Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Sir Walter Raleigh

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!

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!