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Gawith Hoggarth Curly Cut

Gawith Hoggarth Tobaccos

Tobaccos here: Curly Cut Curly C. Deluxe Sliced Brown Dark Bird's Eye Kendal Kentucky

Please note the following before you dig in: Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. LTD has been in existence for well over 100 years and is currently run by a third generation of Gawith. In the 19th Century and early 20th century their main products were nasal snuff and chewing tobacco, both for the northern coal mines, but as sales of these products declined the company built up its pipe tobacco business.

Currently, the name Gawith Hoggarth is well known to be the manufacturer and supplier of a wide range of quality pipe tobaccos, ranging from the traditional, all the way to tobaccos that integrate modern blending and manufacturing concepts.

 
Numerical Strength Guide
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Ex. Mild V. Mild Mild Mild-Med Medium Med-Strong Strong V.Strong Ex.Strong Overwhelming

 
Name: Curly Cut
Form: Curly Cut
Strength: 6
Photo: Available
GH Comment: Manufactured by 'spinning' tobacco leaves into a rope which is then made into a roll form, pressed, and finally cut to produce the round tobacco circles. In this tobacco, unlike the twist, which uses all dark leaf, the rope is spun using Bright Virginia leaves for the outer wrapper with the effect of producing both an attractive contrast of colour in the finished cut circles, and, of course, a milder smoking tobacco when compared to the normal 'twist' tobacco.
My Comment: When I smoked it the first time, I thought it is the perfect substitute for the OLD Three Nuns, but something was missing. Later I learned from Mr. Gawith that it was indeed made with the orginial Three Nuns in mind, but because they don't have Perique and never use it, Curly Cut does not contain any. With a bit of Perique, this will turn into the PERFECT smoke, for those who prefer this type of tobacco. It has the same delicate taste and aroma, with all the complexity of the blend it is made to replace. I take my hat off to G. H.!

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Name: Curly Cut Deluxe
Form: Curly/Navy Cut
Strength: 6
Photo: Available
GH Comment: As above but made on a different spinning machine that produces a thicker rope.
My Comment: As GH declares that this and the Curly Cut are made of the same blend. However, when smoked, they are not identical. This is definitely due to the pressing process.
This one is called "Deluxe" for two reasons: (1) It is... "Deluxe"(!), and (2) It was made to substitute the famous Escudo, at least in the looks (Escudo was not yet made available again by the Petersen brothers). It does look great, and it is a bit more compact and darker in color than Escudo. Though it does not have any Perique, it's a very satisfying smoke, and the tobaccos used are of the highest quality. The taste is a bit unimpressive at first, and I found that the more I smoked it, the more I started to discover the great "creamy" taste of pure natural VAs. It does burn slowly and evenly, especially of course, if you don't rub it out. I prefer to rub it out, at least slightly; it makes a lot easier to burn. Ah, when I first smelled it, it reminded me of the smell of leather! It's not at all as bad as it may sound. You'll hopefully see what I mean!

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Name: Sliced Brown Twist
Form: Broken Curly Cut
Strength: 9
Photo: Available
GH Comment: As curly cut, except the wrapper used is dark fired leaf. this grade of tobacco we buy from Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique and Malawi. The characteristics are all more or less the same: The curing over Smokey fires gives this leaf its distinctive pungent aroma and strong smoke.
My Comment: I love the pouch aroma of this tobaccos: It's a combination of sweet & sour. The little curlies look great: Dark and sinister! The VAs used are definitely of very high quality, and the blend is apparently made with a lot of expertise. It's definitely not a casual tobacco. The strength, especially, upon lighting is close to being overwhelming. Then the "creaminess" and smoothness of the 100% natural VAs come through. It reminds me of a high quality Dominican cigar, but with added sweetness, typical of strong African leaf. I recommend to smoke it in a small-medium pipe, and on a full stomach. It's similar to the Samuel Gawith Brown Twist, but with more sweetness and smoothness. If you want the same tobacco but you tend to prefer a bigger cut, then HG's Brown Twist is the one.

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Name: Dark Bird's Eye
Form: Ribbon Cut
Strength: 7
Photo: Available
GH Comment: Manufactured from Dark tobacco 'whole leaf' rather than strips, the mid-rib (or stem) gives the 'birds eye' effect when cut. A strong smoke which was particularly favoured by the fishermen as the finer cut meant the tobacco was easier to light and to keep-in on board ship when the weather was bad.
My Comment: Yeah, this is not a mild smoke! I can safely claim that this is one of the most complex and sweetest full-bodied natural VA blends I have smoked to date. The very long shreds of tobacco make packing a bit tricky; so make sure you fill your pipe as lightly as possible, and if you have trouble, you might want to cut it into smaller shreds with scissors. It's extremely easy to light and keep lit. At first, the taste reminds me of an aged quality cigar, but with a lot more sweetness to it. The taste remains remarkably sweet throughout the smoke, with other flavors popping up occasionally. For example, and upon relighting, I detect a very pleasant "flowery" taste! At other times, the dominant flavor is that of nuts! The strength is a bit tricky, since it starts off around 5-6 and gradually goes up to about 7-8; it also seems to vary from one smoke to the other! It's, anyway, the kind of strength that affects your head more than your stomach! However, I recommend trying it the first time on a full stomach. I also think it's the kind of tobacco that requires dedication and attention; it is this way that you can enjoy it the most. It seems to be perfect for conical chambers, which seem to make the combustion more regular. I find that it smokes best in medium size bowls and when puffed on slowly and savoringly. The after taste is very pleasantly "creamy", and the ashes are very fine, silver gray (whatever that means!). For some reason, I think if you like St. Bruno, and its like, you will love this one.

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Name: Kendal Kentucky
Form: Ribbon Cut
Strength: 8-9
Photo: Available
GH Comment: Kendal Kentucky is made entirely from Dark fired tobacco sourced from Malawi, Uganda and Tanzania. It is therefore a full bodied, very strong, but very cool tobacco. Possibly one for smoking outside in the countryside and not indoors where the strong, pungent aroma may prove too much for all but the totally dedicated smoker.
My Comment: To the untrained eye and nose, this tobacco may seem and smell identical to Dark Bird's Eye. While on closer and further inspection they prove to be similar somehow, they are different enough for each to stand it on its own, with all it good and bad points. What is most evidently different about them is the cut: KK is cut in much shorter strands than DBE. I found that KK, like DBE, was a bit too moist, and I had to bring it down to the right moisture level (right for me, of course) before smoking it. Upon lighting KK, at least for the first time, Mr. Gawith's warning is in place: It does seem to be overwhelmingly strong, particularly in the nose and throat! For this reason, and as long as you're still trying it out, I recommending lighting it with caution, with only short, fast draws. The taste is definitely a combination of sweet and spicy, with a kind of sweetness that reminds me of molasses! A few minutes into the smoke, the storm calms down, and an easy-going, pleasant taste and aroma settle in, without the strength that was anticipated. What seems to persist, but then disappears when you get used to the tobacco, is its apparent aggressiveness on the throat. Make sure you have a drink handy. To tell you the truth, I do not find this one is much stronger than DBE (which is believed to be quite potent by many). Due to the fine cut, and once excess moisture has been eliminated, the tobacco burns quite fast; therefore, it might be a good idea to smoke it in a big bowl, if you want it to last. I do agree with Mr. Gawith that it's not a tobacco you would like to enjoy outdoors, esp. on a windy day. I also find that it sneaks upon you, and with no prior warning, you find the fire is out! It can be frustrating esp. when you're enjoying the taste and aroma. In spite of this, relighting doesn't seem to affect the quality of the taste; it kicks back in right away and takes off from where it left. To really appreciate the quality of this tobacco you need to smoke about 50g of it, in different pipes and on different occasions. While the taste may seem simple at first, it proves to be rather complex after a while. This complexity of taste is definitely quite an achievement, considering that it is made of only one kind of tobacco. Finally, I have been told that the tobacco produces a room aroma that is very pleasant, without being intrusive.
So, if you find the above enticing enough and if you wish to try it, it would be a good idea to do so on a full stomach and in a medium size bowl, packed only lightly.
All in all, I find this tobacco a real treat to those, like myself, who really appreciate the taste and aroma of quality Kentucky.

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Numerical Strength Guide
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Ex. Mild V. Mild Mild Mild-Med Medium Med-Strong Strong V.Strong Ex.Strong Overwhelming

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