Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Bosun Cut Plug

I don't understand why this isn't more widely popular. This is my very favourite tobacco. I smoke it in the evenings and when I'm in company, saving my daytime smoke, the classically English (but stinky) Samual Gawiths 'Squadron Leader' for when I'm alone. This tobacco, Bosun's Cut Plug, is the best of all worlds. I don't usually like cased stuff, but this is cased very lightly - a very deft, classy touch of genius on somebody's part. I mean, who would think of that casing? I'd love to know who he/she was. Respect.

The mix of leaf gives a tasty, balanced, satisfying smoke. The very light, natural- feeling, nuance of clove and rose geranium just takes it that little bit further into a complex, rewarding, sometimes ecstatic level of smooth, velvety, smoky bliss. No bite, no 'soap', excellent leisurely burn. This is the vintage sports Jaguar of tobaccos, and I'll drive it forever.

If you don't like the Lakeland style flakes then why bother with this one?

On the other hand, if you do like Lakeland flakes then this is a good one.

I'm a big fan of Kendal Flake and Rum Flake. Both are in my regular rotation. And I dedicate pipes to these blends, campers!

Bosun Cut Plug comes as broken stips of flake, packaged not in a "brick" like Rum Flake or Kendal Flake but in the sack, like Sliced Brown Twist. Beautiful tobacco, dark brownish black with flecks of reddish brown and a yellow spot here and there. Lovely tobacco, very high quality.

This tobacco smells much "spicier" than the Kendal Flake. Where Kendal Flake smells of rose/geranium/musk - and Rum Flake smells like a rum cake - Bosun Cut Plug smells (out of the sack) of clove and raisins.

It's amazing the differences in the flavorings and the mixtures of these flakes. Bosun is definitely spicy, a "rounder" smoke than Kendal yet not as full as the Rum Flake. Something about the clove in this tobacco adds a sort of perique tingle on the tongue.

Very smooth and consistent all the way down the bowl, no gurgle and a mottled grey ash. Like all of these flakes, the bottom 1/4 of the bowl gets a bit stronger but never nasty. Wow, this is a well done flake.

If you like a little spice in your Lakeland Flake, Bosun Cut Plug will fit the bill nicely. Highly recommended if, and only if, you like the heavier/stronger Lakeland flakes.

One I've smoked a few times over the years but never got round to reviewing here, Bosun Cut Plug is an absolute classic of the Lake District dark flakes. If you like your tobacco "hearty" then you really should give this a try, it's old school, rich and satisfying, something to comfort the hobnail booted and tatty jacketed.

The tobacco tends to come as a ragged mess of thickly sliced plug, I suppose they don't call it flake because there aren't many tidy flakes to be found, but it's not ready rubbed: you'll have to work it a bit before you load your pipe. It's very dark brown, well cooked in the steam press, moist and oily to touch. The aroma is woody like damp rotting stumps in a forest, leathery and earthy with a hint of fire and of course the clove and geranium hanging over it.

I recommend you don't stuff your pipe too tightly, this stuff needs room to breathe during combustion. You'll find it needs a bit of attention and work getting it lit, rather like making a campfire on the side of Great Gable the morning after a thunderstorm, not that I'd do anything as socially irresponsible as that....

Once lit up the enjoyment really starts. The scent is present from the offset but fades as the bowl progresses, the underlying baccy being hearty and delicious it shines through once you get going. It has a subtle rounded, earthy, chocolatey sweetness akin to Coniston Cut Plug (this characteristic being much more pronounced in CCP), and the flavour is predominantly woody, leathery and earthy. It may need a few relights, but it will burn slowly to a minimal dottle especially in a Falcon pipe. Nicotine content is satisfying but it's not a powerhouse.

I would like to compare this firstly to Kendal Bosun Flake. I don't think the latter is simply a tidier version of the Cut Plug, it's less sweet and less smokey, I think it's a different base blend. I would guess that Bosun Flake lacks the dark fired leaf present in Bosun Cut Plug. Next I'd compare it to Condor, which likewise has a woody and floral character. Bosun Cut Plug is sweeter than Condor (Bosun Flake is a closer match) and hasn't got quite such a nicotine punch.

This is a tobacco of the sort I usually smoke in the Autumn or Winter, but it's enjoyable on a rainy day any time of the year. Smoke it when footsore from hiking, after a hearty breakfast or a dinner of stew, and wash it down with a strong cup of tea or a dark ale. Enjoy!

My goodness this is a fine tobacco! Pouch note is rich and inviting with the tiniest hint of florals and the same of cloves. I rubbed it out lightly and stuffed it into a bent meerschaum, lit easily and was rewarded with a stunning bowl from top to bottom. Required one relight and burned to a clean, white ash with no dottle. As soon as I finished the bowl I could have easily smoked another straight off. The taste is similar to St. Bruno without the engine oil. Very satisfying, full flavour of excellent Virginia's. I love my heavily cased Lakeland blends but I couldn't detect any soap or much of the florals in this and the clove is added in such a way that it showcases the Virginia's rather than overpowers them. Absolutely no tongue bite or gurgling with this one. I can easily see this being an all day smoke for me with a little time between bowls as the nic content is about right for me. I think this would appeal to those who find Ennerdale or Grasmere flake a bit too "Lakeland" this is a quality tobacco and I will be keeping a good stock in my cellar. I found the room note very pleasant indeed. 10/10 from me. An absolutely stellar blend! If you try it and don't like your first bowl then try it in a meerschaum : a marriage made in heaven!

Gawith Hoggarth - Bosun Cut Plug

Retyped: 29/04/'2021.

This has REALLY grown on me!

It arrives as a broken flake, sometimes the pouch includes a quarter that needs no rubbing but can be loaded straight in. The moisture's usually acceptable, being loosely pouched it can air.

The smoke has a strong floral, Lakeland, topping. With a few pinches of spice. This topping beats the tobaccos to first place. There's some gentle Va 'hay' and a bit of rugged Burley, but no 'strong' tobacco flavours. It burns excellently, giving a cool smoke. A bite-free smoke.

Nicotine: strong. Room-note: strong!

Bosun Cut Plug? A great blend. Highly recommended:

Four stars.

Floral and Rose Geranium dominant I get every time I retro-hale... Ahh what a surprise I get on every re-light Floral and rose which is unusual for most of the tobaccos upon re-ignite but that clove gives some bitterness which is I'm not fan of. Flakes are well broken with little to no moisture and ready to pack lights easily doesn't need many relights. All in all a very pleasant evening smoke with a little nic hit. If I buy it again... Yes I will!

Good stuff! I find it strong, but not with the wallop that Dark Flake delivers. The expected cigar note didn't come through during the smoke, there was just fire-cured spice supporting the overall taste; it and the taste of clove is just barely there. Satisfying and full, either this or, the next step up in strength, Coniston deliver what I want from a scented Virginia Flake: lots of tobacco taste with the topping just livening up the experience.

For those who might be scared off by such things, I can add that not in a month of Sundays would I ever have guessed that there is floral component to the topping. But, what do I know?

Just like the Ennerdale Flake, I like this blend for its strength and fullness. Bosun Cut Plug is stronger and less fragrant than Ennerdale, and the kind of aroma is quite different here. I like its smell, it draws in my imagination a colonial-goods shop of old: spices, precious oils, tobaccos straight from around the world and a cloud of unfamiliar but intriguing aromas. I reach for this tobacco when I feel I want to change the pace from my usual VaPers, DFC and Kentuckies with no compromise in regard of strength. Highly recommended.

This GH Lakeland is between their Grasmere Flake and Ennerdale Flake (both of which I like very much) in many ways. In terms of the various Lakelands, it has more going on and is more pronounced than Grasmere, but not as much or as strongly scented as Ennerdale. It is also between the two in N.

The sample of 'cut plug' I had looked mostly like somewhat shredded flake, which is how most flakes look when I load them in any event. It lit well, smoked slow. Given the current difficulty in getting Grasmere in the US, I would imagine I'll be turning to this once my jars of GF run out.