Trying Out Gawith Blends and Sharing My Impressions

[gawithhoggarth]

Excellent review! Dark Bird's Eye is one of my favorites as well. One of these days I'm going to get a couple ounces of Kendal Kentucky to try. I'm thinking that would be a good one!

Kendal Kentucky is no longer made under that name, its just Kendal Dark = Dark Birds Eye.

 

[FLDRD]

Kendal Kentucky is no longer made under that name, its just Kendal Dark = Dark Birds Eye.

Well I'm confused, could you clarify?
I've got bulk Kendal Kentucky from a couple years ago that I'm thoroughly enjoying. I also have Dark Bird's Eye that I enjoy, but didn't think they were the same. Looking at tobaccoreviews they seem different.
If you could eliminate my confusion - thank you.

 

[gawithhoggarth]

Over time similar blends can often homogenise into basically the same thing. This is what happened over time with Dark Birds Eye, Kendal Kentucky and Kendal Dark. Over time the three blends became very very similar until they were the same but were being sold under three different names. We therefore opted to discontinue Kendal Kentucky and Dark Birds Eye. However, as Dark Birds Eye was a good seller in the States it was decided to keep producing both Birds Eye and Kendal Dark, until we grew sales of Kendal Dark. In the UK we stopped producing all but Kendal Dark and advised retailers to explain to customers that as Dark Birds Eye and Kentucky no longer available, they could buy Kendal Dark instead as a replacement.

TobaccoReviews.com should be taken with a pinch of salt, its just different people's subjective opinions of what they think a blend tastes and smokes like.

But you have the same blend under two different names if only a couple of years old. Originally Dark Birds Eye had stalky bits in it that looked like birds eyes, hence the name. But this was several years ago.

 

[Auxsender]

Over time similar blends can often homogenise into basically the same thing. This is what happened over time with Dark Birds Eye, Kendal Kentucky and Kendal Dark. Over time the three blends became very very similar until they were the same but were being sold under three different names. We therefore opted to discontinue Kendal Kentucky and Dark Birds Eye. However, as Dark Birds Eye was a good seller in the States it was decided to keep producing both Birds Eye and Kendal Dark, until we grew sales of Kendal Dark. In the UK we stopped producing all but Kendal Dark and advised retailers to explain to customers that as Dark Birds Eye and Kentucky no longer available, they could buy Kendal Dark instead as a replacement.

TobaccoReviews.com should be taken with a pinch of salt, its just different people's subjective opinions of what they think a blend tastes and smokes like.

But you have the same blend under two different names if only a couple of years old. Originally Dark Birds Eye had stalky bits in it that looked like birds eyes, hence the name. But this was several years ago.

Why does this happen?
Is this a function of lead availability?

 

[gawithhoggarth]

Overtime certain types of leaf become unavailable, leaf sources change, tobacco changes (climate, soil, where its grown etc)........

 

[FLDRD]

Over time similar blends can often homogenise into basically the same thing. This is what happened over time with Dark Birds Eye, Kendal Kentucky and Kendal Dark. Over time the three blends became very very similar until they were the same but were being sold under three different names. We therefore opted to discontinue Kendal Kentucky and Dark Birds Eye. However, as Dark Birds Eye was a good seller in the States it was decided to keep producing both Birds Eye and Kendal Dark, until we grew sales of Kendal Dark. In the UK we stopped producing all but Kendal Dark and advised retailers to explain to customers that as Dark Birds Eye and Kentucky no longer available, they could buy Kendal Dark instead as a replacement.

TobaccoReviews.com should be taken with a pinch of salt, its just different people's subjective opinions of what they think a blend tastes and smokes like.

But you have the same blend under two different names if only a couple of years old. Originally Dark Birds Eye had stalky bits in it that looked like birds eyes, hence the name. But this was several years ago.

Thanks

 

[Sobrbiker]

Over time similar blends can often homogenise into basically the same thing. This is what happened over time with Dark Birds Eye, Kendal Kentucky and Kendal Dark. Over time the three blends became very very similar until they were the same but were being sold under three different names. We therefore opted to discontinue Kendal Kentucky and Dark Birds Eye. However, as Dark Birds Eye was a good seller in the States it was decided to keep producing both Birds Eye and Kendal Dark, until we grew sales of Kendal Dark. In the UK we stopped producing all but Kendal Dark and advised retailers to explain to customers that as Dark Birds Eye and Kentucky no longer available, they could buy Kendal Dark instead as a replacement.

So what’s up with the “Dark Bird’s Eye Vintage Cut”?
I really could care less if Dark Birdsdeye turns into Kendal Dark, but will be not pleased (and not buying) if the shag cut goes away.

 

[FLDRD]

So what’s up with the “Dark Bird’s Eye Vintage Cut”?
I really could care less if Dark Birdsdeye turns into Kendal Dark, but will be not pleased (and not buying) if the shag cut goes away.

I don't think so, not quite what she indicated.
I'm pretty sure it remains a shag, as that's what Kendal Kentucky (was) and Bird's Eye is.

 

[gawithhoggarth]

Kendal Dark has always been a shag cut. There is no "vintage cut" of it in the UK. The 'Kendal' range of pipe tobacco is our shag cut range.

But please note all other mixtures in the UK (except the Kendal range) are what American's term vintage cut. We don't have a vintage cut in the UK, it is just the usual pipe tobacco cut here and in the rest of the world. It's only for America that our mixtures are done as shags to cater for that market. Introducing vintage cut was a way of trying to ease American's over to the 'normal' pipe cuts!

 

[Sobrbiker]

……Introducing vintage cut was a way of trying to ease American's over to the 'normal' pipe cuts!

It would seem (to this reader at least) that this last bit could be taken that the end goal to phase out the cut of the Kendal line, once the contentious Americans have been shown what their proper preference should be, is still in play.

Having taken a brief look at GH&Co’s website, it seems (again, to this reader) that the “contributions” the company is requesting via public reviews and preferences of what should be or stay in the catalogue shows an effort to justify streamlining. I would think that the requirement of all content expressed become property of GH&Co would dissuade many from contributing objective input to the google docs spreadsheet, inherently tainting the data. For example, the entirety of the Exclusive Line is a mystery to the vast majority of American smokers, and those “in the know” on these blends would be hesitant to sign over their reviews to become GH&Co’s intellectual property. Some of us are funny about rights over here still. If y’all want to see what we’d buy, I’d suggest an effort to make more of your blends available for the market we’re speaking of to try.

I’m not trying to speak out of place, but since I started this thread as my take (as a novitiate American pipe enthusiast) on GH&Co’s products as I’m exposed to them, I feel I have the license to posit such.

 

[woodsroad]

I was smoking it out on the patio while the wife was out working on housebreaking our new pup, and she was listening to me talking about your variety pack with about the same interest and patience she has when I’m telling her why a 280 Ackley Improved is a better choice for elk than a 30-06.
As I was getting to Gawith using the same equipment and methods as they have since the nineteenth century, she had the audacity to laugh heartily as I was struck with a good case of the niccups

She’s right, you know.
Gawith manufactures with fairly modern equipment.

 

[karam]

TobaccoReviews.com should be taken with a pinch of salt, its just different people's subjective opinions of what they think a blend tastes and smokes like.

Depends who's signed each review, there are many tobacco nerds (experts) here (and in tobaccoreviews) whose opinion I take for gospel, personally.

But you have the same blend under two different names if only a couple of years old. Originally Dark Birds Eye had stalky bits in it that looked like birds eyes, hence the name. But this was several years ago.

The stalky bits are, as I'm sure you know, an integral part of some tobaccos due to the nic hit they add, and different taste than leaf. Drum RYO is one of these tobaccos. I have some Dark Bird's Eye from years ago (not sure about several, before COVID-19 for sure) which definitely has them. Are you saying that they were gradually phased out of the product?

Since we're on the topic of Kentucky blends, does any of this impact SG Lakeland Dark?

 

[MattRVA]

From Smoking Pipes:
Kendal Dark: a combination of Malawi dark fired and Indian air cured Virginias.
Dark Bird’s Eye: combination of dark-fired whole leaf Virginias and mid-rib fine cut Kentucky leaf rolled and sliced to make 'bird's eyes'
Kendal Kentucky: one hundred percent dark-fired Kentucky leaf

What seems similar to the average person isn’t quite so to us I guess… I’m a little baffled by this convergence.

 

[gawithhoggarth]

It would seem (to this reader at least) that this last bit could be taken that the end goal to phase out the cut of the Kendal line, once the contentious Americans have been shown what their proper preference should be, is still in play.

Having taken a brief look at GH&Co’s website, it seems (again, to this reader) that the “contributions” the company is requesting via public reviews and preferences of what should be or stay in the catalogue shows an effort to justify streamlining. I would think that the requirement of all content expressed become property of GH&Co would dissuade many from contributing objective input to the google docs spreadsheet, inherently tainting the data. For example, the entirety of the Exclusive Line is a mystery to the vast majority of American smokers, and those “in the know” on these blends would be hesitant to sign over their reviews to become GH&Co’s intellectual property. Some of us are funny about rights over here still. If y’all want to see what we’d buy, I’d suggest an effort to make more of your blends available for the market we’re speaking of to try.

I’m not trying to speak out of place, but since I started this thread as my take (as a novitiate American pipe enthusiast) on GH&Co’s products as I’m exposed to them, I feel I have the license to posit such.

The Kendal range is our shag range and absolutely no plans or end goal to fade this out. Its one of our biggest sellers. All other shag type mixtures sold in the USA are not our "normal" cut, hence why we decided to try with our normal cut there and it was termed Vintage cut.

A while back we requested reviews of products to put together more information on tin notes, room notes etc for our catalogue, based on a wider consumer experience. It was absolutely nothing to do with what should stay or go from the catalogue. What stays or goes is dependent on sales figures. The forms were based on a score system. We had a very good response to this. If people did not want to sign over their IP rights, not that there were really any used, its just something that goes in google forms, then of course they did not have to participate. It was more if we decided to contact a reviewer and ask if we could use a line or two of his or her review in our catalogue.

As for making an effort to make more of our blends available in the US, that is not down to us. FDA rules what can and cannot now be sold and brought to the market. The distributor decides what to order. The USA actually has more available to it than other countries and there are blends and cuts done only for America not available elsewhere.

 

[gawithhoggarth]

Depends who's signed each review, there are many tobacco nerds (experts) here (and in tobaccoreviews) whose opinion I take for gospel, personally.

The stalky bits are, as I'm sure you know, an integral part of some tobaccos due to the nic hit they add, and different taste than leaf. Drum RYO is one of these tobaccos. I have some Dark Bird's Eye from years ago (not sure about several, before COVID-19 for sure) which definitely has them. Are you saying that they were gradually phased out of the product?

Since we're on the topic of Kentucky blends, does any of this impact SG Lakeland Dark?

As I have already stated, the stalky bits became unavailable and so eventually were not included. Whether that was gradual or a sudden change I don't know with out grilling the production team, and quite frankly they are all very busy trying to get the large American orders made.

SG Lakeland Dark has not been available for a while.

 

[woodsroad]

As I have already stated, the stalky bits became unavailable and so eventually were not included. Whether that was gradual or a sudden change I don't know with out grilling the production team, and quite frankly they are all very busy trying to get the large American orders made.

SG Lakeland Dark has not been available for a while.

Would it be correct then to say that you can no longer get whole leaf for Dark Birds Eye, and are using threshed leaf instead? That’s unfortunate, but totally understandable.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

The Kendal range is our shag range and absolutely no plans or end goal to fade this out. Its one of our biggest sellers. All other shag type mixtures sold in the USA are not our "normal" cut, hence why we decided to try with our normal cut there and it was termed Vintage cut.

A while back we requested reviews of products to put together more information on tin notes, room notes etc for our catalogue, based on a wider consumer experience. It was absolutely nothing to do with what should stay or go from the catalogue. What stays or goes is dependent on sales figures. The forms were based on a score system. We had a very good response to this. If people did not want to sign over their IP rights, not that there were really any used, its just something that goes in google forms, then of course they did not have to participate. It was more if we decided to contact a reviewer and ask if we could use a line or two of his or her review in our catalogue.

As for making an effort to make more of our blends available in the US, that is not down to us. FDA rules what can and cannot now be sold and brought to the market. The distributor decides what to order. The USA actually has more available to it than other countries and there are blends and cuts done only for America not available elsewhere.

How about G&H Auld Kendal Dark?I assume.this is even finer cut designated to use for rolling Your own cigarettes?

 

[canucklehead]

Yeah, Perique is more spicy than sour, yet some times it can come across sour, regardless it's a great blend!

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[FLDRD]

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I'll need a software update to understand the intent...

 

[canucklehead]

I'll need a software update to understand the intent...

My cat was sitting on my phone.

*edit: I was reading this thread and thinking of posting and left my phone sitting on my chair while I went to the washroom.