Old Edward G.

[cosmicfolklore]

When I first found this forum, I read through every review I could, because I was still trying to taste smoke and figure out what I liked. Jim's reviews were like gospel to me, so of course I had to pick up some of his image-sake's blend. It was the first blend to ever repulse me, ha ha. My tongue burned from the steam of this overly wet goop, the taste was like all the other aromatics I had tried, and I smoked about half a tin, thinking that it was my fault, "why can't I taste what Jim has described?" All of the rest of my tastes were ringing true with his reviews. So, I disgustedly put a piece of Saran Wrap over the tin, put back on the top, and tossed it in a toolbox in my studio, where I just deleted it from my mind.
Fast forward three years later... I am building a new studio at my house, and pulling out tool boxes, and I find the tin this morning. "Hmmm, time to give Eddie another shot."
All of the glue in the tool box has dried, even the grease pencil has dried up to unusualable, but when I popped the tin of EGR, it was still as moist as the day I tossed it in there. So, I nuked a bowl full, and packed one of my aromatic pipes this morning, poured myself a cup of coffee, and fired it up. I can't remember what Jim's review had said at this point, but Upon first light, I get a chocolate flavor with maybe a hint of amaretto . Pleasant, tickle to my nose a bit. By mid bowl I get a smokey stewed fruit-like flavor, sweet on my lips, but the chocolate has stepped back a bit. And, by the bottom of the bowl it has almost become a sweet English blend of sorts. The smoke has a smell that I find familiar in all aromatics. I don't mean that it is aramotic, but that wax candle-like smell when I walk into a room with guys smoking aromatics of any sort. Not a good or bad thing, just a thing. As with all burley blends, I am not fine tuned enough to be able to tell what sort of burley, or a difference in burley, but definitely a burley. Maybe that is the waxy aroma? I don't get that with bolder burleys like Burley Flake #1 or Big and Burley, but anyways...

it was a delightful smoke, flavorful, hit the nic spots, and accompanied a cup of coffee well as I watched the workers set the footing for my studio. No bite at all, but the only drawback is a coating it left my mouth, like a thin layer of wax. But, I also get that from other aromatics and codger blends. It was a balance of codger Burley and aromatics, and Latakia-ish flavors. I plan on finishing this tin as I oversee construction and deal with my contractors. It'll give me a touch of mob boss to my dealin's with these dirty rats. Ha ha.
Anyways, some like it moist, some dry, but I think I prefer it aged in a toolbox, ha ha! Maybe it was just the time and place... I know this one has been reviewed to death on here, but, it brought back memories of lurking on this forum, my first timid posts, trying to figure out how to post, and getting to know those of you who were members back then. Even Kashmir, who was the first person to contact me, offer me advice, and make suggestions that have helped me better enjoy this hobby and forum.

Edward G. Robinson, if at first you don't "get it" put it back for a while, and give it another whirl latter on. It's pretty good stuff.

 

[voorhees]

I have some in a jar from last year. I've smoked some and have had various experiences. Some good, some not so good. I do remember smoking it slightly dryer and slowly is best.

 

[agnosticpipe]

I bought some EGR about a year ago, and pretty much had the same experience as you did Michael. I waited about 6 months and tried again, but dried it out a little first. Much better! I still smoke it from time to time and really do enjoy it.
I like your bulldog, who made it?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I made the pipe. I made a handful of pipes just to get an idea of how pipemaking works. I am lucky to have Skip Elliot as a friend to help me with the minutia of pipemaking, but I have no aspirations to take it to a professional level. But, I enjoy dabbling.

 

[agnosticpipe]

Very cool Cosmic, you are indeed a man of many talents!

 

[JimInks]

Cosmic: perhaps your smoking technique has changed,too. Your description of your early experience sounds like a man puffing too fast. I never experienced anything like you did with EGR, but then again, I tend to smoke at a moderate pace.

 

[prairiedruid]

Good timing for the thread; I just picked up a tin of this in my last order. It is a little damp from the tin but smokeable at a slow cadence for me. I pick up some wine notes as I enjoy a cob full and sometimes I reach for it because it is just a little different flavor profile, kind of scratches an itch if you know what I mean.

 

[mso489]

I enjoyed Edward G. at a pipe show and bought a tin which is as yet unopened, but I'm looking forward to it again. I have so much worthy tobacco, opened and unopened, it is an embarrassment of riches.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Jim, I may be a little sensitive to steam in my pipe. It may have been novice technique along with steam. I seem to enjoy my pipe more now with almost all of my tobaccos pretty dry. Whatever it is, I've been enjoying it now. I'm really glad I put that Saran Wrap over the top though.
MSO and prairiedruid, I hope you guys enjoy your EGR.

 

[shutterbugg]

I wasn't repulsed by the flavor or topping of EGR but I thought it was done with cheap tobacco. There was a harshness and a flat/dullness to it that screamed OTC. I finished my tin by adding about 10% by volume of Nightcap, and really liked the result. For some reason my gut instinct is the EGR EGR himself smoked back in the day may have been done with higher-quality leaf. He's been dead over 40 years so it's not like he's sampling production every so often and threatening to fill the blender full of holes if it doesn't live up to his liking

 

[JimInks]

I would argue against that very strongly. It's not cheap tobacco. Generally, OTC's are made with the same quality tobaccos as the premium blends. It's a myth to think other wise. The quality of tobaccos in EGR are the same as the Hearth & Home and other companies like Watch City blends, etc., and I don't see anybody calling them cheap. You may not like how they are processed, and that's a fair criticism for any tobacco that somebody doesn't like. But, even then, it doesn't mean the tobacco is cheap. It just means you don't like the blend.
One thing most people don't realize is that the least expensive part of packing is the tobacco itself. That goes especially for cigarettes, but also for pipe tobacco. What's done with the tobaccos is the difference.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

"Quality" may just be a confusing term. Virginias to Burley is like apples to oranges, IMO. And, strains of burleys to others is just as different. There is a blend called Burley Light Without Bite (I can't remember the company) that also gives me a waxy taste. Maybe it's just the leaf selection. I kind of like BLWB on a hot summer day. But, it's been a while since I've had any.

 

[JimInks]

BLWB is made by Lane.
It's true some people like some strains of burleys and Virginias better than other strains. And some like or don't like them when processed in the cavendish style. To each his own, as always.
Wish I had proof read my last comment. What I meant to say in the second paragraph was, "One thing most people don't realize is that the least expensive part of packaging is the tobacco itself. That goes especially for cigarettes, but also for pipe tobacco. What's done with the tobaccos is the difference.

 

[shutterbugg]

I agree what's done with the tobaccos makes the biggest difference. But anyone with actual knowledge of tobacco will corroborate that there are different grades of leaf within each type of leaf. I wasn't implying EGR is made from the factory's floor sweepings like CH, PA, and M79 (the latter being from the restroom floor). It (EGR) isn't bad, it just doesn't taste like top-shelf leaf to me.

 

[aldecaker]

Knew that one was coming, just didn't know when. I defended your honor to a troll last night, Shutterbugg. You would have loved it!

 

[unclescot]

Is EGR still produced, and where can I get it?

 

[JimInks]

Shutterbug: there may be different grades of leaf, but I know from personal experience that Sutliff is consistent with the quality of grades of tobaccos they use in the blends they make under their own banner, and in those they manufacture for other companies. The same quality and grades of tobaccos in EGR is the same used in Hearth & Home, Watch City, Iwan Reis, Peretti's, etc. And that happens to include Mixture #79 as well, whose tobacco base is very similar to Heine's Blend, btw. I've been at the Sutliff plant several times and seen how things are done. I've talked with the folks there (including their now retired blender, Carl McAllister, who is a friend of mine) about how the tobaccos are graded and used, and have watched production on the assembly line more than once. So, I'll stand by what I know, and what I have seen.
Again, if you don't like a blend, you don't like it. But that doesn't mean inferior leaf was used.

 

[JimInks]

Unclescot: Smoking Pipes, 4Noggins, Iwan Reis, among at least a couple other companies that I can't think of at the moment.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Just to reiterate Jim's point... pipe tobacco makes up a teaspoons worth of tobaccos compared to cigarette's truckload. Why would any pipe tobacco company buy inferior grade when theres plenty of top notch? But, then I'm only guessing. I don't think anyone knows 100% but the buyer and the owner. I was thinking the same as you Shutterbug, about another tobacco a while back, but it just makes good sence to think that if there is plnty of the best grade availible, that a pipe company would use it, especially since it is the least costly part of the product.

I'm not sure I would know what inferior grade would taste like. But, there are blends that I just don't like. But, some are worth giving a second chance, like I gave EGR, which I'm glad I did. I mean, this isn't going to be my new go-to blend, but I only have a handful of go-tos. I think I'm fairly picky and snobby. ::

 

[JimInks]

Cosmic: Yes, it is true that pipe tobacco companies don't buy inferior leaf. Some, like Mike McNeil of McClelland and Mark Ryan of Daughters & Ryan go to great lengths to secure the best tobaccos that they can. Greg Pease is also watchful of what is used in the blends he creates. Sutliff and Cornell & Diehl pay strict attention to the quality of the tobaccos they use. I could go on and on with this, but you get the picture. There's been a long standing theory that companies use inferior tobaccos for OTC's, and that simply isn't true. Equating the price of a blend for its quality of tobaccos used is a fallacy that keeps being perpetuated.
I suppose it's okay to say this now, but a while back, Sutliff (as well as a couple other companies) had approached me about designing blends for them, which, thanks in part to the FDA, won't happen. I was given pounds and pounds of every single tobacco varietal they use in the blends they make for themselves and others. I'm sure you have seen me post when I am smoking my home made blends. I'm using that tobacco. After smoking and blending all their varietals the past two years in great quantity, there's no question as to their quality in my mind, and I think by now, I have a good gauge on what is good tobacco and what is not. I've also used many C&D base tobaccos as well with the same results as the Sutliff tobaccos. And some McClelland and D&R for that matter. Any time I have had questions, I have gotten answers with no restrictions, and have discussed tobaccos in depth with most of the well known blenders in the field. It's an on going learning process.