Borkum Riff Mixture with Bourbon Whiskey (Bronze)

I'd never really considered Borkum Riff before, given the plethora of hardly complementary reviews on here for their offerings. However, a recent chat with a friend and discovering that Stephen King apparently smokes this stuff led me to try Bourbon Whiskey, just on the off chance that it might surprise me.

The gold and brown design of the packet, upon receipt, impressed me some, I'm not sure why, it's not something I normally notice much less comment on, but this looked contentedly well designed. The packet aroma upon opening is very nice, something mellow, possibly whiskey but doesn't obviously stand out as such. There's also something a little sweet in there, possibly vanilla. The tobacco itself is a fine ribbon strewn with blends of lighter and darker brown flecked with some odd hints of gold. Packing is easy and the lighting is much the same, this works easily on one light. Initial smokes were nice enough, much like the packet aroma, it's one of mild whiskey with hints of vanilla. As I have progressed down to the bottom of the packet, it has grown on me and now thoroughly enjoy it. This one does bite occasionally if pushed a little hard, but stepping off the throttle and smoking a little slower usually helps. One thing I've noticed with this is the way the smoke from bowl and mouth has a pleasant way of hanging around a little before drifting up and away as if it wants to enjoy being smoked a little longer.

I have to say, I have been bowled over by how much I've enjoyed this, it may not be the best tobacco out there but it's a hugely enjoyable smoke in it's own right. Sometimes it's hard not to sit back while smoking it and start thinking of Frannie Goldsmith's father in the Stand smoking some rendition of Borkum Riff in his garden as his daughter tells him she's pregnant. This is nowhere near that dramatic but that "Glow of Discovery" buzz phrase printed on the packet seems to fit admirably.

Looks like I still have a bit to learn. The pouch I purchased says 65% Virginia, and 35% black Cavendish. Here, instead of black cavendish, it says Burley. I have smoked this tobacco in briars, about 3 times so far...

The more I smoke this blend, the more I like it. I like the amount of Virginia(65%), because it doesn't remind me of a lot of the black Cavendish heavy blends. In other words, it's not like other aromatics I've smoked. Virginias tend to bite me, but this one has enough black Cavendish(35%) to balance that out for me. Then again, not too much BC, IMHO. The tobacco proportions are just right, with a whiskey flavor that I would say compliments the Virginia, as opposed to being an in your face OTC casing, where the intensity is reminiscent of Captain Black Cherry, or some of the Super Value tobaccos. Tobacco Reviews.com made me avoid this blend for a while, but it is surprising to me the bad rep it gets. Me and this tobacco just get along.

Final thoughts: Without the amount of black Cavendish in this blend, I doubt Borkum Riff could have pulled this one off. The black Cavendish is there in the background as a mentor. A deceptively simple blend. I can't rate it just yet, but unless this tobacco disappears, I'm buying more. If you were disappointed by Highland Whiskey, try this blend instead. If you like Virginias, try it. If you want simplicity, try this blend.

For what it's worth: I like flakes, Latakia blends, Virginias, and am REALLY picky with aromatics. Aros seem to take more getting used to for me. My main smokes are Latakia blends. I've been smoking a pipe for about 3 years or so, and feel that I have a good enough grasp on taste to know what I like, whereas when I first started smoking, I thought Super Value Cherry Cavendish was the best blend in existence, just because I had one bowl, that included one puff of cherry turnover flavor. At that point in time, I think I had smoked no more than ten or 15 blends. I've lost count of all the blends I've tried now, but it's got to be at least 60. Maybe more. I'm only including this last bit to give an idea of what else I like, in hopes of helping you decide whether or not you should try this blend.

Ah here we have what seems to be tobacco reviews most hated blend, I wonder why this is? I do understand that people don't like everything, but what I don't get is when people who very much dislike aromatics buy them and then slate them? Pointless much?

Anywho on to the blend and I am going to stick my head above the parapet and actually say I like borkum riff bourbon whiskey.

Opening the pouch you are greeted by quite a dark shaggy mixture there's a nice bourbon scent to it, it doesn't smell artificially so, it smells like real bourbon,also some nice tartness from the Virginia and some nice woody cocoa burley notes. Hydration wise it is ready to go immeadiately, packing needs to be done a touch tighter given its cut and it takes the flame with ease.

During the smoke the bourbon is mild, it doesn't overwhelm and it doesn't subdue the tobacco flavours, I can still taste the tobacco itself and it doesn't taste like cheap off cuts either, there's some nice qaulity stuff in there. Other flavours do come through undetected a drop of honey here and there and sometimes I get a taste very similar to carter hall.....strange...but in a good way. Room note isn't liable offend, and if you look up the old adverts on YouTube smoking borkum riff always leads to having a delightfully pretty Swedish lady in your company.

Now onto some other points. This is a fair warming, rush this tobacco and it will not hold you as a prisoner, this will bite you , lock its jaw and have your tongue in the death rolls. This is not a tobacco to be rushed, it is one too take your time with and relax , enjoy its flavours and taste and enjoy it with a cup of coffee.

All in all I find this a very enjoyable tobacco to be smoked at leisure with a cup of coffee, and I find it bridges the gap nicely when I want an aromatic with a nice added albeit mild flavour and actual tobacco taste and not have my head spinning with nicotine.

4 stars earned and 2 fingers shown to those who just like to blend bash to look good in front of the big boys.

(As post script and absent mindedly wondering, I wonder if this was put in a tin marked Sam gawith or gawith hoggarths and given to those who just like blend bash, I do wonder with much intrigue if their ratings and thoughts would be the same.....highly interesting thought indeed).

EDIT 27/12/17

well I found a couple of old cob pipes and ran this tobacco through them and it is a top class smoke. for some reason it just smokes absolutely beautifully in a cob, the sweet nuttiness of the cob works wonderfully with this tobacco.

try it in a cob and I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

[Note: This is the same Borkum Riff tobacco as that listed as "Whiskey."]

In the pouch, this long, fine-cut ribbon blend has the typically sweet cavendish aroma along with an unobtrusively natural bourbon scent.

This is a blend of golden virginia and burley cavendishes along with black (burley?) cavendish that is rather sweet without becoming excessively syrupy. The bourbon whiskey topping is credible and admirably plays the role of unifying agent.

A classic, Borkum Riff Bourbon Whiskey is a quietly elegant smoke for those who enjoy tobaccos on the sweeter side.

Chamber Gauge: Medium to Wide

I started smoking a pipe at 19. I can recall having my first blend, half and half. It gave me wicked tounge bite, it didn't taste like it smelled and wasn't at all what I thought it was. So I was highly put off to aromatic OTCs, rarely trying any, even higher brow ones. I accidentally got into cigarette smoking after a heat wave in 2010 killed my collection of good pipes when I was 23. After the bitterness of that wore off, I went back to the pipe about 2018, in hopes of ditching the cigs. Im 36 now and decided to review some old tobaccos I have tried before or ones I scoffed at before. Bokrum Riff Whiskey is one I scoffed at, hoping to not reexperience my issue of tounge bite half and half gave me.

Bokrum Riff This stuff is the stuff of legends in the pipe community. It is up there with Mixture 79 about how bad it was. That said, I lovw this stuff. My 23 year old self is wanting to kick my butt for that statment. "We end up smoking old codger blends almost exclusively?" He would ask and I would nod and continue to smoke my Corncob of Borkum Riff, silently laughing at the scrunched up face of youthful ignorance. Now, that said, it is not the perfect tobacco, for me, that is Granger, but Bokrum Riff might be top 25 for me intodays day and age. I love me some Jack Daniels, so southern whiskey was right up my alley. When I opened the pack, it didn't smell much of how I was thinking. It smelled of prunes, figs and other fruit notes with a wee bit of grass and hay from thw Virginias. I did the 3 step load and lit. After the 4th relight, we were in business and off and away we went. The first quarter of the bowl was light and wispery smoke, typical Virginia flavoring, almost like a watered down Sam Gwaith Full Virginia Flake. Had hay, grass, citrus, leathery and buttery notes. Nothing overly to write home about, but remember this blend is predominantly Virgina. Once we got pass the first quarter, the burley shows up along with the fruit notes and sweetness of the Cavendish. Then something magical and unexpected happens, pereique(sp?) Seems to show up, adding it's beautiful peppery goodness. It isn't listed, but I know what I tasted. This blend is subtle and complex, which make it an interesting blend that keeps you going. This is not a rookie blend as I think the nuance will be wasted on the inexperienced pallet. The more season pipe smoker will be thusly rewarded for sticking with this to the end. As foe tounge bite, I didn't get any, but Virginia tobacco is known for that, regardless of blend and I smoked at a decent pace. Now, I have read that occasionally BR can make the tounge feel coated in residue and while BR original gave me a bit of that, this blend didn't. I love BR original as well, in spite of the tounge covering with my first experience. Only problem with this is the bowl is over too fast.

I say this blend is highly recommend. P.S. I find clays work best for Virginia blends, so maybe try it in one of those to keep it smoking cool and you shouldn't have any issues. 5 outta 5 stars

Why this gets such poor reviews is a mystery to me. Perhaps in the past this blend went through some inconsistency but as of 2021 the 1.5oz pouch I finished was very pleasant. No bite, nice aroma, leaves little moisture, and satisfying. The burley comes through mostly with a light sweet top note, not very reminiscent of bourbon but it works for me. This would make a good first tobacco for a new pipe smoker.

I always liked Borkum Riff blends, since they were produced by Swedish Match. I have picked up the latest offerings from STG - Scandinavian Tobacco Group and they are really great. I cannot understand the ranting and all bad-saying about this tobacco over here... Upon opening the nice pouch I am amazed by a block - almost if it was pressed - tobacco bar. Of course it is easily detachable into its fine cut ribbons, well executed by STG. You will get 3 or four different colors to it, beautiful blend. The topping note is sweet and mellow. It reminds me of dried fruit and if you compare it to a whisky smell, you may be able to notice some hints of it, but not overpowering. Packs and lights very easily. It however burns a bit fast, so take small sips to enjoy it for a longer time... Taste is very nice, I get the Virginias sweetness and the black cavs add a nice bouquet to my retrohale / french-hale experience. All in all, a very decent blend and extremely well revisited and executed by STG. Recommended.

This is a good Cavendish aromatic! In the shag it smells whiskey and chocolate. The room aroma is burbon clearly. The flavor of the tobacco is realistic whiskey with Virginia and the characteristic feel of black Cavendish. The taste of the whiskey is very real but not overwhelming. It is also nice that the cooked part- the last third is very soft and mellow Virginia with burbon, yes this is clearly burbon. It does not byte and I ca not find negatives. Sometimes I also taste chocolate and I think the Cavendish is also Virginia tobacco and always the taste finishes in the mouth with whiskey. I wish the last part of smoke which taste burbon to last longer. If you like aromatics and whiskey, this is a must. I also want to add that I have become addictive to it, very nice nicotine kick, just right!As the tobacco becomes dry the bourbon taste comes more to the surface while the intense metalic taste of whiskey softens. I must say that the whiskey taste was very bright when the tobacco was fresh like throwing in the a glass of a whiskey a little bit of water or when the ice is melted.

Just wanted to lift this tobacco up. It deserves higher a rating than what it have. Dont know why it gets so low ratings, guess it has something to do with that it was different before. Dont know which year it changed, but now, in 2016, it tasts perfect. Someone told me that finaly it tastes like the first time.(when it came out). I love this blend. My favorite. Im so glad my local store has plenty of this. If you can get it, just buy and try.