Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Sir Walter Raleigh

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.