Tobaccos Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) - Sir Walter Raleigh

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3047)	2012-09-14		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

The burleys are fairly earthy, woody and nutty with some cocoa and molasses, and a very small spice note. The anise and molasses toppings are light, and while they tone down the burleys a little, they also work well together to create a synergistic, very consistent flavor from start to finish. The strength, taste and nic-hit levels are mild. It burns at a moderate pace, cool, clean and even. Requires few relights and barely leaves any moisture in the bowl. Packs very easily, with a pleasing, short lived after taste and room note. Won't bite or get harsh. It goes well with any drink you choose. An easy going, all day smoke that doesn't wear out its welcome.

Edit: Recently, I had the opportunity to smoke SWR made in the 1940s, '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s and '90s as well as several pouches in the 2000s. I was struck by the fact that only in the 1940s version was there a difference in taste. Even then, the difference was only that the '40s sample was just a tad deeper in flavor. I find it amazing how consistent the taste is from World War Two until now.

-JimInks

110 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Roy Odhner (9)	2013-03-03		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

Sir Walter Raleigh (SWR) is my go to tobacco, and I guess I smoke at least three bowls of it per day in my trusty Falcon or a cob. Why? Cuz I prefer burley blends, I can walk right down the road to my local grocery store an pick up a pouch or about $5USD, and it is pleasantly simple smoke.

It's been around since 1927 for good reason - it's a good burley blend. If you're a Latakia or Lakelands fiend then you're probably not gonna like it cuz it will be way too tame for you. If you fancy yourself a discriminating pipe smoker and only go for expensive tinned blends, then you won't like it cuz it's not pedigreed enough. But if all you want is an honest bowl of tobacco, then I think you might just like it.

When you open the pouch, you'll be greeted by a kind of funky cut of tobacco. It's oft described as looking like granola, and I think that is an apt enough description. Your nose will be greeted with a hint of chocolate, but that's just the burley tobaccos used in the blend. When you light up, you'll be greeted with a nutty, chocolate flavor - again, that's just the burley. There is a slight sour note to it, and also anise and molasis well, that's what I get)... that's the flavoring, which is applied with a very light hand. The room note is, well, pipe-like.

Sir Walter Raleigh is an old school American burley blend, or OTC. It is not complicated. Just scoop your pipe in the pouch, fill, tamp, char, tamp again, and then light. Do not puff on it light a freight train when lighting, because that will cause it to taste acrid for a few seconds. Just softly puff when lighting, then sip on it the rest of the time. Also, don't strain to find the flavor - let it come to you. OTC's were blended to just casually enjoy without embarking on a nuance trek. If you just let the flavor come on it's own, you will be rewarded with the flavor previously described.

To me, a pipe is meant to be savored and enjoyed. I want nothing more than just a relaxing bowl of tobacco. No nuance, no explosion of flavors, and no epiphany causing journey - just a nice smoke. For me, SWR delivers the goods. If all you want is just an honest bowl of burley, then there are few blends that can beat it.

84 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2013-07-01		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

My father-in-law is 101 years old, lives by himself and is on local bank and hospital boards. He has smoked Sir Walter Raleigh since 1933. He smokes a 14 oz. tin every two weeks, and attributes his long life and independence to the brand.

61 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	butman (50)	2013-11-06		Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

After smoking SWR for almost 50 years it's time for a review. It's a solid old time burley with some flavorings added probably some chocolate and some other secrets. It was the first pipe tobacco that I ever smoked. At age 14 I snuck out behind the shed with my dad's cob pipe and an old dried out pouch of SWR. I fell in love. I got bold enough a couple of times to fill the pipe and puff and read a book. Nirvana! Eventually got caught and had to return the goods and few years later in college seriously got pipe tobacco happy. Funny, always had a pouch or can of this and burned a few bowls every week. Even when I was smoking some of those other effete blends from North Carolina, Chicago and Denmark. Always had some this each week. Why? It's just a smooth straight burley with that nuttiness that is just right and unique. One of my favorite SWR stories (and there are many) is when I walked into David Barnes shop puffing on my pipe when a couple were shopping for pipes and tobacco. The lady looked over at me and asked what delightful blend I was smoking. I told her and David frowned cause he didn't carry SWR. Anyway, throw some of this in your cob, briar or meerschaum. It's just good smokin'.

41 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sailorjack (57)	2014-05-23		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

I was stuck in the bayous of southern Louisiana last year for 5 months. The availability of pipe tobacco was meager to say the least. I did run into a canister of SWR and although I smoke mainly Va/Pers and straight Virginias, I went with it. I'm glad that I did. Tasty, no bite, soothing and satisfying. I smoked this exclusively for many weeks and never tired of it. I'm home now with access to any blend that I may want but when others aren't doing it for me, Sir Walter Raleigh never lets me down. I often run into problems with consistency with other blends but not with SWR. It's not just a great old codger OTC blend but just a great tobacco PERIOD!

Pipe Used: Various

Age When Smoked: Fresh out of the can

29 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Perique (163)	2014-03-23		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

SWR

Presentation is crimped cut - what I refer to as "OTC cut": somewhere between a true cube-cut and a ribbon. Pouch note is nearly imperceptible with a very slight hint of aniseed. 

Like all OTCs, Sir Walter takes a light well. There's barely a need for charring followed by a "true" light: just strike a match, light, and smoke.  Sir Walter, like most OTCs, burns fast. But it doesn't burn hot. 

The initial draws reveal more aniseed flavor along with a slightly tangy, sour taste reminiscent of Carter Hall but milder. The initial spike up in flavor dissipates quickly however, and the first third of the bowl is a very mild smoke. 

I don't get the soft cocoa burley flavors that one might expect from something like Mac Baren's Burley London Blend. But by mid-bowl there's a hint of dark chocolate that becomes more prominent by the final third. There's a typical OTC topping here, but it's applied with a very gentle hand. The aniseed flavoring is similar to that of Half and Half in some slight regard, but far less intense and without the candied Christmas fruit flavors. The aniseed is always there, but it's a background player. Sir Walter has an ashiness to it but, interestingly, that aspect is not altogether unpleasant. By the bottom of the bowl, there is a distinct salted nuttiness (rather than the sweet nuttiness typically associated with burley) that may be the result of most of the flavoring agent had burned off.

Overall this is a very uncomplicated blend, though not entirely one-dimensional. While not one I would stockpile, I certainly enjoyed it and wouldn't hesitate to pick it up at the drugstore in a pinch. 

I appreciated the burning characteristics of this blend: it was relatively light on propylene glycol and fairly dry in the pouch. It took a match well and burned all the way through with only one relight. The flavorings are very mild, and the room note is the stereotype of "Grandpa's pipe". I would recommend this blend for a new pipesmoker looking for an easy-to-smoke, non-aromatic blend, and for an experienced pipesmoker looking for an easy, daytime, yard-work type of blend. This also might be a good choice for cigarette smokers looking to quit (based on burn rate, lack of bite, and ashiness). If I had to choose an OTC, Sir Walter would probably be my top choice, one step ahead of Carter Hall. Those seeking tobacco nirvana will be disappointed. 

25 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Hunter (54)	2013-09-04		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Having tried several "classic" dime-store blends over the years, SWR is one of the best, middle-of-the-road Burley blends available. You can never go wrong picking up a pouch of this. SWR is a great all-day smoke with no bite, and pleasing room note. Slightly nutty and sweet, the actual tobacco flavor really shines through, which explains the longevity of this blend. SWR is basically the comfortable old slippers of pipe tobacco.

23 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2081)	2016-06-25		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Sir Walter Raleigh.

The blend is presented as a medium brown, fairly fine, cube cut, mixture. Something that nonplusses me a touch is the aroma from the pouch: this makes me think the smoke's going to be quite formidable with the added flavour, but when the pipe's burning I can only get a very slight extra taste of aniseed, with an equally slight sweetness. The Burley tastes like it's of a very high quality: it doesn't have that cheap cigarette flavour, but a more eminent one. I enjoy the character of the flavour from Sir Walt', and the pleasure's increased by zero tongue-bite.

To round things up, I'd summarise the flavour as being fairly uncomplicated, the nicotine's mild, and the room-note's pleasant!

I was unsure whether to award this three or four stars, but I only wanted a bowl of this the morning after reviewing it! That answers my question:

Highly recommended.

Pipe Used: Peterson Milverton

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes.com

18 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	fr_tom (393)	2014-09-04		Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant

This is one of those tobaccos I have smoked and have open. I am not sure why I never reviewed it. It is an unassuming basic burley and does not get a lot of love on TR. I find it satisfying and a solid blend. In an OTC, I like this more than PA. Locally, SWR is more expensive than CH, and if they are both in stock and I am picking up a pouch for the truck, I am more likely to get the CH.

It is slightly sweet and delivers a mild burley smoke. It has a granola cut and always seems a little dry in the pouch. I have never tried hydrating it, and have just smoked it as delivered. It is slightly nutty and tastes slightly toasted. The sweet is more of a molasses and not honey.

It is easy for me to recommend. If you like burley, you will like this.

17 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	oldcodger (74)	2014-06-07		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

The pouch proclaims that Sir Walter Raleigh is "a classic burley smoking tobacco savored by pipe tobacco smokers for 75 years." It has said that for years. SWR has been around since 1927. The heading still identifies this as a product of Brown & Williamson, but it has been produced by Lane Ltd. for a long time, Lane Ltd. now being a subsidiary of the Scandinavian Tobacco Group.

This indeed is a classic burley blend, an over the counter offering that is comparatively cheap and, aside from those pipe smokers who just don't like burley, a pleasant but not complex smoke. SWR is one of those tobaccos that has a good many fans who smoke it exclusively. I knew one multimillionaire in that category.

The cut is a sort of chopped ribbon, fairly fine. It lights easily and stays lit. The taste is burley plus some licorice or anise and has a notable sweetness, probably from sugar water. Lurking somewhere in there is a faint fruity note (apple?). The Lane pouch identifies SWR as a "mildly aromatic blend." I would rate it as semi-aromatic myself. The taste is mild. Unless you puff with extreme vigor there is no bite.

The room note is more natural tobacco than aromatic. Unlike the taste, which is mild, the room note is fairly strong, although not unpleasant.

SWR when smoked in a large pipe can exhibit the burley curse, tending to go bitter toward the bottom of the bowl. What I do is break out one of my small bowled Dr. Grabow pipes, and with the small bowl I do not experience a bitter ending. (I do not use a filter with a Dr. Grabow.)

I am giving SWR the two star "somewhat recommended" rating, but for those who smoke burley or burley forward blends exclusively or primarily I would add another star.

15 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2004-01-16		Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant

Sir Walter is a dark brown, cubed burley that packs as easily as any pouch of "drug store" tobacco on the market today. It has a very typical burley flavor, but unfortunately, it starts to get bitter as you work your way through a bowlful. It does not bite, and if you smoked just the upper half of each load, then it probably would be an all-day type of smoke. And finally, you can't beat the price!

Now then, if interested in a true story about this tobacco, read on. There was a head football coach at Texas A&M by the name of Emory Bellard back in the 1970's (he's the guy who invented the wishbone formation while an assistant coach under Darrell Royal at The University of Texas in the 60's) who smoked the same pipe everyday for 15 years, and puffed on nothing but Sir Walter. He says he finally gave up smoking because the tobacco just stopped tasting good to him. Hey, if I smoked the same pipe everyday - and all day long - for 15 years loaded with Sir Walter, I'd quit too!!!

15 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	MrPiper (31)	2013-02-15		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

This tobacco is the elephant in the room. Everyone looks over it because it's a drugstore blend but most who deride it have never actually tried it. I know, because I was one of them.

Sir Walter was the ONLY tobacco smoked by a dear friend for over 25 years. I always liked the room note but never tried a bowl from his ever present tin in his office. I spent those 25 years smoking 1 tin after another in the quest for the next great tobacco. He just continued to savor his pipe day after day after year and always seemed content.

SWR Smells like a rich chocolate liqueur from the pouch or tin. It seems a little too dry, but it packs and smokes really well. Further, if it is a bit dry verses other drug store blends, then you just get more tobacco and less water per pound so that's another plus.

The taste is very smooth. The chocolate is present with a sort of raisen back flavor. Smokes nicely down with rarely a relight and so far, never a bite. I quit whenever it goes out after I'm past 1/2 bowl. Usually about 1/8th bowl left unsmoked dottle. It just keeps smoking nicely with a rich cloud of smoke and a very pleasant aroma. I wish I had tried this many years ago. I have wasted a lot of time and effort on higher cost, lesser flavor tobaccos. I certainly endores SWR Regular.

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Exiled Michigander (26)	2022-02-18		Mild	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

When I first started smoking a pipe in my late teens, I smoked a lot of awful whiskey- and cherry-flavored abominations but somehow skipped all the classic "codger" blends (Carter Hall, Prince Albert, Granger, Half and Half, Five Brothers, Sir Walter Raleigh). I decided 2022 was the year to rectify that omission, and so I started with Carter Hall. I was relatively disappointed with Carter Hall (see my review on this site) and was afraid all of the codger blends on my list would similarly disappoint. I was wrong. Sir Walter Raleigh is simply an amazing pipe tobacco.

First, the name itself is a tribute to a Renaissance man and adventurer who, if he didn't introduce tobacco to England, at the very least popularized it. I discovered by browsing the Wikipedia entry on Sir Walter that after his execution a tobacco pouch was found in his jail cell that was engraved with the Latin words: "Comes meus fuit in illo miserrimo tempore" ("It was my companion at that most miserable time"). Who among us hasn't thought that of their pipe and tobacco??? So, yes, smoking a tobacco with Sir Walter Raleigh's name adds to the experience.

Next, the packaging is just exquisite. The font, the engraving of Sir Walter smoking a pipe, the colors. It solidly feels like it came out of the 1920's and your grandfather's (or perhaps great-grandfather's) piping days, but also has a timeless quality that could just as easily fit in the Victorian Age or today. I just love it.

The tin note is of wonderful classic burley tobacco with hints of cocoa and coffee. It will bring you back to the memories of the first time you walked into a tobacco shop. And the cut just "feels right" and packs wonderfully.

Now, onto the smoke itself: it is simply divine. It lights instantly and welcomes you with a rich burley flavor with strong chocolate notes. It is the classic pipe tobacco taste that you may have never realized you've been searching for, and you just want to keep smoking it. It produces a luxuriant, thick smoke that you can feel in your mouth and nostrils. It burns extraordinarily cool and leaves just a bit of moisture in the bowl. It has a light nic-hit (which I like; I'm a lightweight when it comes to Vitamin N) and leaves pleasant room note. It can easily be returned to throughout the day. And, added bonus, the aftertaste it leaves in your mouth is rich, chocolatey and pleasant.

I was really blown away by this tobacco, and spent a full week comparing it to Carter Hall and some other pipe tobaccos to see if maybe I was being too generous with my initial impressions because I had set the bar so low. But in the end I have come to the conclusion that this is a top-notch pipe tobacco. If I was told Sir Walter Raleigh was the only pipe tobacco I could smoke for the rest of my days, I would not be disheartened.

This is a great tobacco at any price. The fact that it is so inexpensive is just one extra plus.

Sir Walter, this is the El Dorado you were searching for all along.

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	thesmoggypipester (77)	2013-05-01		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable

Hello guys so todays review is an american classic sir walter raleigh

Opening the pouch the cut reminded me of another classic otc available in england..condor and the aromas make me think it is laced with alcohol particularly mulled wine Fed into my cob it packs very well And smoking it tastes not to dissimilar to carter hall a good nutty chocolately burley that i could smoke all day long It is a beautiful smoke and just a good honest bowl of tobacco which leads me to wonder why it isnt imported to england but ce la vie

Highly recommended for anyone looking for something straight foreward and simple I can see why it has such a loyal following

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tmoney (25)	2011-02-15		Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

"Comes meus fuit illo miserrimo tempo"... Or in my native English "It was my companion at that most miserable time." This is what my tobacco was to me.

'Twas many years after my escapades in the Americas, what I hath considered to be the prime of mine own life, that I was sitting in my prison tower, awaiting execution. It wasn't the first time I had been in prison. My first imprisonment came shortly after I broke off my relations with Queen Elizabeth for one of her hand maidens. This enraged the Queen, my backing out of our love affair. I wanted someone new, young and fresh. In the end, I spent the fair Queen for all she was worth in the Bedroom; the woman was experienced, I shall commend her to that. Quite naughty was our affair; many times she wouldsts pleasure me in most the inopportune of places, such as at the royal Banquets. Often during those banquets she would commence to pleasure me beneath the dinner table by giving to me a handeth jobbeth amidst the meal and conversation. The Queen's methods were quite clever in nature, often she would take a pat of butter or grease from a turkey leg in place of lubricant in order to "do her Majesty's work". I would maintain my composure through out, not a one at the dinner parties wouldst be aware of what was occurring beneath the tablecloth, for even at my moment of climax, my face was as solemn as a sailor. She took thrill in the possibility of being caught. Many times I wouldst receive a reacheth aroundeth, or she wouldst ride me as if I were a noble steed. But however pleasurable she may have been, nothing could make up for that foul face which she bore. And her hand maiden was privy to all the same tricks as the Queen, and more refined and well developed tricks of a younger generation. I shouldst mention also that the youth of the bonny lass contributed to the dexterity of her hands and fingers. She was also able to rolleth her tongue. Consequently the Queen, in a Jealous rage, threw us into prison. We stayed there until the Queen needed me to embark on expeditions to the Americas. This only gave me more free time to explore the maiden's "Golden City."

That 'twas the first time. On this second occasion I am accused of espionage, which may or may not be truth. As I sat there I sought back in mine own mind to the prime days. Days when I explored for the city of Gold, and found only jungle and women whom wouldst pleasure me to the extent of which I felt as if I had turned to gold! I think back to the disaster days of Roanoke, that glorious debacle. I lighteth my pipe of tobacco one last time, to enjoy my old friend before death is dealt my way.

I take my last puff of smoke as the guards come take me away to have my head severed. No matter, I hath shared a bed with more women that one couldst count; my life 'tis complete. I am guided to the city square where many hath gathered to watch the Great Sir Walter Raleigh be executed. I look into the executioners eyes as I kneel down before the chopping block. I request to see the blade that will take my life. 'Twas a good blade, indeed. To the executioner I say "Let us dispatch, At this hour my ague comes upon me. I would not have my enemies think I quaked from fear" I lay my head on the block, ready for the death dealing blow of the ax, as I cry out "STRIKE MAN, STRIKE, as I did to thine mother last night!" In blind rage, executioner swings his axe. Darkness.

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	J.G. (7)	2013-09-12		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Tolerable

I have smoked it as part of my tobacco rotation for the last six months, but I'm going to look for something different. It's not bad, but it's not great either.

Basics: Sir Walter Raleigh is a burley blend of pipe tobacco. It's an OTC (over the counter) blend which is widely available in the US. It has been around for a long time. Also, it's inexpensive. A 1.5 ounce sack costs about $3.50 - $5. A 14 ounce tub costs about $25-$30. The cut is a mix of cube cut and coarse cut, that resembles granola. It loads easily into a pipe by scooping it with the bowl. It sometimes needs a relight, but not often. The nicotine content is mild to medium.

Good: The taste. The basic flavor is tobacco. There is also a light nuttiness, a light sweetness, and a light toasted flavor. The casing is light and sometimes undetectable. The taste is consistent throughout the bowl.

Better: It makes a good mixer. Because it's burley, it has a mild flavor and it can take on the flavor of whatever else that it's mixed with. I have used it to stretch some of my more expensive tobaccos. I have also used it to give body to cheaper tobaccos (like Smoker's Pride blends, when my sweet tooth craves an aromatic). I have blended it in 1:1 or 1:2 and 1:3 ratios.

Bad: The humectant in it sometimes leaves a soapy or slimy aftertaste in my mouth. Also, it is a simple blend; and I find that I'm getting bored with it.

Conclusion: I give Sir Walter Raleigh 2 stars out 4. Again, it's not bad, and it can be useful as a mixer, but it's not great either.

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	musicman (131)	2012-01-23		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

I really like this tobacco. When I picked it up I expected this to be another chapter in the book of Uncle Sam's, good old american pie hard workin' blue collar tobacco blends. Blends like Carter Hall, Velvet, and Prince Albert are all blends in this category. In the end they are good no nonsense blends but nothing to really get excited about.

Surprisingly Sir Walter Raleigh got me excited. There is a topping here, I think it is licorice/Anise. Whatever it is it is very subtle on the smoke. Its almost like the pipe you are using has been used to smoke licorice blends for years. Its just in the background, and has just enough presence to keep me interested. I find myself chasing that taste, and every once in a while it will really come through and scratch that proverbial itch, then it is gone again.

This is a usual burley blend. It has a nice nutty taste and it pairs beautifully with coffee.

The cut of this tobacco perplexes me. It reminds me of mulch, or that gunpowder green tea, or those rocks you put in the bottom of a fish tank. There are some small tobacco "pellets" that are hard to break up and kinda make this blend an annoying one to pack. I think this may affect the burn too as sometimes this stuff needs the gentle reminder of a lit match.

If you really want this blend to shine devote a pipe to it, even just a cob. The flavors develop when the tobacco has its own natural habitat.

Good stuff, highly recommended.

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BrokenRecord (124)	2019-11-20		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Sir Walter Raleigh: Surprisingly Good

Upon opening my pouch of Sir Walter Raleigh, I found the desiccated remains of small course-cut tobacco, which did not bode well towards my anticipation. However, after first light, I was thoroughly surprised by how much I enjoyed this blend. It burned perfectly with no bite. The burley tobaccos are incredibly earthy with a rich tobacco taste. Some reviewers call it nutty, but I do not know how to classify it. The added sugar casing helps to add body to the smoke but not in a cloying manner. The other casing/toppings lurk behind the tobaccos in term of flavor, but that might have to do with my pouch being bone dry.

I have not smoked many straight or slightly cased burleys, so I am not well acquainted with the flavor profile. I need to try more OTC burley blends.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Corncob3 (77)	2019-06-09		Mild	Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

I think we have been misjudging what the Ole Sir Walter has to offer us pipers. As seems to be the case with most drugstore blends over the years. To really enjoy this blend's full potential, spread some on a baking sheet and let air out until.crisp or dry to the touch. Next, rub about a bowlful between your fingers letting it turn into a powdery mix (not as fine as sawdust though). Proceed to fill the bowl using the gravity method gradually and stop about three quarters of the way. Tamper down then give a false light. Tamper again gently then relight. Brother, the experience is like night and day. At first the taste is salty, slightly sour, followed by.a nutty and milk chocolatey note. Midway down a hint of sweetness and floral lurking underneath. Being a fan of Velvet this took me by surprise. For the aroma, think of brownies baking. This can be one's go to, morning delight or after dinner treat. Trust me you won't be disappointed.

Pipe Used: Corncob

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DavyCrockettwashere (33)	2018-12-20		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I’ve been smoking pipes for about 40 years. The first pipeful of tobacco I tried was Sir Walter Raleigh in a corn cob pipe. I packed it far to tight but was able to start it over. Since then I have smoked some of the best Virginia flakes, when the good ones were still made in England. I have smoked wonderful orientals, and English blends. Of all those that I really and truly miss is Edgeworth Slices. These days as I grow older, and I feel I’ve tried all the tobaccos out there, I have come back to Sir Walter Raleigh. SWR satisfies like nothing else. This tobacco cut is the consistency of Grape Nuts cereal, packs delightfully easy, easy to light, and the burley is chocolate. Sir Walter Raleigh pipe tobacco is made entirely of White Burley, that has been slightly sweetened, and a casing added. I believe the old tins even had written on the back somewhere, that the blend was made from white burley. SWR also has a nice nicotine pick me up. SWR is like having a good cup of coffee. There’s a good reason this pipe tobacco has been around for so long, it’s darn good.

Pipe Used: Ashton, Big Ben, Dunhill, Castello,etc.

Age When Smoked: New.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	dixcreek (184)	2016-11-03		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Very Pleasant

Many a word has been written about this blend. Been around for years and there is a reason---it's pretty good stuff. I may be a little biased being raised here in the burly belt, but hey Burley is still great. Combine a little anise and a dollop of sugar and cube it up, you got SWR. Smokes and he same as it Did for me for over 27 years. It's just damn fine tobacco no fuss or muss. SWR is another one of my daily farm chore blends. Like my dogs and my tools it is always close by when I M working.

Pipe Used: Cobs and old Grabows

Age When Smoked: New to even some that was over 50 yrs old

Purchased From: Various brick and mortars

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Uncle Paah Paah (1)	2022-02-11		Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

45 years ago when I ventured into smoking a pipe I found that most drugstore tobacco burned my tongue. I settled for Middleton cherry as it had the most complimentary aroma. I gave up pipes for a long while. 20 years later I revived my interest in pipes. I was persuaded into being a tobacco snob. Specialty store tobacco only. Then, hoity toity no smoking laws erupted thus making it difficult to take the time to enjoy a pipe away from home. I once again gave up my pipes, choosing cigarettes instead. (Never fear I'm getting to my point. Slowly, I know, but I am getting there.) I am now back to my favorite use of tobacco, yeh, my pipes. I have, previously, steadfastly avoided drugstore tobacco but have since delved into this "forbidden trove of tobacco trash". I have tried Prince Albert, Half and Half, Carter Hall, Velvet and Sir Walter Raleigh. I really enjoy the SWR and Velvet. I am not dissatisfied with Carter Hall and while P.A. was a good smoke it was a little heavy on my palette. The more SWR I smoke the more I enjoy it (same with Velvet). They are both pleasing to my palette. No undesirable aftertaste. They burn very well for me. I still have some tobacco shop tobacco left, which I will smoke, eventually. I have access to SWR without having to wait for it to be shipped to me. (Odd how society waited for years to get away from mail order just to end up returning to that format). For me it will be SWR, Velvet or a certain tobacco shop in Billings, Mo. that has the cherry tobacco that I like so very much. I have not hoped to persuade or dissuade anyone for or against any type or brand of tobacco. I like SWR and will continue to smoke it. Everyone's palette is different otherwise there would be no need for different types or blends of tobacco. Smoke what you enjoy because I will. Have a nice day while you have a nice smoke.

Pipe Used: Cob, briar, meersham

Age When Smoked: Fresh from store

Purchased From: Convenience store

Similar Blends: Velvet.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimPM (155)	2021-05-09		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

As a young boy I remember the ever-present tub of Sir Walter Raleigh pipe tobacco sitting beside my grandfather’s favorite armchair. Along with a simple 1940’s style Dr. Grabow briar, the recognizable orange and blue can was always nicely positioned for comfortable access on his treasured Sears Silvertone Depression era wooden cabinet radio.

The chair, the radio, the pipe, and the pen and ink rendering of Sir Walter looking pleasantly satisfied with clay pipe smartly clenched, and all are images of Old Joe that I will forever cherish and remember. Here it is some 40 plus years later and the tradition of partaking this darn near century old blend continues.

Sir Walter Raleigh Burley has stood the test of time as one of the classic OTC blends that has delighted generations of enthusiast pipers world around. Rightly so, as if it were not for Walter Raleigh and his foundational efforts to bring tobacco smoking to the civilized world in the late 1500’s, who knows what you and I would be doing to amuse ourselves at the present.

The stewardship of the blend has changed hands multiple times over the past century and now is continued by the Scandinavian Tobacco Company. History has it, up to very end, when he was tragically put before the guillotine at Westminster, Raleigh was an avid promoter of the benefit of pipe smoking. A lonely pouch of his last tobacco was found on the jail cell floor upon his execution. It was inscribed with the words “It was my companion at the most miserable of times”, how befitting.

Sir Walter Raleigh, generally speaking, is pretty much a straight Burley concoction, although the packaging advertises it has an aromatic. As opposed to Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic proper, which is another tasty mix, the original is characteristically mild in the added flavoring profile. Principally, the base tobacco is laced with spicy anisette and gentle sugars. The registration on these agents is extremely gentle at best.

Visually Sir Walter Raleigh carries the common distinction of being a unique cut of tobaccos. Comprised by a hoary russet textured mass of cube-cut, rough jagged chards, larger strips of ribbon and dainty flecks, one is presented with an enticing invitation for the partaking of a classic mixture. Straight from the pouch, one is easily able to pinch a pillow or two of white and dark Kentucky Burley for the immediate smoking as the moisture levels are ideal for pleasurable consumption.

As the pouch note is generally unassuming and subdued, one must really sniff deep and long to form a meaningful sense of the blend’s essence. Sir Walter conveys predominately a subtle perfume of sweet base woodiness with light whiffs of fleeting sugar, cocoa, and licorice-like spice. Very discreet compared to other codger type blends.

With respect to the taste of this time-aged recipe, the main flavoring is characterized by a toasty-nuttiness and earthly dark wood spirit. Soft chocolate and spicy anise accents are embedded in the sweet-tart base surrounded by brown sugar/molasses support. The native and superbly poignant sour notes of the Kentucky burley surface periodically adding a nice, tasty twist to the overall charm of this blend. I feel the true lure of Sir Walter comes to live about half-way down the burning bowl.

For a codger blend, Sir Walter is essentially smooth and somewhat creamy in texture. It burns cool, slowly, and dry. Smoking this mix, one experiences neither harshness nor bite. By no means complex, this aromatic Burley offers the smoker a consistently mellow and appeasing piping experience. Having smoked it many times myself, I get why my grandfather loved this creation. Furthermore, it can also be mixed straight in with some other varietals for an added Burley boost treat.

The room note upon its burning is very delicate and transient as compared to typical Burley based blends. Sir Walter leaves its mark as a warm toasty sweet wood fragrance. The nic kick in minimal and this blend pairs with any type of beverage, especially morning coffees.

Easily an all-day favorite to countless Burley enthusiast. One cannot honestly state that they are a standard Burley-smoker if in fact Sir Walter Raleigh as never graced the inners of their pipe. Notwithstanding, one should give this blend a try if nothing else because of its historic significance. Many of our luxury blends sold today found their genus in this and other existing codger mixture; respect it!

Forty years from the present, I will be long gone and just a memory to those left to carry on the family namesake. Perhaps one of my own grandsons will have a similar recollection of Pappa Jim. Assuming that this blend is still in circulation, I would like to think that they themselves follow the family tradition and light a bowl in my memory.

Sir Walter Raleigh Burley a classic for generations to come hopefully.

Pipe Used: MM Country Gentleman

Age When Smoked: Fresh & 1 month

Purchased From: CR Butts

Similar Blends: Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatics.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Novaki (41)	2019-08-15		Medium to Strong	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

This tobacco is quite the paradox. Comfortable and easygoing, but rough around the edges and a bit harsh at times. I assume it's entirely dark burley due to it having a good solid nic-hit and a good kick of spice reminiscent of perique. I think the moderate level of spiciness really separates this from most OTCs and makes this an interesting one to come back to. Produces a cool, dry smoke with thick, billowing plumes. Some deep, dark and earthier flavors here with a faint touch of cocoa. A good all-day smoke. Packs and lights easy due to its unique cut. Might want to get out your bigger bowls for this one so you can sit back and sip on it for a while.

Pipe Used: Cobs

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Local Tobacco World

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mark Andrew (4)	2014-09-04		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Initially I was scared off from trying SWR, because all the negative reviews I read. From what I gather, folks either love it or hate it. I am one who loves it! However, when I smoked the first bowl I was kinda put off by the room note and taste because up until that point my palate was accustomed to sweeter blends like Middleton's Cherry Blend, SWRA and Carter Hall (as my first non-aromatic). I loved Carter Hall, but I was left wanting something more. SWR definitely has a more distinct flavor apart from other OTCs, so my palate didn't know what to think the first time around. After a few more bowls, I was hooked! SWR is a simple, straight forward burley and if you hope for this grand tobacco experience then you will be let down. I am a guy who appreciates the simple things, so when it comes to this blend I find it satisfying as a cheap, accessible OTC pipe tobacco. I am sure that there are many more blends out there that are way more complex, but if you accept the blend for what it is, you will enjoy it.

UPDATE 10/15/14

How else can I say it!? SWR is the only OTC that is worth your time and money. Since my last review, I've become a Latakia convert and I've really enjoyed C&D's Billy Bud and Pirate Kake. With that said, I wanted to go back and try some OTCs I started with. Prince Albert just disgusts me now. It burns way too hot and fast, and leaves those nasty metallic/chemical nuances on your palate. Carter Hall is okay, but again: metallic/chemical taste, burns hot, etc.

I went back to SWR to see if that would also disappoint, and I am happy to say it didn't! Obviously it is a completely different smoke than the Latakia-heavy blends I mentioned above, but in my humble opinion, it still holds it's own. It has a good nutty burley taste, cool/slow burn, and doesn't leave you with those disgusting aftertastes like it's "rivals" (even though there really is no comparison).

To all you Latakia/English blend snobs: Don't write off Sir Walter just yet! He's an oldie AND a goodie!

Pipe Used: MM Country Gentlemen, MM Legend, MM Ozark Hardwood

Age When Smoked: Fresh and 3-4 weeks old

Purchased From: Local tobacco shop, smokingpipes.com

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Shoog (13)	2013-03-13		Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

SWR gravity fed into a cob is one of life's simple pleasures. Starts off slightly sweet kind of chocolaty. The sweetness burns off pretty quick and it turns into a pretty good mild straight burley smoke.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Buster Bluth (56)	2013-02-03		Mild	Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

Great OTC Burley experience. Good balanced nuttiness all the way through. Perhaps my smoking style, but my old favorite Carter Hall tends to go into a burning overdrive mid bowl, and dottle at the end. This matches my rhythm and burns perfectly. The coarse cubes are granola like as others mention. All pouches I've sampled have been perfect moisture for smoking right away and the cut has been consistent. I detect minimal flavoring or additives. I am left with a fine ash. I don't know any other tobacco I've encountered that has great flavor and smoking characteristics at this price point. I feel like I tried every burley out there, but wondering how I missed trying this great one. 4 stars

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mac (20)	2013-01-25		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Probably the best Drug Store blend i have tried from the United States.CH,PA and Granger are all top smokes in my humble opinion but SWR is a cut above with the exception of Sugar Barrel which i would place on the same level. A great pity its not available here in Australia as its become a firm favourite.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	vespa (18)	2012-12-09		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I now know why my Grandfather smoked SWR his whole adult life. This is just a damn good, yet simple burly blend. SWR smokes clean, dry and without any bite. Yes it's a tad sweet but it burns off quickly and your off to burly land. I like my burlies BLB, Age Burly Flake just to name a few. But for the $$ SWR cant be beat IMHO. I've been smoking out of a 14oz tin for the past week and have enjoyed every bowl that I packed. So if you like burly like I do dont turn your nose up the next time your at the drug store or the local pump-and-munch and see SWR sitting on the self like some kind of Red-Headed Step-Child. Pick up a pouch or a tin and just sit back & relax. This is just a good unpretentious no-brainer tobacco that has stood the test of time.

Your Brother In Smoke

5/5

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	brogreggblues (45)	2012-07-17		Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

SWR:

Aroma in bag: Not bad, nutty/coffee. Super bone dry, despite the cello-wrapped pouch. Loaded easily into my Peterson blast bulldog.

Lit up fast, copious clouds of smoke, burned fast, possibly due to dryness.

Cool, creamy, nutty, no bite. Stayed lit, stayed dry. Would be perfect for the beginner, or in a cob.

Not as cased as PA, not as flowery as Kentucky Club Mild. Not as monochromatic as Granger, not as boring as Carter Hall. Doesn't bite like a steel trap, as does MacBaren London Burley. Doesn't kick like a mule, as does Old Joe Krantz.

I'm hesitant to give this blend a full four stars, but a STRONG three stars for this tasty, smooth, nutty blend.

Oh, heck. I'll give it a fourth star for the low price. Get yourself some.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	oldmanpipe (62)	2006-12-27		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I must confess that this review is written from and with a healthy dose of nostalgia.

Former President Gerald Ford has just died. I remember precisely where I was when he took office...at Smokers' Haven in Columbus, Ohio...for the first time.

A few years ago, I remember reading that President Ford smoked Field and Stream. Right after he took office, I remember reading in "Newsweek" that he smoked Sir Walter Raleigh. Frankly, I believe both.

When I first started pipesmoking in 1971, the popular blends among college freshmen were Borkum Riff and Flying Dutchman. Both of these burned my tongue like a heaping of flaming coals. Sir Walter was the first tobacco I smoked that gave me any real tobacco satisfaction.

Not long afterward, I was introduced to Balkan Sobranie...and found my "groove." But Sir Walter is still a satisfying a smoke.

There is a lot of mollases included...pure sugar. When you cut the cake out of your pipe, you are advised to use an oyster shucker!

Recommended because it is a classic...and an acceptable smoke.

5/11/13

This world seems to get, as Lewis Carroll wrote, "curiouser and curiouser." SWR has changed manufacturers and manifestations so many times during the past 40 years, it is hard to keep track.

Whilst waiting for my next order of bespoke blend to arrive, I bought a pouch of this venerable blend the other night at Kroger. The package now declares that it is made by "Scandinavian Tobacco Group Lane Ltd, Tucker, GA." Who knows who or what that is?

But, really, who cares? The smoke is the important thing. And the smoke ain't bad; it ain't great, either. But that is, to me, at least, how SWR has always been.

For Burley fanciers, this old favorite will always make-do in a pinch.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	mel64us (46)	2022-03-05		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I smoked this years ago, but got side tracked with other blends and then did not like this for a long time. The other day,I was in another city and found some at a good price, so I purchased their last four pouches on a whim. This could be one of my go to blends now. It was easy to pack and light. I needed only an occasional tamp to keep it burning. No gurgle, no tongue bite, just good tobacco flavor. The flavor is just burley, burley, burley. It is milder than I remember, but this could be the result of over 50 years of pipe smoking. This is an all day blend when I want to enjoy an old OTC.

Pipe Used: Cob, Peterson

Age When Smoked: Fresh

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Leon (85)	2020-07-28		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a pleasantly surprising good blend which I found friendlier than other similar old-time Burley blends.

It has a nice tin aroma, with cocoa notes leading the way. The anisette note is pretty strong in the tin, but wears off a bit in the smoke, although I would've probably liked this blend better without it.

Aside from that it's a pretty simple one-dimensional Burley blend.

Easy to pack and smoke. I usually need to relight once, right around the middle of the bowl. Comes in perfect moisture and can stay in the pouch for a long period without getting dry.

Flavor is fairly consistent throughout the bowl and it doesn't get too hot.

The key with this one is the affordable price and the good behavior mechanically, which makes it a good all-day blend. I can definitely see how someone would swear by it and won't smoke anything else. It's definitely not top notch, but it's enough to satisfy.

I'll make sure to buy a tub of this one at some point. 3 stars, and I'm being conservative. Check it out, it's not gonna bite.

Pipe Used: Brewster billiard

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kokinhenik (93)	2020-07-21		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Legendary Codger OTC blend from the 1920's. Super simple and rather tasty. Take your pipe, scoop it through the bag filling up your bowl with this weird granola cut. Tamp a little... and you're ready to smoke. Typically only takes one light. Flavor runs steady through the whole bowl, lightly nutty, with hints of cocoa, coffee and molasses. Pretty well behaved and cool smoking if you keep a good 30 sec between puffs. Not goopy or suffering from harsh spots or chemical taste. Just cool sweet nutty burley. Makes a great companion any time of day. I prefer it in a small cobb like the Missouri Pride. Speaking of! The OTC pouch is pretty sturdy and I like to use it as a poor man's carrying case. It will hold a small pipe (stem and bowl separated), Czech tool, lighter, and several bowls of tobacco and still roll up nice and tight and fit right in your coat or shirt pocket. Very handy! Taking into consideration the blends history, simplicity, great price, wide distribution, pleasing flavor profile and cool smoking all day attributes, I give it 5 stars. Simply lovely!

Pipe Used: Missouri Pride

Similar Blends: Prince Albert, Carter Hall.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BingCrosby (162)	2019-12-05		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This blend definitely gets my approval.. it is an otc all the way and it delivers what you would expect of it.. an uncomplicated burley that burns easily, tastes pleasant, and smells like an old time tobacco.. it burns at a very fast rate.. this oddly enough is what the doctor ordered on a cold winter day when a 15-20 minute smoke is all you can handle up in the north country.. as others have mentioned, it is also ideal for breaking in a pipe or even building cake on a recently reamed estate pipe.. the topping/flavoring is unobtrusive though the bottom of the bowl can go slightly sour.. I tried mixing some Virginia in with pretty good results.. a pinch of golden mixture and a pinch of royal yacht really helped to slightly slow down the burn (just a tad not too much) and actually accented the spice elements in the burley quite nicely.. I would recommend this to those looking for an uncomplicated all day smoke.. for me it is much better and less gloopy than half and half but with a lighter similar anise flavor.. it is not as rich and chocolatey as prince albert or carter hall.. it is an unpretentious classic.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pilot Lon (19)	2017-10-31		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

It feels so odd, after all these years of smoking the so-called aromatics, and eschewing the "codger" blends, that I've come down to Carter Hall and now Sir Walter Raleigh Regular, and also Lane Limited Ready Rubbed as my three go-to smokes, with SWRR a slight edge over the other two. This review is for the pouch, but on the strength of two pouches, so far, I've just ordered a full tub from P&C.

What is even more odd to me, is that the pouch note of SWRR was not all that impressive..less so than the SWRA, CH, or LRR, and I prepared myself to be disappointed. However, upon lighting (and it doesn't require too many re-lights), I was rewarded with a sort of woodsy, almost earthy, sweet molasses taste, that stayed consistent throughout the bowl...if anything, growing slightly sweeter toward the end. I didn't get too much cocoa taste, but didn't miss it at all. The molasses is sweet, gentle, never overpowering...just a delightful aroma that filled my senses with contentment. What a delightful experience, one that goes so well with anything in the Brandy, Marsala, Sherry families

As I've mentioned elsewhere, if you are chasing good taste and an all-day smoke that will wear very well, but if you are put off by the unfortunate description as a "codger" blend, then you owe it to yourself to try SWRR. I've found that while my tastes for the aromatics has not really diminished, I get all the sweet aromas I was looking for, coupled with gentle tobacco taste, wrapped up in a smoke that won't bite or burn hot. Top of my list so far, and 4 stars for a room-friendly smoke that will lead you back again and again.

Pipe Used: Cob

Age When Smoked: Right from the pouches

Purchased From: Local B&M

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	W. Carter (6)	2016-05-07		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

Nice mild pleasant tasting burley blend with light toppings. Different cut from other OTC ribbon cut blends, it has a small chunky cut. Lightly moist close to the dry side in pouch. Burns good without a lot of re-lighting. I smoke about a bowl a day in rotation with other OTC blends (Prince Albert, Carter Hall, Captain Black White, and Half and Half). I prefer the burley blends cause most are cheap but very good. More bang for the buck. You can't go wrong for $3 pouch or $28 for 14 oz tin. If you can't stand it dump it in the trash you won't lose much. I have to agree with another user here, when a paper filter is used there is less goo build up on the filter vs. other tobaccos. I would also recommend packing on the loose side. So if you like no nonsense burley blends with light toppings and a good price give it a try!

Pipe Used: Bent Shire - Dr. Grabow Grand Duke

Age When Smoked: New fresh

Purchased From: smokers outlet online

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2016-02-24		Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

I recently finished a pouch of this and I found it enjoyable but in a watchful kind of way. It’s easy to mess this one up. The first few times I smoked it, I made the mistake of chasing the phantom, puffing too hard trying to find flavor that was never really going to materialize.

For what it’s worth, I got the most out of Sir Walter Raleigh by setting it out to dry for at least 30 minutes and doing everything in my power to keep it from smoking hot. My best efforts were pleasurable smokes and my worst attempts, about three altogether, were not.

The granola cut is a mixture of course ribbon-like pieces and dense chunky bits. The flavor is quite subtle, a bit nutty and grassy, a touch of chocolate and a hint of booze. Altogether, I found this to be more earthy tasting than sweet.

Sir Walter Raleigh is mild and meant to be smoked slowly. Like others have mentioned, keep it burning on the cool side and a bit more flavor will appear. A decent enough mixture, it certainly has its charm.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	wmf (14)	2015-10-03		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

My favorite tobacco period. Love the prune/fermented apple tin note. Burning character of what some call "granola cut" is fantastic When packed and tamped gently but not overly so. No bite, but gentle easy indoor puffing keeps this stuff tame. The burley flavor is the star with just enough condiment to make this old fav shine. The aroma is magnificent. I smoke a wide variety of stuff frome Pease, SPC, and every boutique blend that hits the shelves. This is a damn fine example of the way tobacco should be produced. Consistent, lighter but rich at the same time. Good stuff if you are a burley fan.

Pipe Used: cob , grabow billiard, bjarne brandy

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: Ingles grocery

Similar Blends: CH, Granger.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CornCob (94)	2015-08-10		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Some describe this as a simple burley blend that is very consistent, I believe it needs more credit than that. I'd put this right on the border of basic burley and an aromatic burley as I detect notes that are becoming of a top dressing and not the leaf itself. Hues of cinnamon, chocolate and nutmeg/allspice are apparant to me, as well as the nutty and smooth characteristics of the tobacco itself and they marry perfectly. I love the Prince and Carter Hall, I have a real soft spot for Half and Half (the brand my father up to my great grandfather solely smoked) and I find myself dabbling in a can of Granger from time to time but Sir Walter seems to be more satisfying, burn better and have more flavour and Lady N than the brands mentioned earlier and quite frankly ill take SWR over all of them these days. Sir Walter doesn't have a bitter bone in his body and like jiminks noted in a past review, it's stayed very consistent in flavour and composition for the better part of the century. How many blends can say that after changing hands so many times? It's fine on its own, and a great blender if you like to use burley as a base or filler for home mixtures and the price is still decent for a canned/non-bulk blend. Everyone on this forum should have an open can at their disposal. A true Burley institution if there ever was one.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	guitar2mw (92)	2015-01-20		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant

This is another American classic. What more can really be said that hasn't already been stated by other reviewers? It is a down-to-earth, hearty burley blend. It doesn't try to be anything more than that, nor was it made to be anything more. It has a rather awkward cut that some pipe smokers might be turned off by, but I love it because it allows me to pack a bowl with one hand while driving.

I appreciate how simple, yet enjoyable, this tobacco is. There are really no huge flavor profiles here other than chocolate and a bit of toffee (typical American burley traits). However, one thing that I have noticed in the past 10 years or so is that this blend remains consistent from pouch to pouch. It hasn't changed, and I hope it never does.

If you don't want the hassle of picking out the flavors you get from your well-aged bag of Penzance, then pick up some of this stuff and just enjoy your pipe for once! It is a no-nonsense blend with a decent amount of nicotine to keep you satisfied. I'd recommend it to anyone.

Pipe Used: Cobs, Shepherd Bros. Briars

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Blue Ridge Smoke and Vape, Wytheville, VA

Similar Blends: Half & Half, Prince Albert, Velvet.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Bluesmoke (75)	2015-01-07		Very Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

This famous drugstore aromatic is probably my favorite of its type. There is a nice mild nuttiness and chocolate flavor/aroma. This is enhanced with a very light topping, which I find quite pleasing when in the mood for this type of tobacco. This burns well with packing being a snap, good amount of smoke created as well. I find this superior to the more topped, aromatic version. I also just received two coupons from the manufacturer good for two pouches of this for 2 bucks total...write them and you'll get the same coupons or better! HMLBS

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PhillyB (70)	2014-05-28		Mild	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This has got to be one of my favorite tobaccos, not just of the OTC tobaccos. The smell out of the pouch is of chocolate and (strangely) marinara sauce. Kind of like the "McClelland ketchup" only a little more savory. The flavor is very pleasant, ranging from a almond nuttiness to a tomato soup with potatoes. That is one of the things that makes it stand out from other OTC blends, the fact that the flavor is not as simple and demands a little more interest. I can definitely see why this is always out of stock in my local stores and maybe I'll become a part of that issue!

Pipe Used: Missouri Meerschaum Legend

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Flinthills Tex (27)	2013-09-07		Mild	Very Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Pleasant to Tolerable

On a recent trip to the US I decided to try some of the typical "drugstore" tobaccos. I bought a 14 oz. tin of SWR. Upon popping the top I found the tobacco to be too moist to smoke, much in contrast to what others have stated about it being too dry. So I left the tin open for a few days, till the tobacco felt about right. The tobacco is cube cut, dark mocca brown to black in color. The tin note is one of subtle nuttiness.

This tobacco packs well due to the cut, lights well, and stays lit throughout the bowl. The taste is less pronounced than that of PA, which surprised me a bit. I detect a slight hint of licorice under the typical burley nutty flavor. This tobacco smokes cool right down to the bottom of the bowl, leaving no dottle.

I don't like this as much as PA, but it's definitely better than Carter Hall. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a mild, straightforward smoke.

Revised review: I have smoked about half of the 14 oz. tin, and I must say that my original review was a bit too positive. Other than a RARE hint of typical burley nuttiness, SWR is rather bland. I am currently using it as a filler to stretch more expensive and flavorful tobaccos. SWR is well suited to this purpose, as it seems to take on the aroma of the better tobacco.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	mjcruiser (5)	2013-08-24		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Pleasant

I first tried SWR in a Peterson 69 and my experience was like some others where it started out very good but went downhill midway through. I also noticed that about midway through SWR started to burn very hot as well. I later tried SWR in a prince style pipe and the smoke was very good from start to finish running much cooler, so it seems to me that a pipe with a lower chamber hight to width ratio does much better with SWR. SWR is a very pleasant smoke with a mild sweetness and nuttiness that is consistent from start to finish in the right pipe. There was also a hint of sourness as well that complimented the sweetness. If smoked too hot the sourness became more dominant. SWR is not a complex bacci, but there are times I don't want something complex and SWR hits the mark there for me. Very mild, consistent, and does not want bite even when it burns hot. I like it.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	slashes (16)	2013-01-02		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

A nice burley blend ,nutty with a sweet taste ,it burns cool and doesnt bite.Smoke's great in a corncob!

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-11-29		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

When I first opened a pouch of this stuff I had thought I received a dried-out, bad batch. When I went online to see other reviews talk about the cut of the tobacco I just said alright and went with it. Very interesting granola-like cut that feels and seems like it would be too dry to do anything with. Very wrong!

This has now become my absolute favorite OTC pipe tobacco! And here's why: Easy to pack (I use the scoop and pack method on this stuff.) Nice nutty/sweet flavor The aroma is pleasant, sweet, and reminds me of fresh baked cookies. This is also a crowd-pleaser because of this aroma. Creates a lot of smoke (which I like.) It burns all the way down to a nice grey ash with just one light. It's just a plain old good tasting, good smelling, good burning tobacco.

I don't go through too much tobacco. I've been at this for a little over a year and have collected many quality blends and have yet to actually finish an entire tin/pouch of tobacco (I smoke maybe 1-2 bowls per week) but I've been smoking SWR every morning on my way to work so far to keep my cold hands warm and I absolutely love the stuff. The cut makes it such an easy tobacco when I'm on the go because I can simply scoop a pipe into the pouch, tamp a little bit, scoop again and tamp just slightly harder and be set.

Highly recommend this.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	juvat (36)	2012-10-21		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

In the OTC category of tobaccos I always preferred Prince Albert to the others such as Carter Hall and Half&Half. Thats all changed now that I've smoked Sir Walter Raleigh.

I've always seen Sir Walter on the shelf next to the others but never bothered to try it. The package looked outdated and in my neck of the woods, didn't seem to have the same pedigree as Prince Albert. I finally decided to stop judging a book by it cover and bought a pouch.

Holy hell I'm glad I did!!! I like Prince Albert. I LOVE Sir Walter Raleigh! Its very similar to PA but slightly sweeter and nuttier. Not a fake sweetness mind you, but its definitely noticeable. Its extremely dry in the pouch and has the feel of crunchy granola, but it didnt seem to affect anything and burned well in the bowel.

This isn't going to replace any of my tinned tobaccos anytime soon. Nor will I be smoking this with any regularity. But I will be keeping a pouch in truck as a "stuck in traffic" smoke or when the mood strikes while I'm working in the yard and want to puff on something.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-10-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

It is the standard pipe tobacco but when you smoke it you do not feel cheap. A sweetness that keeps you smoking and a somewhat pleasant room note. if you need a cheap tobacco, this is the exception. This is a pipe tobacco that is always reliable.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Calam (5)	2012-10-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

For all the OTC's I've tried, this is my favorite. It's a very simple, pleasant tobacco taste--nothing complicated. Some people find it boring, but most of the time I find the simplicity comforting. It's the 'go to' when I don't really know what I want. It's mildly sweet and nutty, and doesn't leave that ashy taste or smell that Carter Hall does. It's just good plain tobacco.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-12-05		Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

ahhhhhh SWR. My grandfather smoked this almost all of his life. This is a great classic pipe tobacco. If you want something to introduce you to pipes this is a great tobacco to start off with. This is the stuff that beginniers should try when looking for a pipe tobacco not aromatic stuff.

This is a good classic burley tobacco. The smell right ouf the pouch is just straight up burley and while smoking it is is....burley and the room note is....burley. This tobacco is simply all about burley. But it's not to the point ever of over powering. The flavor of this tobacco is one of the reasons I love this blend. When I was just plain tobacco with an awesome room note I go to this. It makes lots of smoke too! :)

I always keep a pouch of SWR on hand in my stash and I encourage all pipe smokers to try it at some point (especially burley lovers! )

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-12-02		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

A pouch of this should be handed out to anyone who wants to take up pipe smoking. It is as gentle, reliable and predictable as can be. I honestly feel like an idiot for having tried so many others before finally finding that the oldies have survived the test of time for a reason. I thought that tongue bite was absolutely normal and even expected it. I gave up on smoking 8 years ago because a friend of mine turned me on to the soupy goopy junk they sell on shelves right next to this stuff. Passing it by, because anything this inexpensive couldn't be any good. Right? Again, I honestly thought that in order to smoke a pipe I had to settle with having my tongue feel like I'd been licking batteries all day. Thankfully I didn't let my naivety get the better of me for good. I pressed on with it, testing one blend after another. Not entirely sure what I was looking for, but I'm happy I landed here. And luckily for someone like me, who can get bored easily, there are many many more out there to continue sampling. But what I've found here with Sir Walter Raleigh is the comfort of knowing that a delicious, easy basic smoke is never out of reach.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-02-19		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

I'm not exactly happy with a two star recommendation on this one but I also don't feel comfortable changing it. Perhaps this is one of those that needs a 2.5 star recom.

The top half of each bowl of this I smoked was wonderful. Nice, mild nutty burley, plain and simple, with a pleasant roasted almond flavor. Mild tasting but good flavor. A very relaxing tobacco. Excellent!

The bottom half is where things went south. That pleasing nut flavor turned bitter rather quickly. It never got harsh but it took on a sour, unfriendly taste. I found this to be consistent in every pipeful. I'm not sure if it needs more drying or what and it was most offputting.

I got the best results from this when I "parfaited" it by putting something like Sugar Barrel on the bottom and SWR on top. The nutlike sweetness then got a bit sweeter as the Sugar Barrel took over and the SWR burned away. That upgraded it to a solid 3 star recommendation. I plan to do more experimentation in this manner. Highly recommended for the top half bowl, not recommended for the bottom.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Wally Frank Collector (46)	2020-05-22		Medium	Mild	Medium	Very Pleasant

When I opened the Humidor I could smell a earthy, rich tobacco with a slight cocoa aroma. The tobacco which is uniquely cut was drier so I did not air it on a paper towel for any length of time which is my standard practice. It filled the bowl nicely and I very lightly tampered. It burned very evenly at a moderate pace but seemed to burn hot easily, with no bite, although I sip slowly and I had to re-light 6 times for I am a slow smoker. It burned down to a nice darker gray ash. There was a slight bit of moisture when finished.

It lit very easily and I was met by a pleasant earthy, woody flavor with a touch of cocoa. However that soon changed and it turned into a wonderful light milk chocolate flavor that left a nice pleasant chocolate flavor in my mouth between puffs. There was s light bitter wood flavor that appeared but it complimented the chocolate while I had smoke in my mouth a left as the smoke left. The smoke was abundant even for my sips and it had a very, very pleasant room note.

This continued until about half way through the bowl when the chocolate was replaced by a lite cocoa flavor. A little past halfway the cocoa really began to recede and a lightly salted nut flavor came in with a touch of molasses. A light soapy flavor appeared but like like all the flavors except the milk chocolate they remained in the background. The last quarter of the bowl the light bitter wood taste came to the forefront of the flavors and I have to admit I wasn't to sure about how I felt about it. It wasnt unpleasant, but I wasn't very fond of it but the tobacco flavor after several puffs pushed it back and it was a strong, earthy finish that was a bit strong.

All in all this was a very nice smoke. The flavors mostly danced in the background as the tobacco starred with two exceptions, when the mild chocolate came in it was dominant for several puffs but began to recede and the same with the bitter wood taste towards the end. I really enjoyed the taste this left in my mouth between puffs and this was on the whole a very pleasant smoke.

Overall, I would give it 4 stars here. A true favorite in my rotation with the Field and Stream Match, Carter Hall, Barking Dog,Maltese Falcon, Pirate Kake and Sir Walter Aromatic.. A huge thumbs up to Sir Walter Raleigh. For those trying it my advice is to sip it and relish the flavors and the after taste left in your mouth for 3/4 of the bowl. There was a very light and pleasant aftertaste when done smoking that lasted about a half hour. Bought in the pouch.

Pipe Used: Peterson Red Killarney 03

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: P&C

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2020-02-06		Mild	Medium	Mild	Pleasant

This is one of the few surprises of my pipesmoking life. Not being a burley fan, this is a major event. I ordered a pouch of Sir Walter Raleigh on my last order from Smokingpipes for blending purposes. I decided to try a bowl solo and was pleasantly surprised. I found this to be delicious on it's own and could taste the molasses casing and the tobacco also. The anisette is hardly noticeable. I think that STG has improved the quality of this blend. They're to be congratulated. I have smoked hundreds of blends over the past 55 years, so I consider myself a knowledgeable participant in this wonderful pleasure we all enjoy. It burns cool and dry from start to finish. There is lovely sweetness all the way down the bowl, with absolutely no harshness. If you happen to buy a pouch that is bone dry, simply spray it with a little distilled water to bring it back to life. SWR needs a reasonable amount of moisture to bring out the wonderful flavor. I tried this blend years ago and found it bitter and tasteless. Who knew this would be so good. No wonder so many enjoy this blend. I am now a fan. I would rate this wonderful blend 4 stars, because of the quality and it's available to everyone at a reasonable price. If you havn't tried this blend in years, try it again.

Pipe Used: Lorenzetti Constantine 9mm

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HabaneroHardy (403)	2019-09-09		Mild	Mild	Mild	Unnoticeable

I bought around 11 of the 1.5 oz boxed thermo sealed pouches around 1999 from a drug store that had them in a clearance basket for a dime each. These were made by Brown and Williamson. Wow, twenty years ago and I am opening one of these up. When I took the thermo sealed pouch out of the box it was hard as a brick. Upon opening the thermo sealed pouch I was met with a sweet and yet acrid tin note. After it aired out for a few minutes I inhaled again and detected what smelled like a faint Black Strap Molasses. I broke some of this course cut tobacco and put it in a cob and fired her up. It smokes cool, mild, and with a faint top note. Not a strong aromatic if you know what I mean. So, this is all Burley? I have smoked this for a few days with my morning coffee and you know something? For an OTC this is really good stuff. I don’t think aging this probably really matters and for the record I did not set out to do so. Time just has a way of accelerating. I mentioned thermo sealed pouch because I find humor in the oddest things and to me it looks and feels like aluminum foil but what sounds better? Not sure what the new stuff tastes like and since I have ten more of these, I won’t be buying any but give this one a try especially if you are fond of the OTCs. Over the Counter.

Pipe Used: Corn Cob

Age When Smoked: 20 years

Purchased From: Drug Store

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DeathMetal.org (231)	2019-09-06		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Summary: a decent Burley blend with too much goop.

By trying to please everyone, you get no one to full satisfaction. Most of the whines of past smokers -- not mild enough, too much bite, too much nicotine, too much vegetative tobacco taste -- prompted industry to design the equivalent of soda pop or french fries for the pipe smoker, and you get the standard goopy aromatic, layered in flavorings and conditioners like propylene glycol. If this blend had less goop and slightly more nicotine, it would be a standout, since the formula of white and dark Burley with anisette (licorice-type flavoring) is a time-honored winner. Instead, it strikes me as one of the better OTC tobaccos but still too reliant on sugars and goop when it could stand on its own.

Similar Blends: Cornell & Diehl - Cube Cut Burley, John Middleton, Inc - Prince Albert.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	rattdogg99 (53)	2019-05-10		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I hadn't smoked SWR in more than twenty years. I decided to revisit today. I believe something has changed for the better. A couple of decades ago I would have given Sir Walter two stars at best. I think the mixture now deserves four. Either my taste has changed drastically or Scandinavian Tobacco has up graded this product 100%! I love it. Good clean tobacco taste with a hint of brown sugar. What's not to like? Excellent burn rate,no souring toward the bottom,and no bite. I've been smoking this stuff like a madman all day so I feel secure in saying it ain't gonna bite you! I rate this a fire and forget smoke as it requires no more than two lights per setting. Paired with a hot cup of coffee it is truly one of life's simple pleasures. Go for it!

Pipe Used: Various

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Local smoke shop

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	kyrider54 (5)	2017-04-11		Very Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

It's been awhile since I tried SWR and now that I'm older this one has a flavorable taste to it and aroma I've given it a strong rating . I've come to a conclusion that I like it as much as I like SWRA !!! they both are GREAT !!

Pipe Used: corn-cob

Age When Smoked: 63

Purchased From: Cox's smoke shop

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2015-03-16		Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Pleasant

This was the only tobacco my father smoked when I was young. That familiar black and orange can was next to his favorite chair always. I remember well the aroma in the house when he smoked it. I don't know what took me so long to try it myself but I finally did and I enjoyed it. Maybe not as much as my dad did but it is an enjoyable smoke, a no brainer so to speak. The tin note had a strong licorice smell and was mildly sweet. Packed easily with the dip and scoop method I watched dad use many times and it lit well but did need a few relights along the way. The burley was nutty and smooth but very mild. To me it was a little lacking in the flavor department. It wasn't bad but there are so many good burley blends nowadays it kind of pales in comparison. I guess the lack of alternatives available to dad years ago is what kept him loyal to SWR for so long. Now, with the Internet we have so many more choices I think I will leave SWR with a fond place in my memory banks and move on. Two stars for the tobacco with one more added on for dad.

Pipe Used: Various

Age When Smoked: Fresh pouch

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-08-13		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant

Why as it taken me so long to try this tobacco, i have put it of for yrs thinking because it was a over the counter blend it would be poor,How wrong can one be, this will be in my rotation from now on, great all day smoke at a very good price 14oz tin and im ordering more right now, 5= from me.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-05-07		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

For years I have been a tobacco snob ignoring any and all drug store tobaccos. However, SWR was cool, creamy, nutty and an absolute pleasure to smoke. In trying Sir Walter Raleigh I am forced to reevaluate my bias and conclude that some drug store blends are just darn good.

Soli Deo gloria!

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Fofo (81)	2011-11-12		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Burley goodness, classic American. Very nice, an awesome choice for burley lovers. I can't believe it took me so long to try this little jewel, it's so delicious.

The pouch note is of nice pungent classic tobacco. First light doesn't show much, but it quickly develops a nuttiness and sweetness that I have not found in any other blend. I've been smoking this non stop since I discovered it and intend to do so for a while.

Don't listen to the negative reviews; they either don't like burley or were expecting the complexity of the tinned blends that cost an arm and a leg. If you are a tobacco snob then don't bother telling us what you think of it, we already know. If you want a nice, straight forward and enjoyable smoke and are a burley fan then give it an honest shot, it won't disappoint.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Glorfindel (86)	2011-09-16		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

I'm going to give this 3 stars for being what it advertises to be - a true and mild burly. Want strength? Then you should never have bought this. That is not what its made for. For the price, its a winner if you like a mild burly that's not looking for a pretentious soul-searching experience. Its a rather uncomplicated, genuine, widely available, and affordable smoke that I don't have to pay $8.95 shipping for and wait a week to get. Also, it NEVER makes my pipe taste bitter. In fact, I use this stuff to neutralize some of the terrible after effects of some of the high-priced snooty brands I have mistakenly bought in the past.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-03-17		Very Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Well when I got this tobacco I wasn't expecting much. I was expecting to bring a smile to a lady-friend's face because her grandfather smoked it. I did do that but I also found a good friend.

Maybe I'm just an easy dude to please but I can honestly say that I love this tobacco. Nice and mild, tasty, easy to pack, and a pleasure to smoke. A perfect thing for the morning, noon, or night and just the sort of thing I like to have while I sit and ruminate, read, or work.

Like a good dog this one will never bite you and will gladly keep you company. I would recommend this to everyone.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-01-02		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

A good tobacco for a corncob. I have found it smokes best in a small corn cob with a small bowl. If you move up to bigger pipes, the smoke turns sour half way down the bowl. Great to smoke as an occasional "nostalgic" smoke. Lot's of "blue smoke" as you puff away!

=UPDATE 1-2-07= I must update and upgrade my previous review. Upon hearing of the Death of former President Gerald Ford, I also heard Sir Walter Raleigh was his everyday smoke. So, I pulled the pouch out of my humidor and thought I would have a smoke in his honor. This time I loaded up a vintage Kaywoodie "Fine Line" Bulldog, and lit up. I must say this tobacco is quite simple, yet good in a way I did not previously appreciate. In a briar, I now find this tobacco to be extremely flavorful, with true burley flavor shining through all the way down the bowl. It also no longer turns sour for me towards the bottom of the bowl. My partner, who grew up in "Tobacco Country" says the smell reminds him of the old days, and this is the way a tobacco should smell while being smoked. I can now see why President Ford enjoyed it. I must now upgrade this blend to 4 stars! A true classic!

P.S- I wonder if the few months of aging in my humidor made a difference? You never know how long these blends sit on the shelf at your local drugstore, so who knows? Mybe a little aging made The Great Sir better?

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2005-09-01		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

SWR is the first pipe tobacco I ever tried. It was my introduction into the pleasurable and unique world of pipes and pipe smoking. I was just 16 when I picked out my first pouch of SWR at my local Walgreen?s. I remember this experience more than my first kiss, and probably because it was a lot better and involved a lot less hassle & heartache. I remember paying about $3.99 for SWR because it came with a free pipe, a Golden Burl from France and a helpful little guide about pipes and tobacco entitled: A Pipe Smoker?s Guide to Pleasure, to which I still refer when I?m feeling nostalgic. I remember liking SWR then, but being a neophyte, I had no basis of comparison. Almost 30 years later, a friend of mine found a pouch at a hookah shop now located in one of the trendier parts of Chicago?s Ukranian Village. Now that I?ve sampled dozens of different blends, I have a new and profound appreciation for the simple, basic wholesomeness of SWR. This excellent, all American cube cut burley is perhaps the finest commercial tobacco blend you can buy and a real bargain. It?s easily an all day favorite. Though made by cigarette giant Brown & Williamson, there is no skimping on the quality of the leaves, the aroma and burning properties. I don't agree with the other reviews about this being the worst parts of the plant. If so, you've got me fooled. This is not your typical sickening sweet drugstore blend by any means. In fact, it is only slightly aromatic, the natural, sweet burleys always at the forefront. The pouch features the red and black striped necktie design and portrait of our patron saint of tobacco in the western world: Sir Walter Raleigh. The pouch no longer comes wrapped in the small cardboard box of years previous. The pouch aroma is as I remember it: raisiny and nutty with just a hint of spiced fig. The crimp cut allows the tobacco to burn evenly and well, though smokes a little on the fast side. The room note is light, fragrant and always pleasing. The taste is basic, honest and true, with very little complexity. This is a true pipe smoker?s tobacco before all the gourmet blends burst upon the scene. Because there is never any tongue bite, SWR is easier to handle than Wilke?s Nut Brown Burley, which I believe is the finest American all burley tobacco in production. SWR has been around for over 75 years, and for good reason. When the gentle art of pipe smoking has passed into the realm of forgotten pastimes, as I believe one day it will, SWR will be the last of the blends to enter the halls of eternity. It will have its devotees until the end, and I shall count myself among them. Enjoy it and awaken fond memories of when it was hip for a man to smoke a pipe and even be admired for it.

Four of five stars

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ahmad Othman (51)	2022-09-17		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

An unassuming pouch with a picture of an Elizabethan man - Sir Walter Raleigh himself - when you open the pouch you’re greeted by the smell of tobacco. Just that. I lived once near a tobacco factory and this is what it smelt like. It is a bit moist but absolutely smokeable. It is. Chunky ribbon cut of dark brown tobacco. It packs quite easily from the pouch and light easily. I usually need a charring light followed by a tamp and rarely a second light. It tastes like burley. Nutty and rich. With a hint of sweetness that comes and go throughout the bowl, but is more prominent towards the end. Not much variation or change in profile, which makes it a simple, mindless all day smoke. It behaves really well, smokes down to a fine ash. Leaves no moisture in the bowl and doesn’t bite at all however hard you buff, or windy it is when you smoke. And it has a lovely sweet room note, that had been complimented by non smokers passing by the front porch where I smoke. Overall a decent tobacco and its more affordable price makes it a great tobacco.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pappy1975 (13)	2021-10-04		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I’ll say it up front. I love codger blends and burley tobacco! I love the rest of em too, of course, but I can love a straight burley as well as anything. SWR is at least as good as any of them and we’ll worth having in your rotation for when you just want a pleasant and unobtrusive companion for a half hour or so of relaxing contemplation. The burley is clearly the main thing. Nutty. Cocoa. I enjoy the top note. I don’t get the molasses so much, but occasionally taste it. I definitely get the anisette which comes through as a pleasant herbal flavor to me. SWR is by no means a mind-blowing symphony of boutique tobaccos playing off each other, but for what it is, it is a masterpiece.

Pipe Used: Briar, Cobb

Age When Smoked: New to a year old

Similar Blends: Similar to any codger blend, but I think most similar to half & half.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	LannarkGent (145)	2016-12-18		Very Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Tolerable

This blend was one of the starter blends in my 20s. A solid blend, it is a very pleasant all day smoke. Rich and tasty, it is still good enough to warrant being smoked.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2015-03-20		Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

A bit too mild in flavor for me. Also, it burns hot no matter what I do. I just cannot enjoy this tobacco. The flavor I can get seems pleasant enough, just not strong enough. If you like it mild, this one's for you.

Pipe Used: MM Country Gentleman, MM Mark Twain

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: http://wvsmokeshop.com/

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (633)	2013-12-02		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a pretty good OTC burley and I recommend it as such, but it is not a Solani ABF or anything of that caliber. As for the OTC burleys, I prefer Carter Hall (which has a substantial amount of Virginia), but I prefer this to Prince Albert or even Five Brothers. Although Five Brothers certainly has its own redeeming values.

I only smoked a pouch of this. From that I enjoyed a mild and forgiving smoke, like many of its contemporaries it is really magical in a cob pipe, but I enjoyed it in my briars as well. If I had to split hairs for a certain nitpick with this one, it would be that it seems more dottle makes its way up the stem than I am used to with other blends. This is really minor, but I thought I would point it out as it tended to plug up some of my filtered briars, which was a slight PIA while smoking.

Otherwise, a good solid burley!

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2013-06-16		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

SWR is a good OTC tobacco. Much has been said about it, so I will be brief.

I was slightly put off, at first, by the light vinegar smell but that did not prevent me from trying it.

I only smoked it in Cob.

A good, nutty, straight BU tobacco. I am rebuying some of it.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-06-27		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant

In the few 2-3 years that I have been a fan of most tobacco products, such as cigarettes and chews, pipe smoking is my most favorite, and since I have not been a pipe smoker for very long, I can't give much of a professional input, but I can say, if you are in an area of knowledge like me, this pipe tobacco has a slightly heavier than mild strength it gives off to the senses, from flavoring to the smell. Out of all the tobaccos I have tasted over the few years from cigarettes to chews, this one is definitely the most pleasant I have had.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-06-11		Medium	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

When my Uncle told me that SWR and Half & Half were my Papaw's go to blends I had to try them. Papaw got it right with SWR. The package doesn't say anything about Virginia's in this blend but I think I taste some. I like Virginia's so this is good to me and makes this a sweet, tasty (but mild) smoke. I can't really tell room note while I'm smoking and I haven't smoked this one around my wife to see what she says. I smelled my cousin smoking it outdoors once and it smelled fairly pleasant but it's hard to tell outdoors with a light breeze. I'm a new smoker so I get a mild nicotine kick from this blend. Other smokers may not. Personally I liked this blend quite a bit and at 3 bucks for a pouch I'll probably always keep some on hand. My Papaw gave up pipe smoking years ago but he was excited to see the pouch when I showed him. I would recommend this tobacco, especially to a new smoker like me. It's a good burley/Virginia tobacco. I'd like to try the aromatic version next.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	doc'spipe (242)	2010-05-12		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I recently purchased a 14 ounce tin of SWR regular and have to say I am quite pleased with this all Burley blend. Upon opening the tin, it was very fresh and springy, but not with excessive moisture. It was identical in appearance to ERR - both not exactly cube cut, but more like a cut plug with some short, broad leaf. The 14 ounce tin of ERR is nearly full and when placed side by side with SWR, you can't tell them apart by appearance alone. It is in the tin note where you start discerning the difference. Where ERR is chocolate-like in aroma, with perhaps a touch of the rum that is added, upon opening SWR you get the smell of slightly fermented apples. However, the taste of SWR is more chocolate and fruity-like, and stronger than ERR in taste. When you put your nose into the tin and take a deep smell, SWR smelled just like an Italian spiced rum/chocolate cake, laced with apples - very delicious. This wonderful aroma translates into the taste and remains throughout the entire smoke.

SWR was smoke-able right out of the tin. Filling and lighting were a breeze and few re-lights were required. There was a mild chemical taste after first light, but unlike ERR, this chemical taste never really interfered with the overall smoking experience (my several year-old tin of ERR still has a pronounced chemical presence). In spite of the casing's prominent flavor, I did taste good, honest, Burley leaf throughout the smoke. I personally didn't detect any bitterness with SWR. perhaps the bitterness many have described, in my opinion, is nothing more than the natural bitterness of Burley - and I mean it in a good way. Very much like the bitterness in a fine cigar, but certainly not as pronounced. It probably has to do with the addition of some Kentucky Burley. Some like it and others do not. It produced a beautiful side stream sweetness - always translating to the taste. The room note is good, old-fashioned Burley sweetness. It burned slow and even, always cool, left no dottle, and never produced a bit of moisture. It was a nicely sweet smoke and never harsh.

I can see where some have noticed its smoking similarities to ERR as it tastes similar. One of the best of the codger Burleys. SWR is a bit more fuller-bodied than ERR which gives it a slightly spicier taste. According to my family, the room note of the two are not exactly the same but very similar. It is interesting in I read somewhere that Lane Ltd. (who took over the blending of ERR from Larus up until its discontinuance) was licensed to blend this tobacco for Brown & Williamson, perhaps the key to their being so similar. If you are looking for an affordable, every day good, solid smoke, SWR regular should satisfy. The roomnote is very "old school" sweet smelling pipe tobacco and will get you comments like, "reminds me of what my grandfather used to smoke..." Very comforting all around. As stated, one of the best of the codger Burleys still available.

UPDATE 12-5-11: Buy a tub, open the seal and let it sit with the plastic lid on and age some. For me, after a year and a half, no chemical taste or bitterness whatsoever, and never a bite. If you like Burley, don't pass this up. A very underrated tobacco.

Similar Blends: Edgeworth Ready Rubbed, Granger.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-06-12		Very Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

I was looking for Edgeworth RR when I picked up a pouch of SWR. While I remember Brown and Williamson owning it when I tried it years ago (when comedian George Burns was its spokesman on TV: "The pouch matches my shower curtains," he'd say in that gravelly voice); the pipe offer on the inside of the glassine package was returnable to Lane Limited. In any event, I found this to be very similar to ERR and what the package advertised: plain burley that's mild, nutty with a pleasant room note. In the pouch it was just less than a cube cut ("granulated," one reviewer noted aptly) and I detected no top dressing. I did detect an off smell when first opening the pouch that went away after a day or two. Its taste varied by pipe. I smoked it in a briar and a clay pipe (which my dad used at his muzzleloaders' rendezvous meetings in the '70s) and it was a bit sharp in the clay. But the room note was pleasant ("Smells like pipe tobacco" my wife said) and it is just what is says - plain burley. I think the ERR was bit milder, but this is an inexpensive, nice smoke. For me, the burleys are a nice change of pace and a good outdoor smoke. Recommended.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Redd (117)	2007-01-18		Mild to Medium	Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant

You know everytime I buy a box only becuse I the candy store dosen't have anything else. And I want to smoke my pipe but I am out of tobacco. I find myself saying SRW is a really enjoyable tobacco. Then I say to myself "SELF" why I do I smoke all those other fancy tobacco blends Like GL Pease and Cornel & Diehl when I can buy this great pipe tobacco almost anywhere. I think that today pipe smokers has become more pretentous then cigar smokers. Maybe due to all those boutique blends? Like C&D and GL and others? Hey guys pipe smoking was ment to be a simple plaesure and SRW is the Blend for a real pipe smoker. Maybe that is why it was so popular years ago and there were way many more pipe smokers then. Pipe smoking was simple and easy.This is a great simple pipe tobacco Blend of Burley simple and easy on the tongue and the nose . Believe me try it you are not above the enjoyment of this great American Classic tobaaco.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	donk93953 (29)	2007-01-05		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

If you smoke burley then you've been here. You've smoked it when you started out and I keep going back. I prefer burley's and I've done the Rattray's, Dunhill's, the Frogs...and I keep going back to SWR. Doesn't deserve platitudes, it is just what it is..Its burley and it is Sir Walter Raleigh and that's it.....

Pipe Used: Dunhill

Age When Smoked: Fresh

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2004-08-11		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A classic Burley Tobacco blend that has lasted over 75 years. A tobacco blend lasting 75 years does not do so by being tasteless. This burley tobacco satisfies the same way a good cup of Maxwell House Coffee does. This blend is no blend at all,but actually straight Kentucky and Tennessee white Burley aged and with very little flavouring that does not get in the way of the true tobacco taste. Want true to goodness tobacco that satisfies,and is most economical? Sir Walter Raleigh.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2004-03-30		Very Mild	Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Pleasant

OK, I guess you might be looking at this review and saying to yourself... Mild...Extremely Mild...Pleasant...Flat... but he smokes it regularly. Is this guy nuts?

It's how I smoke it. I like very strong tobaccos, but they are often too strong and need some softening, imagine, if you will, smoking G&H Irish Twist while driving. Sir Walter does that beautifully. My fave tobacco is Condor Original, but too much of a good thing is very expensive. I cut it by 3 parts (SWR) to 1 (Condor) and can smoke with peace of mind all day.

Try mixing with a strong virgina, and you will see what I mean. SWR is so mild, the flavor of the other tobacco still comes thru but somewhat milder. Mix to your comfort level and enjoy.

Someone else try this and let me know.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Eulenburg (193)	2002-07-21		Medium	Medium	Medium	Unnoticeable

A delightfully buxom young lady in a newspaper/candy store gave me a packet of this?and a lovely smile, too?out of sheer gratitude that I was purchasing, for next to nothing, a gorgeous silver-mounted Ardor obviously left over from some previous owner's time. Because I am A PERFECT GENTLEMAN, I graciously accepted it, and even sampled it, though certainly not in my spanking new-old Ardor!

An old piece of Americana, mentioned in literary works of distinction, this is straight, completely undistinguished, sour-mouthed drugstore burley, as dull as grass. And I don't mean THAT grass. I mean the kind that makes cows moo.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kage (7)	2022-07-25		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Unnoticeable

I reviewed this years ago, but decided to give it a new look.

Cube cut, very dry in the tin, almost bone dry, it looks of a dark/molasses brown color. Smells raisiny, earthy, chocolatly, sweet and if it makes sense, warm and inviting.

I packed using the frank method and used no filter.

First light and we are off and running. Taste nothing like it smells. Occasionally you might get a subtle hint of those, but it is toasty, nutty and slightly sweet burley all through to the bottom. Kinda one dimensional to me, but would make a great morning smoke.

Now, grabow used to be presmoked pipes from my understanding. Apparently, not anymore, but I didn’t know that until after I smoked a whole bowl, but my pipe would get pretty hot as I smoked, but never did I get any tounge bite from SWR at all. I have a test I do after I smoke a pipe, sometimes, to check for bite or tar burn, which is I drink a soda and if you get above average burn from the carbonation, you probably got bit slightly. No such thing with this stuff, stayed consistent and cool burning through the whole bowl.

One thing I really like about this, that other burley’s do not have, even my beloved Granger sometimes, is the relight sulphuric taste or sometimes it comes in at the end of the bowl and nearly ruins the whole bowl. Not with SWR. Relights well and no bad taste and if it does, it dissipates quite quickly and back to the burly taste.

Only used 4 matches throughout the session. Very good there.

Overall, old Sir Walter here, is gentleman and a scholar, one whom any smoker would be wise to spend time with.

Pipe Used: Brand New Grabow Royal Duke

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Maine Smoke Shop

Similar Blends: Prince Albert and Granger.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pryhosm (248)	2021-05-01		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

In my opinion this is the best OTC/Drug Store Tobacco out there. Everyone is different and I am not a big fan of aromatics in general, I like them occasionally and have a few favorites but thought that would be an important disclaimer. One other factor that separates this from the others I have tried that it seems to have no propylene glycol, I am not sure if it does, but the moisture level is perfect out of the tub or pouch. The pouch note is nutty, slightly citrus and chocolate Burley. Not sure where the citrus comes from and maybe that is just me but I get it every time. The flavor is really quite good, I hate to use a euphemism but it is a good old fashioned, honest and straight forward tobacco. Not a pretentious complex, "try to find the cricket fart" nuances. The chocolate and other flavors that may be applied are more in the nose than the flavor. I would characterize the flavor as dry and there may be some Oriental tobacco's in this blend that add that flavor element. The finish is toasty and nutty, quite nice and goes great with coffee. There is a reason this has been around for as long as it has, it is straight forward tobacco goodness, and it builds a great cake in a new pipe!

Pipe Used: Briar’s and cob’s

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Thepipehunter (43)	2021-03-01		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

From the pouch, Sit Walter Raleigh comes a little on the dry side. The cut is a “granola cut”, very similar to many other older burley blends in this genre. It has round chunks that range a little in size with some flecks spread throughout. The aroma of the burley is very straight forward. It is nutty and earthy, with a lot of coca and molasses. It’s fairly sweet with a lightly applied topping I would describe as molasses with a touch of anise, and possibly even chocolate but that may be pushing it a little.

The Burley is nutty, a little woody, with a cocoa taste. The molasses and anise toppings are mild and help push the flavor of the burley and add a depth of sweetness. It isn’t as topped as other similar blends so the burley really shines in this one. The topping stays consistent throughout the whole smoke and does not fade. There is a lot of spice notes in this blend and sports a light black pepper like tingle in the tongue.

Sir Walter Raleigh is a very well behaved blend and burns cool. It’s does not have any bite or rough edge, and stays lit very well. I would recommend packing on the loose side. Nic hit was very mild, so this one could be puffed all day. 3 out of 4 stars.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	D.K. (58)	2020-12-15		Very Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

My favorite daily smoke. Compared to it's peers at the dime store, it is the best to my palate. Totally different than H/H, P.A, Granger, Velvet, etc. Just a hint of raisins and spice. Rasinette-y goodness. Just a hint mind you. Enough to temper the otherwise flat tobacco. It takes about a 1/3 bowl to get the flavor where it needs to be. Sort of a sweet mild raisin bread flavor. I never got the licorice.Anyway, I don't really care to micro-scope it, just smoke it. I enjoy it bowl after bowl after bowl all day. I rarely mix this one with anything. It is just the way I like it. You like what you like. I eat more toast and grits than I do full table breakfast's. Eat more bologna and mayo than I do buffet lunches. I eat more rice and beans than I do homemade lasagna and salad. Same as SWR. Its just my comfort food. I'll always have a couple tins put back.

EDIT: I recently had the pleasure of enjoying a quantity of sealed 50 year old SWR from a collector. I can say it was perhaps slightly more spicy than my modern SWR, in a good tobacco way, and perhaps a bit less sweet (although the more robust taste could be throwing me off). Maybe edging back towards a P.Albert-ish, but with more molasses flavor. You can tell it is SWR, but not modern SWR. How much is age and manufacturer, I do not know. I do know, I wish I could buy it like that! It was a delicious smoke.

Pipe Used: All

Age When Smoked: new, 1 and 50years

Purchased From: many places

Similar Blends: Can't think of one at all.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Clarkus (36)	2020-10-10		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

I’ve been a pipe smoker since 1967 and have recently, for some reason, become a die hard Burley smoker. I had an uncle who only smoked SWR exclusively as many smokers did back in the day with one codger blend or another. While I found the room note exceptional I never really enjoyed smoking it - until today which is fortunate because I have a 14 oz can of it. The tin note is mildly cocoa and some kind of liquor and sweetness and is lightly applied. The smoking of it is simply a good burley. I don’t find much subtleties as I do with my favorite Burley, Sutliff Ready Rubbed, but today the character of SWR really hit me which is fortunate as I have such a quantity of it. It packs easily, lights easily, burns easily and simply tastes of a good Burley with a bit of added sweetness. I will certainly be smoking this more regularly now. It is hardly aromatic and a truly lovely sipping blend. I only wish I had discovered the qualities of it long ago. I am giving it three stars because I’ve become more cautious with four star ratings.

Pipe Used: Savinelli billiard

Age When Smoked: 6 months

Purchased From: Pipes and cigars.com

Similar Blends: Most straight Burley blends.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Old Shoe (25)	2020-09-27		Very Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This is America in the form of tobacco. Straight burley in the easiest cut that you can pack a pipe with. Some have found hints of licorice, anise or cocoa when smoking this; I have found a very mild molasses and nutty note to both room aroma and taste. This tobacco also is not pipe size dependent in my experience. Load up a group 5 Dunhill or the dantiest Dublin and it smokes the same, gentle and tasty. Like burleys can do though, if too dry or tugged on too hard they can bite. My recommendation for any one who is just getting started in piping, buy a Cob or a Dr. Grabow and a -fresh- pouch of this. You’ll be joining a very large group of people who began their pipe smoking this same way. Very much recommend Sir Walter. The room note is very old timey and your almost certain to hear from others in the room the statement: Smell reminds me of my grandpa!

Pipe Used: Most used: Herters Anglers Pipe

Age When Smoked: Fresh pouch

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Prince Albert.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rustedrailsmokes (293)	2020-03-01		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I had never tried SWR but recently received a pouch in a trade. I decided to give it a try and pulled out a cob for the honors.

From the pouch, the moisture seems about ideal. The smell was a little chocolate and a little bit fruit to my nose. The texture/cut to me is about perfect as the cubish cut makes it simple to pack.

The first half of the bowls are chocolate and very similar to me to carter hall. In the 2nd half it seems to pick up a little sour fruit and I'll take that as anise as others have mentioned. It burns well in the cob and didn't leave too much moisture. When sipped it stays cool.

I'm enjoying the pouch and wouldn't be afraid or upset to pick some up in my travels when I run low on tobacco or need to grab something for a quick smoke. The price is right, but I don't see it joining my normal rotation is C&D cubed burley fills this notch.

Pipe Used: Cobs

Age When Smoked: fresh from pouch

Purchased From: trade

Similar Blends: Cornell & Diehl - Cube Cut Burley.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	The Harbor Seal (12)	2020-02-16		Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A true classic non-aromatic OTC burley blend.

Tin note: sweet cocoa mostly, I notice a somewhat sweetish topping.

Nutty and quite sweet (I'm guessing there is some sweet topping present), stays pretty consistent throughout the bowl. No issues with tongue bite or temperature. In my opinion great value for the relatively low price. Just don't expect you will get the most unique burley experience in the world. It's just a neat and uncomplicated blend, probably explaining why it has been around for such a long time. The only concern that I have is the packaging. My pouch came sealed in plastic foil. Even though it's called the "Ever fresh pouch", the pouch itself is not sealed.

Pipe Used: Golden pipe (pear wood) w/ 9 mm charcoal filter

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jacinto Cupboard (209)	2018-11-28		Mild	Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant

A chopped ribbon or crimp cut of mixed brown tobaccos. It has a top note of a berry type that is sweet and fresh. The flavouring does not intrude into the actual smoke to any significant degree. There is also a general sweetness, either a residual effect of the berry topping or an additional sugar additive.

Burns without attention and a tad quickly. There is a lot of snap, crackle and pop going on, suggestive of glycerol or PG.

This is a neutral tasting Burley. I don't get the nuts/cocoa/cherry/vanilla/anisette/cinnamon aromas others have found. All I get is straight tobacco with the previously mentioned berry and sugar. Not an aromatic in my book.

I like this stuff a lot. It is REALLY uncomplicated and very linear, but sometimes that is what I want in a pipe. Plus, it's inexpensive. It's a 3 for my own reckoning, but I wouldn't want to give a false impression of this baccy by failing to mention its shortcomings. It hasn't a lot of taste. It burns fast. It has chemical additives. Some might not like the fruity top note. On that basis I am giving it 2 stars for TR.

Pipe Used: Cobs

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	VBBill (7)	2018-02-03		Very Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant

Opening the pouch, the smell is rather aromatic, than pure tobacco. The cut is ready rubbed, but not the ribbon like, more a cube cut for me. The humidity is perfect and easy to pack. Lighting does not require much time and maintaining a fair amount of smoke through the bowl. While smoking it, the taste is very creamy burley without any bite, providing a cool smoke. I could not taste the same aromas as the pouch note and thats a plus for me. Very mild, however characteristic taste, which is not harsh even at the end. Recommended as an all day smoke, greate company for working, reading.

Pipe Used: Szabo bent dublin

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: www.smokingpipes.com

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rylander (5)	2018-01-29		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

This was a surprise to me. I’ve been trying lots of different old drug store blends recently. Some of the blends I’ve tried have had glowing reviews and I found them horrible (velvet) but this one is amazingly underrated. The pouch smell to me was cheap, sweet and retro in a bad way so I jarred it up and tried it a month later. The cut is almost like a rubbed out crumble cake and it packed easily and loosely. The taste took me by serprise because it is so good! The cheap pouch note of chocolate and sweet doesn’t come through in the smoke. It has an interesting and to me complex flavor. The flavors are all light and show themselves with subtlety and finish cleanly without your mouth tasting like ash. The subtlety of the flavors are made acceptable by the slight spicy feeling you get in your mouth when smoking, the spice has no flavor and isn’t present in the retrohale but give the experience a feeling of satisfaction rather than a whispy feeling of smoking hot air. The flavors are of sweet molasses, sweet oat, sweet barely, glimmer of dried unsweetened coconut and I’ll have to take notes next time for the rest because they are very subtle and like I said I wasn’t expecting an experience like that. It could be summed up as a natural sweet granola taste. Also it burns very cleanly with no moisture in the bowel and cleans out nicely.

I wanted to add that this is one of the rare otc tobaccos that is better in a briar, far less complex in a cob.

Pipe Used: Brigham Canadian, naked cob

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: P&C

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Virginia lover (218)	2017-10-01		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

As I continue my foray into bulk bought OTCs, I stumble upon this gem of a pipe tobacco. The granulated Burley smells deeply of cocoa and some very light anisette that doesn't translate too much into the smoke. It packs easy, burns nicely and has no bite.

The dominant flavor is of roasted and earthy nuts with some bitter sweet cocoa. By mid bowl, especially if puffed fast, you get more bitterness so keep your pipe smoking on the slower side to fully enjoy this blend. I highly recommend this tobacco for people that are somehow sensitive to Burley nicotine, it's lighter and more tamed when compared to full Burleys.

Virginia lover

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cakeanddottle (105)	2017-06-12		Medium	Medium	Medium	Tolerable

SWR is probably the closest any OTC comes to tasting like you bought it at a tobacconist instead of a drug store. Smoked slow it's smooth and enjoyable. There is a whiff of chocolate, and I detect the anise on and off. It's fairly dry and burns eagerly.

Am I giving up my Patton and Runowski Burleys for SWR? No. I prefer Burleys created by guys who grew up smoking tobaccos like SWR to SWR and tobaccos like it. If I smoked up all the good stuff after the tobacco apocalypse and had to live with tobaccos like this from the local cig shack, would I still enjoy the pipe? Absolutely. I think it's good to smoke these old time blends. There is a lot of history here. A lot of pipe men before us spent decades smoking these tobaccos. A good but not great Burley, but lots of extra points for how good it is for what it is.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	papapauly (24)	2016-12-26		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

During summer months and at the holidays I tend to smoke almost exclusively American codger tobacco's. I had not really ever giver sir walter much thought until this year. Heading into December I ordered upa tub of my favorite burley which is Prince Albert, on a whim I decided sir walter should be part of my holiday as well. The tub note was sweet and sort of fruity. It reminded me of granger in smell but not in smoke. This tobacco has that old time codger taste and smell that I love.like all American codgers if you don't like burley then you won't like this tobacco, but for those of us that love that old burley style sir walter is a very nice smoke. Sweeter than Prince or Carter hall with none of the nutty flavor that I usually find in these blends. Sir walter lists anisette as a flavoring but to me it is just a nice sweet flavor on top of the rich tobacco. This blend is made for a corn cob in my opinion, as most burleys are. This is a front porch cup of coffee tobacco that is simply a solid addition to my tobacco cellar. Glad I bought the tub instead of a pouch because I will smoke this one on a regular basis

Pipe Used: Missouri meerschaum

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: pipes and cigars

Similar Blends: Granger or velvet.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gripsholm (43)	2016-07-02		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Sir Walter Raleigh is a mix of course cut and cube cut Burley tobaccos. It has a nice nutty flavor that reminds me of English walnuts. I find the flavor to be very similar to Granger, the difference being Sir Walter Raleigh is just a tad bit sweeter with barely a hint of anisette. For me Granger is like the gold standard. It’s the simplest and most straight forward of the over the counter brands, so it has become the one that I use to compare all others. Carter Hall and Half & Half both have added Virginias for that little extra tang. Prince Albert, I can taste notes of cocoa to go along with that wonderful walnut flavor, and Velvet has the best pouch note thanks to the little extra bit of added liquor. However, when it comes time to buy a new tin of some OTC, Sir Walter Raleigh is most often my choice.

Pipe Used: Caked Briar

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Similar Blends: A tad bit sweeter than Granger....

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Theosprey247 (73)	2016-03-26		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Tolerable

A Classic burley blend along the lines of Prince Albert and Carter Hall but with a sugar topping instead of a chocolate one. Drier than PA and CH. it is also cheaper too. Lights easily and I had no problem keeping it lit. A good nonsense tobacco that hits the spot when I have a craving for tobacco taste. Highly recommended.

Pipe Used: Briars

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Quicker Liker

Similar Blends: Velvet but way better.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	r (34)	2015-11-01		Mild	Medium	Mild	Pleasant

I did not expect a sweet, pleasant smoke to come out of this blend - but it does, and in copious amounts. There are no surprises beyond its initial flavor - it stays constantly pleasant. I taste only anise, and little of the natural burley.

There is however a bit of a chemical aftertaste, and it bites. So maybe lightly packed, small bowls is the way to go.

Pipe Used: Peterson Irish Harp 408

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SiChange (45)	2015-10-10		Very Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant

I favor straight virginia, vabur, and English mixes but I enjoy this smooth burley from time to time. I appreciate the lightly applied anisette. No issues for me with chemical tastes. This classic is, in my opinion, excellent as a first choice for anyone who enjoys a light-bodied burley. Those wanting a lot of body and nicotine in their tobaccos might consider this one only as a change of pace.

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Local tobacco outlet

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-05-09		Very Mild	Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant

This is what my grandfather smoked so of course I had to try it. It behaves very well but burns quickly and is medium-low in nicotine and flavor. It is however quite pleasant and I personally enjoyed the light sweetness.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ruffinogold (112)	2011-04-21		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is one of the easy blends to light and smoke . It's Burley w/ a very light touch of sweet . If you're a burley smoker you'll at least enjoy it .It shines in a cob with coffee ! This is'nt a super refined blend by any means and it dosent pretend to be . It has enough nic and produces plenty of smoke . If you have a pipe that draws a little tight for most other blends it will probably rock for SWR . It dosent need a lot of draw and if you spazz on it it can get bitter down the bowl a ways . I love SWR in my old Kaywoodie # 39 ... It's the blend that works for me in the morning w/ coffee like no other . I prefer it to PA though they are pretty close . SWR is'nt MacBaren golden extra ... but what is right!? I'd suggest anyone to buy a pouch and give SWR a try . Take your time and get through the pouch . It's possible that afterwards while your back to your regular blends that SWR will creep back into your mind here and there and down the road you'll see a pouch in your cellar all the time ... or not . I was an Edgeworth Junkie for years and the first time I smoked SWR I thought ... hey , another Mans blend . It smokes cool , easy , no bite and packs about as good as it can get . If ya like the flavor ... then whats not to like :]

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-04-28		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Easily one of my favorites. Nice strong woody taste to this burley. Pouches tend to be a little less flavorful than the tubs. Lots of smoke and stays lit. No nasty mess in the bottom of the bowl. Best out of a cob or a clay pipe. For some reason briars tend to change it too much.

I remember the first time I tried it I thought it was too strong. It grew on me quickly and now many years later I still smoke it regularly. The folks I get it from think I'm nuts. I go in and buy a dozen tins of high dollar stuff and a couple tubs of SWR at the same time. It's not about price. It's about what you like.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-11-02		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

In the tin, this plug-cut burley has a basic burley grassiness topped along with an alcohol and cocoa aroma which smells like a chocolate liqueur.

This is a basic mix of gently sweetened light, brown, and dark burleys with rich flavor and a nice nicotine hit.

SIr Walter Raleigh is unassuming, comfortable, and quite enjoyable. This went well in chambers of any gauge.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	beaupipe (102)	2009-01-18		Mild	Mild	Mild	Tolerable

The general consensus around here seems to be that this is not such a bad tobacco, but it is perhaps not quite up to the standard of its historic competitor in the Anglo-named American Burley department--the venerable Prince Albert. I concur.

I've been smoking the Prince and the Sir for the last few days and find the Prince's flavors brighter, the burn cleaner, the tobacco less apt to bite and get bitter. SWR has a top-dressing from the roasted or charred spectrum--coffee, chocolate, rum, something like that. Whatever it is, it makes a gentle companion to the essentially nutty Burley that forms the backbone of the blend.

Don't get me wrong...I think SWR is a decent blend, especially for the price. Then again, I'm more than willing to pay the premiums needed to acquire better Burleys from the likes of Wessex, Solani, or C&D. So smoke it if ya' gotta.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PeterD (91)	2008-09-08		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

I started smoking SWR in 1960 along with a few pouches of Prince Albert. While I am a matured Virginia Plug smoker for the most part, I always keep a tub of SWR handy.

Certainly it is not a complex smoke or taste, and as prior reviewers have noted, it has changed since its introduction in 1884 by the J.G. Flynt Co. to Brown & Williamson who bought the brand in 1925.

However, the "essence" of this tobacco is still there... What I smoked in 1960 is still detectable even with the various manufacturing processes and companies who have been involved with this brand. Perhaps I adjust my expectations for this tobacco or perhaps nostalgia takes over, but I think its worth a try.

UPDATE: Still one of my favorite smokes...even with the changes in companies who manufacturer this tobacco...

...a pipe is to be savored...

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Artemus_Ward (2)	2008-05-16		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Sir Walter Raleigh is my favorite among the OTC burleys. I'll smoke the others, but I always come back to this one. Taste is subjective, but I always seem to get a more consistantly satisfying smoke from SWR compared to the competition. The flavor is nutty, somewhat spicy to my tastes, sometimes a little peppery depending on how I smoke it. I find it a good way to begin my smoking day, and I like it both in a briar as well as in a cob. The room note is warm, pleasant, also kind of spicy, to my nose. It has the nice, straight up, old-fashioned tobacco smell I recall from my childhood visits to my pipe-smoking great-grandfather's house.

I smoke all types of tobacco -- when I want something sweet, I'll go with an aromatic; when I went something more substantial and complex, the English blends fit the bill. When I want a simple, no-frills, but enjoyable smoke, Sir Walter Raleigh works for me.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	WillardFan (90)	2007-12-02		Mild	Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

OK, so I'm not much of a Burley fan, and after smoking this stuff, I can see why. There's not much flavor in this tobacco, in fact I found it a little bitter. Not much to describe in the room note either. I bought this on a whim, so I guess I shouldn't complain. I'll stick with my Captain Black Royal for my all day smoke, and a nice English Blend to end the day...

Update: I've totally changed my mind about this one. Maybe I got a bad batch for my initial review of this classic tobacco? After several fresh, new pouches of this blend, I have come to the conclusion, that I was wrong. It is now in my current rotation, and will continue to be in my top five Codger Blends...

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-09-09		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

SWR was the first pipe tobacco I smoked way back in high school. Over the years, I drifted to aromatics. Last year, I tried English and Balkan blends and fell in love. No more aromatics. The other day, on a whim, I picked up a pouch of SWR and truly enjoyed it. This is what my grandfather and my father smoked when I was a boy. This was probably the most popular pipe tobacco then. SWR, IMHO, is a mild, nutty tasting, cool smoking blend. This is burley, burley, burley. Definitely a must try for anyone who likes burley, or is curious about burley blends. This is not the only burley on the market, but it is good. I will not give up my English or Balkan blends, but SWR will be a regular in my list of favorites.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-04-13		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

I was pleasantly surprised by SWR. The pouch aroma was a bit unusual (a bit like Bugler cigarette tobacco), but I found the tobacco felt quite natural and not sticky to the touch. It burned quite well and yielded that good old burley flavor.

If smoked gently, it will not bite.

All in all-good stuff. I do however, prefer the cut of Prince Albert.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Patriot (5)	2006-07-22		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I'll admit that straight from the tin, SWR is barely okay. Like another reviewer, I smoke it while traveling, hence it stays in my truck. What a wonderful surprise I had when smoking it on a day trip after a few weeks of New Mexico heat had effectively stoved this burley blend! Flavors of chocolate, vanilla, and cinnaminish-spice seeped from the tin, and the smoke itself kept that melding. My suggestion: stove this and try it again--maybe you'll be surpised too!

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Darth 69 (117)	2005-10-31		Very Mild	Medium	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

1-9-2010

Wow! Lane Limited has improved this tobacco since it had taken production over from Brown and Williamson. Still not as good but definately improved. This tobacco was from the pouch and not the the large tin which I would stay away from. From what I can remember their large tin tobacco smell like sweet alcoholic hairspray wether SWR or Captain Black. Anyways, the cut is a finer short, crumbly texture than the previous irregular chunky cake-cube. The B&W version was like small, crumbly cake pellets. This version doesn't quite have the weight of flavor and aroma of the former but again much improved over Lane's original reformulation and more like the older version. The pouch aroma reminds me of chocolate and the spice mace or nutmeg. Very mild to bland tastewise but positive on contemplation I think. I giving this a strong 2 stars and will likely buy it again. For me it beat out the current Granger which isn't quite as good as it used to be years ago. The original SWR in my opinion was the best burley tobaco of all time even though it was a "drugstore blend." This incarnation isn't quite there but pleasureable and reminiscent. Still even better then most Mac Baren burley tobaccos.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2002-09-29		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

A few weeks ago, I noticed that a grocery store in my neighborhood carried a large variety of pipe tobacco. Here in Dallas pipe tobacco is getting harder and harder to find outside specialty shops, so I decided to vote with my dollars and try a pouch of everything the grocery store had to offer. So far, I've tried, or re-tried, many of the Great Drugstore Brands: Carter Hall, Mixture 79, Prince Albert, et. al. All of these blends more or less sucked.

But Sir Walter Raleigh is the best of the lot so far. It is a plain chopped burley that smokes, thank Jah, just like a plain chopped burley. That is, it is simple, not heavily cased, and reasonably toothless. Unlike many of the other GDBs, Sir Walter Raleigh is actually pleasantly smokeable. It has a nutty, slightly bitter taste, but no sourness, even at the end of the bowl, and it's not at all bad as a working or walking smoke. SWR certainly won't replace Durbar or Hamborger Veermaster in my affections, but I feel some relief knowing that if I get stuck in the hinterlands without tobacco, I can buy some Sir Walter Raleigh and survive. I'd rather not smoke than have to duel with some of those other Drugstore Grendels.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrHoo (20)	2022-10-24		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I try to review blends for what they are, not for what they aren't. With SWR, though, they sort of go hand in hand. It doesn't have a lot of flavour (I don't taste or smell any added toppings but that's probably just me) but it doesn't leave any unpleasant aftertaste. It burns very well so, on one hand, it's good for breaking in a new pipe, but it can also really heat up a pipe, especially a small one. Oddly, that heat doesn't seem to transfer to the smoke. Letting a bowl from a new container dry over night might be a good idea but I can't be feshed. It's nicotine is very light for a burley which suits me fine but I know some of the brothers are looking for more of a hit. I mostly smoke Va Flakes but sometimes, especially at night, I just feel like an uncomplicated bowl of SWR and I always keep some around. Im getting on in years and, more and more more I find I'm more contented if I'm careful to manage my expectations. SWR is an excellent example of that. Three stars if you do that.

Pipe Used: My dad's old briars

Age When Smoked: Fresh from the container.

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Prince Albert, C&D Pegasus..

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	b7q (54)	2022-08-18		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

I'm a full-time smoker, and my work is mostly done at my desk and computer. There is always a light in my hand, but not every time for nicotine, just a habit, because of this, I must learn to protect my tongue, so that the smoke can drift aimlessly.

The relationship between tobacco and pipe is like the relationship between musical instrument and microphone (highlight and hide). I have about eight pipes rotating every day, But I had no desire to be a blender。

This is a basic Burley smoke, which belongs to the same category as Carter Hall, Velvet, Granger, Prince Albert, etc., but each has a different topping. Don't expect any surprises. They are not Mac Baren-Navy Flake, Cornell & Diehl-Old Joe Krantz

To me, they were just habitual smokers smoking a pipe when I didn't need to focus.

Pipe Used: Meerschaum&Clay&Briar&corn

Age When Smoked: 10

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com,cupojoes.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	WorkingClassChap (197)	2021-11-05		Medium	Very Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Smoking now:

Making my way though some OTC blends and next one my list is SWR. Pouch note smells like what I expect burley tobacco to smell like with added chocolate and anise. It’s pleasant. Not wet, perfect to go right from the pouch.

Like all these blends it packs and lights perfectly. The taste however mild it is is there. It’s chocolate and anise. Very easy and pleasant to smoke. No mouth tingle, no bite, even for a burley which usually does not agree with my tongue. Retrohale doesn’t tingle but you won’t pick up any more flavor. A very mild, all day smoke. It’s not bad, but it’s not good either. I have no complaints other than a not so ok aftertaste when I smoked without a filter. It’s a four dollar pouch. With morning coffee it was fine. Room note is “old man tobacco”. People will tell you stories of their grandfathers as you smoke it. So for that it’s worth it.

Pipe Used: Cob

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	getyur@sstomars (26)	2021-11-03		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I've been going through all the American "greats", codgers, OTC, and drug store blends. what ever you choose call them is OK just don't knock them till you've tried them. now some of these blends are pure, distilled grossness. But sir deserves a chance. I almost passed it up do to the fact thT it contains aniseed, I hate that shite. Half and half almost made me puke. no really it gagged me. but this has almost no decernable aniseed, and only a tiny tiny whiff of alcohol. monster was perfect for consumption. cut al crinkle or crosscut to some of you. medium small squares of consistent milk chocolate brown color. scoop method works best for me, and be careful of over packing , it will bit if you do. takes well to the match, and requires very few lights to smoke to ashes, w small to very small amount of dottle. taste wise it's not complex, but what it does have it does well. mild chocolate and liquor w a bit of eRthyness. it's nice to treat your taste buds like real buddy's and give them a break from the back breaking labor of having to pick through and decipher your boutique blends nuances. sir let's them chill by the pool and unwind. it's not really an all day every day smoke for me, but I'm very happy to have it on hand, and will never b without a pouch. and it's only 6$ at the B&M!!

3 well deserved 🌟's

Pipe Used: cob,billiards, brebbia linea a

Age When Smoked: ?

Purchased From: store

Similar Blends: velvet (but less toppings).

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2019-01-19		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This OTC has been a very pleasant surprise. Being a Burley fan and intrigued by the American codgers classics, I started with this one. Once the tub is opened and the tobacco had time to air out a good part of the moisture and the PG, SWR has proven to offer a likable smoking experience. The cut provides a slow burning which is essentiel to guarantee the possibility to enjoy the subtle nutty and chocolate flavors of the Burleys. The overall taste from the casing is quite unique and I tend to believe that either you love it, or cannot stand it. last but not least, I found out the nicotine content is more than what I expected, which proved to be a delightful bonus. From experience, I tend to think that all OTCs are at their best if you acquire a tub rather than pouches.

Pipe Used: Savinelli and Peterson; Charles Towne Cobbler

Age When Smoked: 2 Y 6 M

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	LondonPipe (2)	2018-11-25		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Despite trying a myriad of pipe tobaccos on my own particular journey my go to otc blend and generally workaday smoke is St Bruno ready rubbed and now the flake version so having found an excellent source of pipe tobacco from the US it was with much eagerness I wanted to try SWR. I wasn’t disappointed at all - a sweet smoke that required hardly any re lights it was a flavourful bowl of deliciousness - yes it doesn’t pack much of a throat punch but despite some of the negative reviews I rate it as a thouroghly good tobacco of which I’ve already ordered more !

Pipe Used: Falcon

Age When Smoked: Fresh from the pouch

Purchased From: Online

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Catholic Hoosier (6)	2018-08-21		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I ordered this online, and was told it is considered one of the "OTC" blends. Needless to say, I wasn't expecting much. However, upon lighting up my first bowl, I was very pleasantly surprised. It is cheap, but I don't believe it's an aromatic. The first few bowls were okay, but after smoking this blend for nearly a week, I began to appreciate it much more. The flavoring/topping/casing on this tobacco seems to taste and smell like molasses, but I could be wrong. The flavoring however is so mild when you taste it, that it takes quite a bit to figure out. For those who do not like sweet tobaccos, do not be alarmed. The flavoring is so mild, and so subtle, that it takes experience and time to actually fully taste it. The moisture level runs somewhat on the high side, so one may wish to dry it out. Packing can be somewhat difficult, and you may need more relights than other tobaccos. Overall, a fine, well-rounded all-day smoke.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	WolfmanSam (37)	2018-07-10		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

My impressions are based on a recently purchased fresh pouch from smokingpipes.com.

The cube like tobacco is almost dry and ready to smoke. I scooped, gently tamped and added fire. I sensed cocoa, nuts, wood, a mild sweetness and it’s a tad spicy.

It burned at a moderate pace. Do not puff quickly, or the taste will turn bitter.

SWR is a good, no frills drugstore burley. While it’s in a different league then ABF, the benchmark of burley blends, the burley enthusiast will enjoy it.

If you’re new to pipe smoking, buy a corn cob and a pouch of SWR, it will not disappoint.

Note: Since I don’t have the option to rate this at 2.5 stars, I chose 2 stars. It is definitely not a 2 star blend, so don’t let that dissuade you.

Edit 7/10/18 I’m revising my rating. This is a good burley and three star worthy.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BlueTomorrow (15)	2018-04-17		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Sir Walter Raleigh is an excellent choice for someone seeking a burley-based blend with a little added flavor and sweetness.

The molasses topping makes itself known without overpowering the smoke. It's pleasantly sweet; not cloying by any means, and the sweetness compliments the rich nuttiness of the burleys. You can taste a little spice in the top notes, especially with a retrohale, but the anise flavor does not dominate the smoke by any means.

SWR burns down well and smokes cool--it doesn't bite at all. The rough cut packs easily and the tobacco stays flavorful to the bottom of the bowl Its room note is pretty strong, but it's a pleasant one that reminds me vaguely of fall. I'd recommend this classic blend to anyone looking for a lightly sweet and flavorful burley smoke. I'll be picking up a whole can of this for sure.

Pipe Used: MM cob

Age When Smoked: pouch

Purchased From: SmokingPipes.com

Similar Blends: Half & Half.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Smoking Caterpillar (4)	2018-01-06		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I have always enjoyed this tobacco because I am a Burley fanatic and SWR is one of the classics. I do have some suggestions on how to make it a great smoke every time though. I think it has Dark Burley, along with the usual White, so I find that it is really well suited for the Autumn and Winter months. I also find that unlike a lot of other Burley blends SWR is better in a briar, specifically one dedicated to Burley blends. A fresh tub is better than the pouch as well, although I always used to biybpouches and like them too. I suggest going out and trying other premium Burley like the Solani and Wessex, and Mac Baren Golden Extra first. After you decide Burley is your thing go back and retry SWR in a briar with coffee and you will appreciate that Lane uses very good leaf. When you open a fresh tub you will be hit with an overwhelming chocolate covered raisin scent. Some people say Anise, but I have never detected it. As you smoke the tobacco you will also notice molasses possibly from dark rum which is there I believe. The Burley used is very nutty with a touch of spice from the Dark leaf. This blend is very wholesome with notes of cocoa, nuts, and fresh bakes bread and is my favorite morning coffee pipe. Especially on weekend mornings when you have time to relax with a morning pipe with the morning coffee. This blend also has one of the best old time Burley room notes I have ever encountered. If anyone else ever smells the pipe bowl right after you have finished your smoke try it with this one and you will get the most comforting aroma. Almost indescribable, but perfect. If you like this blend at all and haven't tried it from a fresh tub you are doing yourself a disservice. I highly recommend it. One of the truly simple pleasures of life.

Pipe Used: briars, cobs

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Local stores

Similar Blends: Lane Ltd. Ready Rubbed, Prince Albert, Mac Baren Golden Extra, etc..

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Cherry picker 1779 (52)	2017-12-17		Very Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

Bought a pouch in a pinch, good bang for your buck. Never saw tobacco with this appearance. It is hard and granola like. Package smells quite mild with a note of anice and a hint of maybe apple or pear. Load it up and don't be surprised you can't tamp it, yes it is that hard/ dry. Smokes cool, mild , but it's decent drug store burley. Has a very classic grandpas pipe room note. Not bad. Nothing too satisfying but it makes for good baccy to light up for a short ride in the truck or something to puff on with time constraints. Probably a good one for mowing the lawn or something along those lines. I'll give it a solid 2.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	dbl-bbl (45)	2017-12-10		Mild	Very Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant

With all of the so called boutique tobacco blends available today ... it's too easy to overlook this time honored "humble" blend that has probably been the start for many of pipe smokers of days gone by.

I bought this SWR a year ago along with a couple other codger blends (Prince Albert & Carter Hall). I immediately opened the SWR and after performing the sniff test I loaded up a pipe for the first smoke. Not bad stuff, monochromatic and cool smoking as others have duly noted. Yet with plenty of other blends available, I then socked away the remainder of the pouch into a mason jar.

I've been holding off smoking a new briar pipe that I picked up a few weeks ago as I've been undecided whether to use it for Flakes & VaPers or English & Balkan blends. Although I'm still undecided which direction to go with this particular pipe, I figured it was high time to begin the break in process ... so I opted for some good old Burley. The SWR that I had trialed a year ago and then jarred away ... was the perfect medicine for breaking in this new pipe.

Heck I like SWR ... nothing complex here ... just a good old nutty tasting Burley "Codger Blend" that delivers a cool & pleasantly flavorful smoke ... if one so desires it can easily qualify as an all day smoke. Guess I'll just continue breaking in this pipe with SWR until I figure what else to use it for ... and if I can't ... well heck I'll just stick with the SWR. No hoopla with this blend ... just good, clean, smooth, refreshing tobacco taste!

Pipe Used: Briars & Meerschaums

Age When Smoked: Aged 1 Year

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	1979 (62)	2017-11-05		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Sir Walter Raleigh

This ain't bad stuff.  Nutty and slightly chocolatey lightly cased cube cut burley.  Comparable to Carter Hall, tho I think Carter Hall has slightly more depth of flavor, I think this one has slightly more nicotine hit. Nothing offensive here, just mild. Unlike some otc pouches, this one will actually dry out so not a lot of humectant on this one. This would be a good starting point for a beginning piper or a fine all day mixture for a veteran. I feel okay recommending this one in the 2½ - 3 star range.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DenizBeck (323)	2017-10-20		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I recenty got lucky to get a pouch of this and was pleasantly surprised by this classic and classy OTC.

Inside the beautiful pouch there's a medium- and dark brown tobacco, almost like a cube cut. It smells of anise, slightly fruity, and nutty. Perfect to smoke right away, but can make use of some drying time imho.

It performs just as wonderful in the pipe as the pouch look! The Burley is very earthy and nutty, with some toastiness and bread to it. I also get some dark cocoa, and the "oriental spice" from the description is also there. Pleasantly spicy, while being smooth as silk. SWR's flavoring is anise-ish, little fruity and molasses sweet. I was expecting this to be much more stout and spicy, but I like the way it turned out to be tasting. "Semi-aromatic", where the tobacco and top-flavoring are harmonizing very, very well. It slightly reminds me of GLPs Barbary Coast.

A wonderful, interesting and very palatable blend, that could easily be an All-Day for some and I'd definetly smoke this regularly if it was available over here! Not too shabby, really!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Planet Scott (66)	2017-05-29		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Part of a promotion a few years ago that sent me a free pouch.

Solid, but not a stellar blend. A basic burly with nothing horrible. A decent daily smoker id you prefer burly. Puff gently or tongue bite can be an issue.

I'm not a fan of burly, but this is one I can smoke every once in awhile,

Age When Smoked: 3 years

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Col. Stuffinpuff (14)	2017-04-06		Mild	Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

Imagine a more sassy Carter Hall, and you'd be close.

Very nice cut that burns well with few relights, and no bite.

Not a lot of nicotine or flavor, but that's what you want sometimes, no?

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jason h. (51)	2016-12-28		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Another American classic. Pretty straightforward without too many frills. Taste is pretty good, and as usual has that classic "pipey" smell. This is a good one for someone who wants to try a classic!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	GeorgeOH (2)	2016-12-08		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

This is my main tobacco. It's as reliably enjoyable as the company of an old friend. The fragrance from the tin as I load it is as wonderful and enticing and adventurous as when I sneaked a package from my father's grocery store in my mid-teens, which was decades ago. It burns well and never lets me down. I have been (temporarily) hooked on mature Virginias, and often enchanted by the rich English blends, but I always return to SWR.

Pipe Used: Many some from estates and some old Dr. Grabows.

Age When Smoked: Varies

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	AcworthAl (38)	2016-07-28		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Not bad for OTC, nice decent pipe tobacco. A change of pace from the English blends I smoke the most. No bite, smokes cool. Glad I gave it a try

Pipe Used: Curvy

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Iwan Rines

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BereanTRB (1)	2016-06-22		Medium	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

I can understand why some may not like SWR for lacking certain flavors or complexity. But what for what it does have it doesn't do anything wrong; no bad flavors and it's well behaved. The straightforward burley is rich and smooth and satisfying to my palate. Less edgy than straight virginias (which I like a lot) but I think a little more of a fuller, well-rounded flavor.

I like the small, crumbled cut. Very easy to pack, no need to break anything up. It smoked beautifully, burning evenly and lasted a long time. I let a few pinches set out for about 10-15 minutes before packing but it wasn't that moist and could probably be smoked fine straight out of the package.

Overall, I really enjoyed smoking Sir Walter Raleigh. The flavor was very pleasant, rich and just slightly sweet, easy to relax with. I'm an occasional smoker but I can see this easily being a good all-day tobacco. I would happily keep some of this on hand on a regular basis.

Pipe Used: La Rocca Meerschaum-lined Briar

Age When Smoked: New package, just opened.

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	William H. Hardy (95)	2016-05-20		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is absolutely and unapologetically my favorite OTC pipe tobacco. I like it above several "premium pipe tobaccos" that I've tried in the past. I was fortunate enough to talk myself into buying a 14 oz tub of this and I have to agree with some of the codgers I've talked to; SWR in the tub is better than in the package. It's a little moist in the tub, but that just means it'll stay hydrated longer. With that being said, I am a big fan of Burleys, so if you don't like them, that's all you're going to get with this one. However, I think it's a fantastic representative of American "Golden Age" pipe tobacco.

At first light, I can taste the liqueur/anise (I get Sambuca) top flavor, which is welcome and adds to the experience of the smoke. This quickly fades into the background and I'm left with the flavor of good Burley. I find that the older I become, the more I enjoy licorice/anisette flavors. I find them oddly comforting. It is a bit milder than the Burleys that I usually smoke, but it has enough Vitamin N to satisfy me. After spending quite a bit of time with this, I'd have to say that I prefer this to CH, PA, or H&H.

OTC blends don't get a lot of respect. I used to be a tobacco snob, so I know how it can be. I looked down on all the OTC blends when I first go into smoking a pipe. However, some of the OTCs that I have tried have been some of the best experiences that I have had smoking. Oh, there are some crap OTCs out there, in my opinion, but one man's trash is another man's treasure. Just don't write this off if you like Burley tobaccos. If you do, I think that you'll really like it. 3.5 stars or more depending on my desire for a mild Burley tobacco. For my part, this could be the only tobacco left and I'd be perfectly content.

Pipe Used: Grabows, Kaywoodies, and Custom-Bilts

Age When Smoked: No idea and don't really care. :-)

Purchased From: The local tobacco store, dude!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	htduck (28)	2016-01-19		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

Back in 2008 I purchased a large can of SWR. Since then I have smoked quite a few blends as there are so many good choices on the market these days. I buy a lot of tins, put them in the tobacco cabinet and sometimes a few get pushed to the back. A few weeks ago I dug out said 14 oz tin of SWR which I purchased back in 2008. I cracked it opened and discovered that Prince Albert and SWR must live in Carter Hall, wherever that might be. The three Brothers of Burley. Apparently this ages well since it was a good moisture, a mellow smoke and a no bite way to spend the evening. Easy to pack, char, tamp, relight and enjoy the next 30 minutes or so. Good room note. For you youngsters out there - go to YouTube, bring up some Ozzie Nelson TV shows. Ozzie smoking his pipe, raking leaves, correcting David and Ricky while entrancing Harriet with his style. That is real living and SWR will take you back to that time. I smoke this stuff in any pipe and it is always mild, relaxing, simple and enjoyable. If you do not like burley you will not like this at all. That is ok though, taste is subjective and to be respected. Not a problem, more for me. Also, keep in mind this is a good tobacco to add to other blends that you find a bit harsh. It has the ability to smooth off some rough corners. Nothing complex here, just comfortable like an old pair of moccasins.

Pipe Used: Any and all

Age When Smoked: Tin from 2008

Purchased From: Grocery Store

Similar Blends: Prince Albert, Carter Hall, a bit smoother than Granger.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mos6502 (4)	2015-12-24		Mild	Very Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Having smoked Carter Hall, Captain Black, Half and Half, and Prince Albert - I finally got around to Sir Walter Raleigh. And I would say it rates with the best of those, if not one notch above. So if you don't like those OTC tobaccos you probably won't like this. But if you do like any of those, you should try this.

The smell out of the can is very strong. It's a sort of fruity, sweet, almost wine like scent. I'm guessing this is the Anisette. After opening the can, I thought I might have made a terrible mistake purchasing this. But this smell only comes across very lightly during smoking, the flavoring is light. Mostly you get a pleasant nutty flavor, with a hint of sweetness that comes and goes.

It does not get bitter towards the bottom of the bowl like some of the other OTC brands, although it also seems like it could bite harder than the others if you're inclined to enthusiastic puffing.

It's a little sweeter and a little more flavorful than Prince Albert or Carter Hall, and although it's distinctly different than Captain Black (regular) I'm not necessarily sure it's appreciably better, I guess that will depend on one's personal tastes. It is however definitely above Captain Black so far as aftertaste is concerned - it hardly leaves any.

On the other hand it's not the sort of "yard work" tobacco like PA or CH is, since I don't think you can puff carelessly without being bitten. For sitting around or driving though it is fine.

Update: I have noticed that when used in a pipe with the filter, this tobacco is less likely to turn the filter into a brown soggy mess than some (most?) OTC brands. What that means for your mouth I'll let you decide.

Update 2: The more familiar I get with this the more enjoyable I find it. It burns and tastes better when packed relatively loosely. The taste is most pleasant when smoked as slow as possible, and exhaling through one's nose really lets one taste the nuttier, woodier, flavors on the back of one's tongue. Will burn down to white ash if packed loosely and smoked slowly. Pack it firmly and it will tend to go out and leave goopy ash. I am now convinced that of the "old codger" brands which are still available, this is the best. I've given it a four star rating, but remember these four stars are relative to OTC brands.

Pipe Used: CC

Age When Smoked: right out of the can

Purchased From: H.E.B.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Grovesy (32)	2015-11-23		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Good ol' fashioned codger burley! Slightly sweet with a hint of Anise, and good, nutty burleys round out the taste. A great work shop or yard work pipe tobacco. No muss, no fuss. Also has a wife approved room note! Go ahead and tack on a couple pouches with your next order.

Age When Smoked: New

Similar Blends: Prince Albert.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrSchmidt (2)	2015-09-07		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

My grandfather's favorite blend, this is a classic...like the old version of Old Spice ( not the new crap). This is a trusty blend that is full bodied and has a kick. If you like burley, and I do, this has that spicy room note that will bring back memories. As you smoke to the bottom of the bowl, the flavor changes delightfully. If not packed properly, there is a noticeable bite.

Age When Smoked: Fresh

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Darth Vader (110)	2015-07-26		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

A decent all day smoke for a reasonable price. Others have described this well so i wont add more other than to say everyone should try this at least once. There' a reason this has been around for so long and sold so well.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Old German puffer (106)	2015-07-08		Mild	Extremely Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant

This is another of my weekly coupons that I just seem to get. I buy 2 pouches per week at $1.00 per pouch. I unpack it and throw it into a mason jar. It stays in my rotation cause I really like a light smoke with coffee. It is also a blend I don't really mind sharing. I started off years ago with this tobacco and I don't care what anyone said it tastes the same from the 50's on.

Pipe Used: GBD. Dr. Grabow. Kaywoodie Yellow Bole

Age When Smoked: pouch put in jars

Purchased From: TRO

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BigNick (59)	2015-02-05		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

The smell in the pouch is sweet and sugary but the burley pops out as a dominant smell. The cut is great, which allowed it to burn nicely. Straight out of the pouch, it was fine to smoke. The smoke is simple but not bland or boring. It has a sweetness to it but only so slightly. The burly taste is again a dominant feature. It has a straight-up tobacco taste. Words like earthy and grassy can't really describe it. Burns all the way down, not a wet smoke. When I think of an OTC blend, this is exactly what I think of. All in all, highly recommend.

Pipe Used: Dr. Grabow Lark, MM Legend

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Prince Albert - Prince Albert, Sutliff Tobacco Company - Edgeworth Ready Rubbed Match.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Knightsmoker (218)	2014-10-31		Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant

This is a very simple smoke. If you like mild on mild then this is it. Tobacco flavor that burley gives is soft cocoa, a little grassy note here and there and nuttiness all tide into a light topping that has a little sweetness an anise flavoring. It does bite but for me I have noticed that the milder blends typically do that. Big burley blends don't so much but the milder side does. Maybe I push too hard to find the flavor but bite it will. Still not the worst smoke in the world. It is great for just smoking when not wanting to focus on finer nuances of a blend I love. Others don't seem to mind the room note as much as my other blends too. If I were to ever fall on hard times this would be 1 blend that I would come back to.

Pipe Used: cob

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Phonomet (44)	2014-06-15		Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Tolerable

It took some getting used to. When I try an OTC, I usually expect unnaturally moist tobacco and this was bone dry. I thought perhaps the pouch had sat on the shelf for a couple of decades. Though I find most tobaccos to have a pleasant room note, this one was kind of musty. I blended it with some other burleys I had sitting around and found that the blend seemed better than the sum of its parts. After a little time with it, I became a believer. I still use it to blend but I enjoy it alone too. It's a mild, consistent burley. When compared to other straight burley OTCs, I think it rises above the rest.

Age When Smoked: Fresh

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2014-06-06		Mild	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

This is a terrific blend. It transcends the mundane category of OTC. Though thinner (less rich) than the McClelland Virginias I put at the top of the heap, Sir Walter Raleigh is pleasant and satisfying all the way around. Let me throw in the word "yummy."

Pipe Used: various

Age When Smoked: 65

Purchased From: PipesandCigars.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Blue Bayou (60)	2013-08-02		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Great as a mixer with other drugstore blends. No bite.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Karl Childers (3)	2012-10-22		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Pleasant

I like OTC blends, but this one is unsmokable. Literally. It won't burn. I try this tobacco about once every decade and it's always the same. Perhaps it's just me, but I don't have this problem with anything else. After about 40 relights,there is some grey ash, but it's surrounded by black bits that haven't ignited, and the taste becomes a bit nasty, like smoking a cigar butt in your pipe. This has an incredibly bland taste at first, so much so that I can taste the pipe itself more than the tobacco. I don't think I will even use this for cutting too-aromatic blends, as you can do with PA and some others. In short, I'm just gonna toss it. Again.

As a side note, nowhere on the pouch I have does it give the name of the manufacturer. Strange. Beneath the image of Walt it does say "Ever Fresh," which to me means that it's loaded to the gills with propylene glycol. I have had a pouch lying wide open for about three weeks and it shows absolutely no signs of drying out. Maybe that's why it won't burn.

P. S. Tried it again just recently (Nov '20). Same results. Maybe the tub would be more representative? Dunno.

Pipe Used: Large cobs, various billiards

Purchased From: Local B & M turned head shop.

Similar Blends: Nothing in my experience resists lighting like this stuff, including wet flakes..

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-06-18		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Found the taste somewhat pleasing. Had minor bite, but had to puff like a freight train to keep lit. Has decent aroma. Will have to smoke a few more bowls as I think SWR has potential in my MM corn cob.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Earl Grey (34)	2012-04-13		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

At first I was put off by how dry this stuff was. I'd never seen anything like it--from a pouch wrapped in plastic. I thought that it may have been too old, or a bad pouch. I loaded it into one of my hardwood pipes and puffed like a man possessed. I was surprised at how long and even it burned after the first tamping. I liked the taste of it down to the bottom of the bowl. Had a nice nutty and smooth Burley flavor. No dottle afterwords and a very easy pipe cleaning.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-03-31		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Pleasant

This tobacco is alot like Carter Hall. It is very sweet, and has a nice room note. I just discovered it recently and gave it a try. This is a must buy for anyone who likes sweet burleys.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RyeWhiskey (43)	2012-03-15		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I can't believe I waited so long to try this blend. This is a great tobacco, and comes with a long history and a great price. Upon opening the tin you find this nice burley mulch type tobacco. It does indeed remind me of brownish gun-powdered tea. It has a nice familiar burley scent and looks like yep you guessed it a great burley tobaccy.

It loads great, though I did have to re-light it in the mid-bowl each time I have smoked it. This blend has been around for ages, and now I can see why. Its a no-nonsense burley and doesn't try to be anything else. I could swear I get a sweetness every 5-6 puff though, and I keep trying to find it all the way down.

It doesn't bite, smokes down fairly clean and cleans up nicely. I will always have this on hand from now on, and honestly had put it off for so long in favor of tinned tobacco and now am kicking myself. Get SWR and enjoy!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dr. G (15)	2011-11-20		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Burley as burley can be. A great, venerable old weed. As is typical of straight burleys, it can get bitter on the return trip. I rather like that feature, but for those finding this troublesome, try a loose pack in a cob and slow your cadence and this effect will be minimized. Recommended.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tleek (51)	2011-06-26		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Don't listen to all the people saying this is bad. It us great. Nice nuttu flavor easy to pack and burns well. Nothing fancy, but it doesn't have to be. Nice to smoke when you want something light and simple.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-05-19		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Here is another of the old OTC tobaccos that has been changed over the years. I first smoked it in 1955, in a Medico given to me for Christmas. It was my favorite for many years, being at that time pretty strong with lots of flavor. Now it seems to be almost the same as Prince Albert. Best taken from the tub, spread in a baking dish for 24 hours to get rid of the chemical taste. Still a good smoke.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-01-14		Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Early in my pipe smoking career I purchased a pouch of this on a whim. At the time I regretted it: I had to rehydrate it, it was cut in this wierd 'cube' shape, etc. etc. Those very same things I complained about as an early pipe smoker are now the very things I've gone back to it for. The cube cut is perfect: just gravity fill to the top, press down just a little, and add a few more little 'cubes' and you're good to go. As for the dryness... maybe I'm just still pissed off about having to spend over a month drying all the propelyne glycol out of a tub of Prince Albert, but for me it seems perfect. Obviously, it's not Wessex Burley Slice or Solani Aged Burley, but I'd put it right up there with MacBaren London Burley. I don't see why it lives in Prince Albert's propelyne glycol drenched shadow: things should really be the other way around. My only complaint is that it is a little bit difficult to find in pouch form. Thankfully, the girl at my local B&M (Blue Havana, in Chicago) was kind enough to order me in a bunch of this, as well as crap-ton of Prince Albert pouches. (Now all of you Chicagoans know where to find those two in pouches.)

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	chgo.piper (37)	2010-12-29		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Straight, honest burley and nothing more. This drugstore smoke hits the spot everytime I have a taste for it, especially with the morning cup. I was very pleased with this. smoke it in a cob and enjoy the chocolaty and earthy (a little more grassy than chocolaty) notes a good burley naturally has... I can't snub this OTC blend.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TK Pipe (101)	2010-12-05		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Non aromatic SWR. A nice smooth, satisfying and easy to control OT American Burley tobacco. A bowl of this in a MM cob, and you're all set. As a side note, I use a half of a Dr.Grabow filter in my MM cob. This works for me. This tobacco seems to improve with some drying time, also ending the smoke before the last bit of tobacco is consumed, is my SOP when smoking OT burleys. They could lower the PC level in this blend, but all in all a very wothwhile smoke, no bite and well suited to a busy smokers life. My personal rating 4.5/5

Addendum...Some tubs need more dry/airing time than others, but properly done SWR is a first class all day smoke. Either as a blender to tame stronger mixtures or straight, I‘ve enjoyed more than a few tubs.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	whitebriar (31)	2010-09-08		Mild to Medium	Mild	Very Full	Very Pleasant

this was my main blend back in the late '50s and early '60s--

hadn't smoked it in some time--was actually sold a tobacco that posed as SWR, but it clearly wasn't--BUT that's another story--

upon buying the real thing i discovered my old friend once more-- clean, sweet, cool burley--nothin' fancy--easy to light and keep lit--burns cleanly to the bottom of the bowl--if sipped slowly and care exercised while tamping there is no ashy taste or burley sourness--

don't try to compare it to upscale blends--just take it for what it is and enjoy yourself--an old fashioned OTC that just continues to please--

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Steden (100)	2010-03-24		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Another classical given me by Clarkus, that I thank. SWR is a good tobacco very easy to load and to smoke thanks to the cut (cross cut?) it has a mild flavoring and an unmistakable aroma of Burley. There is some Cavendish here (of good quality) that can somewhat remind Mc Baren style, on briars it tends to get little hot but smoked in a cob (with a bit of pressing) it improves, it doesn't bites at all and leaves a polite aftertaste. I highly recommend it to beginners and for all the others definitely worth a try.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	smoke65 (4)	2010-02-27		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

i rotate between this blend & PA. It's and reliable smoke-so you know what you're getting without any suprises. Like many OTC blends, it a manly smoke which satisfy you from start to finish. It does have a fruity smell that delights the senses. I give it my recommendation for those who are looking for reliability over some weak, metro-sexual, FOO FOO, expensive crap.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-02-17		Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant

A plain no frills burley blend, not very exciting, but comforting and reliable.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-02-08		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

I think it's a good smoke. I have my favorites and try to blend others together but I would not turn this one down.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sparks (7)	2009-11-07		Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

When I first started smoking the pipe regularly, I got wrapped up on the hype and was a sample whore. I tried every tobacco I could get my hands on, and often found myself to be utterly dissatisfied.

Eventually, I decided it was time to search for the elusive "all day smoke". Many search and never find such a thing. Now, I won't say that this turned out to be it for me, but it is a regular for sure, and I thoroughly enjoy it.

This is a basic blend, simple, no frills. There is no doubt if you have only tried the pouch, do yourself a favor and get a tub, you might find yourself adding one or two stars to your review. The smell out of the tub is enticing to me, chocolate, coffee and spiciness, very rich. A granulated cut burley, it is easy to load and light. Those of you that think this is ribbon need to re-acquaint yourself with tobacco cuts. The flavor is simple, no nonsense. Good nutty burley with hints of chocolate and raisin flavors in the smoke. It can get boring, but it's not meant to be a Pease or C&D blend. As far as bitterness goes, if you puff too hard it will go sour on you. This is mild, so accept that and enjoy the slight soft nuances of this smoke. If you are expecting a flavor punch like from OJK or another boutique burley, you are not going to get it here. Enjoy it for what it is.

When I don't know what to smoke, and my palate is overworked by all the fancy blends, this is what I turn to.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pipesmoker33 (18)	2009-11-03		Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Tried this one because I wanted to try some different drug store blends, and I can remember my grandfather smoking this stuff years ago. My first thought when I opened the package was that of a weak smell. Maybe a light alcohol smell. The tobacco was very dry. Did not pack well in my pipe at all. Burned very hot, and had the flavour of burnt grass. Gonna throw this one out.

Update: 11/09/2009 I shouldn't be so quick to judge. After smoking a few bowls, it's not as bad as I thought. Still not my fav, but i will add onother star.

Update: 03/04/17 I revisited this after a few years. I think I must have had a bad pouch before. I bought another pouch about a month ago, and this time I loved it. Maybe my palate changed or got a fresh batch. After the pouch was done, I bought a 14 oz tin. It has become my go-to smoke.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-09-03		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Sir Walter seems to be a distant cousin of Prince Albert. Both are good burleys. The pouch I tried earlier was a poor example compared to the tub I purchased later. Very strong burley taste. At one time I considered this to be a poor choice for my pipes. I have since changed my mind.

My wife doesn't care for the room note on this one but the taste is worth it to me. I shall be purchasing more in the future. Dry and stays lit in my pipe without a problem. May be too strong for some peoples taste. This goes well on cold winter days.

Unlike some other cheap brands Sir Walter comes in a sealed can with a real metal top instead of just cheap plastic wrap. For a drug store brand I surely can't complain.

Edit: I have to up my recommendation of this. The more of it I smoke the more I like it. My biggest complaint was the burley bitters at the bottom of the bowl. I've solved that by filling my bowls only half way. While being rather one dimensional it is still a pleasant smoke. It will remain in my rotation and I will store away several cans of this.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-08-19		Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

One of my favorite all day smokes. It's cheap and is much better quality than most of the cheap drugstore blends. It has a decent flavor and smokes easy. Just one light is all you need. I always have a pouch handy.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-07-15		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

When I'm going to cut the grass or work out in the garden, this is what I put in my cob. It's a great outside smoke. It's simple in nature (burley) so you don't have to pay any attention to it. Just puff on it while you putter around in the yard. For that, it's perfect.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-05-16		Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

From the can: My dad smoked this exclusively and I know why -the cost!. But actually, I really like this. It's crumbly (but not too dry - out of the can) so you don't want to pack it much. Just let gravity fill your pipe and give it a light finger tamp. It stays lit and has a light flavoring that is addictive in both smell and flavor. I am brought back to my childhood when I bury my nose in the can. Give it a try - you know there is reason the old drugstore brands are still around (and it isn't just the cost). Like PA and CH, SWR is a comfortable and enjoyable experience.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-03-08		Mild	Very Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Tolerable

I need to start by saying that I recommend all pipe tobacco because I feel everyone is different with different tastes. "To each his/her own". With that I be short in my review. I felt that SWR was mild tasting with an ok room note. Due to the amazing selection of pipe tobaccos these days SWR falls short of living up to anything noble. However, I feel it was never intended to. It's just a good old fashion pipe tobacco from yesteryear and a basic no non-sense blend of burley tobaccos. It is what it is, and you get what you get. Dr. Grabow

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-03-01		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Just a good straight tobacco for any one just getting in to pipe smoking also it is good for blending

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-01-18		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Once again, we find the details of a listed tobacco in gross error. Sir Walter Raleigh contains no black Cavendish. In fact, no Cavendish of any kind and is not ribbon cut. It is a cube cut Burley blend very similar to Edgeworth Ready Rubbed. The only real difference being the flavor. While SWR is not as flavorful as Edgeworth, it is still a smokable product for those who enjoy a mildly topped cubed Burley blend. Like any cubed Burley, it packs easily and lights with minimal effort. It isn't overly moist and burns well with minimal bite if smoked properly. Overall, I would give it three stars. It's not in the league of Edgeworth, but close.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-12-13		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Despite having sampled most of the rest of the classic American Codger Burlies, it recently came to my attention that I had not sampled SWR Regular. So naturally I had to pick up a pouch and give it a go.

True to the genre, if you're looking for fireworks or a lot of oooooh and aaaah you'd be better off looking elsewhere. SWR is what it is, a old school codger burley and has all the underpinnings thereof. The cut makes it a slow burner and the casing is very reminiscent of Edgeworth RR'd. This is a good old reliable, understated, low maintenance burley. Not many bells and whistles, like most codger burlies this blend is designed to be smoked by the working man while he works. Not a lot of time to fiddle with your pipe when you're working so SWR doesn't require it. The standard one light a tamp and then you're off. SWR will satisfy whether your paying attention or not. Like most codger burlies this is a fantastic "doing something else" tobacco perfect to smoke while working, fishing, mowing the lawn etc. The taste is great, this stuff wouldn't bite if you paid it to and it seems to leave a very subtle but pleasant taste stuck to the inside of your mouth. For the most part it doesn't leave that damp, soupy dottle and can easily and comfortably be smoked to the bottom of the bowl. The room note is somewhere between tolerable and pretty good. I can find no fault with this blend and will probably opt to purchase a tub the next time I buy it. There will obviously never be a replacement for our dearly departed Edgeworth RR'd but this is as close as it gets. If you're a burleyphile this is well worth your time and it's readily available for a very reasonable price. A good value says I. Prince Albert is still king of the codger burley roost but with the demise of ERR'd I would put SWR a close second. Three and a half stars.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BigSwede (93)	2008-12-02		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is an update: for decades my experience with SWR had been the same: I'd get a pack (the older paper fold at the top model) smoke about half of it and then leave it sitting around til it got so dry as to get tossed. I'd smoke it working in the garage, or while riding the lawnmower or out camping. It was rarely better than "OK". This last summer I picked up a newer roll up plastic pouch for something to do (I was going back through the basic OTC burleys). It definitely does not taste the same. Yeah, it could be me, but I'm not so sure. I don't get the blast of casing on lighting up. The flavor is way quieter, smoother. I can smoke it down to the bottom with little to no bitters. Cooler. Kinda fun in a basic sort of way. Smokes slower than say, PA or CH, due to the cut. I'm not saying this is gonna replace MacBaren Navy Flake but I find it more now on par with the other basic burley blends and more acceptable. I'd give it about 2 and 2/3 stars but it comes out three. If you are a basic no bull burley guy you might want to see if your experience agrees. Did I mention cheap?

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-10-31		Mild	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant

I am in the process of trying out the great American OTC blends. I tried SWR in a cob and found it virtually tasteless. In a small briar, it is an outstanding burley, with a mysterious yet pleasant taste that does not disapate as one gets nearer the end of the pipe.

The odd thing about SWR is the casing or topping. Open the can and you smell a kind of fermented cough syrup smell, or the sort of smell that you get from the bottom of a glass the morning after the party. Do not be put off by this. It is not present in the smoke -- at least not in my briar -- and I don't know, but aging may reduce it.

Like his estimable cousin, Prince Albert, Sir Walter is an excellent "service" smoke -- a low-maintenance tobacco. It stays lit, is fine if you have to relight it, and does not bite.

And at the price, a bargain. If you are looking for value, flavour and convenience, look no further.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SopwithCamel (255)	2008-06-30		Very Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is just plain, simple granulated burley, with a slight top dressing.

It's a cinch to pack. It is very plain, but it burns well and dry all the way down. You gotta sip this, or you will bring the bitterness to the fore.

Otherwise, it is a good smoke for when you want to read the paper with a cup of coffee, pay the bills, etc.

It has a nice, nutty grassy taste.

Lately I prefer this to Prince Albert, as I prefer the chunkier cut. It is much better out of the 14 ounce tin.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-06-08		Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

yeah, man, yeah... granulated tobacco, gravity fill, grapenuts texture. Burley, loving it... I am a big burley fan. I used to chew tobacco many many years ago, and I guess logically my first love then was the burley, as that's what they use in chewing tobacco. Moved then to VA's and never really got into them that much, then the Perique blends, I liked the flavors but the damage ratio was a little high for me, then to latakia, and just hated them... Finally, after all the boutique tobaccos and stuff, just started trying these old burleys out, and found out that's my thing... Make me feel so much better than the VA's, the Periques, the latakias, the orientals, because burley is the stuff I originally fell in love with, and just continues to be good to me. SWR is very nutty and nice, burns well, doesn't bite. Really one of the better ones in my opinion.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Satc001 (67)	2008-05-07		Mild	Medium to Strong	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

A lot has changed since I last had this, this tobacco doesn't even seem like it is the same blend. The first time I tried this, the leaf looked like rabbit pellets, tasted sickly sweet, and bit like the devil. This time around, well, its kind of good.

This isn't the nicest cut of tobacco in the world. The "cube cut" for a lack of a better term is somewhat course, but it helps this tobacco burn slower, which is a nice characteristic. Personally, I like the fact that this doesn't spontaneously combust the second you strike a match. It requires a few relights, which is a nice change of pace for a drug store blend.

This has really good burley flavor, buttery and slightly sweet. I don't really notice the casing, but the bit of sweetness might be contributed to it. This smokes rather cool and is a particularly nice blend for all day. The room note is pleasant. An all-tobacco aroma with a bit of sweetness to it.

I don't know why my first pouch of this was terrible a while back and frankly, it doesn't matter. This is on par with Prince Albert as far as OTC blends go. If you like Burley, give Sir Walter Raleigh a try.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	wintermute (90)	2008-04-18		Mild	Very Mild	Very Mild	Tolerable

As with Prince Albert, there is no nostalgia for me with this tobacco. I tried this stuff 20 years ago and hated it. I have just bought another pouch and I, well, like it somewhat. Upon opening the pouch there is a faint smell of casing and one sees both dark and light leaves. By the way, a hint at the actual topping may be found in an Old Time Radio commercial that I heard claiming that Sir Walter Raleigh is made with a little rum. However, that was a long time ago and the manufacture of it has probably changed since the 40's. Anyway, if someone still claims that the tobacco is topped with rum, I'd not have much grounds to doubt them. The moisture in the pouch was about right for a burley. It was, in my opinion, a bit clumpy for packing and one really had to know what they are doing. Keep your tamper near, you will need it. Lighting was easy and it only required one throughout the entire bowl. The smoke is easy on the tongue and no amount of puffing will make it bite. The flavor was minimal, but not strong at all. This would be a great starter tobacco were it not for the packing issues. The over all experience is nice, but it is no Prince. The topping does do one thing for the tobacco, however. It tends to heat up the bowl. Hold your pipe by the stem!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2004-03-10		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

The Original Sir Walter Raleigh is an O.K. tobacco but nothing really great just a plain and simple burley that seems to have a faint citrus casing. Overall, I was not highly impressed by this blend but also not totally put off by it. I would buy it again if I forget to take tobacco with my on a trip or for a car ride, as it is easy to find and rather cheap. What really stumps me is how can a company produce this tobacco and Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic at almost the same price point. For a 25 cents more in my area for a 1.5 oz pouch, you get a tobacco that is of 10 times better quality leaf plus a flavor that is at least as good if not better than most expensive aromatics. Save yourself the trouble, and skip right over the other cheapies at the store and go right for Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic a true sleeper tobacco blend.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tantric (321)	2002-10-04		Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Pleasant to Tolerable

For many years, Sir Walter Raleigh and Prince Albert, together with Borkum Riff, Captain Black and some of Middleton?s Vanilla tasting blends were about the only pipe tobaccos you could get in Mexico. I tried most of them, and I agree with the esteemed lustra in his perception of SWR. At the time I was trying to kick off my addiction to cigarettes (which I finally managed to do a number of years ago), and I remember that both Prince Albert and SWR seemed very good options, because they very much tasted of cigarettes!

SWR is perhaps closer to cigarette taste than PA; I don?t recall any casing and the flavour seemed rather sweet and sour (probably the cavendished leaf), though very subtle and muted. It is a tobacco easy to pack, easy to light and extremely simple to smoke. There are no complexities, no depth, no magic to it. Pack, light and smoke. Because of it mildness it can burn hot and I remember various cases of tongue bite with this one. Yes: given a situation in which no other brands are available, SWR and PA can do the trick, i.e., an illusion of smoking pipe tobacco.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HeadmasterOfHerf (25)	2023-01-03		Mild	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I smoke a bowl of the stuff every morning with my coffee.

Sometimes, during my lunch break, I'll smoke a bowl of the stuff with some more coffee.

I take it with me whenever I go backpacking or hiking.

Codger-pack it, light it up, smoke it down. Rinse and repeat. I have nothing but good things to say about Sir Walter Raleigh. It was an all-day smoke 50 years ago, it's an all-day smoke now. You think it's been around since the dinosaurs for no reason? Just try it.

Pipe Used: Multiple pipes

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: John Middleton, Inc - Carter Hall, John Middleton, Inc - Prince Albert, Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) - Granger, Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) - Velvet.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PennsylvaniaPiper (20)	2021-03-10		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Sir Walter Raleigh regular is comforting in both taste and aroma. Performs effortlessly, and provides simple pleasure to the fullest. It is nice to be able to enjoy a product that generations of people have enjoyed before you.

Pipe Used: Missouri Meerschaum Diplomat

Age When Smoked: fresh pouch

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lager (53)	2021-01-30		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Pleasant

I remember smoking this when Brown & Williamson made it and didn't care for it. Times change and I guess so have I. Older and maybe wiser lol. This is a simple Burley with a mild topping. I have always had a love hate relationship with Burley. It's either to harsh, to weak or over flavored in my opinion. This one has neither as it's just very pleasant and easy to smoke. I also enjoy SWR aromatic on occasion. This is a great entry tobacco for the starter piper and us older codgers. Being close to retirement and getting out of the rat race this is simply what I am looking for. Easy and uncomplicated.

Lager

Pipe Used: Stanwell,peterson

Age When Smoked: New to 3 months

Purchased From: Smoking pipes

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	AtlanticPiper (13)	2020-10-25		Mild	Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant

I am a firm believer that all the old drugstore blends have their place, and no one should write them off prematurely. The smell and taste are just as all the other reviews describe: nutty, hint of chocolate, earthy. A very cool smoke. If this was the end of the review, I'd say: "Eh, give it a go, but you won't write home about it."

Unfortunately, that is not the end of my review.

I had issues with this blend. Firstly, the 1.5oz pouch that I got was ridiculously dry - so dry that it literally turned to dust ( not an exaggeration - actual tobacco dust ) as I tried packing it into my pipe. Further, it seemed to be disintegrating into dust even as it sat in the mason jar. Additionally, there is an aftertaste that does not sit right with me. It reminds me of the chemical aftertaste that you have after smoking a cigarette. This is not to be confused with the comparison that burley pipe smokers make to cigarettes - I mean a true chemical aftertaste that is unrelated to the burley.

I tried convincing myself that this was a an oldie-but a-goodie, but after 3 or 4 bowls, I had to dump the rest of it. However, I do not consider it money misspent. For a fiver, I learned an important lesson: Do not buy Sir Walter Raleigh.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gr8tefuldawg (87)	2019-10-15		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

What else can I say about this blend that hasn’t already been mentioned. It’s not going to take any awards home, however the burley will give you a nutty and pleasant taste, the topping on this is not really detectable by me, the burley will get sour at times. I enjoy this on occasion but it’s hit or miss.

2021 update, I have returned to this blend and it has become more appealing with time. I regularly smoke this on my drive to and from work because I don't have to worry about it and I know exactly what to expect. I only wish sometimes the topping wasn't so heavy handed.

2021-2 Update. This blend has see-sawed through my rotation for the last year almost now. I completely gave up on it and vowed i'd never smoke it again. With the recent switch to 7 oz tubs i was worried the formula would change and we would never see the original type again.

I bought a 14 oz tube and know exactly what to expect from this blend. I let this air dry for about 3-4 days and it smoked very well, the burley comes through and the aromatic topping which taste like a bubblegum liqour to me but slightly applied really does well.

I will continue to wrestle with this blend likely until i run out of the 14 oz tub. Give it a try and see how you feel about it.

Pipe Used: MM general

Age When Smoked: Weeks to months old

Purchased From: Tobacco pipes.com

Similar Blends: Peter Stokkebye - Cube Cut Burley PS-41.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jorge Soler (203)	2018-08-02		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Not that it is absolutely horrible, but it is not the best OTC I ever had either. It looks as though it wants to deliver halfway through, but there is nothing remarkable about it. The cut is more of a rough cube cut than a ribbons', so it was easy to pack, but I needed a few relights to get it going. Most of you will probably let it go without a fuss, but I don't think I've got the heart to bin it.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CnS Pipes (40)	2018-02-17		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Sir Walter Raleigh (SWR) pipe tobacco a all American course cut Burley pipe tobacco that to be honest I had to learn to smoke correctly to enjoy the taste it delivers. At first I would pack SWR as I do any other pipe tobacco and that was my first mistake, I didnt realize until later that gravity feeding with a slight tamp set this pipe tobacco off and to definitely not smoke it hot or it will but and you'll miss out on the taste. I have come to love SWR and enjoy it very much especially in the morning with a cup of coffee plus it satisfies my nicotine cravings very well. I can see quickly how ones first smoking exsperiance can go south with this blend if not packed and smoked in the way its cut to be packed and smoked but once you get past that your golden. Peter Stokkebye's Cube Cut is what I consider the high quality version of SWR without a topping as SWR has a nice flavored topping that compliment's to burley quite well. I have also noticed how close it resembles Lanes Ready Rub (Edgeworth) they almost go hand in hand with a few obvious differences but never the less pretty dang close. When you first open the pouch or tub the smell is nothing to rave about but the taste is another story. When I first light up the bowl I get that old school American burley flavor that I love so much and all the way through it will behave and smoke very smooth but if you heat it up to much be warned (biting) will happen and you will loose that flavor quick and get burley bitter taste for the rest of your bowl so take your time and enjoy. I can taste a sweet almost coco like flavor when I smoke this with mild hints of anise in the background but just enough to make it interesting not over power the burley which is one thing I like so much about SWR. It also has a hint of something else in there some kind of a spice I just cannot make out but is a lovely taste and adds to its room note more so then any other thing in the topping but I give it a thumbs up on that one. I love the fact that this pipe tobacco blend has some history to it amd our grandfathers loved the stuff, I love that it is a icon of American pipe tobacco and its legacy still has survived and stood the test of time, I would of loved to taste SWR in its original form made from the tobaccos of yesterday I can only imagine how great that tasted in your pipe, good old Kentucky burley SWR is one of the pipe tobaccos that keeps on letting you taste and enjoy that fine tobacco grown right here in the USA!!! I recommend this to anyone because its neutral in flavor and can appease both sides of the pipe smoking world if you appreciate burley in the first place of course and even if you have not given burley a chance yet or are new to pipe smoking then this is some good old fashion pipe tobacco that I believe will not disappoint, just make sure to stick by the guide lines I have given because trust me if you don't OUCH & YUCK ( hey just being honest)... Thanks for reading my review and God bless you and the United States, stick by your guns and support your American tobacco farmers and stand for your smoking rights, this country was built by tobacco, its yet another heritage of ours trying to be destroyed.

Pipe Used: MM Corn Cobs CnS Pipes

Age When Smoked: 39

Purchased From: Barneys in Pinehurst Idaho and Big Smoke CDA

Similar Blends: Peter Stokkebye Cube Cute and Lanes Ready Rub (Edgeworth).

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	gahdzila (61)	2017-03-20		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Uniform medium brown color. The cut is unique - it's "clumpy." It reminds me of a breakfast cereal, something like Grape Nuts or chunks of granola or something. This review is of the tub variant, but have also smoked a few pouches of SWR. The pouch version is drier and even more clumpy, but the clumps are still there in this tub version. Perfect moisture in this tub version (pouches always seemed overly dry on inspection, but smoked and tasted just fine). Nicotine is mild, a tic milder than PA. Very well behaved in the pipe, as one would expect.

SWR has a somewhat darker and earthier flavor than the other drug store burleys. I believe there is a top flavoring added, something like chocolate but not quite. It's more obvious in the tub version than the pouch version. The pouch version has more of just a straight tobacco flavor. Not much more can be said about it flavorwise - pleasant and straightforward, burley with some "sort of chocolatey" flavoring, more towards the earthy and less sweet end of the spectrum.

originally reviewed 12/6/2012

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JackalMike (7)	2016-06-03		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

It's OK. Decent taste. Nice room note. Nothing too awful or amazing about it. It'll bite if you push it.

I removed the contents from the pouch and placed them in a smaller bail-top jar. It isn't my favorite and I only smoke it when the mood strikes me.

I won't tote a billboard recommending it. But I can't say I wouldn't recommend it either. It would work in a pinch if I was out of something else. I may give it more chances and see how I feel after several more bowls.

Happy Puffing,

Mike

P.S. This also comes in an aromatic version. I purchased the aromatic at the same time as the SWRR. My opinion of it is basically on par with this one.

Pipe Used: Cob, Briar, Hardwood

Age When Smoked: Unknown. 1.5 oz. pouch

Purchased From: Local B&M

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Corvus (36)	2016-03-18		Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant

Certainly an American classic. This is an easy smoking, no fuss tobacco, akin to the few other burley OTCs that have survived over time. Semi-sweet with definite hints of anise and some very, very light cocoa which is more evident in the pouch. Not as sweet, cased, or anise-flavored as Carter Hall, and less nutty and cocoay than Prince Albert. Otherwise, just a mild burley with only a hint of roasted nuts and traces of both bitterness and sourness. The cut is conducive to packing pipes of all sizes and a simple scoop without much tamping is perfect to load it up. Like many of these blends it lights quick and burns fairly quickly.

Overall, not a bad blend and one I would buy again without reservation. Ultimately just a little light weight to earn a full recommendation. I also found it to develop some off flavors at times. If asked blindly to recommend a tobacco, even a drugstore blend, it wouldn't be this one. On the other hand, if I was specifically asked if is SWR worth a try I would say yes. So I would say this is a very strong 2 star blend.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Nwpipesmker (27)	2016-02-27		Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant

Got a coupon for one dollar for a 1.5 oz pouch. After opening it it was as dry as kilnd dried sawdust. No flavor burnt fast. No bite though. I could see blending this with a moist cavendish. For me not a winner.

Pipe Used: Cob

Age When Smoked: Just opened

Purchased From: The smoker

Similar Blends: Sawdust or cigarette tobacco roll your own..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	THRobinson (3)	2015-04-23		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Tolerable

I'm pretty new to pipe tobacco, but have tried about 20 kinds so far. I enjoyed the Prince Albert and saw a few people mention that this was a basic smoking tobacco like Prince Albert so I gave it a try.

Immediately I noticed the smell when I opened it. Horrible. Let a few people take a whiff and all agreed, it does not smell good at all.

Taste was ok, it didn't smoke too bad, and I liked the cut. As someone mentioned, it was like granola almost which I liked and found easy to pack into the bowl. It wasn't anything special smoke wise, just a good straight forward smoke, like Prince Albert. However, the smell of it in the bag was such that I finally just gave it away. Maybe I got a bad batch? No idea, but, in the future when I buy a basic straight forward go-to tobacco, I'll stick with Prince Albert or the Lane 1-Q.

Pipe Used: Stanwell Night & Day

Purchased From: 4Noggins

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	incognitopoet (37)	2014-10-03		Overwhelming	Extra Strong	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Very Pleasant

My grandfather smoked this, and it smelled so good. It was part of the pure magic of visiting his house.

I have tried several pouches over the years and always regretted it. Tongue bite, chemical aftertaste, and a ruined pipe were the result every time.

I guess sometimes childhood memories should just be left alone, without an attempt to revisit them.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Alparoleofficer (10)	2014-08-19		Mild	None Detected	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Pleasant to Tolerable

I saw several reviews recommending SRW so i thought that I would give it a shot in hopes that it would be better than Captain Black. Long story short, it wasnt. I ended up blending this tobacco into my better tobacco to stretch the good stuff a little further. Dry out of the pouch, and not very flavorful.

Pipe Used: MM

Age When Smoked: 2 years

Purchased From: Local gas station

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2013-09-18		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

The pouch says its aromatic but its just straight tobacco with no casing. From the pouch it was bone dry so i had to revive it over night. It has an earthy taste and a slightly sweet aroma but not pleasing to everyone. I personally like this blend as an afternoon smoke. I prefer Carter Hall over this blend any day however.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	The Right Reverend (36)	2013-08-23		Mild	Mild	Mild	Tolerable to Strong

Yup, a burley. A good easy smoke, I can see why it is a classic. It was very light tasting, the greenish (as in plants) burley taste was there and it was a bit sweet on the draw. It burned well in my bowl but I was interrupted. My wife, who tolerates my Latikias and likes a good aromatic, well she usually just leaves the porch when she doesn't like what I am smoking, this time she was across the house and came and shut the windows and said it smelled like cigarette smoke and that I need to stop smoking it now. Wow, that was a reaction. Even my daughter who likes the Latikias hated it. Two stars because it smokes easy, but only two since the house committee has said no sir to the Sir at our home.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SmokeKing David (134)	2013-03-20		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable

It's OK, but better options abound. I prefer any of the MacBaren or Cornell & Diehl burleys.

Govern Yourself Accordingly.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Thbg (29)	2012-08-22		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is burley tobacco with a light casing of some kind of general sweetness. Pouch smells nutty and maybe some chocolate notes, but very subtle. The room note is good and the blend goes great with morning coffee. It is also good to bring a pipe back to neutral after smoking aromatics or heavy latakia blends in it.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Phototone (9)	2012-03-20		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Well, I am torn on this old blend. It is very flavorful when you first crack the lid on the can, or pop open the pouch, but it has an essence that seems to evaporate.

I have a 14 oz. tub of this, that I have had for over a year, and after about 6 months it became flavorless, truly flavorless, yet it is not really dry.

Its a peculiar thing, yet if you can smoke the whole tub while it is "fresh" it is a very tasty and satisfaying burley smoke.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrT999 (318)	2011-11-12		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Nice straightforward and easy smoking (short on matches or lighter fluid? go with this), but rather staid. It does get bitter halfway through even medium-sized pipes for me. Want something easy and relaxing in a small pipe? Try this.

(This review based on a bulk buy)

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-11-10		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

What's wrong with this Tobacco? Absolutely nothing. What's right about it? Not much either. It is a fine, yet nondescript baccy. No real taste. Yet, lights well, burns well, etc. A little bland. Nothing great....nothing awful (see Borkim Riff Whiskey!) When it comes to OTC stuff, I would recommend Prince Albert over this stuff - but that is just me - some may agree some not. Still better than some bulks or other OTC I have had.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-07-14		Very Mild	Extremely Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have always liked the flavour of this tobacco,that is the firts half. The only drawback is the bitterness that develops about halfway thru the bowl. I've known a few that smoked this all their lives. True Kentucky and Tennessee Burley leaf.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-03-23		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

My cobs have been working overtime lately; for some reason I decided to launch into a mini-tour of drug store blends. I'll start off by saying SWR is not a bad smoke. Compared to PA, SWR shares a bit of that burley chocolate smell in the pouch, although SWR is less sweet, more like bitter cocoa. There's also a note I can't quite put my finger on. Something like a little bit of mint? Cut green wood? I don't know. The cut of SWR is unique, very fine. PA is fine cut as well, but still retains a bit of tuftiness. SWR is just dry, chunky bits of burley kibble. Loading a bowl of this is less packing than pouring. Also unlike PA, there doesn't appear too much added in the way of humectant. The smoke is very mild and tastes almost exactly like it smells. Not a lot of flavor. People throw around the term 'all-day-smoke,' but I think this is a blend you probably actually could smoke for five hours straight and barely notice (flavor-wise, not necessarily nic-wise). If you want to really enjoy a pipe, there are better blends. If you just want to smoke, SWR is a very serviceable background kind of blend. Personally I prefer PA (between the two) and find it more satisfying in the flavor department, but there's certainly nothing wrong with SWR. Indeed I can see why some people might prefer SWR because it seems to be more additive-free. I probably won't buy another pouch unless the whim strikes me or it's the only thing available. It could be used as a blender, but even then I'd probably prefer PA, as PA just has more burley flavor and I like a little more moisture in my blenders (I keep my 'good' tobacco on the dry side). As a final note I'll observe that this was the absolute cheapest pipe tobacco available at my local smoke shop, even cheaper than the Dream Castle generic cherry-bombs (which I will not be visiting during my OTC tour :) ).

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-01-10		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Picked this up as a cheaper tobacco to smoke with the guys while having a drink. As a newcomer to pipe smoking, it's a good blend to smoke casually. The sweetness is a bit off-putting at first but now that I'm nearing the bottom of the pouch it's a pleasant thing to come back to. It needed some airing to smoke well but there were few problems with burning out or burning too hot in a well-packed pipe. Not a bad blend to pick up if you're low on money or need something to smoke quick and enjoy on a car ride.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Arkie (129)	2011-01-06		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I wanted to like this blend because of nostalgia from 45 years ago of my dad's best friend smoking it. The first thing I noticed when I opened a pouch of SWR was the cut of the tobacco. It almost seemed as though it had been finely ground rather than cut. I suppose it was chopped so finely in order to conceal stems and twigs. It tasted exactly like Prince Albert and it had the same room note. There are better blends available at the same price (SWR aro & Carter Hall) so it couldn't be considered a good value even if it is cheap. Still, it is an honest blend with no awful additives, fillers, artificial flavorings, etc so it is worthy of 2 stars.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	7formy1911 (37)	2010-01-15		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

In my quest for good smokes I always seem to shoot for the esoteric and miss the obvious. While I'm a huge fan of Prince Albert I haven't really looked into codger burleys beyond PA. Being thrifty I got the idea to head by the nearby tobacco stop and see if they had any pipe tobacco at all. They had the typical stuff like PA, SWR, Half & Half and Carter Hall. I picked up a pouch of SWR and Half & Half since I've actually never tried them before. I had a newly acquired estate pipe in hand so I figured why not break it in with SWR. Upon opening the pouch I was greeted with the smell of raisins, figs and an ever so slight rum smell. My wife said it smelled like a "fruity granola bar" which I agree is pretty accurate. It's a pretty chunky cut which I can say I'm ambivalent about. Loading up my new Amphora sandblasted bulldog I gravity filled the pipe with an extra pinch on top and gave it a nice charring light. One more match and I was off to the races. SWR struck me as a nice burley with some of the raisin and rum flavor coming through but not as strong as I suspected. There was some burley nuttiness that I enjoy but not as much as PA. The one detraction was that it can turn bitter if you puff a little too hard or it's a bit windy out but it's quite easily controlled as long as you puff slow and steady. It burned fairly fast and even though this is a pretty large pipe I was done in about 40 to 45 minutes. That can be good or bad depending on time constraints or how much free time you have to burn (pun intended!). If you want something simple, not heavy on nicotine, tasty with some burley nuttiness then SWR will certainly fill the bill. It's not a nicotine or flavor blast and it's quite simple from beginning to end but I truely am admiring simplicity both in life and pipe tobacco. SWR is quite simple but still has much to offer in that simplicity.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-08-14		Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant

As we all know this is a straight burley with some sweetish topping. It is chopped into inconsistently sized pieces and was on the dry side when I purchased the 1.5 oz pouch. Still in the pouch, it smells also of chocolate and slightly of alcohol. Packing and lighting was easy...to keep this lit longer I fill a bowl, false light and tamp and then refill and light...burley flecks burn quickly so this works well. The aroma was very nice...a little sweet and buttery-nutty, no real sour taste on the palate. I'll definitely buy this again since it is on the lighter side of the "topping" spectrum, which I prefer, a nice drug-store blend. I have spent countless hundreds of dollars on high dollar tobacco, been disappointed and found this simple, inexpensive burley eclipses quite a few of them.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	krg1000 (183)	2009-07-20		Extremely Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

I must give this another star. I seem to have written off SWR too quickly on my original review below (which is untouched). I must put it in the same ring as those which I single out in my original review. It is very easy to light and keep lit and is very unpretentious. Simple is sometimes what one needs. I indeed did finish off the small sample that I had and can now recommend it.

Original review: This is the current stop on my trip down OTC lane. I must say that I am not very impressed at all with SWR. Thankfully, I only have a 2 ounce purchase to deal with. The only plus of this blend is that it is a cheap blend and I really can see why it is priced as low as it is. This may indeed end up in the trash bin very shortly. I don't really detect any real taste with this blend at all. I really can't see what all the postive reviewers see in this at all. I find Carter Hall, Prince Albert and a couple of the Captain Black blends far superior in taste and overall quality. I won't be buying this again.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-03-25		Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Tolerable

My dad was a pipe smoker and SWR was his favorite blend. I guess that's why I wanted to like it so much. But either the recipe has changed over the years or my memories are clouded by my nostalgia. Not entirely bad and I can understand why some people smoke it. It's just that for me, there are better burley blends available.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Demetri (113)	2009-03-08		Very Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Tolerable

Echoing the review immediately below, I am fairly ambivalent concerning SWR. As I usually tend to the English side of the tobacco spectrum, this is not a surprise. However in terms of making recommendations I am learning that it is difficult to rate a blend for others to reference as this is such a subjective measure. I'd probably rate this higher if blends of this type were my normal cup of tea. Actually I did like it better than the Edgeworth blend which was decidedly boring and one-dimensional to me. This was a tab more tasty and was the blend I used to wean myself off of cigarettes. I tried a bowl yesterday to renew my impressions and will most likely keep what I have left in the pouch as a rainy day backup. In other words...it's not that bad.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	periqueguy (43)	2009-03-06		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is simply a cased burley cube cut type tobacco that has many loyal, devoted fans. Personally, when I desire this type of smoke, I prefer either Granger or Prince Albert. I find SWR kinda boring and I usually can't finish a bowlful. However, I know several people who smoke only this in their Dr. Grabow pipes and would smoke nothing else. As they say, to each their own and that's why their are thouands of tobacco blends.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-02-24		Mild	Mild	Mild	Tolerable

This is another of those tobaccos you can easily find at the grocery store. I thought it was two dry and every time I have bought this it has been super dry and crunchy sounding when rubbed between the fingers. It burned well and it didn't have a terrible room note, but the lack of freshness makes me think of stale tobacco, it just isn't my cup of tea. There isn't much flavor there. My Private notes have this at a 3.0 out of 10 affordability is the biggest benefit.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-01-24		Mild	Medium	Full	Very Pleasant

I find Sir Walter Raleigh to be a very original taste for a pipe tobacco blend.The burley in this blend gives a nice flavor of richness and the casing is a touch of chocolate with someone else... maybe a whiskey of some kind.Overall,I enjoy the cut of the tobacco which is similar to Edgeworth RR and the burn on SWR is always nice and slow.Luckily this blend is widely available and it's best fresh from the can:)

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-08-21		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This tobacco is of good quality, but lacks in the flavor dept. The aroma is superb and that is what made me go out and buy some. It's pebble cut/granulated burley. Fills easy and lights easy. You need two bowls of this to satisfy the nicotine monkey if you don't inhale any. Had this tobacco been aged with slightly more topping, it would rate at three stars. If I couldn't get PA or H & H, I'd settle for this.

After smoking a few bowls of this I updated my review. Yes it is very light but smooth. The flavor is quite earthy and has a grassy note to it. The aroma is smokey with a hickory wood smell. There is no accelerants or preservatives added. It's somewhat dry out of the pouch. Im guessing out of the can, it would be a little moister. This is a very nice clean smoke, with no bull$#!+ added. I still favor PA, H & H, and { Jimmy Carter } Hall to this, but if this was all I could find I'd run with it! This is comparable with Mild Kentucky Club. If you like the lighter burleys, this will scratch the itch.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Auroraboy (22)	2008-07-07		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Finally got around to trying this after years of reading the reviews. It's not one readily available in Southern California drugstores, but I finally found some in a Culver City Rite-Aid. It's fairly inexpensive, and comes in the fold over pouch like Captain Black. The orange and blue design is beautiful, as it doesn't seem to have changed much over the years.

The scent from the open pouch is pleasant, burley tobacco, with a very light raisin-y booze note. Smelled great to me! Bigger, thicker cut than Middleton tobaccos, but packed easily. Doesn't stay lit quite like the Prince, but burns more slowly and behaves quite well. It smoked nicely almost to the bottom of the bowl, where it tended to get a little acrid and nasty. I can't find much to complain about with this stuff, and it does have much to recommend it. This does have its share of poor reviews, and I just don't see why. 75 years of pipesmokers can't be that far off!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Loboatomy (41)	2008-06-11		Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I hadn't ever seen this for sale in my area before today and as a fancier of American burley's I just had to give it a try. I've smoked the Aromatic version in the past and found it decent.

Not horrible. I love the dryish granulated cut. Not too much other than "real tobacco" with a bit of molassasy casing in the pouch, somewhat licoricey and "almost" perfumey on first light, settling down to a toasty,"bready" burley smoke with some cigarettish undertones. Somewhat grassy too, at the back of the tongue. I suspect that theres some poor quality virginia leaf in here in addition to the stated burley and "cavendish".

Just not too much flavor, not too much of anything, in fact. Unlike PA, H&H or any of the other drugstore pouch burleys, this one never really hit that awesome nutty "burley groove" for me. The best thing about this stuff is that the great smell of real tobacco does waft nicely into the nose from time to time, I just wish that it tasted as good as it smells.

I originally tried this blend out in a brand new no name cutty that I had previously honey/ash treated and I thought that the pipe might have been to blame, I later tried it in a couple of my "burley cobs" with the same results as my first encounter.

A decent enough experience, but not inspiring, and I could see smoking this if nothing else were available. With all of the other great drugstore blends out there (and falling all over the place in my closet), though ,I doubt I'll be buying another pouch of this.

Perhaps it was better in past years. Maybe the tinned version is better-I doubt I'll ever find out.

I'll give it two stars, 1 star being reserved for awfulness like Mixture No.79 and Kentucky Bird. I'll also rank it last on my list of drugstore burleys.

Sorry Walt...

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-03-24		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This isn't the worst smoke in the world, but personally I don't think it holds a candle to the SWR Aromatic. This is a course-cut burley, but honestly, it's a bit too course, and usually very dry. It's not awful and can be rather nice if taken slowly. It seems to burn a bit hot, and there is a slight bitterness to it, although my experience hasn't been as bad as some others. If I was stuck somewhere with nothing else to smoke, I wouldn't turn this down, but it's definitely not my first choice.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-01-04		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Tolerable

Sir Walter Raleigh is just plain crimp cut burley with a light top dressing. It burns slow, cool and has little bite unless you pull on it like a freight train. One of the better OTC burley blends, but not quite as good as Edgeworth Ready Rubbed.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jaybee (77)	2007-12-04		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I smoked this years ago and my recent revisit revealed that this blend hasn't changed much. Plain burley with delicate topping that I can't describe and am not particularly fond of. I do like the cut, which reminds me of the crumbles your end up with when trying to rub out 2015. It lights easily and is tolerable for the first half of the bowl....I just dump the rest. Reasonably priced, available everywhere and I still prefer it above the aromatic OTC blends. In an ever-changing world it is nice to know that some things stay the same........

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2006-12-01		Mild	Mild	Very Mild	Tolerable

Wandering in Sunnyvale, CA one evening after supper - I had my pipe but no tobacco. Upon stopping off at a newsagent I found myself with this behind the counter pack, probably because of the name and design.. (fickle man !) and thought ... Why not !

OK - not my ususal - it's got a topping and is little moist. I expected gurglings and bite form the pouch aroma ..but pleasantly surprised by it's calm smoke and gentle taste.

Better than many ...worse than some... For a one off pouch on an otherwise tobacco less evening I would plunge again.

No knighthoods this time for Walter but the court was not entirely displeased.

I say keep an open mind and don't be put off by the negative reviews out there and "branding" as often ral-ei-ghed at drugstore tobacco's.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Philo Beddoe (221)	2006-02-25		Very Mild	Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Similar to Carter Hall, but not as nutty. Easy to smoke but very little flavor, not bad in a pinch, but I would not buy it again. There are other tobaccos that are just as available and provide better taste. Good for the novice pipe smoker or to break in a new pipe.

1 person found this review helpful.