Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Granger

My first experience with Granger was over 35 years ago. I was drawn to that old-fashioned pipey aroma coming from a colleague's briar. After reading all of the reviews for Granger I was prompted to revisit it once again. I would call the present variety a cut plug as I seem to remember a cube cut years ago. Also, I remember it being lighter in color. My current canister contains a slightly darker brown mix.

The contents in my tin was so soft to the touch - it was like the comfort felt when you lay your head on a new, soft pillow. Very sensuous! It didn't feel moist, just soft. The tin aroma reminded me of slightly fermented apples. One of my kids said it smelled like Church wine. Another said prunes. No problem with packing and the initial lighting posed not much of a problem. It did need frequent relights and I attributed this to its apparent state of freshness. After drying it out with the lid off the canister for a few days, this seemed to have improved the burn. The flavoring was interesting. I definitely could taste the Burley. It was topped with something relatively sweet - a cross between apples and raisins for me. I honestly don't remember this flavor after so many years of having not smoked Granger. Right out of the tin it smoked quite hot and the flavoring was somewhat harsh. The typical "drying it out before smoking" did seem to help some with the heat factor but not much with the harshness, nor have I found Granger all that forgiving if you're a fast puffer. No matter how much drying time you give it, it must be smoked very slowly to avoid the heat, and you can not pack it too tightly. Give it some breathing room and use gentle tamping. I can't say that Granger bites, but it always seems to scorch the roof of my mouth, even with the slowest puffing cadence I can give it without needing to re-light the bowl. I suspect this is from whatever chemicals are used as a preservative, as it feels like a chemical burn on my palate and not a burn generated from heat alone. I like the taste and the room note it emits, but the way it can scorch my palate certainly makes for a not too pleasant smoking experience.

The Burley, while perhaps not from the best leaf grade, does provide sufficient Burley flavor throughout smoke, although at times harsh. I think some of the "plastic" taste others have experienced is most likely due to the humectant used in the processing. Also, when fresh, it tastes overly fermented and harsh. Just let it sit for a few days in the can with the lid off. I also have found it best smoked with a filter (Medico, Dr. Grabow), helping to reduce the harshness/heat factor for a somewhat more tolerable smoke. On the positive side, no gurgles or mess left in my pipe to speak of. It says "rough cut" on the can and does burn slowly. I would love this in a broken flake form or cube cut as I am sure it would smoke cooler right out of the can.

The only other codger Burleys I can compare Granger with would be Prince Albert, Half and Half, ERR, and SWR regular. I did not care for the Prince in taste or room note - too cigarette-like, and I really didn't care for that clove-like taste of Half and Half. SWR easily was in the same camp as both Granger and ERR.

If it wasn't for the palate scorching, Granger would be an everyday smoke for me since I am partial to Burley and enjoy both its tin/room note, and mildly sweet flavor. In spite of the difficulties I have had with Granger, I like it enough to persevere in my quest to eliminate the palate scorching as I am sure it is my mouth's reaction to the chemicals used in its processing and not the tobacco itself. I smoke many other Burley blends and have never experienced any palate discomfort whatsoever. For what Granger is beneath all the chemical fixings, it rates 4 stars. Because of how I have to coax it along, my personal rating is 3 stars. With well over a year of drying and daily churning the tobacco in the tin with the lid off, the harshness and chemical factor did reduce but not disappear for me. What a shame as it is a tasty tobacco with a lovely, old-timey room note.

A bit of history for all of you tobacco buffs. Granger was originally produced by the Ligget & Myers Tobacco Co. A Mr. J.N. Wellman was credited with making a pipe tobacco that was "very popular" utilizing what was referred to as the "Wellman Method". This was around 1870. After he died, it was forgotten about until many years later having been acquired by Ligget & Myers, the dates I discovered point to anywhere from the late 1870s to the late 1890s. It was this "method" that was utilized in developing the tobacco known as Granger ("A pointer on fine tobacco."). My search thus far has failed to turn up what the "Wellman Method" actually is. In 1897 the Ligget & Myers Tobacco Co was acquired by the American Tobacco Co. I can not ascertain whether Granger as we know it was originally produced by the original L&M Co or by the American Tobacco Co using the name Ligget & Myers. I assume the later since the old newspaper adds that I discovered that mention much of the above come from newspapers from the early 1930s and advertise Granger as something new and unique. L&M was no longer in existence at that time, but ATC was. Perhaps they still utilized the L&M name for some sort of brand recognition. This is what leads me to believe L&M first produced a smoking tobacco that ultimately became Granger under ATC. I can not find out when the Pinkerton Tobacco Co, who now produces Granger, took over the manufacturing.

This is my favorite OTC, and it was my grandfather's daily smoke. This is a good basic burley that is hard to find locally. I find the pouches and cans have a different taste. The pouch note is a raisin or prune maybe.

It is nutty, earthy, mellow and slightly sweet. I have gone through periods where I have smoked little else, and there is a satisfying quality to this tobacco.

I would like to see a better distribution for Granger, and I would smoke it more often if I could get it easily.

I received this as a test, in an unmarked baggie, with the request to smoke it down just to the last bowlful before being told what it was. A nice blind tobacco test! I opened the baggie and sniffed, and was rewarded with an aroma that was very "old-timey", reminding me of some of the stuff my dad smoked. A perusal of the tobacco itself made it obvious to me that this was some OTC drugstore burley. Oh, joy (he said sarcastically).

Firing up a bowlful, I smoked and contemplated. Not bad! Dry in the pipe, mild and cool but with a nice rich flavor. It was burley all right and it had some kind of topping but it wasn't intrusive. It just lent a bit of spice and sweetness to the leaf. The more I smoked of this, the better I liked it. Sure, it was a drugstore burley and while I can tolerate them, they certainly aren't in my everyday rotation. This one won't be, either but it'll be one I go to on occasion. At any rate, I figured it would be something like Sugar Barrel or Revelation or one of the more "obscure" OTC blends. Nope, it turned out to be good old Granger Rough Cut, with an hours worth of drying and then mason jar'd. Really a nice, no-nonsense smoke, and as another poster wrote, it seems to be the "best of the codger burleys". At least for me. Smoking the last bowl and knowing it was Granger did not change the taste at all (I'm big into the psychology of biases!)

Dry this stuff out, folks! I'm going to pick up a tub of this and do some experimenting. I don't know that I'd call this a high grade tobacco but who cares? It tastes pretty dang good!

Amazing that it will stay smokably moist in the factory tub with plastic lid for over six months in my desert climate. Initially, it was too moist but over time it dried a bit...not too much. The bite, when it happens, seems to be from PH differences and not from excess moisture or dryness. As pointed out by other reviewers, it’s a no think blend that merely needs to be loaded, tamped and smoked. It’s Burley through and through with a bit of added flavor...sweetness...not sure from topping or casing but suspect the latter due to its bulk tobacco nature. It’s good in most any good pipe...your old favorite is likely the best. Cool smoking if you take your time, tasty and mildly aromatic, easy light, easy burn, no gooo at the bottom. Maybe a little feisty for a break in tobacco but in a well seasoned pipe, it’s an easy pleasure. I usually gravity load to the top, pack once and repeat. This seems to be about right for me. I like it, don’t love it and smoke it periodically through every week as an alternative to other favorites. I suppose it’s in my rotation. Cost is good through my resource and special ordering it only requires a phone call. They always stock PA though and my favorite cheapy Outlaw Cheroots. I’m a pipe smoker for over 50 years.

Gifted by a good friend. Thanks D.

An uncomplicated and tasty Burley smoke. Nutty and earthy with a very mild spice. Has a nice sweetness which, I think, is in the casing. Very mild in body which is my only complaint. Not gonna hold that against it though. There's a clear market for that. If you're looking for a mild Burley smoke you can't go wrong here.

Very mild in body. Taste is mild to medium. Flavoring is very mild. Burns very well.

Granger is a good straight forward cross cut Burley tobacco. No frills or gimmicks, no top notes or flavorings. It’s not sticky or overly moist so it would seem that the PG level is probably pretty low. It’s one of my go to favorites. It’s smooth, mellow, and very enjoyable with a very pleasant room note. It has a nice nutty flavor that reminds me of English Walnuts. If you’re reluctant to purchase a full 12oz tin then try West Virginia SmokeShop, wvsmokeshop.com, they sell it in bulk by the ounce for anybody who wants to try it.

GRANGER is an old friend that I keep on hand for changes in my smoking rotation. I like comfort tobacco and I always have a lot on hand. It has a great smell. Packs very easy and the cut has gotten much finer over the years. This will burn very slow and should not need a relight. I like to let it sit out for about 20 minutes before I pack it and I always hand roll it into the bowl. I use a Magnum pipe that gives me almost 2 hours of smoke time. I used to love this when I had to ride the train in to work in the morning. Back before we were to PC about smoking. If you puff this fast it will give a major bite. Biggest mistake you can make here is to not let the flavor develop. Smoke fast and you will get nothing but bite. At a $1.20 an ounce it can stay in my pipe bowl a while longer.

One of the first tobaccos I've ever smoked (1979) I was just 14. It has always been a staple bacco that my father always smoked. Along with HH,PA sometimes Raliegh. And, a few Dunhill blends. Now made by Scandinavian tobac co. To me it doesent taste as sweet as days of yore. Which is fine by me. I'm really an English blend smoker. But, when I'm in the mood for something lighter I reach for this blend and the others I've mentioned. BTW this is my first review on this great site!

Unlike some other reviewers, I consider this to be a great driving tobacco. I like to take Granger with me on long trips. I never noticed the nicotine jolt reported by others, but then I didn't get it from Nightcap (Dunhill) either.

Granger packs very easily, I can pack a pipe while I am driving - without becoming a hazard to others!

It lights easily, and minimal re-lights are needed. Again, good for driving and smoking.

The taste is honest and true. I believe that the curing process gives it the flavor, I don't think there is any topping present. Very simple, one-dimensional. And sometimes that can be a good thing, yes?

Granger is inexpensive, packs and smokes well. Doesn't bite, doesn't goop up your pipe. Very unassuming tobacco. Doesn't pollute your pipe with a taste that you can't get rid of. What more could you ask for?

May very well be the best of the 'drugstore' lot.