Though I probably won't buy this again for quite sometime, I am glad I had the chance to try this very different blend.

Soli Deo gloria!

I am now "ghosting" a classic Yello-Bole from 1933-1936 that I went through a lot of trouble to clean up and have decided to dedicate to Lakelands exclusively. The topping, believe me, is rather strongly present, and reminds me most of that of SG Cannon Plug. Lemon Grass, my ass! Maybe it's in there, I don't know, but the toppings of Grousemoor and Cannon Plug both remind me of Patchouli incense. My dear brother (who is a RYO smoker but interested in my pipe hobby) gets figs from it, and I can sort of see it. Doubt there is any fig in there though.

I'm not good enough to distinguish the exact type of Virginia used beneath all that scent, but probably light African Virginia from Zimbabwe just like they said. Perhaps it is the same for the Cannon Plug I compared the topping with. All I know is that I'm smoking the hell out of it. Goes well with a nice hoppy...beer.

Burns well, smokes well, no fuss. I really should have bought more than two tins, and will be on the lookout for more. The first tin is going fast...

It's a mixture of fine golden Virginias (rather moist in the tin), flavored with a blend of aromas which escape definition. It's NOT soapy, not exactly flowery, but rather sweet/citrusy. Lemon, bergamot (Earl Grey tea!), pineapple, a hint of roses, honey, licorice... and more. Hey, even a slight hint of what reminds me of fresh perspiration from the skin of a lovely scented beautiful girl! The flavoring, in the tin, is not subtle but neither it is overwhelming: it's very appealing, and beautifully integrated with the natural smell of Virginia. Certainly not as strongly flavored as Erinmore, St Bruno or some weird soapy/talcum flavored stuff I've had in the past from Gawith & Hoggarth and which luckily I have almost forgotten.

Does this translate to the smoking experience? Actually not very much. There IS a hint of freshness and of the same aroma, but rather in a subtle way. The smoke is not the sweetest or fruitiest I have ever had from a Virginia, actually it tastes rather dry and neautral. A bit bland, too. This blandness can lead you to overpuffing, making it even blander and less sweet, and making it seem stronger nicotine-wise than it actually is. Be careful, because the high moisture and stringy ribbon cut can lead to packing the bowl a bit too tight resulting in a bad draw.

This scenario does actually change a bit after a couple of weeks from opening the tin. While it doesn't get dry too easily, some airing removes part of the flavoring, and a buttery sweetness like brioches/croissants comes out both in the unlit tobacco aroma and in the smoking experience.

Do I like it? Well, there's nothing to really be excited about. It's not spectacular, it doesn't give me the deep satisfaction of (to stay in the same brand) Best Brown Flake, but it's not offensive. In spite of the flavoring, almost no bothersome ghosts left in the pipe and certainly no "yuck" reaction. A honest smoke, subtle and elegant, quite different from anything else. While not particularly fond of this style, I can see myself having a bowl of it once in a while just for a change of pace.

Give it a try... even just for curiosity. You may fall in love with it: I didn't, it's a bit bland in taste for me (especially from a fresh tin), but I understand where its peculiar charm may lie and will probably revisit it once in a while.

It is a nice looking brightly coloured baccy of obvious quality. It packs and burns easily, if slightly hot in the bowl. There is an overwhelming note of intense lemon curd with an acrid chemical bite to it...but after a while, there is a peculiar sweetness that begins to emerge. I'm sure it will appeal to some more discerning palates, but not to mine.

Continuing bravely on, I found the packing very easy, as it usually is with a good ribbon such as this, as was the lighting. I could not, with both the first puff and every smoke since, decide exactly what I was getting from this. The room note was pleasantly unmemorable and the taste in the mouth, well, what was it? Hints of a less sweet lemongrass? Maybe, can't really put my finger on it. All the way through the tin, I don't remember a single pipeful that really made me sit back and go "Ah!", even with tonguebite, which it seems to be completely lacking. Maybe a dash of it might have actually made me sit up and pay attention in class.

I am going to have to buy another tin because I need to find out what this tobacco is really like, maybe I'll have to buy two to be sure. Until then, I guess three stars will have to do. It's not ball-breakingly bad, it's not even bland. It does, however, lack that punch of flavour that I have come to expect of SG.

Update 29/02/2012: Just finished another tin and, oh may I say, I think I missed out first time round. This tin was a little damper than my first, which I think makes all the difference. What was a good tobacco has become a fine one. That taste of lemon sponge cake is just fantastic, that fruit flavour comes through so much better. It does take a few relights however, but it is worth it. This is a good tobacco dry, and a great one damp, hence the extra star.

I just ordered a pound of it.

What's with this tobacco? Crack on a leaf? God help me.

I can see this is a tobacco will divide opinion with some loving, some hating and very few neutral opinions. When I first opened the tin I was disappointed by the aroma. It really does smell strongly of Lemon Grass and I thought I may have made an error buying a tin rather than a smaller sample size.

However, once in the pipe and lit, I was really surprised by how different it tasted. Proof again that the smell from the tin isn't always a good guide to smoking taste. The blend has a soft and smooth taste with not too much nicotine. Some have described this blend as "soapy" or "oily" and I can see why they would use those words. I would prefer to call it "creamy" or "velvet" as I enjoy the sensation.

It is not easy to describe the flavour as you smoke. Sort of, Lemon Tea, but not quite. Maybe an English style sponge cake with a delicate flavour. This is certainly more subtle than many of the aromatics I smoke with the casing adding a little back note rather than being to the forefront of the taste. It certainly seems to contain good quality Virginia tobacco that has a modest extra flavour added.

If the thought of "soapy" smoke turns you off then avoid this blend. But if you like the idea of a rich and creamy taste, then I would suggest you try a couple of bowls of Grousemoore.

Update: 9/25- taste or change of pipe-weed..this stuff is GOOD! I have a few tins moving faster than light in the pipe

All blond, ribbon cut, high quality tobacco is designated to this blend. Lighting can be a bit difficult, it is a bit moist in the tin. I have a tin opened since 2005, and it is smoking great now.

Good blend for the springtime, while outdoors.

I got no citrus scent or flavour, but what I did get was the faint acid tang of the peat, sweetness of moorland grasses and heather, and the tang of bruised bracken from under my feet.

Nostalgic ? Perhaps, but the underlying consistently good tobacco combined with my memories "Does" it for me.

How could I not want a regular rendez-vous with this one ?

A blend of bright and brown Virginia grades with Latakia, matured under pressure in the Cavendish style and blended with golden Virginia Broad Cut.Slow burning with a cool and gentle smoke

The ribbon cut is nearly always a little over moist upon first opening the tin, but if you've been cellaring it for a couple years or more, it will be perfect. Most people seem to be unable to put their finger on any exact flavoring used, as there is such a melange of different tastes and smells, that to do so would be impossible. It has a hint of the Lakeland floral to it, but this is barely detectable among all the other flavors.

There is a definite citrus note to it, as well as a delightful peatiness. It is mildly sweet, never bitter, and nearly always bite free. It is just simply a very good tobacco that smokes down to a fine gray ash. The flavor is complex, so don't get bogged down trying too hard to sort it out. Just enjoy the ride.

It’s difficult to put my response to Grousemoor into words; but I find it too mild and the flavours too elusive: certainly not understated, but too ‘confused’ to give me anything definite. Because of this, I puff too hard and it bites me. If I smoke at a sensible pace, I hardly get anything out of it at all: it’s a bit like listening to good music but with the volume turned down just that little bit too low. I don’t get on with very strong tobaccos, but I do like a tasty flake and (occasionally) a Latakia mixture, and Grousemoor is much too intelligent a tobacco for me.

It’s a very old blend, they say: it’s been popular for a long while, and I see that some reviewers here adore it. It’s certainly a high-quality tobacco. Worth a try, then, if only to say that you have. Personally, I don’t like it much - to my mind there's just not enough to it; but I can see its virtues, and I’m happy to recommend it to those whose palates are more civilised than mine. It’s an acquired taste. I think that, with perseverance and an open mind, I might be able to acquire it. But, then again, there are too many tobaccos that I know and like to spend time and money on acquiring a taste for this one.

As one of our esteemed professors has said repeatedly, "enjoyment for the experienced discriminating serious piper".

Read A. Morley Jaques or Sinister Topiary for a long version of this review.