Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Exmoor Mixture

I came across this tobacco on the website of Black Swan Specialist Tobacconist of Yorkshire, UK, and bought a sample to try. It’s said to be a near replica of W.O.Bigg’s Exmoor Hunt Mixture, a tobacco that was discontinued many years ago and that used to be quite a favourite of mine.

Actually, I’m pretty sure that this ‘Exmoor Mixture’ is exactly the same tobacco as Gawith & Hoggarth’s No. 25 Mixture. Perhaps it’s a bit questionable to market the same tobacco under two different names; but, whether or not, it’s mighty fine stuff. Everything I said in my reviews of G & H’s No. 25 Mixture applies here. I’ll repeat the gist of that review here, to save people the trouble of looking it up:

“This is an exceptionally good tobacco if you like English mixtures: a well-executed blend of Virginia, Burley and Latakia tobaccos, with the Latakia a clear presence, but by no means an overwhelming one. People who enjoy a touch of Latakia but don't want it in large doses will probably prefer this to SG's Commonwealth Mixture and G & H's Balkan Mixture. The Virginia gives No. 25 Mixture a lot more ‘body' than Balkan mixture has, I find ... The smoke is cool and creamy, the flavour is full and uniform all the way down the bowl, and it won't bite you. It's not too moist, and lights and burns well. It's a mildish smoke in terms of nicotine content, though, so if you want something that will bring you to your knees this isn't for you. There's no dottle to speak of: only the proverbial fine grey ash; and no sludge.

“I'm not sure whether to describe this tobacco as a very fine ribbon cut or a shag. Flake smokers will find that, because of the fine cut, it burns away rather quickly, but this is one of only two negatives I can find; and you can, after all, always come back for more. Tight packing is a good idea, though. The other negative is the inevitable Latakia room note, which is not to everybody's taste; SWMBO doesn't like it at all, and innocent bystanders will probably look at you in a funny way. Perhaps this is one to enjoy in solitude, or outdoors.

“In a large bowl (as I write I'm smoking it in a Peterson 312) No. 25 Mixture will give you a longish, tasty and interesting interlude. If you aren't a habitual Latakia smoker, you'll be well advised to have a separate pipe for this kind of blend, because the Latakia flavour lingers long. Try it first in a corncob, maybe.

“Nice with a strong black coffee, I find. Highly recommended; a true arcadia experience, and a viable all-day smoke if you want one. A tobacco to relax with, though; sit down and take your time.”

This was the first blend I ever smoked so I’ll try not to let the rose tinted glasses sway my review.

I got this in a sampler pack and the first thing that hit me was the pouch note which was amazing especially when the only tobacco I’d ever smelt was my friends amber leaf. The latakia despite making such a small amount of the blend was the leading sent followed by the sweetness of the virginia equating to a sweet smoky BBQ smell (delectable!).

Taste notes on charring light present the burley along with the smoky latakia and virginia, the sparsely used lat allows the other components to make themselves present. People who aren't big fans or lat heavy mixture may what to try these blend as it offers the wonderful campfire leathery aroma without dominating the blend. In my opinion the blend doesn't change going down the bowl but there is a nice woody almost oriental note at times. The almost shag cut blend does burn hot if you get bit overzealous with your puffing so be cautious.

There is real simplicity to the blend as other reviewer have pointed out no casing no flavoured cavendish just pure simple good quality tobacco. A nice all day smoke which is easy to pack, light and enjoy!

Exmoor mixture is one of them mixtures, that harks back to a time when mixtures like this where one of the main types of blend in the UK. A simple virginia and burley with latakia mixture, ribbon cut, with a perfect moisture Content to pack and light straight away.

In the pouch the latakia is the definite fro t runner but not so when smoking it takes a backseat and allows a nice virginia sweetness to come through along with the infamous smokey, campfire, leather dickensian squalor type aroma and taste.

Packed into a hardcastle Jack o London full bent billiard, it is in my oppinion the epitome of pipe smoking, it harks back to a simpler time before the market was flooded with the heavily sugared and flavoured cavendishes, when the purity laws where relaxed.

This is natural tobacco blending at its best, a beautiful smoke, which I find winds my day off nicely.

Room note surprisingly doesn't elicit comments of disgust by my wife, probably because shes used to random odd concoctions I smoke, but if in a closed in room with non smoking company expects few harsh words.

Strength is bang in the middle of medium and would make an ideal all day smoke if you are into that kind of thing.

I find it is. Very well done tobacco and one I will be happy to have around now and then.

4 stars.

Gawith Hoggarth - Exmoor Mixture.

Firstly, there's no way this is ribbon cut. The blend looks a lot closer to a fine shag/ready rubbed than a ribbon cut mix.

The pouch's smell is a lot sharper than the blend tastes, the Latakia is by far the forerunner in the aroma. This isn't how I find the flavour from the smoke though; the Burley, Virginia and Latakia are quite well balanced for taste. The Latakia's smokiness is pretty subdued, giving way to a lighter woodiness. I would say that the stronger of the three tobacco's in the smoke would be the Burley, for me this makes up approximately half of the flavour.

Although this doesn't give me much tongue bite, the problem I have is with the heat from it. This creates more of a problem for my fingers rather than my mouth. The bowl gets pretty hot if it's puffed too vigorously, go easy with Exmoor or pay the price!

The nicotine's about medium, making it enough for a first pipe of the day yet not too strong for an evening smoke.

The room note is quite good; it's not too full, not too empty and nowhere near offensive.

This would get an unequivocal four stars if it weren't for the temperature from it. For me, that means it's a two and a half star blend.