Pipe Tobacco Sampler: 10g of each tobacco
(Please Note each tobacco comes in a 10g loose pouch)
Here we have a 10g sample of all of the 11 tobaccos announced for Blend Club 2019. The tobacco for September will not be picked until nearer the time. A great way to sample a wide range of different tobaccos. Join the Facebook group "2019 Blend Club" Where you can post and read others reviews about these tobaccos, also a great place to have pipe and tobacco related conversations with like minded people.
Tobaccos:
Samuel Gawith 1792 (10g)
Another one of iconic flakes from Samuel Gawith, 1792 is steamed flake with a top dressing of Tonquin. High grade dark fired Tanzanian leaf is hand stripped and steamed. The leafs are cold pressed in 12" blocks for a few hours, this holds the "Cake" together for the next stage. The cakes are loaded into a steam press and cooked for about 3 more hours, the tobacco is left cool and rest. After this sort aging period the tobacco is given a top dressing of Tonquin, before being cut ready to smoke.
The resulting tobacco is rich, with a earthy, leather flavour that is velvety smooth with a sweet side thanks to the added Tonquin. Think of this as a sweet treat for the lovers of a dark and strong Virginia & Kentucky type tobaccos. Like a premium quality Nicaraguan cigar with the Maduro wrapper, all the power included. This is a very strong tobacco and not for everyone, those new to the pipe, should start a little lighter.
"Dark-fired leaf hot pressed and cut into a 6" flake before adding a dressing of Tonquin flavour. A full strength, full flavoured tobacco." - From Samuel Gawith Website
Charatan Flake 10g
A traditional flake cut tobacco, comprising of the highest quality Virginia leaves carefully balanced with bronzed and heavy bodied virginias. Finished with a special flavour providing a delicate spice aroma.
In 1863 Frederick Charatan, opened a shop in Mansell Street, London where he began to carve Meerschaum pipes. These got very popular very quickly and Charatan moved to a bigger workshop in Prescott street. Here he began to make the briar pipes that made the name Charatan World famous. on the retirement of his father in 1910 Reuben Charatan took over the family business and the business was wholly owned by the Charatan family until 1960.
During the noughties, Dunhill tobacco of London, through the House of Edgeworth introduced a range of Charatan cigars, manufactured exclusively for the UK cigar smoker. However British American Tobacco (Dunhill Tobacco of London) made the decision in December 2016 to withdraw from the hand made cigar and pipe tobacco market in 2017.
So to combat this announcement Tor Imports made a successful approach to purchase the Charatan brand from Dunhill Tobacco of London allowing them to keep the brand alive.
Tor started work to launch a Charatan Pipe Tobacco with their Global pipe tobacco manufacturer in 2017 to create and test replica blends with the pipe clubs around Europe and the UK with a view to introducing a brand new range of Pipe tobaccos on exhaustion of the current stock of the Dunhill range. It took months before they were happy that they had achieved the blends to be as close a possible
Rattrays Old Gowrie
Old Gowire is often considered as Hal O'The Wynd Light, comprised of a Virginia's with a hint of Perique and Kentucky. Skilfully balanced to produce a natural smoke, packed with grassy Virginia's flavours, with the Perique providing a subtle fig note. Produced as a broken flake using very high quality tobaccos, a classic blend. The Kentucky keeps the blend cool and adds a little spine to be mix. Great for fans of straight Virginia or VaPer (Virginia & Perique) blends.
Holger Danske Royal Navy Flake
Like all good Navy Flakes, the Holger Danske Royal Navy Flake doesn’t disappoint. A beautiful blend of high quality, flue cured Virginia is hot pressed with the addition a light fruit topping. This adds very little to the main flavour profile of gold Virginias, just adds a little subtly here and there.
From the tin the distinct aroma of hay with a little zestiness, which comes with all high grade Virginia flake is released. The slightly drier flakes (compared to English Manufactures) make for easy packing and smoking. If supped slowly this light tobacco carries a hay flavour with citrus in harmony all the way through.
Lighter Virginia flakes are one of the best for laying down for aging. Over time this tobacco will take on a more mellowed and richer flavour. The hay and citrus tones will be replaced with more woody and nutty flavour. These tobaccos age for up to and over 30 years, if left sealed in the tin and stored in a cool, dry place.
Robert Lewis Orcilla Mixture 10g
A classic Oriental blend, built on a mature Virginia base with some wonderful Oriental flavours. Starts off with a smooth start with the sweetness from the Virginias, once the pipe is going the unmistakeable Turkish flavour come through. No Latakia in this one, its not needed, the Turkisha and other orientals work well to create a unique smoke. Ages stunningly and gets a little more spicy with age.
The mixture isnt strong or overpowering, making this an ideal "Breakfast Blend"
Once blended in the Robert Lewis (now JJ Fox) shop and now produced by Kohlhase & Kopp in Germany. One of the only Cigar Leaf factory blends on sale in the UK.
Gawith & Hoggarth Louisiana Flake 10g
Gawith Hoggarths only VaPer (Virginia & Perique) flake and has the added twist of a chocolaty topping. The Perique is used sparingly to give a light figgy taste, but none of the punchy twang found at higher levels. The light chocolate topping brings out a nutty sweetness from the Virginias and combines for a mellow and flavoursome smoke. Medium bodied and a great introduction to Perique tobaccos.
J F Germains Medium Flake 10g
Wow as soon as you pop the tin you are greeted with a zesty, crisp and citrus aroma. This beautiful looking yellow flake it comprised of Red, Orange and Gold Virginias. The flavours from this mixture create a landscape comprised of the grassy and sweet gold’s, fruity reds and citrusy oranges. A little top dressing is added and this brings out the Red Virginias to give a balanced and very well rounded tobacco.
As with all yellow Virginia Flakes, these should be smoked slowly to gain the most from them
Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake 10g
Samuel Gawith produce a number of blends which have achieved almost cult status; Squadron Leader, St James Flake and Full Virginia Flake. Mature Virginia's are selected and hot pressed to bring out a darker, more fuller flavour. The "cakes" are taken from the press and left to age, before being sliced and sold. The tobacco is smooth and very cool to smoke, with deep and rich flavour. While not a nicotine powerhouse, it carries enough to satisfy the serious Virginia smoker. This is a fine example of why Samuel Gawith have been going so long and are still independent to this day.
"Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake is for lovers of pure pressed Virginias. Created in the heart of Lakeland, the hot-pressed blended Virginias take on a delicious and distinctive dark colour that creates a pipe smokers dream, a feeling of calm, serenity and anticipation of the next pipeful. A "must have" for all Virginia lovers. Medium strength." Samuel Gawith Website
Robert McConell Oriental 10g
Robert McConnell was one of the last great tobacco blending houses in the UK. What began as a single factory producing their own tobaccos, eventually became one of the biggest contract blenders in the UK. The company grew on the back of it success to not only source the finest tobacco, but also in their production methods. British production ceased when McConnell’s became part of Kohlhase & Kopp. The blends are made to the same recipes and quality as the originals and showcase traditional British blends.
Robert McConnell’s Oriental is a stunning example of subtleties of the small leafed tobaccos grown in and around the old Ottoman Empire. These delicate and highly aromatic tobaccos became popular with British blenders thanks to the Purity laws (banning most additional flavourings). A complex blend of Orientals tobaccos from Turkey, Cyprus, Syria are blended with Virginias and eventually a Carolina Cavendish. The resulting tobacco is smooth, creamy and one of the finest Orientals on the market.
Mac Baren HH Latakia Flake
We love a good dark, heat pressed flake and we love them even more when Latakia is on the menu. This offering from the prestigious Mac Baren HH range is sure to please all Latakia junkies. Comprised of sweet Virginia’s, Cypriot Latakia, spicy Orientals and a dash of Burley. As soon as you open the tin, the aroma of fills the air with the dark and stinky latakia with the Oriental pronounced only when you got your nose in there. Like the Old Dark Fired, which has been gracing our shelves here in the UK for a number of years, the Latakia Flake is cut into narrow and short flakes. Each flakes weighs about 3g, which allows the smoker to take a single flake and load the bowl.
Of course the important part is smoking and this is just divine stuff. From the word go, you are greeted with a punchy and rich Latakia flavour. The Virginias add a wonderful sweetness in the background, while the subtleties spices of the Orientals fill in the gaps. A well rounded and balanced blend, not really for those who are unsure or dislike Latakia, but for smokers like us at GQ Tobaccos this is exactly what the doctor ordered!
Solani White and Black 10g
With it supplies getting rarer and rarer, it is nice to offer something with Syrain Latakia opposed to the (still delightful) Cypriot variety. Built on a base of dark and earthy Virginia’s and (unsweetened) Black Cavendish. Combined these tobaccos set the scene for the oaky, smoky beauty of Latakia. In perfect harmony this tobacco rivals most in the category for a supping, “English” blend.
As soon as you open the tin you are greeted with a gentle woody aroma and the beauty of a dark broken flake. Best smoked slowly and with a medium width bowl, to get all the delicate flavours lurking beneath smoky surface. From the first draw you rewarded with beautifully balanced, Medium bodied smoke which develops throught the bowl. The first half brings a sweetness to the woods, with a little spice lingering. As you progress the spice grows and allows the sweetness to hang back a little. A real treat for those who enjoy a more woody and spicy Latakia blend.
Solani tobaccos are highly praised internationally and sought after by UK pipe connoisseurs. The use of high quality tobaccos gives the Solani blends an old world charm, quality, taste and overall an exceptional smoking experience. Serious tobacco collectors have Solani aging within their growing tobacco cellars.
