Samuel Gawith Grousemoor

Why would you want to smoke "pledge" (lemon scented furniture polish)?

Seriously, I dont get this one. Its unique, I'll give it that. A new flavor in aros. Not sticky sweet.

But all I can think is that I'm smoking pledge. Even the tin note smells like lemon polish. If I wanted to huff pledge, I think I can buy a can from target. I'm stumped.

RECOMMENDED, SURE, BUT PLEASE PAY ATTENTION ! I'm not a fan of SG - the wettest tobaccos in the world - but a friend of mine pushed me in a try of this Grousemoor. I admit try was good enough to have more of it: gold appearance, wet (yes, wet wet) thin-cut leaves, wonderful fruity aroma and optimal packing, lighting and smoking. So I decided to buy a couple of tins... and THAT WAS MY MISTAKE, since even if well vacuum-proof, both tins once opened showed all another stuff: gold AND BROWNY ROUGH-cut leaves. It can be the time it has been cellared: vacuum and humidity were ok, and as far as I know leaves do not change their consistency even after ages. At worst they become dry and darker, but this is not the case. In addition, I can still smell fruitiness, but aroma changed in some way into a sort of incensed smell: let me say, I purchased another tobacco... which I do not recognize, not being a fan of SG. Not smoked yet because I'm afraid of what I'd meet - in terms of sensation AND health too. So I'll definitely give up with such Brand, and this explains my poor star. Sure, I can ask to change both tins, and I'll do: with another brand!

As a new Slow-Smoking lover, I must say this kind of tobacco is absolutely original. Maybe exclusive, I'd say. At first, when you open its tin, as a mysterious as a strange flavour overflows you, something you have not surely smelt from other S. Gawith's Tobaccoes or other brands. "What is that?", " Is it a tobacco or any exotic and bizarre essence coming from unknown far land? , they are the first unavoidable questions pointing out. You should be bold enough for trying that blond Virginia blend in your favourite pipe. Once done, you realize you're smoking a very different tobacco, with a dense and aromatic smoke looking like an appealing girl who tries to charm you with her glowing smile. Its particular flavour seems to take you in wide and wild moors with its ancient and distinguished perfumes. Something special is in this tobacco, surely something making us remember elegance and nobility. In other words, something containing signs and splendour about happy past times. So, the second, third and next smoking appear much more interesting and pleasant and you look forward to starting again with that nice blend. I think it can't be considered as an all-day blend for its mild to medium strength, but I see it as a very good tobacco for particular events and moments of thinkings with your favourite pipes. You need to try it and must not trust in your first impression. Go ahead and smoke it at least three times and you'll see its amazing effects. I've found, at least for my short expierence, it needs more than a lighting at the beginning, but the bowl seems to be smoked till the end. Let's have a big hand for S. Gawith !

An unusual blend! The smell in the tin reminds of a bar of shaving soap from Trumper's calleds 'West Indian Limes'. The first smoke is similar but afterwards the perception is rather nice if one likes unusual aromatics. To be tried by the experienced smoker. The beginner should avoid it, to the risk of giving up pipe smoking! That said I do not knom why they call it Grousemoor. On their leaflet they say it reminds 'of Springtime on the moors'. Did not know they had cyprus trees on the moors!!!

They say about Grousemoor "love it or hate it". Well, I am one of it's loyal lovers. I cannot even imagine autumn time without this blend. Good one as daily pipe tobacco, especially with a cup of coffee. Great taste and smell, which reminds me a traditional polish Christmass juice from dried pears. That would be best aromatic Virginia for you, especially if you like Peterson's Sherlock Holmes. Unofrtunatelly it's got some defect - it dries too quickly.

EDIT: the second tin of Grousemoor I smoked was not nearly as exciting as the first impression. It was not as flavorful and quickly dried out to an almost unsmokable mess that demoted the rating to a 2.

I heard about how all the Lakeland brands will ghost a pipe with their overwhelming pungency. As an aromatic smoker I was intrigued by this warning as well as the secret flavor (known by 3 people in the world), so I got a fresh corncob and gave it a whirl.

Upon opening the tin you see, what for me, was the blondest tobacco ever. Then the smell hits you and to be fair I found it nauseating. A cross between rotting fruit (apricots maybe?) and those public bathrooms you find at the beach. With a lot of skepticism I packed the bowl. So far, so good. I like a moist light spongy leaf to pack, which this was.

The smoke then hits you and this is where the tastes did not match the original curtains... it became something new. It was light and fresh and undistinguishable. Mildly fruity perhaps?

It just tasted like Spring after a light rainfall, but without the smell of plants blooming if that makes any sense.

If you enjoy a mystery, don't be afraid to give it a try.

I had this tin in one of my drawers for some time, and I am not sure why I decided to crack it open in the end, but I did. The tin note tells of an aromatic tobacco, but it is quite difficult to describe. It has sort of a sweet/tangy note to it, but not floral or soapy, so I'd not call this tobacco a Kendal. Surprisingly enough, the note it leaves in your mouth is similar to that of the tin's. Some people seem to be saying it smells of lemongrass, but I don't know what lemongrass smells like, so I cannot tell. It has a citrusy note to it, but I don't even know if lemongrass is supposed to have it anyway. The Virginia tobacco it comprises seems to be quite good in its own right, so I am taking the topping as a compliment. The room note seems to be quite pleasant and it pleases me to pass it through my nose. I like the fact it seems to develop some depth as you go past every quarter of your bowl and it wants to be smoked at a very low pace. The base tobacco they use as a palette somehow reminds me of Mixed Kendal. I am not sure I can put my finger on it, but it has an earthy note very similar to it. I am not so much for aromatics, but yes I think I can enjoy this tobacco.

This blend is one of the most unique I've had the pleasure to smoke. The tin smell reminds me of an herbal tea. Smoking is very pleasant and cool. The smoke has a lemon grass taste and overall a nice change of pace.

The only unanimity about Grousemoor is that is very peculiar.

As you open the tin, you smell a very intense and, for me, unpleasant odor. It smells like a pile of cutted grass that´s wet and has been brewing a few weeks in the sun. Not good!

But, after releasing the beautiful ribbons and leave it breathing a while, is much better: the exaggerated strength is gone and it stabilizes. That goes for the taste too. But this peculiar taste only appears when smoking slowly and with the tobacco very loose on the pipe. In this case you can feel a unique and pleasant flavor of lemon grass / citronella. Puffing too fast or packing too heavy makes it flat and uninteresting. But this is not just about the "lemongrass flavor", the excellent quality of the tobacco is clearly noted. For me, the taste is clearly the result of some natural substance developed by SG and does not seem just a pulverized "essence of lemongrass" bought in a chemical lab.

A tasty, light and unpretentious tobacco.

I believe this one could make a bridge from artificial flavored tobacco for more sophisticated aromatics, for here the tobacco dance along with the high quality flavoring. Also, for me came at a good time: a little tired of heavy latakia blends, Grousemoor make a nice introduction for straight virginias or VaPers.