Tongue Bite From Samuel Gawith Squadron Leader

[smokeyb]

Hello all. Let me try to frame my question first. I buy all my tobaccos in bulk. I dry any that feel damp before I smoke them. I take small enough sips of Squadron Leader that only the slightest puff of smoke leaves my mouth. I smoke four to five bowls a day. The problem is, I love Samuel Gawith Squadron Leader but it gives me a bad bite. Does anyone else get tongue bite from Squadron Leader and if so what English blends can you comfortably smoke?
Thank you in advance for your time and recommendations.

 

[yazamitaz]

Hey Smokey,
Welcome to the forums!! I also purchase SL in bulk and I find it very approachable with no tongue bite at all, although I must admit I only smoke one bowl of it when I do smoke it. Are you getting tongue bite on EVERY smoke or just the fourth or fifth bowl? I think I would get tongue bite if I smoked air by the fifth bowl

 

[smokeyb]

Hi Yaza! I can tell it is going to bite me when I light the first bowl. I usually start and close my day with SL and try to find the time to work a bowl or two in throughout the day. On the other hand I have not had this issue with the 'secret recipe' black cavendish blend I get from my local shop. I guess I should also add that I smoke SL through a small churchwarden.

 

[rmbittner]

It's been about six years since I cracked a tin of Squadron Leader. But this is how it smoked to me, back in 2008: "This is a solid English blend that puts a slight emphasis on the orientals and shifts the latakia into a support position. The orientals here are slightly sour and pungent, and they bring just the right note to the blend. It's a mild-to-medium English that just happens to highlight the orientals, balancing them with some darker-tasting Virginias and a good dash of latakia."
It's possible that what you're reacting to are the non-latakia orientals in the blend. Given the smoking style you describe -- and the fact that you're only smoking 4-5 bowls a day -- you shouldn't be getting "bit" by excessive heat or the kinds of bad things that can happen to a blend that's puffed too fast or smoked too hot. So I'm left thinking it might be the orientals in this one, since they are a bit more forward than usual in this blend.
I'd suggest picking up a tin of Dunhill Standard Mixture or My Mixture 965. The Standard will show a more even balance between the various tobaccos in the blend. And the 965 will do that as well, while adding a cavendish element that might well help to smooth out any problems that might arise from the orientals. (I haven't checked to see if these are available in bulk, though.)
Of course, if you're really feeling adventurous, you could try a much more oriental-forward blend and see how you react to that. (Of course, they wouldn't be the exact same oriental mixture that you're getting in Squadron Leader.) Presbyterian Mixture would work well for this. As would McClelland Grand Orientals: Smyrna No. 1. Even a Balkan like GLPease's Charing Cross might give you some insight.
Bob

 

[smokeyb]

I will give Northwoods a try. Thanks!

 

[smokeyb]

Bob, I agree (in my neophyte opinion) that I'm getting an alkaloid burn or similar reaction. I also think you have hit the nail square on the head and I will simply need to sample blends with different dominant varieties to see if I can isolate the culprit. Am I correct in my understanding that Latakia is almost always an Oriental leaf? Is there such a thing as a Burley leaf Latakia?
On a side note, I have a tin of Frog Morton's Cellar on the way and will post in this thread how my tongue reacted to that.
I will also add your Dunhill recommendations to my list. Thank you.

 

[rmbittner]

I've never heard of anyone producing Latakia from anything other than oriental leaf. But then I've never heard of anyone outside of Cyprus and Syria trying to produce a "latakia" -- I have to use quotes, since it wouldn't be true latakia, IMO -- and oriental leaf is what's grown in Cyprus and Syria.
I have to add, though, that are a number of very different orientals on the market. Some are quite sweet and smooth; others are less sweet but richer; others are bitter and acrid. To truly understand some of the major varietals, I'd suggest smoking your way through McClelland's Grand Orientals series. (I don't believe that series includes a Basma example; for that, I'd suggest Frog Morton on the Town.)
Bob

 

[smokeyb]

My local shop has a nice selection of both loose and tinned McClelland mixes. I will look into both the Grand Orientals and Frog Morton on the Town. I just really hope my tongue reaction is not from the Latakia itself because I am very fond of that earthy flavor.

 

[petes03]

That Boswell Northwoods is some GOOD stuff! You might also be interested in H&H Black House, Magnum Opus, and 10 To Midnight. McClelland's Frog Morton On The Town, Frog Morton Across The Pond, and Blue Mountain. Butera Pelican (if you can find it), C&D's Black Duck and Mac Baren's HH Vintage Syrian.

 

[lochinvar]

If you really like SL, another line of experimentation you may want to follow is to see if you can do anything to mitigate the bite. One of my friends gets horribly bitten by red Virginias if he does not drink green tea while smoking them. There may be something that will allow you to still enjoy it occasionally.

 

[smokeyb]

I'm finding quite a few positive reviews of Northwoods. I also see that it does not include any additional Oriental leaf other than the Latakia. I'll definitely ask about it this weekend at my local shop. My shipment of Frog Morton's Cellar will be here before then and since it is a Latakia, Virginia blend it is my hope that this riddle will be solved and I can start exploring English blends.
Loch - I've noticed that coffee takes the edge off the bite. Or a sip from my bottle of Biotine. I definitely want to keep this in my rotation. Even though I very much enjoy my VBC's and other aromatics I find myself sometimes craving the taste of SL when I wake up in the morning.

 

[bryanf]

I have noticed that if a blend tends to bite, it bites more in a small pipe than a medium or large pipe.
You mentioned you are smoking it in a small churchwarden. You might want to try it in a little bigger pipe.
I found the same issue with Virginia #1 by Macbaren. Once I discovered how well it smokes in my group 3 billiard, it has now become one of my favorite blends. I have smoked nearly 6 ounces of it in the last 3 weeks, and this is a blend that I cursed a year ago when I first tried it. Now, there is not even the slightest hint of bite, whatsoever....before in a small pipe, it bit so bad, that my tongue was sore for days.
Also, though I had never dried out tobacco in the past (and still for the most part don't), I found that the Virginia #1 smokes much smoother, the drier it is. I place enough for a day's smoking in my snap pouch, and it dries out enough if I leave out the humidifier. This is something I thought I would never recommend.
I also prefer bulk on all blends versus tin. I have some Squadron Leader in my cellar, and while it has never bit me in the slightest (I only smoke it in larger pipes), I just don't care for it, as I prefer an English blend that is sweeter, ala Peter Stockebye English Luxury or SG Westmoreland Mixture.

 

[smokeyb]

Bryan - Excellent idea. I'll try it in my Country Gent for tonight's nightcap. I have a larger Briar on the way with my tin of Frog Morton and it may wind up being dedicated to English blends. Thanks for the tip.

 

[salewis]

I have smoked SL for several years. However, I have always bought in the tin and never had an issue with biting. Also, I have never smoked a Church Warden and I would suggest a more substantial medium sized pipe may be easier on your mouth. Another very good English blend with just a tad of latakia and a oriental forward blend is McClelland's Bombay Court which I have been smoking more than SL lately. If you want more latakia then Bombay Extra is the way to go.

 

[smokeyb]

OK. Even without receiving the new pipe and tobac I have come to the conclusion that my packing and relighting techniques are awful. SL definitely gives me a bite but the main culprit has been (put on your shocked face) me. I'm working with the frank method right now and it feels natural. I also picked up a few hundred wooden matches and am paying extra attention to the amount of flame I put on the tobacco. Bottom line for me is if you don't know how to light your pipe and you have to relight it constantly, your mouth will let you know eventually.
I would like to thank everyone for their feedback and suggestions. I now have an outstanding list of tobaccos to review and choose from!

 

[yazamitaz]

If you like buying in bulk I also recommend PS Proper English. It has great flavor and is one of my favorite go to ribbon tobacco smokes next to SL.

 

[tslex]

Maybe the "kindest" English I know -- has all the things you want in a lat-forward blend but is very easy to smoke -- is Frog Morton on The Town.
GLP's Gaslight is similarly lat-tastic enough to satisfy, while being easy smoking -- with a bit more nic kick if you want that.
Favorites are still Penzance and, its close analogs, Byzantium and Margate. Old Limey Bastard is up there as well.

 

[Perique]

I agree with some previous posters that the problem may be the Curchwarden. I suggest trying this blend in a larger, wider bowl with a shorter stem - something like a pot or a prince - and seeing what happens.