1. murderously strong;

2. cool, but full-flavoured to the point of coarseness;

3. – like twists and ropes generally – tiresome to prepare for the pipe unless you like a lot of foreplay.

There really isn’t much more to say. If you enjoy the kind of tobacco that’ll blow your head off, this’ll do nicely; if you don’t, it’ll make you fall over and pray for death. I found it rather an ordeal, but I can see that it has sterling qualities. It’s a very good example – a classic – of its type, but certainly not for everybody.

Brown Rope No. 4 is the sort of baccy that I always think of as a winter and outdoor smoke (the room note will cost you friends, by the way). It comes quite moist and for that reason doesn't burn without a fair amount of fuss; but for Pete's sake don't dry it, or it’ll cremate your tongue and associated parts.

A lot too strong for me, but I recommend it to those who like a fight.

But that's not what this is.

Brown No. 4 is a badly rolled cigar, that's passed on to pipe smokers as "rope". The tobacco has none of the nuance that pipe blends are known for. It's just a cigar without a wrapper that's squashed into a tin and marketed to pipe smokers. It smokes and tastes like a mid-flavor cigar. Which isn't a bad thing mind you, but it's not what one expects from a pipe blend. In retrospect, I should have been worried when prior positive reviews noted that this blend could be smoked, chewed, or ground up as snuff. All of that is true. . .unfortunately.

If you are a fan of cigars and want to save some money, then this might be an option for you. I guess. But even then it doesn't seem like a great option because there are much better cigars to be had for $10 (US) per stick, that you could then cut into coins and stuff into a pipe.

but while cutting tobacco with my rasolino knife, I think to miners (often children) who found solace chewing something like this one and a shadow of emotion pass me on the eyes.... But it's only a moment, there is no time for reflection...

No lyricism here, just epic

so I put the feather and I run to clasp my pipe, I'm going to fight a new battle with this dragon.

Count me as one who absolutely loves the stuff. I don't know of any more intense, flavorful, pure, occasionally sublime, occasionally brutal experience I can associate with pipe smoking. Sometimes when I smoke this stuff, I feel like I'm on a sort of sacred, drunken jag. My ears buzz, my knees get a little weak, I experience bliss. Other times, every puff feels like a jab to the chin from an angry heavyweight. My ears buzz, my legs feel like string cheese, my brain tells me that man was made to suffer.

This isn't the prettiest tobacco. I've only ordered it in bulk, and when it arrives it looks like a great, coiled thing that might have been released by the Jolly Green Giant a few hours after a big dinner. The aroma is earthy, dirty, cedary, cigar-like. Whenever I break into a new batch of this, I typically section it off in 2-inch chunks and stuff it into jars. When I plan to smoke it, I cut it in half length-wise and then slice little half moon disks that I rub out more by hand. Drying it out to the edge of crispy seems to work best for me. I’ve found that if this rope isn't sufficiently dry, it produces a steamy, bitter smoke. It DGTs well—which will be a boon to anyone who truly does find the strength here overwhelming.

Regardless of strength-tolerance, I recommend smoking this stuff slowly and contemplatively. The Italians have an expression for some of their bigger, brawnier red wines--vini di meditazione, or "meditation wines." Properly and patiently sipped, I think this rope is as close as I'll ever be to a "meditation tobacco."

A brilliant, immensely enjoyable tobacco.

Update: 12-20-09. Smoked a bowl of this for my last pipe of the day. The rope is pretty dry in the tin now. I started the day with Irish Flake, so maybe I was better prepared. This is not so bad if you take it slow. I love the reviewer who thinks this is not as strong as FVF-I do not take issue with him, but rather glory in the plethora of different tastes and opinions found on this website! I can inhale FVF, something I would not try with this weed. This makes a great nightcap, as the nicotine hit gets me ready for bed and satisfies me to the point that I will want no more tobacco until the morning.

1-09-10 I have cased the rest of the tin with dark rum and put it in a mason jar. God knows how it will turn out.

1-20-11 A year later, and I am smoking my cased #4. Can't taste the rum over the overwhelming body of this tobacco, but I like it more now. I may be able to smoke a couple bowls a year of this...

7-27-11 Smoked some in a Jobey Stromboli. This was harsh, I thought, when I bought the tin two years ago. I cased it in rum and put it in a jar more than a year ago, and it has really mellowed. Still, strong stuff, and I have no designs on finishing this one tin anytime soon, but rather will smoke the occasional bowl in this Jobey (my smallest-bowled pipe) to see how time treats it! I can't taste my rum topping at this point, but suspect it had something to do with taming the rough taste out of the tin. Now, it reminds me more of Dark Birdseye.

If I ever wanted to cut down on my tobacco consumption in general, and needed a tobacco that would give me all the nicotine I could possibly want from a couple of thin shavings off of the twist, this would be just the thing. I bet I could get 40 bowls like this out of a tin! Maybe more...

I get nausea (not serious, but nausea nonetheless) from tobaccos like this. They remind me of my limitations as a pipe smoker, but I love the occasional bowl anyway. Brown #4, Coconut Twist, GH Kendal Kentucky and Dark Birdseye, Irish Flake...

I'm pretty high right now...

#4 is definitely worth your time.

Strong is an adjective that is horribly misused on this board in lieu of harsh. Far too many English / Balkan blends out there are improperly cured and aged (or blended with inferior tobaccos) resulting in a harsh smoking experience (particularly, IMHO, the more prominent American brands). But harsh has nothing to do with strong, and one experience with Brown Rope No. 4 will prove my point. Unless you've been smoking non-aromatics for years, you are likely to find the strength of Brown Rope No. 4 overwhelming. But it's not harsh. No, not in the least bit. Rich, creamy, velvety, exquisite, and (did I mention?) -strong. This tobacco is in a category all it's own (save for a very few others, all from Kendall).

I am not much of a ritual guy, don't enjoy all the fuss, cutting, and rubbing of flakes, twists, & plugs. And so when I opened my first tin of Brown Rope and began its dissection into a combustible form, my only thought was that this involved far too much work.

But that was before I tasted it. Now, after each evening's meal, I greedily assemble my cutting implements and happily go about the work of preparing a bowl with never a thought to the work involved. Only to the pleasure this tobacco, as no other, provides: The richness, strength, and fullness desired after the conclusion of the evening meal.

Some thoughts on approaching this tobacco:

1st, I think it is best reserved for the evening smoke, as noted. I have been smoking full - bodied English for almost 30 years, but I wouldn't care for this most other times during the day.

2nd, on your first few go arounds, try slicing a dime (or perhaps two) off of the rope, and add it to your preferred evening smoke. It won't look like a lot, but believe me, you'll know it's there. In fact, you might be content just to leave Brown Rope as an evening additive to your standard blend. Starting off with a straight full bowl is not recommended under most circumstances.

3rd (as always) I must admonish those seeking to dry this tobacco: please do not. It is shipped and packed ready to smoke. They've been doing it at Samueal Gawith for a couple hundred years and they've gotten pretty good at it. Moist = rich, cool, & slow, dry= harsh, shrill, and fast.

And, lastly, if you haven't been smoking for a while, or have no love for full, big- bodied tobaccos, no sense in even looking in this direction. This is a BIG tobacco.

And, a very BIG pleasure!

Yes it resembles poo, yes it can be a headache to rip apart, and yes it's way moist, especially when new but ... this tobac kicks butt, at all levels. Has a very deep, earthy, noncloying sweetness. Delivers the vitamin N in spades, if you don't like nicotine, lots of it, you will not like this. As a reforming smoker of unfiltered Camels, I love it; there probably doesn't exist a pipe tobacco I'd find "overwhelming", hence "extremely strong". I am completely insensitive to room note, so "unnoticeable".

Biggest gripe is the moistness, rip some apart and air it out as long as you like before smoking. Alternatively, buy a can, open it, try it, feel so-so about it, then let it sit for like 6 months, getting nice and dry - I don't mean a Denver afternoon, I mean Egyptian parchment. It will still be sweet, it will still be strong, and will be no hassle to bust up and smoke.

This stuff will put hair on your wife's chest. That's a big plus for me, but perhaps not for everyone. If Old Gowrie is a beautiful young child, Brown Rope #4 is a grizzled old man.

In any case I snipped off a little bit of the rope to try, cut it into coins with a cigar cutter and left it in my "cellar." At first I mixed it 50/50 with Prince Albert just to try and gauge how strong the tobacco truly was. The PA seemed to burn away first and give way to a wonderful, nose tingling smoke. It was hearty in the way beef stew is hearty and filling on a cold winters day. So I figured I might as well try it full bore without any additions. I rubbed out 3 or 4 coins, let it dry for a bit and loaded up my pipe. I was greeted with nothing but tobacco heaven. A full strength smoke that was intensely satisfying but certainly not complex. The closer the bowl got to going out the more the sweetness came to the front. If I puffed a little harder I got the "baking bread" scent and taste that other reviewer have mentioned.

I find this to be a wonderful tobacco. I wouldn't smoke it every day but I certainly find myself wanting to load up a pipe with it a few times a week. My caution is to make sure the kids, dogs, cats and especially the wife are far away. This will curl their hair and they may try to have you tried for cruel and unusual punishment. If your goal is to escape them then this is certainly a deterrent. I also find this the most versatile tobacco in the world. Smoke it in a pipe, chew it or grind it into snuff. If you're into survival and have a "bug out bag" in case of a disaster be sure to have a large supply of this ready to go. It will get you through those tough times ahead. My next quest... to see how well it ages!