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Samson
by GentleGenius
PRICE: Currently £13.43 for a 50g pack at my local Sainsbury's
PLEASE NOTE: The following isn't intended to promote or encourage smoking in any way at all, as it is merely a review of a product.
Since, due to lack of funds and an inability to quit smoking, I've had to make the move away from tailor-made cigarettes ... and onto hand-rolling tobacco, I've come to enjoy the roll-ups more than my old regular menthols.
After trying most brands of hand-rolling tobacco in an endeavour to find one which suits me, I seem to now have settled upon Samson as my regular choice. I have found other brands to be overly expensive or far too strong for my liking.
Samson hand-rolling tobacco comes in a dark blue wrapper with an image of a lion on the front. The pack shows the standard warning about smoking, and offers a helpline telephone number for those who wish to quit. The product claims to be of high quality Virginia tobacco, offering a smooth smoke.
The pack is envelope-style, with the front flap being fastened with a sticky, easily removable seal. The upper part of the pocket is also sealed, and has to be prised open in order to reach the product inside (the packet isn't re-sealable). Once the pack is opened, the tobacco, which is a rich dark brown in colour, is formed into one rectangular lump. I have yet to notice any kind of distinctive smell rising up from the block of tobacco when the pack is opened.
The consistency of the tobacco is very moist, and is a cut a little more roughly than some of Samson's competitors. I personally find this rough-cut image more efficient to use, as when pulling the tobacco apart for rolling into cigarettes, it shreds easily, which to some degree cuts down on the length of time it takes to make up my cigarettes. Because Samson Tobacco is easy to shred, I find a 50g pack lasts a couple of days longer than other, finer-textured brands. This has everything to do with the ease of shredding, because I find that tobaccos which have a much finer texture make it so difficult to break off exactly the right amount to roll a suitably sized cigarette.
Samson Tobacco isn't wildly strong, which pleases me, as I prefer a mild smoke. Also, I find that it doesn't make me cough anywhere near as much as other brands, even though one or two of those brands may be equally mild, or even milder.
On inhaling, Samson has a good flavour which isn't too overpowering, with a slightly nutty undertone. So long as it is used when perfectly fresh and still moist, it doesn't give off too much offensive smoke whilst burning. Of course, my house and other things such as clothes do carry an aroma of cigarette smoke, but a few non-smokers who I know have told me the odour isn't anywhere as near as bad as that given off by tailor-made cigarettes or some other rolling tobaccos.
I use menthol filter tips when rolling my cigarettes, and each time I smoke one down to the end, the white part of the filter tip is quite a dark brown colour. This could be that the tobacco may have a high nicotine content, or it could be that such nicotine content - whether high or low - is being filtered out well. I will opt for the latter of those two ideas, bearing in mind that I do cough far less whenever I smoke cigarettes rolled with Samson Tobacco.
The only little niggle I have with Samson is that due it being quite roughly cut, occasionally I will find large, non-shredded stalks of tobacco which I have to break into little pieces before they will mix properly with the bulk of the product. To roll one of these stalks in its unshredded state into a cigarette, causes the problem of them (as they burn) forming long lines of smouldering ash at the tip of the cigarette which, if you aren't able to 100% concentrate on what you are doing, can fall off without you noticing, hence being a possible fire hazard. However, I do make sure that I shred every part of the tobacco into tiny fibres before I even contemplate rolling any cigarettes.
Samson is very easy to inhale, and I consider myself a good judge of that due to me collapsing into a monumental choking fit if I attempt to smoke anything stronger than the mildest version of Silk Cut cigarettes...yet, my lungs don't feel as if they are under major attack with Samson and I rarely cough. Despite its price (and all cigarette products are obscenely expensive), I find Samson to be comparatively economical as one 50g pack lasts me about 5 days, whereas some other, more finely cut (and often more expensive) brands will only last me 3 or 4 days.
Of course it would be wonderful to stop smoking altogether - believe me I have tried and failed countless, countless times in my life - but until and if the magical quitting day ever smiles and bestows its good fortune upon me, I shall continue to choose Samson as my most favoured brand of rolling-tobacco. It isn't the cheapest, but it isn't the most expensive either. It would be nice to have the feature which some other brands have, that being a packet of rolling papers enclosed, but I'm happy to forgo such in order to continue smoking, for as long as is necessary, a brand that I enjoy.
In summary, if you absolutely must smoke, then Samson is a very good brand to opt for, but my sincere advice would - to non-smokers - be....please, please, please don't start...don't even think about it!
Thanks for reading!
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Amber Leaf
by Angel690
AMBER LEAF TOBACCO
Before I write this review, I would like to state that I hope im not encouraging anybody who reads this to smoke, It is a disgusting habit, which I have tried unsuccessfully to give up 3 times without any luck, although I will be trying again in the new year
***THE PRODUCT***
Amber leaf ... tobacco is available in 3 different sizes, these are 12.5g, 25g and 50g, It is available to buy in most newsagents, corner shops and supermarkets which sell tobacco products.
Amber leaf tobacco comes in a yellow pouch which on the front has a picture of leafs and white writing, stating the make of the product.
It also comes with a picture and a warning ( an example is - smoking when pregnant harms baby) it also has in large writing that smoking kills.
Each pouch is heat sealed to keep the tobacco fresh and moist, so that it does not dry out to quickly, Each pouch also comes with a pack of 50 rizzlas, You can now also purchase pouches that come with filters.
In my local shop a 12.5g pouch sells for £3.67, a 25g pouch sells for £7.57 and a 50g pouch sells for £14.79
***MY OPINION***
As I have stated by writing this review I do hope i am not encouraging anyone to start smoking, as it is a bad habit and I myself find it disgusting.
But unfortently I do smoke and have to say that this is my preferred choice of tobacco as I find that it is mild and to strong tasting, I actually find it to have a slight sweet taste to it.
It is also cheaper than most tobacco brands and easy to roll and smoke, I find that from a 12.5g pouch I get approx 35-40 rolls and this lasts me between 2-3 days
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