When I first tried Stonehaven I was very disappointed with it. I found it to be nearly tasteless, with a sickly amount of sweetness. Essentially I dubbed it crap. Then MLC gave me a couple of suggestions for prepping it that made all the difference. Stonehaven is a PITA when it come to prep. If smoked too wet, it delivers no flavor. If smoked too dry, it delivers no flavor. When smoked at just shy of bone dry, with a minimal amount of moisture left in the flake, it really delivers. Mind you, I only smoke outdoors, so prep is much more critical since I can't rely on the room to carry the flavor to me. But, within that small target of dryness, I get all of that delicious bag note in the smoke from the pipe.
It's not head and shoulders above other blends. It's an option that has become a target for obsessive compulsives. Just pulled out a couple of flakes of FVF to dry out. Now THAT's a good smoke, not a PITA, and not hard to find.