Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic

I have a confession to make. Recently, at my monthly Pipe Club meeting, I took a 14oz sealed tin of Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic that had been sitting in my "cellar" for a couple of years to share with the group. I cannot speak to what others think of the blend, (it never turned sour or bitter on me, the after taste was sweet and tobaccoey and my wife loved the smell that lingered on my moustashe) and I really liked it -- a lot!

Unlike the dry, cube cut non-aromatic version, this was more of a shag cut and was at just the right moisture level. Upon popping the lid, the smell was semi-sweet and very unique. I packed a full bowl in a well used Krempp 1/8 bent stacked billiard that I normally reserve for Latakia blends. The initial lighting caused a thick and wonderfully fragrant smoke/aroma. The taste was of quality Burley with an unidentifiable, yet pleasant casing that added to the enjoyment. I smoked my usual 3/4 of a bowl and when I dumped the dottle, it was mostly dry - no goop at all. I smoked the bowl fairly rapidly with absolutely not even a hint of tongue bite. I cannot wait to work my way through the rest of the tin. I do not know what this stuff will taste like from a pouch (I have found the pouch versions of most "drugstore" type tobaccos to be less impressive than the tinned versions for some reason) but I think many of you - particularly the aromatic crowd - will find this to be pleasing. I like a lot of nicotine in my smoke and this stuff has it, yet it is not particularly heavy in the nicotine department. Just a totally satisfying smoke.

Okay, flog me if you must, but this "drugstore" blend really is a winner -- IMO, of course.

This tobacco is like an old friend. From the first time I smoked it over 30 years ago I always keep it on hand in the tin.

Someone said that it reminds him of Christmas and I have to agree with that. If you think this is just a sweeter version of Original Sir Walter Raleigh you are mistaken. This blend and the original are two different animals. Nice tasting nuty Burleys and mild sweet Virginias laced with a wonderful aromatic liquor. Not sure what liquor it is but it's delicious in the blend. The aroma is like fresh baked cookies and old fashioned boiled plum pudding. You'll be sure to get compliments.

This blend is really a nice smoke that tastes like it should cost a lot more than it does.

This is one of my favorite aromatics. It really is nothing like the regular Sir Walter Raleigh (which is my all time favorite Burley blend). The cut is ribbon, and the pouch aroma is of some undefined liqueur...pleasantly sweet with fruits and perhaps coffee present. No hint of the usual vanilla scent that permeates many OTC aromatics.

The ribbon cut was easy to pack (but in my opinion ALL tobacco is easy to pack if you really want to smoke the darn thing, rather than fiddle around and over-think the process). Lights up easily and burns very well for me. Very few relights.

The initial taste is of an aromatic for sure, but tobacco flavor makes its presence known as well. I would describe the taste as one of very light fruit, but predominantly of caramel and tobacco. Delicious. The pouches I buy at the local shop tend to be on the dry side, but that is beneficial for me as SWRA burns extremely well. The room note with the smoke is noticeable to me while smoking and smells of brown sugar. Nothing but compliments from my nonsmoker friends, which is always nice.

I do find that it can taste a bit harsh and might nip a bit if pushed, especially towards the end of the bowl.

Oh and one more thing. The nicotine is present in this blend. Rare for me to feel it with most tobaccos (high tolerance), but I certainly do with this one. Nothing powerful certainly (it's no Five Brothers) but definitely there.

A great non-Black Cavendish, old school American Aromatic.

Wow. I was honestly very surprised by just how much I like this blend. The smell out of the pouch is so unassuming that I thought it would be really bland and boring. Just mildly sweet tobacco and not much else, but quite pleasant. But the flavors are much more complicated than I expected. It has a wonderful walnut from the burley and an apricot-like sweet taste that I really enjoy. This is one of two aromatics that I have really enjoyed, the other being Savinelli's Black Cavendish which is very similar.

I am smoking my 5th bowl of SWRA in a Butz Choquin large billiard. The pouch aroma is reminescent of butterscoth and stays lit quite well. The blender says there are 3 liquers in it. I like the result. I have not tried regular SWR but I will pick up a pouch for comparison. I think this is an underrated aromatic that deserves its time in the sun!

This is topped with creme de cacao, dekupyer hazlenut, and a french anise liquer according to my tobacconist. All three are present, but the key component is the hazlenut, which is quite strong, deliciously so.

No blend, except perhaps some of the amaretto or cherry blends produce a roomnote this pleasant. This not only smells good it tastes good. Really good! The burley is top notch. It is on par with any top end tobacco, and not low nor medium quality.

This blend has been around for a very long time, and at one time, Sir Walter Raleigh was the choice smoke for USMC soldiers decades ago, much as how unfiltered lucky strikes were the choice cigarette.

This is arguably the best aromatic blend in production, and the one you must "try before you die."

One of my most expensive pipes is dedicated to this blend, a one of a kind freehand kaywoodie churchwarden giant, that cost more than an equivalent dunhill would have. A tobacco this good needed a pipe that good.

This is a great aromatic blend. The casing is very conspicuous, smells like caramel, although not excessively sweet. I can´t associate that aroma with any of the liqueurs mentioned in the description, but, once it starts to burn, it makes a good team with the burley-virginia flavors throughout the bowl. In my book, the best of all the US drugstore blends.

This is another blend I had not smoked in many years. Picked up a pouch a couple of days ago to see what I thought of it now. It's still pretty good for the price. ($3.59 in my area) It seems a bit milder then I remember but it's likely been twenty years since I last smoked it. A little sweet but not over the top. I never had any problems with it biting before and I still don't. It's kind of hard for me to put my finger on the flavoring but I guess vanilla spice comes to mind as a fitting description. This tobacco has been around for a long time and will remain for years to come. It's a bargin folks. Give it a shot! You won't be disappointed.

Update: After smoking more pouches of SWRA I'm compelled to add another star bringing it up to four. This is good stuff and is quickly becoming my favorite aromatic blend at any price.

I am quickly beginning to discover that unlike a fine wine,or wines, you do not need to spend lots of money to get a great tobacco. Sir Walter Raleigh cost me a whole $2.50 and I love it. It has the smell that used to make me think of vanilla when I was a child.

Upon opening I am greeted by a raisin-liquor smell and when I first packed it I noticed it was very finely cut burley,or ribbon cut as some call it. The girlfriend rating was a "5 star". She loves the smell of all my aromatics.

The taste was heavy burley and a light liquor casing. It is better than some desserts for me. I love this blend with a nice Guinness beer. Highly recommended. 4/4/ stars.