Sutliff Tobacco Company Match Field & Stream

This blend was gifted to me recently in a get together of older and long-time pipe smokers when we swapped blend samples that we all brought to the affair. I first smoked this blend in about 1960 or 1961 when I was in my first years of college and pipe smoking. I tried all the boxed pouches at my local Rexall Drug Store and Field and Stream was one of them. I didn't care for it. It didn't have the "punch" that other blends seemed to have and I dismissed it as too weak a mixture to be competitive. Besides, it had a top flavor that I thought to be rather strange. Today, long-time pipe smoking buds of mine are of the opinion that the topping was a birch flavoring and they opine that it is totally absent from the current Match mixture. Most felt that the Match blend is approximately like the old blend, but not as good. Then there is me - I didn't like it way back then and I don't care for it now. I thought that it smoked weakly with a thin flavor. I felt there was confusion about what it was trying to be and what it was trying to do. There was no distinct flavor in the smoke; a view shared by reviewer Satc001 2017-07-09, and I had a hard time understanding what niche this blend occupies. That last view is echoed by reviewer Manxman 2015-12-30: ...good to smoke when your hands are occupied. Again, utilizing reviewer Tall Puff 'o Burley, I can give it two stars because it isn't actually offensive or anything.

Sutliff - Match Field & Stream.

The mixture has been cut very coarsely, there are a few cubes but also a huge amount of chunky pieces. Only a small amount of it's black Cavendish, the majority's medium brown. The pouch smells lightly flavoured and the moisture of it's good.

It takes to the flame well, and gives a good burn which is fairly slow. I get no tongue bite and the smoke has a medium temperature. The flavour's strange, I like the tobaccos but find the topping lets it down. The stronger of the leaves is the Burley, the others are much lighter. The Virginia/Cavendish give a sweet honey like nuance, and the black Cavendish may as well be absent. I'm not sure exactly what constitutes the topping, it may be liquorice, or aniseed, but it has a chemical flavour which seems quite caustic.

Nicotine: medium. Room-note: unpleasant.

Not a fan, it just scrapes by with two stars:

Somewhat recommended.

Never had the original, so....can't compare. I can definitely say, meh it's ok. Smells pretty ok in the bag. There is definitely some Mixture 79 odor there, with a hint of breakfast grain bar. Like smelling a 70% burley OTC like Velvet with 30% Mixture 79. My wife's super sniffer backed me up on this. I was looking for a cheaper replacement for my beloved SWR. This ain't it. The smoke is ok, but it's just missing everything I was looking for. Very plain, more towards the PA side of OTC. If it wasn't for the bag odor, I'd think it was just an untopped burley. So little of the odor translates into flavor. Went through my 4oz basically over a weekend. Had perfect moisture, burned quite well, evenly, no bite. Sealed about 5 bowls worth up in a little glass sample bottle just for a future visit. Glad I gave it a whirl in my codger trials.

Large chunks of rough-cut tobaccos make up the Field & Stream clone. Majority of VA and Burley, not much cavendish to speak of. The large chunks should be rubbed out prior to packing, as this combined with the moisture on arrival, can cause burn issues.

The aroma is a definite licorice and anise, unlike the HOW version which was straight up Palmolive dish soap. There is a slight sweet nuttiness to the aroma as well

Initial lighting does bring forth a floral note and anise, along with the nutty burley. This can begin to bite is puffed too hard, but not as bad as the HOW. This does require relights throughout the bowl and gets ashy and sharp towards the end. Leaves some moisture in the bottom of the bowl, enough to make your pipe gurgle. I've smoked this fresh and a year later, it's just not my cup o' tea