Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Dark Bird's Eye

Dark Birdseye has that wonderful G, H & Co. shag cut that makes it so easy to pack and smoke. It also has their Lakeland essence, but it is applied with some restraint. The floral perfume is present from beginning to end, with frequent soapy notes, but it does not overwhelm the tobacco. After a few minutes, you really don't notice the perfume at all, just strong tobacco flavor.

Nicotine is strong, an even higher dose than in their Kendal Kentucky.

Like KK, it must be sipped very slowly to get the flavor, otherwise it is harsh and hot.

Note on room note: This tobacco gets a strong thumbs down from the wife, who says it smells like cigarettes. I can smoke this one only when the house is deserted or everyone is asleep.

Its place in the rotation: Dark Birdseye is the only Lakeland I keep around. Better flavor than Kendal Kentucky, and it is one of the strongest nicotine doses you will find. With its ease of packing and smoking, it gets a place in the regular rotation. For those who enjoy the Lakeland blends and don't mind its light perfume, it's the pick of its class.

Having opened a mason jar of a few ounces of bulk sealed for several years, I cannot stop smoking this one. Beautiful shag cut and likely what Sherlock was smoking. It seems similar to high quality rolling tobacco, but is evidently so rich to be obviously only for your most well-seasoned dedicated natural blend pipes.

It is full, earthy, dry and smoky. Will smoke a whole bowl without relighting, and only the odd tamp. There is a fulfilling mouth feel, huge volumes of smoke and gradual, but very evident nicotine satisfaction. This is downright addictive to this pipeman, and I'm sure not complaining when I say that.

Frankly, it is so plain, with little more than an earthy, dry burley (I'm not convinced this is VA) flavour that promises nothing more than honesty and genuine tobacco character. It is thus an archetypal tobacco, meant for the enjoyment only by the initiated. It is so clean that cake may never form in your briar, and it will always leave your senses feeling freshened, rather than dulled as some blends do. It smells great in the traditional masculine tobacco sense.

To smoke it and to love it, is surely akin to sharing a sensory and transcendental experience with our venerable pipe smoking brothers from the centuries past, long since dead and gone.

Smoke it only if you're in love with tobacco.

Dark Birdseye is a big, full tobacco. Rich and satisfying, and being from Lakeland, highest quality. But largely devoid of Lakeland scent or perfumes. Just straight tobacco goodness. If you enjoy the strong Gawith ropes, plugs, and flakes but tire of all the cutting and rubbing, give Birdseye a try. You won't be disappointed.

My only complaint is that (in the U.S. at least) it is only available in bulk. The quantity is not the problem (you can get as little as 2oz) but rather the moisture control. I like my tobacco moist, but my bulk Birdseye arrived dry, which then required rehydration. I am sure this would not be the case were it tinned.

Update: I went whole hog and ordered 500g, which means that it arrives in the original Gawith Hoggarth packaging. Though it wasn't vacuum sealed, it arrived with perfect moisture content. They package it in a bag that is kind of like the old insulated paper bags you used to get at the grocery store when you bought ice cream. They just fold the top over and tape it, -but it worked! No good for you cellaring fanatics, but as I always maintain, if you buy good tobacco upfront (Lakeland) there's never a need to cellar. My guess is my initial problem resulted from the local tobacconist not being careful when breaking down a bulk pack to sell in smaller quantities.

I've been experimenting with keeping bulk tobacco in large canning jars with one of those humidifying gel discs (sold on ebay) under the lid. A bit early yet for a definitive take, but so far the discs seem to be working as advertised.

Package note of barbeque, wood smoke and musty vegetation. Tobacco is a shag cut of dark brown, brown and a tiny amount of light brown. Moisture content is great. Few pipe smokers will want to dry it a bit. Burns fast with few relights. The strength is strong and nic is medium to strong. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium to full and very consistent, with notes of smoky oak barbecue, very spicy, fermented sour, musty vegetation, dry, herbal, toast, leathery, bitter, nutty, woody, earthy, mild citrus, mildly floral, a mildly sweet and savory background note, and a peppery retro. Kentucky is leading with Virginias supporting. Room note is tolerable to strong, and aftertaste is great.

20230306 edit: Out of a Dublin meer, lit and smoked slowly with care, coming across more like the cob experience. Lots of campfire, more peppery, pushing harsh, but not in an unpleasant way if that's what you're looking for. I will crave this experience from time to time, I'm sure. Plain burley comes across nearing the end of the bowl, and I love how clean and dry the pipe is left at the end of the smoke.

20230301 edit: Out of a clay, this is coming across nothing like my original review. I hit it much harder, and the bowl is far wider, very unpleasant experience. Bitter, dusty. Definitely feeling the nicotine quickly though. This is much better out of a narrower bowl and with a light application of flame. Another note, this definitely won't supplant Kendal Dark, which is a whole different animal.

Tin note: smoky barbecue sauce. Smoke: mild campfire, satisfyingly sweet. Virginia is floral and grassy, in that order. I'm not sure I generally taste a lot from burley by itself, but I believe I'm detecting the burley in here somewhere as well. Sweet and savory is a good description. Getting some coffee notes, maybe slight cocoa. Even though I've probably smoked a little too much today, I'm not getting any stinging from this one even when pushing it, which is rare. I want to say I wish this had a little more, more flavor maybe, more campfire, but I think the moderation may make it a more perfect autopilot smoke. Even if you're not paying perfect attention, if you get excited about something and push it a little too hard, it's still going to be amazing. Considering the fine shag cut, it almost burns itself. I think I have to give this 4 stars, and revisit Kendal Dark, which may need to be bumped down a notch, we'll have to see.

As the corncob I'm smoking this in begins to heat up a little too much, I'm getting a little stinging in my mouth and the back of my throat, so you can over-do it. Letting the pipe cool and slowing down remedied this problem.

Very strong bag note, I could smell it walking to the mailbox. It's got the classic dark fired smoky BBQ scent. A very thin stringy cut, light and fluffy; honestly, it looks like a bag of pubic hair. Thankfully, it tastes of quality dark fired kentucky, dark chocolate, currents/black cherries, a light floralness and a smidge of soapy lakeland essence. An impeccably cool, dry, consistent smoke. There is no chance of bite. Low maitenance. Never overwhelming or overpowering. I love it, a smooth, comfortable and uniquely flavourful toby. My girlfriend hates the smell and makes me smoke it in the garage, in quiet solitude, with the beer fridge... so it's a big 4. Highly recommend.

P.S. - A thank-you to Sanzini, LiterarySmoker and Poodlejuice for your reviews! They provided the impetous needed to give this one a shot and am quite glad I did because, woah mama do I dig this smoke. Appreciate the recommendations!

Dark Bird's Eye is a force to be reckoned with. I love the spicy, nutty smokiness that comes from the mixture of dark-fired Virginia and Kentucky leaf. It somehow does not come across as a one note smoke. There is some depth. I love it.

This is one of the only tobacco that made me learn my place in the nicotine department. I now use small bowls.

I purchased this tobacco several years ago, and placed it in a mason jar. Now, after four years I am smoking this wonderful blend. This tobacco has aged beautifully. Gone, is the knock you down strength, and what has replaced it, is a mellow smoky treat...that still has a nice punch. Lights incredibly easy, as the blend is almost a shag cut. I’ve been blending the Dark Birds eye with my St. Bruno flake, rubbed completely out. Not only is it fantastic this way but I think it’s better than Mac Baren HH old dark fired.

This is not for the novice or folks with a low nicotine tolerance. I've had some stored since 2010 and can't say it really changed the strength or character. I have smoked this in small and large bowls and see no real difference as I have a very high tolerance of nicotine. I like the spicy tingle you get in your nose with the retro but beware if you push this the strength will get you, so go slow and easy. What I like best about this is the flavor is the same to the bottom of the bowl, packs and lights easy and you know your smoking real unadulterated tobacco. What I don't like is the fact that most of the G&H products are never available in the states over the last year or so? Why? Anyway, four stars and definitely recommended.

Smoke while you still can- Lager