Gawith Hoggarth - Black Pigtail

 Originally it was sailors who enjoyed a steamed, thin Virginia flake. This dark and rich tobacco is ideal for chewing as well as smoking in a pipe. It was common for sailors to chew Pigtail twist, but when on land and during crafty moments could be shredded and smoked. Smoking was obviously forbidden on many wooden ships and chewing was the only option. Once tobacco became common place, miners also took this tobacco into the mines, along with snuff.

Produced by hand spinning Virginia leafs into a rope, a technique which dates back to the 1500's. To give the Black Pig its jet black colour, the rope is pressed and stoved, until pure black. The resulting tobacco is cool and very smooth to smoke, with a leathery almost (unsweetened) Cavendish undertone. A strong tobacco and not something many novice smokers get along with, the steaming removes some of the nictoine and the brown twists are even stronger. Pig Tail is fiddly to prepare and most chew this tobacco. 

To prepare Pig Tail and other Twist tobaccos, take a shape knife and cut off small coins 1/8" thick. Then treat these small coins as any flake, but a word of warning these twist tobaccos hold the moisture very well and may require a little air drying before use. Twists ability to hold moisture saw this the primary way of keeping tobacco fresh during transatlantic voyages.

Composition

Blend - Virginia
Casings - None
Cut - Twist/Rope
Origin - Kendal, England
Packaging -  Loose

Ratings from TobaccoReviews.com

Strength - 5/5
Added Flavours -  0/5
Taste -  5/5
Overall -  3/4

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