GH Kendal House, Initial Impressions

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Toast

Part of the Furniture Now
Feb 15, 2021
662
1,331
UK
Standard 'I'm not JimInks' disclaimer - & this is based off two bowls, so an additional pinch of salt required.

The description online reads: 'A mix of Burley, Cavendish and Virginia with a faint topping of Molasses. This broken flake tobacco has an earth smell to it and smokes deliciously. Notes of grass and citrus combine beautifully and give a medium strengthen smoke.'

From the pouch it's much less broken than I'd expected:
IMG_20211224_135518.jpg

The pouch note is lovely, very milk chocolate & soft.

The initial taste impression is vending machine hot chocolate with a few extra sachets of sugar thrown in (something I actually quite like, a very childhood taste), but the chocolate taste doesn't last long & I wonder if I'm translating my expectations from the smell into taste. The sugary taste sticks around longer. What's odd is it tastes sugary without being particularly sweet.

I'm definitely not getting grass or citrus - & overall I find the taste quite weak & undistinguished. There's probably a bit of nicotine, but not a lot. It doesn't bite.

It's not horrible & maybe it'll get better with a bit of open time - but I doubt any improvement will be enough to make me want to rebuy it.

All in all this feels like a missed opportunity - we don't see many new tobaccos on the UK market & the burley selection is notably poor (only two straight that I'm aware of - ABF & Kendal Kentucky, while many of the best VaBurs are hard to get hold of - Silver Flake & Uncle Tom's particularly). This doesn't bring anything new to the table.

GH are wonderful & see a significant proportion of my monthly pay packet. I really wanted to like their newest offering - but I'm afraid this one's a miss for me.
 

anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
16,642
31,194
46
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
Standard 'I'm not JimInks' disclaimer - & this is based off two bowls, so an additional pinch of salt required.

The description online reads: 'A mix of Burley, Cavendish and Virginia with a faint topping of Molasses. This broken flake tobacco has an earth smell to it and smokes deliciously. Notes of grass and citrus combine beautifully and give a medium strengthen smoke.'

From the pouch it's much less broken than I'd expected:
View attachment 117129

The pouch note is lovely, very milk chocolate & soft.

The initial taste impression is vending machine hot chocolate with a few extra sachets of sugar thrown in (something I actually quite like, a very childhood taste), but the chocolate taste doesn't last long & I wonder if I'm translating my expectations from the smell into taste. The sugary taste sticks around longer. What's odd is it tastes sugary without being particularly sweet.

I'm definitely not getting grass or citrus - & overall I find the taste quite weak & undistinguished. There's probably a bit of nicotine, but not a lot. It doesn't bite.

It's not horrible & maybe it'll get better with a bit of open time - but I doubt any improvement will be enough to make me want to rebuy it.

All in all this feels like a missed opportunity - we don't see many new tobaccos on the UK market & the burley selection is notably poor (only two straight that I'm aware of - ABF & Kendal Kentucky, while many of the best VaBurs are hard to get hold of - Silver Flake & Uncle Tom's particularly). This doesn't bring anything new to the table.

GH are wonderful & see a significant proportion of my monthly pay packet. I really wanted to like their newest offering - but I'm afraid this one's a miss for me.
I love reviews like this. Sounds like something I'd like in a very particular way. Like Sail Yellow. Something good but not something that requires a lot of attention. Something for a more background smoke.
 

brooklynpipeclub

Can't Leave
Sep 6, 2019
376
1,604
Brooklyn, NYC
www.instagram.com
Super interested to hear how it smokes after being neglected for a month. I remember being very underwhelmed by the amphora burley - especially given it’s beautiful presentation - and promptly gave it away. A month later however, I found a few bowls worth i had stashed in a carry tin and my instant reaction was “whoops”
I know the feeling. Gave my first pouch of it away and now it's a go-to blend for me. I used to blend it with Amphora's Kentucky because I first found it lacking in depth and strength. I've since learned to appreciate all its subtleties.
 
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JohnClyde

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 8, 2020
104
197
UK
Nice direct review!

So would you say once the initial choc's burnt away it's got more of a muted straight profile a bit like Uncle Tom's Mixture?
 
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Toast

Part of the Furniture Now
Feb 15, 2021
662
1,331
UK
Nice direct review!

So would you say once the initial choc's burnt away it's got more of a muted straight profile a bit like Uncle Tom's Mixture?
Thanks! :)

I think it'll, with a bit of luck, turn into a gentle coco & sugar forward blend with hints of nut.

For me Uncle Tom's has a few more dimensions - the earthiness offset by the slightly astringent topping - a bit like HH Mature Virginia, I still get surprised by it; but it's also pretty undemanding, which is impressive.
 

JohnClyde

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 8, 2020
104
197
UK
Thanks! :)

I think it'll, with a bit of luck, turn into a gentle coco & sugar forward blend with hints of nut.

For me Uncle Tom's has a few more dimensions - the earthiness offset by the slightly astringent topping - a bit like HH Mature Virginia, I still get surprised by it; but it's also pretty undemanding, which is impressive.

Definitely undemanding! So much so I've used it as an ultra smooth rolling tobacco in the past.
 
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Andriko

Can't Leave
Nov 8, 2021
384
945
London
Any update on this one 6 months later? I've been tempted to try myself, but there are not a lot of people talking about it!
 

simong

Lifer
Oct 13, 2015
2,748
16,592
UK
I didn't rate it. Sort of like a cheaper tasting version of Germain's Uncle Toms.