Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. No. 12 Mixture

Gawith Hoggarth - No.12 Mixture.

This is nowhere near the Lat-Bomb that the description suggests. 45 % Latakia? Come on, you've gotta be kidding! The pouch note is a pleasant one but it's the first thing that's diametrically opposed to the 45% description. Yes, there is a smokiness present but it isn't what I expect from a headstrong Lat' blend. A negative lies within its hydration, it's too damp and in need of drying time. Although the flavour of the smoke isn't the full smoky Lat' that I'd expect from a 45% blend I have to admit I like it! There is a tame quality to it which is refreshing for a Lat' blend. I don't get any harshness from it at any point. The Virginia has a straightforward grassy flavour but also a subtle sweetness to it. I find the nicotine mild to medium, it doesn't knock my socks off!

I feel that three stars is a fair mark, it just becomes a touch mundane after a while!

I purchased this tobacco as part of a Latakia sampling pack, as I'm a Lat fan. In the pouch, this is a mixture comprising mostly bright Virginia in short chunky ribbons, punctuated by lumps of the stinky black goddess herself. I will at this point state that I am in full agreement with the previous reviewers here in my opinion that there is absolutely no way in this world of Moses that there is 45% Latakia in this blend. I reckon it may be 35% at a push, but more like 30%. It can be seen by just looking at it, as well as in the smoke itself. The pouch note is what one would expect, light grassy notes from the Virginia, and a smoky smouldering darkness from the Lat poking through regularly. The tobacco packs exceptionally well, like a dream, in fact. I would possibly go so far as to say that this is the easiest tobacco to pack that I have ever encountered. In my experience, the tobacco was perfect moisture, light and fluffy, and packed like an angel. The tobacco took the light very easily and the burn rate was just sublime, required no relights. I would warn, though, that although I didn't get fully bitten by this, my tongue got a stern warning a couple of times to just back off. I didn't need to be told twice. Push this and you will pay the price, I believe. The taste is pleasant, and to my senses, quite extraordinary. We are all aware that Virginias are often described as being 'sweet' and it is indeed a description I have employed frequently myself, but the Virginias in this are something else! it is like smoking sugar! To my surprise, I rather enjoyed this level of sweetness, like no other Virginia I have previously smoked (usually dark Virginia is the order of the day for me), this ticked my tastebuds is a quite delightful manner! The Latakia blended well with this to tone down the sweetness and imbue it with a smoky mellowing quality, which worked very well. This occurred after the first quarter of the bowl. The room note, it's Virginia & Latakia, need I say more? I love it, many of us here do, but those who don't smoke proper tobacco will never understand why we do. Nicotine strength, I'm going with Mild-Medium on this. Overall I'm going to give this tobacco 3 stars out of 4. It has pleasant qualities, and I've never smoked anything quite like it. It burns well, and tastes like I'm smoking a lovely pudding. On the downside, however, it doesn't really move on from this at any point, it stays stuck in the sweet/smoky cycle & just repeats it over and over. Once you get at quarter of a way down the bowl, that's your lot. That's what you'll have until the end of that bowl, no further development of taste at all. Also, I have to smoke quite a lot of it as I find that it really just leaves me with a sort of nagging unsatisfied feeling, meaning I have to smoke quite a lot of it, I like smoking, so that's not a problem, but if this was going to be a regular smoke for me, it would quickly become expensive! There is also the potentail for bite if one smokes this inconsiderately and disrespectful of the dangers that lurk with the briar walls of the bowl! I like it quite a lot though, and weighing up the good and the bad, it thoroughly deserves 3 out of 4 (it's bang on 3 as well, as is 3.0, not 3.5 or anywhere near that) In fact, thinking about it, I would probably give it 2.8-2.9 (so rounded up to 3). I will probably buy some this to have around for when I fancy something sweet. I may even help slim me down by removing my need to munch of sweets, when I can just smoke a bowl of this instead. G,H&Co. also get bad marks for falsely advertising the level of Latakia in this blend.

To me, this tastes a lot like they've taken Kendal Kentucky which is a shag cut, and added chips of latakia. The resulting flavor is nice, and this is the fullest latakia blend that G&H makes, but frankly, I think the sum is less then the individual parts. I like many latakia blends (Squadron Leader, Westminster) and I love Kendal Kentucky but this blend doesn't seem very balanced, or very complex. In particular, I have a lot of trouble getting it to burn well, with both components, as the KK ignites very easy and burns hot in the first part of the bowl, and then the last part of the bowl is a much cooler latakia heavy smoke with more relights. Some experimentation with packing techniques was done, perhaps with more, I could find the zone with it, but no luck so far.

Now, all that said, if you like Kendal Kentucky and latakia, try this, it's definitely unique, and I could see folks loving it, just not me... the tobacco is definitely high quality with good flavors.

Upon visiting a local specialist tobacconist, I asked for a decent English mixture, and was recommended to try this brand. The tobacconist was selling it from a bulk container, and opened the jar to reveal a deep, earthy scent. There were hints of charcoal, dark-golden nuances, and I noticed some darker ribbons in the jar.

Packing was fine, the tobacco was moist and springy to the touch. Lighting was a little difficult at first, and burned quite hot initially. But, counter to that, I admit that I was smoking it in an unexpensive clay pipe, and so did not have the luxury of the briar wood to maintain smooth burning.

The flavour was medium to strong, releasing a strong, robust smokiness, accentuated by hints of almond and woodsmoke. There seem not to be any flavourings added. The room note is sweet in an English fashion: nutty, intense, earthy. It is not a Lakeland, and certainly is not aromatic in the sweet sense.

I am pleased with this Mixture. It burns slowly, if a little hot, and smells pleasant. The nicotine strength is average to moderate, and makes a pleasant burn on a cold winter's night.

Though there are better Virginia-Latakia mixtures on the market (S.Gawith Commonwealth and Fairmon Lancer's slices come to mind), this is a fine tobacco: light in body, so you can smoke it every moment of the day, but enough full in taste to suit an experienced smoker tastebuds. It's easy to pack and light, without a great need to dry on the air.

Package note of smoky, sweet fruit and mildly sour. Tobacco is a ribbon cut of light brown, brown and a little black. Moisture content is ok, most pipe smokers will want to dry it a bit. Burns moderately with few relights. The strength is medium and nic is mild. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium to full and mostly consistent, with notes of smoky, tangy citrus, fermented sour, incense, herbal, zesty, vinegary, leather, musty vegetation, toast, wood, savory, sweet, spices, floral, orange bitters/peel, mildly spicy, a lemon grassy background note, and a peppery retro. Latakia is leading with Virginia supporting. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.

Sweet & Smokey

This is another quality gawith hoggarth blend that I really enjoy. The tin note is smokey buy not overwhelming.

Packs and lights easily. Moisture was perfect. I do have to relight this one occasionally.

This is not a nuanced blend for me. It comes on smokey and blends into a sweeter smoke towards the end from the virginia.

All day smoke.

Will buy more

3.5