Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Coniston Cut Plug Aromatic

Gawith Hoggarth - Coniston Cut Plug Aromatic.

This arrives in very thin flake like slices that sadly appear to be a little too dry, with that in mind it's easy peasy to rub, fill and light. Mine gives off a deceiving aroma, it smells really perfume/floral like but once lit the taste isn't anywhere near as the smell had tricked me into presuming.

The additives are indeed of a floral origin but they don't come across as though you're being attacked by a rose bush! As well as the added florals there is a wonderful grassy Virginia taste with a subtle Burley nuttiness running alongside it. Because the topping is quite delicate when the smoking is over I am not left with a gooey taste left in my mouth which often occurs to me with this type of blend. This is good with tongue bite, I can be as reckless as I want with my puffing and it still remains nonexistent! As I said earlier, the added flavours are delicate but as the pipe burns they diminish somewhat and allow the Burley's nuttiness to become more prominent in the mix. The nicotine amount really sits well with me, it's smack on 'in the middle'. The room note has a very slight floral quality but if you didn't know you possibly wouldn't notice it. This burns superbly and at the end of the smoke there is only minimal/if any dottle.

I am quite sure that from my point of view we have a three star blend here.

my review to coniston cut plug unscented applies to this to a point, ( my review can be found under my favourites section). This review is for the aromatic version which In a sense is a different beast all together.

my review will focus more on the aromatic topping, as the composition of the leaf used is exactly the same as the unscented version.

so you may ask which version is better, I will be honest and say I actually enjoy kendals [in]famous aromatic topping so I enjoy both equally, I know from reading online there is no middle ground it's either love or loathe, so I would say if you are not remotely into aromatoc/floral/fruity/perfumed toppings i would suggest you save the coin and try something else, as the aromatic topping has been applied with quite the heavy hand.

The topping itself, well it isn't subtle or mild to put it lightly, it's very floral and fruity and I would go so far to say it is an almost bubblegum hint to it, like I said it is far from subtle, It is far and away the first thing you sense when you open the packet.

so does the topping work with the coniston cut plug, in my view, yes, I will admit that given coniston unscented is mildly flavoured (in comparison to some of gawiths other stable mates), the rose geranium scent is mildly applied at just the right level, given coniston is primarily dark leaf, the floral additions of the unscented round off and smooth off the rough edges this blend would have if it was totally un flavoured, so when I read about an aromatic version my first thought was "why?!?!"

but somehow, even though it is applied with a heavy hand, it works, the aromatic topping enhances the rose geranium scent and it all works in harmony. when smoking it is a very cool smoke, with no hint of bite and stays cool in the pipe and in my opinion is extremely moreish.

But a couple of words of warning.

while very cool and aromatic, this is a very strong beast, and in no way whatsoever would I offer this to a new smoker or those who haven't got a high nicotine tolerance...it would be pure cruelty and could probably amount to attempted murder.

This will ghost a pipe and ghost for a long time afterwards, so first try should be in a cob or a pipe you won't mind losing to it's ghost.

this is also very moist out of the pouch, drying time is essential I found half an hour spread thinly on kitchen roll does the trick.

All in all on paper this is a convoluted mess and should never in the slightest work, but this shows gawiths blending prowess in getting the unlikely to work well, and in my opinion they have pulled it off beautifully. A well crafted strong as a bull blend the delivers strength and flavour by the bucket but gives a true sense of pipe smoking serenity.

so there you have it coniston cut plug aromatic, personally I really like it, but it will be very much an acquired taste. I would say if you like ennerdale flake but want more oomph you will probably like this. alas same goes for the rest of the kendal flakes if you get on with them you will like this.

This is as good a Lakeland aromatic as you will find and, probably, better than many others in the genre. Very approachable and balanced. Despite it's association with the other G & H dark plugs and flakes, real lung bleeders all, Coniston Cut Plug Aromatic is a seemingly stout melange of dark Virginias and burleys that have been pressed and treated in such a way as to soften, round off, and otherwise mellow the components and make them play nicely with one another and with your palate. The fact that the Coniston Cut Plug Aromatic that I smoked was a decidedly aged sample probably also contributed to this, so this may be a tobacco that is prime for cellaring and aging.

The top dressing, though of the sharply floral character that so many people take such umbrage at, was more mild and understated than other representatives of the Lakeland genre. Somebody who is looking to try such a blend but is put off by reports of the supposed "old lady smell" of things like Grousemoor or RB Plug might do well to try Coniston. As it is, I like the "old lady smell".

Coniston cut plug is a reliable choice for the smoker of dark flakes, spanning in a way the gap between these and the rope and twist tobaccos. This is because it has a good dose of fired leaf, more than the "standard" dark flakes (St Bruno and Condor are the benchmarks here), and this really makes itself known in the smoke. It's not like smoking bacon in your pipe like the black xxx, but has more than a hint of that slightly coarse smokiness on a bed of slightly more mellow dark leaf. It is a very strong tasting base blend of tobaccos, with a reasonably good nicotine hit.

Both versions come as a broken flake of medium thickness. It needs a bit more coaxing to get lit than some tobaccos, may need more relights, but with diligence will burn to the last dregs without getting wet and horrible. Your pipecleaners will then come out black as sin...

The flavor of normal CCP is of rich, smooth stoved tobacco, with some bonfire smoke (NOT latakia), and a cocoa taste which I think is the sum of the parts rather than a single additive. There is some tonka too. Now the "Coniston Cut Plug Aromatic" is to my tastes very close to the usual blend, but with the topping essence applied with a heavier hand. It is sweeter, with a more alcoholic aroma in the bag (like a liqueur). This can in no way overwhelm the underlying leaf, I don't think anything could it's that flavoursome.

I'd say if you like dark flakes, you'll like CCP. If you aren't keen on heavy toppings then the standard blend is subtle and maybe the best option, but if you want more sweetness the aromatic will fit the bill. Alternatively, Condor smokers may prefer the standard CCP, St Bruno fans may prefer the aromatic. Finally, either might be a good stepping stone before getting into the ropes. Either version brings me great pleasure in late autumn and winter.

Presented in 1" to 1 1/4" wide flakes, sliced fairly thin. Very moist, nearly black in color, and somewhat sticky. All of this is probably from the steam pressing. Presents an interesting, sweet aroma, but I am not able to precisely say what the flavoring agent reminds me of.

I have tried this both folded and stuffed into a pipe, and rubbed out. Rubbing out makes this a very fine cut ribbon, almost a shag. Either form benefits from some drying to ease lighting. I find this tobacco works very well in tall, narrower bowls, and I have a Peterson Lovat (size group 3) and a Barling billiard (about a group 2 or 3) that favor this blend very much. Contrarily, I smoke most flakes in fairly wide-bowled pipes, as this seems to be the best way to yield the most flavor for me.

The initial light yields a huge flavor! The flavoring agent is present, though not domineering in the RB-plug fashion. The topping is applied with far more restraint, and compliments rather than buries the extremely rich taste of the dark-fired tobaccos. This is not a soapy smoke at all, to me, but very sweet, and possessing an immensely rich, dark flavor. All bass notes, with some strong mid-range flavors, this tobacco is like molasses or brown sugar.

The secondary light was very even, and the smoke simply drives forward very easily from there. It is an easy smoke to keep going after a relight or two, and because the flavors are so strong, it is easy to smoke while doing something else. Also, I find that the bite-factor is almost non-existent. Usually this is the point where McClelland flakes bite me the hardest. Kendal flakes seem to be a bit more tame, especially the steam-pressed ones. I admit, I have never seen any other kind.

At the mid-point, the burn is very even and predictable. I would have to smoke this very hard to induce it to bite, and find this is also typical of my experience with Lakeland blends. The added flavor is much less pronounced at this point, and the native tobacco flavors dominate. This is my favorite part of a smoke after the initial light, where I feel a blend's true colors show.

Toward the bottom, the flavor is even more intense. The bowl is very easy to keep lit, despite the wetness, but there is the onset of some bitterness. I find this happens frequently wit fire-cured Malawi, I guess, as I don't find it as frequently in other blends from the USA and Germany. The ash is light grey, almost white, extremly fine, and powder-coats the bowl with a fine, thin, unform layer. I find this characteristic of Kendal blends, as well. Watch out for the nicotine at this point, as this blend is very strong.

On the whole, a very satisfying, rich, stout smoke. It answers very well after dinner, helping settle a meal admirably with strong coffee or a suitable adult libation. There are many other scented flakes that I loathe, but Coniston surprised me, and I thoroughly enjoyed the 4 ounces of this I smoked. However, because their are many other blends I enjoy more (especially Kendal Plug), I doubt I'll keep this on hand in enough quantity to warrant more than an occasional smoke.

8/8/04

The look and jar note of this one are deceiving. It is quite dark and smoky smelling and I steeled myself expecting a St. Bruno sort of smoke with a hint of Lakatia - ish twist but I couldn't be more wrong. This tobacco opens with a sweetness that carries through the bowl and has oaky sub notes with a very slight floral touch that flits in and out. I found the strength around the medium mark and the room note more than tolerable. I would recommend this to all pipe smokers as its a very enjoyable and well presented tobacco overall. I think it works better in a smaller bowl. The flavour stays pretty consistent and requires few lights. It is a much more refined tobacco than either St Bruno or Condor and is something that I will enjoy any time of the day.

Another nice, old fashioned blend from Gawith Hoggarth. Cool, dry, strong smoke, without any tongue bite and harshness. Worth to have in weekly rotation. Highly recommended.

In the pantheon of Lakeland blends Coniston Cut Plug is, perhaps, the subtlest one I have come across to date.

Unlike Ennerdale or Grasmere, Coniston Aro has very little in the way of an aromatic tin note - to my nose it smells similar to the tonquin bean in 1792 or Cob plug. Compared to other Lakeland’s that smell very strongly of rose water, lavender or other florals in the jar, this doesn’t, to the point where I wondered if the tobacconist had sold me the un-aromatic version?

Rest assured, he hadn’t but the tin note hides the florals within.

The ounce I bought came with two flakes and some rubbed out flake and it wasn’t too moist straight off the bat so I packed it in and let her rip and wow, what a flavour!

There is such a mild flavour going on here that goes to the very bottom of the bowl, especially when compared to the Ennerdale Flake.

For those who are aromatic averse, Coniston is another good example of a delicate tobacco, that definitely is an aromatic but is in no way in the same aromatic bracket as the syrupy offerings that are referred to as “American” style aromatics. This is light and delicate, not gloopy.

It needs a few relights but that’s no big deal and I find packing it loosely initially allows the flavour to breath and then let the tamper do the rest.

It will ghost a pipe, which isn’t any problem if you keep smoking this blend, the more you smoke of it, the more the smoke gets into the briar.

I don’t get any of the smokiness that some have said that they taste, if it is there it is marrying beautifully with the florals and doesn’t leap off the page at you.

The room note is beautiful - my girlfriend says she thinks it smells like incense in a church.

The aftertaste lingers though isn’t unpleasant and I find that I need a drink either during or just after a smoke to cleanse the palate.

All in all, a great, well behaved tobacco and if Lakeland’s are your thing then give it a go…you probably already have.

This is a weird tobacco to me. Haven't gotten used to it after a few ounces. The thing is, it has a very dark, heavy, almost charcoal bottom note, a light honey or clove top note, and an interesting mixture of Virginia type flavors in between. It's not a knock-out, like most of the plugs and ropes, and the balance of flavors is a little more complex, and a little sweeter. I first checked it out around 1995 from James Barber, and that seemed much milder and sweeter than this 2017 variety. It's pleasant for a heavy tobacco, thanks to the mild topping, and it burns relatively cool. I suppose it would categorize as a "lakeland" by the bouquet.

I was looking for something a little lighter, a la Ennerdale or Kendal Flake. This packs more of a punch, and has that charcoal taste at the bottom.

I think I'll stick with it for now. It's growing on me a little.

After sifting through the many reviews I decided to take the plunge into these "Lakeland" types. I picked up 3 of the G&H blends, Bosun cut plug, Ennerdale, and Coniston. I designated 2 new MM Legend cob pipes to the task due to the "Ghosting" warnings here & there. Anyway, as I was shaking out the small stuff from the jar & rubbing out a few larger pieces I started getting that "Giddy feeling" like we got back in the high school days as one parked the car out on the moon lit ridge in expectation of good things to follow. This is now my 4th or 5th bowl of Coniston and things keep getting better & better, It packs well, not the easiest lighting but burns very well leaving a fine light ash with very little moisture in the bowl, I find this stuff likes to be sipped rather than a steady puff so an occasional relight is needed. My highly refined & delicate palate can tell the difference between Catsup & Hot sauce so you will have to use other reviews for all the info on the subtle this & that, Some say this is "Soapy" or "Floral" and I will lean towards the floral notes, One will like it or not and the best I can really say is to give it a shot since I think one can do far worse. The G&H blends are now in my jars and will stay in my rotation for a welcome change of pace from the Dunhills & VA Flakes I usually smoke.