Tobaccos Samuel Gawith - Westmorland Mixture (Kendal Mayor's Collection)

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sasquatch (90)	2008-09-15		Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

Hmm, I was expecting something a bit sweeter and easier.... that said, this is another Gawith winner. It has a real deep earthy smell - stick your nose right in there. Yum. Just a little smokey too. You want candy? Go up the block. Tobacco? Right here, friend.

In the pipe, this smokes with a slightly harder edge than I was expecting. I would suggest that this has a pretty good amount of something very like Dark Kentucky in it. The blender's use of words like "cavendish" with the description of "flue cured" kind of makes me think I'm in the right ball park. Shades of Mac Baren Vintage Syrian, which has a right good dose of Kentucky as well.

Anyway, this is a very full bodied smoke, a nice mixture of flavors yielding a palate which intensifies throughout the bowl, but never really varies too much. Smooth, smokey, a little sweet but not anything like as sweet as I was expecting.

This is what Scottish Cake should have tasted like.

Watch the nicotine - I had to put the pipe down. This is a velvet hammer, very sneaky.

I detect no flavoring, no soapiness, no "lakeland essence" (which I DO detect in squadron leader). This is a straight shot of good weed.

25 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3022)	2015-04-30		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

The Cyprian latakia is smoky, woody sweet as a supporting player. The Virginias are grassy and citrusy sweet. The cavendishes have a smooth, creamy sweetness with a touch of toast and honey. Occasionally, I get a hint of vanilla. The touquin bean topping is very mild. Sweeter than I expected, but welcome none the less. Well balanced, burns at a moderate rate, and I suggest a similar smoking cadence for best effect. The flavor is consistent to the finish with almost no moisture. Needs an average number of relights. It's mild on the nicotine scale, and has a pleasant after taste. Can be an all day smoke. It may be too sweet with too little latakia for those who like dry English blends. Others may find it a nice change of pace from them.

-JimInks

22 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-12-29		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

After reading some of the previous reviews, I have to wonder if everyone who has written on Westmorland Mixture has bothered to at least smoke a bowl of it. Aromatic? Nowhere that I've seen has Samuel Gawith Co. even hinted that this might be aromatic. Not on the lablel, not in the description. But the proof is in the puffing. No added flavors detected. None. I wish the previous reviewers who boggled over this being some kind of aromatic would have indicated just what kind of aromatic flavoring they taste.

I taste VA, and possibly the VA cavendish of the style used in Danish blends. There is black cavendish, but its obviously unflavored. Sweetened? Maybe. But not flavored. The VA and cavendish base is laced with a modest amount of Latakia. And that's it. That's the blend. If Westmorland Mixture was a beverage, it would be a glass of iced tea with one lump of sugar. Mild and refreshing - great for a hot day.

This is not a Latakia dump. It is nothing like a common V-O-L English blend, and wasn't intended to be. I recommend this blend to anyone looking for a mild blend that isn't heavy on the palate.

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sinister Topiary (84)	2013-12-02		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable

This is a very strange blend. And once again, as is common with so many SG blends, the reviews are both polarized and all over the place.

My first sensation was shock at how dry it was -- I didn't know tobacco could taste so very dry, almost like it's topped with dessicant since it practically felt like the moisture was being sucked out of my mouth. It also has a very distinct yet subtle sweetness so deftly applied it's easy to believe that it's not a casing. That sweetness is not fruity nor floral nor minty, nor do I detect the tonquin others have mentioned; the sweetness seems to me more like candied hay, if that makes any sense. It's actually quite nice. But it's not at all the usual soapiness we've come to associate with lakelands. And I definitely detect the latakia, unobtrusively holding the flavors together in the background.

I think dallaspipehead put his finger on it: the flavor of this blend sits somewhere between a balkan and a virginia, with a bit of sweetness added to it. I can easily understand why pipers wouldn't like this blend, but Westmorland is a unique and unusual and flavorful smoke that's worth a try if you think a super-dry balkan/virginia hybrid with a dash of something subtly sweet and subtly smoky sounds good to you.

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-11-20		Medium	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

I was a little unsure wether or not I would like this, due to the mixed reviews it has been given. However, I am a collector of Samuel Gawith products, and I believe they all deserve a fair chance despite what others may say. The tin aroma suggested that this would be another fine latakia mixture, with very little (if any) toppings detected. The colors of leaf were a full range display, from black to dark brown and red to bright yellow. I chose a shallow Alpha pipe to help me put this new blend on trial. My verdict: innocent. Westmorland is a pleasant crossroad between the bold and smoky turkish/oriental types and the realm of natually sweet brown cavendish and virginias. It also contains just the right amount of their notorious unsweetened black cavendish. If you've ever tried X Blend or Scotch Cut, then you can recognize the touch of this tough guy, and you know how strong it can be when used in larger amounts. I actually bought some of their black cavendish just to say that I have it, and after tasting it straight, I nicknamed it "Bitter Black". This blend is NOT a waste of time, as some others may describe it, nor is it pointless. On the contrary, it is quite to the point. Not exactly an aromatic to be sniffed at by wary onlookers. This is a blend with a rich but mild taste to be quietly enjoyed with a book by the hearth. I think that smoking Westmorland in a smaller pipe is also a wise choice. It never gurgles, never bites, and the level of latakia in this grouping of tobaccos has proven to be spot on. I enjoy it more than Perfection, which was hard to match up with the right pipe, yet similar in nature, considering the fact that the more I smoke these blends out of their chosen pipes, the better the experience becomes. It is hard to describe the characteristics, but the presence of all its components make themselves known and burn well in harmony. Do not simply try this blend once and give up. It might not be easy to categorize, but once you find a designated home for it and smoke it several times, the fine properties of Westmorland will reveal themselves to you. I highly recommend it for those intervals between balkans and virginians.

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CriolloCorojo (18)	2013-08-28		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Pure Heaven! I absolutely love this blend. If you sip it properly, the Nic level is just right for a relaxing experience. If you want to draw with more vigor, then you will get hit with Nic. I would rate it Medium if I thought it was meant to be smoked that way. I believe that this blend is meant to be sipped. If smoked properly, one tastes the quality Virginias up front. The Cavendish/burley, latakia and Tonquin bean play very important supporting roles. The latakia is in the background but is definitely noticeable. The musty, earthy flavors are very cigar-like, but this does not taste like cigar tobacco as a whole. It is what I consider a near perfect blend. There is nothing else quite like it. It is in a class of its own. It is not English. It is not aromatic. It is Westmorland Mixture!

As I am writing this, I am on my third bowl of the evening. I have been smoking it in the same Savinelli author bowl that I have dedicated to this blend. I have been waiting about 45 minutes between each packing and sipping some Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban out of a Glencairn glass every now and then between sips on the pipe. It makes for a great combo.

I love English blends and good, flavorful flakes. Westmorland is in a class of its own. It is obviously neither. One might say it leans towards the Scottish mixture side, but it still is not quite that either. I do like to keep the Vitamin N levels on high. This blend carries it all nicely. I must add that you really need to try to make this bite the tongue. If you get tongue bite from it, you are not smoking it properly. You must push 75% or more out your nostrils to really take in the depth of the blend. Some people say this blend is not complex. I beg to differ. You can be drawn into the Virginias or you can meditate on the latakia. The Tonquin bean flavoring is like John Myung's bass playing. It is tasteful; artfully supporting the rest of the talent (tobaccos) and stands out from time to time just enough to let you know it is there. It supports the ensemble perfectly. If you focus on it specifically, you can experience how the other contributors dance around it and get a different perspective on the experience... much like focusing on JM when listening to Dream Theater. The Cavendish offers an alternative to the orientals that are more common in English blends. I am a burley fan, and I believe the Cavendish imparts a certain nuttiness to the palate, but it never tries to draw your attention from the other players in the mix. I am not certain whether burley was used in the development of the Cavendish, but slight almond flavor is there in the background much as in an English toffee. The mild sweetness that this blend imparts on the tongue is just enough to compliment and bring out the other delicious essences of tobacco bliss that swirl and mingle with the senses. It helps allow the nose to better play a role in the whole experience.

The moisture level is about perfect right after cracking the tin. However, the blend smokes well even after drying out a little. I have never let a tin dry out too much because I go through tins of this blend faster than any other. I recently found a website that sells it in bulk. I will be ordering it that way from now on. Only Hyde Park rivals this blend in terms of uniqueness, quality and crave potential in my opinion. However, Hyde Park is yet another tobacco in a class of its own. Westmorland may not be for everyone (just like Dream Theater), but I highly recommend that every self-respecting smoker give it a whirl at least once. Just as any self-respecting musician needs to at least appreciate what the boys in DT have achieved, so too should the experienced smoker marvel at what Samuel Gawith has done with this fine tobacco product.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2006-03-10		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

I can see where Latakia lovers might find Westmorland Mixture to be a little to..... different.

It is an unusual English/Aromatic that is light and sweet with little bitter or leathery undertones commonly found it straight up English blends.

A nice try by the blender to do something different and maybe it'll please your taste buds.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	The Full English (31)	2010-02-16		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

A surprisingly satisfying blend, this, which has drawn some undue criticism, in my opinion. Truth be told, I wouldn't have given it a second glance, had it not been given to me as a Christmas present. At the time, I was rather more excited about scoring a Dunhill 965 from the last batch to go on sale in the UK, so the Westmorland was the first to be consumed, on account of it looking the least impressive option.

This offering is obviously an homage to the old English county of Westmoreland (with the 'e'), which was one of the original 39 counties, now swallowed by Cumbria, and the ancestral root of Gawith tobacco. If you went to the Lake District today, this very prosaic label would not look out of place next to the shelves of mint cake and postcard-backed packets of bland fudge in one of the many tourist shops. Indeed, it's very reminiscent of a tin of overly-priced mints, and that's undoubtedly off-putting for your host.

If ever one had been given a stern lesson in the morality of judging books by their covers, then I'd have been made to have this label - complete with barcode - tattooed on my arse. This is, unmistakably, a VERY good blend, with the earthy, peaty goodness of a quality Highland malt. It's smoking properties are also extremely forthcoming and forgiving: smoke it quickly and hot, or slow and cool, it always behaves and rewards accordingly, and remains consistent to the finish.

I have to agree with members like EAL, who summarized this tobacco so succinctly, and would urge others to scroll down accordingly. This is far from an aromatic; it's merely sweetened, which would seem to take the harshness out of the mixture, whilst retaining and elevating its generous wealth of flavour. Westmorland is mild enough as an "everydayer" and also rich enough for those needing their Vitamin N kick. It IS rather monotone compared to many, yet strangely more-ish all the same. You'd better prep two pipes, as you may well want a second bowl. And NO floral signature presenting itself should ensure that this particular Gawith blend sees some action across the pond.

Absolutely worth a pop.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrT999 (317)	2013-06-05		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I didn't know what to expect from a Tonquin-cased blend. For me, this reminded me a bit of the various Revelation-matches. Not that it tastes exactly like any of them (Epiphany, R-blend, Painter Hills), but similar, albeit a bit sweeter and with the casing flavor a bit stronger. The whisper of Latakia is there in the background, but nothing more. For me, in this blend, that works v. nicely.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	oldmanpipe (62)	2006-12-05		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant

Samuel Gawith has been producing pipe tobaccos for centuries and can boast of many fine results, which, with Westmorland, begs the question: "Why?"

I did not even know this bizarre weed existed until today, when I received an ample sample from my tobacconist. Though appreciative of the gift, I shall not purchase a tin. He also gave me a sample of Gawith's Squadron Leader, which is quite good, but since that blend has innumerable comments there is nothing I could add that has not been already said.

Squadron Leader notwithstanding, I have always maintained that the Lake District does not know how to produce a decent Latakia blend. Westmorland confirms my old prejudices; this odd mixture is neither fish nor fowl. Yet, it is both foul and fishy.

Anyone who describes this as an "American English" or an "English American" is giving Westmorland dual citizenship when it deserves none at all. It is just weird. Someone had to have dreamed this one up on a trans-Atlantic flight after a few too many nips from the crash cart.

It doesn't bite; the aroma offends no one; there are both strength and piquancy here. But such virtues are offered in far more pleasant forms.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Greekpipesmoker (201)	2018-11-01		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant

From the discriptions this blend seemed interesting.once the tin opens a welcoming smell of toquin bean,honey and some smokey notes comes out.the blend moisture needs no drying time.packs almost easy lights with some effort and a few relights are needed.while smoking the flavours are nice and more on the aromatic side than on the english one.virginias are citrusy amd grassy with some rare bread notes.cavendishes are made the traditional way being creamy with some honey notes.latakias are in the backround offering some smokey and woodsy notes.all these flavours are mixed with the toquin bean topping wich is sweet and subtlimates the natural flavours a little.generally the flavours are nice and easy going.burns almost slow and meduim hot witout moisture being created at the filter or the end of the bowl.nicotine level is almost medium and the aftertaste sweet and pleasant.burns to ash mixed with chunks and unburned tobacco.room note is pleasant without tongue bite present.though the addition of latakia this is an all day smoke.in conclusion this blend is interesting and reffers to both aromatic and english blend lovers who want to try something different.

Age When Smoked: 1 year cellared

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2014-06-28		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A solid milder English blend from Sam Gawith. The primary flavors are woodsy & sweet with just a touch of earth along with a pleasant toasted cereal finish. The Latakia adds character, however it's much more of a nuance than a presence. The thinner cut insures an even burn and the flavor and tobacco strength are both mild to medium at best. Nasal exhales provide a solid hit of spice and finish and room note is a bit musty and quite reminiscent of a dry fine ground nasal snuff like Fribourg & Treyer's High Dry Toast.

Westmorland arrives on the dry side and tends burn a bit hot if pushed too hard. However at no point in time when smoking it did the tobacco become harsh. Tongue bite was not a factor although I do get a mild tingle from the Latakia. I don't detect much of a distinct top-flavor but it’s obvious that Westmorland is too sweet to be au naturel. This blend gets nice and spicy down the bowl & I find myself reaching for this when I want a milder, sweet and spicy English.

Pipe Used: various briar

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	topdogue (13)	2005-04-05		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Tolerable

A new mixture from Samuel Gawith. The tin description indicates it is well-balanced. I suppose that would depend on your idea of balance. My everyday Latakia mixture is Odyssey, so keep that in mind reading this review.

The tin aroma (actually a baggy sample) does not have the intial smoky Latakia aroma I expected, but had a very reserved aroma. It is a ribbon-cut mixture with mostly yellow ribbons with very few darker ribbons. I didn't detect any casing, which the tin indicates it contains. To make a long story short, there was not nearly enough Latakia in this mixture to satisfy me, however, as a very mild VA mixture this may work for you. I do not recommend this to a smoker that glp calls a Latakiaphile.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Cnidius (7)	2016-03-31		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Perfect combination of Latakia and Cavendish - dark, earthy smoke, deep taste. Comes in tin VERY, VERY wet, needs to be dried. Nothing outstanding but decent tobbacco.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2015-08-30		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Blonde(ish) to burnished brown to black ribbon with a deep earthy tin aroma, and something just under the surface that made it smell slightly sweet. Tonquin, I'm told. Semois-like, my nose says. Just a hint of latakia smokiness to boot, but the pervasive aroma was good old pure tobacco.

In the pipe, this smokes as it smells... barely sweet, and not in a Cavendish sort of way. More of a Semois-type sweetness, but not as rich as in pure Semois. Flavor was deep and rich, but thin in mouthfeel...in other words, a tasty but not robust smoke. The latakia was light but to my tastebuds a critical component of the overall flavor, particularly when snorked. It added a scotch-like peat flavor with a hint of smoke that was most enticing. The Virginias were not sweet in the least and this blend could have collapsed into "meh" territory quite easily for me, but the latakia and that light but pervasive hit of tonquin elevated it. I got the impression that this blend was a long time in the making, with a lot of tweaking along the way. In other words, this was no "let's chop up some BBF and add this and that and call it done". One tin helped but I honestly don't feel like I have this one's full measure, so I'm going to pick up a few more tins. It's extremely likely that this is a 4-star blend. Gawithian and yet unique. Might not be one I ultimately smoke a lot of but definitely worth a shot, and probably one for my occasional rotation.

Age When Smoked: 3 years

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2015-08-14		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

The Virginias have the same basic flavor as an SG or GH Virginia rope. I describe it as a "generic" tobacco flavor for lack of a better term. I like that flavor a lot. It's not as bold here as in a rope though. A bit milder. Along with that is a hint of Latakia and a nice sweetness. I don't get much more than that out of this mix. It's pleasant and it satisfies. Nothing special, but a good solid smoke.

Mild to medium in body and taste. Mild in flavoring. My tin was bit too moist and needed some drying time. Burns very well when dry. I noted no soapiness as others have stated.

Pipe Used: MM Country Gentleman, Mark Twain, Diplomat Apple

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Smoke_Ring (158)	2013-06-29		Strong	Strong	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Westmorland Mixture

Star Rating = 3.00

Rating Scores - 10 is the Best and 0 is the Worst

Pouch Note = 8

Room Note = 8

Flavor = 8

Bite = 8

Burn = 8

After Taste = 8

Raw Score = 48

Rated Percentage = 80%

Comment = Smooth, Strong Flavor, has some Latakia, smokes hot, white ash Burn

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Beer (345)	2012-03-13		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Well, to give you a vague idea, take Grousemoor but with much less flavoring, add a very slight touch of cavendish and an even slighter touch of Latakia for just a hint of smokiness...

Packs well, burns well, is quite steady in taste... but IMHO it's very boring. Ok, once in a while it might be plesant, but nothing more...

I want more substance and taste from my pipe, and this one while devoid of faults does not excite me. And the combination of "very light Latakia + fresh and lemony flavoring" is not the best idea in the world for my tastebuds...

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2011-12-18		Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Off the top of my head, I can't think of another tobacco that is similar to Westmorland Mixture. I would describe this blend as mainly a Virginia blend with some manually added sweetness and tonquin. There is just a wisp of Latakia, but other than the Virginia's, the Cavendish is the only other tobacco that makes its presence known to me. I do get a very slight similarity to Grousemoor, but unlike Grousemoor, I would have a difficult time calling this an aromatic. Westmorland is best smoked slowly in order to get the entire flavor and to avoid being bit as this blend will bite if given the opportunity. There really is a lot of flavor to be had for those with patience. This would not be an everyday smoke for me, but it is recommended

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-05-28		Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

This blend is predominately virginia with some cavendish. The flavoring is Tonquin Bean, and smells like fresh hay in the pouch, very nice, with the slightest hint of smoked latakia.

The smoke is sweet, mild and light bodied. The flavor is very special, subtle and elusive. The tonquin bean and latakia weave in and out if you have a clean palate and the time to relax and enjoy. The flavor is there but not there, if you know what I mean. All the while a nice mix of quality virginia and smooth cavendish relaxes and soothes your soul. A morning or first pipe of the day. Lighter and milder than Squadron Leader or Skiff.

The side stream is extremely pleasant and is a joy in itself. As ivycap mentioned, it is the fragrance of the forest after a rain. The aftertaste is mild tobacco with just a little something else that must be experienced since it cannot be described. My dedicated pipe developed a bowl aroma that is nicer to smell than most unsmoked tobacco I have tried.

This is a great smoke if you have the time and patience to enjoy it. It resets your taste buds with a mild freshness that is so very enjoyable.

However, if you are looking for a nic hit and smoke fast, like all virginias it will burn but not bite your tongue.

Slow down, relax, this to shall pass.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PipePaladin (78)	2007-05-06		Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable

A peculiar this one.. The latakia give some short of a minty flavour to the whole mixture.. A peculiar tobacco for peculiar tastes.. A light / good quality aromatic worth giving a try..

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Darth 69 (117)	2005-09-15		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Here is a lightyly aromatic mixture of virginia, cavendish and a smidgen of latakia. As to the cavendish, I suspect a combination of both light and the noticeable dark cavendish. This is very mild in that I don't think an all regular virginia base would provide as evidenced by it's color, hence light cavendish. This is not a significant latakia blend, in fact I almost can not detect it. Close olfactory examination of the tin's bouquet shows a subtle pressence. This has the effect of subtly contouring the aroma in conjunction with it's light casing that produces a unique and different effect. I can't quite describe the casing. There is some subtle sweetness and whatever else. This may be compared somewhat to those americanized aromatic/english blends of cased burley that has some light degree of aromatic dressing and a smidgen of latikia. I can't describe what else would come close. Anyways, not a whole lot of flavor, somewhat bland, subtle sweatness with it's different subtle aroma. Not bad though, still a pleasant blend but not a bell ringer. A good breakfast smoke. May prove good for those who would like to experiment with the addition of more condimental leaf.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tantric (321)	2005-07-22		Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

With all due respect, I don't think Westmorland has anything to do with My Mixture 965. For one, it is definitely more soapy and less structured. It also has a kind of artificial sweetness not at all present in Dunhill's. Having said that, I don't think this is a bad blend at all. Personally it's not one that I would smoke regularly, but for an every-now-and-then smoke I guess it's OK. Again: the British attempts to create flavored tobaccos (save, perhaps, Gold Block), have not been exactly successful, and this, I am afraid, is the case.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-03-21		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Tolerable

Samuel Gawith's Westmorland Mixture is bizarre. This weed does not know if it wants to be an English or an aromatic. The raw tobacco is mostly light in colour and I do not know where the Cyprian Latakia is hiding. Indeed, forget the description as it is more than 'lightly sweetened' and certainly not 'wonderfully round and supple'. With that said, if you like aromatics and want something stronger than the usual aromatic this might be for you (even if does not pack well and can, without care, burn hot). In America's southern states they have what is called (if I recall correctly) 'sweet tea' (with the accent on 'sweet')--this is a chilled (iced) tea with a massive dose of sugar. The flavour of this stuff certainly reminds me of sweet tea--sickly sweet. And it is not MY cup of tea for certain. I can only conclude that it I were stranded on a deserted island with 300 of the best briar pipes in the world and 300 tins of this stuff, I would build a raft out of 299 of the pipes and set sail. Yes, I would save one of those pipes for the time when I reached civilisation.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Wes-NY (12)	2019-06-04		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

A nice departure from a traditional English blend. The Cyprian Latikia provides the smoky, woody essences though I'd have guessed there was some Dark Fired Kentucky in there as well. The Virginias bring the grassy and sweetish tastes and the Cavendish gives the toasty flavor. Theres definitely a vanillaish flavor going on in there likely provided by the touquin bean. I felt there was a good amount of nicotine in there. Dry sweet smoke with a fairly dry bowl on the finish.

Pipe Used: Savinelli Rock Briar

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Iwan Ries

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sim40 (8)	2018-07-08		Mild to Medium	Mild	Very Full	Pleasant

Lots of taste and lots of interplay, yet it's not a subtle blend. It's a refined blend. I'd compare it to 19th century French cuisine, Viennese pastry or Metaxa brandy. Metaxa is a brandy with added herbal aromas. Very difficult for a millenial like myself to grasp. If the brandy itself is good quality, then why add something else? See, I understand the concept of single origin, and I also understand the concept of a blend. But some things are neither. Westmorland, to me, seems to belong in a pre-WWI-context, along with the other examples I gave. It’s an attempt to have all the subtlety, but on the surface. Not: a surface layer you have to penetrate and then the layers beneath where you discover more tastes the deeper you go. But: a delicate mixture of tastes right in the front, that is however balanced to perfection.

I like it. The latakia adds some depth, and that’s mainly what it does. I can’t describe the taste, but I find it tastes warm and friendly. Don't expect the taste of an English blend with cavendish added. It's got the same parts, but a totally different result.

I rate it 3,5 out of 4, by which I mean: I could smoke this exclusively, but I like it slightly less then 4 star tobaccos.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2076)	2017-06-28		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Strong

Samuel Gawith - Westmorland Mixture.

An early review I thought should be re-posted, I didn't think it was very good! I wasn't a fan when I piped this years back, to be honest it still doesn't float my boat!

A good point about Westmorland is the hydration, although it's a bit damp, it isn't actually wet! I could see by the look of the blend that a Lat-Bomb this isn't. In fact, the Latakia takes on a 'seasoning' role, keeping the way clear for the Virginia. I'm unsure as to what, exactly, the other/misc flavours are, but I notice a herby taste, which seems to become almost floral after half a bowl. Half a bowl, it reaches this point in no time whatsoever. It also bites, and burns hot.

Nicotine: mild to medium. Room-note: strong.

Although I hope the quality of my review has changed, something that hasn't is my rating. Not recommended:

One star.

Pipe Used: Cob

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: My Smoking Shop

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Calamiti (85)	2016-03-02		Very Mild	Very Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Unnoticeable

The epitome of blandness, flatness and prominent absence of any character.

Not enough Latakia to be an English blend, not enough flavourings to be an aromatic. Just plain warm steam going back and forth down the throat. Not offensive, not harsh, not pungent, doesn't bite when over-puffed, doesn't produce enjoyable aromas when slowly sipped. Just Nothing, however you smoke it!

Westmorland may be a good newbies' sandbox blend which won't harm a baby however he abuses the pipe. But for me, it's just a Great Nothing.

Total waste of money, I regret I didn't buy whichever other SG blend instead of this. The blend might perhaps get a little better after it dries for some time in the tin. Then I'll try it again.

----------------------------------- UPD 1.5 years later:

Well, I tried it again. And I found a perfect use for Westmoreland: I beautifully stained a pipe with it! Here's how:

I soaked 10 g of Westmorland in 100 ml of 5% ammonia for 2 days and then refinished my Peterson with multi-layered stain-and-polish. What a beautiful deep color it gives! When staining, ammonia smell was evaporating faster than the stain was drying out. What it smelled afterwards was a pleasant hint of tobacco. The Westmorland stain keeps perfectly on the briar, no colour fading after a month of use.

Despite this huge success, I won't add any stars. Westmoreland Mixture is very good for wood-staining but just awful for smoking.

----------------------------------- UPD 3 years later:

I'm happy to note, that the Westmoreland-stained Peterson still looks brilliant. Not even a faintest discoloration despite quite a heavy use. Now I know for sure what Westmoreland Mixture is really good for.

Similar Blends: Wet warm air.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	KAJ (9)	2015-02-02		Medium	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Bright yellow Virginia ribbon cut with flecks of black Cavendish. The tin note is like sweet fresh hay with a faint hint of Latakia. Slightly moist in the tin. The taste is pleasant, mild Virginias and the Cavendish (Tonquin?) gives a nice smooth buttery sweetness, with a very subtle hint of Latakia barely peeking through, and the occasional barest hint of mild mint? This would be ideal for someone who is used to plain Va/Cavendish blends to get a hint of Latakia without it being overpowering, but I suspect a Latakia afficionado would find this rather bland. Personally, I like it and could smoke this on a semi-regular basis.

Pipe Used: Oldenkott Toscana

Purchased From: GQTobaccos

Similar Blends: Like a 'light' version of a blend of Grousemoor/Squadron Leader..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pre Republic Peterson (13)	2014-07-23		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Firstly I was excited to try this blend.

Sadly upon opening the can it was obvious that it was not sealed correctly, was far too easy to open and appeared to be void of any vacuum. Thankfully the tobacco looked nice, yellow appearance and slightly moist too. So I assume very fresh from the factory despite the non-existent sealing.

Samuel Gawith, sort it out!

Easy to pack and lovely large strands of tobacco. Little aroma due to poor sealing from factory. Smoked well enough, but the sealing is a huge let down. Can I trust the next one I buy to be sealed properly or another waste of 10 GBP?

I hope you have better experience here than I did.

Pipe Used: Barling's

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Online in UK

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	bob323 (46)	2013-11-13		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I have only one question about this blend: What in the hell were they thinking about?

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Clive Moses Apikouris (41)	2012-12-26		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Westmoreland Mixture is both very pleasant and very strange. It is nice and moist in the tin and the tin aroma of the blonde weed is well, nice and unusual. Not really sweet nor perfume like, not herbal a unique scent of it's own, likely the dominance of the Tonquin bean. Upon lighting it sparks up easily, burns smoothly and really doesn't need a re-light. I've smoked it twice once in a nice smallish Danish Jarl and most recently in a compact vintage GBD Dublin. The first thing I tasted was an unusual slightly sour and musty flavor. The flavor then seemed to gently blossom into a mildly sweet flavor that matched the tin aroma with a light velvety texture. I experienced no tongue bite at all and in spite of the moisture level of the tobacco it smoked supremely dry. Whether it's a high nicotine level or the Tonquin, after a bit it I began to feel it in my head and so I rested my pipe. I picked it up a few moments later and puffed away and it had stayed lit. I found this to be a very enjoyable blend. I feel that a bit of a warning is however required here. Besides being an old fashioned flavoring agent, Tonquin bean is also the source of Coumadin a blood thinner. After smoking I flossed my teeth and experienced bleeding from my gums which was unusual. I am not on any any blood thinning medication but I believe that someone with a history of cardio-vascular problems or who is on Coumadin or Wafarin should take that into consideration before smoking this mixture. Otherwise I would rate in four stars as I greatly enjoyed the experience of smoking it.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Wibblefishofdoom (139)	2012-05-29		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

I chose this one as another step on the pathway of trying to sample as many SG tobaccos as possible. I didn't have any real reason for picking it, just fancied the name as much as anything, it's worked for me before so worth trying again.

The tin aroma was very mild, not sure what to make it to be honest, possible hints of latakia but little else. After a relatively easy pack of the pipe, found lighting this unpleasantly, surprisingly and annoyingly difficult. I see other reviews mention that this is a slow smoke so hardly the most flammable leaf by the sounds of it, not sure it's excusable for a tobacco this finely cut though. Once lit though, this proves to be a decent enough tobacco, if a little too mellow. It dances nicely between Grousemoor virginia and Squadron Leader latakia, maybe giving odd little hints of cavendish on the way, perhaps giving a little toffee or golden syrup.

In summary, it's much like a Grousemour/Squadron Leader remix lite, perhaps a little too mild (and that's saying something from me who loves a mild leaf) but nonetheless blends two of SG's finest well. The major downside for this though, is that lighting problem. This is finely cut and should light pretty well even well damp. However, this demands almost constant attention, even more so than a particularly tricky flake. Ordinarily, I might be humming and harring a bit between giving it a three and a four, probably settling on latter due to my self confessed bias towards SG. Ultimately though, that lighting issue is enough to condemn it to a three star status.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	p4p4 (59)	2010-11-23		Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant

A high class virginia-based-blend. Just little cavendish and very little latakia. A natural nutty aroma counterpointed by a discret and enteresting mentolated flavouring. A elegant, smooth, tastefull, and , in my opinion, very underrated tobacco.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-04-08		Extremely Mild	None Detected	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Very Pleasant

I agree with the majority of reviews below, both bad and good, and here's why: I was tempted to hate this tobacco for the extreme smoothness and mildness in the taste, which Latakia by definition normally does not have. Then, as I smoked this pipe weed and stared off into the rain from my front porch, it occurred to me that Latakia lies on a sliding scale similar to that of beer. Oak is like the smooth, mild malt beers. Pine is like the dry, (pleasantly) bitter hops. Westmorland is all Oak and no Pine. It tastes mild to a fault, yet... that smell. That beautiful smell of the woods comes off of it. The taste was so mild and so smooth that I was able to puff away mindlessly without worrying about bite, and let the beautiful Oak aroma take me to places in my childhood, when things were simpler; to camp fires and stick fights and games of capture the flag, and in that moment, smoking westmorland and staring off into the rain, I felt free.

Conclusion: If this tobacco were a little cheaper, I'd say go for it, but at $11 for 50g of no flavor, I probably won't order more.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-03-19		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Update Jnauary 2011: I find it now just a little bit too sweet for me, but still I recommend you try it for yourself, it is IMO a very underrated tobacco...

Initially a little disappointing, but after the tin had been opened for 2 weeks Westmorland surprised me by having become absolutely first class yummie!

Update: a woman friend entering my smoking shack was pleasantly surprised by the roomnote!!

Update: during finishing the tin it grew on me and became one of my faves

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RickPiatt (16)	2005-09-27		Very Mild	Mild	Mild	Strong

I thought I'd give this blend a try especially since so many others have already said such bad things about it. I know now that's not the best way to choose a tobacco.

In the tin I can see and definitely smell ever so slightly the Cyprian latakia in the blend but it's clearly a minor player in the overall blend. Very noticeable is the Cavendish and unless my nose is tricking me, it seems to be a bit sour-ish smelling ... very interesting twist to Cavendish. There are supposed to be VA's in there too but I sure can't see 'em or smell 'em. The moisture content from the outset seems perfect for smoking - no drying time needed.

I can faintly feel the brush of latakia across my tongue while enjoying a mildly sweet Cavendish on the top of my palate. When I exhale and subsequently breathe in, I can smell the most wonderful Cavendish sweetness mixed with the Latakia smokiness in the smoke ... but it's nondescript. The VA's never come to the forefront in any way. Must be a super small percentage of VA's in this mixture ? I was hoping for slightly more.

Well, those two paragraphs were my initial impressions of this tobacco but things evolved over my testing period.

The majority of my test smokes were done in a group 3ish SMS Meer. I did also test it in a group 2ish Dr. Grabow, a Cob, and also in a group 3 briar (Stanwell HCA II with short stem), and finally in a large group 4 Tinsky. These pipes also varied shape from Billiards, Bent Bulldogs, and Freehands. So, the test is pretty inclusive.

Here's the result: This tobacco is pretty bland, non-descript, and overally yucky (sorry for the techinical term there). The Cavendish ingredient seems to take center stage and never marries very well with the Latakia. The Virginia tobacco must be an exceptionally small percentage as I never even tasted it. The most pleasant thing about this tobacco is not it's flavor as it clearly doesn't have any to speak of, but the way the smoke wafts across the front of your face will lend a super sweet smell at the tip of your nose and subsequently across the top of your palate. Enjoy that for all its worth, there ain't no more to like about this tobacco. Concerning the topping / casing ... sure it's there and you'll suffer a full mouth of soap every time you smoke this tobacco. Room note: not overly intense but just simply terrible. I finished smoking my meer one afternoon and had to run out of the house for about an hour - when I returned, much to my dismay my home smelled like some stale taxi.

So, a long review but it's been a longer test than I wished it might have been. At the onset I had high hopes that if I could ignore the soapiness, the flavor of the tobacco might come through but it never happened. Add on top of that the weird tongue bite that comes after smoking other blends first (not evident if this is smoked first oddly enough or even multiple bowls back to back of just this blend), and the rotton room note, this tobacco is simply a loser. Pass by, go elsewhere.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	claudiobande (31)	2023-01-02		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

A very well achieved Scottish mix. I find it nicer than the Dunhill 965 (which I find too Black Cavendish). In any case, I think the mix of Rattrays "Black Mallory" is superior.

Pipe Used: Dunhill - Castello

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	WorkingClassChap (192)	2021-12-01		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild	Tolerable

Smoking now:

Almost a 12 year old tin. This review reflects that. Tin note is a dark, fermented, vinegar, tangy fruit aroma. Reminds me of ketchup in a glass bottle. The moisture in this after 11 years and 10 months is still there although it is a SG blend. Usually they’re so wet right out of the tin. This one is sticky, and I still dried it out slightly.

The taste is mild. It’s a dark fermented tangy fruit, hay, and also a tad bit of earth, wood, smokey incense from the Latakia. I don’t detect much of a topping although it might have wore off after a decade. I would say there’s a little sweetness and flavor added to it. Maybe tonquin bean. The more I smoked this blend the more of the tonquin bean I detect and it’s nice. The retrohale is okay and there’s that familiar Latakia taste and smell. Not a L lat bomb it’s just there in second place. The topping and age I suspect retards the Latakia. The aftertaste is nice and short lived. Required a few more relights than average but SG blends are so wet. It could be repeated all day. If pushed it can get harsh. It’s a mild and easy going dark Virginia and cavendish with some flavoring, sweetness, and a pinch of Latakia. It’s quite alright.

Pipe Used: Meerschaum

Age When Smoked: 12 years

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	the_dalai_lama_himself (43)	2017-06-18		Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

The flavor goes from smoky earth and woodsy to dark fruit, slight grassy citrus sweetness and there's some floral and spice in there as well, and this is an old tin by the looks of it. I really don't pick up on the tonquin bean, like in the 1792 which is unbearable to me, no in Westmorland it's different, warmer maybe some kind of cordial or spirit. But yea definitely something going on in the topping department. Overall an enjoyable blend and repeatable during the day. I think it does have some type of Lakeland essence but not soapy like Cabbies Mixture was, and no there is none in squadron leader.. Suprisingly full taste and a good amount of nicotine had me putting my pipe down satisfied multiple times (Kentucky?!)... I'll give it a 3.5 and I'd put it outside my rotation, as a once a month kind of blend.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	maigret fan (76)	2015-02-12		Very Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

A nice blend from Samuel Gawith. Strong note in the tin. A nice smoke, quite fulfilling. I did not detect much aromatic tendency but the blend is worth a try.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	machinebcon (50)	2012-08-01		Mild	Very Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant

Traditional Scottish blend (BC+VA+L) with a natural sweetness from the BC and minimal to no added flavour. Very forgiving when smoked hastily. Fresh yet malty. Not your typical English or Danish blend, very mild and light in N and flavour. 4 of 5 points, will keep this in rotation.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-12-28		Medium	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Westmorland is a very strange smoke. You cannot understand if it's an English or an aromatic tobacco. It is however, light. There is no taste of the Cypriot Latakia and there is a sweetness that seems more artificial than natural. When you open the box and see this gold coarse mixture (this is good because it burns slowly), the smell that rises is a little confusing. It is neither natural smell of smoke nor the smell of an aromatic. It needs a lot attention both when filling and smoking, in order to avoid any tongue accidents. The aroma in the room did not bother me, but I certainly did not like it. I tried it because my friend “karg” suggested it, but this will be as far as I'll go.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kilmarnock Piper (250)	2010-02-04		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Picked up a 5 1/2 year old tin on Ebay, then looked at the reviews and saw they were somewhat mixed. After smoking this tobacco for a couple of days, I have decided to throw my four stars into the mix, and if I enjoy the rest of the tin as much as I have enjoyed the beginning, may very well get a few to cellar. Has a sweet topping (sweetener, not flavor), but to me it is unobtrusive. Pretty mild, but to me at least, very pleasant. The Virginias seem top notch, as do the burning qualities. Gawith has not let me down yet; I gave my lowest rating of the Samuel Gawiths I have tried to Golden Glow, but maybe I'll even give that one another chance. Do I dare try Firedance? This has a nice balance of Virginia and cavendish, and a light application of Latakia, which to my tastes goes along well with this style.

Update 3-31-10: Firedance is great! See my review and others. So is this blend, which I am smoking as I type, in a Night & Day churchwarden. Way to go, Samuel Gawith, and hope to see more of you around these parts soon!

3-9-11 Struggling to remember this one, but I must have liked it as I smoked it all pretty quickly. I'll try it again sometime. I love Golden Glow now: someone sent me a sample which proved beyond any doubt that I judged it too harshly the first time I tried it. Question is, will Westmorland still seem like a four-star when I smoke it again?

12-19-11 I have so much tobacco I still have not bought this again, here at the end of 2011, even though I'm thinking this one has remained avaliable throughout the SG shortage. I'll revisit it someday, GWATCDR.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-08-15		Very Mild	Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant

Well, this is a kind of aromatic by SG.

Not my cup of tea, at all. The latakia is pretty absent and the smoke quite uniform and boring. In this kind of experiments I feel Perfection has more punch (even not liking completely the "vanilla killing" of very nice leafs)

Just recommended as a change of pace (once in a week or once in a month)

RdX score: 82.70 (10 different pipes)

I never repeat with scores under 85 and I regularly smoke with scores over 90.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-04-05		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

I really wanted to like this and tried it in various pipes hoping to find the perfect one, however I could not. This was less flavorful than I hoped, though that flavor was of some very good Virginia as you would expect from SG. If I want that though I can just smoke FVF which is a great deal better than this offering.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-07-19		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I have reviewed Skiff Mixture by this Kendal based blender which I gave full marks to as my hands down favourite but for some reason best known to myself I bought 50 grms of Westmorland Mixture. I committed the cardinal sin of mixing it with the Skiff Mixture because of the distinct acidic content of Westmorland Mixture which means I have now rendered unsmokeable half a jar of tobacco. I assume the acidity comes from the Cavendish tobaccos but I don,t know

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-02-01		Mild	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I've enjoyed a number of the Gawith blends over the years,so I was curious about Westmoreland Mixture,not having tried it... The strength was medium and the flavoring more subtle than I had expected. I can taste a touch of the Gawith trademark which is a full taste but here is tempered down.I shared some with my neighbor and waited for him to light a bowl first so as to get an objective whiff as the tobacco began to burn. Pleasant--kind of old style. I've smoked a few bowls since I bought this tin, and I'm delighted with the consistency and flavor throughout. At the finish, there was hardly any dottle and the pipe was clean . I like this very much and would recommend to pipe lovers everywhere.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	butman (50)	2006-02-20		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a really unique tobacco. The combination of tobaccos is interesting. The can note is not unpleasant. It is kind of mysterious. The first time I tried I was not impressed. It was like I had to reset my taste buds. 2nd pipe the reset was activated and I enjoyed it in the smaller English pipes. It does not see action every day. Probably 3 times a week, it is a little hard to find in Kansas City, so I order it. I will keep on ordering it especially during the hotter months. It just goes great with a G&T on the deck.

Stay with this one it is worth it and it is easy to smoke.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Spike (296)	2005-10-22		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I know I'm swimming against the tide here but I enjoyed this tobacco. I find the Virginia dominates this blend more than the other leaves involved. A little damp as recieved, it smoked o.k. even when damp. Not in my top ten but I won't mind at all finishing this tin.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RCUSElder (244)	2005-09-30		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Appearance and Tin Aroma: Typical broad ribbon cut. Smells musty and slightly fruity.

Packing and Lighting: It is a little moist when first opened. I let my tin open for about an hour before I tried to smoke. Packing was easy and lit 2-3 lights max.

Initial Flaor: This is similar to Peterson's Old Dublin, but with a casing added which reminds me of "Juicy Fruit" gum.

Mid-Bowl: This blend does not do anything bad. It is in the lighter end of medium strength. The casing mixes well with the leaves. It gets in the zone where temp. and flavor are nicely balanced.

Bottom of Bowl: Leaves a mottled dry ash when done with almost no moisture. Strength and nicotine build up stayed on the medium side. Not quite as full as "Old Dublin"

Overall: This is another fine quality blend from SG. It has an excellent composition, every part of the blend compliments the other. The casing is very light, but noticable. Unfortunately, this style of blend is not what I generally go for. Will I keep a tin or two in the cellar? Yes, but I think I will only smoke this blend once in a great while. Those who like an occasional aromatic will find comfort in this blend. No bitterness, no wet dottle, light to medium strength, and a tolerable rome note. well done, SG, now where did I put my tin of Commonwealth?

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-07-11		Mild	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I am always wary of english blends with cavendish. Somehow it doesn't seem like a good fit. When I tried 965, I did a complete 180. Westmorland is another sweet english that fits in that realm. In fact, I think it beats out 965. The flavor changes subtlely throughout the smoke. The quality of the blend itself is as you would expect to come from Gawith. Perhaps this would be a good second step into the land of English blends for those beginning that path.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-06-22		Medium	Mild	Mild	Tolerable

Since this poor weed is getting such poor reviews I thought I would throw in my two cents worth. I have only smoked about half a tin, not enough really to write a truly informed review. But I still think this tobacco deserves better than the one star it has received so far. In fact I think it deserves much better. It seems to me that the good folks at Sam Gawith, and at Gawith and Hogarth for that matter, have decided that they have to produce blends for the American market. Perhaps so as to get a piece of the Latakia action. But this does not mean that they have left behind the incredible and unique flavouring techniques that have made them either loved or hated by all. Westmorland, Sam's Flake and Chocolate Flake are pure Lakeland tradition. Indeed, Westmorland is more or less what I would expect from dear old Sam, and is definitely my favourite of the Mayor's Collection. When smoking it however one needs to keep in mind that this is not an attempt to update Squadron Leader, or Skiff or Commonwealth, nor is it a cousin to the new Balkan Flake. Indeed, it seems to me that if you wanted to place this somewhere I would say its far more in keeping with such classics as St. Bruno or Three Nuns. And yet at the same time it is something else all together. As you work your way through the bowl there are periodic bursts of Latakia and the whole smoke has a certain spicy sweetness to it. The room note is that of a mild latakia blend, but the general experience is that of a sweetened and flavoured Virginia. My recommendation then is that if you are looking for a Latakia blend then stear clear. But if you are looking for an update on a classic English taste then this tobacco is well worth the effort, and definitely a worthy addition to Sam Gawith's incredible line of tobaccos.

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