Samuel Gawith Cabbie's Mixture

At first I was expecting some kind of flake, but then, when I opened the tin, I was very surprised to find out this is rather a spun or twist tobacco sliced up in small little coins with a perique heart right in the middle of it. The tin note has acrid or fermented undertones very similar to Squadron Leader despite the fact there is no latakia in this blend. I have left my tin open in a drawer a couple of days to dry it up as the moist content, as it is customary with all SG's flakes and tobaccos, was rather high. This seems to be a very slow burning tobacco easy to keep lit and get going despite its moist content. I'd say the amount of perique in this blend is rather high and above average, but it does not spoil it. This, in turn, seems to bring cigar leaf undertones the more you progress with your smoke. That is to say perique is the main player here and not so more the Virginia leaf it contains. I cannot detect any casing and the experience seems to be akin to that of an unadulterated tobacco leaf. The only problem I find is that the tobacco leaf seems to be rather fresh, that is, it hasn't been properly aged, so I guess it would benefit from some time off in your cellar. As for the room note just to say there is nothing outstanding about it. Personally, it does not bother me, but your wife might have something to say about it. All and all this is a very good smoke, so I will give it 3 stars.

Edit1 (06/03/2016): this tobacco is better than I thought. I have been smoking it for a week now and it really delivers. The problem though is that it is so different from any other VaPer that I know, but I guess this is why it is so unique. If you smoke this tobacco at a very low pace, it will probably impress you. For a mixture that contains 1/4 parts of perique (that works out at 25%), I am finding it quite balanced. The only thing I'd say is you really need to smoke it in a meerschaum pipe, or a brand new one, to avoid the ghost. I am upgrading this to 4 stars.

This is one of my absolute favorite tobaccos and one of the best Virginia/Perique blends around. For me, the interplay between the aged Virginias and the excellent Perique accentuate the plum and fruit that a good example of the latter should have. This, like every Samuel Gawith tobacco I've tried, is really top-notch.

It can do with a considerable amount of drying, and judging by how fast it gets crispy, it can really be seen that SG isn't using any propylene glycol or humectants. I prefer to smoke this tobacco pretty damn dry, often drying it for two hours or more and it really shines when dry and crispy. It still burns slowly and the interplay between the Virginia and Perique is really magnified. This can also be smoked moist, and to me the dominating Virginias really taste of un-aged Royal Yacht (which I believe is a cased Virginia trying to masquerade as a VaPer, I still adore it, though) when straight from the tin.

This isn't a spicy Perique by any means, and the Virginias really dominate, especially the dark Virginias. It has a moderate spice on the retrohale, but really less than most VaPers you'll come across.

I struggle to define that absolute perfection that this tobacco is. It has become my all-day smoke and really caused me to toss aside so many blends that I regularly enjoyed as dailies. It is never harsh on the relight, and in fact, it can shine under such conditions. It has an incredibly consistent flavor throughout the bowl and takes a light easily. I generally rub-out several coins and layer another few whole coins throughout, this to me is the best way to smoke this wonderful blend.

I've been mulling over trying this one for while but have been little apprehensive as SG are hardly reputed for their VAPs. Nonetheless, when I popped into my local b&m a couple of weeks ago and saw this sitting so neatly on the shelf, I decided to plump for a tin.

The tin aroma is a mixture of stewed fruits and hay The tobacco itself is a collection of darkly shaded curls that somehow reminded me of the legendary Strang. I think it's safe to say the similarity by and large ends there, though I did pack the pipe in a similar style, gathering up two or three slices and stuffing them vertically into the chamber, it seems to work a treat. This stuff is a little damp so takes a moment or two to light, but compared to a lot of other SG offerings, this almost qualifies as bone dry. The flavour in the first few smokes comes across as light, sweet, stewed fruits developing into a light earthiness towards the bottom of the bowl, with occasional hints of hay popping in. I found, though, that as I progressed down the tin that both flavours became richer and deeper, if less sweet, reaching quite a full satisfying flavour.

This is one of those smokes that is just a simple yet wonderful experience. A previous reviewer mentioned similarities to GH Curly Cut, I'm tempted to concur in some measure, certainly the earthiness appears born of the same extended family, if not the same mother. It almost seems to me the perfect tobacco to be smoking on a dark October night while reading Edgar Allan Poe by candle light with a glass of port to hand. Don't ask me why, it just seems right. I have long held the excellent if different MB Acadian Perique as my in house VAP - the one to keep in stock at all times - but I think it might have found some stiff competition from Cabbie's Mixture, especially as I have just gone and bought another tin of this stuff, something I've not done before after first trying a tobacco. To me, that single act sums up the quality of this tobacco.

As I never smoked the old Nuns I can't compare it to them, but if Cabbie's really is similar to the old Three Nuns, I can finally understand what the raving is all about! For a long time I hestitated buying this, because of it's absurd pricing. 16,50€ for a 50g tin...along with the new Three Nuns which have the same price tag, this is the most expensive blend I know of. !

Cracking up the (besides the annoying warning stickers) lovely and old-fashioned tin with an old Cabbie on it revealed some appetizing spun-cuts. I must've been lucky, as my tin has almost all curlys intact. Tin note is bewitching to me. An intensive aroma of stoved- and well-seasoned plums is most noticeable. Fruity-sweet, but with a spicy, almost tangy undertone to it. Unexpectedly rich in spice. A bit of citrusy-sour notes is underscoring the deep spiced-plum scent of the tin note.

Only downside is the insane amount of moisture - like with any Gawith blend. I had a bowlful worth of tobacco laying out for over 12 hours, and it was still too moist to smoke. Leaving the whole tin open for at least 24- better 48(+) will dry it to a acceptable moisture level, so you can open the tin and pack a bowl without having it to dry out for several hours (or even days!) in before enjoying it.

Cabbie's taste is spectacular and well worth the effort of bringing it to a smokeable condition imho! Right away I perceive rich stoved plums, that have a decent spiciness to it. Reminiscent of seasoned (with christmas-ish spices) and then baked plums. The spice is very peppery and a slightly salty quality is also there. Leaves a tingling, peppery mouthfeel. Virginias and Perique are in perfect harmony and the Perique is underscoring the Virginias grassy, citrusy-sweet, bready and fermented fruit notes very well. Medium in strenght and close to being full tastewise.

My tin diddn't have any Lakeland-ish or floral scent nor aroma to it! Guess they got ahold of that problem and finally solved it, as my tin was produced only a few months ago.

An instant, but pretty expensive favorite of mine. That's why I hestitated trying it - I knew this would be up my alley, and I knew it would cost me a whole stack of bills implementing this classic into my rotation. But it's worth every single penny and is a "Top-3 Va/Per" material to me.

This is my 'go to' tobacco. No bite or harshness, lights and burns easy. Good amount of perique, just right. The tin note has that typical Sam Gawith virginia smell, just wonderful. Smells agricultural, natural and earthy. It tastes the same although can, upon first light and puffs, have a slight soapy taste, that's not in a bad way and generally doesnt last long in any case. This tobacco has the most complexity I've ever experienced in a tobacco. It's just right in all proportions. I love it and there could be some man tears if they ever stopped making this stuff. Cabbies Mixture is the reason I smoke a pipe! It truly is that bloody good. This blend is unique and the rural grassy notes are tranforming. Dry it out a fair bit and it smokes easily with minimal fuss. You have to try this one! Only outdone by perhaps Solani 633.

Small moist coins of mostly mid brown tobacco with dark and light pieces throughout.

Tin note is very sweet, with honey, caramel, vanilla and molasses notes. There are also spice notes, cinnamon particularly; the aggregate of which suggests bread and pastry. Definitely not an Aromatic or Lakeland, in case that sounds over the top- these are, essentially, natural tobacco conditioning flavours.

Burns well but requires some effort to get going. I did not rub out or dry the baccy and once underway it burns beautifully with minimal attention.

As per the tin note, this tobacco smokes very sweet and has a fair amount of depth as well. The Perique makes itself aware as a plum and pepper sourness, which tends to build as the bowl progresses.

A well made tobacco, complex and interesting enough for contemplative moments.

At first, this reminded me a bit of Samuel Gawith's Golden Glow, though with perique, and more strength and body. The first quarter of my first bowl was fairly pedestrian, a bit like how GG feels to me these days. Then the flavour explosions began. As useless as I am at describing tastes, I'll just say that, having gone through most of this first tin, I see no reason for not placing Cabbie's Mixture among the best VA-Pers currently on the market.

For those who enjoy VA-Pers but aren't fans of SG's St James Flake, the latter bears very little resemblance to Cabbie's Mixture, which, to my mind at least, is far more along the lines of blends like Escudo/Dunhill's Navy Rolls (in taste if not in tin note).

As usual with Virginia tobacco, slow sipping brings out the best in Cabbie's Mixture. I'd also recommend smoking it a bit on a moist side - 10-20 minutes dry time out of the tin - a lack of any moisture tending to result in a lack of flavour and harshness with this blend.

Update after the second tin: I don't think anyone has mentioned likewise, but I do detect a very slight Lakeland topping. It's not in the tin note, but in the first few puffs of the bowl, after which it quickly fades away. As a Lakeland fan, it's not a detracting factor for me, and it's barely noticeable in any case.

I am Spanish and I don't speak English, so I use google translate to make this review. This tobacco seems to me a very nice va-per, some virginias very much in line with Samuel's tobaccos, with a herbal and very tasty touch and a slight fermented fruit flavor, spicy, but basically, it is not a mixture with a powerful load of Perique, but it is there, in the background, giving it complexity and depth. Some say that it has a topping that offers a sweet flavor, I think it is part of the virginias. A good tobacco, which has become one of my rotation mixes.

I was gifted a nice sample of this some weeks ago. This one at least for me, is hard to come by. Always seems out of stock. I signed up for email notification from an online pipe and tobacco store and I think I am like number 350 or so. Fat chance of getting any I suppose as I lament. Very sweet tin note, which is what I say for just about all my reviews lately. Running out of verbiage, I guess. I gently stuffed this into a corn cob and left the little coins intact. What a fantastic smoke. I tried to smoke this a little slow to avoid any tongue bite and it smoked extremely smooth. If you can get some buy it. On a side note I did not know that Samuel Gawith and Gawith Hoggarth merged around 2015. The two brothers split up around 150 years ago. http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/pipe-news/gawiths-one-big-happy-family-again-after-150-years-merger-confirmed/ I did not detect any Lakeland essence in this blend, thank goodness.