Samuel Gawith Pensioners Mixture- FVF & BBF Off Cuts

This description comes from GQ Tobaccos’ website: “Every time Samuel Gawith produce on their large cakes (plugs), they have to cut off the rough edges. Rather than wasting these ‘off cuts’, they store them up and sell out as a 'Pensioners Mixture’. This tobacco is not as refined as the usual tobaccos from the Iconic Kendal factory, but offer a high quality smoke for less money than the cheap shags made for supermarkets.”

In this case, Full Virginia Flake and Best Brown Flake are the tobacco off cuts mixed together. The light spice, rich earthy, dark fruit sweetness from FVF meld perfectly with the mildly tangy, creamy, citrus, bread, light grass, dried fruit taste of Best Brown Flake. The contrast of how each blend is processed is more obvious at different times, and often work together in the same puff. In any event, the Best Brown does smooth out the few rough edges of the Full Virginia Flake.

Experienced smokers of these tobaccos can look into the bag or pouch and discern which flake is which, and one could “stack the deck” as to how they load the pipe to emphasize one tobacco over the other. I prefer to balance it all out so I can basically get the flavors of both in every puff. No matter how you decide to pack your pipe, you will get the flavors of both Virginias during the smoke. Requires some relights. The nic-hit is just past being mild. Burns slow, clean and cool with very little moisture in the bowl, you get the best qualities of both tobaccos every time. Has a pleasant after taste and room note, and can be an all day smoke.

-JimInks

Samuel Gawith - Pensioners Mix-FVF & BBF Off Cuts.

It's a shame that this comes in a loose pouch as I feel it's of a high enough standard to warrant having a decent tin all of its own. The mix comprises some fairly hefty pieces of flake that need a good rub prior to smoking. The moment I have mine lit I'm besotted, it really is a superb smoke!

The flavour is a very full Virginia one. There isn't any of that cedar like taste on my pallet but more of a straightforward Virginia flavour. I notice a subtle sweetness comes through after about ten minutes of smoking, it's not a cheap aromatic false type but a natural one with a creamy note also. I find that this burns great all the way through but the only issue is it can become slightly warm if it's puffed with too much vigor. Not hot just a tad warm so gentle sips aren't necessarily needed, instead I just avoid majorly stressing my smoking technique. Nicotine? Ahh, perfect, the quantity can be covered by one word... medium! I find the room note quite full and it has a sort of oaty quality to it as well. Consider though, it generates a lot of smoke in the atmosphere so either open a window, go outside or smoke it alone! As there are a good quantity of larger flakes in there some can remain un-burn't at the end unless they have been properly smoked/prepared.

When I purchased this I didn't expect to be particularly impressed by it but after a few bowls I am overjoyed with it! My only problem is I think it deserves a good name and a decent tin!

Four stars.

I got this one as part of a recent online order, I only got 25g as I was hesitant about the quality.

The tobacco is by and large dark with odd dashes of gold, it is a mixture of broken flake and larger slabs of flake. It packs and lights easily. The flavour is something dark, earthy and savoury. I'm not sure if meaty is applicable but it's certainly in that area. There is also hints of a good port that has had all it's sweetness removed. Very nice and very hard not to load up another bowl.

I am not sure what I was expecting from this tobacco, but that is probably just as well, expectations can lead to disappointments. I've not tried BBF but I do struggle to pick up any influences from the FVF. However, it is a very good tobacco that is a couple of quid cheaper per 50g than the vast majority of other UK tobaccos. I only wish I had plumped for 50g instead.

I'm inclined to agree with StevieB, this tobacco deserves a name and its own tin. I got this a couple of years ago, tinned it and promptly forgot about it. I'd crammed 100 grams into a 50 gram tin, as is my wont and over time, as it was moist when I got it, it solidified into a hard brick, now as it came in a plastic bag, the bag also went into the tin. The tobacco is now so solid that I'm afraid if I try to pull it out, I'll just end up with a lump of plastic bag in my hand. Anyway, having pried some of this apart I filled a large billiard, lit with a single match, I gently puff away, there is at first a slight floral note from the best brown and probably having been to near to the Gawith and Hogarth offerings, but this soon settles down into a really nice smooth smoke with the full Virginia content edging to the fore. This really is a good tobacco with a nice change of pace from my usual fare of straight Virginia, the best brown adding a bit more taste and flavour. This could easily become an all day smoke and one that I will be going back to on a regular basis.