Bird's Eye Tobacco

brightleaf · Jan 7, 2018

I have gone through many historical books on tobacco and found most everything that was made back then still available now. The only exception is Bird's Eye tobacco. Bird's Eye is very popular in the older books. Has anyone heard of it or know of it's existence in current markets?

Image from Charles Lamb in pipefuls published in 1890

beefeater33 · Jan 7, 2018

G & H still makes it............ It's made from the whole leaf, the "ribs", when sliced give it the "bird's eyes"........

I think I remember Russ O. saying that the ribs/stems contain more nicotine too...........

brightleaf · Jan 7, 2018

Thanks. I found some links for it

https://www.pipesandcigars.com/p/gawith-hoggarth-dark-birds-eye-pipe-tobacco/1472848/

https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipe-tobacco/gawith-hoggarth/Dark-Bird's-Eye/product_id/4014/bulk/
From other images that I saw in the past it was sold in flakes, where it looked like bird's eye maple. This is sold as a shag cut where the bird's eye characteristic isn't apparent.

Chasing Embers · Jan 7, 2018

Former?
https://www.smokingpipes.com/tobacco/by-maker/Former/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=11327

cortezattic · Jan 7, 2018

Chasingembers beat me to the punch.

brightleaf · Jan 7, 2018

Here's the tin with flakes exposed.

Right beefeater33 I do remember that it was the cut with the ribs being the bird's eyes. These flakes don't seem to show it much but I think I will give it a try seeing as it was one of the most popular blends of the past.

beefeater33 · Jan 7, 2018

^^ I think there are probably other flakes out there that have more birdseye in them than the above blend. I think that whole series of Former's blends were named after the grain on briar pipes...... straight grain, birdseye and cross grain. I don't think its a nod to the tobacco type. I could be wrong too, as I've never smoked any of the Former's blends..........

saltedplug · Jan 7, 2018

GH Dark Birdseye has the small slices of stem. Perhaps more nicotine but to me the effect is visual.

deathmetal · Jan 7, 2018

https://www.pipesandcigars.com/p/gawith-hoggarth-dark-birds-eye-pipe-tobacco/1472848/

A personal favorite. Five Brothers is a birdseye as well. And they mix well.

brightleaf · Jan 8, 2018

Your thoughts on Former's naming is probably right. Smokingpipes has a zoomed pic of the shag Gawith Hoggarth blend, and they describe it as a proper bird's eye. For some reason the link was too long in my last post Smokingpipes Link

blendtobac · Jan 8, 2018

One of the other things about bird's eye tobaccos is that occasionally you get a burst of a piney flavor, courtesy of the ribs.
Russ

craiginthecorn · Jan 10, 2018

Piney flavor! Thanks for sharing that note, Russ. Just a couple days ago, I used C&D Oriental Silk and Arango Balkan Supreme as the primary components for a mild English-Oriental and included a bit of Gawith Hoggarth Dark Birdseye to provide some bass notes. I picked up a bit of pine from time to time which I quite enjoyed. I wasn't crazy after all!

jaytex1969 · Jan 10, 2018

I wasn't crazy after all!

Well, maybe I wouldn't go THAT far... :nana:
Another interesting sounding leaf to try.

mso489 · Jan 11, 2018

Are we talking burley here? I like the old package art. I think I see artist renditions of flamingos, storks, penguins, and maybe pelicans. I have plenty of stash for my moderate habit, but this might drive me to order at tin.

PaulTheScandinavian · Jan 11, 2018

G&H Dark Birdseye is a must when enjoyed in moderation,just fall in love with this stuff,Yes I'm.

brightleaf · Jan 11, 2018

@mso489

Gawith Hoggarth & Co. Dark Bird's Eye is the only Bird's Eye that has been presented yet that has the name and claim as a true bird's eye. Here are the descriptions of the tobacco from the two links.
From pipesandcigars pipesandcigars

Dark Bird's Eye is made of a dark-fired form of Virginia with the main stem left intact, which lends even more flavor. It's cut into a fine shag for easy packing. It stays lit easily, but should be smoked especially slowly as it can burn quickly and get hot. Dark Bird's Eye is a stout smoke with tremendous flavor.

From smokingpipes smokingpipes

This is a combination of dark-fired whole leaf Virginias and mid-rib fine cut Kentucky leaf rolled and sliced to make 'bird's eyes'. This fine shag cut was preferred by fisherman and sailors because it was very easy to pack and light.
The ad/art was in a book published in 1890 for Cope's Tobacco and I believe it is for their Bird's Eye.

jaytex1969 · Jan 11, 2018

I seem to remember smoking Drum shag RYO tobacco back in the early 90's. One of the characteristics was the occasional "knot" of shag, with a bird's eye looking center point.
Anyone else remember this?

PaulTheScandinavian · Jan 12, 2018

JayTex:I can confirm this, almost all Holland type of quality RYO's have these occasional Bird's Eyes in them.

mso489 · Jan 12, 2018

Thanks brightleaf. It is always grounding to know what leaf is the base of a blend. Sounds like an especially good change-up for devoted Virginia smokers, but it sounds good to me too, though I tend toward burley.

Bird's Eye Tobacco

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