Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Curly Cut Deluxe

I'm not much of a straight virginia smoker but this stuff is nice.

Right out of the pack it's too moist for any pipe other than a Falcon imo. But even with ample drying it's still a bit bitey.

Flavor wise, there's definitely a bready note that others have mentioned, a nice naturally sweet Virginia, grass and some sharp fruit. The flavor progresses more to the bread the further down you smoke.

All in all good stuff.

The first thing I noticed trying this blend is that unlike other virginias, this one had flavor and taste from the start, and it continues all the way down. No way this does not have some burley in it though as it had too much nuttiness in it but it was very rich and dark and musky and I enjoyed it with hot tea and a good book. It needs a smaller heavily cake bowl to keep it tame as well as a slow relaxed smoke. It could hurt you if in a rush. The first few bowls of this I kept thinking this blend reminded me of something I used to like and finally it dawned on me. It tastes a lot like Amphora Brown which I smoked for years before they quit importing it to the US. Therefore I can see me keeping some of this on hand. It took a few lights to get it lit and then it burned all the way down to a grey ash. It has a sweet virginia sugar flavor and I never found myself trying to smoke it too fast to get taste like a lot of other virginia type blends. Add perique to it and it is delicious! I tend to like this makers tobaccos anyway and I have to say I enjoy this blend. Not four star because it is not their best blend, Rum Flake would be that. It is my favorite right now.

I bought two 100-gram pouches of this tobacco at an aged tobacco sale, barely making it in time. This blend is popular in Russia, and it sells out very quickly in its fresh form, despite the fact that its price range is higher than most of the SG/GH assortment. Both packs had markings from the seller indicating that the tobacco came to him in 2015. I don't know how different a fresh blend is from an aged one since, due to its high popularity, I've never had time to buy fresh packs.

Appearance: uneven " coins" the color of medium roasted coffee, each about a millimeter and a half thick. Some of the coins have crumbled, and certainly this sliced "twist" is very far from STG/Dunhill, McConnell or Mac Baren coins. The color of the tobacco is even, with no flecks. The tobacco dries fairly quickly, so there's no need to dry it out, you have to knead and stuff it without delay. I dropped a few coins out of the bag to examine and smell them, and within 5 minutes the tobacco was already dry.

The bouquet of tobacco scents is uncomplicated: hay, fresh grain wheat, a slightly sweet scent similar to cinnamon, a little bit of aged fruit. I don't know if the cinnamon note is a slight introduction of Lakeland, which SG is so fond of, or if it's the tobacco's own scent. Either way, the smell is simple but harmonious.

I picked up a medium-sized Peterson System pipe, kneaded the tobacco, stuffed the pipe, and smoked it. In the process of kneading I came across twisted leaves the size of a pinky fingernail in the cut, which again confirmed the sloppy cut that the English manufacturer is so "famous" for.

The initial taste of the tobacco is quiet, but clearly recognizable bread, with some sweetness, to which there was a malty note. The flavor is completely uncomplicated, but pleasant enough, if it weren't for the slight harshness. I like simple Virginia, and this was also very well fermented. The tobacco doesn't bite, but it doesn't really get soft until the middle of the pipe, turning into the usual mix of different Virginia. Towards the end of the pipe there is a subtle tang, similar to orange zest. It smokes cool and quite slowly. The strength is about average, but the nicotine hit passed me by. The tobacco has very little tar and moisture, burns into a smooth fine ash of medium gray color.

The smoke from tobacco has almost the same smell, and despite its lightness, it is quite persistent - when I walked the dog and left the room to air, I came back an hour later, I could still smell the tobacco.

What can I say, overall? First of all, I'll leave the second bag alone for a few years. Natural Virginia, not treated with any "preservatives" like propylene glycol - like a good whiskey, the more it lies, the better it gets. Even if the hermetically sealed bag dries out, the moisture can always be restored. Also, I haven't given up hope of buying a fresh bag of this tobacco to try so I can appreciate the difference that has happened to it over 6 years. As for a specific evaluation... In terms of evaluating mono blends, this tobacco is certainly inferior to such a bright representative as Capstan. However, it is very good.

As with my other reviews, this remains a work in progress and is as much for my own future reference as anything.

Smoking my first bowl of this in the final hour of Tuesday, June 29. As with most days, I’ve already smoked a great deal of tobacco today, so my palate isn’t as sharp as it tends to be earlier in the day. But here we go...

I received this generous sample of circa-2010 Curly Cut Deluxe, along with quite a few more decade old samples, from my new friend Jeff in Arkansas.

This is some nice stuff. This tastes like Newminster Superior Round Slices quite a bit to me, although a classier, more refined version. I imagine the lengthy cellaring played a part in this last part. I have a feeling it may also be similar to Three Nuns, although that’s one classic I have yet to sample. I’ve seen others compare the Newminster product I mentioned to Three Nuns. Therefore... you know.

One reviewer mentioned cashews, and I can absolutely see that. It’s definitely got a creamy, almost buttery sort of vibe. I like it a great deal, and honestly wish I had more of this vintage.

Another reviewer mentioned that it’s a great option for “auto pilot” (my term) smoking. Meaning, smoking while you’re focused on other matters. Well, I AM composing this while finishing my first bowl, and still enjoying it immensely.

Will I buy this in the future? Probably. I’ve been buying a LOT of tobacco this year. I’ve finally reached a point where I have enough socked away, so I can now be a little more deliberate in my purchases.

But Gawith Hoggarth product tends to go fast when it’s released, and I love a LOT of GH blends, particularly the flakes. Is CCD the first GH blend on my want list? I don’t think so... it’s too soon to say for certain.

But I’d definitely recommend it to Virginia smokers and especially those who find they like Lakeland blends.

This one may be a sleeper hit, folks. The years have been kind to this one.

Edit 9 July 2021: Okay, having finished my sample of Curly Cut Deluxe, I can safely that it WILL be at or near the top of my list the next time GH drops. But it’s not because of the way it smokes when fresh.

Not long after writing my initial review, I noticed on one of the pipe smoker forums that someone was offering a small quantity of CCD for trade. I jumped on the offer, and received it yesterday.

I can safely say that fresh stock CCD is not ready for prime time. I had my newly acquired not quite two ounce stash in a jar before finishing my first bowl.

There wasn’t anything necessarily wrong with it... it just wasn’t the senses pleasing “smoking a bowl of roasted buttered cashews” experience I’ve fallen in love with.

So I’ll try it again around Thanksgiving or Christmas and report back. Here’s hoping it doesn’t take a whole decade to make it in the neighborhood of what I seek. I know from experience that Luxury Bullseye Flake starts improving nicely in as little as three months of cellaring.

As usual with my reviews ... stay tuned!

Curley Cut Delux Sliced;

Star Rating = 3.5;

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

Pouch Note = 9;

Room Note = 9;

Flavor = 8;

Bite = 9;

Burn = 9;

After Taste = 9;

Raw Score = 53;

Rated Percentage = 88%;

Comment = Smooth, Mild, has a Danish type Flavor like Amphora Regular.

Nice 'old time' flavor, a little nutty, maybe just a touch of lakeland essence, just an all around smooth pleasant smoke. dont expect anything too strong or exciting just a nice mellow virginia with perhaps some burley (?).. seems to be lightly flavored

12-24-2004 An excellent "Breakfast" Blend

Appearance and Aroma: When I first saw this blend, I was put off by the "coins" similar to Escudo and MacBaren's (so-called)Latakia blend. The former made me sick, and the latter burned my tongue no matter how I smoked it. After considering the quality of GH's other blends, I decided to give this one a whirlanyway. It smelled earthy and slightly perfumed, not at all like the previous blends mentioned.

Packing and lighting: I enjoyed staking the "coins" and rubbing out just a little on top. The blend had been sitting at my tobacconist for some time, so it was fairly dry. Lit 2-3 lights max.

Initial Flavor: Surprise! Mellow and earthy, yummmm. Reminded me of "Old Gowrie" but with a little more depth.

Mid-Bowl: The perfume is noticable at this point, but very much in the background. Similar oatishness to OG. This is a tasty tobac!

Bottom of Bowl: A slight increase of strength, the perfume recedes even more. You are left with a clean aftertaste. The ash is fine and light gray.

Overall: As I mentioned at the beginning, this is a good first pipe of the day blend. I prefer it to Old Gowrie or Picadilly. Tongue-bite is not a problem, nicotine is low too. The flavor of the tobac is complex for a mid-strength tobac and is in the mid to low end of the flavor spectrum. The room note was particularly liked by the ladies at my office, which was a surprise. While this one won't replace Marlin Flake or Blackwoods Flake, I will definitely keep some of this around for the mornings.

Ratiing: 4 out of 5 Points, enjoy...

Well, if you are like me, there are some tobaccos you like from the get go and your opinion of them never wavers. Then there are others that you know you don?t like before finishing a bowl. There are still others that you initially like but later discover you don?t care for and tobaccos that don?t initially impress but grow on you. CC Deluxe fell into the latter category for me.

I was ready to give up on CCD after a couple of bowls but to give it a fair trial I finished my stash. It does have the classic Lakeland soapy/floral flavor but it was not overwhelming nor was it always present. I grew to enjoy this taste as a change from other, all too similar VA blends. The only negative I found is that the charring light and relight can be a bit acrid and harsh, typical of many VA blends but very pronounced in CCD. But once there is a good ?fire in the hole? and an even ash, this tobacco blooms into a nice, flavorful sweet smoke to the bottom of the bowl with nary a bite. As such, I call this a ?storm before the calm? tobacco.? I aired it out a bit as it was too moist for me. I won?t smoke it all the time but for a nice change of pace it will be a go to blend.

I rate this tobacco 7.9 out of 10

It is one of my favorite summer tobaccos. Truly pure straight Virginia with no additives. Before lighting, tobacco smells like black bread or dried tomatoes. After opening the 2-year-old tin, the contents are still very moist, as is usually the case with SGs. The last time I smoked it was just recently after opening and it still held a higher than optimal humidity.
Even so, it is a very pleasant smoking tobacco. Especially on hot summer days, when one is not in the mood for smoky heavy latakia, a little pure virginia comes in handy. The tobacco is not extra strong, in the nicotine sense, and if smoked sparingly, it doesn\'t tend to bite either.
The smoke is nice, not extra thick, slightly yellowish, and smells nice like any natural virginia with a slight hint of walnuts.
Even though I smoked it probably wetter than it should have been, it burned well, consistently, long and evenly once lit. Grinding a slightly coarser cut into individual fibers will also help the balanced experience.
It has become my favorite tobacco, especially for the summer season and for situations when a person wants to indulge in a lighter smoke influenced by no additives. I recommend letting it dry slightly just before smoking.
Similar: 3 Nuns yellow?