Samuel Gawith Grousemoor

I love Grouse-moor, Like really love Grouse-moor.

For me, grouse-moor is a unicorn tobacco. An unheard of commodity in the pipe world. The thing is, all smokers want two things out of an aromatic, two things they almost never get. First, we want the tobacco to taste as it smells in the tin. Many come close, almost none can pull it off. Secondly, we want our aromatics to smoke like non-aromatics. No goop, no slime, no sludge (my fingers should not be sticky after packing a bowl). No relights after every five seconds, and no need to dry it out for a month before smoking.

For me, grouse-moor does both of these things, making it an endangered species in the pipe world.

The other thing I love about this tobacco is the uniqueness of its flavor. So many aromatics are similar in casings. Vanilla, chocolate, caramel, berry, and alcohol flavors seem to make up 90% of the aromatic casings you come across. This tobacco is unlike any smell or taste I have ever experienced. Yes this is technically a lakeland, but totally different from what I think of as lakeland flavors (think ennerdale). The smell in the tin is of.....who the hell knows? Citrusy? Kinda. Floral? Kinda. Intriguing ? Oh yes! I love everything about it, and for some reason, it seems to keep calling you back.

I usually age most of my blends, but this blend I prefer as fresh as possible. I feel it loses the potency of its casing pretty quick, and I just cannot get enough of that casing. For some, that may be a huge plus. If you don't like the flavor of grouse-moor, don't throw it out! Tuck it away and revisit in a year. It is a whole new tobacco, with a milder topping.

The one cautionary note I can give is that this stuff ghosts and ghosts hard. You practically need an exorcism after smoking this. Try it in a cob first, or a pipe you don't mind dedicating.

This is a must try tobacco, because there is nothing else like it. Even if you think you won't like it.....aren't you curious? Try it, you just have to.

Update: I cannot get over this blend. Every time I smoke it I ask myself "why dont I smoke this more often?". As it ages, the topping becomes more of a background but not in the least less intriguing. I could smoke this blend all the time, but I don't. Why not you ask? Well, availability. It seems like in the last few years finding any Samuel Gawith tobaccos is a miracle. If you can find it, get it.

Aromatic tobaccos have generally disliked me. I bought this tobacco like a Virginia, and smoked this tobacco without realizing it was one of the aromatic tobaccos. When I opened the can, I fell in love with the citrus floral fragrances that, along with the light color of the slightly damp threads, invite you to bite into it rather than smoke it. And when I smoked it, I wondered if it was not an aromatic tobacco, although it did not produce any of the allergic reactions that those aromatics usually cause me. It is a slightly fermented Virginia smoke that seems to taste somewhat sweeter than pure virginia, but it is not sweet, and slightly reminiscent of lemon flavor. An excellent variant for a light and fresh morning smoke. Ahhh, and also, it is very well perceived by the family.

After years of pipe smoking, it was finally time to sample a Lakeland style tobacco. Grousemoor was part of a trio containing the first SG blends I've ever smoked. It waited a few weeks to be smoked, while I was waiting for a new pipe to arrive and which will be dedicated to Lakeland blends. Then, when it was with me, I was very anxious to finally smoke this one.

Comes very moist and compact in the tin, but I was actually surprised at how quickly it dried out inside the tin; it is almost ready to be put in a jar (my tin of Squadron Leader, purchased together with Grousemoor, still needs some more drying). Comes in a well cut ribbon, almost bordering shag cut. The tobacco has a nice, bright, golden color from the steamed and stoved Virginias. The tin note, a real delight. This is the most pleasant smelling unlit tobacco I've ever put my nose on. You're greeted by a wonderful floral bouquet, lavender, a touch of cinnamon and it almost reminds me of that rice and milk dessert, with a touch of cinnamon.

Mechanically, there is one thing worth mentioning. Due to the fine ribbon cut, some extra care needs to be taken when packing the pipe as it's very easy to get it clogged in the bowl. After a proper packing is made with a good draw, then it's no fuss. Lights very easily, burns well, doesn't heat, doesn't bite, doesn't gurgle. This is meant to be puffed slowly.

Let's talk about the smoke. I'll take a moment to talk about the Lakeland essence. Yes, this is an aromatic. But, if your perception of an aromatic is that of a Danish or Black Cavendish-heavy blend, this is not that. This is an English type of aromatic, using natural flavorings instead of artificial-chemical ones. And when you first sample a proper Lakeland blend, such as Grousemoor, you get it why it's a very polarizing flavor. People either love it or hate it. Personally, I love it. It's a very pleasant change of pace from the more "mainstream" aromatics.

That being said, throughout the smoke this one is two-faced. In the first half of the bowl it's a pretty mild, delicate blend. That flavoring comes to the front and it has a nice floral, citrus, perfumey, slightly aftershave-ish taste so unique that it's very hard to describe. Once you're halfway through, the tobacco becomes a bit potent and more of that Virginia taste becomes prevalent. I get the more earthy, bakery, bit darker taste of Virginia as opposed to the grassier one. The flavoring is quieter, but still there and forms a nice balance with the Virginia. Burns to a nice, fine ash and leaves a pleasant room note. Beverage wise, this tobacco almost begs you to smoke it while drinking a nice cup of tea.

Grousemoor is a very unique blend and has that sort of old fashioned character that you don't find in many tobaccos. And you get a very solemn feeling knowing that you smoke one of the oldest blends that it's still being made the way it was made 200 years ago. This is history in a tin. A tobacco that will most definitely become a permanent addition in my collection and that will offer me great pleasure and satisfaction with every pipeful. A classic and a legend.

I was VERY pleasantly surprised by this one. I would certainly say it has some Lakeland, but the lemongrass and whatever other aromas marry perfectly to create a delicious, light, yet full flavor. I almost get a note of patchouli on the palate, and the room note I feel is similar. Will not bite, and burns evenly to the bottom. Don't be fooled by it's seemingly "light" profile.. does have a decent amount of nicotine. Puffed way too hard this weekend trying to quickly color a meer (stupid, right?) and because this tobacco is so light without bite I was able to do so. I was then greeted with the sickly spinning head syndrome and had to eat, so beware. Seems moist from the tin, but you will find by the time you pull it apart (sort of a pressed block of shag cut) and get it packed in a bowl it's the correct moisture content... so don't be fooled by appearances. If you pack directly from the tin and loosely on the bottom of the bowl you will be greeted with one of the most interesting (and addicting) flavor profiles in pipe tobacco. A total change of pace, but a welcome one.

edited: Room note may be stronger than it seems to the smoker.. so I dinged the room note one notch for that but still a full 4 stars on this one.

From the tin, the smell of floral essential oils greets you. Although it's commonly known that the flavouring is lemon grass the aroma in my opinion is more broad, possibly elements of lily of the valley and various flowers and herbs.

Upon lighting the taste is exactly like the scent, something I found both pleasant and surprising. In addition some of the smoky peaty flue cured virginia. Because of this, I recommend going to your local shop to give it a wiff first, enjoy that, you'll enjoy smoking it.

Later the flavour evolves, with the initial strong taste fading almost completely. This will leave you with simply the virginia which holds its own very well. Although smoking straight virginia would often provide a very one dimensional experience, this particular flue cured leaf has a few subtle flavours that interplay well. It is sweet in the way virginias are, earthy, and offer no acidity that creates tongue bite.

All in all this is a wild card offering from Samuel Gawith, which is at the very least, love it or hate it, worth trying.

This unique blend is superb... I can't find any description truly justified. So simply taste it and enjoy... Be carefull with the pipe that you will chose: The scent remain

A very distinctive tobacco to say the least! Its appearance is delightful: nicely cut bright yellow Virginia ribbons and it smells indeed like a perfume, also delightful. I cannot put my finger on it, but if pressed I would say something like lavender, lime and pine combined with vanilla or tonquin. It is the blondest golden Virginia tobacco I’ve seen and also the softest to the touch- incredibly fluffy!

Because it is so fluffy I recommend not to be afraid to pack fairly tightly, not excessively, but still do not be afraid to pack it some. Packed loosely will burn very quick. And do not forget to tamp. As for lighting and moisture, the tin I got was ‘goldilocks’ and lit easily.

This is different from anything I’ve encountered before, even from other Lakelands because it’s smoother, softer.

Initially one can be taken aback by the intensity of the aroma of the tobacco, but it actually is very close to the tin aroma. Gradually I got used to it and I began to taste the fantastic citrucy bright Virginia with a sweet vanilla-like and floral undertone. It smokes veeery smooth and to the last shred, no harshness or bite whatsoever. I did not think that it could serve as an all-day smoke, but it does not overwhelm me and I can smoke several bowls a day. This stuff is addictive! and room note is quite pleasantly tobbacoey.

Can also be used to scent straight Virginias or other tobaccos (goes very well with Oriental leafs!) even if used in small doses. I also wish I could smoke this fantastic Virginia without the topping, seems to be of the highest quality. P.S. Try to smoke a bowl of a mild English blend right after smoking Grousemoor and you will get all the nuances of flavor that you did not believe could be there in the English!

I love this tobacco. it is such a beautiful golden yellow colour and has an amazing wonderful aroma of honey and wild flowers. Which is also reflected in the smoke. It is a ribbon cut and packs well. A very lovely smoke. Reminds me of summer and the lake and wildflowers at our lake house. I can see how you could love or hate this mixture. It could be little over the top for some. I say try it. It could be. Your new favorite. Peace.

Another love it or hate it blend from SG, who seem to specialize in blends that so curiously polarize our community. This is one of those blends that I believe once you develop a taste for, you're hooked. But I can also see how many don't like it.

Me? I love it, I was hooked from my very first whiff upon opening the tin to my very first sip. And my infatuation with it deepens with each bowl.

It's a very curious flavor, difficult for me to put my finger on. It's subtle and subdued, yet simultaneously prominent and distinctive. Perhaps A Morley Jacque, in my favorite review on this site, captures it best: "floral and herbal and fruity in delicate balance all at the same time." Sceny, in his review, says "It is very interesting, with many different flavors to enjoy on the palate; I'd call it a 'brown' taste", which seems oddly correct. For me, an aromatic garden in a sun-dewed meadow on a hot summer afternoon comes to mind while smoking it. I'm also reminded a little of Oban, a delicate, complex, slightly floral and fruity aromatic single-malt scotch.

Indeed this blend has more than a few paradoxical qualities: it's a generally bright and hi-key blend that has depth to it; the casing perfectly complements and brings out the virginia flavor rather than masking it; and it's an aromatic that has a remarkable amount of complexity and nuance. Ultimately, it's an aromatic virginia that is somehow both less than and greater than these two components taken alone, but when combined create a unique smoking experience. But this blend will only reveal its delicate mysteries if packed with care and smoked slowly, for it can turn harsh and bitter if you're not careful. (For some reason I find this a tricky blend in which to find a good smoking rhythm, but once I find it I'm nicely rewarded.)

I'll give A Morley Jaques the final word on this blend: "The specific flavor notes of Lakeland aromatic essences serve to heighten and exemplify the nuances of a fine Virginia and even cut out some of the excessive sootiness to be found in many examples of the leaf... The Virginia leaf is not only of the finest quality, but also quite strong. The affect of the top dressing is perfect if approached with an open mind. This is a tobacco for real men, and by that I don't mean John Wayne and Mike Hammer, but guys who truly deserve the title like William Wordsworth and Thomas Hardy."

Well said, A Morley Jaques.

UPDATE: Since writing my review three months ago I can state that this tobacco has single-handedly changed my smoking habit. During this time I believe that more than 85% of my bowls have been this weed. There's something about Grousemoor's flavor that I crave, and which I find *almost* perfectly satisfying to the point of frustration: the flavor is alluring, yet mysterious, always just outside my grasp, like trying to focus on something in your peripheral vision that disappears when you look at it. It's like the coquette who obsesses you precisely because you can never possess her. Never has a topping complemented a leaf so well. (Perhaps that's why it's been around for a couple hundred years.)

I now find, when needing a different flavor once in a while, that I'll grab the straight virginias more than my beloved english, balkan, and VaPers. I attribute this change in taste to this blend.

I hope someday my predilection balances out, since I've invested quite a bit in cellaring english & oriental blends. But for now, I'm very much enjoying my immoderate infatuation with Grousemoor.