Samuel Gawith Skiff Mixture

This is the Latakia blend I like most. Interesting mix of aromatic notes. Hardly noticeable soapy taste. The L. is not overwhelming and accentuates the blend with the different other tobaccos nice in balance .

{UPDATE} as with all Samuel Gawith I have tried you need to dry it out of the tin. I opened mine into a jar and left the lid open for 24 hours. This was where I made my initial report from. However I keep a few bowles worth in the tin to carry with me and decided to leave the lid off another hour prior to packing the pipe. Much happier mouth feel in this round. More pronounced Oriental flavor like Squadron Leader but not enough to make me change my initial impression apart from saying try it out and remember to dry out your Samuel Gawith till you think it's good and then perhaps a touch more! * Original* Skiff was related to me, and here in these posts as a kin to Squadron Leader and I bought a tin to see if perhaps it was an older brother. I?m coming to the conclusion that it is a first cousin but not a sibling. Skiff is a nice alternative to Squadron Leader but I?m finding it less exciting a smoke. I?ve also found it to be a darker rich smoke and as an oriental containing a similar complement of flavors but with the bass turned up so much I?m missing the treble side of the music. In the future I might return to Skiff as a break up the routing alternative without giving up on a Lakeland flavor that I enjoy but I expect I?ll remain loyal to Squadron Leader?s more exciting palate.

Skiff Mixture may be my favorite English/Oriental blend. I like ti much more than Squadron Leader and find it a shame the Squadron gets so much more praise. It seems to be that Skiff is largely overlooked and overshadowed by Squadron leader but having smoked quite a bit of both I find Skiff much more complex and interesting. This is not meant to bash SL because it is also a very good smoke.

I'm very fond of this tobacco and smoke it regularly. A good all-day blend for me in bowls large and small, satisfying and refreshing.

Whilst I don't have much to add to the praise it has already been given, I do agree with other reviewers about the slight hint of menthol in the overall flavour.

Top quality leaf, expertly blended and packaged. I've renamed it "Skip" in my rotation, but give it three stars for those that like a high quality mild English blend. It is most definitely that. My personal preferences are for something a bit stronger in nicotine and flavor. I find myself playing tug o' war with my pipe trying to get more flavor/nicotine and consider this a sign of disrespect for the blend and blender. It is what it is and what it is supposed to be: Mild. Who am I to attempt to make it something else?

Very good tobacco.

I like the strong stuff ie. latakia english/balkan blends and periques... Skiff is 'okay' - not bad but not great. It has a faint hint of menthol sting that 1/3 of the bowl gives way to a very delicate 'dark charred' taste of a 'Chesterfield Cigarette'. It is a very dry and cool smoke. It burns well. It's a nice passive smoke. However, it doesn't distract me with pleasure the way some more potent and flavorful english/balkan blends do! It's a nice change of pace...but I prefer to be more distracted by flavor than to be left searching for it. Skiff is a fine change of pace and the quality is top notch. It does not billow clouds of steamy smoke like some other blends. In fact, the lack of 'smoke' is noticable. I like it, but it's just not my favorite.

Skiff, though too mild to be among my group of "favorites", is well deserving of the positive and accurate praises posted above. It's an easy-going English that doesn't demand much and would add to any pleasant day. The good quality of the tobaccos alone makes it worth a try and anyone liking lighter smokes that still produce respectable taste would find Skiff an admirable blend to associate with. Seems to me a good place to start for an aromatic fan wanting to stray into Latakia-land without being accosted by the Latakia Border Guard. Skiff, though willowy, is good stuff and can fill the the "light English" niche with quiet quality and style. Three stars from me is easy.

Tiger