Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Drexel II

I'm an "all day smoker," and vanilla is my favorite aromatic, so this amazingly priced blend has become my go to. There's just a bit of nicotine left over from from the burly - based cavendish, and unlike some cavendish, this blend help blow some amazingly luxurious clouds of delicious smelling smoke.

The biggest praise I can give this is that my girlfriend loves the smell. It sticks to my beard, and if I'm smoking in a closed place it hangs on my jacket.

One of the only reasons I can imagine that Drexel hasn't dominated the market is that it comes in pouches. To some, this is a downside, to me it's a great way to pass savings onto the customer. After all, tins and pouches alike go into the same mason jars.

Scandinavian Tobacco - Drexel II.

A mild, sweet, and uncomplicated, smoke.

It isn't overly heavy on the black Cavendish, it has about 25% in it. The pouch-note is a good example of the flavour of the smoke: vanilla. It's too moist, but not appallingly so.

The smoke: if you enjoy a blend which gives plumes of thick, cool, palpable, smoke, this is for you. The vanilla's definitely present, but not too gloopy. For the first half it's about mild to medium, but after halfway the vanilla seems to condense, becoming closer to medium than mild. The two tobaccos give a mild, and relaxed flavour: no Virginia sharpness, instead it's the sweeter variety. It burns efficiently, leaving a white ash.

Nicotine: mild. Room-note: very pleasant.

I've smoked enough of this to feel it deserves full marks:

Four stars.

Pleasing, successfully blended variation in the crowded LaneSTG Vanilla stable. My overall impression after 2 pouches, is that it reminds me of 1-Q with a bit more nicotine and not quite as sweet. As good as the recent flurry of Lane tinned Aro's., I will return to it occasionally.

Depending on how one approaches this "value blend", Drexel II will either be seen as a step up or down from CBW (same pouch note but finer cut). Wonderful aroma in pouch as in the smoke. Unlike CBW, DII won't bite the tongue or leave it raw. Pleasant and smooth. Upon light up noticed a thin, watery quality but doesn't interfere with the experience. This led me to believe the nic weed is cased with a vanilla liqoure. Flavor got slightly more intense at the halfway point. Smokes cool and with no relights. Overall, a solid smoke. If you like CBW Light this will fit the bill. If you prefer stronger flavor types this may be more of a palate cleanser. 3 Stars but at the lower end of the scale. Good nonetheless. UPDATE 5-4-17 If you like Blenders Gold Burley and Black, you'll like DII. I decided to do a taste test tonight. Drexel has a finer cut with a splash more black cavendish. Both have a similar pouch to tin note. Drexel's vanilla flavoring is the main star. Whereas BGBB has a more subtle and less sweet flavor (cappuccino like). Burn rate was the same. Drying time is needed for both. Moisture level was identical. Room note very, very close (smokey, sweet, fragrant). So that leaves the price factor. If Drexel II and BGBB were sold side by side Drexel would be cheaper by pouch. Considering two and a half pouches would equal about the same (Drexel a quarter ounce more) than the tin, Drexel would save a few pennies more. I like DII alot, but my palate prefers a semi-sweet mixture. And I'm thinking why not get the best of both worlds and mix the two. Couldn't hurt. Keep in mind Drexel is made by STG and BGBB by Sutliff.

My favorite pouch tobacco. Similar but not identical to Lane Limited 1Q. Sweet , mild, pleasing room note. No bite or gurgle. Highly recommended, this will please bystanders.