Borkum Riff Original

I tried this a few years ago in its old package and although i got along with it it was something i wouldnt miss if it dissapeared.

However i tried the BR bourbon and was impressed enough to give the original another try and it has come along leaps and bounds. Firstly the flavours are a lot more improved and much less in your face. The chemical taste has dissapeared and the moisture content is a lot more desirable. Burn has also improved dramatically and is a lot more uniform.

The only reason i am giving this 3 stars instead of four are the flavours could be a touch stronger as could strength. But the positivity on these two factors is it could be a great all day smoke without becoming sickening if you enjoy aromatics.

A word of advice from me slow gentle puffing is advised and it is not a baccy for a quick smoke as it can have the potential to nip. But slow puffs and a gentle pace and you will have a richly rewarding all day smoke with good flavours and pleasant aroma which should please even the most ardent none smokers.

Well looking at the reviews of this its been pretty much panned, now im not going to do the same. It is a nice tobacco dont get me wrong the aromas and taste are nice, nice vannila slightly chocolatey tang to it, but do not try and rush this one if you do it wont take prisoners and it will knack your tongue, but smoke it slow and it will reward you. Not a bad tobacco but not amazing, would be happy to buy it again as a change of pace or if it was gifted to me but i wouldnt make it my exclusive smoke. Also towards the end of the bowl and i do mean the last 3-4 draws on my pipe it does get a bit tarry and chemically.

Update may 2014. Tried this mix again due to the new and different packaging. Opening up the cut is thinner and the tobacco holds its moisture better. The flavours are delicious nutty and a slight over tone of chocolate with a deliciously moreish sweetness. Burning is very much impoved with a more uniform burn rate and burns to fine grey ash. The chemical tasting towards the end of the bowl has vanished. The recipe to me has been tweak and for the better. The only niggle is it could be a touch stronger in flavour and strength but due to the mildness it makes a great all day smoke. I know this has been panned on here but to me it is an excellent flavourful tobacco which i do enjoy.

Update friday may 16th 2014. Hello guys been doing a little experiment with this one and ive found it pays dividends. Firstly out of the pack it is perfect moisture just to pack and light but its the packing of this one that makes all the difference. Treat it is you would if it was the last bowls worth of favourite tobacco, pack it right and with care. I have found packing this one that little bit tighter makes a very good difference the flavours seem more pronounced and the resulting smoke is very cool flavoursome and satisfying and it doesnt burn down as quick. All in once you have it packed right and with slow gentle sips it is a very good rewarding smoke that i would happily buy again.

I bought this one as a follow up to BR's fabulous Bourbon Whiskey. I tried not to get my hopes up in spite of how much I enjoyed my previous smoke. Turns out I needn't have worried.

The packet aroma is one of very mild vanilla, no surprise there. The packing is easy and I never had any problems with the light. The taste continues as the aroma, very mild vanilla, sometimes it can be hard to pick up, but not obnoxiously so, packing it tightly usually rectifies this. There are occasional hints of cigarettes and something slightly metallic, but it never really bothered me. It does smoke a bit quick but rarely bites.

On the whole, a nice if rather mild tobacco. It's not a patch on the bourbon whiskey or a lot of other tobaccos, but it doesn't pretend to be. The mild flavour and the quick smoke are the only real downsides but I think there is a place for it in my rotation. Often I have had a ten to fifteen minute slot where I want to fit in a smoke but most tobaccos I have take a lot longer. This fills that hole perfectly, pop it in a small bowled pipe, maybe pack a little less and it provides a nice mild quick smoke to keep me going.

This is another very well executed Borkum Riff recipe by the Scandinavian Tobacco Group. Beautifully pouched and airtight sealed, it will show off a fantastic tobacco bar / block when the seal is broken. Reveals a fantastic aroma of dried fruit, raisins, prunes and a tad of chocolate maybe? Block brakes down easily into ribbon pinches that will easily load into your pipe. Goldilocks moisture content, it will receive the charring light like a charm and will keep going til it hits the bottom of your cob, briar or meerschaum. Fine dry ashes with no goop is what you get after an enjoyable and relaxing session with this mixture. Get it to smoke as slowly as possible as it tends to go fast and may get a bit hotter than desired if you over puff. Enjoy the retrohaling and let some whafts to slowly penentrate your nostrils for a full flavour experience. Nicotine is on the mild side...easy smoke. Room note is terrific. It tastes sweet but not cloying, I get a true tobacco flavor enhanced by the fruity prune / raisins touch added to the recipe. A very enjoyable pipe experience for me!

It's interesting to see just how subjective reviews may be, ranging from "fireproof" to "quick-burning", "tasteless and weak" to "too strong to smoke pure".

I haven't reviewed here before but felt moved to defend the blend on the basis that I'd avoided it for years, even joked about it, based purely on negative reviews here. In fact I recently braved the blend and find it to be a great all day smoke with a unique taste. It burns well, but not supernaturally fast, packs well and for me is a one-light smoke. it seems to be readily available and, as has been pointed out, is extremely popular, which crappy blends tend not to be. One friend smokes nothing else and I get that. My daughter remarked on the lovely chocolate smell although she said it started to smell ashy when nearing the end of the bowl - fairly astute for a 25 year old non-smoker. In all I'd recommend that anyone who's put of by negative reviews try it.

As an aside I paid 4 euros 70 cents for 50 grammes in Spain, so if you're on holiday or live there you have virtually nothing to lose. Recommended.

This is an updated review, the tobacco has around 8-9 months aging in the jar. From the jar, mild vanilla, chocolaty and fruity aromas are detected which pretty much are consistent with the flavor when smoked. No drying time needed. I pack the tobacco relatively dense in a non-filter corn cob. It does need more than an average number of relights in the process. It’s mildly bitter, though you get the notes of the toppings - but these toppings are not overpowering the blend, you can also taste the tobacco. If smoked gently, there is no tongue bite, and the pipe does not get hot, it can give pretty much a pleasant smoke, which is very much opposite to the general impression you will get if read carefully many comments; it’s little underrated blend; I would give 2.5 stars out of 4, and would round it to 3 stars, given that the toppings do not -overpower the tobacco, you get a mild reasonably good smoke. It’s an honest blend, it delivers what you experience from opening the pouch/jar, it stands in a very hostile environment, in terms of comments, and once this 20 grams jar empties, I will not hesitate to take a new pouch and keep it for some occasional smokes. Take a well-worked corn cob of medium size, say a country gentleman; fill the tobacco and push each layer to make it dense. Smoke it gently, you may be rewarded as you go to the bottom of the bowl; it leaves finally little ash, it’s consistent. A mild aromatic which can be an all-day smoke for aromatic lovers, or a choice for occasional smokes for English/Va lovers.

The Borkum Riff Original is composed by 60% of Black Cavendish and 40% of Virginia as written in the pouch description. Once openend the aromas are dominated by the added flavour of cocoa and plums. The ribbon cut is easy to pack and to light. The smoke is imprinted by sweetness and raisins.if stressed it does not tend to overheat excessively. In conclusion is a tobacco for who like flavoured.

This is actually a very good aromatic. At its price point, I expect it is a competitor to Captain Black. It stands well above the Captain in my opinion.

The package notes about chocolate and fruits is pretty accurate. The room note is pleasant for bystanders.

This is one mixture with which I can actually taste the Virginias. That makes this a great experience for me, being able to taste the Virginias in the mixture.

I have found this tobacco can be harsh and will bite if pushed too much. By sipping. I get the most out of this tobacco. It reminds me of MacBaren products in this regard.

So, if you like aromatic tobaccos, this is a great choice for a drugstore type tobacco. I was very pleased and it exceeded the low expectations I had set for it.

I tried this mixture a couple of times. When I open the packet, I first enjoy in the smell that comes out. It says that it has 'chocolate, prune and fruity notes.' And it really smells like there's chocolate and prunes in there. This tobacco has a good moisture and when I fill the pipe it lights well and it smokes nicely. I usually have to re-light it a couple of times, but it's more of my fault, because I tend to wander away with my thoughts. I would prefer it if it had a bit stronger taste, but it's also not to strong, so if you are just starting to smoke, or if you're looking for something light to smoke throughout the day, this is a good choice.