Drucquer & Sons Blairgowrie

(3.64)
Created in the classic Scottish blending style, Blairgowrie is a robust blend of matured and aged Virginia leaf, fine Orientals, Cyprian Latakia, and Perique, pressed and aged in cakes, then sliced and fully rubbed out for a rich smoking experience. Blairgowrie is deep and full tasting, and quite slow burning for a long, smooth smoke from first light to the last puff. - Gregory Pease

Details

Brand Drucquer & Sons
Blended By G.L. Pease
Manufactured By Cornell & Diehl
Blend Type Scottish
Contents Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Perique, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Broken Flake
Packaging 3.5 ounce tin
Country United States
Production Currently available

Profile

Strength
Medium to Strong
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

3.64 / 4
25

4

4

0

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 11 of 33 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 19, 2023 Medium to Strong Mild to Medium Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
As a dedicated and devoted English and Balkans smoker of five decades, I was disappointed by this blend. Time has not improved its flavor nor ameliorated the "rough edges." Its major asset is the retrohale, yet that dissipates too quickly. No need to go into details. It didn't hit the spot. Rattray's since 1970 and the current blenders in the great States of Massachusetts and Pennsylvania (lest I name drop) are my go-to's for more complex and rewarding smokes of this noble variety. I mourn the absence of Ed's Turkish Black, although Paul's Turkish Mystery is a treat that even Ed would be wrong not to admit is wonderful.
Pipe Used: Various
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: Three years
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 30, 2016 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable
The matured red Virginia provides a fermented tangy dark fruit, a touch of “barbecue”, and a lot of earth, wood, and light bread. It forms the base of the blend. The floral, spicy, dry, buttery sweet, earthy, herbal, vegetative, woody, lightly sour Orientals are very noticeable supporting players. The smoky, earthy, musty, woody sweet Cyprian Latakia is just a little more than a condimental addition. The spicy, raisiny, earthy, plumy perique tends to underscore the experience. The processing (pressed and aged in cakes, then sliced into broken flake) adds a little fermentation as well as cohesively melding the intrinsic characteristics into a well balanced, complex and very deeply rich, smooth, cool, clean consistent flavor from start to finish. It burns a little slow, and needs no dry time. Requires some relights, and leaves just a light dampness in the bowl. The nic-hit falls a step shy of the medium threshold. The strength and taste levels start out as medium, and both intensify to the point of full by the halfway point. Won’t bite, and has no harsh moments. The after taste is very pleasant, and it, as well as the mildly stronger room note, do linger a bit. Though not an all day smoke, this full bodied mixture is repeatable for a veteran smoker.

-JimInks
58 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 08, 2017 Strong None Detected Very Full Very Strong
David Sahagien gave me an original can of Blairgowrie which was quite a nice gift in 2015 . Clearly , this can had some age on it . I was simply amazed at the complex yet clear taste of this tobacco . The orientals stood out but the Virginias were also a major player . After finishing the can , and I mean every last shread , I was upset that I could never have any more . When Greg came our with the remake I was so excited I ordered all seven blends and smoked this one first . Clearly , there are two problems with reissues . The first is that the tobaccos used in the original are no longer available . The second is that the exemplar can used is usually well aged and maybe not resembling the experience of opening a can back in the day . Upon opening this can I was greeted with what I remembered Blairgiwrie looked like . The tin note was a little different but in the family . The smoke , I was sorry to see , was harsh , a little rough around the edges . I smoked a few bowls and put the can on a shelf in a plastic zip lock allowing it to join the well of lost souls . About three months later I decided to give it another try . Wow , this stuff was dynamite . The orientals were a perfect compliment to the Virginias giving a really deep , full taste . The latakia , though not a major player made it's presence felt with the smoky yet creamy quality that is it's hallmark . This is a nicely cut broken flake that can be crumbled up or smoked as is . The moisture level is right and the tin note is inviting . I think that Greg has performed a labor of love here . Having the Drucquer line reappear is a major turn on for many of us . My advise is open the can and let it sit a while , maybe 10 weeks or so . You might find yourself back in San Fran in 1970 .
Pipe Used: Dunhill tanshell 127 of 1959
34 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 05, 2019 Medium to Strong None Detected Full Pleasant to Tolerable
-- And if it’s not Scottish, it’s CRAP!!!

Okay – I’ll back off all the SNL witticisms, Sean Connery cracks and/or references to Shrek or haggis – but first, these three quick points:

1. This is the only Scottish blend I’ve sampled; the only “Scottish” in my portfolio presently.

2. Never have I sampled the original Blairgowrie (nor any other original Druquer & Sons creation for that matter).

3. It is a source of great, weighty wonderment and abundant awe, the number of people on this forum who cannot make the same claims as I just did in numbers 1 & 2 (above).

With that rider aside, and with nothing for me to really compare this blend with and/or to, I find this present-day rendering of Blairgowrie to be nothing short of outstanding.

With nothing else quite like this in my current lineup – and Blairgowrie being my one and only experience with a Scottish blend – I must beg forgiveness as I rely on (steal from) some of the more telling observations others have already made.

For example, I found DK’s consideration of Incendio’s observation to be exactly right: “it's the marriage of the tobaccos” that is the thing. I’ve been sampling/trying Blairgowrie for 11 months now, and each time I’ve surveyed a bowl of it, the thought which always comes to my mind is “This is a thinking man’s tobacco,” simply because it is so challenging (for me, at least) to pick-out, discern and isolate each of the individual components. I know the perique is in there, for example, but it doesn’t jump up and announce its presence as perique is so prone to do and so often does; it’s rather muted here, or hushed – as is the Latakia (relatively speaking).

This is where my inferiority complex really kicks-in regarding my ability (or inability, actually) to smell, taste and properly tease-out flavors, essences and aromas. I suffered a 3-year bout of anosmia -- complete loss of smell (and, consequently, taste) -- due to a concussion/TBI from a car accident 30-years ago. Today, I’m just grateful I can smell/taste anything at all, but I really have no idea how much, or what percentage of olfactory/palate capacity I have recovered and/or permanently lost (I’m guessing 70% recovered, 30% lost). Methinks a big part of my fascination / infatuation / obsession with pipe tobacco is the satisfaction I derive from all the magnificent woody, smoky, spicy sensations these smoldering bowls of vegetation deliver on demand to whatever remains of my olfactory bulbs. This footnote also explains (in all likelihood) why I’m naturally/logically drawn to stronger, more fully-flavored blends. When I first discovered Irish Flake for instance, I could totally relate to (and I totally cracked-up at) the opening comment from Pipe Newb in his review of IF: "I can taste colors!"

Blairgowrie:

Presentation: Beautifully attractive, dark brown, broken flake (pleasing to the eye). I love to empty a big pile of this material onto a tobacco mat and then just fondle the stuff – run it through my fingers and lifting it to my nose – that is how appealing I find it.

Tin note: Here I shamelessly embezzle from Doctor Willet: “What is certain is the delight of Blairgowrie has that ‘old world’ taste and aroma, striking a delightful balance between dry, sweet, rich, and savory.” Bingo! I just love opening a jar of this and go nosediving – I’m crazy about the tin note, the bouquet, the "old world" aroma.

Taste: Again, here I have to refer back to my earlier footnote, along with my “thinking man’s tobacco” comment. Unlike so many other tobacco blends, Blairgowrie was not/is not an easy, slam-dunk for me when it comes to taste. Here I have to steal from JimInks, when he references the “cohesive melding” of these tobaccos into a “well-balanced, complex and very deeply rich, smooth, cool, clean consistent flavor from start to finish.” (Those descriptions just nail it – “well-balanced”, “cohesive melding”, “complex” and “deeply rich” – and I don’t know how I could possibly improve or expand on those summations).

So, in order to review what for me was the difficult to define Blairgowrie, I will apply my very own rating system:

-- Did the stuff taste good: YES

-- Did I enjoy it: YES

-- Did it dazzle me: YES (in a complex, somewhat ineffable kind of way)

-- Would I smoke this again: YES (and have been smoking it for almost a year now)

-- Would I / am I going to cellar enough of this stuff to last me a lifetime: YES (at this late stage of the game, I believe I have enough to indeed last me a lifetime).

4-stars.

21 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 08, 2016 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Pleasant
Stepped out on faith with this blend, faith in knowing that GL Pease has never disappointed me with his blending prowess. Sweet, plummy, smokey and a touch spicy all at the same time. This combination of tobaccos works well for me. Burns slow, cool and consistent with a very satisfactory result. I have prepared this smoke three ways. Folding and stuffing the shards into the bowl results in the longest smoke for me, although I find I have to fiddle with the tamp and the fire more. Rubbing it to a finer flake and three pinch loading leads to a smoke with no additional relights. The third, a combination of the 2 aforementioned provided me with the greatest results and the best smoke. However one decide to prep this outstanding blend is a personal preference. Smoked in a falcon, kaywoodie and a cob with good results, even though one of my trusty MM Morgans is my preferred weapon(biased toward them). solid 4 stars for me. Great tobacco to sit and contemplate the wonders of the world by a good wood fore on a cold winters day.
Pipe Used: Falcon, kaywoodies And MM Morgan natural
PurchasedFrom: Smoking pipes
Age When Smoked: Fresh out of the tin
18 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Nov 22, 2017 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
Fully rubbed out flakes of light brown with a hint of black. Tin nose is basic tobacco with just the slightest whiff of oriental leaf and just a bit more fruity perique. As with Regents Flake, I pretty much just rolled this stuff softly and stuffed. Interestingly, relights were few.

I've commented many times about how C&D-sourced tobacco seems substandard to me. However, in this one, it seemed that the roughness of the base tobaccos interplayed more seamlessly with the condiments. In other words, the latakia, oriental and perique almost completely offset the deficiencies of the Virginia. I got more of a burley than Virginia background but it worked here. As Incendio stated in his excellent review, it's the marriage of the tobaccos that is the star. It starts out with the Virginia/oriental in the main role with just a whisper of perique. I don't know what the proportion of latakia is here but it's very, very light and doesn't really show up until 1/3 of the way down the bowl, give or take. The blending expertise is hugely in evidence here. More latakia and this is just another Scottish-wannabe. More perique and it goes in another direction. This is almost like Regents Flake but with the addition of those two condiments, it puts the base leaf more in its place and less prominent, taking this blend into classic territory. If it had utilized a better grade of Virginia, I think this could become one of Pease's finest efforts. It reminded me of another GLP blend I smoked awhile ago but with more promise. I enjoyed this one and might purchase some tins for aging, but it's nothing I'd want to smoke a lot of... for a reason I've already beaten to death, both here and on other reviews. Well worth a try.
14 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 27, 2017 Strong None Detected Full Pleasant to Tolerable
This is a fine tobacco. Previous reviews certainly do it justice -- it's complex, rich, and well-balanced; it lights easily and smokes very well (though I found it could do with a bit of drying out). I applaud Greg Pease for reviving the old Drucquer blends, which were among the best in the country in the sixties and seventies. I smoked Blairgowrie regularly back in the day; this version brings back good memories, and it's pretty close to the original, though I recall it having rather more Virginia and being somewhat less complex in character. All in all, excellent!
PurchasedFrom: SmokingPipes.com
11 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 21, 2017 Mild None Detected Very Mild Pleasant
Solid Virginia base in the nose, the Orientals and a slight Latakia note are present. The aroma is enticing and well-balanced.

The moisture is perfect for smoking right out of the tin, and is on the dry side--perhaps to the extent that there is not enough moisture in the can to sustain a prominent, fruity fermentation.

Tangy on the tongue, and sweet peppercorns from the Perique.

The real star is the marriage of Virginia and Orientals, supported more by the Perique than by the Latakia, which builds sparingly as you work your way down the bowl.

That having been said, this blend relies more on the marriage of tobaccos than on the quality of its Virginia base, which is slightly green and significantly less complex than the one featured in its cousin, McClelland's Matured Cake. I would argue that it's just good enough to be average and not bad. It may be true that when one bakes a cake, "any old egg will do" but for a blend sustained by a Virginia base, I do believe that the "building is only as good as its bricks," and that the mediocre quality of the Virginia hinders what would otherwise have been a stellar combination.

Definitely an all-day smoke. You won't tire of its honest qualities, and it's not of such a "special" character that you would feel some compunction about carelessly burning through several bowls. I am a great fan of this style of tobacco, and for a little more depth in the Virginia department I would recommend its cousin, Matured Cake, which is available in bulk.

[Revisitation: April 2020]

I had a little Blairgowrie remaining in a jar, left over from my earlier review, which I finished not too long ago. This is fortunate as I can say with some certainty that the changes I perceive aren't likely imaginary.

The earlier Blairgowrie was, to my mind, a smooth Virginia-Oriental with a smattering of condimental tobaccos to add intrigue and slight depth. There was a definite interplay between the Virginias and the buttery Orientals.

This current version was a rather abrupt change, more notable because the changes were in those particular aspects on which I was most keen. I popped open the tin and saw tawny broken flakes, which have since aired somewhat and mellowed to a chestnut brown. The earlier Blairgowrie was a paler sandy brown with a somewhat broader cut. I searched the record in these reviews to be sure I hadn't made some type of mistake.

What I discovered is that the Virginia component is the slightest bit more complex. Only very slightly: a bit of grass and hay was supplanted by a roasted malt aroma that lingered slightly on the tongue. To my dismay the earlier Oriental prominence had subsided considerably. My evaluation of the current composition of Blairgowrie is that it is now a Virginia (rather than a Virginia-Oriental) with condimental amounts of Orientals, Latakia and Perique.

What this blend has to offer it will unveil only when unhurriedly sipping the smouldering broken flake. Walking about or smoking in a breeze availed me nothing, and anything but the most leisurely cadence provoked a heat (not a bite per se) that toppled the subtle complexities.

Unlike the earlier edition, this current blend reminded me somewhat of the old Robert McConnell Virginias, except that the depth of body lies somewhat short of the current German (K&K) Hal o' The Wynd.

I'll continue working on this sizable tin and see what allure and charm may unfold as the blend breathes and further comes into its own.

[Edit 4/27/2020] If it's any help, the Virginia-Oriental used to resemble "Bijou" and now it's a darker Virignia, similar (probably identical, actually) to the Smokingpipes Dark Flake (but with a little smoky Latakia added). This sums up the change rather well I believe.
Pipe Used: several billiards and a stack
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes
Age When Smoked: "fresh"
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 14, 2018 Medium to Strong Extremely Mild Full Strong
Of the handful of blends I've had claiming to be Scottish in style, Blairgowrie is on top. Open the tin and you're greeted with the wonderful aroma of Orientals and Latakia; a menagerie of ribbons and flecks of black on a canvas of reddish-brown and dark brown hues. All of the components in this blend are in a medium-thin rubbed flake form, with the bulk of the contents being semi-intact pieces of contorted flakes - undoubtedly cut from a large plug. The moisture level is just about right for smoking without the need for drying. If rubbed-up a bit, it's ready to smoke and behaves well from first light to last puff. It burns fairly dry to a white-grey ash, and with little to no dottle.

The trademark taste of semi-sweet Red Virginias make up the meat of the Blairgowrie flavor profile, but are strongly supported by the earthy and rich flavors of the Orientals and dry, smoky Latakia. Orientals really stick-out as a star component. Perique is purely condimental in this blend, as it is just on the cusp of noticeable in this fairly bold mix. Being just shy of full-flavored, nicotine-wise it's not overwhelming (5 out of 10).

Something about the relative sweetness (relative being the operative word) and the Scottish theme eludes to a possible dash of Scotch whiskey in the mix, but that's just speculation. What is certain is the delight of Blairgowrie has that "old world" taste and aroma, striking a delightful balance between dry, sweet, rich, and savory. Together with any possible magic that Mr. Pease worked into this wonderful recipe, these high quality tobaccos combine to make a cohesive flavor that's truly excellent, and worthy of the Drucquer & Sons namesake.
Pipe Used: large-chambered bent Dublins
PurchasedFrom: SmokingPipes
Age When Smoked: 2 months
9 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Nov 28, 2019 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant
This is a broken flake blend that burns very well for me. The flavors mix marvelously, With sweetness, tanginess, the wonderful spice essence from the perique, and the delightful marriage of these flavors is very unique. Sophisticated and delightful it has quickly become one of my favorites that include Inns of Court, Red Lion and Blairgowerie. With the barbecue flavors, along with the nutty and tangy flavors, so delightfully playing together, I found myself not caring what oriental was used because I am too busy enjoying a not to be missed blend. If I could I would give this six stars, but I will have to settle for 4, Do mot miss trying this blend
Pipe Used: Bjarne Danish
PurchasedFrom: Smoking Pipes
Age When Smoked: 6 months
8 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 04, 2019 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Tolerable to Strong
I haven't had the original blend. This review is based on the G.L. Pease version.

The presentation and tin art are nice. It has a classic look. There is a mixture of ribbon and broken flake pieces.

The flavor is deep and fermented, intense and spicy. The zesty and musty orientals work really well with the Virginias. Towards the middle and end of the bowl it gets woody, toasty, savory and buttery. The end is mostly smokey with hints of sweetness.

The nicotine is definitely there, but it wasn't disorienting or overwhelming. I'd say it's medium. The strength is pretty strong qnd the taste is on the full side. Not an all-day blend for me, but it could become one. It's a great blend.

I would highly recommend this to anyone that likes Oriental blends, or spicy blends. Four stars for its complexity and interesting flavor mix.
Pipe Used: Various briars
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: ~six months
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