House of Windsor Briggs

A rich but mellow burley blend, smometimes there is a hint of a sweet flavour, but mostly all I taste is somewhat like bourbon.

My wife says it smells somewaht strong, but not too bad, I enjoy this blend and it's one of my staples when I can find it.

Its a shame that the House Of Windsor operation has closed down, as for sentimental reasons i would have loved to still have Briggs in production...

Briggs is a burley lover's delight. A rich burley flavor with tones of a light VA with hints of apple and bourbon. I have had several different cans of Briggs (all made by HoW, of course) and since they're from different ages they are all a little different looking and smoking, but the taste stays pretty constant. I have one can that I got recently that seemed a bit dry. for Christmas this year my wonderful wife found me one of those old Briggs wooden barrels that have the clay (?) insert in the lid to maintain moisture in the barrel. I put the drier Briggs in the barrel today and i will update how this little experiment turns out later.

If you're a fan of Burley Blends then Briggs is a good one to try. Otherwise, this old time blend may not be your cup of tea

Just a side note here :All brands that were made by House of Windsor were picked up by a Panamanian company called Durfort Holdings: Argosy Black, Field & Stream, Revelation, Country Doctor, Union Leader, & Bourbon Street. I believe it is the intent of the Panamanian company to continue making the previously listed items, But I have no information on all the other HoW Blends and recipes that this holding company now owns, which unfortunately includes Briggs and Model

I opened a tin of Brigg's a few days ago. I find this a pretty good smoke. A full flavor smoke, in my opinion. Seems that the nicotine content is higher than I expected. I did not notice a casing or topping, just good burley and Virginia.

At almost twice the price of H&H and the Prince, and only available online or mail order with shipping charges, I probably will only buy this occasionally. I never tried this stuff when you could find it almost everywhere(decades ago). All in all, this tobacco is good. Makes a person long for the good old days.

Since im back on burleys I bought a pouch of this. Another trip back to the old days! Has that 1930's and 1940's flair about it. This is what was smoked back in those days! This blend is at the other end of the spectrum compared to Model or Prince Albert. This is full bodied, rich, and quite strong! You want nicotine, walla! If you never smoked a pipe and you pick this up because it says when a feller needs a friend, well you'll have a few after smoking this because the room will be spinning! By no means am I saying this is a bad tobacco, it's just not for beginners. This is one serious burley. It's so damn expensive though! What in the world is H.O.W. doing? 10oz cans for $23.00 is a bit steep for these blends. It's good, but not that good. If I want a strong burley I'll go with H&H or Granger for $16.00 a can plus 4 more oz. For now I'll just stick with the Prince.

**Update**I admit to a fascination with the old blends. I recently scored a full tin of Briggs from back when Lorillard still made it. The original is admittedly similar to the HOW blend but the flavor is more definite and robust. More in line, regarding strength, with Union Leader. An easy uncomplicated smoke with no bite or drama. In contrast the HOW effort is very understated and one had to actually search for the flavor. The original blend's side stream and room note is closer to Crooner than anything I've found. Original review follows:

After smoking increasingly strong tobacco I had a need for something mild. I dug out my HOW can of Briggs, filled an old briar and gave it another whirl. It had dried out considerably and that made the difference: it smokes better when dry. This is the mildest tobacco I've smoked, it burns as cool as anything I've ever tried and there were no "burley bitters". The flavor is that of straight up burley and the smallest hint of a mild topping (which in the can reminds one of raisins). In my middle years I've become a minimalist and this fills the bill. Like one of the earlier reviewers I find this enjoyable as the first pipe of the day with coffee. Recommended for burley lovers who are looking for something simple and minimally flavored.

Don't believe the hype: Briggs is an excellent burley blend. It is also one of the HOW's best pipe tobaccos. A big seller between the 1930s and 1950s, Briggs was famous for both its slogan ("When a Feller Needs a Friend") and its boast of aging for four years in "oaken casks--extra long for extra flavor." If you like burley, you'll love Briggs.

One reviewer here compares it to Edgeworth Ready Rubbed. This is an apt comparison, but I find Briggs a more satisfying and flavorful smoke overall. Both share a largely burley composition, with a dash of Virginia white flake added. Briggs has a slightly sweeter taste, and the tobacco used herein is unassailable in its quality. I find it ideal as an all-day companion: cool-smoking, mild, and delicious.

If you are interested in exploring the pleasures of burley tobacco, and looking for something more than the bitter dreck of Prince Albert or Carter Hall, then Briggs is a superb place to start. Three stars for this oft-overlooked American classic.

The cut makes packing, lighting and smoking Briggs as easy as riding a bike: no problems, nothing complicated, nothing spectacular, but rather nice. The tobacco in the tin has, to me, kind of a tutti-fruiti scent, but that did not translate into the taste of the tobacco. Its a nice smoke; I enjoyed it. I would smoke it again after this tin is gone. The moisture content was just right upon opening the tin; I had no trouble with gurgle or wet heal.

I have a soft spot in my heart for this blend. This is a tobacco that lives up to its advertising, "when a feller needs a friend."

Of all the tobaccos I own, this one is the most mellow, predictable, consistent, and pleasing when the world gets a little too fast and sharp-edged. It is a good friend with a gentle touch on the palate and a slow easy burn.

I like Briggs in the morning in one of my briars I made with my own hands along with a strong cup of black coffee. If I'm in the mood for a nicotine kick but don't want the world to spin, this blend works well as the bottom portion of a parfait-packed pipe with another maligned blend on the top, Royal Yacht. I know everyone has their own taste, but sometimes I'm just not in the mood for "tastes" and bite and cross-eyed nicotine blasts. Early morning, it's more times than not a visit with a good friend. For me that's really what pipesmoking is about.

It is quite true: this looks like granulated cardboard. That didn't bother me. What bothered me the first time I tried this was that it seemed too mild, almost tastless. However, we all know that reviewing pipe tobacco is extremely subjective. Not only do tastes differ from reviewer to reviewer, but I know that my taste changes over time. In fact my taste changes with the time of day and it depends on what I've eaten, what I've drank, what I've smoked earlier, how I'm feeling, etc. Anyway, I happened to smoke Briggs in the morning one day and it was a revelation (ahh... House of Windsor's Revelation---a great tobacco---but that will be another review). Suddenly, Briggs tasted great and smelled great. As a result, I've been smoking it as my first pipe of the day with enthusiasm. Briggs works well in any pipe but, for me, only in the morning. As with many of House of Windsor's tobaccos, Briggs seems to need humidification. However, I've come to appreciate the lack of moisture because I've been acquiring many fine old estate Kaywoodies but which have the constricting metal "Drinkless" filter and I've found that a dry tobacco does much better in them than a moister one. Due to lack of humidification this tobacco lights easily and burns well, yet it does not seem to bite. I give this a grade of "B".