Samuel Gawith Black XX Twist (Rope)

Ah, Black XX. The heavy artillery of my tobacco shelf.

When you open the tin, you're greeted by a dubious-looking, oily, dark brown/black piece of rope cut. It's very densely rolled/pressed, and emits a pretty intense smell of..... i'm not even sure. It's an earthy, somewhat bready and spicy smell, that much is clear.

As you might expect, this stuff needs a bit more preparation than any loose cut or flake you'll be used to. Cut just a small piece off the rope (Again, the rope is quite dense, so there's a lot of tobacco even in a small piece.), unravel the piece into the big, wide pieces of leaf it's made of, and then you're probably going to want to dry it for a while. Be mindful of how long you dry it though, because i've found that even though this stuff comes quite oily, it doesn't take much more than 2-3 hours for it to dry out completely. Though to be fair, smoking the tobacco a little more dry than i'd prefer didn't actually seem to have any adverse effect with this blend.

Packing your pipe with this stuff can be a bit of an art all of it's own, with how coarse it is. Though maybe it'd be best to rub it out and pack it in smaller pieces? I've not tried that, admittedly.

If you do pack your pipe with the coarse leaves as i tend to, you'll find that this tobacco is properly difficult to light. And it'll need a fair few relights throughout the smoke.

Either way, once you DO get it going, you'll find that after about ~20-30 puffs, everything goes black, and you awaken hours later in a park, wearing your trousers on your head and chasing the local wildlife with a spoon. Fear not, for this is the authentic Black XX experience. It's a rather powerful leaf, you see.

What you WILL remember of the experience however is the intense, incredibly savoury flavour of this tobacco. Like others have said, it's a very meaty, roasted sort of flavour. Personally, i would say the closest thing would be Bratwurst and roast potatoes, but that may just be because it's my local cuisine.

It gets some bonus points because i've found that despite the frequent relights, this blend is about as forgiving as it gets when it comes to cadence. Smoke it slow, smoke it fast, it doesn't care. It won't bite or lose flavour. Though if you go too fast, the nicotine might just be a little overwhelming.

It smokes relatively clean considering how oily the stuff comes, though i do tend to find that it leaves behind some big, chunky dottle. Again, probably not an issue if you try rubbing it out more finely.

So yeah, certainly not a blend i'd smoke every day. Or week. Maybe once a month, and only if i really feel like it. But when you do find yourself in the mood for bringing out the big guns, well, this is the right stuff for those times.

Remember when burger joints almost always used char-broilers? You will if you smoke this. After a bit of prep work I loaded this into a small basket pipe and lit her up. I was met with flavors very similar to that of charred meat and a HUGE amount of nicotine. That being said, I am absolutely crazy about this tobacco. I was on a quest for strong tobaccos and I have found a few, but this is the most unique by far. Despite it tasting like grill scrapings, something about it had be from the get go. It does ghost quite a bit, so make sure you like it before loading it into a Dunhill or something.

"I love the smell of napalm in the morning..." The little black turd smells as if it has some motor oil in it, the kind they used to grease steam locomotives a century ago. I wonder if there are any other tobaccos with an industrial nose note.

I smoke it in the mornings to warm up my internal engine. I slice it in thinnest coins and rub them into the finest shag, then it smokes like a charm with no relights. It's leathery and meaty-sweet, the kind of sweetness of a semi-raw steak cooked on a kerogas. Though a potent mix, still not overly so, I've never had light-head even when inhaling.

Very old-school, very manly. Highly recommended for the guys who love it stronger and fuller. Be aware it will ghost your pipe with the smell of burnt oil. I dedicated a pipe for this mighty weed, this blend is fully worth of a special pipe to smoke it in. "...That gasoline smell... smelled like... victory!".

Summary: This stoved twist removes sweetness from the leaf and brings out a meaty flavor with high-octane performance.

Opening the tin revealed a scent like fertilizer, perhaps peat mixed with wintered manure, and a flat rope of a moist oily nature. When cut, cubed and rubbed out, this produced a small quantity of dense black tobacco. After the requisite fifteen minutes of drying, it lit with slight resistance, although several more lights were needed through the course of an average bowl.

Upon taking flame, the tobacco released its fertilizer smell, and gave forth a taste like fatty meat flame-broiled on an outdoor grill, combined with flavor like the scent of that peaty topsoil. During the bowl, small specters of Lakeland flavoring whisk through the taste, causing those of us who are appalled by such things to gag but keep on smoking as this tobacco delivers a fantastic taste. With the sweetness gone, the richness of the Virginia emerges in a full taste that continues that sensation of simmering meat.

On the nicotine front, this tobacco may not be quite as strong as the brown ropes but it comes close enough that the distinction is academic. It flavor does not vary through the bowl other than the aforementioned internal Lakeland ghosts, as if someone sprayed down one layer of leaf with the horrible geranium scent. None of that impinges in any way upon enjoyment of this natural, full-bodied smoke and the peace of mind it brings.

I recently bought a tin of this stuff not knowing what to expect as I smoke mostly English blends. Okay. I must admit that is does resemble something that a chihuahua left on the lawn, but it sure doesn't smell or taste that way! I find myself grabbing the tin and just smelling the contents. I absolutely love the aroma of this tobacco! Kind of a sweet smoky note. Now it was a matter of how it smoked and it doesn't disappoint.

I used a cigar safety cutter to lop off a few rings and rubbed them out completely and let it dry for about an hour. Filled one of my Viprati pipes and took a few tokes before lighting and I could tell I was in for quite a bold but flavorful smoke. After a couple of puffs I tried to retro-hale and boy was it spicy. So I waited for a bit and tried it again and about a quarter of the way down the bowl it mellowed and was a bit sweeter, creamier smoke. A very enjoyable smoke. In fact I have had at least a bowl of this stuff every day since and sometimes once in the morning and evening. It is very strong but very refined. This stuff will definitely be in my rotation!

Stygian fumes from the bowels of Sauron's dungeons... Please remain seated while smoking it and do not drive or operate machinery, or death/serious injury could result from nicotine-induced vertigo...(well, almost!) If Satan himself smokes, this is what he's using...in other words, I love it!

I recommend using this by mixing it with a milder blend, perhaps an aromatic. Notes of creosote, charred oak, fusel oil, and gunpowder. Very strong when smoked alone. But adds stoutness & body to milder smokes. Not for the faint of heart. But awesome in its own way!

Purchased 2 x 50g tins in good faith;i have never tried it before but i am an optimist;i like the industrial gears tin art which reminds me of my engineering job...(i have bought albums before because i liked the picture,,,sometimes the music is good,,,is this baccy?)

Open tin appearance:looks like a greasy turd,dark and oily,or a small diameter skinny black pudding sausage (dried pigs blood in intestines skin)

Tin aroma:licoricy diesal engine sump oil,,dark soy sauce, burnt cabbage aroma,,;this is very like pure well used diesel engine oil..

Handling:this is quite moist, leathery and tough in the hand ; hard to tear. I cut into 1/4" thick discs with a stanley knife and rub them out to produce a small pliant bundle that feels what i imagine cut up bat wings would feel like,,,..(very rubbery like silicone or an oily jiggler dangler skeleton or white cabbage leaf)

Loading pipe:Using a clay 6" Georgian (my favourite allrounder pipe),loaded about 3/4 high for a trial, i try lighting with my pipe zippo...:It doesn't want to burn on its own,,so basically this is definately a prepare and let dry first type of tobacco... its not instantly smokable,,,um,,,i believe that is partly due to this being marketed as a chew as well as a smoke.

Flavour:Of a dark monotone(but likeable-ish)tarry full flavour with obvious nicoteen,,;i hyperventilate purposely to see what its got,;slightly sweet and salty,burning oil couldron flavour with slight burnt beef or chargrilled earthy winter vegetables, but more carbonic,,,;this is ok with me because it tastes industrial in a tasty way as opposed to a burnt bitter lard fat/greasy manky oven flavour...

Initial impression ; this is serious tobacco with no humour; its business.

Room note:OIL,like machine tool gear cutting oil that smokes a bit on the hot freshly cut metal swarf shavings ,, produces good oily grey thick smoke.

Post pipe aftertaste: OILY; there is a slight liquid "baxters beef consomme with sherry"stock flavour going on with black pepper and olive oil perhaps. A faint lemony citrus from time to time reminds you that this is Virginia.

More:There is no soap whatsoever and no tongue bite either,,Full bodied for sure;and this has stout ala guiness or dark treakle and a density factor,but in someway its not massively flavoured in taste(strong but one dimensional);its strong but not really a flavour as much as a sensation of diesal in the mouth after syphoning some..... ! ...... Its tobacco but it doesn't taste like cigarettes,cigars,or pipe tobacco. This is my first rope so i have no comparison by which to judge. i bought some "brown #4" to try as well(perhaps it tastes like smoking chewing tobacco?) Its room note is as perfectly camofluaged in my working enviroment as a tobacco can possibly get in an engineering machine shop...

Its strength is perfect for somebody who works and wants a good nic fix to get working with , this is like espresso coffee in effect.

A few bowls later:-sliced thinner and put into a bud grinder to tear into smaller raggy pellets for better bowl airflow brought about a better burn and taste(same as before but stronger) What was noticed with this preparation was a slightly peppery parafin-esque/white spirits/turps/ vodka spirit vapour aftertaste that was the strength of the nicotine itself.

FINAL OPPINION : Letting some preshredded totally dry out and then stored in a jar with a few intact peices has greatly improved the smoke,,,,;gone is the spirit aftertaste and it seems more mild. It burns a lot easier now as well;i think it came in the most vacuum packed tin i have ever seen;it was practiacally imploding which means the baccy inside was being stretched;this is charecteristic of all tinned baccy in that it will light at first, then get harder as it returns to normal pressure by shrinking;you then have to wait for the moisture in it to go before it will light easy.. Its a stout flavour (oil and black pepper;quite peppery like on a pepper steak)and would accomodate a stout drink with it,,,;its aftertaste is a bit burn't and bitter(imagine roofing pitch if that helps)but its ok while you are smoking it,,,,;i found cola the best chaser to go with it to be honest.

I have also blended it 50/50 with "brown #4" which gives more width of flavour and together they fill in eachothers holes in tastes,,,like a good mesh of gears..

I have found myself craving it for its strength factor in small doses,,:i think its a great workmans strong smoke who needs a kick and is thinking about something else completely other than tobacco tasting..

Would i buy this again? ;yes , sometimes my mood is such that i fancy the blackest of blackness of which this is the quintessential stout example..

UPDATE 12/04/11 I think this is a sound purchase and i have grown to like it for its cut down pure no compromise potency,being stored in a glass jar and allowed to air has emancipated it hidden qualities,this is as strong as pipe tobacco gets as far as a combination of total stout and strength can get,,,i still like other tobacco's of course,but this has a stand alone quality and unique individual personalty to be an honoury member of my tobacco in crowd..

Update 21/05/11:Having had some jarred for a couple of month i can say that it gets milder,rounder and more approachable.. The tobacco has lost its rubberyness and cured into a more stiffer leathery licorice stick consistency..

Part 1 This is some good baccy folks,it packs well,and is a cool burner. After cutting some small coins off the rope then rubbing them out well and then drying it out all day I loaded up a small briar and went outside. Ive seen this stuff called "Black Death" and "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse having a tea party in your mouth" etc. So I was a bit apprehensive when I started the charring light.Wow,a big blast of virginias hit me,almost like FVF on steroids.The second light was even better,I could tell right away this was going to be a treat. The bacca burned cool and dry,nary a relight, and had absolutely no tongue bite,just lots of pure tobacco smoke,Very rich smoke,The flavor is Very stout and robust but no "horsemen" showed up.The XX burned so cool the briar didnt even really heat up,and the bacca burned to a nice dry white ash.I didnt experience any harshness or nicotine effects whatsoever so I loaded up a second bowl and had a similar smoke.

Part 2 A couple days later I cut some thin coins,rubbed 'em out,dried 'em for 45 mins. or so,loaded up and went outside.On the charring light I got some hints of asphalt or maybe roofing tar,Im not sure.I had a hard time getting it and keeping it lit.I kept puffing and seeking that pure virginia flavor I had just a couple days previous,Then out of nowhere came the Horsemen,and Black Death was the lead rider,and he brought along St. Nicotine the Terrible. Together they proceeded to give me a thrashing I wont soon forget,Blow after punishing Blow,A beating so severe I deeply regretted ever taking up the pipe. Im not certain if the drying time had anything to do with it,but thats what I suspect.Once I recover,I'll give an update.

---

Please be careful with this stuff. * * * Update * * * Moderation is the key to the XX, let the coins dry out well,smoke it too moist and you'll puff hard to get it going,also take your time and enjoy.Puff fast and you'll pay the price.Slow down and relax and you'll be rewarded with a rich satisfying smoke.This can be a heavy hitter,so reach for it only when the mood strikes.

Presentation: Simple black background and text.

Cut: Comes in these amazing ropes. I smoke cigars, so what I do is use a cigar cutter (cuts cleaner than any knife) and cut it into thin coins. Then rub the coins out or just simply pull them apart. The ropes are the best for aging.

Tin note: Smells smoky and meaty with a tinge of cinnamon-like smell, perhaps tonquin.

Tasting notes: Smoky, slightly spicy, meaty. FULL flavor. A leather note will slide in later in the bowl. Spice will appear here and there.

Mechanics: Perfect moisture for me but mileage may vary. Well behaved blend once you figure out the preparation.

Extra Remarks: This is an excellent, unique, and delicious blend. I once smoked a bowl of Old Joe, Irish Flake, and 1792 Flake back to back and was fine, so I consider myself immune to nicotine, but lightweights beware! I love the full flavor and strength of the blend, but don't expect complexity. 4 stars.