Samuel Gawith Black XX Twist (Rope)

Whew! I have tosay this is strong stuffZ! And I like it that way. Smmoth and spicy on the tongue with just a little bit of sweetness chiming in now and then. Very little bite either, even with my enthusiastic puffing. This is what I reach for when on days like today, coffee alone isn't cutting it.

If you've never tried it, give it a whirl. But be warned, this smoke isn't for the faint of heart.

Friends, this is pipe tobacco. Dark, strong and foreboding in the tin. Being my first "rope spun" experience, I loaded up a bowl in a pre-40's Comoy, after shaving generous slices from the coil with a pocketknife. I had chosen to smoke in the company of an old friend, for mortal and medical support. Soon the room was ensconced in a dark fog, which smelled alarmingly like a barn burning down. The leaf was very wet, needing many relights. In a short time I had settled into a slow even draw, which brought peppery puffs rushing onto my palate. There appears to be no casing of any kind, just raw tabac. A thoroughly different experience, to be entered into slowly(and sitting down). As one would guess from the chocolate color of the coil, there is nicotine aplenty. Newbies need not apply!

You either love it or you hate it. Looks like a dog turd in your tin. Packs a wallop of nicotine. Has a distinct cigarette tobacco flavour, that is uncomplicated and tastes somewhat 'meaty' like a steak. This is surprisingly smooth considering the high nicotine content. The smoke is almost creamy in character. This is something you smoke for the nic hit, not the flavour (although it is not lacking in that department either). Preparing this blend is a real novelty and joy. There are many ways to slice it, and the flavour has its subtle differences when rubbed vs cubed. The room note is strong but didn't linger too long.

3/4 when compared to War Horse Bar, which also has a slightly stronger nic hit and more complexity to its flavour. However, this blend is a better compliment to Scotch whisky.

This is combustible Marmite, and you'll either love it or hate it: it really is as simple as that. Smoking stuff that tastes like this and packs this kind of N wallop (see previous reviews) is certainly not for the meek. Personally, being a little on the meek side, I think it's awful. Smoking enough of it to write a fair review was an ordeal that I wouldn't want to submit myself to again; but I recommend it because I know that it's exactly the kind of baccy that some people like, and you don't know until you try. For what it is, it's right on the button - if you like that kind of thing.

It takes a lot of preparing, and isn't easy to keep alight. Smoke it in a small bowl; take it slowly, or it really will floor you; beware of the ghost: this will stay in your pipe for a long time.

Great luck, and don't say you weren't warned. This is strong stuff that'll kill you quick if you don't approach it with caution.

This tobacco is certainly unique, dont be fooled by the dark color it is actually lighter than the brown no.4, it takes a while to prepare but its an enjoyable activity (it certainly is not an out door smoke, you need to sit and slice and dry) but the hard part is drying it. If you dont mind lighting your pipe more often it will not be a problem. Room note is bad, the nicotine is good, burns relatively well. Taste like a stake that was over cooked. It really needs a good meal before you indulge in it. Choose a small pipe and work your way up. My worst mistake was choosing a KS savinelli and the next thing i know is i was vacuuming the house at 2 am.

Great Lakeland blend, as anyone would expect from SG. Of all pipe tobaccos I've smoked, the most cigar-like, and one of the strongest. Pure dark leaves with almost no floral/soapy taste.

Slice a few thin flakes, rub them out, fill the pipe, sit back and enjoy.

This is one for the curiosity factor. It's difficult to peruse the online vendors with their fabulous pictures and great variety, and not come upon a rope.

Thick, dark, familiar in representation to something far less appealing. From these images, one finds another pull toward Tobacco Reviews, for some greater definition. Reading the many posts, I found myself imagining some torture chamber with an evil tobacconist--a sadist, wishing to punish those too ambitious.

To be fair, I would have ordered a sample sooner or later. There's so many great blends out there, it's difficult not to diversify. XX pretty much gives you exactly what you expect, a beating.

I thought this would taste like a dark, very dark Virginia--sweet, yet exceedingly robust. I was wrong on that count. It's nothing like I've ever tried. It's got a smoky taste, not like Latakia. It's more so like they sat this thing on the grill and fired up some briquettes. I don't suppose you'd call that a flavoring, or would you?

The strength overwhelms any taste of pure tobacco. I don't mean that to say there's a lack of quality leaf, or a muted presence. I simply suggest that the strength overpowers the senses so much, that one tends to forget what they're smoking. Above all, I get that faint, smoky vibe and a nicotine kick that could silence any doubter. This isn't a Nightcap high, or a 1792. It's pretty much beyond anything like that. Your head might spin, you might get palpitations, or sweat like mad. It really depends on your previous exposure to strong blends.

This oily, compacted menace means you'll have a ton of fun slicing this rope. XX is moist, somehow, and I'm not exactly sure why, other than it's wrapped tighter than you could imagine. How I'd love to compare a rope of Escudo before the cut. This is truly a beast...and it's exactly what I wanted.

Many complain endlessly about this product, which is a curious thing considering the very obvious connotations and lengthy reviews associated with XX's formidable existence. Yes, there are many who'll try to steer you in some other direction. Step into my office, and vacate your mind of such remarks...

Three of Four.