I impatiently grabbed a pouch of this from Tesco, for want of trying something new, but in all honesty, I could have simply veered left to point at the ample selection of budget cigarettes. Gold Block epitomizes the jaded selection of mainstream, same-old pipe tobaccos in the UK - or to put it bluntly - those few that are only readily available away from internet shopping. Why anyone would choose this particular pipe tobacco more than once defies logic and reason, as one may as well just buy rolling tobacco and give up the briar. It seems to render the whole notion of pipe smoking a moot point.

Indeed, Gold Block shares the same kind of grassy, hay-bale aroma and quality of Golden Virginia, and it's cut a shade above shag. It's lightly sweetened rather than cased, but imparts very little flavour and does nothing to really rouse the blend out of monotony. Neither does the Virginia hold up as a good example of a well- seasoned base - lending credence to my theory that Gold Block is cut and banged out in record time, stems and all, devoid of quality management. Even Drum and Amber Leaf rolling tobacco are better examples, and frankly I'd rather have those scorching in the pipe than this.

As a cigarette smoker, I can acknowledge that without the nicotine, a cigarette is about as useful as a chocolate fireguard, and Gold Block seems equally pointless, with a low nicotine content. It loads and burns well, but it's fine cut will need a lover's touch when packing, or else you'll find you've just made a tight plug with a terrible draw.

In summary, this is a rather stale and grassy tobacco that tickles and scratches the throat in an unpleasant manner; the room note being sadly reminiscent of the kind of itchy-eyed summers, with a high pollen index that I loathed as a boy.

Trust your intuition next time you're at the supermarket - and jog on by. If you're not buying Condor, your money is better spent on the web.

One does not need to smoke pounds of GB for understanding its qualities (and limits). It's not bad, and I may understand why there are pipsters devoting to discrete blends like this. I think GB belongs to the cathegory of the English traditionals, just like St. Bruno, having a wide (?!?) platea of estimators, smokers who are not looking for stunning sensations. Just a mild and easy smoke delivering some sweet notes, unoffensive to others. A bit non-sense, nowadays that smoking a pipe in public is as rare as white elephants...

Well, let me say first that GB is not golden. Upon opening the sealed pouch the weed shows as a mixture of pale yellow and light brown. Virginia and Burley. My pouch was definitely fresh, the tobacco a bit wet, not too much. Fine ribbon, not shag, but then: yes, it strongly recalls some RYO, mainly because of the pouch aroma.

Loaded a bit loose in some straight Castello's. Lights very easy and stays lit. I would not write all the story of the bowl in thirds... let me just say that during the first third the smoke was a bit stingy, maybe due to some deep puffing in search of more flavour; then the smoke settles down to peace. Sweet tongue, nice! Vitamin N satisfaction: nope. Partial pleasure, maybe that's why they said it leaves you wanting more...

Since GB came in good company with St. Bruno RR, sure I will try the famous mix 50/50 nicely told herebelow. I will tell You further.

Last year, I was lucky to purchase a dozen pouches of the last incarnation of the old GB, before it disappeared from the shelves in the early 2000's. The old GB was indeed a mild-mannered, mild-tasting Va.-Burley-Cavendish blend with a casing that reminded me of figs, dates and fruit cake and that was applied not so heavy as to overpower the taste of the tobacco.

A pleasant tobacco which I smoked any time of the day and which never caused a negative reaction from bystanders.

What's sold as Gold Block today in the UK and e.g. tax-free in Spain has nothing in common with the old GB. Which is a crying shame.

I bought GB after searching around for an easy introduction to pipe tobacco. I had read it was easy burning, if a little hot, and easy lighting.

I purchased the 25g pouch - a nondescript packaging that only hints at its 'Ogdens of Liverpool' heritage. The tobacco is thin cut, almost akin to rolling tobacco. The colour is medium brown, actually a bit monochrome.

In the pouch, GB smells 'golden'. A little toasted, a little sweet. Packing the bowl is easy, and the moisture content is minimal.

This makes the first light quite a success. GB lights very easily, and stays lit most of the way down the bowl. It indeed tends to burn hot, as has been noted. Initially, the flavouring was as golden as the aroma. It is not at all heavy or spicy, and is not overly sweet either.

Halfway down the bowl, the burn warms up. I noticed that GB produces a fair amount of smoke, and it tends to taste sweeter as the burn progresses. Nearing the end of the pipe, a plain tobacco flavour is complemented with a honeyed note.

The room note is pleasant, also somewhat honeyed, but not characteristic of an aromatic tobacco. Friends have told me it smells quite like shag tobacco, just a little more pipelike.

GB burns down to a fine white dottle. It has been my first proper pipe experience - I once dabbled with Borkum Riff, and was put off for some years - and has eased me into pipesmoking peacefully. Somewhat recommended.

Smoked by itself, this is an overly blase smoke that burns rather quick. It will certainly smoke hot if you allow it to but puffed temperately, this is cool enough. I just found it bland but if bland is what you want, this is your ticket. I plan to keep it stored for blending, and it really helped out one of my Vapers burn properly and also toned down an overly rich taste. Nice! Of course, some shag or finely cut burley will do the same trick at a lower cost.

I still recall the TV ad for this stuff. A professor is talking to a student in an Oxbridge college grounds and says "Gold Block Eh! I remember your father, he was a pipe man too." Hopefully the professor introduced the young man and his father to other tobaccos!

Both tins were well preserved. The tobacco was tightly packed into an almost solid "block" and was not too moist nor too dry and was cradled by thick, waxy paper stained by years of waiting to share it's contents. It had the slightly crispy texture and unmisteakable aroma of well-aged tobacco with a spicy note almost reminiscent of cinnamon and cedar. The aroma seemed to be more attributable to the blend and aging rather than any casing/topping.

Others have criticized it for burning too hot and too fast. I found it to be a cool smoke that burns relatively fast. It has been my experience that aged ribbon cuts tend to burn fast due to the extra decomposition of the leaf.

In comparison to other virginia blends I found this to be complex and flavorful with subtle nuances. I tasted elements of spice, pure tobacco, a bit of leather, and woodiness. I'm a to-the-bottom-of-the-bowl kind of guy and I found this blend to gain in strength during the last 1/3 of the bowl taking on a strong taste of charcoal like many English blends seem to do.

I'm glad someone mentioned getting a sore throat from this as I had noticed the same experience and was quite perplexed given the overall smoothness of this blend.

Update

I have been smoking Gold Block for a couple of month now and find it quite pleasant and agreeable but this morning I called into my specialist tobacconists (Green's of Leeds) and bought some Grousemoor which I have duly mixed with the Gold Block and do you know, it is really very very nice with one aromatic perfectly complementing the other. Well worth a try for the all day smoker.

Smokers unfamiliar with either brand should smoke them gently in a reserved manner so as to avoid tongue bite but with a little practice one will not fall victim to this and should be able to smoke a bowl full without any problems. Contrary to some advise here. This is not a beginners tobacco and should only be smoked by those who have achieved a certain amount of finesse with thier technique

It burns far too hot, no matter how you smoke it, and I have been bitten each time I have smoked it. I have tried various packing/pipe/smoking combinations yet the relentlessness of the tongue bite is truly impressive.

It also has given me a sore throat each time, even though it seems mild on the mouth. Don't be fooled! I am sure Mr Ogden is turning in his nicotine stained grave at this most recent version of his 'Aristocrat of Pipe Tobaccos'.

Steer clear of this, if what you want is a good all-day tobacco that is easily available the stick with the St Bruno's

30/10/08 - Decided to downgrade to two stars after comparison with other tobaccos.

Very mild, but without tongue bite, the blend?s almost natural sweetness (a topping, I presume) was redolent of cocoa beans and hazelnuts. It could become somewhat monochromatic and dull; then again I believe this tobacco was never meant to incite wondrous deeds, nor deep-contemplative inner experiences in the Balkanic/Latakian sense of the term. Rather, Gold Block seems to have been conceived as that perfect silent companion for those who enjoy a peaceful evening by the fire or sitting at a desk, surrounded by books, pen and paper.

Odgens? refer to Gold Block as the ?aristocrat of pipe tobaccos?. Personally, I wouldn?t find it an insult (to the breed or the manufacturer) to hail it as the Bassett Hound of Pipe Tobaccos.

I had a passionate afair with this for a good number of years, would'nt smoke anything else 'till one day my tobacconist, Nat Chait (RIP) led me astray, could hardly face it afterwards.

Reccomended here in England as good tobacco for new pipe smokers, and as I'd just come back from ten years on the other side of the pond, it was a good one to get back into English tobacco's, burned well, smoked well, with a good taste. Unfortunately, as I said, I was led astray and wandered into the world of aromatics for a goodly number of years before coming over to flakes.

There seems to have been a lot of poor reviews to this particular offering of Ogdens, and in comparison to other tobacco's, I would have been inclined to agree, had it not been for my discovery of this site, which gives much credence to the cellaring of tobacco's, virginia's in particular. last week, my wife discovered a tin, yes a tin of Gold Block that I had opened and then left, perhaps eight years ago ? or more, needless to say, the tobacco was a little dry, but by leaving a damp tissue in the tin for about four days, I actualy ventured to try it, surprise suprise, not bad at all, there seems to be something in this cellaring.

Still only giving poor old Gold Block three stars, change that, I'll give it four. Why? well it served well it's original purpose, and I've found an aged Gold Block to be even better. But I am not sure about ageing pouches as that of couse is what it's served up in these days.

Updated 7th August 2010 For old times sake, I tried a 25g pouch of this and it's nothing like what I remember, the basic taste is still there, but it just burned hot and peppery so I tried the trick of mixing it with 25g of St Bruno RR. And that did nothing to save the day either.

Typical cost cutting from Imperial, no longer available in a tin - it comes in a pouch either 25g or 50g. Very lightweight tobacco, almost like cigarette tobacco.

Packs easily, burns evenly (too quickly IMO). Pleasant smoke aroma (lots of it too), good basic flavour with no topping, cool burning and no bite unless provoked. It has the taste and smell of a classic British pipe tobacco. Guess this was why it was so popular and "the aristocrat of pipe tobacco" for so long. This is the "straight" blend I've been looking for - not too heavy on the nicotine and suitable for all day smoking. As another reviewer said it leaves you wanting more. I think I'll race through the pack I have.

Loved the anecdotes on here about it being more expensive than St Bruno back in the day and also the one about the Ogdens sales rep who recommended a 50/50 mix.

When you open the pouch you will find yourself greeted by a selection of unusual odours, ones that are reminiscent of dried seaweed and carrot.

The taste, well it's a lot like wotsits mixed with B&H - This is not the sort of thing I want in my mouth and drew my mind toward 1970s dinner parties. On the plus side it burns very quickly, so you won't have to put up with it for too long.