Gawith blending black cavendish?

[Puff Daddy]

http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/9692/gawith-hoggarth-co-black-cavendish-cc-blending

http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/5523/samuel-gawith-100-unsweetened-black-cavendish

Anyone tried this stuff? Apparently it's unlike American black cavendish in that it's dry with notes of hickory and smoke, not thin, processed and poisoned with vanilla. Interested in using it to blend with something (I have a mixture in mind). Anyone know where to source it?

 

[Ozark Wizard]

Um, what I do know about European Cavendish, is that it is made from Virginia tobacco, rather than Burley. I should say, there is a tendency for that...

The two reviews are confusing, as I could only find one source of intel that I could trust.....

https://www.thebackyshop.co.uk/products/gawith-hoggarths-kendal-black-cavendish-blending-pipe-tobacco

Of course, if One were truly diligent, One might go here.........

http://www.gawithhoggarth.co.uk/product_information.asp

I have yet to come across a Black Cavendish that was strong. The stuff I make is generally moist, but then, I use steam to hurry the process.

I guess it couldn't hurt to check it out. I would be curious if it had a 'Lakeland scent'........

 

[lagren]

It used to be available through smokingpipes.com.  That's where I got some about a year ago.  But I think you can only get this stuff online from the UK now. Or you might be able to order it through sp.com.

It is very intense stuff, unlike any cavendish I've experienced.  There is no Lakeland essence, and it is anything but sweet.  I smoked some by itself and it pretty near made me sick... ghosted the pipe horribly... Frankly, it was positively vile.  

But it does have a truly unique flavor (toxic waste?), and used in correct proportions (15% or less, probably MUCH less) to other baccys, I think it might actually be able lend that special "something" to a blend.  I've been experimenting a little and whereas I have not had any great success, I can, at least, see how this tobacco could be a worthwhile ingredient.

That's my 2 cents, anyway.

 

[Vito]

PD:

I've never used the SamGaw stuff, although I suspect it's the same darkweed they use in their Perfection blend, which was favorite of mine in bygone years. If so, the TR.com description seems accurate. Those qualities certainly would make it compatible with what I remember about Perfection.

I'm not familiar with GawHogg "Black Cavendish CC Blending", although the description looks interesting. All the sources I could immediately find in a DuckDuckGo search are in the U.K., which makes it pricey stuff.

I've been using something called GawHogg DVC ("Dark Virginia Cavendish") for years. It's not at all like the typical stuff they call "black Cavendish" here in the U.S., which is usually code for some heavily vanilla-sauced Burleyweed. I used to buy it from Mars Cigars...

http://www.marscigars.com/gh-dvc.aspx

...although the stuff I bought didn't used to say anything about "light chocolate flavor", so I'm not sure that the link above is for the same weed that I have. The Mars label on my stuff just says "G&H D.V.C." (even though there's no "and" in Gawith, Hoggarth..."). If I were going to re-order, I'd first send an email to Mike at Mars and ask him to confirm that the "G&H D.V.C." I was buying from him 10 to 12 years ago is the same stuff he's selling now.

If it is, I'd ignore the "chocolate flavor" descriptor. I have never detected anything that I would call "chocolate", either in the jar or the pipe. If anything, it might have a slight vanilla note (...but then, vanilla flavoring is frequently used to flavor chocolate).

Hmmm...now I'm wondering whether the stuff I have might be this:

http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/9752/gawith-hoggarth-co-dvc-un-scented

The TR.com description doesn't do much justice to the weed. It's not what I would call a "ribbon cut". It's really more of a "wild cut" thang, with ribbons and flakes and chunks and strips.

Anyhow, the stuff I have is indeed a bit smokey, naturally sweet (it's Ginnyweed, after all, not Burley), and much drier than any 'Merican weedage called "black Cavendish". It's quite mild, strength-wise, but it doesn't skimp on tobacco flavor. It's mellow and fragrant, and definitely not the kind of dark, squishy, sauceweed that is usually called black Cavendish. It's a nice smoke on its own, although when it's young it's not the world's most complex smoke. I've used it with great success in a few of Dr. Vito's Extra Twisted Mind blends.

I like your idea of rummifying it. In fact, I might try it in my next "Rum & Maple" experiment!

Your post piqued my curiosity, so I rummaged through my cellar and found a jar of it, which has probably been sitting unmolested for 9 or 10 years. I cracked open the jar and took a whiff. I was immediately treated to a toned-down version of the same kind of fruitiness that you'd expect from any aged Ginnyweed, which is a good indication that the steam processing GawHogg uses hasn't cooked the life out of the weed.

Anyhow, owing to its age, the stuff I have is not representative of whatever you'd buy new now. If I were going to try it in a blend, I'd order some fresh stuff.

 

[Bugsahearn]

I've been curious about the DVC chocolate at mars cigar so thanks for that post. What really intrigues me is DVC Liquorice...I suspect it's mildy licorice flavored but I'd love to talk to someone who's smoked it.

 

[Dutch]

Since the two companies have merged, these two will most likely be same baccy in 2 different tins. I haven't tried either one though, since words like vanilla make me leery.