Samuel Gawith Squadron Leader
(3.38)
Samuel Gawith Squadron Leader pipe tobacco epitomises the traditional English tobacco. Blended dark and bright Virginias, together with Latakia and Turkish leaf results in a perfect, medium bodied product which gives a rich and slow burning smoke.
Details
| Brand | Samuel Gawith |
| Blended By | Samuel Gawith |
| Manufactured By | Samuel Gawith |
| Blend Type | English |
| Contents | Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.38 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 541 - 545 of 545 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 24, 2007 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
I'm probably not the best judge of the medium English genre, preferring a lighter and slightly sweet English style blend for daytime cravings and heavier/Balkan blends for a late night smoke.
Maybe my tastebuds have been damaged by sampling one too many bowls of Dan aromatics and Mac Baren products but I don't taste anything extraordinary about the much ballyhooed, Squadron Leader.
It's a nicely balanced and nicely priced, solid smoke, but overall I'd view it as a horseplayer might view a 5-1 shot in a full field of contenders.
Looking at the ratings for all Sam Gawith tobaccos, it's interesting that this popular brand has but one **** blend (with a decent number of reviews), that being FVF.
This is pretty much how I see the Sam Gawith line. Good, but not great products, but I'll defer to you ME fans on this one.
Maybe my tastebuds have been damaged by sampling one too many bowls of Dan aromatics and Mac Baren products but I don't taste anything extraordinary about the much ballyhooed, Squadron Leader.
It's a nicely balanced and nicely priced, solid smoke, but overall I'd view it as a horseplayer might view a 5-1 shot in a full field of contenders.
Looking at the ratings for all Sam Gawith tobaccos, it's interesting that this popular brand has but one **** blend (with a decent number of reviews), that being FVF.
This is pretty much how I see the Sam Gawith line. Good, but not great products, but I'll defer to you ME fans on this one.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 09, 2007 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
***UPDATE I have to update my review and take off a star. The last tin I opened -- a more recent purchase -- showed a real decline in quality. The Latakia has lost its pop, the VAs have lightened -- the color of the blend had shifted from brown-black to yellow-brown. It's become a boring light English. Maybe just a bad tin -- but NapaWineLover reports a similar complaint. Either Squadron Leader has become inconsistent or a great blend is in decline. Too bad, either way. ***END UPDATE
I never thought anything could hold a candle to Margate ? until I tried Squadron Leader. There is enough Latakia to satisfy any reasonable demand, and it?s perfectly balanced with Orientals for complexity and with Virginias for a hint of sugar. Not all Latakia is created equal, and I think this stuff is superior to whatever goes into Dunhill or McClelland?s or CAO blends (and I like Old Ironsides!). Overall, Squadron Leader is lighter than Margate or Nightcap or Penzance, both in color and on the palate. Ordinarily that would be a criticism in my book, but in this case it?s a virtue. The lightness allows the Virginias and Orientals to stand out better against the Latakia, resulting in a strong, vibrant smoke for any time of day or night.
Squadron Leader burns well right of the tin to a fine pale ash, getting sweeter and more intense as you move down the bowl. It benefits from a large bowl: I smoke it in a Ser Jacopo Picta Picasso 24. In short, this is the perfect middleweight English, a desert island blend.
Did I mention that it?s cheap to boot? You can get it online for under $6 per 50g. Plus the picture on the tin is pretty irresistible.
I never thought anything could hold a candle to Margate ? until I tried Squadron Leader. There is enough Latakia to satisfy any reasonable demand, and it?s perfectly balanced with Orientals for complexity and with Virginias for a hint of sugar. Not all Latakia is created equal, and I think this stuff is superior to whatever goes into Dunhill or McClelland?s or CAO blends (and I like Old Ironsides!). Overall, Squadron Leader is lighter than Margate or Nightcap or Penzance, both in color and on the palate. Ordinarily that would be a criticism in my book, but in this case it?s a virtue. The lightness allows the Virginias and Orientals to stand out better against the Latakia, resulting in a strong, vibrant smoke for any time of day or night.
Squadron Leader burns well right of the tin to a fine pale ash, getting sweeter and more intense as you move down the bowl. It benefits from a large bowl: I smoke it in a Ser Jacopo Picta Picasso 24. In short, this is the perfect middleweight English, a desert island blend.
Did I mention that it?s cheap to boot? You can get it online for under $6 per 50g. Plus the picture on the tin is pretty irresistible.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 14, 2006 | Mild | None Detected | Mild | Pleasant to Tolerable |
OK - So being from the Isle and an ExPat - I fell for the tin !! Have to say I di not enjoy my first experience. Had an awful time lighting and found it very fluffy to pack. Tin Aroma was pleasant, intial light up was hard work for me and back to cigarette taste.
A light EMP came to mind but lacking any body or character - more of a Squadron Follower and Leader !!
I'll try some more though and report back - I do hope it improves.
A light EMP came to mind but lacking any body or character - more of a Squadron Follower and Leader !!
I'll try some more though and report back - I do hope it improves.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 06, 2006 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
A fairly complex smoke. I detected hints of leather, mint and spice. All this playing over a delicate sweetness.
Beautiful in the tin. Flecks of green, brown, tan, gold, black and yellow. Good stuff in all of my English blend pipes.
Beautiful in the tin. Flecks of green, brown, tan, gold, black and yellow. Good stuff in all of my English blend pipes.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 30, 2002 | Mild | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Unnoticeable |
Another offering from my good friend Peterpuffer, Squadron Leader may be the Holy Grail of pipe Tobacco [if you enjoy English blends].
The cut is a fairly coarse so it?s well suited for ?breezy day? smoking. Although there?s absolutely no need to rub it out or otherwise molest it for an even-burning indoor smoke.
IMHO, the S.L is reminiscent of a Balkan blend... yet mild. Shortly into the bowl, the blend yields to a Turkish pallet of flavors fond to those who favor the Balkan blends. However, the overall mildness allows a slight hue of the Virginia?s natural sweetness to present an almost ?woodsy? tone.
S.L. goes extremely well with Pusser?s British Navy Rum [or if you?re Peterpuffer ? Bombay Gin].
Room aroma... bugger off _sshole! The only people who can appreciate room aroma is... everyone but the Pipe Smoker. And frankly, I don?t give a sh_t how it smells to you. Pouch aroma... it smells like tobacco J_rkoff!
Once again, if you enjoy English blends than Squadron Leader is a must. If you don?t, than you deserve to have your pipe b_tch slapped out of your mouth.
And to our friends at Samuel Gawith... you are forgiven for that abomination known as Grouse-Moor.
The cut is a fairly coarse so it?s well suited for ?breezy day? smoking. Although there?s absolutely no need to rub it out or otherwise molest it for an even-burning indoor smoke.
IMHO, the S.L is reminiscent of a Balkan blend... yet mild. Shortly into the bowl, the blend yields to a Turkish pallet of flavors fond to those who favor the Balkan blends. However, the overall mildness allows a slight hue of the Virginia?s natural sweetness to present an almost ?woodsy? tone.
S.L. goes extremely well with Pusser?s British Navy Rum [or if you?re Peterpuffer ? Bombay Gin].
Room aroma... bugger off _sshole! The only people who can appreciate room aroma is... everyone but the Pipe Smoker. And frankly, I don?t give a sh_t how it smells to you. Pouch aroma... it smells like tobacco J_rkoff!
Once again, if you enjoy English blends than Squadron Leader is a must. If you don?t, than you deserve to have your pipe b_tch slapped out of your mouth.
And to our friends at Samuel Gawith... you are forgiven for that abomination known as Grouse-Moor.
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