Brown Leaf Acquisitions - April 2022
- Thread starter Ponycarman
- Start date
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
Modest delivery this morning. Mostly Cavendish aromatics for the next three years or so.
I'll not zoom in on the bulk pouches, to spare your eye from the gruesome imagery. They are three of the Gawith blends which might not be well known on the forum.
Gawith Hoggarth American Black and Brown:
A Cavendish aro with a simple molasses topping. Almost like a lighter ribbon cut version of Rich Dark Flake, to some extent. A lovely easy smoking blend, which should mature VERY nicely. 50g to split into four smaller servings.
Gawith Hoggarth Four Squires:
Four different Virginias blended (hence the name), and produced in flake form, with a light "hint of maple topping". One of the few Virginia flakes that's good to smoke quite fresh, in my opinion. I do have some other semi-aged Virginia's (up to 3 years, maybe), but this little pouch will help me put back opening them up for a little bit longer. I do already have some Four Squires, but it went unobtanium for a while, so I nabbed this extra 50g when it resurfaced recently.
Gawith Hoggarth Brown Flake Aromatic:
I've tried both untopped versions of their Best Brown before, but never this aromatic version. Just 25g of this one. I might let this rest a year or so.
These three Ashtons are more of the low Cavendish, moderately heavy topping blends, that have a good Virginia Burley base. Typically these do age quite nicely for a few years in my experience. I've never taken one beyond four years though.
Rainy Day:
Topping is tropical fruit and hickory nut. Aged in Whisky barrels for a month. Pretty much the same (from what I can discern) as the 2 year old Chieftain Stormy Skye I currently have open... which is lovely.
Guilty Pleasure:
Topping is vanilla, mango, and citrus fruits. Similar base. When this gets opened 3/4 of it will be split into 3 small Mylar pouches, to be enjoyed later.
Smooth Sailing:
Topping is maple, chocolate and coconut. Again, similar base, and again, 3/4 of it will be matured further in Mylar bags.
I do enjoy these kinds of blends, but also tire of them quick, hence splitting each into 10-15g portions when I pop the lid.
I confess, I was in part attracted to this Ltd Edition Charatan No.1 by its very nice, but ridiculously hard to photograph, shiny black tin. As you can see, this tobacco (like the pouched blends), will need moving to Mylar very soon, as it's a similar kind of packaging format to the Solani 100g tins. This tin will give me eight of the small sample sized bags.
This blend is a little different. Still some Cavendish on a broad blend of Virginia and Burley base, but with the addition of Perique too. Topping is almond, vanilla, and roasted nuts.
Not shown, because it hasn't arrived yet, is a bulk (5×50g or 10x25g) retail pack of Condor Long Cut. This strayed above £18/50g recently, and is likely to go £20+ on the next leap (beyond what I am prepared to pay), but I found somewhere selling them a few quid cheaper in the multi-pack. A "now or never" last chance saloon kind of affair, but it should now last me the life of the whole cellar.
I'll not zoom in on the bulk pouches, to spare your eye from the gruesome imagery. They are three of the Gawith blends which might not be well known on the forum.
Gawith Hoggarth American Black and Brown:
A Cavendish aro with a simple molasses topping. Almost like a lighter ribbon cut version of Rich Dark Flake, to some extent. A lovely easy smoking blend, which should mature VERY nicely. 50g to split into four smaller servings.
Gawith Hoggarth Four Squires:
Four different Virginias blended (hence the name), and produced in flake form, with a light "hint of maple topping". One of the few Virginia flakes that's good to smoke quite fresh, in my opinion. I do have some other semi-aged Virginia's (up to 3 years, maybe), but this little pouch will help me put back opening them up for a little bit longer. I do already have some Four Squires, but it went unobtanium for a while, so I nabbed this extra 50g when it resurfaced recently.
Gawith Hoggarth Brown Flake Aromatic:
I've tried both untopped versions of their Best Brown before, but never this aromatic version. Just 25g of this one. I might let this rest a year or so.
These three Ashtons are more of the low Cavendish, moderately heavy topping blends, that have a good Virginia Burley base. Typically these do age quite nicely for a few years in my experience. I've never taken one beyond four years though.
Rainy Day:
Topping is tropical fruit and hickory nut. Aged in Whisky barrels for a month. Pretty much the same (from what I can discern) as the 2 year old Chieftain Stormy Skye I currently have open... which is lovely.
Guilty Pleasure:
Topping is vanilla, mango, and citrus fruits. Similar base. When this gets opened 3/4 of it will be split into 3 small Mylar pouches, to be enjoyed later.
Smooth Sailing:
Topping is maple, chocolate and coconut. Again, similar base, and again, 3/4 of it will be matured further in Mylar bags.
I do enjoy these kinds of blends, but also tire of them quick, hence splitting each into 10-15g portions when I pop the lid.
I confess, I was in part attracted to this Ltd Edition Charatan No.1 by its very nice, but ridiculously hard to photograph, shiny black tin. As you can see, this tobacco (like the pouched blends), will need moving to Mylar very soon, as it's a similar kind of packaging format to the Solani 100g tins. This tin will give me eight of the small sample sized bags.
This blend is a little different. Still some Cavendish on a broad blend of Virginia and Burley base, but with the addition of Perique too. Topping is almond, vanilla, and roasted nuts.
Not shown, because it hasn't arrived yet, is a bulk (5×50g or 10x25g) retail pack of Condor Long Cut. This strayed above £18/50g recently, and is likely to go £20+ on the next leap (beyond what I am prepared to pay), but I found somewhere selling them a few quid cheaper in the multi-pack. A "now or never" last chance saloon kind of affair, but it should now last me the life of the whole cellar.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
Arrived today. No pics, to spare you from the health warnings. Worst batch yet. I'm still gonna smoke it though
It'll all be in nice shiny Mylar pouches soon anyway.
Miss Linda wants to go to the Earth Day sale at a local vintage clothing store on Saturday. Which means Horror Has a New Name. It's gonna be hot and crowded. My plan: drop her off, drive up the street, fight for a parking spot, and see what the nearby location of the local tobacconist has. Mainly I need more cleaners and a couple more tampers; I've got plenty of tobacco and pipes. Maybe I can smoke a pipe and read for a bit before going back.
Either way, I predict you do not escape unscathed!
WCC Rouxgaroux came in today. Jarred up and ready to try tomorrow.
Kilroy6644
Smoking a corn dog in aviators and a top hat
Order from Smoking Pipes today. One order, anyway. There may have been a second alcohol-prompted order a day or two later.
Kilroy6644
Smoking a corn dog in aviators and a top hat
My other SP order came today. A friend expressed some interest in pipe smoking, so I took the opportunity to do some shopping. I picked him up a tin of Sixpence, a combo pouch, a MM Diplomat, and a Ropp Etudiant. I also threw in one of my extra pipe tools, and filled the pouch with Prince Albert.
For myself, I picked up a tin of Virginia Cream, a pouch, and a Ropp Etudiant billiard.
For myself, I picked up a tin of Virginia Cream, a pouch, and a Ropp Etudiant billiard.
The last of the Fantasy Football Survival League winnings came in. 
A little six year old Dark Star put a smile on my face.
A little six year old Dark Star put a smile on my face.
And I'm just sitting here spinning the tin like a top beside a couple other McCl tins seeing which one can spin longest
