Gawith Hoggarth - ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ - Revor Plug

[misterlowercase]

Re: Cob Plug - you might enjoy Gawith's Lakeland Dark. 1792 minus the tonquin. Very little 'essence,' if any, detected. Deeeeeelicious.

No doubt, it's on my list but I haven't had a domestic TAD order as of late,

gonna get some for sure!

::

 

[bonehed]

Would send some, but only got a small sample and it's about gone. If I place an order in the near future, it'll definitely include some and I'll pass some along!

 

[misterlowercase]

Do you have any other recommendations I might like that I can't find readily available in the states? Thanks.

Hawky - I hesitated to respond because I just don't feel comfortable recommending stuff because everyone has such vastly differing tastes and wouldn't want anyone cursing my name saying damn that misterlowercase this stuff sux!!! haha y'know? I have no problem doing a "review" type thing and offering my impressions, but to offer suggestions to someone else is a different kettle of fish...
...that said,

here's some stuff that you may enjoy -
Every single one of the Irish plugs are worth a try:

http://www.pipedivan.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2_85

Each are unique and offer their own special charm, although I'm very very fond of Yachtsman Plug I find it quite similar to Pete's 3P's so I cannot justify the added expense of adding it to my rotation; Erinmore Plug is quite good as well but the bittersweet flavor doesn't fit my tastes as well; Mick McQuaid is supremely delicious but again the flavor profile doesn't fit my exact preferences, regardless I can enjoy it but do so only every now and then; Condor, Warrior, and Velvan are absolutely required by me, without them life would be tragic. You may also be interested in trying Maltan (listed under commercial tobacco) as it is very unique, I didn't really like it, but you may.
The GQ blends by Glynn Quelch are worth a try and many people love them, I have a low tolerance for perique so many of his blends don't fit me, but from the ones I've tried they are very well put together:

http://www.gqtobaccos.com/pipe-tobaccos/gq-blends/

...you can also get the full range of Gawith plugs and a couple other of their blends from him; he used to carry John Sinclair's Highland Sliced until it recently ceased production, it was a real good one; and you can get St. Bruno Flake for a dollar cheaper from him as opposed to what they're charging here in the States.

 

[hawky454]

Thank you for the in depth suggestions! I'm not a picky guy and I don't think I have ever smoked a tobacco that I disliked so much that it made me angry so I won't be cursing your name, don't worry. I find I pretty much like all tobaccos, just some more than others.

 

[mcitinner1]

I just got this 250g of Samuel Gawith Kendal Plug today. Actually I got two.

 

[hawky454]

Thanks again for some of the suggestions, I just placed an order with GQ. He's got such a nice selection of baccy's on there but unfortunately it's freakin' expensive and that's not even including the flat rate shipping to the states. Part of me didn't even want to place the order, why should I deliberately try to fall in love with a blend that hard to get in the states? But, alas my curiosity always gets the best of me. Better to have loved and lost...

 

[hawky454]

Well, my Revor Plug came this Wednesday and I have to say that I am very underwhelmed just like you were when you first sampled it...

Several years ago I was gifted a small loose sample of this, about a 25g chunk I'd reckon, and it didn't really trip my trigger, nor do I recall it being anything extraordinary to my tastes - perhaps my sample was aged with a dissipated topping, or overly dried, or from a batch which didn't fully realize its toothsome traits - whatever the case may be, I incorrectly assumed from my small sampling that I "knew" what Revor Plug was and I was quite underwhelmed by it. A wrong-headed assumption on my part for sure, but due to the difficulty and expense involved with obtaining Revor, I then thought that it wasn't worth further pursuit.

So I plan on finishing off the entire 50g pouch before writing it off but as it stands right now, I hardly get any taste from it and it just seems flat to me but I know that I have written off tobacco blends before just to find out that I absolutely love them several years later. It seems like my timing may be off and I'm just not ready for it yet... for now I'll stick with my Brown Bogie and Dark Flake to get my jollies off.

 

[misterlowercase]

Thanks for reporting back Hawky!
Give it a few more tries, it really builds up from midbowl down, but right from the start I get a tremendous flavor burst, maybe there are batch variations? I'm about to break open my 2nd pouch so I'll find out how consistent the blend is with casing application...
...I've experimented with adding a little under 1/4 of PPP to a bowlful to add a bit more body and that has worked well too.

 

[mso489]

Okay, you have the first two or three chapters; go ahead and finish the book!

 

[hawky454]

I will surely give it some more time as it most definitely could have been a fluke, I could have been dehydrated or constipated... ya know, everything factors into it. I'll report back if my opinions change.

 

[simong]

Over the years I've been smoking it I've had 2 pouches which tasted kind of flat or below par. Not a bad percentage really, considering how many pouches I've gone through.

Hawky454 sounds like you were unlucky kiddo, or revor just isn't for you. You can always have fun mixing it with other blends & see what happens.

I recently tried the mahogany by hoggarth's, loved it! Like ennerdale without so much of the floral scent & a tad more strength, definately getting more.

 

[hawky454]

Yeah we'll see how it goes, Simong. I also received Condor Long Cut with my order and the first time I smoked that I felt the same way, it was just boring. I rubbed out and smoked another bowl of it last night and it blew my socks off, it was absolutely delicious. So maybe, just maybe the same will happen for Revor Plug.

 

[hawky454]

Okay, second pipe full of Revor Plug and I'm turning into a believer. I'm not completely sure I'll buy another pouch at the current price it costs to import the stuff but I can see myself falling in love with its unique flavor. I'm not even gonna try to explain the flavors I get, but my taste memory was excited when I reintroduced this smoke to my mouth.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

If you buy over a dozen or so plugs or do a group buy, the shipping from overseas makes it quite a bit less than you'd think.

 

[hawky454]

Yeah, I know what ya mean... I finally buckled down and bought a large supply of Strang! Very well worth it. I think anytime we say the word Stang, it should be with an exclamation mark; Strang!

Back on track, yes, next time I order from GQ I'm gonna place a much larger order. Organizing a group buy? I'm too lazy.

 

[hawky454]

Okay, another update... Today when I sat down with a billiard full of Revor Plug, it hit me! Wow, how did I not pick up on this flavor before? It's absolutely stunning! Very subtle, but full bodied in flavor and I would say it has a good dose of nicotine, too, as it is very satisfying through and through. I'm glad I stuck with this one cause, it is now up there with my favorites along side Condor and Dark Flake (scented). Absolutely an essential purchase for any serious pipe smoker. Thanks for sparking my interest in this Mr. Lowercase. You da man!

 

[misterlowercase]

= )
Thanks for the update Hawky, it pleases me to read that it clicked.
Weird how it works ain't it?
I wish my palate had picked up on it earlier as I went a couple of years thinking that it was only a mediocre smoke, hence my lengthy post about it, I was stunned and bewildered at to how I could have ever possibly thought that it wasn't worth the trouble of obtaining,

now it's a solid in my rotation!
::

 

[jpmcwjr]

Wow, another fine treatise from mlc! Thanks. I've put it on my 'to be read list'....

 

[hawky454]

I recently tried the mahogany by hoggarth's, loved it! Like ennerdale without so much of the floral scent & a tad more strength, definately getting more.

Where did you find Mahogany? It's not available here in the States but I was hoping that GQ would carry but unfortunately I'm not seeing it. Sounds right up my alley.
Damn, it's weird to read this thread now. Thanks to Misterlowercase (who is no longer a member here, unfortunately) I have found my holy grail tobacco. It seems that some of my favorite tobaccos, when first I was introduced, I didn't like them at all, but they have slowly grown to become the best I've ever experienced. Weird how that works. Never write a tobacco off, as it very well could become your favorite one day.
I noticed that Misterlowercase flirted with the idea that Revor Plug may have some Latakia in it. I agree with him but I can't find any information proving this to be true. Maybe it's the way the tobacco is cured but I certainly get a Latakia taste in it. Does anyone else taste Latakia in Revor Plug?

 

[agnosticpipe]

I ordered some Revor Plug about 6 mo. ago when ordering some other tobaccos. (Condor anyone?) I really liked it, but it reminded me of another tobacco. It looked like Peterson's 3P, so I got out my Peterson's 3P and the look, smell and smoke are exactly the same in my mind. Are they the same? It seems like it to me, but I would like to hear some other opinions on the matter. Either way, they are both wonderful tobaccos, but 3P is available here at a much lower price.
Also, I can't seem to find any latakia scent in either the tin or smoke. I think that the flavorings give it a unique taste, and maybe they could be interpreted as latakia.