Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - No.12 Mixture pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Showing reviews 1 through 10 of 10 reviews of this tobacco
Knightsmoker	02/26/2013	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
This blend is just an average Lat. blend. Nothing that stands out and it is just a VA/Lat. no oriental. More to the point, the lat. is not a powerhouse like C&D's Pirate Kake, and the VA's really are a little thin here too. It also bites a little even when I am smoking very slowly. I would not buy this again personally SG's Commonwealth is a better blend in the same vein I think.
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zulujerk	08/01/2012	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
Boring and forgettable, this Latakia mixture feels wimpy and uninspired. Its thin, shaggy nature (although proclaimed a coarse cut) yields an unconventional presentation, but adds nothing to improve the smoking characteristics of the blend. And the tin description is overly optimistic regarding the included ratio of Latakia, which, as many have suggested, falls quite lower than the stated 45 percent. Also indicated by GH, the inclusion of only bright leaf, with an absence of red, and abiding by the plethora of golden strands in the sample, you'd expect this a sweet smoke, which it is--you'll get mostly high notes here. But more surprisingly, there is no mention of Oriental leaf. Are the authors being vague here, or is there really no leaf? My initial smokes don't seem to detect a pronounced spiciness, and picking through the tin I could not discern any sparkly, coarse and almost fuzzy textured leaf that I associate with the Oriental component, so I wouldn't doubt it. While on my low to middle list of favorites, I'd take the strictly Virginia and Latakia mixes of Balkan Flake and Commonwealth Mixture any day over No. 12--there's a sort of flare about them that No. 12 lacks, Commonwealth with its steamed Virginias, and Balkan Flake in its beautiful presentation. But No. 12 is too subtle for any showing off. Taken together, No. 12 is a hell of a lot of bright leaf, and maybe 35 percent Latakia, which explains its boring nature. You would assume with the high degree of Virginias, at least, that No. 12 would have a hefty kick, missing the low nicotine laden Orientals, but that's not so, it's on the lower end of medium. In the end, No. 12 demonstrates that top notch leaf will not necessarily grant one an excellent blend. There must be something more, if not skill then at least inspiration, both of which this blend lacks. If you consider yourself the average sort, I'm sure No. 12 will impress you with its mediocrity.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
SteelCowboy	08/21/2011	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable
I am a fan of many of the Gawith Hoggarth blends but #12 is lacking for me. Unless my aging eyes (and taste) are deceiving me, I find it hard to believe that there is actually 45% Latakia in this blend. Number 12 Mixture has the same underlying distinctive taste that is found in other GH English blends. I am not referring to the soap taste found in many of the GH scented blends. There are a lot of taste similarities in #12 to GH’s Balkan Mixture but it lacks the full flavor of Balkan Mixture and it’s not just because of the absence of the Orientals. Considering the claimed 45% Latakia, #12 lacks the full, smoky flavor of similar blends. IMHO if an English blend is going to rely on just two tobaccos’s it needs to be superbly done (think Lancer Slices) and in this case #12 falls short. It’s not a bad tobacco, there are just too many ones that are better.
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rramstad	03/09/2010	Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable
To me, this tastes a lot like they've taken Kendal Kentucky which is a shag cut, and added chips of latakia. The resulting flavor is nice, and this is the fullest latakia blend that G&H makes, but frankly, I think the sum is less then the individual parts. I like many latakia blends (Squadron Leader, Westminster) and I love Kendal Kentucky but this blend doesn't seem very balanced, or very complex. In particular, I have a lot of trouble getting it to burn well, with both components, as the KK ignites very easy and burns hot in the first part of the bowl, and then the last part of the bowl is a much cooler latakia heavy smoke with more relights. Some experimentation with packing techniques was done, perhaps with more, I could find the zone with it, but no luck so far. Now, all that said, if you like Kendal Kentucky and latakia, try this, it's definitely unique, and I could see folks loving it, just not me... the tobacco is definitely high quality with good flavors.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
dualkarnain	09/26/2006	Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable
This tastes like it is made up of about 25% to 30% Latakia (not the claimed 45) that's been scrubbed with a sea-foam loofa and bath gel. It's tasty but soppy. Images evoked include the elephant man french kissing his romantic interest after semi-successful minor cosmetic surgery.
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sasha	10/23/2005	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Though there are better Virginia-Latakia mixtures on the market (S.Gawith Commonwealth and Fairmon Lancer's slices come to mind), this is a fine tobacco: light in body, so you can smoke it every moment of the day, but enough full in taste to suit an experienced smoker tastebuds. It's easy to pack and light, without a great need to dry on the air.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
sagesmoke	02/02/2004	Medium	None detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

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kbosi	04/27/2003	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
I received this as a free sample from Mars cigars. (thank you Mike!!!!!!) I smoked a few bowls and thought, Not bad. A few months later I pull this out and I can't stop smoking it. I ordered 500grams to make sure I don't run out. They say that it is a 45% Latkia with Va's, but it doesn't seem like there is that much in it. Any how I find this blend to be one of my favorites at this time.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Elcid	02/22/2003	Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
I tried this based on the manufacturer's description that #12 contains 45% Latakia. And I like my English blends with Latakia, yessir. Appearance: practically a sea of tan, with specks of dark brown and black. There are ribbons and coarse cut tobacco in here. The ribbons are long-ish, but #12 was no trouble to pack. Pouch aroma is unremarkable. Upon lighting, I got the Virginias right away, whoosh. There's no soap or floral component, just straight VAs. And then I waited. It's pleasant, elegant, and just not what I expected. No Latakia elements came forth. I just finished my fourth bowl and all tasted the same. Sorry G&H, this just isn't for me.
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Albion 1956	10/15/2001	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong
This blend is a mixture of several virginia's, and 45% Latakia, Cyprian, I would gather. The nose is of a typical English, in that the Latakia jumps out at you. The tobacco arrived rather moist, so taking time to let it air dry would be to your advantage. The charring light burns the tobacco well, and I have found myself after tamping it down not having to relight. The tabacco has a sweet taste, not a casing but the Virginia's and a superb blending job. The Latakia is there, and by 45% you would think overwhelming, this is not the case, the Virginia's blended with the Latakia make for a fine smoke, one that does not grow sour at the bottom, or towards it, as is the case for some English blends. Another note is some Latakia blends I've tried have an amonia type smell, to the smoker, at halfway, I didn't detect it here. In conclusion ;a well blended English, I would have thought there is Turkish here, but the description doesn't mention any, that burns well to the bottom, and pleases the palate. Well done!
Showing reviews 1 through 10 of 10 reviews of this tobacco