Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Kendal Dark Thick Cut

I am a big fan of GH’s Dark Flake so I had to give this a go. The name “Thick Cut” in GH’s Dark Thick Cut is a bit misleading as this is a very thin cut, just above a shag in width with some long stringy pieces. The pouch scent has that somewhat medicinal smell that I associate with unflavored/unscented Gawith Hoggarth blends. Out of the bag it’s too moist for me to smoke without some dry time, but it dries very quickly. As with the flake, it has that typical Lake District flavor but in this case I think it comes from the processing and not a topping. But that’s a guess. For whatever reason, I don’t find this quite as strong as the flake in Lady N, especially when packed a little lightly. With that said, I find it smokes better and cooler with a firmer pack. Unlike the flake, I prefer this in a wider bowl, and it’s especially good in a cob. The dark fired leads the way with an earthy flavor and slightly herbal flavor. There is a very small amount of sweetness from the Virginia. While not very complex, there is more complexity than anticipated. In the end, I don’t find this quite as satisfying as the flake, but still a very good blend for lovers of stronger pure tobacco flavor. I will definitely buy more.