@Whoispra; I used to smoke Sir Walter daily back in the 60's. I bought a can about a year ago or so, but haven't popped it open. I hope they haven't messed with the blend. I think I'll leave it sealed for awhile. Anyone else had the same experience as you?
@Zouave1864 I have long been a fan of tobacco blends by Kohlhase & Koop and Dan Tobacco that aren’t usually available here in the states. Then I discovered HU Blends in 2020 when I made my first order from Esterval’s in Germany. The Untouchables quickly became an almost daily smoker for me. Now I’ve found HU Coming Home and after two bowls, I regret not ordering more.
While the tin note does smell like potpourri or a florist, it doesn’t smoke or taste like that to me. I’d say it more like sitting near a rose bush in bloom and getting a whiff of roses on a gentle breeze. The honey just adds a sweetness to the smoke.
@RockyMountainBriar I should have asked, were you meaning Grousemoor or Grousemoor Plug? The regular Grousemoor I find to be more flavorful than the plug for some reason. I would think the plug would be more concentrated. Anyway, I looked at some of my past notes (yes, I keep notes on some pipe tobaccos) and while Grousemoor is a Lakeland, the Lakeland is mild in this one. I get more of a sweet, grassy & citrus note. What I consider a floral note is more subdued.
You can't call Coming Home a Lakeland Blend because it's not made in the Lakeland region of England. Blended by HU Tobacco it is in their United Passion line and is produced by Dan Tobacco in Germany. If Grousemoor's floral notes are subdued, Coming Home is like walking into a florist filled with nothing but roses.
Normally, I can pick up the aroma of a tobacco for the first minute or two after lighting and then my nose becomes so used to it, I stop noticing it. Smoking a bowl of Coming Home at the pipe club meeting last night and admits 15 other pipe smokers smoking different blends, I could pick up the honey/rose notes at least halfway through the bowl.
The blend I go-to most often is The Untouchables which is a cedar/rose geranium aromatic (HU had a hand in creating it also.) In my opinion, Coming Home is almost as good but I probably won't smoke it as often simply because I only have one tin. The next time I order from Esterval's I will order multiple tins.
@PappyJoe; I wish I had taken notes on the various blends I've tried through the years. When I was young, I thought I would remember what each blend tasted and smelled like. Now that I'm not so young, I don't remember. Case in point, I purchased some "ABC" from Iwan Ries in Chicago(I think), I don't remember what it was like, but I jarred it almost immediately. This could have been 15 or more years ago. Yesterday I tried it in me Bent Savinelli Cricket. Not much taste and burned my mouth to the point I couldn't finish the bowl. Apparently there was a reason I jarred it so quickly. The years have not tamed it. If I had taken notes, I might have saved myself some pain. Although, I may have tried it anyway, just to see if it had improved. However, notes or a log would be handy when purchasing tobacs.
@opipeman I really didn't start doing it until about 10 years ago. Before that I was just buying random bulk or codger blends because that's all i ever really found available. When I was really introduced to the different varieties available in tins, it really surprised and confused me so I started keeping tasting notes.
I whipped up a “Ranch Water”, 3 oz. Casamigos, 1 oz. lime juice, a sprinkle of lime “Beer Salt” and about 4 oz. of fizz water. I am pairing it tonight with some Planta Anno MMXV (2015) “Brazilian Mixture” (it has a sweet lime topping). The tobac is stuffed in, what I believe is, an L&H Stern, lovat. There is no mfg. stamping, but it has the stem logo, and is made in the same style as many of my other LHS pipes. It also has “Aged Imported Briar” stamped in the shank in the same LHS style lettering. I’m smoking it with the stinger in place.
@KA9FFJ Not a spigot. It's a Stefano Santambrogio I picked up about 8 years ago when his pipes were selling for under $100. It has a nickel fitting on it but it's not a spigot. The hat is a Swiss Tech fishing hat I found at Walmart for $12.
@opipeman I posted my story on reddit about the Sir Walter Raleigh and several folks had similar experiences. With yours being a bit older perhaps you dodged any batches with issues but it was nothing at all like what I remember and liked about it. Did have a bowl of northwest trek from the country squire in my Dr. Grabow bent bulldog. Shared that bowl with a dear friend of mine. It was his first go at the pipe. He seemed to enjoy himself but I don't know that he'll be an active convert.
Comments
Beautiful pipe!
I used to smoke Sir Walter daily back in the 60's. I bought a can about a year ago or so, but haven't popped it open. I hope they haven't messed with the blend. I think I'll leave it sealed for awhile. Anyone else had the same experience as you?
I have long been a fan of tobacco blends by Kohlhase & Koop and Dan Tobacco that aren’t usually available here in the states. Then I discovered HU Blends in 2020 when I made my first order from Esterval’s in Germany. The Untouchables quickly became an almost daily smoker for me. Now I’ve found HU Coming Home and after two bowls, I regret not ordering more.
Have you tried SG “Grousemoor”, if so, did you enjoy it, and is it similar?
I finished a tin of Grousemore about a month ago. It is a good blend but not really close to the Coming Home.
I should have asked, were you meaning Grousemoor or Grousemoor Plug?
The regular Grousemoor I find to be more flavorful than the plug for some reason. I would think the plug would be more concentrated.
Anyway, I looked at some of my past notes (yes, I keep notes on some pipe tobaccos) and while Grousemoor is a Lakeland, the Lakeland is mild in this one. I get more of a sweet, grassy & citrus note. What I consider a floral note is more subdued.
You can't call Coming Home a Lakeland Blend because it's not made in the Lakeland region of England. Blended by HU Tobacco it is in their United Passion line and is produced by Dan Tobacco in Germany. If Grousemoor's floral notes are subdued, Coming Home is like walking into a florist filled with nothing but roses.
Normally, I can pick up the aroma of a tobacco for the first minute or two after lighting and then my nose becomes so used to it, I stop noticing it. Smoking a bowl of Coming Home at the pipe club meeting last night and admits 15 other pipe smokers smoking different blends, I could pick up the honey/rose notes at least halfway through the bowl.
The blend I go-to most often is The Untouchables which is a cedar/rose geranium aromatic (HU had a hand in creating it also.) In my opinion, Coming Home is almost as good but I probably won't smoke it as often simply because I only have one tin. The next time I order from Esterval's I will order multiple tins.
I wish I had taken notes on the various blends I've tried through the years. When I was young, I thought I would remember what each blend tasted and smelled like. Now that I'm not so young, I don't remember. Case in point, I purchased some "ABC" from Iwan Ries in Chicago(I think), I don't remember what it was like, but I jarred it almost immediately. This could have been 15 or more years ago. Yesterday I tried it in me Bent Savinelli Cricket. Not much taste and burned my mouth to the point I couldn't finish the bowl. Apparently there was a reason I jarred it so quickly. The years have not tamed it. If I had taken notes, I might have saved myself some pain. Although, I may have tried it anyway, just to see if it had improved.
However, notes or a log would be handy when purchasing tobacs.
I really didn't start doing it until about 10 years ago. Before that I was just buying random bulk or codger blends because that's all i ever really found available.
When I was really introduced to the different varieties available in tins, it really surprised and confused me so I started keeping tasting notes.
Now enjoying some Taste of Summer in a Frankenpipe...
Thanks for the flag reminder.
Smoking some Grousemoor Plug in a Savinelli 120 Anni this evening. I’m also polishing off my bottle of Aviation gin in a martini😋
@Zouave1864 beat me to it.
Happy Memorial Day to all...
I whipped up a “Ranch Water”, 3 oz. Casamigos, 1 oz. lime juice, a sprinkle of lime “Beer Salt” and about 4 oz. of fizz water. I am pairing it tonight with some Planta Anno MMXV (2015) “Brazilian Mixture” (it has a sweet lime topping). The tobac is stuffed in, what I believe is, an L&H Stern, lovat. There is no mfg. stamping, but it has the stem logo, and is made in the same style as many of my other LHS pipes. It also has “Aged Imported Briar” stamped in the shank in the same LHS style lettering. I’m smoking it with the stinger in place.
Love the hat.
Is that pipe a spigot?
Not a spigot. It's a Stefano Santambrogio I picked up about 8 years ago when his pipes were selling for under $100. It has a nickel fitting on it but it's not a spigot.
The hat is a Swiss Tech fishing hat I found at Walmart for $12.