Black Irish X Unsliced

Black Irish X is a tobacco produced by the traditional rope method at Gawith, Hoggarth & Co.'s Kendal facility. Predominantly dark fire-cured leaf, joined by a small amount of air-cured dark Indian leaf, is hand-twisted with the wrapper leaf into rope form. The difference here lies in the cooking stage: because the rope is cooled and blackened under pressure, the tobacco softens and offers a more measured strength than its sibling Brown Irish X. The "Unsliced" designation indicates the product is sold as a whole, uncut rope; the smoker cuts coin-shaped pieces at whatever thickness they like and rubs them out.

In the smoke, the smoky, woody, leather-like taste of the fire-cured leaf leads; cooking adds a caramelised sweetness and a lightly spiced tone. Nicotine is high, so it is not suited to an empty stomach or a fast smoke. This is a record that can serve as an entry point for smokers curious about rope tobaccos but wary of the strongest examples like Brown Irish X; it appeals to those who enjoy dark, satisfying, slow-smoking tobaccos.