Approximately 1.5 years ago, Sutliff Private Stock (SPS, a division of Altadis) came out with their first production line of tinned tobaccos (a second one followed a year or so later).  Most of them were designed to be replacements for some long-lost classics which were no longer made at that time.  Great Outdoors was one of those tobaccos.  Something drew me to try that one first.  While I never had the opportunity to try the original Philip Morris version of Field & Stream (F&S), which debuted in September, 1963, I had tried the version produced by the House of Windsor company (HOW), which is no longer in business. Perhaps it was the image depicted on the tin and the lore of an old-timey-type blend (Former President Gerald Ford purportedly smoked this tobacco almost exclusively and in Kaywoodie pipes).  Like I’ve said in a former post, there’s something magical about nostalgia (at least for me);  sometimes our palate can be influenced by it..sometimes..not always, like from any form of advertising.  Here’s a case where my deep love for  ”all things old” will prove to be agreeable with my palate.  Before ever trying F&S I’d heard that it had licorice flavoring and a soapy quality to it.  Being that I didn’t/don’t even like Licorice per say, I wanted to try it, so I did.  Without rehashing the quality control issues of the now defunct HOW, let me just say that if I were to try and describe the flavor/aroma of the sample I tried, it was akin to a soiled cat litter box that had gone 2 weeks past its changing date.  Need I say  more?  I had an inner conflict-I wanted so much to like it for what it stood for, but it just didn’t cut it for me.  It wasn’t just the licorice essence, but an ammonia-menthol-like quality to it…horrid, simply horrid! Fast forward three years or so and along came another incarnation of Field & Stream: Great Outdoors (GO), from SPS.  You’d think from my former experience, I’d steer far away from this.  It wasn’t the case, I’m glad to say. I still have some old dried-up F&S from the HOW on a shelf where I display tobacco tins.  As far as the cut is concerned, the HOW F&S is kind of chunky, but not cube-cut per say..maybe granular cut; that seems appropriate.  GO is primarily a wide ribbon cut with some larger chunks.  While the HOW version appears to be all burley, I’m fairly certain GO has some virginia in it along with the burley and perhaps some cavendish (see pic below of “Great Outdoors”-it’s available in 1.5 oz. & 8 oz tins-also included are a few vintage ads. from the late 60’s and early ’70’s…geeze, times have changed-talk about political correctness…the feminists of that era must’ve “loved” these!-what was once considered mainstream methods of advertising, would be considered brazen male chauvinism now!).

The tobacco was a little on the moist side when I first cracked the tin nearly one year ago.  I still have some from the original 1.5 oz tin! (I don’t smoke that often, and I have other tobaccos in my rotation).  The tin aroma was quite subdued.  I knew it was an aromatic, albeit a light one.  I decided to load up a 60’s era Kaywoodie estate “apple”..perhaps Gerald Ford had the same one!  Wow!  As fire met weed I knew this was going to be something special.  There was an explosion of flavor/aroma.  There’s definitely licorice in there, but something else I can’t quite put my finger on, perhaps several other things.  The original purportedly had licorice, maple, clove and other natural flavorings.  While I can’t say if GO does, it’s very refreshing and unique.  Similar in some ways  to Mixture 79 sans the birch flavoring (which I’m convinced that tobacco has), it’s goes beyond that.  The only thing that comes to mind is “synergy.”  It seems to be greater than the sum of its parts and no one taste stands out alone (except for the Licorice…at least for me, anyway).  Perhaps of the same ilk as the Lakeland District-type flavorings, but not soapy, if that makes any sense.  To put it simply, there’s real tobacco flavor in there (primarily burley) that’s complimented, but not covered-up by the casings/toppings.  Definitely anachronistic in nature, even though I can’t specifically peg the ingredients, my heart and soul say this is a smell/taste from the past (even though I’m only 42, I’m an old soul).  The room note is splendid and it doesn’t hang in the air.  It’s simply refreshing; like a breath of fresh air, and one-of-a kind.  This is a good thing, as my “man cave” and laundry/storage room are one and the same; and my lovely wife hates the smell of pipe tobacco…any pipe tobacco..even aromatics!  Ain’t I lucky?  I recommend a slightly firm pack, but not tight with this blend.  One light and you’re off to the races!  Burns down nicely to a fine ash.  In closing, sometimes not knowing what makes up the blend is part of the magic…like a black box of pleasure..you can’t see what makes it tick, but you know you like what it produces.  And like I said previously, the nostalgia and my palate agree..wonderful stuff..the best of both worlds!  Take a walk back in time in the “Great Outdoors” on a crisp autumn day with this lovely blend!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do-all the best-Happy Puffing-Joe G.

Ah, the formidable “Borkum Riff Whiskey;” an icon in the pipe tobacco industry; almost synonymous with pipe tobacco, as Kleenex is-to-tissue or Coke-to-cola! Kevin made a posting a few months back about the 40^th Anniversary packaging; I noticed he was wondering what the blend was like. I couldn’t resist the review. The original design conjures up visions of being a captain at the helm of a ship, smoking away, while battling rough waves during a fierce storm. For those of you who read my first blog entry, you know that this blend holds a very special place in my heart. This was the first blend that convinced me, even as a youngster, that I’d be a pipe smoker one day (go back to the first posting for an amusing “first-pipe” experience as a youngster). This blend has certainly stood the test of time, despite its “love it or hate it” reputation. I am not going to try and convince anyone that they should like it or that it’s the end-all in your search for the “Holy Grail” of pipe tobaccos. I will however, make a few suggestions regarding its use, in the hopes that you will enjoy it. Lest we never forget, taste is subjective, as I’ve said before, and this is merely my opinion.

Borkum Riff Whiskey was introduced to the American market in September, 1968, as well as to many other countries. Many, many other flavors have been manufactured over the years, but this seems to be their flagship brand/flavor. I urge you to go to their website: www.borkumriff.com There is a lot of history of the brand and a great, visual timeline of their products, some of which lasted only for a short while on the market, while others continued on as regulars in their product line. You can also find some other interesting stuff at www.swedishmatch.com

I was only 2 months old when the product first came to the U.S.! My dad always had a pouch of this lying around; both he and my cousin smoked it while fishing. The scent of this stuff became synonymous with dad and fishing..what could be better? Swedish Tobacco Co. manfuctured this until sometime in the late 70’s, early 80’s, I believe.  U.S. Tobacco imported it to the U.S. back in the 70’s. When Swedish Match took over production, I’m not sure if they produced it in-house, but what I do know, is that Mac Baren took over production within the last 5 or 6 years.  What’s interesting is that you normally can tell a tobacco manufacturer by seeing and smelling their blends…a certain type of elan so to speak.  Well, Mac Baren has faithfully duplicated the blend as I remember it..I would not know they even made it if I wasn’t told.  A great thing for me..not that I don’t like M.B.  they are another great pipe tobacco co.; that can be discussed when I review some of their blends in the future. As Kevin pointed out, Swedish Match recently came out with the original package design, in celebration of their 40^th Anniversary. This is the package I’m most familiar with, and, in my opinion, is what it should still be. But, times change, for whatever reason, they opted for a new design within the last 7 or 8 years or so. In the past, it was sold in pouches, 50 gram / 2 oz., 7 oz. and 11 oz. tins. Many say the blend has changed over time. Well, in my opinion, it hasn’t since 1972 or so (I even confirmed that with the Customer Relations Mgr.of Pinkerton Tobacco Co. (Swedish Match N. America). They say the sense of smell is one of the most memory-evoking senses. A smell can transport you in time to something you did when you smelled something. In this case, the memory is a smell! I have to say it’s true. Without sounding arrogant, my mind’s nose knows! I was fortunate enough to recently acquire a vintage (40 year old) sealed tin from ebay! It’s hard to say what 40 years in the tin does to a tobacco of this sort, but what I can tell you, is that it didn’t evoke any memories. It was overly moist (cased) and very dark in the tin. It also tended to bite a bit. Don’t get me wrong, this stuff is great, but different from memory. I have to believe that there was a change at some point in the product, but before my introduction to it. Perhaps the Swedish version for the homeland was different than the exported product. Just a guess on my part, but after speaking with R.L. Will of Solani / Reiner Tobaccos and Reiner pipe design fame, the stuff today is not the original recipe that he had a part in formulating. Perhaps he meant my 40 year old tin was the original. At this point it doesn’t matter, but, I can tell you that I’m overjoyed to know, in my opinion, that the blend hasn’t changed since my first whiff as a young lad.

The tobacco is in nearly a shag cut, but not quite as small/thin. The old tins used to say “Riff-Cut Mild Mixture”-riff cut meaning, Borkum-Riff cut, I presume? You can definitely see there are different tobaccos here. Definitely VA (perhaps light and dark) and Kentucky burley. Many say that it doesn’t smell like Whiskey. While I concur, it certainly smells unique. In fact, I’ve never encountered another tobacco with the same tin nose. It smells of good ol’ tobacco but also of raisins..not in the perique sort of way, but of the same ilk if that makes any sense. All I can really say is it smells great! While it’s moist in the pouch, it certainly isn’t wet. It’s obviously topped with something, but it’s not cased.

Vintage Ad from the 70's

My first suggestion is pack a small bowl..firmly, but not tight. This tobacco lights very easily and stays lit. No need to huff and puff, burning your tongue on the initial light. Take your time. You’ll need your palate for the remainder of the smoke! There’s no rule that says one can’t light it 2 or 3 times, if necessary. Tamp as needed; sip the smoke..look for the flavor..it’s there..many out there miss it..it’s there..believe me..not at all obvious…and it’s one-of-a kind. Nothing at all like cigarettes, as I’ve heard it compared to. The room note is sublime. While it’s certainly an aromatic, a light one albeit, it has tobacco flavor along with something else..the whiskey! You get the nuttiness from the burley and sweetness from the VA and topping. This is one tobacco that you can smoke to the bottom, without dottle. Would I ever have known it was whiskey if the pouch didn’t say so?..I’m not sure, but it’s great! What’s really strange about this tobacco, is that the room note doesn’t linger. Sure, it will be there for an hour or so after smoking, but after that, it’s like you never lit up! This can be very advantageous for some of you out there like myself, who’s wife hates the smell of any tobacco..including aromatic pipe tobacco! Go figure!! One other thing I noticed, is that you can’t cast away a tobacco after smoking it once. This is the perfect example. Successive bowls of this get better and better, as the pipe gets coated with the burnt tobacco and topping. I implore you to take your time and at least smoke it in a pipe that’s relatively clean, a few times. I can’t emphasize enough, that you should take your time lighting and smoking..what’s the rush anyway?. Perhaps you will find it as enjoyable as I do..and if not, no harm done! The journey of trying new things in this hobby is part of the fun! All the best as usual, Joe G.

For those of you that thumb your noses at “drugstore”-type blends, I implore you to read on. There are many talks of “codger” burleys out there and how there’s something special about them-what’s old is new, so-to-speak.  Some of these codger burlies exist in mixtures. As we grow older, we long for things from the past/youth. Taste is very subjective; how could anyone argue with that.  That must mean that quality is subjective to some degree.  Branding is also very powerful with any product.  Many boutique pipe tobacco blends are beautiful in there presentation (tins, elegant descriptions, etc.). We all want to like what is marketed as a fine product, no matter what we are talking about-it’s inherent in our makeup-human nature, I suppose.  I never used to believe it, but,the psychology of advertising is more powerful than I’d like to admit.

So, what am I getting at?  I like many of the boutique pipe tobacco blends out there..you all know what brands I am talking about; I don’t think I have to mention any here.  I’m the type of person that likes to look at things differently; outside the box, from a different angle.  Does a cheaper tobacco mean that it’s not a quality tobacco?, or that I won’t like it because it’s cheaper?  What is quality any way-can we see it, touch it, feel it?  I believe we can do all of that, but explaining why we like something may not be about putting a label like “quality” on it..or any label at all.  It’s far more complex than that, I believe, and I’ll leave it at that.  On to the pre-review.

I recently acquired an 8 oz. tin of the re-make (Altadis/Sutliff) of the old “Holiday” blend by Laurus and Bro. I believe Lane, Ltd. took over production of it sometime in the late 60’s / early 70’s.  I’m not totally sure.  I can tell you that the blend was more or less faithfully replicated (so I’m told) under license by Lane, until about 2005 or so, when it became unrecognizable compared to the original (or the original as I new it)..the name was all that was the same.  Altadis recently came out with their versions of several retro-blends, marketed under the Sutliff Private Stock label (availablie in 1.5 oz. and 8 oz. tins).  The now defunct House of Windsor made an attempt several years before, on a comeback with many of the old retro blends, several of which they acquired from Philip Morris (Revelation, Field & Stream, Country Doctor, etc.). They were trying to give the younger generation a taste of yester-year.  While their intentions were good, in my opinion, they failed miserably.  Quality control was a major problem..blends that were to have latakia were missing it, some tins wreaked of ammonia..I could go on.  No way to convince oneself that the blends were good in many cases.  Good marketing, poor product..end of story.  Altadis, as I said, came out with their versions.  While not claiming to be the actual blends, they say “perfect for fans of…”  I’m sure there are licensing/trademark issues (I understand Durfort Holdings, a tobacco co. in the Dominican Republic, has bought all assetts from HOW and will be providing these retro-brand tobaccos through U.S. distribution, through a former employee of the HOW..rumor has it).   Don’t hold your breath..no need to wait for that.  I think Altadis was very clever in their concept.  Many of those blends have virtually been re-created by them (I look forward to reviewing them all eventually).

One of these retro-blends, that they didn’t market under their new SPS series is “Holiday Excursion”..once again, kind-of the same name, but different at the same time..legally speaking, anyway.  They do tin it (8 oz. only), as well as sell it in bulk, I believe.  The tin art is strikingly similar to the original..I would call it almost a “cartoonization” of the original, which was not a real picture to begin with…same idea..quite charming-evoking imagery of one sailing on open seas on a cruise ship, puffing away on a deck chair w/out any worries in the world..could life be any better?  I was pleasantly surprised when I cracked the tin…a chunky myriad of tobaccos..burley, VA flake, and a raisin-like smell..perhaps perique?  Could this be close to the original blend of 5 tobaccos?  I didn’t get any latakia from the tin nose.  Most know that this blend was originally burley, va flake, periqe and latakia (in descending order).  I gravity fed my pipe and gave a slight tamp in an old Butz Choquin 1845 shape.  The tobacco is moist, but not too moist and springy.  I fired it up and proceeded with caution..sipping it..wow!  I was astonished..this is damn good..and there was latakia there..and perique!..weaving in and out, but they were there.  This is a delightful mixture of changing flavors; the heart & soul of the mixture is good ol’ burley, however.   If someone were to ask me to compare it to the original (Lane’s version), I would say it’s better!  Very similar to C&D’s “Home From The Hills,” (#109) with less perique and latakia (not necessarily a bad thing!) Strikingly similar to the HOW version of “Revelation,” sans casing (not a bad thing either).  I’ve been enamoured with the pipe since I was a little boy, and there’s something special about being able to experience a pipe tobacco like one that existed long before my time.  Is it the desire to be young again?- (I’m only 41 now, and people still look at me as if I were a kid trying to be a man when they see me smoking!).  I don’t think it’s that..there’s just a mystique, in my opinion, about nostalgia, hearkening back to a simpler time, before the blackberries, computers, etc. ever existed.  BTW, this blend burns wonderfully well and slow (due to the cut) and doesn’t bite at all, if smoked at a calm pace.  Room note is lovely as well, IMHO.  Like I said, the flavors are ever-changing, indicating a well balanced mixture.   I’d be happy to send a sample to anyone that wants to try it..I am that passionate about this mixture..just contact me.  Could there be a “quality” mixture in an 8 oz. tin for ~ $14?–I’ll let you be the judge.  This very well could be the “diamond in the rough” you were seeking, especially in these times when the tobacco Nazis are out to make this hobby cost-prohibitive.  Sometimes, simpler is better…but that’s just me..take a ride back in time on the Holiday Excursion cruise liner..you may not want to come back!  I look forward to reviewing many more pipe tobaccos..forgive the stream of consciousness dialogue at times and the long introduction; I thought it was a necessary pre-cursor to my review…all the best, Joe G.—-see addendum below

Just thought I’d add this little tidbit.  A dear friend of mine acquired a ~45 year-old pocket tin of Holiday from ebay.  I know its approximate age, as pocket tins haven’t been used by manufacturers since the lat 50’s, early 60’s, I believe.  Well, the tobacco is a finer, more granular cut.  But can I tell you…Altadis nailed this one hands down..no question about it.  Even though the tobacco was old, after rehydrating, it was wonderful.  That nutty burley base with the sweetness of the virginia to complement it.   And, you have that oh-so minute amount of perique and latakia showing their faces every now and again.  Kudos to Altadis and their master blender(s) for virtually recreating a long-lost classic..an anachronism of sorts in the tobacco industry….get a taste of yesteryear..you won’t be sorry-to hell with all the snooty boutique blends..here’s where the flavor is..trust me!…all the best Joe g.

      Are we pre-disposed for an affinity for pipes/tobaccos, or does environment have a role?  I think it may be a bit of both…does it matter anyway?  My first encounter with pipes and tobaccos was in the early 70’s when I was just a little guy.  My dad had a modest collection of Kaywoodies.  He had them on a circular rack with a humidor in the middle.  He’d have tins of Mac Baren tobaccos on the same table, but the one that really caught my eye/nose was Borkum Riff.  I always seemed preoccupied with examining and smelling both his pipes and tobaccos..it was a type of ritual, from which, I never seemed to tire.  The ship on the package, along with the raisin-like smell of the Bourbon cased tobacco, evoked images of being a sailor on the high seas.. a very masculine image in my mind’s eye seemed to be permanently ingrained.  My older cousin also smoked Borkum Riff when we went fishing.  I knew that one day, I’d smoke a pipe. 

Around the age of 10 or so, I couldn’t handle the urge.  I made my own pipe..not out of wood, though.  My dad was into photography.  Film used to come in little black circular cylinders with tops.  Don’t ask how / why I chose this for the bowl…I new it was a disaster waiting to happen.  I poked a hold near the bottom, took a plastic straw and inserted it for the stem.  I used a band-aid over the tip for a mouthpiece.  I remember locking my bedroom door..I was watching Scooby Doo on a Saturday…I locked my door and began my adventure.  I loaded up the “pipe” with Borkum Riff, and lit up.  My first thought was “yuck,” as it didn’t taste like it smelled, and then the burning plastic flavor added insult to injury.  That is my first pipe story.  I laugh when I think of this.  My buddies and I used to make “cigars” out of  paper shopping bags with dried leaves in the fall..it’s amazing how necessity really is the mother of invention.  I dabbled in smoking my dad’s cigars too, but nothing was like the pipe…there was something special about it, it had a mystique that I can’t verbally describe, but many of you know of.  We were robbed once, and most of his collection was stolen.  I felt like a part of me died that day.  He slowly built the collection back up..it was never really that big any way..mostly Kaywoodies, some Bari’s, Webers and Mastersens from Israel.

   He later gravitated to Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic in the early 80’s.  I still have all of the newsletters from the “Sir Walter Raleigh Pipe Club” (anyone remember that?)  Dad past away in 1996.  We never really got to share the passion that I have now (I always had it), being that I can legally smoke, and know a great deal about this passion of ours.  A couple of years ago, I was fortunate enough to acquire (2) large tins of Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic, by it’s original manufacturer, Brown & Williamson (I’m not too impressed with the current incarnation from Lane).  I haven’t opened them, but decided I will smoke a bowl on his birthday each year in his honor.  He would have been 74 years old this March 10…he’d passed away 10 days after his 60^thbirthday.  Having Sir Walter Raleigh around feels like I have a piece of dad around too, not just in spirit, but in material form.  I recently acquired a ~ 40 year old tin of Borkum Riff…sealed!—I opened it, shared some with a dear friend, and smoked it.  Believe it or not, while it’s awesome, it’s the current version, which is, as far as I’m concerned, the same blend it was in the early 70’s..my mind’s nose, KNOWS!  They say sense of smell is the most powerful memory trigger/recollector.  Those who say I’m wrong, try it again!  Light it slowly, sip it, look for the flavor..it’s there, believe me..many trash it…it is not even close to cigarettes..it has to be treated with respect..honestly, this isn’t just me forcing myself to like it.  Of course nostalgia has some role here, but this is a diamond in the rough.  The best part of smoking this is walking back into the room bit later…it evokes images of my dad on his couch puffing away in all his glory, and I’m a little boy again.  Thanks for letting me share my experiences.  BTW, Golden Embers was the name of his favorite tobacconist, so I thought it was only right to name my blog that.  Try “smoking a memory” sometime…it does wonders for the soul.  Kind regards to all, and kudos to Kevin on making this the premier go-to resource for the ever-dwindling pipe smoking community.  He has done and is doing a tremendous job, weather it’s interviewing someone via phone, visiting them in  person, or merely posting an interesting topic.  I should also note that Bob Tate seems to be one of the most active members and I find his commentary very  interesting as well…kudos to you too, Bob..if I’ve missed anyone, I am sorry…it’s the efforts of all members that  will sustain this tremendous resource we call Pipes Magazine!  Frankly, I like this site better than P&T Magazine..and, it’s available 24/7!!!—what could be better?—you don’t have to wait months for a new topic..and you interact dynamically!!  Only we pipe smokers can understand this passion..how lucky we are!!!…all the best..have a great day…Joe G.