Samuel Gawith - Cannon Plug Review

[craig61a]

Good to know, that's on the way as well.

Also @ craig61a, I found a Yankee Slicer on satan's auction website, should be here next week, looks like a useful tool.

Your Order Details​

		Samuel Gawith Cannon Plug 8oz Sku: 003-059-0074	Quantity: 2 Price: $102.00
		Samuel Gawith Chocolate Flake 8oz Sku: 003-059-0091	Quantity: 1 Price: $51.00

Yes, it’s real handy for slicing plugs. There’s a little stop on the right hand side that you can adjust somewhat for the thickness of the cut. I get 1/16” - 1/8” flakes on mine. Best tool I ever bought.

 

[craig61a]

Haha, if I may add to the praises:
Last night I finally tried Bob's Chocolate Flake (it had been on my radar for a long time -- I just hadn't gotten to it), thanks to @Home Brewing Piper. It was fantastic -- not what I expected, really -- and now I'm jonesing to get some of my own.

Yes I enjoy Bob’s as well.

 

[SBC]

I finally got my box of Cannon Plug.
I am not disappointed.

I am one of those who used to love Ennerdale, who was disappointed by the change that took place in it a few years ago.

I've tried many other Lakelands, looking for my replacement for Ennerdale. Till now, none have quite done that. The others fall into one of two categories for me:

(a) The base tobacco has too much cigarish flavor for my taste, from either burley or their version of dark fired leaf (or both) (e.g. Coniston, Bosun, etc.)
Or,
(b) The base leaf works for me, but the saucing isn't as strong as I'd wish (e.g. No. 7 Broken, Grousemoor, etc.)

Cannon Plug is finally what I've been looking for. It's basically Best Brown Flake (already a favorite VA) with Old-Ennerdale level saucing. Exactly what I was looking for.

A couple of other observations:

1) The plug -- while being a true plug -- was surprisingly easy to slice. My most recent experience with a plug was Salty Dogs, which is a pain to slice. This was far easier than that.

2) The sauce has plenty of the ubiquitous Lakeland floral essence, but additionally and just as prominently is the scent and taste of Earl Grey tea (in other words, bergamot). If you ever drink Earl Grey, it's unmistakable. In fact, I'd say that if you like that drink, well here is an Earl Grey aromatic tobacco (based on Best Brown). Win-win for me.

I'll continue to smoke Grousemoor, No. 7 Broken, and Ennerdale, sometimes. But for me, Cannon Plug is now the gold standard of scented Lakelands.

 

[andrew]

Q

Well this is unusual… a G&H appreciation thread.

It goes to show the ebb and flow of tobacco hoarders. Samuel Gawith has always been much sought after since I started pipe smoking, but G&H was frowned upon, known for the contamination of everything in its factory of that awful Lakeland granny underwear drawer scent. (I never smelled my grandma's underwear drawer while she was alive). I think it speaks alot tonthe notion if something is unavailable, suddenly it's sought after, by everyone. I always found g&h to be high quality and I didn't mind the flowery scent once I tried it, but to see people literally buying it out and chasing G&H drops is a bit of a head scratcher. But again, it goes to show the ebb and flow of consumers

 

[SBC]

(I never smelled my grandma's underwear drawer while she was alive)

... or, ever? ...

 

[bootlegpipes]

... or, ever? ...

He said what he said. I think we can all agree that the implications were (disturbingly) intentional.

 

[D_C]

First off, this is meant to be a summary of my experience with this blend. My opinions, my taste buds. I’m not here to discuss the merits or misfortunes of the manufacturer, supply chain logistics, importers, etc.

I became aware of this blend recently. Oh I’ve probably heard it mentioned before, but for some reason this time actually got off my butt and did some looking around.

Pipes and Cigars had it available in 8 ounce boxes on their website with 15% discount. So I placed an order.

It arrived yesterday. This is my first experience with the “deli containers” that SG uses to package their bulk tobacco. I couldn’t smell anything outside of the package. Upon opening the package I got a whiff of sweet, honey dew scent and perhaps a note of nuts and almost a butterscotch scent. Not really floral at all.

The date code indicated this was manufactured about 25 July 2024, so it’s got about 8 months of age on it. The plug was rectangular block maybe 6”x4”x3/4” (I didn’t get out a tape measure).

The plug fits well on my Yankee Slicer, and I was able to whack out a few flakes with ease. I broke those up in a Mr. Coffee blade mill and set some aside to dry for 10 to 15 minutes.

I grabbed a small Kirsten and stuffed the bowl. I gave the top a char, and set the pipe down for few minutes. Then lightly tamped and relit. I had to continue this routine a few times in order to get the ember well lit. Probably due to the moisture content of the tobacco and the wide opening of the chamber.

Smoking down the first half of the chamber, the honey dew flavor pretty much dominates, sublimating the tobacco flavors, although I do get some sweetness and grass from the Virginias. The Virginias become more pronounced at the halfway mark. More balance to the blend as I near the bottom of the bowl.

Seems as though when it comes to Samuel Gawith, there’s two kinds of people - those who love it; or those that love to bitch about it…

I’m very pleased with Cannon Plug. It’s got a nice taste to it, and it’s good for a change of pace every now and then.

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Thank You for the great review! Have you had Dan Sweet Honey Dew tobacco? I’ve been real curious how this smokes compared to Dan.

 

[SBC]

Thank You for the great review! Have you had Dan Sweet Honey Dew tobacco? I’ve been real curious how this smokes compared to Dan.

I've recently smoked both Dan Sweet Vanilla Honeydew and SG Cannon Plug, and besides them both being aromatic tobaccos, they could hardly be more different.

Dan Honeydew is more like MB Vanilla Roll Cake, whereas Cannon Plug is more like Ennerdale.

Dan Honeydew is honeyd vanilla on grassy yellow VA, whereas Cannon Plug is rose geranium/perfumy/soapy bergamot on figgy brown VA.

There's really no comparison.

 

[pinem]

Not to be confrontational, but there is no rose geranium in cannon plug, unless it has accidentally been cross contaminated. It's of the fruity/melon family of Gawith blends (Ennerdale, Grousemoor, Glengarry). Grasmere, Kendal flake, Bosun plug, Conniston plug are the floral blends with varying amounts of rose geranium. Then there are the anise blends, honey blends, tonquin blends, cherry blends and chocolate blends.

Someone should create a taxonomy chart grouping gawith blends by main topping note, base tobacco, strength and form (flake, twist, shag, etc.) I have a rough notion in my head of what it should look like, but it would be a gargantuan undertaking

 

[khiddy]

Someone should create a taxonomy chart grouping gawith blends by main topping note, base tobacco, strength and form (flake, twist, shag, etc.) I have a rough notion in my head of what it should look like, but it would be a gargantuan undertaking

This would be a great service to the smoking community, so if you have the knowledge, please let me be the first to encourage your effort!

 

[JadeStarCat]

Has Gawith stopped packaging in tins? If so this is a colossal degradation and typical corporate type maneuver.

 

[SBC]

Not to be confrontational, but there is no rose geranium in cannon plug, unless it has accidentally been cross contaminated. It's of the fruity/melon family of Gawith blends (Ennerdale, Grousemoor, Glengarry). Grasmere, Kendal flake, Bosun plug, Conniston plug are the floral blends with varying amounts of rose geranium. Then there are the anise blends, honey blends, tonquin blends, cherry blends and chocolate blends.

Someone should create a taxonomy chart grouping gawith blends by main topping note, base tobacco, strength and form (flake, twist, shag, etc.) I have a rough notion in my head of what it should look like, but it would be a gargantuan undertaking

Ah, the dominant note to me is far-and-away bergamot, but it's bergamot with a perfumey/soapy slant that my brain just associates with rose geranium due to other blends. Thanks for the clarification!

 

[khiddy]

Has Gawith stopped packaging in tins? If so this is a colossal degradation and typical corporate type maneuver.

No, they have not. For larger portions (like the 8oz portions discussed in this thread), they use a sealed plastic tray in a box, but they most certainly do continue to release 50g tins.

 

[Homer]

I wish I could get this tobacco from Germany.

 

[craig61a]

Has Gawith stopped packaging in tins? If so this is a colossal degradation and typical corporate type maneuver.

The Bourgeois Swine…

 

[Acts2v38AirbusPiperSC]

Not to be confrontational, but there is no rose geranium in cannon plug, unless it has accidentally been cross contaminated. It's of the fruity/melon family of Gawith blends (Ennerdale, Grousemoor, Glengarry). Grasmere, Kendal flake, Bosun plug, Conniston plug are the floral blends with varying amounts of rose geranium. Then there are the anise blends, honey blends, tonquin blends, cherry blends and chocolate blends.

Someone should create a taxonomy chart grouping gawith blends by main topping note, base tobacco, strength and form (flake, twist, shag, etc.) I have a rough notion in my head of what it should look like, but it would be a gargantuan undertaking

Warning; first post!
Thanks for collating those essence flavors Pinem. I cannot figure out which “topping” is Lakeland floral and which is bergamot, tonquin etc. As a fairly newish piper (just over a year) I don’t have a deep enough smell catalog to draw from ..

I know this much, Grousemoor is a deep essence that smells extremely strong to me, of maybe incense? Is that Bergamot? Or Tonquin? Or? I like Sam Gawith blends but a little hard to come by at my local tobacconist, so when she has any on the shelf I try them, also have tried many C&D blends, MacBaren, Dan etc.