Pipe Tobacco: Belgian Semois (5/10)

The Semois tobacco by Windels, is a very traditional Belgian 'tabak' and named after the Semois valley in Belgium, where since the mid-19th century, tobacco has been grown in quantity. The tobacco grown there is primarily Kentucky-style, but Virginias and Burleys are cultivated as well.

The smoking of this tobacco is a history lesson- although it smokes very well, it is not a terribly pleasant smoke. In fact, it's 'like smoking the Sahara' according to my friend Tom. However, it is incredibly traditional- the exact sort of tabak that the Belgian farmers would have been smoking when the Germans came storming across the valleys towards France in 1914, and again in 1940...

• Flavour: 6/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 2/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 10/10
• Value for Money: 7/10
• Indulgence Factor: 3/10
• Overall Rating: 5/10

Pipe Tobacco: Peterson's 'Old Dublin' (9/10)

Peterson of Dublin is one of the most well-recognised makers of pipe and pipe tobaccos, and I must say, then little tin of tobacco was a bit like heaven. Just imagine for a moment: a mahogany-paneled room, fine stocks of brandy and single malt whiskeys in the sideboard and a generous amount in your Waterford tumbler; you're sitting in a red-leather chesterfield wing back chair, there's a crackling smoulder in the stone fireplace, and you're smoking a pipe. That is a fantasy of mine, and this is the tobacco for just that occasion.

The 'Old Dublin' is a blend of Latakia, Turkish Oriental and Virginia Leaf. What more can I say- the blend is pretty much perfect: It produces a medium-strength smoke, and although one can certainly taste the Latakia, it doesn't overpower in any way. There is very little tar buildup, but yet the smoke is not dry. The smoke is not sweet, but still flavoursome and elegant.

My only complaint is that it burns a bit quickly- and this may be a result of the pipe I am smoking it in, the way I pack the bowl, or that the shreds of tobacco are cut just a touch too thin. I'm undecided- really I need to try smoking it in an expensive Peterson pipe for the full experience.

A tin of 50 grams should cost you around £9.50. It's well worth it!

• Flavour: 7/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 3/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 8/10
• Value for Money: 7/10
• Indulgence Factor: 9/10
• Overall Rating: 9/10

Cigar: Chinchalero Novillo (7/10)

Chinchalero is a Nicaraguan cigar manufacturer, who have been making hand-rolled cigars for a while now. We reviewed a Chinchalero Chico a long while back, it scored a 6/10: http://cigarsandpipes.blogspot.com/2009/01/chinchalero-chicos.html. The mas gordito brother of the Chico is the Novillo. It's a fat 66 gauge, 10cm long beast of a cigar.

The Novillo is certainly an indulgent more-ish cigar. Hand-rolled with Nicaraguan and Honduran leaf filler, with an Ecuadorian wrapper, the flavour is moderately light, but the nicotine buzz is heavy. They are is exactly how one would expect a cigar to taste- nothing fancy, no gimmicks, just good plain ol' tobacco. In fact, many cigar experts are now saying the best cigars are coming out of Nicaragua, not Cuba. Why? Climate change? Socialism? Pink jungle hedgehogs? I'm not sure, but there are some very nice cigars coming out of Nicaragua, and they can be quite inexpensive for the quality.

I definitely recommend these for the seasoned smoker, or for someone new. They would also make a great gift, for they appear to be far more expensive than they actually are. In the UK, they'll cost about £3.50 for one, and likely less on the continent.

• Smoking time: 30-45 minutes
• Flavour: 5/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 3/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 8/10
• Value for Money: 9/10
• Indulgence Factor: 7/10
• Overall Rating: 7/10

Pipe Tobacco: Ashton's Consummate Gentleman (8/10)

The Consummate Gentleman is Ashton's 'Proper English Blend:' 'Tis terribly English old boy, tally ho, what what... mheh... Of course, Ashton is an American company which began in the '80s, but we won't hold that against them; most English tobaccos are grown in that old rebellious colony.

The Consummate Gentleman is a blend of Virginia, Burley and Maryland tobaccos, with a touch of Latakia. The blend is delicious and wholeheartedly a traditional English blend- we really enjoyed it. One can certainly taste the Latakia, but it is not overpowering (Latakia so often is...). Unfortunately it is sliced just a bit thin for my liking, so it smoked a bit hotter and faster than usual.

The 50g tin will cost you about £10.50 or €10.00, a slightly expensive but reasonable price.

• Flavour: 7/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 3/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 7/10
• Value for Money: 4/10
• Indulgence Factor: 7/10
• Overall Rating: 8/10

Pipe Tobacco: Wild Cut Radford's Old Scotch (6/10)

This is a tobacco commonly found in Germany, where it is simply called Wild Cut Radford's Old Scotch. However, it is the suspicion that this is the very same tobacco as the Gawith and Hoggarth 'Radford's Old Scotch.' Ha! Another G & H...

The tobacco is a mixture of Virgina and Burley tobaccos, with a bit of aromatic Black Cavendish. It is overall a good blend, but when smoked slowly, it develops a slightly sour flavour. When smoked more quickly (and subsequently more hot) it produces a less sour flavour which I think is considerably more enjoyable. However, the tobacco is already such a thin cut, when smoking it hot, it will disappear rapidly. It is marketed as having a scotch flavour, yet I could not tell...

The Old Scotch is fairly standard in price: 50g on the continent will cost about €5,50, whereas it'll cost about £8.50 in the UK.

• Flavour: 5/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 5/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 4/10
• Value for Money: 5/10
• Indulgence Factor: 4/10
• Overall Rating: 6/10

Cigar: Guantanamera 'Minutos' (5/10)

We reviewed the Guantanamera 'Cristales' a while back: http://cigarsandpipes.blogspot.com/2009/02/cigar-guantanamera-cristales.html and unfortunately they were not really up to scratch, scoring only a 4/10. The Cuban company's newest cigar, the 'Minuto' scores only slightly better, a paltry 5/10.

The problem with the Guantanameras (both the Cristales and the Minutos) is that they are extremely light-bodied. I'll admit, some people like a mild cigar, but far too little flavour has no excuse; there's light-bodied, and then there's anorexic. Nevertheless, I have absolutely no negative comments about the little flavour there was; they are certainly smokable, just failing to impress.

The Minutos are petit coronas (4 inches long and 43 gauge), and unfortunately smoke rather quickly for their size. Once again, the prices vary between Europe and the UK (€2,50 for a pack of three on the continent, and about £3.50 for a single cigar in the UK).

• Smoking time: 15-20 minutes
• Flavour: 2/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 4/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 8/10
• Value for Money: 4/10
• Indulgence Factor: 4/10
• Overall Rating: 5/10

Pipe Tobacco: Gawith and Hoggarth Bright CR Flake (8/10)

Yes, I am posting another Gawith and Hoggarth, and for those who do not have access to these tobaccos, I apologise. But they form the majority of the bulk tobaccos available at the Durham tobacconist, so naturally they are what I buy. Worry not however, we'll have a few tinned and/or widely available pipe tobacco reviews up soon!

The Bright CR Flake is yes, a Gawith and Hoggarth Kendal pipe tobacco, but it is superb! (I do not know what the CR stands for, and if anyone can enlighten me, I'd really appreciate it). The tobacco is a fine Virgina leaf; it tastes light and mild, but nevertheless gives you a strong nicotine buzz. It is neither sweet, nor dry, but well-balanced, and there is a slight hint of raisin.

I very much enjoyed this tobacco, and I will certainly be buying it again. Because it is light and mild, I also would recommend this as a must for beginners! Definitely give this one a try!

• Flavour: 5/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 5/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 5/10
• Value for Money: 5/10
• Indulgence Factor: 7/10
• Overall Rating: 8/10

Cigar: Toscano Classico (7/10)

I'd like to make an analogy: some cigars are like a Bentley or Rolls Royce, and some are like a Catarham R500 (and some are like an old rusted Fiat but that is beside the point). Bentleys and RRs have their time and place, but so does a rough yet fun kit car.

The Toscano Classicos are like the Catarham; they are rough, earthy cigars, that, although you won't be seeing them at a white tie gala, are still bloody good. Maduros, and aged for four months, the flavour is very rough, or 'edgy,' but definitely nice, even to a refined smoker's palate. These are Italian- made in Cava dei Tirreni and Lucca and although machine-rolled, it is difficult to tell- they are tightly and consistently packed. The Classicos are 6 inches and 38 gauge- nothing massive, yet they smoke for a surprisingly long time.

I most definitely recommend these cigars, and I look forward to trying the rest of the Toscano range (the Classicos are the cheapest of the range, and if they're this nice, then their other cigars must be excellent). Having said that, although they are roughly only €5,50 for five (a great value) on the continent, they are going to be at least £16 for a pack of five in the UK (due to our ridiculous taxes).

• Smoking time: 35-45 minutes
• Flavour: 8/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 4/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 6/10
• Value for Money: 5/10
• Indulgence Factor: 5/10
• Overall Rating: 7/10

Pipe Tobacco: Gawith and Hoggarth No. 25 Blend (5/10)

I realise I've been inundating you all with many middle-of-the-road scoring tobaccos, and the No. 25 Blend by Gawith and Hoggarth is unfortunately another to add to the growing list, scoring 5/10.

The major problem with the tobacco is how thinly cut it is- indeed I suspect one could use it in a rollie. As a result, it smokes quickly and quite hot, which is unfortunate. When I did manage to slowly puff my pipe at a decent temperature for this tobacco, the flavours were really quite nice. The blend contains 53% Virginia, 17% light burley, 10% dark sun-cured and what really gives it a kick; 20% Latakia. Latakia is quite possibly the most intensely-flavoured tobacco in existence- Indeed most people cannot stomach smoking pure latakia, but in this particular blend, it is very nice. I would also add that the blend has no harsh or undesirable aftertaste. If it didn't smoke so damned hot, it would be really nice.

• Flavour: 7/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 4/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 5/10
• Value for Money: 5/10
• Indulgence Factor: 5/10
• Overall Rating: 5/10

Cigar: Real Feytoria 'Reserva' (5/10)

Well, once again we bring you a review of an acceptable, but in no means great cigar. Real Feytoria is a Portuguese company producing cigars and cigarillos on the Azores, and while readily available in Portugal, might be a bit hard to find in the UK or US. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your point of view), this isn't really a shame...

They are made of a hybrid filler, and come pre-cut. I found them to be quite dry and smoke quite quickly. They do have a definite 'cigar' flavour of pretty much pure tobacco, so if you like a cigar that has a strong flavour, unmuddled by any additives, you may like these. Personally I think they are, for the most part, very average.

These will cost you about 7.50 euros for five corona-sized cigars; not a bad price. Of course, we would expect them to be more expensive in the UK due to taxes.

• Smoking time: 10-15 minutes
• Flavour: 6/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 2/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 8/10
• Value for Money: 7/10
• Indulgence Factor: 3/10
• Overall Rating: 5/10

We're Back!!!

My deepest apologies to our avid readers out there for the lack of new posts in quite a while... a long while... sorry...

Thankfully, we now have several new tobaccos to review, so please keep reading and enjoying your ability to smoke a fine cigar, or a Peterson pipe- for it won't be long before there is a complete ban on our civil liberties (I'm a cynic, but hey, most smokers are...).

Cigar: Don Julian No. 1 (6/10)

Don Julian is a cigar manufacturer operating in Spain and Portugal, and their cigars can be found in most tobacconists on the Iberian peninsula, and quite possibly in some UK ones as well. The No. 1 coronas we tried (pre-cut and machine-rolled, but well-sealed) were made of Sumatran tobacco, and were ridiculously light in flavour; a very 'blond' smoke. Though I generally like my cigars to be pungent, thick and flavoursome, these were not bad- certainly there were no negative flavours at all.

My colleague (who tried more of these than I did) told me that he had a couple good ones, but a couple bad ones as well, so unfortunately we are left with another one of those inconsistent manufacturers. Give them a try if you like, especially if you prefer a very light smoke. A pack of five will cost around 10 euros, and a bit more in the UK.

• Smoking time: 10-15 minutes
• Flavour: 3/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 5/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 5/10
• Value for Money: 6/10
• Indulgence Factor: 6/10
• Overall Rating: 6/10

Pipe Tobacco: Coffee and Caramel (6/10)

According to our tobacconist, the Coffee and Caramel by Gawith and Haggarth is one of their best-selling, even approaching the popularity of their Cherry and Vanilla. If you recall, the cherry and vanilla was a light smoke, slightly sweet and we said would make for an excellent beginners tobacco. The Coffee & Caramel also makes for a good beginners smoke. It is slightly sweet, but certainly heavier in flavour.

The Coffee & Caramel is made of rich black cavendish tobacco and has an incredibly dark, weighty and even syrupy appearance. Unsmoked the aroma is almost sickeningly sweet, and one can definitely smell the coffee, but the smoke is neither overtly sweet nor terribly strong. Unfortunately it is hard to keep lit (my mate used up about 20 matches), and the tar does build up on this one- so pipe cleaners and a pipe-knife are a must! You may even wish to try using a filter if your pipe has a space for one.

• Flavour: 6/10
• Sweetness: 6/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 3/10
• Value for Money: 4/10
• Indulgence Factor: 5/10
• Overall Rating: 6/10

Rollie Tobacco: Brandy (5/10)

There is very little positive or negative to say about the 'brandy' handrolling tobacco by Gawith and Hoggarth. I smoked it and generally thought; 'eh... not bad.'

There really are no defining characteristics of the Brandy. It is moderately tarry, has a moderate barely-sweet flavour, neither boring nor exiting... you get the picture. Anyways, you'll take it as no surprise I rate it a 5.

• Flavour: 6/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 4/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 6/10
• Value for Money: 5/10
• Indulgence Factor: 4/10
• Overall Rating: 5/10

Pipe Tobacco: Three Nuns (4/10)

Nearly all of our reviews of loose tobaccos have thus far concerned Gawith and Hoggarth brands and there is good reason for this- they tend to be quite good (with a few notable exceptions), and are available from our tobacconist in bulk.

However, we are aware that many people do not have access to these tobaccos, so we have reviewed a pipe tobacco that is very common; 'Three Nuns.' Their motto is 'none nicer'... well, I have tried much nicer, but to be fair, this was not an unenjoyable tobacco, but neither was it a particularly enjoyable tobacco. We mutually decided that it was like the 'Drowning Mona' of pipe tobaccos... in that, like the film 'Drowning Mona' there is nothing wrong with it, and at the end, you feel moderate apathy; 'well, that's two hours of my life gone... but not that there is a desire to have those two hours back, just... eh.'

Flavours... yeah... well, it's not too dry, not too sweet, slightly spicy (from the perique tobacco in the blend). The only real downside is that it gets quite hot, which is certainly due to the fine cut of the shag. Give it a try, or not... I don't really mind... But it'll cost you about £4.50 for 25 grams, slightly more than the price at which we get our G&H bulks.

• Flavour: 3/10
• Sweetness: 4/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 5/10
• Value for Money: 4/10
• Indulgence Factor: 3/10
• Overall Rating: 4/10

Rollie Tobacco: Mixed Coconut (5/10)

Well once again I have nearly finished off my last purchase of rollie tobacco from the market, so it's time for a review. This time it's the coconut rollie tobacco from Gawith and Hoggarth.

I haven't much to say about this particular tobacco. The tobacco itself does smell like coconut, but I think if I hadn't been told what it was and smoked it, I wouldn't be able to tell exactly what the flavour was. Indeed, several people have asked me; 'What is that you're smoking?' To which I have replied; 'coconut.' 'Ah!' was always the reply.

My only complaint concerning this tobacco is that the tar is quite foul. The first half of the cigarette is smooth and otherwise fine, but once the tar builds up, it is not terribly pleasant. Of course, many tobaccos suffer this problem, and the lesson is to not smoke them to the very end... Concerning its positive traits, it is moderately strong and yet surprisingly cool. It's an acceptable tobacco, not great, but not bad either.

• Flavour: 4/10
• Sweetness: 4/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 4/10
• Value for Money: 5/10
• Indulgence Factor: 4/10
• Overall Rating: 5/10

Pipe Tobacco: Broken Scotch Cake (4/10)

The Broken Scotch Cake by Gawith and Hoggarth is, I think, best described as bland and inoffensive. It's like the Bells or Famous Grouse of whiskeys (ok, to some they are quite offensive), or that gateau someone else baked at a party that you say is really nice, but never get around to finishing because it's dry and flavourless and really just mind-numbingly dull.

I could not discern any particular flavours of the Broken Scotch Cake, but as the little amount of tar did build up towards the end, there was a bit more of whatever flavour it was. Thankfully there was no offensive aftertaste either, so really I have no complaints about the tobacco except that it's just generally boring.

Give it a try if you like... I'm neither recommending it nor warning you not to spend your money on it, but personally I'll leave this one to the hoi-polloi- it's not for me.

• Flavour: 2/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 3/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 7/10
• Value for Money: 4/10
• Indulgence Factor: 2/10
• Overall Rating: 4/10

Cigar: Rocky Patel '10 Year Panatelas' (8/10)

Rocky Patel is a well known name in circles of cigar aficionados and his company produces a range of cigars from the moderately priced to premium cigars in the same price range as the best Davidoff or Montecristos. The company is relatively new, however, it has certainly made a name for itself, and we were very impressed with the cigars we tried.

My associate and I tried the small panatelas which were aged 10 years. These are among the cheapest cigars produced by Rocky Patel, but we were very impressed. They are made of Nicaraguan long filler in a dark Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper. Typical of a dark maduro cigar, the panatelas had a very strong and spicy but well-balanced flavour that was quite enjoyable. For the first few minutes of the smoke, the cigar was a little too hot for my taste, but as soon as the tar built up slightly, they were considerably nicer, and thankfully the tar did not build-up to excessive levels towards the end.

A tin of five of these small panatelas will cost around £25, so about a fiver each. For their size, this might seem a bit expensive, but they have as much flavour in them as a churchill would at three-times the price. We definitely recommend the Rocky Patels for any special occasion or times in which you just want a great smoke.

Smoking time: 20-25 minutes

Flavour: 9/10

Smoke Sweetness: 4/10

Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 5/10

Value for Money: 5/10

Indulgence Factor: 8/10

Overall Rating: 8/10

Cigar: Jacob van Meer Corona (4/10)

Jacob van Meer is another Dutch cigar manufacturer, and I have found it very difficult to find them for sale in the UK via the internet. Nevertheless, they are readily available in the EU. Their coronas are made of Belgian short filler (stems and bits) in an Indonesian tobacco wrapper.

We thought these cigars were alright, certainly nothing special, and I have very little to comment on. Moderate tar, neither a dry nor sweet smoke, they were simply a fairly average cigar. I have little complaint, except that they were loosely packed which made them smoke a bit hotter than would be desirable.

In the Netherlands a box of ten of the Jacob van Meer Coronas will cost around €13. In the UK, if you can find them, I would expect the price to be at least £17 for ten, due to the extra tax.

Smoking time: 20-30 minutes

Flavour: 5/10

Smoke Sweetness: 5/10

Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 5/10

Value for Money: 5/10

Indulgence Factor: 3/10

Overall Rating: 4/10

Pipe Tobacco: Kendal Kentucky Nougat (7/10)

Nougat [noo-guht, noo-gah]

-noun

A chewy or brittle candy containing almonds or other nuts and sometimes fruit.

Kentucky [kuhn-tuhk-ee]

-noun

A southeast-central state in the USA, known as the bluegrass state, and famous for breaded chicken, horses and conservatives with unintelligible accents.

Well, when it comes to the Kendal Kentucky Nougat by Gawith and Hoggarth, I am not sure about 'Kentucky' descriptor, but certainly I would agree that 'nougat' is an appropriate term. Not that the tobacco is a chewy or brittle candy, but rather that there is certainly a nutty caramel butterscotch flavour to the smoke. It is also sweet, but overtly so, and for the most part, is quite pleasant. The primary problem is that the tar itself is quite sour, and there is a considerable amount of it.

Overall, this tobacco is definitely worth a try, I suspect many will like it, but be prepared for the tar... I personally decided to smoke this one through filters to cut down on this detractor.

• Flavour: 7/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 6/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 2/10
• Value for Money: 5/10
• Indulgence Factor: 7/10
• Overall Rating: 7/10

Cigarillo: Panter Mignon Sweets (4/10)

Upon first seeing the name 'Mignon Sweets,' the only thought that ran through my head was 'what a bloody pretentious name!' Upon having done a bit of research, Panter is a very well-selling brand, so they must be doing something right... but onto the cigarillo itself.

The Mignon Sweets were most certainly sweet, a little too sweet for my taste, but I can appreciate that some people enjoy that, and certainly many non-smokers prefer to sit in clouds of sweet smoke rather than non-sweet smoke... I also found them to have an incredibly nutty flavour (macadamia nut perhaps?), more so than any other tobacco I have tried. The cigarillos were made of a hybrid filler and were moderately tarry. Unfortunately they also succumbed to the bane of most cigarillos- becoming unbearably hot towards the end.

The Panter 'Mignon Sweets' (as well as most of the rest of their cigarillo line) will cost about £8.50 for twenty, so not a bad price. They can also often be found in Duty Free at airports for considerably less (my associate found them for €4.40 for 20 in Amsterdam).

Smoking time: 4-7 minutes

Flavour: 4/10

Smoke Sweetness: 8/10

Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 4/10

Value for Money: 7/10

Indulgence Factor: 2/10

Overall Rating: 4/10

Cigar: Quintero Panatelas (7/10)

Quintero is a very old Cuban maker- they have been around since 1924, long before la revolución, and are still producing cigars. While 100% tobaco Cubano for everywhere other than the States, they are only Honduran tobacco for the Yanks. Of course, being in the UK, we tried the Cuban ones, and definitely enjoyed them.

The smoke was good in every way, by no means excellent and amazing, but good. The panatelas were tightly rolled and made of long filler. The smoke was neither sweet nor dry, but balanced and definitively Cuban-flavoured. If you can find these (most retailers in the UK seem to only stock the more expensive tubulares and churchills, of which we have no doubt would be at least as nice), we definitely recommend them. A pack of 5 will cost around £10. We found ours in Duty Free for €3.70 (at which price they are amazing value for money!)

Smoking time: 10-15 minutes

Flavour: 7/10

Smoke Sweetness: 4/10

Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 5/10

Value for Money: 5/10

Indulgence Factor: 6/10

Overall Rating: 7/10

Cigarillo: Davidoff 'Minis' (7.5/10)

Davidoff is certainly one of the most well-recognised brands of luxury tobacco products; indeed some of their cigars can cost well over £100 each. As poor students, we unfortunately cannot offer our reviews of their upper-range, but we did try and thoroughly enjoy a box of their 'Minis.'

Although a Swiss brand, nearly all of Davidoff's cigar-tobacco supply comes from Cuba, and they are made in the Dominican Republic. Their cigarillos are no exception (well, the ones they sell in the States possibly are), and one can certainly taste that Cuban je ne sais quoi in their Minis. The cigarillos were tightly packed, had little tar but were moist nonetheless, and had a very nice flavour.

The Davidoff Mini cigarillos are definitely one that will impress (although much of that will be psychological simply because of the brand-name), but they are certainly a nice and enjoyable smoke. A pack of 20 cigarillos will cost around £17 in the UK (so certainly they are not cheap), but most certainly less in the EU (as a result of lower tobacco tax in most places).

Smoking time: 6-10 minutes

Flavour: 7/10

Smoke Sweetness: 5/10

Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 6/10

Value for Money: 4/10

Indulgence Factor: 8/10

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

Cigar: P.G.C. Hajenius 'Kleine Tuitknak' (6/10)

P.G.C. Hajenius is another Dutch manufacturer, but a bit less common than La Paz. This is unfortunate, because their 'Kleine Tuitknak' cigars were significantly nicer than the similarly sized and priced 'Wildes' from La Paz. The cigars are a primarily Sumatran blend of tobacco with a pinch of Havana and Brazilian, of what appeared to be pure leaf tobacco (no pesty stems). Although machine-rolled, they were well-rolled and tightly packed in a torpedo figurado, measuring about 9cm long and 30 gauge.

The smoke was moderately sweet and had good flavour. There was neither too much nor too little tar and overall they were a pleasant smoke. However, they lacked a that certain something that one only finds in high quality cigar.

The P.G.C. Hajenius 'Kleine Tuitknak' will cost around £15 for ten in the UK, and around €10 for ten in the EU.

Smoking time: 10-15 minutes

Flavour: 6/10

Smoke Sweetness: 6/10

Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 5/10

Value for Money: 7/10

Indulgence Factor: 4/10

Overall Rating: 6/10

Cigar: La Paz 'Wilde Cigarros' (4.5/10)

La Paz is a well-known Dutch brand of cigar and cigarillo manufacturers, and this is not surprising. They make an adequate cigar that is really quite inexpensive. The Wilde Cigarros are a panatela size roughly 12cm long and 30 gauge. They are 100% tobacco, made of a Javan Besuki wrapper and a blend of Havana and Brazilian filler. It was difficult to determine whether the filler was long (full nice leaves) or hybrid (mix of leaves and cheap little bits), but they did have some small stems running through and this affected the smoothness of the burning. 

The cigars smoked rather quickly- only about 10-15 minutes. The smoke itself was quite light and slightly sweet- one website noted the wrapper was aromatic. They were not considerably tarry and the ash held up well before falling off (likely due to the stems). Unfortunately they became incredibly hot towards the end because of the lack of tar. Overall, the La Paz cigars were neither pleasantly nor unpleasantly smokable and without being in any way memorable.

In the UK, they will cost about £7 for a pack of five, but in the EU, about €4 for the same package. Even so, £7 for five cigars of this size and quality is an excellent price.

• Smoking time: 10-15 minutes
• Flavour: 4/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 4/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 7/10
• Value for Money: 8/10
• Indulgence Factor: 2/10
• Overall Rating: 4.5/10

Pipe Tobacco: Louisiana Flake (6/10)

There is absolutely nothing wrong in any way with the Kendal Louisiana Flake by Gawith and Hoggarth... but... I cannot say it is a favourite. The Louisiana is air cured and made of a blend of Virginia and perique tobaccos. I am not considerably knowledgeable about different tobacco types, but I do know that periques tend to be quite strong and spicy.

Strong and spicy is exactly what the Louisiana Flake is... indeed the name is quite apt and the tobacco is comparable to a jambalaya in flavour, or gumbo (though thankfully there is no taste of old boot). It is slightly sweet, and I would say has a distinct savoury spiced nuttiness. The Gawith and Hoggarth website claims the Louisiana Flake has a chocolaty flavour, though I didn't experience that myself with this tobacco. The smoke is quite thick and strong and although seasoned pipe-smokers might love it, I suggest trying lighter tobaccos first if you are new to smoking a pipe. If you want to try something strong in flavour and nicotine-buzz, definitely give the Louisiana Flake a try.

• Flavour: 9/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 3/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 6/10
• Value for Money: 6/10
• Indulgence Factor: 5/10
• Overall Rating: 6/10

Pipe Tobacco: Sliced Black Aromatic (1/10)

As smokers in an ever more non-smoking world, we must learn to accept those people who do not understand smoking. Those people who, even while open-minded enough to try different tobaccos, cannot taste the difference, all they taste is smoke. Well, the Sliced Black Aromatic by Gawith and Hoggarth is the tobacco for those who are utterly hopeless when it comes to tobacco connoisseurship, for it is so absolutely and horribly terrible no one else should have to bear to smoke it... ok, perhaps I am guilty of hyperbole, but it really is bad!

The tobacco lacks any flavour except smoke. That is all it tastes of, plain simple smoke. Thus for those of you who like your smoke to taste of something, don't buy this one, you'll be disappointed. Thankfully we were given only a small amount to try for free, so in these times of being constantly skint, I cannot complain too much... But seriously, give this one a miss.

• Flavour: 1/10
  
• Smoke Sweetness: 3/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 5/10
• Value for Money: 1/10
• Indulgence Factor: 1/10
• Overall Rating: 1/10

GUEST REVIEW: Pipe Tobacco: American Black & Gold (7/10)

Xirius has been struck down with Glandular Fever and won't be smoking for a while, so I, Ragados, have been drafted in to do another guest review (any more of these and I'll be on the staff!). This time it's the American Black & Gold by Gawith and Hoggarth. Jim the tobacconist recommended this to me as I looked for something a little different and heavier than the light flavoured pipe tobaccos I tend to smoke. 

The first thing you will notice is the rich aroma of buttery molasses that the tobacco has been soaked in, producing a warm and slightly ginger flavour. The smoke keeps this rich flavour and has a tarry taste that can take a little getting used to, although it is far from unpleasant. There is unfortunately a dryness of the mouth than many not-so-sweet tobaccos seem to cause. Black & Gold is a tobacco for those times you are looking for some weight in your smoke; this is not going to be to everyone's taste but is perfect as an indulgence after a heavy meal, ideally with a snifter of brandy or possibly some tawny port.

• Flavour: 6/10
  
• Smoke Sweetness: 7/10
  
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 5/10
  
• Value for Money: 7/10
  
• Indulgence Factor: 8/10
• Overall Rating: 7/10

GUEST REVIEW: Rollie Tobacco: Strawberry (6/10)

Apparently I have inspired one of our followers to write a guest review, so thanks very much Ragados!

The Gawith and Hoggarth 'Auld Kendal' Strawberry rollie tobacco may sound like just another sweet and fruity flavoured loose tobacco, however, this one is special. Unsmoked, the tobacco has a definite Strawberry scent, though when smoked, the flavour becomes a smooth, almost chocolaty affair. Everyone knows how well chocolate and strawberries combine.

The Strawberry tobacco produces a light, mild smoke, so if you smoke for the nicotine buzz then this is probably not the tobacco for you. I would recommend this if you are smoking around other people who might not like the dry cloying smoke of Drum or Golden Virginia or a more conventional pre-manufactured cigarette. In addition, the Strawberry keeps well for a long time before drying out which is certainly useful for me who only goes through about 12.5 grams per week or less. Give it a try, it is a pleasant, light, smooth smoke.

• Flavour: 4/10
• Sweetness: 6/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 3/10
• Value for Money: 7/10
• Indulgence Factor: 5/10
• Overall Rating: 6/10

Pipe Tobacco: Ultimum (8/10)

Terribly sorry for not posting in a while, I have been ill, and TheGreatPhDExperiment has been busy... but here we go:

According to our sources (Jim, the tobacconist), the Ultimum pipe tobacco by Gawith and Hoggarth is relatively new, and supposedly in response to the success of the popular Peter Stockebye tobacco entitled Optimum.

I have to say I really quite enjoyed this tobacco. I was slightly skeptical on seeing it (I'm not one for trendy names labelling tobaccos), but upon smelling it in the jar in the tobacconist, I was quite taken by the aroma and decided to buy some. I have to say I was also quite pleased with the way it smokes. There is a distinct butterscotch flavour to the Ultimum, and it is very lightly sweetened without causing the dryness of the mouth than many not-so-sweet tobaccos seem to cause. The Ultimum is quite tarry, but with a good pint it is not a problem. I would suspect that this tobacco would be an excellent accompaniment to a whiskey old fashioned or a Manhattan for those who are so inclined, and will be trying this theory out myself in short time.

• Flavour: 8/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 6/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 3/10
• Value for Money: 7/10
• Indulgence Factor: 8/10
• Overall Rating: 8/10

Rollie Tobacco: Vanilla (5/10)

I haven't a lot to say about the Gawith and Hoggarth 'Auld Kendal' Vanilla rollie tobacco. It is exactly what the name suggests- tastes of vanilla. In fact, there is quite an intense vanilla aroma, both in the unsmoked tobacco, and in the smoke itself... strong, but I wouldn't say overpowering. It will be all down to your taste, but I would not recommend this tobacco if you are not a vanilla fan. I would recommend it if you are smoking around other people who might not like the dry cloying smoke of Drum or Golden Virginia.

The Vanilla tobacco is only moderately tarry, and not terribly strong. In addition, it keeps for a rather long time before drying out which is certainly useful for me who only goes through about 12.5 grams per week or less. Give it a try, it is neither spectacular nor bad in any way... just vanilla-ey.

• Flavour: 5/10
• Sweetness: 5/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 4/10
• Value for Money: 6/10
• Indulgence Factor: 4/10
• Overall Rating: 5/10

Cigar: La Rica Tubitos (6/10)

It is quite nice to be able to review a cigar with which we were quite impressed, and even more so, these were not even Cuban, so our American friends can purchase them with ease. Hurrah!

La Rica Tubitos are a small 32 gauge panatela. They are composed of Nicaraguan hybrid filler (mixture of full leafs and short bits) with an Ecuadorian wrapper. They are also hand-rolled, and very tightly packed. This gave them a nice thick strong-flavoured smoke that was entirely pleasant. They are moderately tarry, but this was not a problem because they were only slightly over 4 inches long, and finish before the tar builds up to irrigating levels. Finally, they were well packaged (a very important bit of production most cigar manufacturers overlook) in that they came in well-sealed tubes and should last a considerable time before going dry without the aid of a humidor.

We recommend La Rica Tubitos; while there are certainly better cigars out there, one cannot beat the cost. they should cost you only around £2 each.

• Smoking time: 12-18 minutes
• Flavour: 6/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 3/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 5/10
• Value for Money: 7/10
• Indulgence Factor: 4/10
• Overall Rating: 6/10

Cigarillo: Exotic Fine and Flavour by Neos (3/10)

Well, once again we bring you a cigarillo by Neos, a Belgian manufacturer. Despite the name, we found these cigarillos to be neither fine, nor exotic, nor terribly flavourful. They have a definite added sweetness which is demonstrated not only by the sweet smoke, but the blackness of the ash. Quite amusingly, halfway through the smoke, which is dreadfully short, the cigarillo collapses between the fingers, which leads me to believe the only reason they were not deflated initially was due to the dry stiffness of the filler- as soon as the tar built up... squish. After this happens, the smoke gets quite hot and you know it's time to give it up... We don't recommend the Exotic Fine and Flavour by Neos, they're just not right... If you do find them and want to give them a go, it'll cost around £3 for 10.

• Smoking Time: 2-4 minutes
• Flavour: 4/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 7/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 8/10
• Value for Money: 3/10
• Indulgence Factor: 2/10
• Overall Rating: 3/10

Pipe Tobacco: American Sweet Peach (5/10)

Well, what can I say about the American Sweet Peach by Gawith and Hoggarth: It is sweet, has a peachy flavour, and is presumably American...

To be fair, I expected this tobacco to be blow-your-head-off sweet, a kind of sickly syrupy cloying sort of sweet- it was nothing of the sort- indeed, it was well-balanced. There is a definite peach overtone to the flavour, and it is very aromatic, but it was quite nice. Apparently, according to Jim, our tobacconist, this tobacco was one of the most popular until Gawith and Hoggarth released their Cherry and Vanilla.

The Sweet Peach does have a couple drawbacks though; first, it produces a very light smoke unless puffed quickly enough to get the tobacco really hot. This is related to the second problem, which is that the tobacco goes out with incredible ease. Most of the pipe-fulls I had went out at least twice during the course of the smoke. For one who is skint, matches are not a cheap commodity, and it was irritating to have to waste as many as I did relighting the pipe. The tobacco is also quite tarry, and I suspect one might need to clean their pipe every other smoke with this one.

If you enjoy aromatics that are relatively sweet, I recommend giving this tobacco a go... just invest in a lot of pipe cleaners, a pipe-knife and matches first!

• Flavour: 6/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 8/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 4/10
• Value for Money: 6/10
• Indulgence Factor: 3/10
• Overall Rating: 5/10

Cigar: Guantanamera Cristales (4/10)

Well, it's not often we have a proper cigar to review- the both of us are too skint to afford to bring you reviews of the finest Davidoff and Montecristo churchills every day... and I wish we had a better cigar to review for you. Sorry.

The Guantanamera Cristales are a medium-gauge 15 cm long cigar which are hand-rolled and 100% Tobaco Cubano... sounds good right? Well, they should be good, but we found these cigars terribly disappointing. The first half smoked considerably dry and had a very light smoke, in fact, the lightness of the smoke is comparable to smoking a cigar with a filter attached. In addition, they had very little flavour. Thankfully, the second half had considerably more flavour; likely due to the buildup of the minimal amount of tar these cigars contain.

Unfortunately, the Cristales do not come if sealed tubes, so must be stored well. Perhaps ours were not. In addition, they come pre-cut with a cross-pattern slice into the cigar, rather than the traditional sliced-off end. I suspect this is partially responsible for the lightness of the smoke, and when we re-cut ours, they were considerably nicer.

One might think upon seeing these Guantanamera Cristales; 'oh, hand-rolled Cubans, must be good...' I have to say, we certainly will not be buying these again. If you do however, they will cost you about £5.00 each.

• Smoking time: 20-30 minutes
• Flavour: 2/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 3/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 8/10
• Value for Money: 4/10
• Indulgence Factor: 1/10
• Overall Rating: 4/10

Pipe Tobacco: Rich Dark Honeydew (6/10)

The Rich Dark Honeydew by makers Gawith and Hoggarth is quite a strange tobacco, but certainly not unenjoyable. According to Jim, our tobacconist, it is quite popular and sells fairly well. I personally found it to have an oddly simultaneously dry and sweet smoke, a trait I am not terribly fond of and suspect is the result of using a dry tobacco base and simply flavouring it with a sweet aromatic mixture, without concern for how they complement each other. Nevertheless, the smoke was acceptable, certainly better than many other tobaccos I have tried recently and will appear in our review shortly. The Rich Dark Honeydew is moderately tarry, and the tar- more than the smoke itself, has a fruity tone to it. The tobacco does smoke quite quickly and is not terribly thick, but this is likely a result of being quite finely shredded and ready-rubbed. Give it a try, you shant be disappointed, but it's likely you wont be terribly impressed, and just think; 'well, not bad, I've tried something new...'

• Flavour: 6/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 6/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 4/10
• Value for Money: 5/10
• Indulgence Factor: 4/10
• Overall Rating: 6/10

Rollie Tobacco: Dutch Flake (5/10)

Time again for another rollie tobacco, and this time I am reviewing the Auld Kendal Dutch Flake by makers Gawith and Hoggarth. This hand-rolling tobacco is a blend of Virgina and Burley tobaccos and has a slight, very slight spiced aromatic flavour. In fact, I wasn't even aware of the spice until it was mentioned by another who smokes this particular tobacco, but knowing it's there, I can taste it... perhaps it's all in the mind.

The Dutch Flake has no strong flavours of any sort, for better or worse, but I think this leaves something to be desired. It's certainly not bad, but not that good either- the limbo of rollie tobacco... Nevertheless, its moderately strong with a moderately thick smoke, and fairly good for smoke rings (a very important trait!). Give it a try, I am not terribly familiar with specifically Dutch style tobaccos, but apparently this one is quintessentially Dutch.

• Flavour: 5/10
• Sweetness: 4/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 5/10
• Value for Money: 6/10
• Indulgence Factor: 3/10
• Overall Rating: 5/10

Pipe Tobacco: Rum Flake (4/10)

The Rum Flake by makers Gawith and Hoggarth is a bit of a let down... First of all, it's not particularly rum-flavoured, although I can detect hints of molasses at the beginning of the smoke which is mildly enjoyable... perhaps... however, there is a problem with this tobacco: the smoke gets considerably worse as time goes on. It begins by being simply moderately dry, not very sweet, with hints of molasses or dark cane sugar, but as the tar builds up at the bottom of the pipe, most of the slightly pleasant flavours disappear and are replaced by a mustiness that is altogether terrible. The smoke is also not particularly thick, nor is the tobacco very strong.

It's possible there are people out there who like this tobacco, but certainly it was not for us.

• Flavour: 4/10
  
• Smoke Sweetness: 3/10
  
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 6/10
  
• Value for Money: 4/10
  
• Indulgence Factor: 1/10
  
• Overall Rating: 4/10

Cigar: Petit Panatelas (5.5/10)

The Petit Panatela cigars, by Occidental Cigars Santiago are hand made in the Dominican Republic with long filler, both traits that make the cigars much nicer (long filler is full tobacco leaf filler, rather than shreds and stems). These cigars didn't have any particular or unique flavour, they just feature a light, simple and pleasantly enjoyable smoke. They also have very little tar, which happily does not dry out the smoke, unlike many smaller cigars and cigarillos in which either they are tarry with sweet smoke, or tar-less with incredibly smoke.

We recommend giving these Panatelas a try; they cost about £2 each. For those of you who are fortunate enough to have a humidor, we suggest buying a pack of these to lay down in your humidor (for most tobacconists will give you a discount if you purchase a pack or box) for occasions when company is around, but you don't want to invest a considerable length of time smoking a churchill...

• Smoking time: 12-18 minutes
  
• Flavour: 4/10
  
• Smoke Sweetness: 3/10
  
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 8/10
  
• Value for Money: 7/10
  
• Indulgence Factor: 2/10
  
• Overall Rating: 5.5/10

Pipe Tobacco: Brown Twist (4/10)

The Brown Twist is tobacco- pure and simple... The makers Gawith and Hoggarth advertise that the Brown Twist is the most natural of all pipe tobaccos, free from additives. So, if you are looking for something similar to what the Native Americans passed around in the peace pipe- this is it.

Having said that, I cannot say that I am a fan. The Brown Twist is alright, but if I want tobacco in a pure form, I definitely prefer a fine Cuban cigar. The Brown Twist features a very earthy flavour, and is incredibly dry. This is not due to the tobacco itself being dry- in fact the shreds I was given were quite moist and well-kept, but nevertheless, produced a very dry smoke. Definitely keep a drink to hand! In addition, the Brown Twist produces a fairly light smoke that is not particularly strong, and is quite difficult to keep lit- I had to relight several times. Give it a try if you want, but it's certainly not a favourite for me.

• Flavour: 3/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 2/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 9/10
• Value for Money: 4/10
• Indulgence Factor: 3/10
• Overall Rating: 4/10

Cigarillo: Cohiba Mini (4/10)

Hecho en Cubano... what more can we say? Actually, if you're looking for the Cuban cigar (or cigarillo experience) I don't recommend these, for I have tasted considerably nicer Cubans in my lifetime. However, as cigarillos go, these are not bad.

They are distinctly Cuban in flavour, but are also quite dry (we would suggest keeping them in a humidor) and packed a bit more loosely than expected. However, the filler was a hybrid (meaning both short edge trimmings, but also leaves) and perhaps had these been better kept, they might have scored a bit higher, so bear that in mind. Certainly, if you are looking for a cigarillo to offer to someone else without seeming cheap or ignorant, these will work... but to be honest, if you can get ahold of the Montecristo Minis, go for those instead. If not, these will cost you around £5.50 for a pack of 10.

• Smoking time: 4-8 minutes
• Flavour: 4/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 4/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 7/10
• Value for Money: 7/10
• Indulgence Factor: 4/10
• Overall Rating: 4/10

Rollie Tobacco: Black Cherry (6/10)

The Black Cherry rollie tobacco by Gawith and Hoggarth is quite probably the most popular of all the bulk handrolling tobaccos down at the market, and is certainly one of the most popular in the world. Now, my experience has been that nearly everyone who smokes rollies buys that prepackaged stuff- Drum, Golden Virgina etc. but certainly, the flavours of the bulk tobacco cannot be beat.

I am not one who necessarily enjoys sweeter tobaccos, but I enjoyed the black cherry considerably- primarily because it is not nearly as sweet as one might suppose. However, it does have more tar than a plain rollie tobacco like the Burley Flake- about halfway through my rollie, the white paper had turned quite brown. Do not let this put you off though, it didn't taste any more tarry than other rollie tobaccos I have tried. I definitely recommend giving this tobacco a try. First, it's cheaper than Drum and Golden Virgina and all those other prepackaged tobaccos, and has more flavour. Second, non-smokers around whom I was smoking the Black Cherry enjoyed the smell. Don't be the average person who smokes average prepackaged tobaccos- get something new and exiting- it might lead to a conversation with a hottie who likes the smell.

• Flavour: 6/10
• Sweetness: 6/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 4/10
• Value for Money: 7/10
• Indulgence Factor: 4/10
• Overall Rating: 6/10

Cigarillo: Hamlet Fine Aroma (3.5/10)

Hamlet is a well known brand among smoking aficionados- indeed nearly everyone who regularly smokes cigarillos has at least tried a Hamlet... some like them, some do not. Speaking as someone who is not a huge fan of regular Hamlets (actually I did smoke them regularly for about a month before I realised I preferred rollies without filters to Hamlets), I would recommend trying the Hamlet Fine Aroma.

The Hamlet Fine Aroma is aromatic, unlike its more familiar cousin, and we found this helps subdue the dryness that one would expect of a regular Hamlet. Of course, when something is aromatic, there are additives which are most certainly less good for you than pure tobacco. Although it had a slightly sweeter and more flavoursome smoke, featuring vanilla tones, the cigarillos were still quite brittle and dry, due to being a medium-loose pack of short filler.

Give them a try- at least they are quite cheap!

• Smoking time: 4-8 minutes
• Flavour: 3/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 5/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 6/10
• Value for Money: 4/10
• Indulgence Factor: 3/10
• Overall Rating: 3.5/10

Cigarillo: Supreme Dutch Cigars (1/10)

Terrible, absolutely terrible! Just completely, entirely and utterly not worth smoking. Okay, perhaps I am being a little harsh, but so were the Dutch Supremes in the mouth. Perhaps the ones we tried had not been kept properly, but they had a very dry smoke, virtually no tar, were loosely packed and brittle. Unless you like the sort of smoke that brings to mind a scorching Sahara in your mouth, we certainly do not recommend these cigarillos.

• Smoking time: 4-8 minutes
• Flavour: 1/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 1/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 9/10
• Value for Money: 1/10
• Indulgence Factor: 1/10
• Overall Rating: 1/10

Pipe Tobacco: American Whiskey (9/10)

I must say that I was slightly skeptical when purchasing this particular tobacco- it was indicated to me that although it had a few dedicated followers, it was not the best selling tobacco that Jim had in the market. In addition, I tend to vie away from anything that has American in the name, or worse still, with the spelling of Whisky with an 'e'. Everyone knows Scotch Whisky is far superior to any 'Whiskey.' My fears immediately disappeared when I took my first puff of this delectable tobacco.

The American Whiskey, by makers Gawith and Hoggarth, features a thick smoke, slightly sweet but incredibly flavourful. I detected the slightest hints of vanilla and almond, and of course, whisk(e)y tones that were quite delightful. It almost tasted buttery to me, but in a smooth and mellow way. The tobacco did feature quite a lot of tar, but it did not hurt the aroma in any way as some tars do. I certainly recommend that every pipe smoker try this particular tobacco. It is certainly a contender for my favourite- up there with the Coniston Cut Plug.

• Flavour: 9/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 6/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 3/10
• Value for Money: 7/10
• Indulgence Factor: 9/10
• Overall Rating: 9/10

Pipe Tobacco: American Black and Brown (7/10)

The American Black and Brown pipe tobacco, from makers Gawith and Hoggarth, is a quite fine tobacco, and we certainly enjoyed smoking it. Our tobacconist Jim said that it is one of his best selling and we can see (well, taste and smell) why... My first olfactory sensation of the smoke was a hint of toasted cumin, on the other hand, my friend detected the flavour of mace. A website indicated the tobacco features a 'fantastic sweet chocolate aroma.' Chocolate perhaps, but we certainly did not find this tobacco to be sweet- toasted and spiced would be more apt terms, but it was definitely a balanced flavour.

The tobacco is moderately tarry, and produces a thick smoke- great for those who can blow smoke rings. I would suggest that you do not pack the tobacco too tight in the bowl- testing the draw before lighting my pipe, I thought it would be fine, but the tobacco went out several times and I had to relight. We certainly recommend trying this tobacco, especially if you are not a fan of aromatics or sweet tobaccos, but would like something with more depth of flavour.

• Flavour: 6/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 5/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 5/10
• Value for Money: 5/10
• Indulgence Factor: 5/10
• Overall Rating: 7/10

Cigarillo: Montecristo Mini (6/10)

My deepest condolences for not having posted in a few days, and I send you the apologies of my compatriot as well... we have both been rather busy. To make up for it, today we bring you two reviews instead of one!

And what better way (ha ha, I began a paragraph with the word 'and,' terribly cutting edge journalism this...) to have a new post, than by bringing you a review of an amazing little cigarillo. We were both terribly impressed with the Montecristo Mini- it is not usual to find a cigarillo that is as enjoyable as this. It is composed of a hybrid filler, meaning that there are proper whole leafs of tobacco mixed in with the short filler (the normal cheap bits of tobacco most cigarillos consist of), and as a result, the Mini is not dry, has quite a decent flavour and is less brittle than most cigarillos. However, it also means that it will go out if not smoked continuously, but most cigar aficionados know this is also a sign of quality. We recommend that you keep these cigarillos in a humidor, or smoke them within a few days of purchase.

Alas, these cigarillos are Cuban (Kennedy must be spinning in his grave knowing we, two Americans, are enjoying Cuban cigars so much, but we are not in America after all), so those of you in the States will have to wait for Obama to lift the embargo (hopefully)... A pack of 2 Minis will cost you around one pound. 50p for one of these is certainly worth the money!

• Smoking time: 5-10 minutes
• Flavour: 7/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 5/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 6/10
• Value for Money: 9/10
• Indulgence Factor: 8/10
• Overall Rating: 6/10

Cigarillo: Mehari's Sweet Orient (3/10)

Time for another cigarillo review... don't worry, we will be reviewing some proper cigars in due course- namely, once we each get paid... for proper cigars are a bit more expensive.

The Mehari Sweet Orient by Agio, a Sri Lankan manufacturer, is an acceptable smoke, neither amazing, but nor was it disappointing. We found the Meharis produce a light and mild smoke, with a hint of rose. They were sweet, but not overtly so, but as a result of their medium-loose pack of short filler (which is standard in cigarillos) they produced a fairly hot smoke beginning about half-way through the length. The Mehari Sweet Orients are worth a try, but they are certainly not the best cigarillos in the world. A pack of ten will cost you around £5 either online, or in a tobacconist. Of course, we recommend buying from a tobacconist when possible, in order to support local business.

• Smoking time: 5-10 minutes
• Flavour: 4/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 6/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 7/10
• Value for Money: 4/10
• Indulgence Factor: 3/10
• Overall Rating: 3/10

Pipe Tobacco: Coniston Cut Plug Aromatic (9/10)

There is nothing quite as enjoyable as sitting down in the afternoon sun with a cappuccino, a good book, and a pipe. This is the best 'me-time' when I can wind down, and properly appreciate the finer things in life... of course, it is more enjoyable in the summer than winter, but at least today was sunny and dry albeit the chilling north wind...

My favourite tobacco varies between the Coniston non-aromatic and the Coniston aromatic, and in fact, if I cannot decide between the two- a mixture of both is very enjoyable. The Coniston aromatic, in comparison to the non-aromatic (both by makers Gawith and Hoggarth) has a bit more tar, is a bit sweeter, and is slightly more difficult to smoke- in that it goes out more easily... I am a well-seasoned pipe smoker, but the Coniston aromatic usually goes out for me about two-thirds of the way through. Of course, much of the reason for tobaccos going out is due to the pipe, and the way you pack it. In regards to flavour, I believe it has more depth than the non-aromatic (my colleague may disagree), but as is usual with aromatic tobaccos, it has a slightly soapy aftertaste... Fortunately this aftertaste is hardly noticeable in comparison to some other aromatic tobaccos. The Coniston also produces a moderately heavy smoke, and is great for blowing smoke rings- provided there is no wind... Finally, the tobacco also has a very long life; with most tobaccos a full bowl smokes for about a half-hour to forty minutes, but I can get an hour out of the Coniston aromatic.

The Coniston aromatic is certainly a tobacco worth a try. If you decide it is too aromatic, mix about 1/3 aromatic with 2/3 non-aromatic, just to give the non-aromatic Coniston a bit more depth.

• Flavour: 9/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 7/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 3/10
• Value for Money: 7/10
• Indulgence Factor: 8/10
• Overall Rating: 9/10

Pipe Tobacco: Bulwark Flake (5/10)

The Bulwark Flake, by Dutch maker Peterstokkebye, is, in essence, a letdown. It is strong and rich, both excellent qualities, but has a substantial soapy aftertaste that is less than palatable. It also manages to have an overpowering flavour with little or no depth, a feat that somewhat baffles us. To top it off, it goes out easily and leaves a dry coating on the roof of the mouth. It begins as quite a dry smoke, though substantial amounts of tar seem to develop towards the end of a pipefull. Certainly a tobacco that requires regular pipe cleaning! Not exactly our favourite, as no doubt the reader can tell. Of course, everything mentioned above is in comparison to tobacco of the Coniston Cut Plug ilk. The Bulwark Flake is still better than the majority of pre-packaged mass marketed pipe fillers, a view you will see reflected on our ratings and it does possess a strong and distinctive taste. This having been said, it was certainly not to our taste.

• Flavour: 3/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 5/10
• Tar: 6/10
• Value for Money: 5/10
• Indulgence Factor: 3/10
• Overall Rating: 5/10

Pipe Tobacco: Cherry and Vanilla (6/10)

Another fine day, another fine smoke... well, several smokes, some of which were less than fine, and the day was really quite miserable... Alas, gone are the days of indoor smoking! But enough of that, on to the review of the Cherry and Vanilla pipe tobacco from makers Gawith and Hoggarth.

My colleague and I had a few hesitations about trying this particular pipe tobacco, but as I said, since it is the most popular at the Durham Market, and indeed a very popular tobacco all over the world, we must review it! Upon buying a 12.5g amount (just enough for a few pipes) from Jim- our tobacconist, he informed us that this is one of the easiest-smoking tobaccos around, and is also the one to be smoking in order to attract, rather than repel the ladies.

This tobacco surprised us, and by that I mean we both expected the smoke to be as sickeningly sweet as the smell (neither of us are particular fans of sweetened tobaccos). On the contrary, the Cherry and Vanilla was mild and smooth, well-balanced, and with only a hint of vanilla and cherry essence. Unfortunately, as is common with most aromatic tobaccos, this had the peculiar soapy aftertaste that leaves your mouth quite dry. Of course, this can be remedied through various licentious beverages! Fortunately, and unlike many aromatics, the Cherry and Vanilla had very little tar.

If you are smoking a pipe for the first time, or around others who may or may not enjoy the smell of pipe smoke, we recommend the Cherry and Vanilla. Be warned however, that there are nicer tobaccos out there, so do not make the all-too-common mistake if never trying anything new.

• Flavour: 6/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 7/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 7/10
• Value for Money: 7/10
• Indulgence Factor: 3/10
• Overall Rating: 6/10

Rollie Tobacco: Burley Flake (5/10)

Well, we have reviewed a cigar, a pipe tobacco and two cigarillos, so naturally, it's time for a review of a rollie tobacco. The first such rollie tobacco I shall review (and I say 'I' because my compatriot doesn't smoke rollies) is the Burley Flake.

Burley tobacco is lightly air-cured, and is the primary tobacco used in most cigarettes. It can also form the base for many aromatic or non-aromatic blends of tobacco because of its light neutral flavour. The Burley Flake I purchase from the Durham Tobacconist is simply this lightly cured tobacco, without any additives. Thus it has a very enjoyable natural flavour, neutral, not-overwhelming, and thus very enjoyable for a rollie. The particular type I buy is also a thicker shred, which not only is a bit cheaper, but I believe produces a tastier and less hot smoke than the finely shredded rollie tobaccos one would find in a pack of Golden Virginia or Drum for example.

• Flavour: 4/10
• Sweetness: 3/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 7/10
• Value for Money: 7/10
• Indulgence Factor: 2/10
• Overall Rating: 5/10

Cigarillo: Cafe Creme Blue (2/10)

I must admit I had to smoke more than one of the Cafe Creme Blues to really understand exactly what Henri Wintermans (the maker, based in Holland) was getting at. To be honest, I am still not sure what I think of them- whether I like them or not... I think my opinion of them will always depend greatly on externals- such as whether smoked with a coffee, a beer, or a cocktail, and whether it is morning, afternoon or evening. I do think however, that these are morning smokes, and would accompany a cappucino far more than a pint of bitter.

To be honest, we were not disappointed with these cigarillos, but nor were we impressed. They have a medium-loose packing of short filler (typical for a cigarillo), and feature a light minty essence in the moderately sweet smoke. One can tell of the light addition of some sugary susbstance because of the blackness of the ash, but this sweetness is thankfully not overbearing.

A pack of ten Cafe Creme Blues will typically cost you between £3.50 and £4.00.

• Smoking time: 4-8 minutes
• Flavour: 4/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 7/10
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 7/10
• Value for Money: 5/10
• Indulgence Factor: 2/10
• Overall Rating: 2/10

Cigarillo: Mini by Neos (4/10)

I would first like to introduce myself as the second beardy-pipe-and-cigar-smoking contributor to this blog. Of course, I am far less beardy than my compatriot, and have a somewhat different taste in tobacco, but the hope is that this will enhance our reviews. I hope those of you who have read the first two posts have found this blog interesting and perhaps even found a new tobacco to try, and I encourage you to keep checking back for more reviews.

The Mini cigarillo, by Neos, is Belgian-made, and has the honour of being the first cigarillo to be reviewed here. It is a medium packed cigarillo of 'short filler,' although thankfully we found no large ugly stems to contend with. The smoke is lightly sweet- though do not let this put you off, the smoke is balanced and not overt. Although a simple flavour, the Mini featured the light fragrance of rose, which was exceptionally nice. Like many cigarillos, the Mini had very little tar, but of course this tends to be a problem only with larger cigars.

The first puff of smoke from the Mini leaves nothing to be desired- in fact our first words were simply wow! Perhaps this sentiment was slightly coloured by our experience with several not-so-nice cigarillos, but those first few puffs were certainly enjoyable. Nevertheless, although an excellent smoke initially, the cigarillo quickly became unbearably hot and spicy, losing its pleasant sweetness about halfway through- and although many cigars suffer this fate toward the end, the Mini began its decline earlier than is normal.

These cigarillos can be expected to cost roughly £2.50 in your local tobacconist for a pack of ten... and perhaps an extra 20p per pack if bought online.

• Smoking Time: 4-8 minutes
• Flavour: 4/10
• Smoke Sweetness: 6/10
• Tar (1=wet, 10=dry): 8/10
• Value for  Money: 7/10
• Indulgence Factor: 5/10
• Overall Rating: 4/10

Pipe Tobacco: Coniston Cut Plug (9/10)

Although I am often found smoking a cigar, it is my pipe that has always been my true pleasure. Over the years I have tried many different tobaccos (over 50 at last count) and Coniston Cut Plug by Gawith and Hoggarth has consistently remained amongst my favorites. Its composition is about three quarters dark-fired leaf, with the remainder split equally between Virginia and Burley. Many tobaccos are described as having a full flavor, but few provide the depth that this cut plug achieves. It is a long and slow smoking tobacco, that stays lit remarkably well compared to most other pipe tobaccos. If you are new to smoking pipes, it can be found quite strong and, silly though it may sound, smoky. The other flavor that some find off-putting, are the floral tones that almost seem to contain a soapy quality. Once more, this seems to bother the newer smoker far more than the experienced. There is an aromatic version available, but I will leave my fellow contributer to discuss that in greater depth as he is far more of a fan than I. It is available in plug or cut plug form, but unless you have a great deal of time and enjoy chopping tobacco, I strongly recommend that you buy it ready cut. This is a wonderful pipe tobacco. If you haven't tried it, go and buy a pouch full, today, and if your local tobacconist doesn't stock it, ask them to. It is well worth it.

• Flavour: 8/10
  
• Smoke Sweetness: 5/10
  
• Tar: 5/10
  
• Value for Money: 7/10
  
• Indulgence Factor: 8/10
• Overall Rating: 9/10
  

Cigar: Chinchalero Chicos (6/10)

There are days (admittedly not that many) when I find I neither have the time nor the enthusiasm to relax with an appropriate licentious beverage and enjoy the forty-five minutes to an hour of pleasure that a pipe of good tobacco or a truly well made cigar would afford me. Rather, I need a quick burst of civilization, a little something to keep me sane. Chinchalero Chicos are a hand made 30 gauge Nicaraguan Cigar that fit the bill perfectly. They have an average smoking time of about 15 minutes and are remarkably easy to enjoy while walking. I have also, thus far, been impressed with the quality of their composition. I have smoked five over the last week and each has cut well. More importantly I have yet to encounter any large pieces of stem that can hinder the burning of many of the cheaper cigars. Not only are they remarkably smooth and slow burning, but they provide a depth of flavor usually more common only in a far more expensive cigar. After all, price is perhaps their biggest appeal. Online a box of twenty-five will cost just over 25 pounds. At your local tobacconist the cost will be slightly higher, though you can check to make sure they have been stored properly and there are no shipping costs to consider. Much as we support online shops for specialist items we also like to support our local tobacconist as a quality purveyor of the little joys in life. Chinchalero Chicos get a firm recommendation from us. Not a cigar for a special occasion perhaps, but one would be hard pressed to find a better cigar for day to day consumption without at least doubling the price.

• Smoking time: 10-15 minutes
  
• Flavour: 5/10
  
• Smoke Sweetness: 3/10
  
• Tar (1=very wet, 10=very dry): 8/10
  
• Value for Money: 9/10
  
• Indulgence Factor: 2/10
  
• Overall Rating: 6/10