Any Old Gowrie Fans?

[cortezattic]

As so often happens, YOU ENABLERS piqued my curiosity because I haven't had a bowl of Old Gowrie in a long time.

I dug around among my cellared Mason jars and found a 3 yr. old batch. Magnificent stuff! Much better than I remember.

It may be just my imagination, or the power of suggestion, but I swear I can taste the Perique in the aged blend. It now

has a plummy character, and it seems sweeter than I remembered.

 

[rmbittner]

Cortez:
Well, I haven't had any OG recently, but I have an extreme sensitivity to perique. If it were present in my tins of OG in any quantity, I would not have been able to smoke it. It isn't a matter of being able to detect the flavor, experiencing it in the retrohale, or having an unusually fine-tuned palate. It's a painful physical reaction that can come from sipping on even an unlit pipe, if there's any perique in the bowl.
I'm currently experimenting with ways to make myself more immune to that kind of reaction. And I'm having good luck. But 6-8 years ago -- when I last had a tin of OG -- I would not have been able to make it past the charring light of any blend containing any quantity of perique. And, as I've mentioned, I've smoked several 100g tins.
BUT. . . I should just open one of my cellared tins and see what I think now.
Bob

 

[oldtoby]

Guess I'll dig my jar out as well.

It's been a while. Not even sure if the jar is dated, but I think it's around '08 or '09.

 

[cortezattic]

Bob said

I have an extreme sensitivity to perique. If it were present in my tins of OG in any quantity, I would not have been able to smoke it.

To me, that is the most convincing argument. We've all seen where tin descriptions and translated websites have been in error. Frankly, I don't think I could pass a blindfold taste test, so I fall back on whether I like it or not -- or how it strikes me from one time to the next.
Here's another Troels Mikkelsen story. He said that at one point in the past, Orlik took over the production of Capstan, and that they utilized the leftover tins and labels from the Liverpool facility. There was never a single complaint. After a few months the old stock of tins and labels ran out and, of course, they started using their own supply, under the Orlik mark. That's when the complaints started coming in. The story is within the first 5 minutes of the linked factory tour video. Psychology is such a powerful influence.

 

[lawmax3]

Well, there is another one to add to the "need to try" list.

 

[delkhouri]

I like old gowrie but I do not smoke it very often. If I am buying a blend like that I am buying Marlin Flake. It is one of my favorites. If I had to describe it compared to OG I would say it is a little fuller and a little cleaner. The flavors just seem to pop more.
You should try that next if you haven't already done so.

 

[grue]

I've been smoking OG for a few days now. First couple of bowls were kind of "colourless" but now it keeps getting more interesting with each bowl. It's not "in your face" flavourfull but its subtlety surprises me and keeps me coming back to it. Smooth and enjoyable. I like it.

 

[mikestanley]

Old Gowrie is wonderful stuff. Buy it and put it away. It gets really good with a few years in the cellar IMHO.

Mike S.

 

[jazz]

It was one of my first pipe tobacco's and I still like it. I have always got at least one of four Rattray's blends open. Those being Marlin Flake, Brown Clunee, Hal O the Wynd and Old Gowrie.
If you like Old Gowrie grue and you haven't yet tried them all I recommend you do.

 

[huntertrw]

Old Gower:

Old Gowrie:

Both delightful!

 

[drrock]

Big fan of Old Gowrie here. I also really like Marlin Flake & Brown Clunee. Find Hal a bit harsh.