Samuel Gawith Frustration

[gilgawulf]

I LOVE Samuel Gawith tobacco. Love it. And I can't look at a can of Gawith tobacco without getting angry, because I know that as much as I enjoy that wonderful tobacco,to the exact same degree will be my frustration when the can runs out and I enter into the grim wasteland of waiting for Iwan Ries to get more from their supplier.
This has become such a frustration that the one can of Squadron Leader has dried out because I'm afraid to smoke it. I have a nearly full tin of Skiff that I'm afraid to like as much as I do. Basically, I'm afraid to fall in love because I don't want to just get hurt again (as happened when I started to really enjoy nasal snuff).
I recall smoking some Grousemoor back in the halcyon days when Gawith tobaccos were readily available, and I, in my naivety, went and spent all of the money I had back then on things like food and gas instead of on stocking up on Sam Gawith tobaccos........ Yes, I did enjoy Grousemoor. And lately there's been a Grousemoor shaped hole in my smoking rotation. I'm bewildered. Yes, I could go get a can of it from Iwan Ries. They probably have some, as it isn't the best selling tobacco around. But what about after that? It isn't like Squadron Leader or Skiff: I can just go find other Englishes. In all of my smoking I've never come across anything that tasted like Grousemoor. Is there anything else like it? How should I fill this Grousemoor shaped hole?
I know I'm not the only one dealing with seperation anxiety from Samuel Gawith tobaccos. How are the rest of you coping? What helps you get through the day?

 

[vaperfavour]

Simple.Greg Pease and McClelland!

 

[monbla256]

Simple.Greg Pease and McClelland!

I second that

 

[jefe1037]

what is irc's turnaround time on orders like that? or is it a supplier problem?

 

[George Kaplan]

I third that! There are always new blends to try. Sure, sometimes I'll become overly fond of something that becomes scarce, (and I've yet to try Penzance) but there's a whole world of good tobacco out there, so smoke what you've got, enjoy it, and enjoy the search for your next favorite.

 

[scottbtdmb]

I LOVE Samuel Gawith tobacco. Love it. And I can't look at a can of Gawith tobacco without getting angry, because I know that as much as I enjoy that wonderful tobacco,to the exact same degree will be my frustration when the can runs out and I enter into the grim wasteland of waiting for Iwan Ries to get more from their supplier.
This has become such a frustration that the one can of Squadron Leader has dried out because I'm afraid to smoke it. I have a nearly full tin of Skiff that I'm afraid to like as much as I do. Basically, I'm afraid to fall in love because I don't want to just get hurt again (as happened when I started to really enjoy nasal snuff).
I recall smoking some Grousemoor back in the halcyon days when Gawith tobaccos were readily available, and I, in my naivety, went and spent all of the money I had back then on things like food and gas instead of on stocking up on Sam Gawith tobaccos........ Yes, I did enjoy Grousemoor. And lately there's been a Grousemoor shaped hole in my smoking rotation. I'm bewildered. Yes, I could go get a can of it from Iwan Ries. They probably have some, as it isn't the best selling tobacco around. But what about after that? It isn't like Squadron Leader or Skiff: I can just go find other Englishes. In all of my smoking I've never come across anything that tasted like Grousemoor. Is there anything else like it? How should I fill this Grousemoor shaped hole?
I know I'm not the only one dealing with seperation anxiety from Samuel Gawith tobaccos. How are the rest of you coping? What helps you get through the day?

First of all, allow me to be the devil's advocate. IMO, there are no other tobacco companies that produce tobaccos that bear any resemblance to Samuel Gawith. Stuff like Full Va Flake, BBF, and Bracken Flake are one of a kind blends and I have certainly never had anything that compares as far as taste profile goes. This is not to say that GLP and McCllelland don't make wonderful tobaccos. I am just saying that when one runs out of their favorite SG blend and want a close substitute, don't expect to find one.

Secondly, I have stated several times before: For those of you who are frustrated with the lack of availability, here are a few tips on how to get SG tobaccos. Just because your favorite online vendor doesn't have them in stock, doesn't mean that you can't find them. You just have to be a little creative. Try this:

a.) Check ebay and pipestud.com. You will pay a pretty penny, but sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures

b.) Join a pipe club/go to pipe shows: I went to the CORPS show last Fall and the show was packed with Samuel Gawith tobaccos. I picked up a pound of FVF for 50 bucks and also grabbed a couple of 10 year old tins from another vendor.

c.) Find people to trade with through message forums and/or tobaccocellar.org. There are plenty of horders out there with loads and loads of SG tobaccos and they don't even smoke any of it. They merely use them as bargaining chips to obtain tobaccos that they enjoy. Do you have a pound or two of Penzance in your cellar and you recently stopped smoking Englishes? Have some old tins of Dunhill tobaccos that you don't smoke? Seek out people with SG tobaccos that are willing to trade and offer up stuff from your cellar that you can part with.

d.) Take a road trip. Call some lesser known B&M's in your surrounding areas. You may be surprised to find out what some of them have on their shelves. Make a day of it and take a road trip with some buddies and score some serious SG tins!

Hope this helps anyone out who is frustrated with the lack of availability of SG tobaccos. Just remember that this is a company that uses machinery that was secondhand when they purchased it back in the 1700s. These are olde world methods from an olde world style company that refuses to compromise with modern technology because this in turn would compromise the quality of these centuries old blends. Take my advice and be resourceful and I am positive you will have little trouble finding your fave SG blends.

-Scott

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Two simple solutions:

* Try other stuff and fall in love with something different. Unless you truly have found Pipe Ambrosia with SG blends, in that case, I'd truly pity you.

* Enjoy it when you can get it; don't just hoard it and never smoke it. If you never smoke it because it is the "special stuff," what good is it? Aging is exempt from this statement.

Summary (without being too convoluted or repeating the other posters' good advice...):
...because it isn't easily available doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Learn to search. Get off the computer. Call places. Travel places. Ask, ask ask--never hurts, worst they can say is "sorry" or "no." Be willing to spend an extra buck, if you are able/need to. Celebrate when you succeed. Try new/different stuff as much as possible. Celebrate again when you find something easy to get your hands on that you like. Smoke some, save some--you'll then be having your pipe and smoking it, too.

Good luck.

8)

 

[George Kaplan]

d.) Take a road trip. Call some lesser known B&M's in your surrounding areas. You may be surprised to find out what some of them have on their shelves. Make a day of it and take a road trip with some buddies and score some serious SG tins!

My local B&M is kinda a ghetto-ass store, (in fact, there's a picture of it right now in the Photo Gallery) but for the past year they've never been out Squadron Leader, Balkan Flake, Commonwealth, Navy Flake, or 1792. I don't know how they do it, and I don't ask. I don't want to kill the goose that's laying my golden eggs.

 

[LV9]

pipesandcigars.com seem to have it in stock both squadron leader and groussemor also cigarsandpipes.com seem to have it in their inventory.

 

[gilgawulf]

I'm a huge fan of G.L. Pease blends. I tend to smoke Chelsea Morning more than anything else, and am planning to explore more of the Old London series. Have yet to try McClelland. Think is, there's just something about the Gawith blends. Even down to the tactile feel of the tobacco: there's nothing like it.
Road trip is a good idea, I'm thinking. I first ever bought Squadron Leader at a great B&M out in St. Charles, a suburb of Chicago. Think I might take the train out there soon.
Thanks for the input and comiseration.

 

[monbla256]

WHAAAAT? YOU HAVEN"T tried any of McCleleand's ? You are depriving yourself terribly! What those folks have FORGOTTEN about tobacco's would fill several hundred bowls! They are right up there and in some ahead of Mr. Pease !! If you like Virginia's, GET SOME McCLELLAND'S

 

[jj1015]

My three-part solution to your dilemma?
1. Buy several pounds of Gawith/Hoggarth blends for a fraction of the price.
2. Smoke said GH blends.
3. Forget that Samuel Gawith ever freakin' existed.
(It worked for me, anyway!)

Seriously, though, I'd check out G&H blends as a substitute. Personally, I like them WAY better than Sam Gawith products but you may well be different. They do manufacture many blends that are similar to what Sam Gawith produces, which isn't surprising since they have the same historical roots and use many of the same processes. None of them are quite clones, but you might find some things that will satisfy your cravings. They have a slew of scented blends that are in the same genre as Grousemoor, and I think their Balkan Mixture blows any of Sam Gawith's latakia blends out of the water. Their straight VA flakes are tasty, too, although they admittedly don't have anything quite like Full Virginia Flake.

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

If you simply must have SG tobaccos, then I think scottbtdmb and Kyle Weiss have given excellent advice; but if you might feel that you might branch out, others have also given great advice.

But in general you might remember the particularly difficult circumstances in which you are placed by the nature of desire. If you want something and you can get it, what if what you wanted proves unsatisfactory? What if getting what you want doesn't produce long-term fulfillment? If you want something that you can't get, this places you in an unfulfilling cycle of craving. Some teach that the way to greatest fulfillment is to want nothing. But then again desire is the stuff of life. Others teach that it is better to want only those things that produce the greatest good.

I know this is beyond the scope of your post, but you have to monitor desire, in my opinion; it is tricky.

 

[Zanaspus]

You can get most any tin you like IF you're willing to pay.

https://mrsnuff.com/store/pipe-tobacco-c-168.html?osCsid=f94cb6b9bb9ed054c78e74aefde65e32

If you can buy lots, it makes the $40 shipping more bearable. I order snuff all the time from Dave. He's good people. He sold snuff out of Florida before the PACT act, but moved across the pond after.

Also, if he doesn't have it, just ask. :cheers:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Well then, for some of us, speaking of G&H blends to ask of knowledgeable fellers...

...what blends would be good substitute for SG mixes?


Formatted as in:

(Samuel Gawith XXXXX) is comparable to (Gawith & Hoggarth XXXXX)

*shrug* ...if that's even possible. Thought I'd ask.

8)

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

Black XX (SG) is identical to Black Irish X (GH)
Brown #4 (SG) is identical to Brown Irish X (GH)

That is if SG adheres to the recipe.

 

[scottbtdmb]

Two simple solutions:

* Try other stuff and fall in love with something different. Unless you truly have found Pipe Ambrosia with SG blends, in that case, I'd truly pity you.

* Enjoy it when you can get it; don't just hoard it and never smoke it. If you never smoke it because it is the "special stuff," what good is it? Aging is exempt from this statement.

Summary (without being too convoluted or repeating the other posters' good advice...):
...because it isn't easily available doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Learn to search. Get off the computer. Call places. Travel places. Ask, ask ask--never hurts, worst they can say is "sorry" or "no." Be willing to spend an extra buck, if you are able/need to. Celebrate when you succeed. Try new/different stuff as much as possible. Celebrate again when you find something easy to get your hands on that you like. Smoke some, save some--you'll then be having your pipe and smoking it, too.

Good luck.

8)

With all due respect Kyle, there is nothing at all wrong with people that have found "Pipe Ambrosia" with SG blends or with any other blends for that matter. Pipe smoking is subjective and people tend to forget that. What I like, you may despise and a blend x that you may find that blend y makes a suitable replacement for, I may not be able to get into. For the record, I am not one of those people that have found "Pipe Ambrosia" with SG tobaccos, although I enjoy SG and GH stuff more than any other company. However, I do know certain guys on here and in the pipe clubs I am in that have found "THAT" blend that they can almost call their own. To me, there is nothing wrong with that. Some of us are content to keep searching for the holy grail of pipe tobaccos, while others are simply content on having found something that they can smoke everyday. When you find THAT everyday smoke and you smoke it everyday for years, it is going to be difficult to find something that is a suitable replacement because you're so used to that particular taste that you enjoy daily. Once again though, despite SG tobaccos becoming more and more difficult to obtain online, I have found other methods to obtain them that work equally as well, and save for ebay and pipestud, usually don't drain my pockets anymore than an online store would.

-Scott

 

[Kyle Weiss]

With all due respect Kyle, there is nothing at all wrong with people that have found "Pipe Ambrosia" with SG blends or with any other blends for that matter. Pipe smoking is subjective and people tend to forget that. What I like, you may despise and a blend x that you may find that blend y makes a suitable replacement for, I may not be able to get into. For the record, I am not one of those people that have found "Pipe Ambrosia" with SG tobaccos, although I enjoy SG and GH stuff more than any other company. However, I do know certain guys on here and in the pipe clubs I am in that have found "THAT" blend that they can almost call their own. To me, there is nothing wrong with that. Some of us are content to keep searching for the holy grail of pipe tobaccos, while others are simply content on having found something that they can smoke everyday. When you find THAT everyday smoke and you smoke it everyday for years, it is going to be difficult to find something that is a suitable replacement because you're so used to that particular taste that you enjoy daily. Once again though, despite SG tobaccos becoming more and more difficult to obtain online, I have found other methods to obtain them that work equally as well, and save for ebay and pipestud, usually don't drain my pockets anymore than an online store would.

-Scott

Respect totally taken. I think we're saying the same thing, the pity I speak of comes from understanding that once you find "your tobacco," it's a tough road to replace it when the inevitability comes when either the blend changes, the blend is discontinued, the maker no longer exists, some component suddenly is unavailable, the blend simply becomes hard to come by or is prohibitively expensive...you see where I'm going with my sentiments clarified (I apologize)... it had nothing to do with "I'm judging a pipe smoker for lack of diversity, taste or adventure."

 

[scottbtdmb]

With all due respect Kyle, there is nothing at all wrong with people that have found "Pipe Ambrosia" with SG blends or with any other blends for that matter. Pipe smoking is subjective and people tend to forget that. What I like, you may despise and a blend x that you may find that blend y makes a suitable replacement for, I may not be able to get into. For the record, I am not one of those people that have found "Pipe Ambrosia" with SG tobaccos, although I enjoy SG and GH stuff more than any other company. However, I do know certain guys on here and in the pipe clubs I am in that have found "THAT" blend that they can almost call their own. To me, there is nothing wrong with that. Some of us are content to keep searching for the holy grail of pipe tobaccos, while others are simply content on having found something that they can smoke everyday. When you find THAT everyday smoke and you smoke it everyday for years, it is going to be difficult to find something that is a suitable replacement because you're so used to that particular taste that you enjoy daily. Once again though, despite SG tobaccos becoming more and more difficult to obtain online, I have found other methods to obtain them that work equally as well, and save for ebay and pipestud, usually don't drain my pockets anymore than an online store would.

-Scott

Respect totally taken. I think we're saying the same thing, the pity I speak of comes from understanding that once you find "your tobacco," it's a tough road to replace it when the inevitability comes when either the blend changes, the blend is discontinued, the maker no longer exists, some component suddenly is unavailable, the blend simply becomes hard to come by or is prohibitively expensive...you see where I'm going with my sentiments clarified (I apologize)... it had nothing to do with "I'm judging a pipe smoker for lack of diversity, taste or adventure."

No worries brother, I see what you were saying now!

 

[gilgawulf]

This is all very helpful. I just looked up some of the GH blends. Erindale (or was it Ennerdale?) looks like it might fill that Grousemoor shaped hole. (Grousemoor is the only Lakeland blend I've ever tried, but from what I'm reading, I think that it might be a Lakeland shaped hole I'm trying to fill.)
I do like Squadron Leader, but I'm not sure it's *THAT* tobacco for me, the one I'd smoke all day every day. I don't think I've found that yet. All the same, I'd sleep easier if it was more widely available.
@alfredo_buscetti: What you said was right on the mark. A lot of what drew me to pipe smoking (and away from cigarettes) was the meditative nature of the hobby. Trying to have the "perfect" smoke, worrying over how my cake is developing, seeking out nigh unattainable tobaccos, &tc. have led me away from the joy that I found smoking Captain Black out of a basket pipe that had belonged to my grandfather, before I ever knew that tobacco even came in tins.
So, I'm off to go smoke and enjoy some of that Squadron Leader I have, and when it's gone it's gone.