Samuel Gawith Kendal Plug

Description says that it starts as BBF - I wonder if that means it's supposed to be the same thing, but in plug form? As BBF is a firm favorite, I found this one less so. Lighter colored plug with a nice bag aroma of virginia. Smoked from a new one ounce sample.

I cut this into cubes for smoking, as it didn't seem to work well for me any other way. I found it mildly tangy with a complex sweetness, but not the equal of BBF. Curious. It seemed to have the same depth, but something was missing. Naturally, I'm out of BBF so I couldn't do a comparison, and memory becomes habitually faulty over time. But this seemed more grassy as opposed to the lightly sweet oatmeal of BBF. But for all I know this is the same stuff and I'm imagining things! This is a very worthy blend that possesses a light natural sweetness, good complexity and an easy burn when cubed. Definitely deserving of a try.

I smoked this first, and then later smoked some Best Brown Flake in the same pipe. I did get a bit of tongue bite from this, on a scale from 0 to 10, with 10 being Coniston Cut Plug or MacBaren Virginia #1 i.e. light tobacco that really bites me, I rate this a three. I did a very rough cube cut and then smoked it slowly in a fairly wide bowl. It is definitely fuller in taste than BBF, and also richer, more creamy. I liked the taste profile more. It's possible that because the smoke is more filling, I drew less, and it bit less as a result. Nice stuff, even with the bit of bite.

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.

I have been working on a chunk of this for quite a few years. I slice off a few little bits and am always surprised by the yield after I rub it out. It is such a dense plug that it seems to last almost forever. I usually smoke darks so this gets a lot of rest but it is an excellent lighter VA when I am in the mood. I like it best in a small bowl, just sipping and enjoying the round flavor.

I tried this after reading so many glowing reviews and was not nearly so impressed as others seem to be. The plug has an old-fashioned, rustic appearance, resembling weather-rotted particle board more so than a dense block of indiscernibly layered leaf. Positive points for this ugly, true-to-form appearance. However, this is perhaps the single most finicky tobacco I've smoked to date. Preparation style, pipe choice, moisture content, and even relative humidity all seem to drastically affect the outcome. Smoke too wet, cannot keep lit for more than a puff or two and gurgles like my bathtub drain. Smoke too dry, suffer through tastelessness and tongue bite like licking a lava pool. Cut too thickly, all of the above. Wind blowing from the west? Forget about it. I feel like the stars and planets must align just to attain a rewarding smoke.

However, when you do discover, after weeks of trial and error, your magic combination that works, this is a uniquely mild, subtly sweet treat. For me, it involves slicing out in 1/8 inch slices, cutting the slices down to about 1/2 inch squares, dry for 20-30 minutes, rub out completely, then dry again as needed(make sure to err on the side of wetter, since most the flavor is gone by the time crispiness suddenly appears). Works best in a large bore cob...for me, but your results will likely vary. It's basic, true VA flavor that speaks of yesteryear. As a heavy McClelland smoker, I had little experience with Kendal style VA, but I am digging the homemade yeast bread flavor with floral-like top notes and very subtle sweet finish.

Final verdict - it's not a game changer for me, but it is a good, solid and consistent pure VA with character. I would lean towards 2.5 star rating, but I'm granting 3 since I had to fight to get this one to like me. And I do thoroughly enjoy old-timey, unadulterated tobacco and the preparation required of a plug.

UPDATE: I've come to enjoy this baccy more and more over time. Yes, it takes much more work for preparation, but the results are fantastic when the stars align. I've discovered it behaves better in a cob than briar. Its also more flavorful and cooler smoking in cooler, drier weather. In the summer when the temp hits 100 and humidity hovers at 95%, you can forget it. Scorched earth. I slice it in 2mm slices, cut the slices into about 1cm segments, let it dry, rub it out entirely, and air dry for however long it takes to go from soggy to springy. Also, I never smoke it immediately but instead pack a bowl or two and let it sit overnight. Advanced preparation is key, you see. A year ago I struggled not to rate this one under 3 stars. But it's a solid 3.5 in my opinion. If it continues to age as well as I've seen, it may well be a 4 star blend for me. I would like to restock my supply, but unfortunately this has become scarce to non-existent in the U.S. currently.

Kendal Plug is one of my main VA tobaccos. I like the depth of flavor KP achieves during the mid through the end of the bowl. I enjoy messing around with plugs, which is part of my liking of Kendal Plug. I cut a thin slice from the block, rub it out, and let it sit for a while to dry before smoking. I agree with the other reviewers who comment that KP is difficult to light. I find it takes a number of re-lights during the course of a bowl. There are times when I wish KP had a sweeter top note, like Old Gowrie. But overall, KP is an excellent VA, and if you like plugs, this is one you really should try.

This is a tasty tobacco . I think for me one of the pleasurable parts of this tobacco is the preperation . It comes in a block and needs to be cut into flakes . I use scissors to cut flakes from the block , then I cut the flakes cross wise to make a cube cut , then rub it fluffy and smoke . It smokes a long time and is very tasty indeed . A pleasant change from my usual latakia diet .

I'm trying four ozs of this as I enjoyed cob plug so much, (ie, I like the form of true brick plugs). As mentioned by Talon below this is a brick...not a broken flake; and though many have lamented the knife ceremonies involved, I, being lazy, opted for a Black and Decker mini coffee grinder with pulse control, ($20 anywhere coffee grinders are sold). Rip off a chunk, shove her in and grind, grind, grind to your desired consistency. It's sweet to be sure but in a true Va sense. I'll be getting more. Three stars is due to cob plug being a little better, (albeit different), to my palate.

A one pound plug bought online. A bargain. Big, hard SOB. Dressed the edge on my sharpest chef's knife and went to work. Sliced off a 1" square stick about 6" long. Shaved the narrow end into shag. 15 minutes dry time. Gravity fed into my itty bitty Upshall Lovat. Two vesta char. Two vesta light up.

Bliss. A lot of relights...a little more drying may be needed. No adverse effects from relighting. Sweet Virginia with some very light caramel flavors mid-bowl, probably from some sugar applied as "adhesive" in the pressing process. Not too deep in the flavor department. "Medium" about sums it up. One (good) dimensional. Very light tamping.

Some work, but recommended for those willing to take ownership of the smoking experience. Two more pounds on the way. Would rate four stars, but the effort may not appeal to all smokers, and relights may be an issue.