Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Brown Irish X

This is a very strong tobacco in the Nic department. I like this blend because i can have a small bowl of it in a short amount of time and afterward i feel like i smoked a large bowl of Nightcap. Perfect for a lunch break at work! I don't like it as much as the coconut twist because it doesn't have that slight sweetness I find I have come to like about the Coconut twist, Other than that it's virtually the same exact tobacco. I can see myself mixing a small amount of this with some aromatics that are on the weak side to kick them up a notch. It does have a little cigar type of flavor to it but it's not too overpowering. Also be sure to rub it out good and let it dry a little and it will burn good with a re-light or 2. I'm giving it 2 stars because I like the slightly topped versions of this blend a little more than this one.

Out of the jar the "tin" note is pretty rank. Not pleasant at all , but one gets used to it

Cut some 1/8"-3/16" coins, usually takes 2 to fill a bowl, then unraveled the coins and shredded them by hand. The tobacco comes quite moist , so letting it dry for 30 minutes is really helpful in keeping it lit. Even so, it will take several relights at the beginning to get it going.

Once it's lit be prepared for a big surprise as the flavor and smell of the smoke is Completely Different from that of the raw tobacco. Smoke is rich and creamy with first the Burly coming through and then as the bowl progresses an intense Virginia sweetness. There is nothing delicate or subtle about this smoke. Just a blast of tobacco flavors. Burns to an ash with maybe a few crispies. Not a wet smoke if puffed at a reasonable rate. No bite at all.

It's a great end of the day smoke for those who want a strong tobacco but don't favor strong Latakia blends.

Nicotine is noticeable to this experienced smoker( as in you'll feel the nicotine spiciness in your mouth) so newer smoker should probably approach with caution.

I like the smell but would rate the room note strong.

I've noted no ghosting with this in various meerschaums.

This tobacco is stupid smooth. As other reviewers have stated, this rope smokes cold, tasty and sneaks up with a strong nic hit. The flavour for me moves between sweet and grassy, smooth and nutty and very earthy. First smoke get I cut half a dozen coins 1/8" thick and let them dry for halfa. Could have given some more time to dry, took many matches to get going, but once on fire stayed lit with a steady cadence. Don't be scared of the strength, but be careful. If you are unused to strong blends, don't have this rope as your 3rd or 4th bowl of the day - and this mix is well worth putting off some daily bowls for. I am superbly impressed by this smoke. Smooth, tasty, interesting and strong. Peace to pipe smokers!

No doubt about it, this is very strong English tobacco. But for whatever reason I get along get along with it just fine, especially as an occasional nightcap. Of all the unflavored Brown rope tobaccos I have sampled, I have to say that this is probably my favorite.

The Virginias used in Brown Irish X have a slightly sweet tone that balance well with the woody, smoky flavor characteristics of the stout air & fired cured burleys. And as long as this one is sipped, the flavor can and often will reach the point of becoming moderately complex, with notes of cedar wood and cigar coming through in the side stream. The smoke is creamy and piquant, especially in the nose, and overall the nicotine strength is definitely there.

Keeping in mind that the thinner ropes tend to be stronger tasting, I found the flavor of the thicker Brown Irish X to be more approachable than both Happy Brown Bogie and Sam Gawith’s Brown No. 4, which to me both taste like they have a higher concentration of burley, and are less sweet as a result.

Well the first rope tobacco I ever tried was a brand I bought in a podunk town in Tennessee. I think it was called King Bee. It was advertised as a chew, but I thought why not in a pipe. The word duh, comes to mind. I cut off a piece and packed it in a Grabow. The taste was reminiscent of burning cardboard. Not a pleasant experience, to say the least. But I thought I'd try this one based on all of the good reviews. What a huge difference. This stuff is strong but smooth, and very tasty. Some of you have said that they detected burley in this, but I'm primarily a burley smoker for many years, and I don't taste any burley. It's definitely Virginias, and they are outstanding. Sweet, mellow, and then the nic socks you a good left hook. Go slow and easy, and you can duck the rest of the punches. Not an all day smoke, but it's a great wake up treat, that goes really well with some strong black coffee. I say go for it, you might be pleasantly surprised...

I've been dying to try this blend for some time now. So i ordered some up, and once it arrived I gave it a week or so in the jar before setting fire to it. Preparation was cutting it into thin coins and allowing it to dry for about 30 minutes in a shallow dish. This seemed to be all it needed for proper combustion because it burnt and smoked easily, only needing a few quick relights.

Earthy, somewhat grassy, and even some sweetness can be expected if you don't push it too much. Light sips in a medium to small bowl will bring you a pleasant experience and won't bring on any harshness. Is there a heavy nic hit? Yes. Is this a full tobacco experience? Definitely. Yet if handled properly and respected, Brown Irish X is an absolute treat! One of my favorite tobaccos.

This is a tasty tobacco that provides for an awesome nicotine hit! I travel with this blend so when i have layovers or not much time to smoke, I smoke this. It's not flavorless. It has a nice burley flavor!

This was great stuff. It actually wasn't as strong as I had expected it to be, either in taste or nicotine content, but it is a good, clean, honest smoke.

Brown Irish X Unsliced [Twist];

Star Rating = 3.75;

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

Pouch Note = 10;

Room Note = 9;

Flavor = 10;

Bite = 10;

Burn = 10;

After Taste = 9;

Raw Score = 58;

Rated Percentage = 97%;

Comment = Smooth, Medium Strength, Full Body Natural Tobacco Flavor, slight After Taste, White Ash Burn.

If you are one who likes to “play” with your tobacco, by all means get this “Twist” form of tobacco, you can spend countless hours “Slicing, Dicing and Drying” this “Twist” tobacco before it is ready to smoke. I admit I am a lazy pipe smoker so I didn't find this necessary extra preparation exercise to be of any value to heighten my pipe smoking enjoyment. You had better have a sizable ignition source on hand because you are going to need a lot of BTU's to get this “Twist” tobacco to light. Once you achieve the first ignition you will need to have your best “Tamping Tool” at the ready to handle the endless re-packings and re-lights that this “Twist” form of tobacco requires. Perhaps you have detected that the “Twist” form of tobacco is not my “cup of tea”.