Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Five Brothers

20230328 edit: I have to bump this up to 4 stars. My driving jar finally ran out, and I found I really missed it, ended up ordering a box of pouches. It's not especially nuanced, it probably won't win awards, but it really ticks all the boxes for me.

20230311 edit: smoking this exclusively during a few hours drive including lunch, it's not that bad. Plain unflavored burley taste, nutty, maybe a little bit of molasses. Maybe it's like drinking cheap liquor, after the first couple shots the perception improves; definitely better without anything to compare it to. Made for a very relaxing drive, it definitely has its place. Something you can smoke and not think about, while getting a significant nicotine hit. Prince Albert or even Haunted Bookshop would have been more pleasant, but without anywhere the nicotine content. In the end, I was sad to see that final bowl reduced to ash.

Tin note: Very mild, almost smells like my memory of my grandmother's unfiltered Pall-Malls. The smoke is mild in taste, nutty, but easily stings the tongue and back of the throat. The second hand smoke is very acrid. I believe I'd only smoke this again if I were looking for a quick nicotine hit; there's nothing here that I would call especially pleasant, aside from the nostalgia of the tin note.

Almost think I detected a note of cat urine somewhere in the void where taste would usually be. Seriously, this is not great. I hear it has use in de-ghosting pipes; I don't think I could smoke enough of it to perform that function, wouldn't do that to myself. Trying to find any reason not to give this a 1 star rating, but nothing is coming to mind. Maybe I'll give it 2 for the nicotine content alone; halfway through my tiny bowl and I'm already feeling a little loopy. Keep some rolling papers on you, and when asked for a cigarette, you could roll one which would satisfy the strongest nicotine craving.

Some people like to use pepper in their food, some people like to use sugar, there is no right or wrong, there is no absolute strength standard, it depends on what kind of pipe you are good with.

In my hometown, people in the countryside directly cut the green leaves into silk during the harvest season, and then put them in the wide open space for the sun until they turn golden, take them home and leave them for a few days, without any need to add anything, directly use them.

Five Brothers is like that, it's a Stone Age hominid, I have a curved brandy, it also has a reverse gourd design, for me, it's light and easy to hold in the teeth, the strong mixture is done here (Tabac Manil, 1792 Flake, Brown No. 4, Irish Flake), everything is fine, no big deal, good stuff!

In the pouch, the scent of this fine, shag-cut leaf reveals nothing more than a most basic burley grassiness.

The flavor is of very unaffected light and brown burleys unameliorated by condiments, sweeteners or toppings. It is remarkably well-selected tobacco which is notably devoid of lightness, exuberance and variance.

Five Brothers is a rustic and versatile component tobacco which is as well-adapted for blending as it is for chewing as well as for making roll-ups. As a straight pipe tobacco, it will likely appeal only to those seeking the most austere and stolid of smokes. This went best in narrow to medium gauge chambers.

not sure this is realy pipe tobacco more like dutch shag cig tobacco maybe drum or samson. i didnt find it that strong , an ok quick smoke burns away very quick. but great for breaking in a new pipe . if you want a good strong tobacco try braken flake or gawiths 1792 . but this is only my opinion. give it a try.

Ah, Five Brothers...lots of good memories here. In the early 1960s I worked summers in the steel mills of northern Ohio. I was just a college kid and new to pipe smoking. Many of the old hands smoked Five Brothers and I began to enjoy it over all other brands of that era. Tastes change and now I smoke the more refined full English blends but still crave a pipe of this from time to time and always keep a little on hand. Good stuff, hope it remains available but doubt it will.

Curiosity made me purchase a couple of pouches and try this tobacco. Shag cut burley tobacco a bit dry in the pouch with larger bits of stem mixed in. Easy to fill a pipe and light. Somewhat mild bitter and nutty taste, not at all unpleasant. Burned easily down to the bottom of the bowl with just one extra light. Not the nicotine strength that I expected from reviews, but nonetheless a very strong tobacco in that regard. I enjoy five brothers as a change. Reminds me of what my grandfather would roll and smoke. For me that alone made it worth while.