Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Five Brothers

One dimensional straight shag burley: very toasty, nutty and earthy, lightly woody, sharp and rough with a slight sweetness and spice note. The flavor is consistent from start to finish. The strength, nic-hit and taste are in the middle of medium to strong. The bigger the bowl, the more potent it seems to be. Practically requires no relights, and leaves no moisture in the bowl. It’s not as rough as one might suppose, but I suggest not puffing like locomotive as it burns fast, and has nothing to smooth it out. Fast puffing might get you a little tongue nip. A little hydration is recommended as this is dryer than a judge’s sense of humor, and it will add some smoothness, and bring out a little more flavor. Has a dry, lingering, strong after taste. If you want to smoke a stout burley or use one as a mixer, this will do nicely. Certainly isn't an all day smoke.

-JimInks

Looking for that "drugstore" blend? A blast from the past? A bit of nostalgia? Need an ass kicking? These boys will open a six pack of whoop ass like you haven't experienced in a good long while. Made up the road in Loovul, KY.

I remember the old geezers smoking this stuff when it came in a paper pouch. Just the smell put me on one knee. When I first smoked it, it put me on both knees. They had to rock my head back and forth to get my lips unstuck from the bathroom tiles. Crikey!

This is some serious stuff, especially if you're a twelve year old boy.

Forty years later and it still hasn't learned any manners. How you can tell if it's fresh or not escapes me.

"Mind if I smoke?"

"Not at all. Mind if I puke?"

Made when men were men, and sheep were terrified.

I got a pouch of this with a recent order. It was cheap, and it seemed like something I might like. This is a great burley smoke, and it has the reputation for deghosting a pipe. I found it a great smoke for the car on the commute. Don't buy this if you are looking for nuance or subtle. It is simple, straightforward burley with no apologies.

Edit 12/13/14 I will load a pipe with this and then breathe through the bowl to provide a little moisture. This slows down the burn rate and seems to bring out the flavor. I have been through maybe six pouches of this now.

I'm definately overmatched in trying to offer the best review of this blend. BriarChef wins hands down (in fact, he may have posted the best review in the history of TRC).

So, I'll be brief... An ultra fast burning, high nicotine shag cut old time Burley that is in a league of its own. The taste is of plain old Burley with an ever so slight hint of natural sweetness upon first light (which may, in fact, be the last light you'll ever see), and a Joe Louis knockout punch by the time the last shred is consumed.

I loved this stuff so much that I may even smoke a second bowl when I regain consciousness.

This is Burley and young Burley. I remember granddad smoking some of the first dried crop of Burley and you could hear his heart beating from the next room after a pipeful. Strong tobacco here. This is the "White lighting" of pipe tobaccos. Unaged, unrefined, just straight burley. It has the nutty Burley tatse, a bit of pepper and the nicotene whollop. Pipe beginers pass this up and try it later down the road. This tobacco should have a warning like some of those rides at the amusement park. I can't imagine this being someones all day smoke, but if you have a caffine/nicotene habit here's your blend.

I might add that Carter Hall and Prince Albert are not made from poor quality leaf. John Middleton Co. has been around a long time in this country and has their hands on some great tobacco sources, passed down from generation to generation.

Shortly after my initial addiction to Copenhagen snuff in 1967, I attempted a short lived excursion into the realm of what I thought to be pipe tobacco. I'm alluding to what was then and may be still now popular in drug store aromatics, brands and blends not worthy to be spoken in the presence of Five Brothers. Oh, I was happy enough standing in my vanilla or cherry cloud whilst fly fishing mountain streams in Montana, but I always found myself stuffing a pinch of Cope under my lip immediately after a vitamin N deficient smoke. Admittedly, the Copenhagen appeared to taste better after a slowly drawn bowl, but pipe smoking was not for me. It was too much bother whilst wading and fishing and it could not completely satisfy of itself, or so I thought.

Four years ago after a 38 year hiatus I returned to the briar. Yes, I retraced the old route of aromatics but shortly thereafter found through the Internet some delightful English blends, Virginia and Burley offerings. I say delightful in that they complemented my Copenhagen. No pipe tobacco could truly satisfy... or could it. I then dared to query the Internet to see if there were any high octane pipe tobaccos available and thus did I find Five Brothers Smoking Tobacco. Finally. This shag cut burley approached the vitamin N level of my beloved Cope. For my body chemistry it's strength was acceptable and satisfying. It packed easily into a featherweight, burned swift and clean, and yielded no bite whatsoever. There were no added flavorings and it's taste was mild and interesting, simply that of tobacco. And so I was properly reintroduced into the realm of pipe tobacco.

Five Brothers has become my all business tobacco. It's excellent for the short break. It's perfect for inclement weather. It's a vulgar tobacco for men, a shit-or-get-off-the-pot smoke. But now having said that, please do keep in mind that all of this is coming from a snuff dipper of about forty years.

Now whilst I say that its taste is mild and interesting, it is singular without complexity. Enter the parfait. May I challenge you to experimentation. Carter Hall at the bottom of the bowl, a midsection of G&H Dark Flake, topped off with Five Brothers as kindling and kick at the top. Or perhaps a thin layer of Boswell's Christmas Cookie at the bottom, Prince Albert in the skinny middle with old Five Brothers crowning the top. I trust you see the pattern. You must incorporate Five Brothers somewhere in the parfait for a satisfying smoke and layering lengthens the experience.

Yes, Five Brothers is my dearest buddy who is always available when I need a shot of vitamin N, but I've since found SG 1792, and G&H Dark Flake and Dark Birdseye that all have commendable strength and lend themselves to sipping as if a fine bourbon. I'll sing their accolades elsewhere, but I mention them here for the benefit of some few who may be interested in what else this old addict finds acceptable as an alternative to Copenhagen snuff.

For a no-nonsense, satisfying, and to-the-quick pipe smoke, I highly recommend Five Brothers.

This is a pretty strong tasting fine shag cut that comes very dry in the pouch. There's no real need to rehash what has already been written below but I found this rather bland to smoke on its own. However, it's a wonderful blender.

I got good results when blending this with aromatics such as Lane's 1-Q. The best results were 40% Five Brothers to 60% 1-Q and I ended up with a High Octane version. The Five Brothers soaked up some of the sauce (actually DRIED it up) and the result to me seemed more than the sum of two parts. It provided a still soft but stronger version.

I also used this to great effect as "tinder" for other blends by sprinkling the top 1/4 bowl of a large pipe. The best mix was 3/4 McClellands Navy Cavendish at the bottom to 1/4 FB. That experiment was so successful that I've gotta get more Dark Star! The FB will certainly help that stuff burn better. I intend to continue to experiment with this tobacco - it really does add character to blends.

My Father-in-Law smoked this stuff, so I think he was trying to get rid of me when he gave me a pouch to try. I usually smoke Prince Albert, and E.A. Carey's blends.

When I opened the pouch, the aroma took over the environment. My cat hissed and arched her back (they really can detect evil....). All the house plants died...even the plastic ones. The room note was classic peat bog.

As I took a deep breath and filled my pipe, it was squirming in my hand, trying to get away. I should've stopped right there. It lit easily, unfortunately. After my first puff, my whole life flashed in front of my eyes...it was very depressing.... Have you ever smelled the peat that nightcrawlers are in when you buy a carton of them at a bait store? That was what this tasted and smelled like, with a little burly thrown in for camouflage. I experienced major vertigo, so it was a good thing I was sitting down. After the second puff...just before I passed out, I had visions of guys in Environmental suits placing my pipe, and this tobacco in ziplock bags, and decontaminating the house.

Seriously, this is the absolute worst...whatever it is, I have ever tried to smoke. It really does taste like worm-dirt, with some cow-chips mixed in, and smells even worse. It is strong enough to floor a Water Buffalo. I really did have to throw the pipe away, carefully....I could never get the smell or taste out of my DIplomat, even after repeated cleanings with pipe sweetener.

I could only manage a few puffs of this before putting it out. I couldn't smoke it long enough to tell if it burned hot, or not.

You should have to have a license from the EPA to even sell this stuff. I would definitely advise anyone to avoid this 'blend' at all costs, unless you are on some kind of macho-trip, or really into self-mutilation. I smoke for pleasure, and I have nothing to prove.

What is worse than a tobacco snob? A tobacco elitist. Our motto: life is too short to smoke anything but great tobaccos. However, those can be found across a wide range of brands and blends, including some drug store tobaccos. Five Brothers descends from the old line of codger Burley tobaccos and is an excellent, frequent smoke for me.

To be enjoyed, it must be smoked correctly. Push it down into the pipe and tamp in three layers. Then light it to char, tamp, and light again. Now, smoke slowly while walking so the initial blast of top smoke goes away. Keep that pipe in your teeth at an angle and draw slowly, gently for long puffs, then savor the flavor.

You will taste relatively unadulterated and unmodified Burley. It has a forest flavor, like the smell of the leaves on the floor in fall, and a richness that emerges as the smoke dissipates from your mouth. Keep sipping. This blend favors the pipe smoker who lets it smoulder, not the one who makes it burn. Over time, its internal texture reveals itself, an alternating mix of harvest flavors like hay and woodsy, darker tastes.

Like other strong natural blends, Five Brothers is not for everyone. It does not intend to be. It rewards the initiate who follows its ways. Like other codger tobaccos, it is meant to be smoked in the midst of some other activity, both as stimulant and straightforward taste sensation. The nicotine kick is a shade South of Old Joe Krantz or Royal Yacht, but nonetheless quite stimulating.

When I introduce this to friends, I describe it as 'American Semois.' Simple, clear, and with the type of flavor one gets from a raw ingredient. The lack of deception and wholesome taste clears the head as much as the substantial kick. Goes well with outdoors, activity and long walks when thinking out a difficult problem or inspiring new concept.

Harsh. Irritated the back of my throat and I don't inhale (I do retrohale every puff). Had very little flavor, mostly just harsh smoke. I'm certainly not in favor of banning any tobacco, but if I were a member of Congress and legislation were introduced to make Five Brothers illegal I would have to seriously consider voting in favor. This is just bad. Very bad. How can they possibly market this @#$* as pipe tobacco???