Samuel Gawith Kendal Plug

The same review as Best Brown Flake but with better blended flavors due to the plug tobacco. Dried fig sweetness, earthy, slightly tangy and more malt/molasses characterize this Samuel Gawith offering. A cool, mellow and slow burning Virginia, a desert island tobacco.

Honestly, plug tobacco represents the purest form in which to enjoy your pipe smoking, the preparation allows you to control all the stages of your puffing. A method that I find works best with tobacco on the moist side, is to leave it in my pipe for the night and then smoke it during the day. Also, the more I smoke rope/plugs, the more I realize that the flavors meld much better in those cuts.

Virginia lover

I am a big fan of Best Brown Flake so this was a natural transition. I was a bit surprised when I received my order that the tobacco leafs were larger than expected, although not an issue for me. At first light, each bowl was pure tobacco bliss. It burns clean and was fairly monochromatic. Things get interesting about mid bowl with some tang and a little spice. For whatever reason, it seems to burn with more spice when pushed verses the flake. It could be just me. I don’t detect any added flavoring, but as each bowl progressed, there is that slight flavor that I associate with Lake District tobaccos. I have never found Best Brown to be high in nicotine, nor do I find this one either, but I do notice it more for some reason in plug form. I usually prefer the plug version of blends over the flake version, but in this case, I prefer the flake. KP will satisfy those seeking pure tobacco flavor made from high quality leaf.

This hard-pressed plug smells of a basic and wholesome earthy sweetness.

Judging by the muted colors as well as the taste, this is a well-aged virginia, seemingly composed solely of brights, with a very rich and cane-sugary character, though somewhat lacking in complex ferment. The flavor is broad and expansive.

Kendal Plug is a very fine and patricianly aged cake, though Best Brown may be an easier way to enjoy this blend, unless the price differential is sufficiently attractive. This was best in narrow gauge chambers.

My sample was gifted to me from Kilmarnock piper, Thanks! I absolutely love this plug! It is dense as a brick and takes a little time to prepare but it is well worth it! The virginias in this blend are smooth, dark, smokey and delicous! The burn is fairly cool but can be pushed to bite if puffed VERY aggresively. I know 1st hand, I enjoyed the vlavor of this blend so much that I had to consciously slow my rythym. If only I could find some more of this!

I find that DrDNA's tobacco preferences are similar to my own. I wish now that I had read his review before sampling this very difficult to smoke tobacco.

It started out being difficult to slice, dice, lock and load. It then was difficult to keep lit. It was then difficult to get past the initial wave of "Lakeland perfume," and it was difficult to to finish the entire bowl.

I will say this, I have friends who have palates that crave the Lakeland flavorings. I think this one will put them high in the clouds with joy.

And if I may offer just a bit of friendly advice, it helps to have a Ginsu knife handy to prepare this stuff. Or, a small buzz saw.

Talk about a blast from the past. I imagine that if I traveled back through time and had a pipe with a fellow in the 1700's this might be the same brick that he pulls out. The guy who I bought this from at the tobaccanist had such a hard time cutting up the bricks that he just gave me about 5 ounces for the price of one. Let me tell you- this led to a few doubts on my part. I got home and pulled out a scroll saw and set to work. After some rehydration I tried it out and found it to be very pleasant in a peasant (as in a medieval village) sort of way. The other reviewers are right. This doesn't have half the complexity or developed flavors of some other Virginias out there, but then that is most of its charm. It is simple and good, sort of like homemade bread. Beware however- The charm does wear off, and you are left with a somewhat monochromatic smoke.

Samuel Gawith Kendal plug is the uncut version of the ever-popular Best Brown Flake and is also known as Best Brown Plug. Many class this as the mellower and sweeter cousin of Full Virginia Flake/Plug (FVF/FVP) and it's easy to see why. The tobacco is made using high-quality Virginias and even has the same, slight herby/vegetal aroma found in FVF/FVP. This mellower version is made without the use of any toppings and is one of the cleanest Virginias produced in the UK.

Best smoked by cutting the plug into thin-medium flakes and breaking down. Once lit you are greeted with divine sweetness and a gentle herby and nutty flavours. Depending on how you cut this plug a bowl can last for hours and burns cleanly to the bottom of the pipe, leaving fine ash.

The plug version is deeper than Best Brown Flake but needs more breathing time.

The Summary:

Contents - Virginia

Flavouring - None

Cut - Plug

Origin - Kendal, England

Tasting Notes:

Strength - Medium

Flavouring - None Detected

Taste - Medium

Room Note - Pleasant

This is the same tobacco as my beloved Best Brown Flake, but the smoking experience is a little different. I don't reach for this plug if I am in a hurry.

As with all SG tobaccos this plug required quite a bit of drying. Once dry, I kind of pick it apart until I have a little pile of 1 cm squares that are between 1 and maybe 5 leaves thick.

The leaves pack into the bowl easily, and a couple of lights later the bowl is ready to smoulder lazily for a long time without much tending.

To me, the smoke is a lot sweeter than Best Brown Flake, and it burns quite a bit cooler.

Outstanding tobacco, delicious, and reliable. It is just a really good clean honest smoke.

Another Lovely Pure 5 Star Tobacco from great company. I love all Samuel Gawith Tobaccos slow burning tasty plug. Highly Recommended