Samuel Gawith Black XX Twist (Rope)

Don't like it in the pipe. Too burnt meat, for me. But, it makes for a great little HRC. Akin to tiny stick of dynamite that smokes for a month of Sundays. Holy Mole! 1 star in the pipe. 4 stars as an HRC.

A note to Wiseguy 1982...you must push the spoon end of the tamper under the lip of the tin lid to release the vacuum seal. All tins are easily opened, but you must do that first or you'll break you wrists trying to open the darn thing. "So now ya know...I'm Paul Harvey...page 2"......

Hey guys, this stuff is the real man's heaven!!!

Robust, greasy, beefy, earthy and smoky, and it's just a VA blend, no more: Samuel, how could you create this??? You're the undiscussed Lord of blenders!!! SG comes first, all the others follow….

This baccy is simply fantastic, unique, nothing similar yet. First of all we have to say that black is not brown: this rope is really different from the other SG one (BRN4). A bit lighter in N dept and less earthy and more smoky.

Opening the tin you can find a greasy black rope, dark as the night, very thick and with a deep complex aroma, rich of nuances: earth, grill smoke, burnt oil and in the background dried fruits as raisin and fig; just a hint of nut.

I slice the rope in about 1 mm slices, let them dry out for a little while and then load my bowl. It is very easy to light and burns very well, for a rich smoky and cool smoke. At first puffs I find it a bit harsh but just a little while later it gets round and going throgh the bowl the sweetness of VA comes out, so its nuances of dried fruit.

It's strong and rich in the N factor, but not as its big brother BRN4. I never find it overwhelming or sicking, rich for sure, but always pleasant. It got at once one of my favorites. Not for the morning, but perfect after a good lunch or dinner. Pure tobacco taste, not for aromatic lovers, only for straight tobacco fans.

Very good mixed in equal proportion with BRN4.

Simply fantastic, if possible I'd rate it more than 4 stars!!!!

I was drawn to this by my love of full taste, high strength tobaccos, as well as its history. It's commonly talked about as a sailor's and miner's tobacco, but this was also the favorite of the mountain men during the American fur trade era. Because it was so densely packed, it could be transported in large quantities to the rendezvous, something the fur companies looked for to maximize their profits. Rope tobacco was very likely the only kind of pipe tobacco available at the rendezvous to the mountain men once they headed west, and pipe smoking was among the mountain man's favorite activities.

This is definitely a strong tobacco. I had a good night's sleep and a full meal before enjoying it, and I'm glad I did. There's plenty of nicotine in here. To me, it tasted of salted meat with a good dose of pepper, with slight notes of a sweet, buttery nut flavor. The flavors stay consistent to the bottom of the bowl.

I've smoked it the way it would likely have been smoked by most mountain men, cut into coins and jammed straight into the bowl, with a single coin rubbed out and put on top to aid lighting, as well as completely rubbed out. The whole coins last a whole lot longer (in a pipe that generally lasts 30 to 35 minutes, I get over an hour), but are a genuine pain to keep lit. The rubbed out bowls last quite a while, and burn smoothly straight through.

The significant other can't stand the smell of the heavy smoke as it whirls from the bowl, and I can't say I blame her. It's just about as strong as the tobacco itself.

I don't count this among my favorites, but I'll definitely be keeping some on hand for when the mood strikes me.

After reading all of the previous reviews, I approached this tobacco with some trepidation. I was pleasantly surprised by this tobacco. It is a strong, full-flavored offering from Gawith. The core flavor is something I would describe as 'spice box.' It's a flavor reminiscent of heavy aged red wines. It also has a definite beef steak tone. I sensed a layer of blackberries in the background. The smoke was strong and full but never bitter. The flavor remained consistent all the way to the bottom of my pipe. It was quite delicious.

It actually reminded me of my favorite cigar: the Partagas Black.

I cut 1/4 inch thick medallions and rubbed them out. I smoked it in a small-bowled Capri pipe. It did take a few tries to get it lit. It also required numerous relights. However, it may just be that I didn't allow the tobacco to dry out enough before smoking.

It's not an all-day smoke. It's to be sipped and savored after a heavy meal. It's a sweet, meaty, muscular tobacco; a real man's tobacco. It definitely has a high nicotine content that may catch you off guard if you are unprepared.

Overall, this has instantly become one of my favorites.

This is the kind of blend that will curl your toes and put hair on your balls. Love it, but its not for the feint of heart.

A good satisfying one. Not very strong as exaggerated. Every pipe smoker needs to try this one.

My dream tobacco. Do you remember 50's and 60's rom-com films that use that swirly, dream-like effect when progressing to another scene? Everyone has their own version of these in real life, and my own swirly... dream-haze 'thing' is in a cloud of this stuff. Except Audrey Hepburn isn't be there.

Of course everyone has varying tastes, and like many, mine from the word go, was for the full flavored hearty stuff. And if you have the same tendencies for strong traditional tastes, this is definitely for you.

You may have noticed the frequent mentions of difficulty or even awkwardness in preparing and smoking the stuff. Don't fret. That's what this site is for! Learn from what others have done, or 'standing on the shoulders of giants'. I have, evidently, stood on many here, because all that's necessary to enjoy this stuff is to simply cut slices to your own preference, (and you'll learn that quickly,) and let it dry out for a while. Take your time with it, and you'll get your hazy-dream-like camera effect thing to help you progress to the next scene with Audrey Hepburn.

For me, this was quite a special blend to explore. The first time I smoked it I was overwhelmed and... a little bit dissapointed. Brute strength. Then I rediscovered it a few months later and it was a much more pleasant encounter. Maybe You have to be in some sort of mood. And appetite, of course. And You should have some respect for it. Actually I would describe it as a very strong as to nicotine content but quite tasteful and even rich in delights it can offer to You. I smoke it regularly and each time I make several deliberate interruptions during the session. Honestly, this is a great blend. Not for everyone however. Only for that reason I give it just three stars...

It's quite possible that the inventor of this tobacco was moved by the hand of Satan himself. It's potently vile, yet somehow irresistible. It looks and smells like the poo of a fiendish tobacco elemental. In the bowl, though, the flavor is much more mild than I expected. Still by no means mild, just more mild than expected. The flavors are tough to explain- burned flesh, synthetic gear lube, diesel exhaust- but all somehow in sort of a good way. The nicotine is just shy of overwhelming. If I smoke a small bowl after a big meal I can escape with just a strong buzz rather than the N-sweats and a spinning room. There is something strangely satisfying about this tobacco, though. I can't put my finger on it, I just feel kind of ...settled... after a bowl. I know somehow that I like it but I haven't completely come to grips with that yet. The rating on this one is a tough call, as I certainly wouldn't recommend it to every piper. I guess if you find this description intriguing I'd recommend you try it. If you find the description off-putting, stay the hell away.