Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Happy (Brown) Bogie Unsliced

Well, I have arrived. In my quest to smoke the tobaccos of my ancestors, I don't think it gets any more oldschool than this. This is the unadulterated, balls-out, no bullshit tobacco of soldiers, sailors, fur trappers and gunslingers. If they were of the inclination to partake of the leaf, men of all walks of life would've puffed this 200 years ago. From prolific, credentialed men of fine art and literature, like Mark Twain and Ulysses S. Grant, to simple farming and mining men like my great great grandfathers, they were united in their love of a good smoke, and after a bowl of this, I can see why many of the manly men of days gone by generally didn't live to see old age. This stuff is for men of a different constitution. Men of grit and nails. The kind that worked hard, drank harder, and had beards and moustaches.

Its presentation is antiquated. And not terribly appealing to look at. Looks like rope. Or old, dirty, clothwrapped wire. Or possum shit. This is tobacco that requires knowledge and a little elbow grease to prepare, as well it should. If you're even considering smoking this, congrats, you know a thing or two about tobacco. Or woe to you, because someone's bustin' yer chops. Treat it with the reverance that you would treat the first stiff drink you have with your father figure, older brother, or that special uncle in your life. It is to be savored. Enjoyed. Pondered, and most importantly, respected. Do NOT overindulge, or slam it too fast, or you'll rue the day you breathed your first. This is stiff. Rugged. Toothsome. Hefty. Grizzly. Buckle up.

It smells rather strong and oily in its unlit form. Like wet autumn leaves and earth, with a heavy presence of pitch and tar. Must. Mildew. Leather. Ammonia. But the refined smoker will notice subtle tones of dried fruit, even cocoa, with woody, spicy notes like cedar and cypress. There's a bready, almost honey aroma, that suggests the presence of natural sugars, and a prominent sizzle of nicotine, which this has in abundance. There's a funk to it as well, that I can only think to describe as being akin to compost, which makes sense. This is, after all, aged, dead leaves, twisted into a length of rope, in hopes that its own natural oils and juices might preserve it through fermentation and air-curing.

The taste is stout, to say the least. Slightly bitter, savory, and meaty, with grassy, hay-like flavors, and a truly leathery mouthfeel. Very one dimensional, without much evolution throughout the smoke. Thick and rich, this smokes, smells, and tastes like a hefty, full bodied cigar. Pure, high qualty tobacco in all its naked glory, with no condimental leaves or casings to shroud its...hairier parts.

I've encountered many rich, full flavored tobaccos, but to date, this is the only one that I could describe as "high gravity." It's literally filling. I couldn't finish the second half of my already modest bowl, but the first half gave me a satisfying enough smoke for the next ten. The nicotine here is serious, and not to be trifled with. It's tangibly present in the thick, and full bodied smoke. Despite being pretty grizzly, it's very indulgent and rich. Not an everyday smoke by any means, and might be a once a year affair for me, if that, but I can see how folks could get into this.

If you seek a symphonic, artisanal blend with nuance and subtlety that evolves as it's smoked, look elsewhere. This is not the zenith of refined artistic craftsmanship in pipe smoking. This is tobacco that laid the groundwork for that. This is the stuff shipped in barrels and crates and casks, that went to the guys who built the barrels and crates and casks that would carry it, along the roads on which it traveled (that those guys also built), and to the ships (they built these too) upon which it was shared with the world. This is fuel for hard working men, who appreciate a hard working smoke. Enjoy with caution, and get something done.