Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Black Cherry Twist

Gawith Hoggarth - Black Cherry Twist.

Firstly, it's a medium thickness, nicely hydrated, brown rope. The pouch has a definite aromatic smell to it, but it's a little nebulous as to exactly what fruit it is: the first impression it actually makes on me is medicinal.

I like how simple a smoke this is, in the preparation; often I find a rope needs to be sliced then fully rubbed, but this smokes brilliantly if the sliced coins are just stacked and pressed into the bowl. The only downside with this method is initiating the burn: I use a jet-flame to get it on its way, and then the burn's a good one.

Regarding the flavour, it's nowhere near as strong as I expected when I ordered it; again, it seems to be unsure as to what kind of fruit it's from. But, the medicinal quality the pouch gave isn't present.

There's quite a hefty amount of nicotine to be had from B.C.T., and I'm not a fan of the note: it lacks any fruitiness but has a lot of heavy, acrid, harsh, tobacco notes. It's too much.

Although I like the simplicity of the preparation, and there's a few other positives, I won't be regularly piping it. I think I'll finish off my 25g pouch and that'll be it!

Somewhat recommended.

The appearance is beautiful: a dense, tight, but soft and pliable black rope. The smell is the same as the Dark Plug or Dark Flake - Unscented by GH & Co: intoxicating and promising.

But there is no black cherry or black currant aroma, and the surprisingly mild smoke has little or no detectable flavoring. Indeed, the tobacco itself has an unusually light or mild taste.

Have I got the right twist here? I've never had a GH & Co product this light, this mild, this lacking in flavor. From the other reviews here, I must presume that I have a dud, a factory mistake, one that got past the Quality Control Department. Perhaps something was left out. Perhaps a step was skipped in the processing.

The final negative: It is just too much effort. It comes overly moist, requires slicing, rubbing, drying. I'm happy to go to the trouble if it ends in a good smoke. But this ends in mediocrity.

Two stars, because I wouldn't throw it out. I won't be buying this one again, but if someone offered me a bowl, I wouldn't turn it down.

Addendum, 24 March 2014: It took me forever to make it through one ounce of Black Cherry Twist. Very dense stuff, good value for the dollar. As I worked my way down the rope, the black currant flavoring became more evident, the overall experience more like a strong, harsh cigar. Still only 2 stars, but a different smoke from a different part of the rope.

In my continuing and thus far fruitless quest for an aromatic that I actually enjoy smoking, I ordered four small samples of GH's flavored ropes. I am a fan of unflavored ropes, so I thought these might hold some promise.

Nope.

For those of you familiar with GH ropes, you know these are obviously quality blends, so I'm not going to go on one of those all-too-common rampages about a tobacco I find disagreeable. Let's just say that while this is well put-together, and will probably appeal to those who enjoy these kinds of flavors in a smoke, I do not care for it at all.

Why two stars instead of one? While the flavoring just does not sit well with me, yet it's not cloying, and much of it (not all) fades during the smoke. You're left with a high quality rope with all its fine attributes, so if you enjoy aros and a mild nicotine butt-kicking, then by all means try it!

I had long wanted to try G&H's famous ropes and was afforded a generous sample by a fellow smoker. I really enjoyed slicing coins off of the rope and rubbing out the coins completely. I attempted to smoke this without completely drying it out in the microwave without any enjoyment. When moist, it is very rough on the palate and refuses to burn. When completely dried out it is much more pleasant.

The smoke is cool and is medium bodied. The flavor alternates between that of a good cigar, spicy Virginia flavor, and black cherry casing. It is pleasant on the tongue and rather enjoyable with a cup of coffee. The nicotine strength doesn't bother me, but I find it to be best enjoyed in a small bowl. You will definitely get a nicotine fix from this tobacco.

The drawback to this blend is its burning qualities. The problem is that it doesn't burn at all. I can't get it to stay lit for longer than five minutes no matter what I try. As with every blend that I've had this trouble, I find it to be a great hindrance. Particularly since the flavor upon a relight is that of a cigar that has been smoked too close to its cap.

I plan on trying to use this rubbed out to add some strength to the milder VA's which I have become accustomed to. While I enjoy its flavor, I do not care to relight my pipe every five minutes. If you enjoy the stronger Gawith type blends, this is well worth a try. However, I find that this is one of those tobaccos that was fine to give a ride and see how it went, but I don't see myself purchasing in the future.

As a Fan G&H blends I thought I try the Rope/Twist type. I am still unsure how to get it ready to smoke. It does need to be dryed out. I have seversl slices sitting out for several days. It is much better after a long sit. it mellow the tast and the black cherry is now noticale, just a hint. It is not a bad smoke but it will be a long time if any if I will buy it again. I will move on to other ropes to try.

I got no cherry flavor out of this. With the coconut, I did. Weird. It's very strong. Almost too strong, and I like strong tobaccos. It was just not that great.