Been smoking for awhile but new to branching out. I just ordered 22, two oz bulk tobaccos. A majority of them were Sutliff. Aros, English and a few others. Am I going about it correctly (not that there is one way)? Is Sutliff a poor example of a variety of blends, too cheap? Or is it a good way of going about my explorations. I assume a lesser quality or is it a crappy introduction.
Quality of Sutliff Tobacco
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I've liked the few Sutliff tobaccos ive tried. I've not tried any of their aromatics, but the bulk Virginias I've tried have been quite good.
My regular rotation has a few Sutliff mainstays. I am not an aro smoker however so I can't comment on those.
I'm not a big fan of most Sutliff blends but their quality is fine. It better be because they supply materials to many blenders and tobacconists who blends their own.
Generally, I've found Sutliff blends and single leaf good, and the pricing is moderate. sable' always chides people who mock Sutliff, reminding them that premium blenders often buy Sutliff constituent tobaccos for their own blends. If you don't know the sourcing on your premium blend, it may be Sutliff.
one of my favorites is produced by them. Edward G. Robinson. I don't think there are many low quality pipe tobaccos to be honest. Some are more boring then others but there does seem to be high minimum standard for pipe tobacco. The closest I've come to low quality is overly cased in PG (captain black the scourge of the seven seas is my go to example of what Pg does which keeps a blend from drying and gives a terrible off taste for some)
which might explain the moderate prices. Since they're getting wholesale prices and the bulk of their biz is supplying blenders (all assumption on my part). But if I am right then they don't need to charge as much because they're getting their leaf cheaper then others and blends aren't their only revenue stream.
Sutliff may be the oldest supplier and blender of pipe tobaccos in the US, having been established in 1849 in San Francisco, California. They supply tobaccos to other companies, blend tobaccos for other companies, and produce tobaccos, largely aromatics, under their own banner.
Because the Sutliff name was directly attached to strongly aromatic blends, people made the mistake of characterizing Sutliff simply as a maker of "goopers" as these aggressively topped aros were dubbed. Many of these also happened to be hugely popular and large sellers.
Nonetheless Sutliff bashing became a popular pose among would be "experts" who would endlessly declaim about all things Sutliff. This was often amusing as the "expert" de jour would first extemporize on the woeful quality of Sutliff blend "x" and then singing paeans about some other label's blend as a proof of Sutliff's mediocrity. Why amusing? Because the blend recieving exalted praise was often either made with Sutliff tobaccos, or entirely blended by Sutliff's master blender for other companies, including Peretti, McClelland, H&H, etc. And if anyone still questions what Sutliff can offer, their Cringle Flake 2020 ranks right up the the best matured Red Virginia blends.
Because the Sutliff name was directly attached to strongly aromatic blends, people made the mistake of characterizing Sutliff simply as a maker of "goopers" as these aggressively topped aros were dubbed. Many of these also happened to be hugely popular and large sellers.
Nonetheless Sutliff bashing became a popular pose among would be "experts" who would endlessly declaim about all things Sutliff. This was often amusing as the "expert" de jour would first extemporize on the woeful quality of Sutliff blend "x" and then singing paeans about some other label's blend as a proof of Sutliff's mediocrity. Why amusing? Because the blend recieving exalted praise was often either made with Sutliff tobaccos, or entirely blended by Sutliff's master blender for other companies, including Peretti, McClelland, H&H, etc. And if anyone still questions what Sutliff can offer, their Cringle Flake 2020 ranks right up the the best matured Red Virginia blends.
Agreed, their 2020 Cringle Flake is outstanding!
I still have reservations - every bulk sutliff blend I've smoked hasn't offended but also hasn't impressed
I think you're going about it right. Sutliff makes good blends. Whether you like certain blend types will depend on your likes and dislikes. Just like Esoterica, they make wonderful blends in my opinion. Some I like more than others and a few I don't care for. The same can be said for any blender. Find what you like and enjoy.
I did the same as you as far as buying a bunch of samples from Sutliff. What you may find when you sample them is that they may be rough around the edges. Just jar them up and sample them 6 months later a year later. For example old koe krantz for me. I wasn't crazy aboit it until a year later and same goes for Virginia Slices.
well and also snobs are always amusing. And what a thing to be a snob about what strains and processing your plant leafs go through before you burn them in a chunk of wood. "what you like something that flavored like vanilla my word what a barbarian unlike me who likes leafs that taste of barn yard smells like all the best people like".
Fair enough, but that doesn't reflect on their quality, just that their "house style" doesn't appeal to you. Most of what C&D makes, that I've tried, doesn't appeal to me. I don't like their house style. A lot of other smokers clearly like C&D's product.
Of the bulks you do enjoy, do you know who actually makes them?
nope - don't really know as it probably changes hands-
For a while I also had my doubts about C&D style -now, growing on me immensely
For a while I was enjoying the PipesandCigar blends - don't know who was producing those other than seeing the name Russ Oulette
I was a D&R smoker but now I find them too 'rustic'
One more thing to consider and it took me a bit to catch onto it is when first starting out is the bulk price vs tin and the date they are blended. A bulk will be newly blended vs a tin may have been made be new or 6 months maybe a year by the time you get it. A tin will be more smokable or less rough around the edges.
Depending on the blend, a lot of Pipes & Cigar and House and Home blends were made by Sutliff. Now, most of them are made by Lane.
I have one Sutliff blend in my cellar and it is some tins of Molto Dolce. I am not normally an aromatic smoker, but when I want something sweet and when my mom comes over I can smoke something with a great room note. Yeah it snaps crackles and pops but it actually tastes pretty good and the room note is a killer. No one has ever complained about the smell. I have a dedicated pipe for it and I actually enjoy smoking it the few times that I do. I bought a bunch of tins when there was a big sale and paid around 7 bucks or so a tin. I know I could have bought it in bulk as Creme Brulee is the same stuff allegedly but I will never buy bulk if I have a choice. I don;'t care if I have to pay double.
I like their Black Cherry, Vanilla Custard, Dulce De Leche, Pumpkin Spice, and a few others. If you have a sweet tooth, you shouldn’t be disappointed.
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