Samuel Gawith Grousemoor

This blend is not just about love it or hate it. As I see from so many reviews it's often about first hate then love.

That's exactly my story too. From the first puff, I was quite confused by the strange and too intense flavouring and shoved the tin away from my sight. When I reopened the loosely-sealed tin again after several months I found the weed had become much drier and less pungent. It turned out to be a nice sweet smoke after that.

This tobacco needs drying out before smoking and the lemongrass essence needs some time to evaporate. The slowest sipping pace is recommended, otherwise the dogs from the tin art might viciously bite a careless smoker's ass if he's not careful enough. Grousemoor is a good tobacco, although needs some preparation.

If you are a slow smoker maybe this will work for you. But I usually take long puffs and for the way I smoke, it has a way too strong aroma. Tastes like, I just smoked a flower garden.

Upon opening this tin, which was a gift from my wife, I was fully prepared to be disgusted. I always appreciate it when my wife supports my expensive hobby, so I had to oblige. The tin smells of sweet lemon grass, as advertised. To me, it does not smell anything like pipe tobacco. But then I lit it up. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. This is unlike any tobacco that I have in my collection. It is a very nice out of the ordinary smoke that I now use to shake things up from my usual routine. The room note is very pleasant, which makes the wife happy. I love the art on the tin, and as an avid bird hunter, that probably has some positive bias for me. I don't smoke this often, and I have to be in the right mood for it. Its something that I reserve for special occasions, and I would recommend it as a nice change of pace, but not an everyday lineup smoke.

Indeed this is an odd blend. Not generally an aromatic smoker, I thought I would give this blend a try none-the-less. I was pleased that the casing wasn't heavy or syrupy, but it certainly was odd. A perfume/lemon sent with a taste that reminded me of an ill spent summer drinking Mike's Hard Lemonade. The tobacco burned well all the way to the bottom and overall it was a nice change of pace.

Though I probably won't buy this again for quite sometime, I am glad I had the chance to try this very different blend.

Soli Deo gloria!

If you found yourself mooching around in a Maiden Aunt's drawers, erm, dresser, the scents of this baccy would not be unfamiliar: I found them to be a mix of a) patchouli oil, b) bath salts (and not expensive ones either), and c) palma violets (children's candy from way back when). This 'mix' of scents proved overwhelming for this palate, though that is a subjective viewpoint entirely my own.

It is a nice looking brightly coloured baccy of obvious quality. It packs and burns easily, if slightly hot in the bowl. There is an overwhelming note of intense lemon curd with an acrid chemical bite to it...but after a while, there is a peculiar sweetness that begins to emerge. I'm sure it will appeal to some more discerning palates, but not to mine.

Very interesting. The tin has a unique aroma, sweet tomato and zesty lemon,grass, faint fig and floral. It smelled like an English but after the Virginia passes, were the latakia back note would be, there is a subtle flowery/grassy note. My tin didn't have any moisture issues, the tobacco was ready to go. It has a wonderful flavor to the smoke, very smooth and creamy with a decidedly prominent lakeland floral finish. It's really tasty! Not a bad smoke…but it does leave a rather unwelcome taste in ones mouth. The after taste it left in my mouth was an experience all to its self. If you could take the tin smell, mix it with spit and old tobacco ash…that's the taste you would get. It has hints of chemical and lemon. That after taste was strange to experience, it was easily twice as strong as most blends. It's regrettabl, as the smoke is so enjoyable, but I have to give it two stars as there are other blends that are just as tasty but don't leave that nasty after taste.

Some years ago I purchased half dozen 50g tins of this blend, fully expecting something else. I didn't like it straight out and ended giving away most of it, except a tin that I sealed in plastic wrap and set aside to age. A month ago I opened it, transferred it to a humidor flask and started smoking it. Although improved, I still find it truly deceptive and disapointing. The taste has a chemical tang to it; the flavor is -how to put it- rancid? The expected VA sweetness is just not there. Perhaps I'm too set on other types of blends, mainly English types and rich Virginias. This one is not for me. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Edit: On the plus side, it won't bite, smokes cool and the leaf quality is quite good. Moved it from 1 to 2 stars.

Grousemoor is a ribbon-cut tobacco that needs to be dried a little before trying to smoke it. It suffers from the besetting sin of SG tinned tobaccos: it comes a good deal too moist. Aromatic? – yes, but in a much more subtle sense than some aromatic abominations are. Lemon grass? – maybe; but there's a mixture of flavours and fragrances here that I can't put my finger on.

It's difficult to put my response to Grousemoor into words; but I find it too mild and the flavours too elusive: certainly not understated, but too ‘confused' to give me anything definite. Because of this, I puff too hard and it bites me. If I smoke at a sensible pace, I hardly get anything out of it at all: it's a bit like listening to good music but with the volume turned down just that little bit too low. I don't get on with very strong tobaccos, but I do like a tasty flake and (occasionally) a Latakia mixture, and Grousemoor is much too intelligent a tobacco for me.

It's a very old blend, they say: it's been popular for a long while, and I see that some reviewers here adore it. It's certainly a high-quality tobacco. Worth a try, then, if only to say that you have. Personally, I don't like it much - to my mind there's just not enough to it; but I can see its virtues, and I'm happy to recommend it to those whose palates are more civilised than mine. It's an acquired taste. I think that, with perseverance and an open mind, I might be able to acquire it. But, then again, there are too many tobaccos that I know and like to spend time and money on acquiring a taste for this one.

You've got to help me out here chaps! - I cannot stop buying this, but I have yet to finish a tin. It's said this has been around 200 years - it probably takes that long to grow on you! and yet, there is something that is so "Samuel Gawith" about this blend. Sadly, it doesn't smoke as good as it smells. Like all SG's it's very moist and needs drying. If the aroma is supposed to be reminiscent of the Lake District moors - it doesn't do it for me.