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All New Pipes
Patrick S.
Reviews
Gawith Hoggarth & Co. - Black Bogie Twist
500 Gram Box Perspective.
Before I begin, please read this in its entirety as I feel it's important. I've had Black Irish X and Black Twist Sliced on numerous occasions and I loved it. Both BIX and BTS taste the same so I figured I'd get a 500 gram box but in the Bogie size for easier storage because I was limited on mason jars and BIX would take too much space as it is larger in diameter. When I got the 500 gram box and took off the sealed plastic I was greeted by an odor that can be described as putrid, offensive, and acrid. My stomach dropped. This wasn't the aroma I had previously experienced of smoky, earthy sweetness! With great trepidation, I sliced a few coins from the twist as thinly as I could get them because I remembered some blends have a tin note that isn't indicative of the smoke. So I rubbed out the coins, let it dry for about 20 minutes, and filled my pipe. I nervously lit my pipe and expected the worst but I was greeted by the same wonderful taste as BIX and BTS! The notes reminiscent of fully rendered, buttery fat and peppery charred meat came shining through and I was relieved. I should note that there is a bit of creamy sweetness which weaves throughout and I thoroughly enjoy it. Another reviewer commented that he could taste Crisco but my taster couldn't pick up on that so YMMV. As for the tin note: after some time in the jar, that acrid and offensive odor has transformed into what I came to expect of BIX and BTS. Maybe it just needed to be out of its original packaging? I don't know. What I do know is that this is an excellent smoke and I'm happy to have purchased it. If you enjoy dark and full-bodied tobaccos, purchase an ounce or two and give it a test drive.
Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - B. J. Long Pipe Cleaners - B Coil 52' Extra Fluffy
Peterson System Pipes: A Must Have!
These pipe cleaners make cleaning your System pipe an absolute breeze. The pipe cleaner is absorbent as all get-out and left behind next to no fuzz and despite being so fluffy, you absolutely CAN use this to clean the stem by going through the aperture on the P-Lip. Additionally and for the reason why I purchased these in the first place, they clean the reservoirs of the System effortlessly and soak up all that moisture with ease. For those of you who do use P-Lip stems, you know it can be difficult at times to get a cleaner through there but it went in effortlessly and without any scratching to the inside of the stem. The pipe cleaner is strong while being flexible and the wire did not bend. I had been using BJ Long Tapered pipe cleaners but I am now making the switch to these as the Tapered cleaners left behind a great deal of fuzz and the wires in cleaner are too flexible and bend out of shape. Buy these! You will not regret it.
Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - Savinelli Magic Cloth
It Works!
As the title states, it works! It won't give you the luster that a pipe fresh out of the box provides, but it will give your pipe a good sheen that makes the grain stand out. I use mine after a few smokes or so and I've found that it works best when the stummel is still slightly warm. I also use this on my Forge de Laguiole Calumet pipe tool as the scales are made of briar and it does a wonderful job making it look like the functional art piece it was designed to be. I will certainly buy this again.
HU - Khoisaan 100g
Exceeded Expectations.
This is the first English blend I've had where I immediately fell in love with it and I don't say that lightly as I've never really gotten along with English blends. This is a totally different animal and I think where Khoisaan stands out above the rest is by adding Dark Fired Kentucky and Fire Cured Virginia. There is a certain body to this smoke that I find other English blends lacking. While Latakia is the predominant leaf in this mixture, it doesn't overtake the other tobaccos. I found this mixture to be quite woody, smoky, spicy, and creamy with sweetness that pops in and out. Out of all the English blends I've smoked, this will be my go-to when I want an English and I plan to buy more so as to cellar it. I have a feeling this will age beautifully.
Gawith Hoggarth & Co. - Coniston Cut Plug
Great Quality
Upon first light I tasted something extremely sweet. After the charring light I tasted the Lakeland profiles which lasted throughout most of the bowl until the last third. From there on out it was more of the traditional tobacco taste that I love. This tobacco isn't quite for me and I ordered it just to see what the Lakeland buzz was about. I figured that I don't care for it but regardless, this is an excellent tobacco and I can understand how people would enjoy it based on the components. If you like Lakelands, give this a try. If you haven't tried them yet, then give this a go. The florals weren't super strong but present enough to let you know they are there.
Gawith Hoggarth & Co. - Whisky Twist
Slice Thinly.
I have found that if you slice this as thin as possible (akin to a shag cut when rubbed out) I am able to keep this lit a little better. I let it dry out for 30 minutes and do the gravity method for packing the pipe. This is a strong tobacco no doubt. The whisky is there but isn't over powering. It's a dark tobacco with a heavy mouthfeel but there is sweetness lingering about. Certainly one of my favorites.
Tabac de la Semois - Reserve du Patron 3.5oz
A Better Burley.
Semois is a variant of burley and in my opinion it is better than it when smoked straight. There is certainly a cigar-like quality to it and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've seen reviews where people have stated this is for the experienced smoker but pay no mind to that. I'm a novice and have just gotten into the hobby this year and I've been able to enjoy this quite a bit. My advice and like many others have stated: pack it tight and smoke it slowly. This tobacco comes bone dry and it is meant to be that dry! It's a lovely tobacco and if you enjoy cigars or tobaccos with nutty flavors with slight sweetness, then I absolutely recommend this. I've found that this smokes best in my Peterson 999 Deluxe in Terracotta. A lovely combination.
Peterson - Irish Flake 50g
A Gentleman's Tobacco.
This has a lot of body to it. There is a slight smokiness to the flavor mixed in with the sweetness of the Virginia and the nuttiness of the Burley. I rub it out and let it dry for about 30 min-1 hour. I found this particular blend to smoke best in my Peterson 408 Spigot.
Samuel Gawith - 1792 Flake 50g
Dark & Sweet
A good, strong tobacco with subtle sweetness. The tonquin is vanilla-adjacent and is stronger in the tin-note than in the actual smoke itself. To me this is a good tobacco when smoking around others who don't care for smoke. The scent is welcoming and I appreciate that because I don't like aromatics but this is a full-strength tobacco with the aromatic smell. That's a win in my book.
Two Friends - English Chocolate 2oz
Subtle & Cozy
The flavor is subtle to me and while I'm not the biggest fan of Latakia, it plays quite nicely in this blend. The smokiness isn't overbearing, the Virginias are sweet, and the chocolate is there but is only noticeable just enough. I found that I had to rub this out a little bit for my pipe sizes and I let air dry for 10-15 minutes.
Gawith Hoggarth & Co. - Kendal Dark
Good & Strong
My palette is not refined and I am unable to pick up on the nuances many are able to speak on. However, I can tell you that this is good quality tobacco: strong and delicious. It's a bit dark, heavy on the mouthfeel, and has a certain sweetness which comes and goes throughout the smoke. I paired it for the first time with a dark roasted coffee this morning and it was sublime. It brought me back to a time when a younger version of myself would stay up until the early hours with friends no longer here and we'd drink coffee, smoke our cigarettes, and talk about life and the mysteries surrounding it. Make no mistake: this does not taste like cigarettes! It merely reminded me of those times. If you enjoy strong tobaccos which pair well with coffee, then I suggest you check this out. Since it is a shag cut, I recommend packing it tighter than you normally would so that it doesn't burn too fast. Sip this instead of drag it. It has a tendency to get hot and when it does, I have found that it becomes slightly acrid. My favorite pipe to smoke this in is a Peterson 150 Spigot.
Lighters - IM Corona Pipe Lighter - Old Boy Brass Arabesque
Exceeded Expectations.
Face it. This lighter is expensive and there's no getting around that. If you're on the fence about this lighter, I highly encourage you to go ahead and buy it anyway. The lighter is made of quality materials, is quite durable, and the Arabesque pattern provides a great deal of texture so it won't slide out of your hand. The biggest benefit of this lighter is the angle in which the flame comes out. I have issues with my hands and as such Bic's and Zippo's are uncomfortable and, at times, painful to use. This lighter is the perfect solution to those problems from the weight, shape, and angle of flame. Buy once; cry once. I bit the bullet and I'm happy I did!
