Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Revor Plug

As I open up the unassuming packet I am presented with a big, black bar of tobacco. Unlike many plugs you won't need a power saw to get through this, being very soft it pulls apart with ease, resembling more of a crumble cake than a traditional plug. The smell from the packet is divine. Strong scents of leather, wood and earth.

Since Revor Plug is a soft-pressed plug, preparation is easy. I break it apart with my fingertips, preparing it into little chunks. I then gravity fill my pipe, making a little molehill at the top before pressing down lightly.

Upon lighting up I'm greeted with a very strong, slightly floral, sweet and smoky flavour. I can instantly tell that the Kentucky is the main player in this plug, giving off a very smoky flavour very similar to Latakia (I actually thought Revor Plug contained Latakia for a long time because of this). The dark Virginias remind me of the ropes Gawith Hoggarth make, being dark, tangy and adding their own smoky flavour to the mix. The Virginias are less meaty than G&H's ropes, in contrast being more sweet.

There is a molasses and floral topping present, but don't get it twisted, Revor Plug is not a Lakeland tobacco. The topping is very subtle, never even coming close to overwhelming the tobaccos and instead lightly kissing and dancing with them, enhancing the existing flavours of the tobacco.

Revor Plug is very strong in the nicotine department, it has snuck up on me a few times when I was entranced with the nuances this tobacco has, leaving my head spinning. I recommend having a full stomach and a sugary tea to accompany your pipe.

This tobacco is easily my desert island smoke, ticking all my boxes. I don't think I could ever get bored of it, having filled my cellar with more packets than I can count. Revor Plug has stood the test of time and was a treasure to discover. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a strong, cool and flavoursome smoke.

This is one of my favourites and one that I think of for some consolation when I grump over the very possible loss of Dunhill blends in the near future. Living in Europe, we don't have access to GLP, C&D, McClelland either, or any other American brands for that matter, so losing Dunhill will be hard in terms of general blend selection. Anyway, it's when I think about these things that I console myself with the sheer fact that this tobacco is still being produced, only half an hour north of where I live.

It's a piece of real tobacco like they did it in the olden days, not initially made for postmodern and decadent pipe smokers like us (who spend valuable time writing long reviews about tobacco) and neither made for the posh elite of yesterday, like the Dunhill blends. This is real good old working man's tobacco, without frills. It's best enjoyed after a long shift in the depth of the coal mines of Yorkshire, or while herding your sheep and/or pigs through a muddy field of manure, your rubber boots solidly planted in mud and your straight billiard in a firm clench.

I, for my part, enjoy this tobacco like any other nostalgic postmodern wannabe, taking a deep whiff of the plug (deep and sweet magic of grassy Virginia, molasses, chocolate and dried fruit) before slicing it with my specially bought tobacco knife (slicing it the same direction as the layers will make tiny flakes that are easily crumbled into burnable pieces), lighting it gently (will require a few lights before it's going) and then I sit back in my chair outside my favourite gastro pub on a gentrified high street, feeling like a real pipe smoking working man of the olden days. I might even post a review of it.

You'll either love or hate the creamy smokiness of this blend. I can imagine Revor plug being a Latakia free blend that can be enjoyed by otherwise exclusively English smokers, as the Kentucky here sometimes has a smoky quality resembling latakia. There's lots of dark fruit and chocolaty sweetness, but supported with body and strength, so it's interesting and not too easy going (like a stout with high alcohol percentage and lots of hop, as opposed to Guinness, if that makes sense).

Definitely four stars from this postmodern pipe smoker.

Revor is a very old blend that's now produced by Kendal Tobbacco, alias Samual Gawith and Gawith and Hogarth.

This dark plug is a long, slightly oily moist narrow bar, supplied in a pouch rather than a tin. It's quite firmly pressed, but firmly rather than compressed into a solid block. In the pouch there are odours of strong, dark tobacco, leather and something a bit like old-fashioned liquorice with a hint of woodland about it.

For smoking I slice some off the end of the plug then either rub it out some or cube it. It smokes fine as it comes, the moisture level is excellent. The plug also remains moist for a long time, so if you're determined to dry it out expect to be waiting a while. Not that this should be dried out, that removes much of the flavour. And when slicing it cut all the way through the plug, don't peel layers off the top. If you do that you aren't smoking all the tobaccos that went into the blend, only whichever leaves happen to be in the bit you peel off.

On smoking Revor is a relative of G&H unscented Dark Flake/plug, the G&H brown ropes and with a hint of the oily "meaty" flavour of the dark ropes but much more restrained and without the tar, burning rubber and diesel oil character that the black ropes have.

Going by the flavour and aroma I'd say Revor is a mix of dark Virginias and Malawian dark-fired leaf which gives it a smokey, herbal, woody flavour that's a cousin to latakia. I don't detect any of the assorted floral toppings some people immediately seem to detect in anything they decide to call "lakeland". I suspect they're mistaking the dark fired leaf for floral toppings. And definitely no tonquin either.

Revor is a powerful tobacco in both taste and strength. It's a no-nonsense old-fashioned example of the English blending tradition that doesn't involve either St Bruno style "aromatics" or a target market of wealthy chaps who send their valets to shop for them at expensive luxury London gentlemen's outfitters-come-tobacconists.

It's almost certainly not to everyone's taste, but is well worth trying as an example of old-fashioned English working-class tobacco at its best.

Revor Plug is a thick black plug that smells of a typical Lakeland essence. I dried out my small bar completely and broke it into very small chunks with the top quarter of the bowl completely rubbed out. It was surprisingly easy to work with when dried. I found that the essence only transfers over a little bit and the tobacco taste dominates. Revor Plug is pretty balanced in taste with both the Kentucky and Virginia playing a noticeable roll. It burns very cool without a hint of a bite. The flavor is deep and rich and the strength increases somewhat in strength as the bowl progresses. While high in Lady N, I don’t find it as strong as some of the other GH offerings like Coniston Cut Plug. For me personally, I find it medium to strong although others might disagree. I would put it on par with Old Dark Fired by Mac Baren and every bit as smooth as that blend. Man, I wish this plug was available here in the States!

This tobacco was introduced to me by a fellow pipe smoker. Prior to this, I had never tried a plug tobacco before and was slightly wary but also willing to give it a try. Boy, is this one strong! The sleek, shiny, heavy black bar is enough to suggest a smoking sensation before you begin. The plug smell is surprisingly sweet and enticing. The press compresses everything so tightly that you feel a single puff of this will blow your head off. Not quite so! When I first tried this, I cut a small chunk off and then rubbed it. Or at least tried to, but the moisture level wouldn't allow for a smooth rub. Nevertheless I packed a pipe and lit up. The smoke was strong, sweet, creamy and billowing. First impressions were strength, high nicotine hit and a very pleasant smoke sensation, earthy, very deep, smooth and robust. This dark blend has a strong flavour, full of body, very complex. The sweetness is not a cloying thing, neither a light aromatic taste. It is simply the pure tobacco taste coming through. I needed several relights to this; it was simply too moist. As it has been stored in a jar since my first trial, it has slightly dried out and my smoke this evening was perfect. Goodness-it hits the back of the throat! It leaves a rich, velvety presence in the mouth, slightly dusty, with a woody, mellow feel. As you smoke down, the taste becomes more mature and rounded. Flavours combine and settle down. There is something very solid, substantial about smoking this tobacco. In one sense, it reminds me of Condor, similar in its dark appearance and heaviness/depth of flavour. The aroma is very pleasing, floral but more like sweetened wood smoke and rounded off. There is more than a hint of dark bittersweet chocolate too. It leaves a lovely room fragrance. This tobacco is a very fine late evening smoke for me and you need to give it some time to appreciate the growing flavours. If you are in a rush, then I suggest that you wait until the right moment. Also, in my opinion, its strength won't allow for more than one pipeful every now and then. Some folk could smoke it every day but I would find it much too strong a dosage in my case. A lighter, sweeter aromatic would be the perfect balance to follow this heavy blend, a bit like a dessert wine to contrast with the main meal choice! Overall, an excellent smoke, rich and full-bodied. Suitable with alcohol (though I am tea-total) and/or a good coffee. As my first experience of plugs, the trial was a success and I will try out several other similar types as I experiment with taste, texture and aromas.

My first plug, passed on by a season smoker, what an absolute joy, I get a hint of caramel and anise, with a smooth saltiness to it, smokes very cool, top marks, it's listed on Gawith Hoggart's website but says Manchester baccy above, a great not to soapy, strong but not too excessive dark plug...must have more. 5 star.

Though a Virginia and Burley mix, which is my preferred tobacco blend, the overwhelming note is the dark Kentucky. A beautiful glossy bar of delight awaits all those who dare smoke it. The nicotine hit is there, the fullness is there, but for me it lacks the sweetness of Petersons 3 p’s.

A potent black bar of joy! Revor plug arrives as a long narrow stick, much looser compressed than the Irish plugs. Has a sweet tonquin aroma with smokey undertones from the fired leaf.

Shave bits off the end with a sharp penknife, it rubs out with ease, packs nicely and takes the flame straight away.

The initial flavours are sweet tobacco, leather and tonquin. As the bowl progresses the topping recedes and the full tobacco flavour comes to the fore, with smokiness from the fire leaf in the latter half of the bowl. I find it smokes almost all the way off the initial light, delivering a good nicotine hit. If this isn't enough for you, a relight will allow you to smoke to the last morsel and the Revor to deliver a mighty chaser of vitamin N which should satisfy the needs of the most inveterate addict! This last part of the smoke is the smokiest and strongest tasting, the flavour and aroma putting me in mind of coal fired steam engines! I can imagine the drivers of those steel dinosaurs of days gone by may well have savored a substantial tobacco such as this, and it may well have been available to them.

This tobacco is not unlike the dark ropes and twists, but less "meaty". If you like them you should enjoy it, likewise if you enjoyed 1792/Cobb plug it should be your cup of tea. St Bruno or Condor fans might also appreciate this plug.

I think Pipester Jim (who's Youtube channel was great, so why stop Jim lad??!!?) summed it up pretty well about 12 posts down.

I can't really add much to what he's mentioned other than to say that personally, I don't find it quite as strong.

This absolutely reminds me of Gawith's 'Dark Flake' without the cigar flavor that that particular blend possess.

Nice old fashioned tobacco tasting smoke. Enjoy!