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.

This tobacco is a breeze to smoke once rubbed out, but it is a powerhouse. I think that this one is best left to the seasoned professional. It made me a bit dizzy but it has a great taste. I do wish that it was a bit downed down. Who knew that too much of a good thing was not so good.

Well I guess that this is the stuff that was first put into a pipe by the colonists and smoked. I guess it took them not to long to figure out that they had to tone it down some. I found this blend to be strong and smoked to hot. The flavor will stay on your tongue for a day or so. All I can say is Yuck!!

I just finished my first bowl (in a small clay) of Dark Birdseye, or, Devil's Birdseye, if you prefer. I see it's been compared to a double espresso. I'd make that a triple, with a shot of nitroglycerin. Whew! I had to rope and hogtie this one in order to smoke it. Consequently, I'm writing this while my head's still spinning with the buzz.

I appreciate this tobacco for its strength. I can see how a bowlful or two of this would help one stay awake on a mid-watch. It does have a unique character.

This is one of the heaviest punchers in it's weight class. It's like inviting George Foreman to use your tonsils as a punching bag. It's not a beginner's smoke, and for someone taking up a pipe again after several years, like I am, it's a lesson in stretching limits. It is good, though.

I'll recommend it as a tobacco that gets your attention with a 2 x 4, but manages to keep me challenged once it settles down. This won't make my regular rotation, still, I'll enjoy it in moderation, and on occasion.

Hobbits must be made of much sterner stuff than I am, if this was, as previously mentioned, their "Longbottom Leaf!"

Update: july 14th 2006: Folks here at Tobaccoreviews sure are in good spirits this summer. Out fo 81 new reviews today, they are only 7 'not recommended' tobaccos. (Of course one of them was mine;-} Anyway, I have to remove a star for this one. As much as I want to like this tobacco, it is just too rough on my throat. Also, it's not quite as strong as I first thought. 2 sterne.

Previously. . . Actually, I like this quite a bit. It is rather rope-like in flavor. Not sweet, a little spicey, a little dry(the flavor, not the tobacco) and strong. I like this more than the ropes I've tried and, since I think of them as similar, will adjust my rope review accordingly. This is very easy to over-pack. Not so much so as Penzance, but tricky anyway, so go light. It also smokes very fast, as others have said, so go slow if you're not used to a nic kick. The flavor doesn't migrate too much, but gets stronger through the smoke. I find bigger bowls better. I smoke this two or three times a week straight and mix it up too, sometimes. Goes well with cannon plug, or other lakelands. . . . There's a reccomendation that's not gonna make to many friends.

This tabac is really only for the die hard flake or rope smoker.Although this has no resemblance physically to those ,the strength is exceedingly powerful.A very cigarette like cut with a slightly bitter taste,it really is only for the stout of heart.Proceed with caution! 2 stars.

This is a high quality blend indeed. Just be sure to hold onto your hat, as the nicotine is enough to knock it off your head! I smoked 2 ounces of this in an small clay over the course of a couple of weeks. The cut is nice and burns easily. The taste however is a bit ashy. Very much like a strong cigar. Personally, if I wanted such taste, I would just light a cigar instead (and often do!).