Samuel Gawith Squadron Leader

Somehow it's a moot point writing yet another review to this classic blend, but here it goes.

I can smell leather already through the yet unopened iconic tin but funnily when i open the tin i hardly can smell anything at all. To this day i cannot figure out why. The smell comes once the tin is open for a day or so, then it smells just nice but still very discreet.

Packing the bowl is easy as can be but lighting the bowl always takes me ages and shedloads of matches. Another thing with this blend that i cannot figure out for the life of me.

But once lit its pure joy. It has a very nice balanced and mild taste to it with a gentle sweetness underlined by some light smokiness of the latakia. The latakia is not in the foreground and even tho a classic english blend i wouldn't label it as a latakia blend.

It is very, very mild for an english blend. This is true for the taste but especially for the strength of it. In that regard it is a perfect morning pipe and a hard to beat every day smoke. It also makes it very suitable for the beginner.

But it is far from being bland or boring, even for a balkan lover it offers perfect balance and a really nice taste and smell experience.

But its unique selling point is the sheer smoothness, and silkiness of the smoke itself. It is so incredibly creamy i started to use it to cure tongue bite other blends might have given me.

The tobacco itself is wet, wet, wet. Which is my only beef with this blend really. Here is something depressing to do: weigh the freshly opened content of the tin and then weigh the content again after it dried out enough to be nicely conditioned. That is how you spell "rip off"!

But, aside from that, this is a must-try blend for anyone and a true example of how to blend an english blend. I truely and with a clear conscience can recommend this blend.

I guess I am review number 354 so there really isn't too much to add. This is a great milder english blend that goes wonderfully with a cup of coffee in the morning or really at any time of the day.

You should definitely try this blend and any other carrying three stars with over 300 reviews. That is saying something. Great blend I will reorder soon.

My first review... Fairly new pipe smoker(6months), though a cigar smoker for past 10 years. Have purchased a wide variety of various tobacco’s and have as a present smoked 11 different tobacco’s. Found this tobacco to be one I can smoke all day, with a smooth smoke and an assuring pleasant taste.

My introduction to English tobacco blends. When I asked around I kept getting pointed to Squadron Leader as the dictionary definition of an English tobacco. It was mild on the nicotine too so I decided to track down a tin.

The aesthetic of the tin is really is up my alley. The Great War biplane, the name Squadron Leader, it’s so alpha and English I love it. The smell from the tin wouldn’t be good from an aromatic smokers view. Smells like burnt rubber. It’s faint Latakia and oriental. Once I canned it and left it for a day it smelled like a smokey BBQ sauce. Odd to me.

This is wet. Let DRY OUT a bit before packing.

The taste... it’s hard to describe. It’s both sweet and tangy from the Orientals, sweet from the Virginias, but savory and smokey from the Latakia. It’s a more oriental forward blend, very light and airy. Easy going with lots of flavor. A creamy, dry, and cool smoke. Wood, campfire sweet savory creamy buttery smoke. Some floral elements too from the orientals. Does not bite. Non offensive aftertaste, mild and nice. Rather mild nic hit and not an overwhelming Latakia flavor at all. Defiantly can be smoked all day.

I didn’t finish the bowl and I ordered 4 more tins. If you want to try your first English blend this is it. If you want an all day English smoke this is it. Burns dry ash falls out of the bowl no moisture. Easy, light, airy, flavorful, oriental forward, and on offensive to your tongue tobacco. A staple on my shelf.

Couldn’t be happier.

An excellent tobacco, high attractiveness, unique to the individual and unmatched, medium and excellent room note for smokers, you would completely transform this tobacco.be sure to taste it.

Wonderful tobacco.

Pretty soft, with a great aftertaste.

This has made me a fan of Samuel Gawith tobaccos, as I believe that if they produce such high quality products as Squadron Leader, all of them need to be tried out 🙂 .

Great quality and a skilfully blended 'English' mixture. The skill comes in letting every component do its job but no more. If I could change it, I'd wind down the orientals just a touch, because I'm very sensitive to the dry taste they can impart to a mix, but this one is still just within the bounds and works well. What a great introduction to 'English' mixtures for those who have not tried them; here's where you start!

Another classic must try blend if you are into the English blends. Another of my daily smokes and a top 5 selection for me. While attempts to replicate this blend have been made it stands alone on its own merit. Sweet grassy Va. with subtle smoky orientals is the Leaders allure for me. Another blend which I have a well stocked supply of and don't plan to run short of. If you don't give this a try you are missing out on a truly exceptional smoke. Gawith tobaccos are among my favorites. Hard to beat tradition!

I order two tins, smoke as soon as received , I thought I just wasted my money. I mixed the first tin with anything just to get rid of it. 3 mos. later I tried the second tin, what a surprise it turn out to be one the must balanced blends I have smoked, and I smoke a LOT of English.

Squadron Leader is soft smooth and satisfying smoke, anytime of the day or all day if you choose . None of the tobaccos stand out as dominate taste, you enjoy each with every draw, in my opinion it is just hard to beat.