Drucquer & Sons Blairgowrie

Blairgowrie: Subtly Sweet Smoky Perfection

This blend is all about the Virginia varietals. They are rich, spectacularly tangy and add a subtle sweetness. The oriental varieties seems to be second in proportion to the Virginias and pair well with them—adding a sour and dry quality to the blend without overwhelming it with floral undertones. This is not a Lat. bomb and there is just enough Latakia to take this blend into the range of a full English…at least in my book. The perique underscores the smoke with a pleasant amount of spiciness.

There are three other points of note: First, the flavor profile of Blairgowrie changes quite drastically throughout the smoke. The first quarter bowl is sweet and extremely smooth—showcasing the Virginias and orientals. The farther down the bowl you smoke, flavors build in intensity from the earthiness of the red Virginia leaf, the sourness of the orientals, and the cedar-smokiness and leathery undertones of the Latakia.

Second, I think that the pressing of the tobacco really helps the flavors meld throughout the tin and makes Blairgowrie perfect without any age, unlike most Pease blends that I have tried.

Third, I wanted to compare Blairgowrie to another full English, Nightcap. Blairgowrie is equally tasty though different on a few points. It is a hair below Nightcap in regard to nicotine. While I find Nightcap to be equally balanced in the intensity of flavors from each tobacco component, the Virginia varietals of Blairgowrie are sweeter, tangier, and at the forefront of this blend. Blairgowrie also has a tad bit less perique and Latakia.

This blend really shines after a year of age. The Turkish leaf begins to meld with the red Virginia tobacco.

The first tin was sublime. The second tin was nowhere as good as the first; tasteless and flat. Whereas the first tin was composed of long thick strands, the second tin was more of a ribbon cut. The perique which was ever-present in every puff was absent. All I taste is the Virginia and Orientals, with the latakia in the background. The Virginia tastes rough to me. It's either C&D quality control, or my taste buds have changed. Update: I called Smokingpipes and voiced my displeasure. They immediately credited me for the tin, which shows how good their customer service is. I re-ordered a third tin and found the cut back to the original thick strands, but the taste was not the same. The blend tasted flat, without the cohesive taste of the first. I would suggest that this blend needs at least six months of ageing from the tinning date in order to enjoy. Update: 06/20 After a year of ageing the Virginias are smoother, but not yet ready to earn the 4th star.

Bought this blend after watching fantastic tasting notes on YouTube by SP.com. Perfect moisture out of the tin. Easy to pack broken flakes as is, even in a smaller bowl. Tin note definitely suggests this is a fuller mixture, which it is. Notes of fermented Virginias and fruity Perique came through strongest for me. Lit very easily and stayed lit with minimimal fuss with the tamper. Smoked cool, producing rich quantities of smoke. Creamy puffs where the orientals came forward at first, and some spice in the nose on the retrohale. Latakia comes out later, and doesn't knock you over head, but lingers in the midground pleasantly. A dry smoke throughout, leaving a fine grey ash.

Glad I took a chance on this blend; it paid off in spades. Will be ordering more to smoke and still more to age.

Blend: Draquer & Sons Blairgowrie Blend Type: Scottish/ Virginia forward English Cut: Rubbed out Flake Topping: None Detected Taste: Medium Strength: Mild Availability: 100g tin, 200g tin

Hello again today I'm reviewing D&S Blairgowrie. To start off, this is what I've heard called a Scottish mixture and that's what on the tin description. Now I wasn't that sure on what that meant at first so I looked it up and on some forums people will say it's a Virginia forward English blend.

Upon opening the tin there a very typical English like campfire smell, and it does smell a little sweeter than usual to me and I will chalk that up to the Virginia. The play of the Orientals and the Latakia is sort of tangy. The cut is a broken, rubbed-out flake. Overall it does pack well, and I have no problems lighting it, it stays well lit throughout the bowl and needs the normal amount of relights. I find the room note to this really pleasant.

The first thing I notice is just how well balanced this really is. There is some very natural almost herbal sweetness coming up front from the Virginias, but the Latakia is nice and leathery and blends in seamlessly. The smoke is cool and I detect no topping. The Orientals in the background offer a little incense like hint as you puff softly. I will say the taste is solidly medium, but Lady N is quite mild.

If you are looking to try the lighter side of English give this a try. As for me, this blend is in my top 3, I can and do smoke it all day.

I must admit that I am not a fan od "Scottish" blends, and I have always had some reservations about blends with a high percentage of Virginia and Orientals but just a pinch of Latakia. Either I prefer clean Virginias (with a touch of Perique, maybe), or if there are Orientals I also need a healthy dose of Latakia too.

That said (to make clear that this is my personal taste only), I didn't care much for this blend. Very well made, great cut (ribbon with small pieces of broken flake), easy to pack and to smoke. But for me it has a very neutral taste, that sometimes is a bit cigarette-like: old fashioned Camel cigarettes like those made 30 years ago, that must be said, but a bit cigarettish nonetheless.

What surprises me is that while the blend is not particularly strong flavoured (actually, it has a very consistent and even flavour delivery: muted Virginia sweetness but not too much, musky Orientals fragrance, from beginning to end), it has a stronger heaviness on palate and throat than one would expect. I actually prefer blends that are lighter in "thickness" and nicotine, but more savory in taste (which is something that is achieved in Balkan blends).

So, without having complaints on the quality of the blend in itself, I can only say that for my taste this has been the least interesting of the five Drucquer "remakes" that I have tried so far.

Do you like Nightcap? This blend has a lot of the same charm as Nightcap -- medium latakia, medium perique, with a strong virginia and oriental backbone. I find this mixture just slightly lighter than Nightcap, particularly fresh (Nightcap mellows and does better with some years in the cellar), and it has a somewhat more fermented fruit tangy flavor. But the basic flavor profile is quite similar.

This is an EXCELLENT smoke. The perique gives it a jammy fermented sweetness with just the barest touch of spice. The latakia is far from overwhelming, and simply ties everything together. There is an underlying pleasant sweetness, not overwhelming and not cased in any way that I can tell.

The overall balance is absolutely amazing. I'm always amazed when mixtures can take a "kitchen sink" approach with so many different flavors and actually make them all work together, where I can taste each individually but also enjoy the combination. This mixture is the perfect example of that.

It's not mild -- definitely in the medium to medium+ category. It's got some vitamin N -- not overwhelming, but I can feel it in this mixture. Although I sound like a broken record, the best comparison is well-aged Nightcap. Who can complain?

Another example of G. L. Pease's blending ability. It's a tasty Scottish blend that has some punch & smokes mildly. I'd say it's perfectly blended, producing a subtle sweetness. Once you pop the lid & give a whiff, you know you're going to like it... that is, if you prefer these types of blends. The Red Virginias are the main player in this blend & the Cyprian Latakia is basically condimental. The mild, sweet Orientals lend some extra spice & flavor & play an important roll in this mixture. The Perique provides a subtle, sweet, fruity flavor.

The strength level is very close to the strong threshold which surprised me because it smokes so mildly. However, I wasn't disappointed because strength in a blend with an enticing flavor is what motivates me toward a good, tasty blend. This review is based on a fresh, new tin of Blairgowrie. I just finished the first bowlful in a large, Cavicchi Dublin. Next: I just popped the lid on a tin of Levant which I understand is even stronger & will sample some Trafalgar in the process & pass my notes along. Some more of G. L. Pease's "old timey" flavor.

This broken flake is dry and ready to go straight out of the tin. Easy to pack and light.

First and foremost is the full bodied Virginia base. Sweet, Bready, woody, nutty, tangy, a fair amount of spice with the orientals supporting and the Latakia in the background. Towards the end of the bowl the profile changes quite a bit, ramping up the woody notes and gaining quite a bit of earth and sourness. Rough around the edges at times, but in a spicy black pepper kind of way. Burns well, if not a bit hot. Strength is Goldilocks level perfect, leaving me sated, but not turning my legs into noodles.

If you enjoy Virginia forward Latakia mixtures this should definitely be on the top of your list. Blairgowrie is spicy and stout, full of complexity yet balanced and easy to enjoy. This is a mixture I can (and do) smoke all day.

Absolutely my favorite from the line… and probably my favorite blend from GL Pease. The Virginia and Orientals combine for 60-70% of the taste, and the latakia and perique make up the other 30-40%. Just a perfect combo. Not too heavy, not too sweet. It’s in the Goldilocks zone between English and Scottish. A desert Island smoke for me.