getting a light, and use a sipping cadence. With the relaxed puffing, tongue bite will not be a problem except for those particularly sensitive. The nicotine level is not high.

The flavor of Grousemoor is flowery, but unlike any other tobacco I have smoked. It is a taste strength somewhere between mild and medium, and it does not entirely obscure the tobacco flavor.

The room note is also mild to medium, not at all unpleasant, but distinctly less heavy than many aromatics.

This is not a tobacco I wish to smoke regularly, but as a change of pace it does very well for me. Lakeland tobaccos (the flavored varieties) will ghost a pipe. I restrict this to cobs, meerschaums, and cheap briars such as Dr. Grabows, which is what I favor for aromatics.

Smokers who enjoy the aromatic Lakeland blends are probably already familiar with Grousemoor. If not, they should give it a try. Although I am giving this only two stars, I really do suggest that pipesters who like variety in their smokes should also give this a try. If you do not like it, try cutting it with about one third of a cheap burley such as Prince Albert or a pure Virginia such as McClellan 5100. That reduces the aromatic nature of the blend significantly, and puts it a a level which very few would find obnoxious.

Grousemoor is also available in a plug form, a variation which I have not tried.
11 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 14, 2015 Extremely Mild Strong Medium to Full Very Pleasant
There is no other pipe tobacco remotely like this blend to my knowledge. A real one off stand alone baccy.Having been a 40 + years smoker of English blends and the occasional foray into Aromatics I can safely say this is 'different'.In a very good way.I have smoked a good number of tins over the past couple of years or so and every pipeful has been a joy. Better smoked in a large capacity bowl...usually my Billiards or 307's lets the baccy expand and work its magic. Never one to get going after the true light and usually needs more.Beautiful lemony zesty tang from the smoke even when re-lit after letting the pipe rest awhile.Flavour pretty much unchanging throughout the bowl.No bite.Very clean smoking.Fine grey ash with very little dottle.Aftertaste lingers for a long time.No doubt this tobacco doubled up as a room deodorant in Victorian times before the advent of room sprays....the room note is divine! Best to leave out on a large plate overnight as quite moist straight from the tin.
Pipe Used: Large Billiards,Peterson 307's
PurchasedFrom: My Smoking Shop in UK
Age When Smoked: New
11 people found this review helpful.
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