Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. No. 20 Latakia Mixture

I am a longtime fan of Gawith Hoggarth’s Balkan Mixture so No. 20 Latakia seemed like a nice transition. The very thin ribbons are almost a shag cut and so it dries very quickly. The pouch scent is quite unique. It doesn’t offer the floral, soapy scent often found in GH blends, but there is something on the tobacco that I honestly can’t quite describe. I find the packing of this blend to be very important. Pack it too loose and it will burn very fast and hot. I am guessing that there is some dark fired in this blend and the Virginias remind me a little bit of those found in Bright CR Flake. I am not put off by the topping, which I believe to be lighter than others have described. Some of the “topping” may be not topping at all, but in the leaf itself or the processing of the leaf, but I don’t doubt that it has some added flavoring. I find the strength to be medium, but it could be medium to strong for those sensitive to Lady N.I love the unique flavor of Balkan Mixture, but unfortunately, I am not as big of a fan of No. 20 Latakia. Having smoked just one ounce (very quickly) I may return to this review again as I smoke more of it, but right now, it falls below my expectations.

Gawith Hoggarth - No. 20 Latakia Mixture.

For a blend with a name like Latakia Mixture I'd expect something with either a highly smoky taste or a potent woodiness to it. What I got instead, I didn't find too pleasant; there are one or two good points, but also a heap of low points.

Starting with some of the good ones: it's condition on arrival is good, meaning it's not wet and the aroma is quite decent, but it implies immediately there's not a great deal of Latakia smokiness on its way. For me, that's the end of the good, on to the bad:

The cut is too fine, this causes both a rapid burn and hot smoke. There's not much flavour either, there's hardly any Virginia grass, no smokiness, and only a tiny proportion of woodiness which seems to be also sour. The finishing touch to the 'one star' rating is when a bowl's done I'm left with a horrible aftertaste in my mouth.

To be fair, after smoking a bowl for around half an hour it becomes more tolerable; tolerable, not pleasant.

I'm disappointed with this; I can see how some folks would enjoy a 'light' taste of Latakia, but it just doesn't work on my palate.

Not recommended.

It's a mysterious blend: somewhere between Really Good and Unpleasant. I can't figure it out. Sometimes I like it -- a lot -- and other times I want to put it away. Perhaps that's the complexity, and the unusual combination of tobaccos blended here.

There really ain't 'that much Latakia. Overall, the blend has a lot of body with heavy duty earth tones

It's cut almost like a shag, and it does burn a little hot and fast for a pipe.

I often think I'm going to finally be won over by this blend if I just smoke a little more, but it never quite seems to happen. At times it can have a rather foul aftertaste, almost a sour taste.

Overall it's on the positive side of medium, but the interaction with the pipe and the smoker is not simple or consistent. Still, it's basically a good smoke.

Very nice smoke, packs and lights easily. Can taste the Virginia. I've also got a confession to make..... when I bought it, I was so desperate to try it out, I actually rolled a cigarette with it. Smoked it, inhaled it and was left satisfied for over four hours!! Put that in your pipe and smoke it...;) Just finished my second bowl of this stuff... I really like it. Smokes pretty quick, and leaves the mouth a little dry, but a very pleasant experience.

I'd give this a 3.5 if I could.

Sold by some folks as #20 Mixture, this strikes me as a pretty straightforward blend of Kendal Kentucky with just enough latakia to make the result somewhat spicy. I smell the latakia when unlit, and it's there in the aroma just a tad, but it's not overpowering by any stretch of the imagination. (For more latakia, try the G&H #12, it's also got a much stronger Virginia component.)

I love Kendal Kentucky, and this is a very interesting variation.

I don't get any floral or Lakeland essence from this blend, but KK has a distinct flavor, and this has it, plus latakia.

Bulk: Overall brown with darker to black mixed in. Quite a fragrant floral Kendal perfumey bouquet. Carmel sweet. Medium ribbon cut.

Packs and lights easily.

Taste & Aroma: If ever there was a Gawith blend that displays the signature Kendal scent, this is it.

1st Half: Sweet carmel and Kendal floral arrangement.

Mid bowl: Stoved, darker, richer, so floral and fragrant as to have a disagreable aromatic synthetic taste and smell. Like grainy perfumed flowers. Tongue bite is a concern.

Nicotine: Strong

Romm Note: Pleasant but with a synthetic aroma

Overall: GH names this No. 20 Latakia. Oriental is not mentioned in the GH description of No. 20 or No.5. For a definition of a scented Lake District blend, this is it. Shows promise, but in the end, seems to have so much flavor as to be a synthetic aromatic, like synthetic grainy flowers. In that there are other GH blends, No. 20 is negative. If this is No. 5 Mixture's cousin, it's a distant one. An indoor smoke, but not all day due to the swoon brought on by the nicotine.

I guess the name of the blend is misleading but I like it .

Tin note is slightly smoky beef jerky.

I get 0 floral notes out of this, no soapy taste at all. And frankly im sick of the soap commentary, if your worried about that dont smoke Lakeland.

The smoke itself is pleasant, not overly powerful or smoky but a nice even mixed Virginia latakia blend.

It packs well, stays lit well, it smokes fast, but not hot...well unless you want it to i guess.

Its not knock your socks off, but its good for what it is.

I would consider buying it again.

This was tried all day yesterday. My first reaction was 'Almond' Pleasant enough smoke, it needs a mild kick of something 'herbal' to liven it up. But it lights well and stays alight, for a day spent fishing good enough! I enjoyed it.

My bag description doesn't mention Orientals/Turkish. Package note of tart and tangy, mild barbeque and smoky. Tobacco is a thin ribbon cut of dark brown, black and a little light brown. Moisture content is ok, most pipe smokers will dry it a bit. Burns moderate 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, floral (not lakeland), lemon grass, tart and tangy citrus, wood, rich earth, leather, spices, toast, sweet hay, sour peaty vegetation, orange peel/zest, mildly herbal, mildly savory, a mild sugar sweet and incense background note, and a peppery retro. Virginias are leading with Latakia supporting. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.

As my sojourn into the world of non-aromatics continues, so my comprehension of strength has only grown. Occasionally, though, a blend comes along to humble me, as is certainly the case here. No. 20 Latakia mix is full, rich, and rough around the edges, and, to some extent, on the tongue if you don't know what you're doing. Take your time packing, don't puff like a steam engine, and maybe scale back your bowl size so you don't launch yourself into orbit. You'll be handsomly rewarded with a rich, satisfying smoke that is tobacco nirvana. In the pouch/tin, This stuff smells a little like 1792 Flake, but if it showered and brushed its teeth first. Certainly not as pungent, but the depth and character is still there-rich, dark raisin/bourbon -like profile, with burnt coffee, compost, and campfire. Like the first time you turn over the soil in your garden in early Spring, and that earthy, funky, musty scent seemingly blooms when it hits the air and nearly bowls you over. It takes to the match quite nicely-a word of cautionary advice, though, it will bite if you don't deliberately slow your pace when first lighting up, and it's a deep bite with long fangs. There isn't much here to tame it down. No Cavendishes, no Burley (that I could detect anyway) and no toppings to saddle the Virginias, and Orientals. The flavor is full and rich, and it speaks for itself. Leathery, raisiny, musty, slightly floral, and smoky, as any good, strong English ought to be, though I submit that its name could be a bit misleading to even an experienced pipe smoker. The Latakia is strictly condimental, and its prominence is thin and subtle in the presence of the mature, full-tilt Virginias that lend this blend its heft, and brawny character. There's just enough Latakia in it to 'file down the bull's horns' just a bit, so they're less lethal when they hit you in the chest. Note the wording-"Less lethal," NOT "Non lethal." This is your great grandpappy's tobacco, and it's the kind if tobacco that'll put some hair on your chest, and a little grit in your coffee. Not refined, not fancy, and not for beginners, but its old-fashioned, grizzly, bristle will leave you feeling like your smoking the same pipe tobacco as the cowboys and mountain men, back when you could buy 10 pounds of the stuff with a silver dollar, or however many coyote hides could fetch a silver dollar...coincidentally, this would make an excellent cigarette tobacco if that's your preference. Good stuff.