Tobaccos Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Dark Plug

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dr. Scott (82)	2011-11-08		Extremely Strong	Very Mild	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

G, H & Co.'s Dark Plug is not smoked for it's room note, or its ease of preparation. It is not a casual or quick smoke. Dark Plug is an English classic smoked when one has time to savor the subtle and natural flavors that mingle in its densely packed layers.

I smoke plugs by preparing it in a cube cut, pieces about 3-4 mm. No need to dry or rub out. Fill the bowl by gravity and do not pack it down. It burns easily this way.

The Lakeland essence is very lightly applied, and the occasional soapy floral notes are not a problem in this one. There is a pleasant sweetness typical of dark fired Virginias.

The nicotine, one of the strongest doses I have ever experienced, is quite evident after just a few puffs.

It pairs best with a view of the sea, and Herman Melville, and a prayer of thanksgiving to the Creator.

33 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3047)	2013-02-11		Very Strong	Very Mild	Full	Tolerable

Yeah, it's got that soapy Lakeland essence, but it doesn't ruin the experience, unless you just hate Lakeland. It's not overly strong as it very mildly sublimates the tobaccos. The Virginias are a little grassy with a lot of earth, wood and tangy dark fruit, some floralness, and a touch of tart and tangy citrus, cigar and spice. The burleys offer toasted nuttiness, a little molasses, plenty of wood, and are very earthy, and from time to time as you smoke your way through a bowl, one becomes more obvious than the other in short bursts, though the earthiness is the most constant aspect. The floral and hay notes from the Virginia are complimentary to the other components. Won't bite, but has some roughness. It's very strong and full in taste. The nic-hit is in the center of medium to full. It takes a little extra work, as plug tobacco always does, but dry it a little and it will still burn slowly. Has a deeply rich, mostly consistent earthy, woody, sweet and floral, mildly rugged flavor. Leaves some moisture in the bowl, but no dottle, and requires a fair amount of relights. Puff slow and eat well first or you'll be laying back in your chair wondering what Madame Nicotine hit you with! I find it deeper and richer in flavor than the Dark Flake, and a little sweeter, too. That also goes for the pleasantly lingering after taste and strong room note.

-JimInks

29 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Calamiti (86)	2018-04-25		Very Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Strong

A Grand Tobacco.

Dark oily plugs look like miniature blocks of ebony wood or brown coal, which resemblance is enforced by their woodsy, earthy and smoky aroma. These noble leaves (coming mainly from Nyasaland) powerfully emanate the very spirit of the soil they've sprouted from: a thick cloud of Dark Plug smoke instantly recalls the true feel of Africa herself - robust, strong, incredibly rich, ingeniously simple, no fancy, everything being very serious and cranked up to the extremes...

Smoking this tobacco regularly is not unlike a kind of a secret esoteric ritual: the mighty dose of Nicotine makes a natural barrier against an uninitiated novice joining the circle, while a vile sidestream (you've been warned: Africa smells nothing like fancy) scares away most of occasional passers-by. So that only the fully initiated and highly experienced dare to enter the sacred hut to boldly breath the black magic in.

This mighty blend has apparently been designed with royalty (or, at least, tribal nobility) consumers in mind, since in order to smoke this tobacco properly you will need a surplus of premises in your mansion (to dedicate a room exclusively for smoking because of the mentioned vile roomnote) as well as an excess of leisure time (as the oily ebony blocks never hurry to burn down and smoking a good pipeful of Dark Plug may well take over two hours).

Of course, I give this tobacco Four Stars - and would have given a whole starry constellation if I could. But I restrain from RECOMMENDING this blend to anyone. Because the men grown up enough to smoke Dark Plug regularly are typically that kind of folks who do not rely on others' recommendations in their choices.

21 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2009-07-10		Very Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant

I recently sold some of this to a gentleman who then gifted back to me a couple of chunks since I had never smoked it. Uh, thanks... I think.

Whew, this is one tough locomotive with a nicotine wallop that will stop you in your tracks. Once properly prepared for smoking (no small task), have a large supply of butane at the ready because it is a buggar to keep lit.

Flavor presentation: Anyone want to smoke a nicotine laden camp fire?

I found Dark Plug to be biteless and very cool, but its claws scratched the back of my throat and I currently have a bad case of hiccups. So, I think I'll quit typing now.

16 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-07-16		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Unscented Dark Plug. I use a very sharp knife and shave this into almost hair fine shag. Load lightly for best results, and sip slowly. No bite, no soap. A nice nicotine delivery system,especially in a clay churchwarden, and a morning smoke if you want to dance the Masochism Tango.

Great stuff, but not for newbies.

14 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jacinto Cupboard (209)	2014-05-03		Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Full	Very Pleasant

A dark brown plug that easily splits into constituent layers. It has ideal moisture content and does not require drying. I sliced and rubbed out and then rubbed out again and packed somewhat firmer than usual.

The pouch note has a distinct lakeland note.

Takes a few lights to get underway but requires little attention from then on.

The lakeland essence only barely survives burning. It drifts in and out over the course of the smoke. As others have noted it has a cigar like aroma, but it is not exactly so. This is its own fragrance; smoky and rich and beautifully weighted. There is some pepper on the tongue and some pleasant acidity too. Burns very cool and without bite.

I am enjoying a bowl in late Autumn, on a wet windy night, in the kitchen, after a lovely meal of roast lamb. This quiet, kitchen hearth setting feels just perfect for this equally down to earth tobacco.

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	quantumboy (130)	2009-10-24		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable

This is not one of my every day smokes since I normally prefer English blends, but it's an excellent alternative to a cigar.

Some good strength, plenty of smoke, tastes very similar to a really good cigar but with more nuance and complexity. It's rich, absolutely refuses to bite and behaves very well in the pipe (my stash is quite dry, which helps). I can't smoke this while busy doing other things because I have to pay attention to it, nursing it to get the maximum flavor, and being sure I don't get any in my nose, which stings a little. Besides, to me it's one of those smokes for contemplative afternoon on the porch.

If you're a cigar fan I think I can confidently say you'll love DP. I have lots of cigars in the house but with this around I don't light them up very often.

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Wibblefishofdoom (139)	2014-05-24		Extremely Strong	Mild to Medium	Full	Pleasant

I was recommended this one a while back on a forum after deciding to try and give plugs a go, Why it took me so long I don't know, but recently I decided to finally take the plunge and got 50g of the aromatic stuff.

The aroma in the packet is one of turkish delight, a strong one too and just as delicious. The bar itself is unlike the small blocks I'm used to getting but the gorgeous array of dark layers are nonetheless appealing. It is quite crumbly, less so that Revor Plug but more than other plugs I've come across. This make for easy rubbing out and packing, though slicing off flakes isn't really practical, so if this is your thing keep this under advisement. It's a little on the damp side so some drying is in order to avoid those relights. The flavour starts off in much the same vein as the aroma and gives a few hints of lemon too. This fades during the smoke, giving way to something more cigar like, still absolutely stunning if a little on the dark side. Hints of toffee also ensue on occasion, giving little sweet undercurrents to it. On the nic front, this is a super strong one, probably the strongest tobacco I've had the luck to try, so those of a more delicate disposition on this front might want to avoid this or smoke it in small doses.

This is easily not only the nicest plug I have tried, and that's amongst some stiff competition from the likes of 3P's and JackKnife, it probably one of the nicest tobaccos I've had full stop. Probably what wins it over for me is the cigar flavour. I've missed cigars since I took up the pipe, though their expense has long since prevented me from indulging them to any meaningful extent anyway. Now I don't have to worry on this score as I plan to keep this stuff on hand for whenever I need a good puff on a long chunky one. A cracking substitute for good cigars when they're not available and easily earns full stars and continuing place in my cellar.

Pipe Used: MM Country Gent

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: mysmokingshop.co.uk

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	boc777 (39)	2021-08-27		Extremely Strong	None Detected	Extra Full	Very Strong

Dark plug is that dangerous looking guy that lurks in a corner of your local pub. He casually swigs rot gut Scotch and rarely makes eye contact. When he does, his eyes look upon you derisively, with a telling look that says you are not worthy. One night you work up the courage to swagger over. He's not one for small talk. He nods in the direction of the back door. You silently follow him out to the alley. You square off, he spits, then proceeds to sock you in the mouth. You take a few swings and miss. Dark plug proceeds to work you over with a few body blows, then smacks you in the face. As you try to collect yourself, he smartly kicks you in the balls. As you roll around in the gutter, he draws a stiletto, makes a menacing gesture, smiles and shows a mouth full of missing and gold teeth, turns on his heel and saunters off. You pass out and dream of pirates and marauders, mercenaries and mayhem. After a while, you come to, collect yourself and stumble back into the bar. You take your place and the bartender sizes you up. He pours you a shot of whiskey with a beer back. "He's not that tough" you mumble as you take your medicine. The bartender raises his eyebrows, grins and pours you another. You gaze across the bar into a mirror and notice a black eye, missing teeth and a fat lip. Then you smile, knowing you had your ass kicked by a worthy adversary. Dark plug has done his job. You will be back for more. Just not anytime soon. Highly recommended weed for when the wifey is out of town and you feel like some self flagellation. This is as close to time travel as you will ever get. You have been warned.

Pipe Used: Large billiards

Age When Smoked: new

Similar Blends: Tires enriched with nicotine.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	fr_tom (393)	2019-03-10		Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

The plug is a dark brown and densely pressed. The pouch note is earthy, heavy and sweet. I sliced it into thin flakes with a sharp knife and then rubbed them out. Some of the hunks resisted the rubbing out process, and I helped them along to produce a mostly medium ribbon. It may have been a little moist to smoke, but I packed it loosely, and it seemed to take a match well enough.

Probably the best description of this tobacco is hearty. The flavor is full, and it is a heavy sweet. There is some spice on the snork, and a subtle bitterness on the palate. The flavor has some earth and just a hint of floral. The strength is a solid strong. It is hearty in every regard, and the flavors are very good. it was easy to keep lit, and it was a slow smoke.

If you are looking for a hearty smoke that is (almost) all tobacco, this is it. I am unlikely to ever keep this in stock, but I can see buying some as a treat now and then. It is very good.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2081)	2017-12-18		Extremely Strong	Mild to Medium	Very Full	Very Strong

Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Dark Plug.

A dense plug which I find gives the best results when prepared in my coffee grinder. Sure, it would smoke just as well if I spent ages chopping and slicing but that would take far too long! The aroma from the prepared 'rubbings' is a Lakeland/floral one. Although the plug's dense it hasn't sealed in too much moisture to impair smoking once sliced. It's dark in colour, of course!

The immediate flavour to hit my senses is a Lakeland/floral one. The strength of the topping reduces once the burn's settled but it still doesn't require a detective to seek it out. It isn't 'strong', but a DEFINITE addition. Topping aside, the tobaccos have a full flavour. If there were more air-cured I'd find the flavour ameliorated, but the acrid, sticky, smoky, fire-cured is way too pungent. The burn's good, needing very little attention, manufacturing cool, bite-free, smoke.

The aftertaste is DISGUSTING.

Nicotine: ridiculous. Room-note: nasty.

I'm not even giving this a 'pity rating' of two stars, it's bloomin horrible. Straight into my bin! Not recommended:

One star.

Pipe Used: Peterson Founders Edition

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: G.Q. Tobaccos

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Xeneize (275)	2008-08-25		Very Strong	Very Mild	Full	Tolerable

Before trying Dark Plug, I loathed the soapy flavor from Lakeland tobaccos. I even disliked Dunhill Light Flake, being on the very light side of the spectrum. Dark Plug has tought me how to enjoy this in a way I've never expected. Every puff is a pleasure only matched by my favorite Virginias. And it lasts longer, considering that due to its strength, I set it aside quite a few times during a bowl to recover from the nicotine kick. Not for long thou, since my palate is always eager for another puff.

Slice a few flakes, rub them out, load a small chamber pipe and enjoy the ride.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Warwick (37)	2006-05-06		Extremely Strong	Mild	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

When I ordered Dark Plug from Mars Cigar, I had kinda expected Dark Plug to be about the same as Dark Flake...perhaps just harder to work with.

There is of course alot of similarity in the flavors between the two. However I was quite surprised at how pleasantly melded and harmonious DP was compared to DF.

Upon lighting, there is the Lakeland floral/soapy note in both versions. (I generally dislike that Lakeland note.) DF is a strong, even harsh blend, and is abrasive on the throat. By contrast, DP is strong yet coherent, not at all harsh or abrasive, and the Lakeland note seems to augment this harmony; whereas this floral note seems to me incongruous in DF's in-your-face presentation.

The plug is fairly easy to work with a pocket knife, and the moisture content is about right, making it not too gummy nor too brittle to cut, and minimal drying is required.

Like DF, this is _extremely_ potent in the nicotine arena...I consider DF/DP the strongest blend I've ever smoked. Partly because of this, it is an occasional delight only, yet its quality earns it 4 stars. If you like GH ropes and/or other GH Kendals, its worth a try.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-01-27		Strong	None Detected	Full	Very Strong

Dark plug and Dark flake are congenerous blends but do notably differ. The obvious difference being the Dark flake has been pre-cut into flakes. Some of the more subtle differences between the two would be like comparing a Pepsi from yesteryears glass bottles to a Pepsi from an aluminum can, while the initial product is the same, the taste does vary.

This is a strong, old fashioned, Dark-Fired Virginia/Burley blend in a thick, compact black plug, full of flavor and nicotine. Available in the US from Marscigars. This tobacco is not for those delicate flowers seeking hints of this or that or for those who find satisfaction in stuff like 1-Q. But rather it is for lovers of strong leaf and for those with a penchant for pain.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	p120d16y (22)	2014-12-04		Very Strong	Extremely Mild	Very Full	Very Strong

Very dark, smooth, and full nicotine strength. The flavor is best enjoyed with a very light cadence of sipping. If you want pure tobacco strength and flavor of dark fired old English tobacco, this is it. I don't really know how better to describe it. Women around you will be driven out of the room by the note, but the flavor is a real treat.

I've smoked it while working, but I think it pairs best with relaxation and kicking your feet up enjoying things slowly.

Certainly isn't something I like to smoke in the morning.

Pipe Used: briars, meerschaums, cobs, clay

Age When Smoked: unsure, within a year

Purchased From: gifted sample

Similar Blends: Dark Flake unscented.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HabaneroHardy (403)	2019-11-17		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Unnoticeable

I acquired a small sample of this a month or two ago from a tin dated 3/17/19 and just got around to trying this. This has the typical dark fired smell of Malawi and Indian tobacco somewhat like horse manure or a barn. The piece of plug is as hard as 3Ps for those of you who have had that one. I broke it up as well as possible but was a real b to light and keep lit. The first few puffs had the Lakeland scent to it but that faded away almost instantly. This is good tobacco and reminds me of strength like Irish Flake. I like it but it is sort of like a clone of other dark fired tobaccos. Same genre if you will. I would buy some if you like the strong more natural taste of tobacco. I used a cob and other than having to light it a hundred times it was great. Must work on my plug technique I suppose.

Pipe Used: Old Dominion Corn Cob

Age When Smoked: 6 months

Similar Blends: 3Ps, other dark fired blends..

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	moniker (220)	2019-08-26		Very Strong	Extremely Mild	Very Full	Strong

Whatever the provenance of the dark fired and air cured components here they combine to deliver from a pipe an experience similar to smoking a fine #50 Cuban Robusto cigar, and IMO every pipe smoker should try it. Gawith, Hoggarth, & Co’s Dark Plug has on offer not just a fine blend for the pipe but also a time machine that will transport the patient smoker back to an era when “politically correct” meant nothing more than being on the winning side. The tough, oily, leathery plug and the tin note serve as first, fair warning of what is to come, earthy, darkly smoky, nutty, bitter tobacco that just seems bottomless in terms of flavor and potency. I prefer to cube cut the plug and gravity load it, although it requires several relights to smoke it this way. The dark fired leaf is a good deal smokier and earthier than more typical KY blends I know without in any way seeming doctored, and the air cured leaf is solid enough in its own right to balance this blend to perfection, lending a floral note that for once does not derive from the Lakeland essence. There are cigar-ish spices, also some bitter, briny Dutch licorice, just enough to lend some complexity. Strength is very strong. Tastes are very full. Room note will send civilians scurrying for fresh air. Aftertaste is divine, and it lingers long.

“Iconic” is not a word I use lightly, but it certainly applies to this powerful blend. 4 stars and a place in the Pipe Tobacco Hall of Fame.

Pipe Used: briar cutty's

Age When Smoked: fresh-ish

Purchased From: Liberty Tobacco

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pseudo Nim (129)	2019-01-30		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I have been a long time fan of Samuel Gawith tobacco's finding G&H far to soapy and saturated with floral essence's. Dark Plug however, along with Revor Plug, has succeeded in drawing me over to the dark side (pun intended). Very smooth and deep, with an almost "mouthful of soil" feel to it, I don't get any cigar notes, which is good as I'm not fond of cigars and tend to avoid tobacco's that have reference to them, what I do get is a strong, smooth, no bite delight. Which was exactly what I was looking and hoping for. An excellent Autum through to Spring evening smoke.

Update June 1st 2019

Well Spring is certainly here and by now I would have expected to put the remains of this tobacco away until the Autum, but I find that I would miss this a lot, were it not for "1 last pipe before bed, or maybe 2 ...... ?" Although certainly not an all day smoke for me, it has become an essential evening smoke, even vying for position with SG's Lakeland Dark, ergo, Lakeland Dark, followed by Dark Plug. There, problem solved.

Dark Plug, a most welcome addition into rotation.

Pipe Used: Various briars

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: GQ tobacco's

Similar Blends: Sam Gawith's Lakeland Dark, Dark Plug being a little "oilier and earth like".

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	1979 (62)	2017-12-16		Extremely Strong	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Dark Plug

Beef jerky to start with.  I like to cube cut this for ease of handling, and it's a bit fire-retardant until it's dry.  Cigar like in quality with dark, earthy tobacco flavors (imagine that), just a touch sweet and somewhat to the thin side of body.  And floral...rose, magnolia, ahh a fresh breath of spring time!  Until the massive nicotine hit sets in...better get on back to town son, dig the dirty lowdown.  Palpitation and hiccup inducing to be sure, try this for your first bowl of the day, ha (really, don't).  Not as floral as Brown Bogie, not as herbal as Dark Birdseye.  That's my impression at least.  What I'm smoking here has been jarred solid for several months.  This seems to have about everything I need from tobacco except that it makes me set the bowl down every several puffs.  Brown Bogie is more fun but I'm glad I was able to get some of this Dark Plug all the same.  Oh my.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	jimyfafy (10)	2017-03-25		Overwhelming	None Detected	Full	Overwhelming

Looks mean and nasty. Well yeah it just may be. Old woman says" If i find it you need to stop looking .This is a test." I hate tests so I move it around a lot! This is the taste of tabaccy and i love it but! You will offend the female members in the family that choose the garage to enter the abode.

Pipe Used: Down to the smallest i,ve got!

Age When Smoked: 1 to 6 months

Purchased From: smokingpipes

Similar Blends: I cant imagine!.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	who broke my clay pipe? (70)	2016-11-08		Very Strong	None Detected	Extra Full	Very Strong

So my old friend Dark xx has been hiding under a different pseudonym at the same time.. This smoke is hands down my favourite smoke,glad I have found it under another name because I thought it was rare. Basically my review is the same as DARK XX in this regard really but will update.. A cigarish ala Cuban leaf tasting ,meaty barnyard of the thickest richest tasting smoke I have ever experienced in a pipe.. Thick oily chewy smoke,old time tastes of roast beef,sea salt,drift wood,marmite. Really forgiving cool long lasting smoke.Great indoors or out. all weathers;nothing can mute it be it fog,wind or freezing.. Sums up a magic experience always. The plug is easy to tear up with your hands if you have to;it smokes well almost any way you prepare it really. I use a 6" carpenters pincers to nibble flakelets out of it and cube cut it down and sprinkle in bowl. Smokes the same more or less whether wet or dry. Its one of the few baccies I don't have to worry about moisture because its own oils preserve its integrity. My latest sample is loose weighed and its just as good as the pouch in everyway. Full 4 stars**

Pipe Used: falcon bantam

Age When Smoked: month

Purchased From: www.thebackyshop.co.uk

Similar Blends: G&H Kendall twist DARK XX 25G pouch (its the same thing in different packaging).

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-10-18		Extremely Strong	Mild	Full	Pleasant

This tobacco have a good taste, but so strong with nicotine, it's sometime hard to smoke a entire bowl. If you like it I recommande to try Semois La brumeuse of V. Manil, little bite less strong but with the same taste.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-06-18		Very Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Kendal Dark Plug Aromatic from Gawith Hogarth,I love this one,full sweet taste,a whirlwind of cool virginasmoke

in my moth and nasal cavitys it´s ideal to consume using the "french inhalation"style smoking and it burns safe and

even to the bottom of the bowl without getting foul in taste.This tobacco must be prepared for consumption with a

sharp knife or a windowcleaners razorblade with some tape in the end to prevent fingers from soaking the KDPA

with eagertosmoke blood.I use to cut it in 1-2mm thick flakes wich I rub out in a manner that gives me everything

from tobaccodust up to small chunks.I fill the bowl with the chunks at the bottom of the bowl and progressing

upwards with the finer texrures until I sprinkle the dust as a last preparation for a proper lightup.I smoke this

tobacco preferably in a small Petersonpipe,bent systemstyle and it fits for both shy puffing and aggressive drawing

inbetween.That thick white smoke grants for a nice close up from a hardworksday.Four stars!

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-04-09		Extremely Strong	Extremely Mild	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

If you have ever slapped yourself awake after almost falling asleep at the wheel, you know why you need this. As advertised, and as others have noted, this is strong stuff. It is challenging in many ways - hard to come by, difficult to prepare, and smoking requires quite a bit of attention. That said, I found that Dark Plug was well worth the effort. There is some light-colored leaf, maybe 10%, but you wouldn't know it from the flavor. It's very spicy on the lips and in the nostrils, with much dark, tangy bitterness. In my opinion, this would be a good tobacco to tuck away with your emergency supplies. I guarantee this tobacco will take your mind off of whatever is bothering you.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-12-03		Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This plug can be a chore to light sometimes but other than that its outstanding,smooth,dark,and strong,not kicked in the teeth strong,but this is no candy tobacco either.Dark plug is one of the cleanest smoking baccys I've ever put fire to,and the cake seems to form right before your eyes.I dont know which I like better,fresh off the plug or DGT'd,like another reviewer said here this dgt's great.Enjoy

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-03-08		Very Strong	Mild	Full	Pleasant

Very easy to work with, moist flakes can be made very easily but they burn well without any drying. The cut flakes are best, IMO, smoked very well rubbed out. Taste is extra good, without harshness which is sometimes what you get from the Dark Flake. Burn is sporadic and variable. I've had to re-light on a bowlful many times. This doesn't seem to keep me away from it at all. Sometimes it's a welcome break from such a potent thing as this, the nico-hit was easily controlled by letting it gently go out. DGT is very highly recommended, even up to a week's wait will do this no harm, conversely much good!

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2005-05-03		Very Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable

This dark brown plug tobacco is certainly not for the novice pipesmoker.My 100gr chunk came with just the right amount of moisture to it.as a result it could go strait from plug to pipe.The tobacco slices and rubs out easily It lites and stays lit without much effort .Strong and full bodied it burns slowly .Not sweet,but more spicy ,with at times a cigar like quality to it .Cool with no tongue bite,I find Dark Plug a very satisfying smoke.Best in a medium bowl pipe

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BrokenRecord (124)	2021-10-24		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Tolerable

Dark Plug is Amazing

I just reviewed Dark Flake, which is about the same as Dark Plug. The flavor profile of both tobaccos are unique among other blends that I have tried. It is musty, slightly smokey, and tangy. I find the plug to be a little richer than the flake. The dark fired leaf is not as strong as it’s American cousin in that it doesn’t contain that oaky smokiness. It is more musty, slightly sweet, and less nutty. Somehow, the dark fired leaf does not overwhelm the flavor profile. The other tobaccos add a huge amount of depth to the smoke and a solid earthy foundation. Dark Plug and Dark Flake might be the smoothest smokes in the G&H line and are a must try. They are in my top ten blends.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dr. Dunhill 23 (39)	2020-02-18		Very Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a masterful blend of aged Virginias and Burley and it comes in a true plug, not the flaky American style, but very dense that requires some forethought to properly prepare. A plug cutter is your friend but I suppose a knife will do. A knife cut bowl won't offer you the optimal experience when compared to using the proper tools.

I have smoked this in shredded flake form as well as cube cut. 2 grams of this will last an hour or more of enjoyment. Both are great but cube cut really brings out the strength.

The Virginias give it a slightly sweet, woodsy flavor but I don't really detect much grassiness, probably due to the aging process and transformation that takes place when blended with the Burley during the pressing.

The Burley supplies a goodly amount of Vitamin N, especially during the latter half of the bowl. Lighting this offers lots of creamy smoke with a velvet texture and offers little harshness but will tingle your nose and tongue. There is no tongue bite and cool burning even if you are a rapid pace smoker. It requires some relight, especially in cube cut form.

A very strong tobacco so a wise smoker will watch their cadence and have water or liquid of your choice to keep close by to keep the hiccups away. The aroma is very complex and offers up a proper experience of what a good Virginia/Burley blend should smell like. Some say Lakeland but if it's there, it's very faint so if you like it, you won't get much and if you don't then not to worry.

Not an all day smoke and I would consider this a blend good for experienced smokers.

This is another top notch blend from one of the finest houses in the world. A solid 4 stars.

Pipe Used: George Boyadjiev Blowfish

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Briar Piper (89)	2018-11-15		Extremely Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Overwhelming

I am not a fan of dark fired virginia since it tastes so bitter, so this blend only gets 3 stars. Dark fired virginia also smells like a foul wet dog when it burns to others. However dark plug is great in other areas.

This is easily the strongest pipe tobacco I have ever tried. I bought 5 of the 500g boxes and smoked 1 of them before putting the rest away to age, which made it very smooth after a few years.

Very earthy tobacco, and very bitter. It tastes like tobacco but has some lakeland essense in the background to smooth it out, but this is not a topping nor a casing, perhaps a salt or soda. It is good for a nicotine fix, being equal to any chewing tobacco in strength. Smooth and no bite, it is a good fast smoke in a small bowl.

Pipe Used: Ser jacopo oom paul, cob.

Age When Smoked: New and some aged a few years.

Purchased From: Marscigars

Similar Blends: Peterson's Irish Whiskey..

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	reformed smoker (2)	2017-12-13		Very Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Strong

This will put hair on your chest! This tobacco is phenomenal but boy is it strong. 1/4 a bowl is plenty! The tin note or (jar note) is almost identical to a fine lapsang souchong tea, a traditional Chinese tea dried over pine fires. The flavor of this tobacco reminds me of Bells Three Nuns with a hint of incense on the retrohale. It is an all-around great blend but make sure to give yourself plenty of time to smoke it. It's perfect for a cold evening by a fire with a good book and a nice cup of tea or coffee. Take a couple of puffs savor the flavor and then sit it down for a few minutes this is not a blend to finish on a single light you need to take you time with it because it is so strong, but if you do take it slow you will love it!

Pipe Used: Rossi Rusticated Canadian

Age When Smoked: Fresh

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-06-13		Strong	Mild	Very Full	Tolerable

This starts off with a peppered steak sort of taste, a bit harsh on the throat, very strong and takes a lot of work to keep lit. Decent cigar like flavour though

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-03-31		Very Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Tolerable

I like the Dark series, and probably like Dark Flake the best, because I like the cut and the way it burns. Dark Plug is a close second. The control over the preparation is the biggest feature, but the flip side is that the effort required to prepare it can be a bit of a hassle. Very strong in the nicotine department, also lots of flavor, can be a bit overwhelming.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-07-26		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Most things have been said about this one.

Something as simple and brutal as this, having such an outmost elegance, a bit hard to take in just by reading reviews.

I enjoy this in a large bowl, of a half bent stanwell, a full load takes approx 2 hours. 2 good hours that is.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-02-18		Very Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

TR's text editor doesn't handle cut-and-paste very well, so I'll just link to a full review elsewhere in the on-line tobacco world: http://forums.knoxcigar.net/viewtopic.php?t=6012

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cakeanddottle (105)	2021-08-29		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

A very nice, dense plug. If you've smoked Dark Flake you know what you have here. A stout and pleasing combo of Va and Kentucky. I don't detect any Lakeland sauce at all in the plug I received. The world needs more tobacco like this and it's a solid 3 stars for me. Dark Flake gets 4 because I feel it's easier to work with. Also, the Dark Plug I received needed time to dry before smoking. It's the first time I ever had to do that with a tobacco that didn't come from Samuel Gawith. So for being the right smoking moisture and being easier to work with, Dark Flake for the win. If Dark Plug was the only way I could smoke this tobacco, I wouldn't let it dampen my enthusiasm or keep me from buying boxes of it.

Excellent, I took away a star for minor gripes, YMMV.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sangagor (80)	2021-08-23		Very Strong	None Detected	Overwhelming	Very Strong

Please, do not take this as review. It is just note for myself.

It has been log time since I have smoked this stuff. Reason why I did not write overview imidiatley after finishing sample with last bowl in mouth, was nicotine hit. Taste of pure vitamin N overcharged all possible tastes what I could get from tobacco. No floral essence, no soap. Just little bit of tart, very little sweetness, nuts.

Several relights was needed, even I cut it gently thick as hair and leave a hour dry it. I will need to try it again. In general, it would be good tobacco.

Pipe Used: BPK, Stanislaw, Jirsa, MM cob

Age When Smoked: new

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	riobrew (80)	2020-05-19		Very Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant

The plug is the same as Dark Flake. The flakes are sliced from the plug bar. I like that the plug allows for more control of how you prep for the smoking experience. For me the cube cut didn't work well for the small bowl pipe I was using. The taste and strength are the same as the flake.

Pipe Used: Algerian Dublin

Age When Smoked: Few months

Purchased From: KBV

Similar Blends: Gawith Hoggarth & co Dark Flake.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	AC (19)	2020-02-27		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

As a long time Burley-blend only smoker, I have basically smoked all burley pipe products around. After a few years of intense seeking of the perfect blend for me, I was able to narrow the search and find my utmost favorites to be... well... one blend. As such, 95+% of the time I smoke C&D Burley Flake #1. That's it. Most other blends eventually disappoint me in some way or another. See, at first, a blend can seem wonderful, but as it dries a bit, its true character can reveal certain (character) flaws, like people (at first). Knowing that I've stayed with C&D BF#1 and have remained mostly if not completely pleased. I won't spend time on the mechanics of Dark Plug and other considerations the honorable friends here have already explained with details and charm. Although, I must say it comes in nearly perfect condition, it is well-behaved in every aspect of the smoking experience, and it has the strength and overall profile I crave. However, I will state that I have finally found an alternative to my favorite smoke.

Pipe Used: Marxman Melo Prince, Sasieni Author

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Boswell Pipes

Similar Blends: Cornell and Diehl Burley Flake #1.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JaWiBr (561)	2023-03-26		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Package note of barbeque, peaty vegetation and sharp sweet. Tobacco is a plug of marbled brown and light brown with a bit of black mixed in. Moisture content is good, recommend a thin sharp knife or razor and slicing thin and rubbing out. Burns slow with a few extra relights. The strength is medium to strong and nic is medium. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium to full and very consistent, with notes of barbecue, fermented vinegary vegetation, spicy cigar, herbal floral, spices, toasted bread, wood, dry, lemon grass, orange peel, earthy, tart and tangy citrus, acidic, nuts, a sweet peaty hay background note, and a very peppery retro. Dark Fired Virginia is leading with Indian Burley supporting. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.

Pipe Used: 2016 Northern Briars Premier Rox Cut #4 Prince

Age When Smoked: 2 years

Purchased From: TobaccoPipes.com

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Knightsmoker (218)	2022-10-11		Strong	Mild	Full	Strong

G, H & Co. Dark Plug has a box note that is very smokey. This is a 500g sample and I cut the plug up and put it in 3 jars. This first jar has about 150g in it. I opened that jar at 6 months the smokiness is gone and all I smell is a sweet tobacco aroma. I smoked several bowls but then the spring turned hot and I don't enjoy big blends like this in the summer heat. I put the lid on tight and waited for better weather. I have now almost finished this jar. The smoke itself is quite complex. It is very earthy, I always think of a garden that has been freshly tilled when I smoke this. It is smokey, woodsy and sweet. There is a little grass and dark fruit and some floralness. That floral note likely comes largely from the toppings. They are anise and floral essences (i.e., the Lakeland scent). Hints of cigar and spice come and go as does a little toasted grain and nuttiness. The room note is strong and will make others leave the smoking area. The nic hit is strong and a med or large bowl will take the desire to smoke another away from me. The finish lingers for a while and is pleasantly sweet and smokey. This is not an all-day or everyday smoke for me but when I pick it up I usually smoke several bowls before moving to another blend. 4 stars despite the hassle of cutting the dense plug.

Age When Smoked: 6+ months

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrT999 (318)	2020-07-02		Very Strong	Extremely Mild	Very Full	Tolerable

This was a gift, so it's now about 9 years old. The cigar characteristics which I noted in the Dark Flake are much toned down but a dark, almost Guinness-like quality remains. There is just a hint of the Lakeland essence left, which nicely balances the dark bitterness. Not an all day smoke by any means, it's a pleasant change of pace.

Pipe Used: cobs

Age When Smoked: 9 years

Nobody has rated this review yet.