And though this may be the best of the bunch it still leaves its tire tracks all over me. This is smoother than the rest of 'em though still something you could hang yourself on.

Don't see what is attractive about this GH offering.Maybe I will revisit my sample in a year or two and see if I can tame it then.

I used my trusty knife and cut some thin slices of the plug, rubbed it out and let it dry for a while. The tobac is very black and oily, almost leather like.

I lit the tobacco and was very suprised by the mellowness of the smoke, almost non-descript. The smoke is voluminous... I mean big bellows of smoke. But, NO BITE! So far so good right? Well the lingering taste in my mouth had a striking resemblence to cigars. Yup, that's what I was tasting... cigars. Which is why I rated the "taste" as "flat."

The nicotine knock out punch that everybody refers to? I didn't notice it being over bearing, but I think that has a lot to do with your size, weight, and tolerances.

So bottom line, you owe it to yourself to try this. Preferably try a friends batch, cuz' if you don't like it you'll have a lot left (smallest amount to buy I've seen is 2oz.)

Overall, intriguing, interesting, might be nice to blend with something else.

Cutting the plug is very easy, using a very sharp knife, and rubbing it out is also very easy.

I filled the bowl of my Mayfair ( small bowl, i dont dare to smoke in a bigger bowl ! ), and unwrapped a few leafs of the plug for a better lighting operation.

Usual procedure in lighting, a good charring light, tamp, re-light it, and off we go... Needed only 2 re-lights during the smoke.

From the start you get what you want with this tobacco, a pure smoke, just pure virginia tobacco, no flavoring whatsoever, no complexity at all, just a plain ride all the way. A very smooth and slow smoke, it took me almost 80 minutes to end the bowl, drawing slowly and with quiet pace. No bite at all, even if you push it.

I must advise you to smoke this very slowly and with a full stomach ( after a good meal and with a good 15 years Malt Scotch is great ), or else you'll get nausea and get sick.

The nicotine rush is big, very big. Mid-way, you feel very very relaxed. If you have to stand up after the smoke, do it very very slowly or you'll get a head rush and get dizzy.

Room note is strong, still tolerable for those used to having smoke around them. Around here only NC gets negative remarks.

My first try at a big streght tobacco, turned out to be a great ride, though it might be too much for a newbie.

Short DGT. Basil Hayden bourbon, a dog on each side of the couch, beautiful day, attic fan on, watching Jackie Chan in ?Shanghai Noon.? It?s all clicking. As I said, nicotine is pretty strong. But so is strength, though smooth. Has the darkness, strength, of some Latakia blends, perhaps 965. Continues to please, but I find myself thinking of aromatic for next bowl. This might do as well in a smaller pipe.

Near the end now. This is a really nice Tobacco, far exceeding my expectations. The only way it can be so strong is breeding for nicotine. But the quality hasn?t been compromised. Even near the end, with increasingly short lights, the taste is deep and satisfying. The Basil Hayden is actually a perfect complement. High marks, but limited a bit by the high nicotine and ?perception? of strength. Not a classic because not enough variety; though it has all three levels, it is the same (albeit delicious) three levels. Oddly, near the very end, I pick up a Jamaican Jerk fish feel, but in a nice, interesting, exotic comforting way. DAMN good!

(Postlogue: After this, I ordered a sampler of all GH ropes. This was the only one I liked! And still do.)

Appearance: Simply put, it is a flattened donut shape that is solid, dense and DARK brown/black. No light components at all, just a dense, oily black wad of leaves that have been rolled into a rope, twisted in some sort of cloth and bound with cord, then heated under pressure.

Packing and Lighting: I take my Swiss Army knife and slice off a small piece and rub it out so that I can see individual leaf pieces. I then use the knife to shred and chop these into managable pieces. You can also unwrap the leaves from the twist and do it this way - I doubt it matters much. This packs easily into my old Sasieni Mayfair (second) Saddle Apple that has had nothing but this tobacco smoked in it for the last 10 years or so. The bowl is small (Group 2) since that's all I can take at one time due to the intense nicotine buzz. It feels like I'm really putting a lot of leaf into such a little bowl, but it always draws easily. A pre-match draw on the pipe brings a soft, dark, heavy taste that is sweet without being sugary in the least.

For such a dense and oily tobacco, Black Irish Twist lights quite easily and gives an enormous burst of pure, strong tobacco flavor. No nuances, no subtleties, just a strong smoke. A word of warning: Don't smoke this around others unless they are VERY tolerant of strong tobacco, such as heavy Maduro-wrapped cigars. This stuff will get you thrown out of your house if SWMBO is around. I save it for special moments of deep contemplation, outside under the stars, or while walking late at night. For the right moment however, no other tobacco will do for me.

Exposition: There isn't much to discuss about this, really. It is strong and full, dark and naturally sweet and will knock you on your fanny if you try to smoke it on an empty stomach. In Ireland, I was told, the 'common folk' would chew this for a while and then place the chewed plug on a fence to dry in the sun, whereupon they would smoke it. It's a simple, basic tobacco for moments of contemplation and relaxation. Alone, mostly :)

The Story: This is a perfect outdoor tobacco - if I smoke inside it's easy to get overwhelmed by the density and strength. Also, if accidentally inhaled you WILL choke no matter how long you have smoked cigarettes. It burns smooth and cool and NEVER bites. It maintains its flavor to the bottom better than any other tobacco I've smoked, and if smoked slowly and with a beverage you will definately be relaxed when you finish.

Denoument: At the bottom of the bowl the nicotine level is even higher, but the flavor is still sweet and smooth and the burn is even. This leaves a nice cake - but I haven't tried breaking in a new pipe with it yet. Anyone want to send me a new Ashton to break in with this most English of tobaccos? Hmph, I didn't think so Anyway, this stuff relaxes me so much that I don't think I can type much more. Sweet, strong, clean finish and dry white ash at the bottom of the bowl. A most excellent smoke, but I think I need a nap now.

Pros: Cool-burning, sweet, smooth, thought-provoking (almost hypnotic), consistent flavor, great finish. This is a must for me to keep around, and is great for giving strength and slowing the burn of milder, less flavorful blends. Use sparingly :)

Cons: Nicotine level is high enough to put a novice into a coma. Must be smoked after a good meal (spicy food is best! Yum!) and in a small pipe. Will relax you to the point of near-uselessness, and is guaranteed to offend 99% of the people around you.