Match Tobacco vs. the Real Blend

[cwarmouth]

Hey Folks,
So I have two questions. I have never tried a "match" tobacco before. Generally speaking, do matches taste like the actual blend? Can you generally count on consistency with them? The second is more specific. Has anyone ever tried Presbyterian Match? I'm a big fan of Presby but it is hard to find so I thought I might stock up on match as a backup.(Although match is backordered too.)

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Just my own opinion based on what I tasted, I liked the Presbyterian match better. How close does each match come to the tinned? Well, that is subjective. Even exact bulk versions of tinned varieties differ, and with some varieties that change with age you get inconsistencies depending on how long it's in the tin, because of the blend aging in the tin. You can feel certain that the match is going to be close. Differing slightly, shouldn't be too much of an issue, unless your the "Princess and the Pea" kind of picky. ::

Try it and see for yourself. An oz slipped into a larger order doesn't cost too much to try.

 

[cwarmouth]

Thanks for the input, Michael. Good words.

 

[cortezattic]

The only match blend I ever smoke is Sutliff's Elizabethan, which I enjoy more than Dunhill's original. The only available Presbyterian match is blended by Russ Ouellette, and here's a link to JimInks (lukewarm) review. I don't know if Jim rated it on the basis of the closeness of the match, or by how much he enjoyed it. I think the latter.

 

[mso489]

If you can buy in a small quantity, matches are worth trying. You may like the match as well or better. Russ O.'s PC Midtown series of tub tobaccos is good in its own right. I think many find these higher quality than the old line OTC they match, and they cost less than the OTC's that are still sold, though some are discontinued. I like the only non-aromatic Chestnut, a match to Walnut. It has five or six blended tobaccos.

 

[ben88]

BB 1938 match from P&C is very good. I would say about 95% close to the Dunhill.

 

[woodsroad]

To my taste, Russ's BB1938 is better than the Dunhill reissue.

 

[JimInks]

Cortez: I rated the Presbyterian Match against the original and against other blends in its genre. I didn't rate for my personal taste. I don't like to to do that.
I haven't tried the BB 1938 Match, but here's a link for the Match blends I have tried:
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/jims-sutliff-match-reviews

 

[cwarmouth]

Thank you all for the comments. This has been a real education for me. Not only the thread, but the links and spinoffs. Very, very good. I'm learning a lot and learning how much more there is to learn. Jim, even as a brand new member here, and a relative pipe novice, I certainly can understand why people appreciate you so much.
This is a little off topic, but have you ever reviewed Westminster Blend?

 

[JimInks]

Cwarmouth: thank you for the kind words. I'm not sure which Westminster blend you mean. There have been three by that name. If you mean the GLP version, yes I have, and I recommend it.

 

[cwarmouth]

Yes, the Pease version is what I mean. I would love to read your review. In fact, I would love to read your reviews of all the tobaccos I have tried so far. Are your reviews indexed in any way? I like GLP Westminster but I cannot keep it lit for more then a few seconds which tends to make me smoke it too fast, making it less enjoyable. Thus, even though it is one of my favorites, it is my least smoked.

 

[JimInks]

Cwarmouth: try packing it loose in the bowl. And make sure you char light is through.
Here's a link to all of my reviews. If you click on the word "blend", you'll see everything in alphabetical order according to company, and the blends within the company section. http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/user/12988
Here's my Westminster review:

The dry, smoky, woody, lightly buttery Orientals sing in a support role. The tangy dark fruit, earthy red Virginia is not quite as sweet as some reds can be, but it helps form the base of the blend. They also sport a slight stewed fruitiness. The very lightly citrusy, grassy bright Virginia is far in the background. The smoky, woody, sweet Cyprian latakia is very obvious without drowning out the components. The nic-hit is a step shy of being medium. No chance of bite or harshness. Burns cool, clean and slightly slow, and the rich, consistent flavor lasts to the finish with no dull spots. Leaves a little moisture in the bowl, but no dottle. Needs a few relights. Not an all day smoke. Three and a half stars.

 

[sumusfumus]

Love the thread, especially the links leading to all the reviews. Very, very informative. Great stuff!
Now, because of some of the treads covering the subject of VaPer blends, I decided to take the plung and try a few Virginia-Perique blends. For my unveiling, I started by smoking match-Elizabethan...I bought it at P&C along with Stokkebye's Luxury Bullseye Flake. The Lux'y Flake is back ordered, but I really enjoyed the flavors of the "Elizabethan"-match blend, very much. Smooth, mellow and to me tastes a little like a roasted marshmallow or sugary. Really nice. Couldn't tell you if this was a good or bad match....never smoked the real McCoy Dunhill version, and I won't since Dunhill is going to stop making tobaccos. Why should I potentially get to "love" a blend only to have it "defuncted"/retired by the company? I'd wind up going with the match-Elizabethan anyway, so why bother wasting my time? Not intrigued by anything Dunhill, anyway.
Many newer match-blends are taking the place of the older tobaccos that are no longer produced. I have only smoked, way back in my youth, "Cherry Blend", "Mixture No. 79", "Troost", and "Sugar Barrel". After reading through some of the reviews, I will make it a point to try some match blends for my old favorites. I'm sure the match-blend use a better grade of tobacco than the mass-produced originals.
Anyway, thanks for all the great comments, and even greater information....all very interesting.
Frank

 

[cwarmouth]

Thank you, JimInks. I appreciate the review and advice on the Westminster and I look forward to reading the your reviews as my tastes and palate develop for more and varieties. Excellent resource for guys like me. Blessings, Carl.

 

[deathmetal]

We should refer to match blends as what they are: generics.
Some are quite good. In most cases, the original is better.
As it always is, and always has been.