Hello all,
First post, not an “experienced pipe smoker,” but here goes.
I like tobaccos that have a good nicotine hit to them; I’ve found that I just have a naturally high tolerance. I enjoyed the flavor of Black XX, the nicotine was satisfactory, and it smoked nicely with minimal delights.
On opening the tin, the aroma was quite smoky and BBQ-like. The tin contained one large rope and a couple smaller pieces, all of which looked very dense. I took one of the smaller pieces and cut very thin coins. This was fairly easy, as my folding knife is sharp enough to shave arm hair, but could prove difficult with a less precise instrument. The coins rubbed out much more easily than I expected from the dense appearance of the rope, resulting in ribbons similar to a shag cut. This was my first foray into ropes, so I apologize for going into this much detail for those with more experience.
The prepped tobacco was oily feeling and seemed a bit moist (probably just with natural oils), so I let it sit for a few minutes before packing. I live in a very dry climate, so a few minutes seemed appropriate. I packed the tobacco by feel as I always do, unceremoniously overfilling the bowl, packing with moderate pressure, and putting in a bit more and packing “tight.” The fine ribbon packed easily with appropriate draw. My fingers felt oily after packing.
I used my cheap briar, a Roma bent billiard of fairly average proportions. The tobacco lit easily. I usually have to relight twice after the false light for my pipe to really get going and this was no exception. Once it did get going, I only had two relights. I tend to smoke a bit hot and fast, but it stayed fairly cool even with almost constant sipping. It burned nicely to ash.
The tobacco produced pretty thick smoke, which I’m a fan of, presumably from the oils it contained. The flavor was full, rich, and thick. The barbecue smoke came through along with a pure tobacco flavor with just a little sweetness. Most tobacco that I’ve tried has tasted a bit thin to me, so the full flavor of Black XX was appreciated.
The nicotine hit was just about right for me. It didn’t knock my on my rear, but it did gently remind me to remain seated and keep arms and legs inside for the duration of the ride. For comparison, a recent go-to tobacco for me was Royal Yacht, which only hit me some of the time. My current go-to is Nicotiana Rustica that I prepared at home from whole leaf, which has me chilled out and feeling good every time. I sometimes mix it with Five Brothers which has little perceivable effect on strength.
Overall, I enjoyed Samuel Gawith Black XX. It was full strength and full flavor as advertised and I recommend it to anyone seeking a high octane smoke if you don’t need much sweetness. I hope that anyone considering buying a tin finds this review helpful and it persuades you one way or the other. I liked it, but people have their own preferred strength and flavor profiles.
If you enjoyed the review, have feedback, or want to give tobacco recommendations, please comment!
First post, not an “experienced pipe smoker,” but here goes.
I like tobaccos that have a good nicotine hit to them; I’ve found that I just have a naturally high tolerance. I enjoyed the flavor of Black XX, the nicotine was satisfactory, and it smoked nicely with minimal delights.
On opening the tin, the aroma was quite smoky and BBQ-like. The tin contained one large rope and a couple smaller pieces, all of which looked very dense. I took one of the smaller pieces and cut very thin coins. This was fairly easy, as my folding knife is sharp enough to shave arm hair, but could prove difficult with a less precise instrument. The coins rubbed out much more easily than I expected from the dense appearance of the rope, resulting in ribbons similar to a shag cut. This was my first foray into ropes, so I apologize for going into this much detail for those with more experience.
The prepped tobacco was oily feeling and seemed a bit moist (probably just with natural oils), so I let it sit for a few minutes before packing. I live in a very dry climate, so a few minutes seemed appropriate. I packed the tobacco by feel as I always do, unceremoniously overfilling the bowl, packing with moderate pressure, and putting in a bit more and packing “tight.” The fine ribbon packed easily with appropriate draw. My fingers felt oily after packing.
I used my cheap briar, a Roma bent billiard of fairly average proportions. The tobacco lit easily. I usually have to relight twice after the false light for my pipe to really get going and this was no exception. Once it did get going, I only had two relights. I tend to smoke a bit hot and fast, but it stayed fairly cool even with almost constant sipping. It burned nicely to ash.
The tobacco produced pretty thick smoke, which I’m a fan of, presumably from the oils it contained. The flavor was full, rich, and thick. The barbecue smoke came through along with a pure tobacco flavor with just a little sweetness. Most tobacco that I’ve tried has tasted a bit thin to me, so the full flavor of Black XX was appreciated.
The nicotine hit was just about right for me. It didn’t knock my on my rear, but it did gently remind me to remain seated and keep arms and legs inside for the duration of the ride. For comparison, a recent go-to tobacco for me was Royal Yacht, which only hit me some of the time. My current go-to is Nicotiana Rustica that I prepared at home from whole leaf, which has me chilled out and feeling good every time. I sometimes mix it with Five Brothers which has little perceivable effect on strength.
Overall, I enjoyed Samuel Gawith Black XX. It was full strength and full flavor as advertised and I recommend it to anyone seeking a high octane smoke if you don’t need much sweetness. I hope that anyone considering buying a tin finds this review helpful and it persuades you one way or the other. I liked it, but people have their own preferred strength and flavor profiles.
If you enjoyed the review, have feedback, or want to give tobacco recommendations, please comment!
