Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Coniston Cut Plug

I really like CCP. It's a scented flake that will not appeal to everyone, but strikes me just right. The strong scenting burns away for the most part during the first third of the bowl and then plays quietly with the great tobacco flavor until the end of the bowl. CCP is fairly strong, so some caution is needed.

Probably due to its strength, I don't smoke it everyday. But when I'm in the mood for a strong, flavorful tobacco, nothing hits the spot like CCP. It's made from high quality tobaccos processed in the traditional Lake District manner.

If your looking for a subtle Virginia, steer clear of CCP. It's straight forward and strong. It's great for smoking outdoors, particularly when your attention is not completely focused on smoking. CCP seldom needs a relight and smokes great to the bottom of the bowl with little attention from the smoker. I always have some at hand.

Do you like strong, highly floral, monotonous tobacco blends? If so, give this a try. I personally prefer to have my roses in a vase, my urinal puck in a bathroom and my sharpness in a cigarette (which I then will choose not to smoke).

British tobacco rope enthusiasts may enjoy this. But not me.

No cheers.

Unfortunately this stuff has changed, flavouring is the same but is applied in lesser quantities. The real gamechanger here is the change of Dark Fired leaf. It used to be very bold, earthy, leathery spicy. Now DFK are much more mellow mild, there's some leather and chocolate there. It really is quite similar to the new version of SG 1792 flake. Coniston used to be a 4 star smoke, now I'm dropping it to 3 because it lost it's initial appeal, but it's still quality tobacco and someone will surely love it as it is. I can't really blame G&H for making changes to the blend because the demand for their tobaccos has skyrocketed.

Smoking notes: Lakeland blends are difficult for me to break apart in terms of different flavors. Coniston Plug is the heaviest in terms of Lakeland, but it's definitely dominated by perfume/soap/floral notes. Added to that is a hint of smoke, black pepper, and some earthiness. Despite the advertised heavy Dark Fired Kentucky, though (75%??), I don't get that much of it and never would've guessed the high amount.

This tin is 1.5 years old. I prepare the tobacco to be the cut and moisture level that I like. Then it's easy to pack and smoke. Smokes at slow-medium pace with minimal relights. Might be a bit too Lakeland-heavy for an all day smoke for most people, but those who like it could definitely smoke this anytime they like. No tongue bite.

Halfway through, I either get used to the perfumy essence, or that it melds into the smoke. In any case, I'm left with a more balanced sweet/smoke note.

Medium in body, mild-medium in strength.

To sum-up, it's a nice blend overall, but I get the feeling that some of Gawith Hoggarth are just too similar for me, especially when most of what I get is Lakeland. Considering that a couple of other similar blends are just a little more balanced and sweet, I'd give this one two stars. However, don't let that mislead you - this is worth trying, just not at the top of my list.

P.S. I don't consider Lakeland a flavoring, but rather a signature casing. Therefore, I don't consider this an aromatic blend and won't include it in the "flavoring strength" category.

I do not do many reviews. I have been smoking 3 years and have learned much and I have honed in my tastes better. This year 2023 after watching The Pedalling Piper and Beans316 I decided to try some G&H blends. I have been doing head to head (2 pipes with 3/4 bowls) comparing blends real time and choosing the one I like more. I recently matched up Coniston Cut Plug with Dark Birdseye and then Amphora Kentucky. My pallet prefers sweeter than not so my final ranking is 1) Coniston, 2) Amphora, 3) Dark Birds Eye.

Honestly all have a distinct flavor that I can enjoy but the first 2 will be in my cellar long term. The Amphora is slightly sweeter but stronger in the dark fired, the Coniston has burley and Lakeland/Floral that rounds it out and makes it more complex. I cannot describe all of the nuances that other more experienced reviewers do, but I can state that for a dark fired blend it is smooth, slightly sweet, and has a pleasant aftertaste.

Nicotine does not get to me unless I smoke 2 large or 3 medium bowls so to me the nicotine is medium.

If you are interested in trying the GH blends then Coniston Cut plug is a good place to start. If it’s too strong for you then skip most of the others.

Not personally detecting any Lakeland essence with this one; baby powder or what have you from other’s reviews I’ve tried it once folded and stuffed and now trying it rubbed out, Also expected it to hit me harder. Probably worth noting I’m relatively new to Lakeland blends, having only tried a tin of Ennerdale Flake prior Still on the fence about this one. I purchased a 1oz sample on a whim so I’ll have to try a couple more bowls. It’s a nice tobacco; Not bad my any means, just not sure that it’s anything noteworthy or worthy of a repeat buy.

Package note of lakeland, tangy fruit, and spices. Tobacco is a broken flake of reddish dark brown. Moisture content is great, pieces rub out with a little effort. Burns slow with a few extra relights. The strength is medium to strong and nic is medium to strong. Flavoring is mild to medium, with notes of Floral Essences and Other/Misc. I detected tonquin/lakeland, and there was definitely an added sweet. Both dropped to the background with in the first 1/4, with the sweet hanging out a little longer than the tonquin/lakeland. Taste is medium to full and mostly consistent, with notes of tonquin/lakeland, spices, mildly smoky, wood, sugar, floral, tangy dark fruit, peaty vegetation, cocoa, molasses, savory, bread, orange peel/zest, earth, slight spicy, a sweet nutty and grassy background note, and a very peppery retro. Virginia is leading with Dark Fired and Burley supporting. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.

Cómo es de rigor en estás revisiones lo primero que hay que señalar es que los Lakeland no tienen termino medio: o te gustan o los aborreces. En mi caso hay algunos que no terminan nunca de enamorarme y en principio habría que decir que casi ninguno son tabacos para todo el día. Para aquellos que aborrecen estás mezclas me gustaría decir que, más allá de la subjetividad de los gustos, las labores de gawith & hoggarth me merecen el mayor de los respetos ya que está es una casa centenaria que sigue elaborando sus mezclas de la misma exacta manera, en el mismo sitio y con las mismas maquinarias desde finales del 1800. Escencialmente famosos por su rapé hoy han recuperado para sí a su hermana gemela Samuel gawith, lo cual me parece también una buena noticia (incluso están intentando sembrar su propio tabaco). Coniston es una de sus famosas mezclas. Un plug de virginias y burley cortado el flake, con buena humedad y aroma herbáceo y floral. Es una mezcla fuerte que se quema muy lenta y requiere varios reencendidos. No produce demasiada humedad, tien un sabor pleno y una nota de habitación típica de las clásicas labores británicas de antaño. Yo la siento bastante próxima al Bosun y junto al Enerdale son las que más me gustan de esta casa.

Hi everyone have a question regards coniston cut plug keeping it very short..has anyone mixed this baccy with similar bacs like Irish flake or enerdale. I would love to hear about such mixing I hope I'm not off thread here but I'm new to these forum's I'm getting to old to take the chance on doing it myself without maybe someone's help regards coniston plug it's the plain English not the aromatic one l have always stuck with Irish flake to be honest but bought a tin of coniston cut plug it's not worlds away from Irish flake or enerdale so was wondering what the mixture ratios would work if at ALL work so to speak thanks sorry about waffeling on Mr Bob UK