Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Sir Walter Raleigh

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.

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 The package looked outdated and in my neck of the woods, didn't seem to have the same pedigree as Prince Albert.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.

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.

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.

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! )

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.

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.

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.

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!