GH Kendal House, Initial Impressions

[Toast]

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:


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.

 

[Ahi Ka]

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”

 

[Toast]

Fingers firmly crossed! I'll definitely update once it's had some time to sit.

 

[mingc]

Is this truly a new blend or a renamed existing one?

 

[anotherbob]

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.

 

[Toast]

I love reviews like this.

Thank you - I've never tried to do a review before, so that's ace to hear!

 

[Toast]

Is this truly a new blend or a renamed existing one?

It was described as a new blend in a newsletter I get, so I think so.

That's why I thought it might be useful to post my initial impressions; I'd usually smoke a blend quite a bit more before I came to any conclusions.

 

[brooklynpipeclub]

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.

 

[JohnClyde]

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?

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

Fingers firmly crossed! I'll definitely update once it's had some time to sit.

6 months to a year in the jar can really improve a tobacco. Let's see what happens with a bit of time, fingers crossed?.

 

[Toast]

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]

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.

 

[karam]

Thanks for the review, sounded promising but I may pass.

 

[Andriko]

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!

 

[Toast]

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!

I'd love to hear other folks' thoughts on it myself. It didn't float my boat even after a few months jar time, but YMMV!

 

[simong]

I didn't rate it. Sort of like a cheaper tasting version of Germain's Uncle Toms.

 

[Andriko]

I didn't rate it. Sort of like a cheaper tasting version of Germain's Uncle Toms.

That might not be too bad, I rather like Uncle Tom's.