Soap? No, not at all. Ennerdale this ain't.

Floral? Just a touch, but more on the packet note - which is very yummy on the nose - rather than on the smoke itself, where it acts like a leavener.

And there's the rub (pardon the pun). To my mind the key thing about this blend is that is really rather strong, in smell, taste and mouthfeel. I am not generally a fan of aromatics because I prefer the taste of tobacco. In that sense, Coniston Cut Plug delivers in spades, with the flavourings, such as they are, seasoning and tempering the tobacco essence, rather than overwhelming it. And for me that is just the way it should be.

If you like a strong smoke with just a little something to take the edge away, this is just the job.

I took several blends with me on the trip, including a bag of Coniston Cut Plug. This one trumped all the others to become my chosen evening smoke, and the crisp autumn weather made it seem far more enticing than when I first tried it a couple of years ago.

The combination of different VA constituents is spot on to provide a hearty, medium-strong smoke with good body and superb balance, though the dark-fired leaf is very much to the forefront. The top dressing is assertive but works very well with the base tobaccos, weaving around them and combining nicely without over powering the tobacco flavours.

My palette isn't refined enough to deduce the exact florals in evidence. It is definitely one of the more complex takes on lakeland 'essence' and the level of application, whilst probably too heavy to appeal to those looking for a lighter lakeland experience, is just fine by me. A distinct plus is that it manages to maintain throughout the smoke, rather than burning off during the early stages as can happen with some flavoured tobaccos.

Superb smoking qualities as one would expect from Gawith & Hogwarts. The fineness of the ash is akin to a good cigar.

I have just ordered samples of some of the lesser known GH&Co blends including Grasmere, Glengarry and Kendal Flake. I look forward to sampling these and will review them when I do, but for the timebeing CCP is a something of a grail blend as far as stronger lakelands go. For me, it is infinitely preferable to 1792 and Bracken Flake (sorry, Samuel).

Blackhorse, a couple of reviews down, has it right on when he calls it a 'goldilocks' blend. Anything less than four stars would be an injustice.

From what I'd read, I fully expected this smoke to have a strong nic kick, but it's not too heavy, and was NEVER overpowering. The palate is nice mild sweet woody goodness, and I now understand the Lakeland (soapy) flavor that so many speak of. For me, it is far in the back-end and was an enhancement to the blend; not a detractor at all. However, I do have to add that the soap ghost haunts the mouth long afterward. Grab an Altoid.

Some have described how smoky this is, but being the Latakia nut that I am, I'm used to the smokiest of blends, so this didn't seem to be overly so.

I fully enjoy sipping this with a few breaks here and there. I could only smoke about 2/3 of the bowl, as the flavor stops and turns to tar, but that's just the way some stronger blends are.

I have found it best used as a medium base blending agent. Here is an oddball mix of mine that you may enjoy: Start with 1/3 Coniston cut plug and add a 1/4 amount of Cyp Lat to that. Then add 1/3 ECR + 1/3 Rattray Hal O the Wynd. Rub that mix together well and let it meld for a day or two in a jar. Finally, pour that amount into a pile then eyeball a 1/3 PRE-GROUND amount of Dunhill A-30000 black cav next to the original pile and mix together by squeezing it in the palms of your hands. Repeat until evenly mixed. Afterward, you can age it, or smoke it for a strong sweet, yet mellow mix with no bite, and even a good inhale if you wish. I smoke this in an old Bewlay 003 Canadian of mine. It has a typically long shank, but a smaller bowl that delivers a nice cool stream. Enjoy!

This is rightly compared to 1792/Cobb Flake. It is 1792 light, or lighter. Still pretty strong, but with less dark-fired leaf (1792 is apparently 100%, this is only 75%). You can also taste tonquin, but perhaps it's lighter here as well. Tonquin is not the same as the lakeland flower scent, as many assume. It is a vanilla substitute, and is very sweet. The florals are there as well, though only noticed on the initial light.

The burleys and virginias added to the dark-fired leaf make the flavor less dark and earthy, or muddy ("pungent burnt smokey" as they say in the above description) than 1792. Instead, you get more rounded, creamy, even nutty flavors, at least after the tobacco had dried sufficiently.

This is a real winner. If 1792 is too "pungent burnt smokey" (muddy) for you, or too strong, but you otherwise like it, this is your tobacco. Well worth a try. I will be revisiting it.

I am looking for a Hogarth Lakeland floral with a little more scent than Best Brown No2 but not quite so pronounced as Ennerdale.

Unfortunately this one is not it because it is a bit to heavy for me, but it is very good all the same.

Noting the St Bruno comparision from the previous reviewer. I think it compares more favourably to Condor original actually, Similair strength and flavour

My search for a Lakeland floral continues,I might give that Glengarry Flake a try actually.

Somewhat recommended, as this is a high-quality product that just isn't to my taste.

At times, I'm reminded of a slightly damp day in the woods with a wooden fire burning somewhere nearby. It's a warming and comforting smoke, and makes me relaxed and happy. When I'm smoking CCP, I feel like I've been transported back a couple of hundred years to simpler (and better?) times. It's the sort of thing I expect Tolkien's "Old Toby" to be like. I can envision many a happy Hobbit smoking this blend.

CCP isn't at all bad: slow burning, full flavoured and mostly quite cool, though I find that it gets a bit ashy and hot towards the bottom of the bowl. It comes quite moist, but it burns well and doesn't need constant relighting. The room note is pleasant enough, too, SWMBO & Co. tell me. It’s the sort of tobacco that I always think of as a cold-weather smoke: just right for a winter evening by the fire with a black coffee; tasty and strong. Don't rush it, though or the nicotine will make the bottom fall out of your world and vice versa.

The negative thing that I'm inclined to say about CCP is that there’s nothing especially striking or out of the ordinary about it. It's pleasant enough, but any number of other dark-fired offerings will do the same for you. I’m happy to recommend it somewhat, but I wouldn’t queue in the street to buy some more. If I had to choose between this and Sinclair's Highland Sliced (I think the comparison is fair), I'd choose the Highland Sliced.

Update (28th August, 2011): is it me, or has CCP suddenly lost its quality? The last lot I had didn't taste of anything much, and was hot and ashy. Lakeland tobaccos, love 'em or hate 'em, are at least usually consistent in quality, but this has suddenly nosedived.

This one is a nice dark broken flake that smells of the Lakeland florals (as some call them - I call 'em soap!) which I detest but that I find tolerable and even beneficial in some blends. In this one, I found it overpowering during the first 1/3 of the bowl. I was surprised but pleased that I made it past this point because the middle 1/3 was very good. The soap taste dissipated and the dark-fired leaf flavor took over. Nice! Unfortunately, that didn't last very long, as during the last 1/3, I consistently got a heavily burnt toast flavor that was extremely bitter. This happened no matter how slowly I puffed. It was not pleasant, I assure you, even while it was preferable to the soap taste at the beginning.

If you enjoy the Lakeland style flavoring- and it appears there are many that do - this one will be right up your alley. It's a high quality blend that unfortunately just isn't my cup of tea.

I received 50grms of bulk CCP from Kingsize of Sheffield (UK), alongwith Ennerdale (and others).

CCP belongs to the same cathegory( and brand) of Ennerdale, sharing quite the same cut, colour and flavouring. Just, CCP is one notch stronger and a couple milder in flavouring. This makes it something different and more user-friendly. And deserving a higher rating.

A small Castello long-shanked Prince, was used for this review. Rolled a couples of pinches of this roughly rubbed flake, one false light and here we go !

The smallest quantity of flakes gifts the longest and coolest smoke! Never the bowl is hot, never the smoke stings. Sweet, earthy and flowery. Mildly soapy/citrusy/almondy. The presence of fire-cured leaves makes evidence to the nostrils. The strength is satisfactory and perfectly manageable all the day. So the complessive body is as well.

At the end, only dry fluffy ash.

Traditional english flakes have a special place in my heart indeed.

I like many of the other GH blends, such as Kendal Kentucky and the Dark series (Thick, Flake and the default shag), but just didn't get this one at all. The other reviews sound a lot more interesting than what I just smoked...