A newb G&H question; I'm going to ask anyway.

[Herzl]

The problem: I don't know how to think about the differences in G&H Coniston Cut Plug and Bosun Cut Plug and Dark Flake. For example, what do they mean when they say Bosun cut plug is 'sharper?' I know all six have their differences as detailed below from the condensation of the Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. headers at TR, but lack the palate sophistication to distinguish them beyond a vague sense of strength and smoothness. How would those of you who are familiar and will answer please, characterize the differences in them? How do you decide whether you're in the mood for the one or the other if you smoke two or all? Can you taste the tobacco composition differences? Why do you prefer the one over another?

Below copied with some reformatting from TR.

Bosun Cut Plug: Tin Description: 54% flue-cured virginias from Brazil, Zimbabwe and Malawi and 31% dark fired leaf. The addition of some sweeter sun cured leaf from Malawi and the rich cigar type notes from the dark air cured Indian grade help to sound off the blend.The special Virginia casings complement the top notes derived from the addition of sharper flavours including oil of cloves and rose geranium.
Bosun Cut Plug, Unscented: Tin Description: Dark-fired Virginias and bright Virginias are combined and pressed with flavors of clove essence. Curing Group: Fire Cured Contents: Virginia

Coniston Cut Plug
Coniston Cut Plug Aromatic
Tin Description: This tobacco is a blend containing 75% dark fired leaf 12.5% Malawi Burley and 12.5% Virginia. You would therefore rightly expect a very strong smoke and one perhaps dominated by the pungent burnt smokey flavour so characteristics of leaf cured by open fire and smoke. However, a comparison of this tobacco to the sliced brown u/s reveals the marked differences made by the blending of other tobacco grades, the cooling process and the addition of suitable casings and top flavours. (sliced Brown u/s is 100% dark fired leaf which is only cold pressed before cutting, but not cooked) The casings chosen for this blend provide 'deeper' more 'rounded' smoother notes, in contrast to the 'sharper' Bosun Cut Plug; whilst the top flavour has the 'typical English' aroma. This tobacco is one of our best selling brands. Curing Group: Fire Cured Contents: Virginia

Dark Flake
Tin Description: Both: A very strong, but very cool smoke is the result of combining in equal proportions only Malawi Dark Fired Leaf and Indian dark air-cured leaf. No additional flavours. You can smell in this tobacco the Smokey flavour of the dark fired leaf derived from its curing process of being hung above smoky fires, and the sweeter, yet still strong 'cigar type' flavour of the dark-air-cured Indian leaf. Scented: 'Addition of traditonal British flavorings, as well as tonquin, maple, and licorice.'

 

[Winslow]

You will just have to sample them yourself,there are samplers available from
some of the E-Tailers.What I think is good,you may not like....and some days
the chemistry of your mouth will make a difference how a blend tastes.I will
vouch for the strength of Dark Flake,Bosun Cut Plug has a unique taste and is
also strong especially the second half of the bowl.Coniston Cut Plug tastes
wonderful sometimes and sometimes average to me....but it is not weak.
Let us know how you find them.

Winslow :sunny:

 

[Herzl]

Thank you very much for answering. I've been trying them and all of them I like. I can tell some difference but I wouldn't be able to explain very well what that difference is exactly. I really like the Dark Flakes and Kendal Dark but I can't tell if its the strength or the taste that I'm liking. The Coniston and Bosun I like as well but not as excited about smoking as the Dark. I haven't been able to get my hands on any Dark Plug yet. Maybe I'll have some intelligent opinions after I have a pound or two of each under my belt. Thanks again for answering.

 

[Warwick]

The problem: I don't know how to think about the differences in G&H Coniston Cut Plug and Bosun Cut Plug and Dark Flake. For example, what do they mean when they say Bosun cut plug is 'sharper?' I know all six have their differences as detailed below from the condensation of the Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. headers at TR, but lack the palate sophistication to distinguish them beyond a vague sense of strength and smoothness. How would those of you who are familiar and will answer please, characterize the differences in them? How do you decide whether you're in the mood for the one or the other if you smoke two or all? Can you taste the tobacco composition differences? Why do you prefer the one over another?

Often we speak of tobaccos using an analogy to musical notes. To me, "sharper" refers to a greater prominence of high notes in BCP than are found in CCP or DF. That is, CCP is mostly low notes: smoky, more monotone except for the Lakeland floral added scent.

BCP is to me overpowered by its clove/geranium scent. I find this detracts from the ability to taste the underlying tobacco. It is my least favorite of the three.

Of the three, DF is my favorite. I prefer its raw tobacco flavor, the cigarlike accent notes, and I find the flavor is not as muddy as the smokiness from CCP; the individual flavors are more distinct -- I call them variegated. That said, DF is the "roughest" of the three, with its high nicotine level and can be abrasive on the throat.

DF scented is pleasant with a kind of warm flavor from the casing, but I prefer DF unscented.

Dark Plug is like DF, but the flavors are more melded, less variegated. That gives it a somewhat more pronounced flavor in its uniform presentation, but also somewhat less complex.

Kendal Dark Thick Cut is smooth and slightly sweet, packs easily and yet burns well. The flavors are othewise similar but not as intense as DP.

My 2 cents anyway.

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

Dark Plug I find has profound flavors in unity. I like it a lot.

Dark Flake is my favorite of all the Dark GH offerings-tremendous flavor-3000 g in the cellar.

Conniston Cut Plug is my favorite candy tobacco-a mild aro, if I have my terminology right. Just fun smoking it; others claim that the second half of the bowl is for the nicotine worshipers, but it seems to smoke straight down to the bottom-of-bowl without variation, to me.

Kendal Thick Cut I've yet to try.