Sutliff Tobacco Company Match Brindley's Mixture

The topping in the Match is marshmallow, and it’s similar enough to the original for me to think it’s the same flavor, though there’s talk that the original had some orange in the topping. The burleys are earthy, woody, and nutty with a molasses taste, and are the stars in both versions, though the Match seems to be deeper in all those respects. The Virginia is a supporting player, mainly acting as a cooling base, offering a mild tart and tangy citrus and grass in both versions, more of the latter being in the original. The tobacco in both is a mixed cut: cut plug and coarse cut burleys with small pieces of Virginia. Both are slow and clean burning with a consistent flavor. The granulated, earthy, woody, sweet Cyprian Latakia is a minor player, doing little more than adding a little smokiness in both versions. The strength and nic-hit are in the center of mild to medium. The taste is a couple of steps past that mark. Won't bite. I found some harshness at times in the original, mostly toward the finish, but none in the Match. The topping in the original weakens toward the end, but doesn’t in the Match. Leaves a little moisture in the bowl, and requires a few relights. Has a pleasant after taste, a little more so than the original. The room note is a tad stronger. Can be an all day smoke. I rated the original at two stars. This gets two and a half stars.

The original version was the favorite of Moe Howard of The Three Stooges.

-JimInks

This is a nondescript VaBur with a hint of latakia to give it some smokiness. The smoking experience was a little harsh. The cut is irregular medium sized fish food with a few hunks of mostly rubbed out short bits of flake.

There are a few nutty note of burley and some non-citrus sweet from the bright Virginia. There is a topping that tastes a little like heated sugar smells just before it starts to caramelize.

This is one of those smokes you can believe was an OTC without a big following. It does not do much for me, but I can smoke it and be grateful I am not out of tobacco.

I am a huge Three Stooges Fan and knowing Moe Howard smoked this made me want to try this. I never had the original so this is on the Match only. The ingredients are Burley, Latakia and Virginia.

Coming out of the humidor I smelled light marshmallow, a nice rich earthy aroma with a slightly nutty background and a touch of grass. The aromas were light and pleasant and simple. This seemed a bit moist so I let it dry on a paper towel for about an hour. The irregular mixture cut was easy to load into the pipe and a touch harder to light and took a bit more relights at the beginning and at the end. A nice long sipping smoke from a 1/4 down the bowl to the last 1/4 of the bowl. This burned at a slow consistent rate and the flavor was consistent from beginning to the end. The room note is a pleasant roasting marshmallow over a campfire. This does not bite and can be a all day long smoke. It left a little bit of moisture in the bowl. Very mild, mellow and easy going smoke.

Lighting the bowl was a little bit harder than most tobaccos, but once lit it burned very well till the last quarter of the bowl. Lighting I was was greeted by a mild marshmallow flavor that was closely follow by a rich earthy taste and in the background was a slightly nutty taste, a light grassy with a nice sweet flavor balanced out with a tart flavor. This flavor did not change, remained very consistent and was very enjoyable and never drowned out the tobacco.

I get this tobacco very well, it is trying to be a simple, down to earth good tasting smoke that one does not have to fuss about. This is its strength. It is not trying to be complex, flashy, showy or the center of your attention. It is like the old family dog, content to be with you and you with it enjoying each other's company. This is a excellent smoke for relaxing, putting about, working or reading. The only time you notice it is when you realize it is a good smoke. Is it the best ever? No. Most intense or the one with the most flavors? No. Is it the most complex or intriguing? Nope and it isn't trying to be. It is just a good old friend to spend time with. It comes from a different time where tobacco wasn't a tasting sport, but a way to relax and bring enjoyment into your everyday tasks, jobs or relaxation. This it does very, very well and I get it. If you want a designer tobacco, something complex steer away for you will not like this. But, if you want a simple, no frills smoke for working in the garage, garden or sitting in the backyard watching a summer sunset.... this is the one for you. Moe Howard of the Three Stooges outside of the studio was a pretty simple and humble guy. I can see why he liked this blend. A 3.6 out of 4 because it doesn't pretend to be anything other than it is and sometimes that is enough in a world where everything has to be complex and intriguing and designer made... sometimes just plain down to earth is enough. Highly recommended for those who like the simpler things in life and for those who don't this isn't for you.

Another one of the "Matches" that is huge chunks of random size.

The tobacco is extremely sticky, evident of breaking the chunks up to a smokeable size, although smoking is not affected much.

Tin aroma of a vinegar-fermented Virginia, with some nuttiness and a touch of smoky Latakia.

This blend, as the others, lights and smokes well if the pack is done with a light hand, and the chunks are broken up. The burley is nutty, but dry on the palate. The Latakia stays in the background, but you definitely know it is there. It also offers a hand in the mouthfeel, albeit ashy and dry.

IMHO, this is an uninteresting blend. It is flat, can be sharp, and offers no smoothness.