My review of Sutliff Edgeworth RR match.

[JimInks]

I have to say I thought the ERR Match was quite good, but I also don't have the original in the memory banks to compare. I thought R Blend punched my buttons. Golden Age and Bosphorus Cruise are well worth trying. BRG Mixture and Union Leader Match are very pleasant and easy to smoke in all-day mode. They are in the Old Companion camp and don't suit many taste buds it seems...

When I first bought the ERR Match in 2012, I had the original to compare it to. Over the course of a weekend, I smoked about 12 bowls each in different pipes, and thought they were virtually identically in look, cut, and taste. The only difference I noticed was that the molasses flavor of the original was slightly deeper. In a blind taste test, I doubt many smokers would guess which was which. I bought a pound in the Fall 2013 and it was the same.

Early in 2015, I got a few ounces of the Match, and as I noted earlier, it had changed some, and not for the better. Even still, it's closer to the original than anything anybody else is making, but I do wish they'd go back to how they made it before.

 

[Bugsahearn]

Well I'm never one to join in on herd mentality. I'm not very qualified to comment to since I realized I don't smoke any american blends. I want to like some of the blends sutliff makes like EGR, King's Oriental, Old Colonial and M79 but the tobacco tastes bad to me. I do think it might be chemical or preservatives they use but yea the tobacco in those blends certainly isn't comparable to the Lakelands. For what it's worth I don't find the mclelland or C&D blends I've tried all any more impressive either and 'm convinced GLP uses the same tobacco as sutliff, do a comparison of Old Colonial and Haddos and they look undistinguishable. someone said i was wrong about that so i might very well be

 

[JimInks]

Well I'm never one to join in on herd mentality. I'm not very qualified to comment to since I realized I don't smoke any american blends. I want to like some of the blends sutliff makes like EGR, King's Oriental, Old Colonial and M79 but the tobacco tastes bad to me. I do think it might be chemical or preservatives they use but yea the tobacco in those blends certainly isn't comparable to the Lakelands. For what it's worth I don't find the mclelland or C&D blends I've tried all any more impressive either and 'm convinced GLP uses the same tobacco as sutliff, do a comparison of Old Colonial and Haddos and they look undistinguishable. someone said i was wrong about that so i might very well be

I don't know. It's possible and likely that both companies get their tobaccos from the same sources. I'm sure that happens at times, most probably more often than we know. In my opinion, most tobaccos grown in overseas countries tend to produce stronger flavors than those grown in this country. The Germans and the English all have more potent Virginias and burleys than what is sourced in the USA. But, that doesn't mean American companies use bad tobacco.

Some foreign companies use the same or similar preservatives, and some use different kinds. In your particular case, it's an overall case that is a matter of liking what you're used to and how your personal taste has developed. And I don't how see you, me, or anybody else can ever get around their own personal preferences. Nor should any of us.

I think McClelland and C&D both have their share of excellent blends, and like Sutliff and other companies, their have some not-so-excellent blends.

 

[Puff Daddy]

Well, I think it's fair to say that just because some people don't like the taste of a line of products doesn't mean they aren't glad they are there. Vive la difference and to each his own. Also, what good are tobacco reviews if the negative ones aren't honestly given?

I don't doubt your position that Sutliff uses the same quality tobacco as the other makers Jim, all I can say is it tatses so different that it sure seems to be a different grade of tobacco. Must just be the manner in which they manufacture their product. To be fair, I don't get along with Cornell and Diehl blends either, much as I'd like to. I still respect what they're doing.

Some pipe smokers evolve over the years into being happy with only a choice few tobaccos that please them and have culled through a mass of pipes to get the rare few that perform well for them. I seem to be in this camp. Other can happily enjoy a great number of different things without issue. I think the luckiest smokers are those who can enjoy the cheapest, most readily available tobacco and who do well with inexpensive easily obtained pipes and cobs. Their enjoyment will be easily and affordably met. The rest of us have to fuss over the thing.

 

[Richard Burley]

I like R Blend. Sorry to see it go, but as long as there are similar replacements for Revelation, I won't do any hand-wringing. The general blend, regardless of who makes it, is my favorite of all time.

Can anyone explain credibly what they mean by a "chemical" taste? I tend to like all pipe tobaccos, but even the ones that are outright nasty, like Paladin Black Cherry for example, which is grotesquely overdone, don't have what I would call a "chemical" taste. Is someone picking up chlorine or ammonia or something on their palate?

 

[Jevverrett]

I didn't know they made the hearth and home blends. I like AJs va/per, Virginia spice and fusiliers ration just fine though. I stand by my statement on the private stock French quarter regardless.

 

[Ozark Wizard]

This thread has been a great follow. It seems, perhaps, that many brands are made at the Sutliff plant. It reminds me of how a great many food products are produced. I will cite only one example, but there is a plethora of them.....

Kraft makes all the boxed macaroni and cheese. But there are many brands of this item. I can't personally eat it due to a food colouring allergy. But the kids, oh, they ate it up. If I was caught using a generic brand, or anything other than Kraft, the kids could 'tell the difference', and turn their noses up. I had a Kraft box that was most likely 15 years old I used as a distraction while cooking, so they would eat the '4 for a dollar' stuff. It looked, smelled and cooked the same as the high dollar stuff...

Packaging is indeed an influence on perceived quality. As I recall, Porsche put Volkswagon engines in some of their rides. The 911 was the same chassis as the Karmann ghia. The VW version was way cheaper than the Porsche though......

Cost is another factor that can influence an opinion. Cheap stuff is 'cheap', and expensive stuff is coveted. Availability may also play a factor in perception of worth. (Esoterica, I'm looking at you).

I checked my history and cellar, and it seems I have no obviously Sutliff tobacco, but that's not to say there isn't any floating about.....

 

[Bugsahearn]

I like R Blend. Sorry to see it go, but as long as there are similar replacements for Revelation, I won't do any hand-wringing. The general blend, regardless of who makes it, is my favorite of all time.

Can anyone explain credibly what they mean by a "chemical" taste? I tend to like all pipe tobaccos, but even the ones that are outright nasty, like Paladin Black Cherry for example, which is grotesquely overdone, don't have what I would call a "chemical" taste. Is someone picking up chlorine or ammonia or something on their palate?

for egr & m79 the tobacco under the topping has a funky taste, almost like the chems you taste in cigarettes

 

[JimInks]

I like R Blend. Sorry to see it go, but as long as there are similar replacements for Revelation, I won't do any hand-wringing. The general blend, regardless of who makes it, is my favorite of all time.

Can anyone explain credibly what they mean by a "chemical" taste? I tend to like all pipe tobaccos, but even the ones that are outright nasty, like Paladin Black Cherry for example, which is grotesquely overdone, don't have what I would call a "chemical" taste. Is someone picking up chlorine or ammonia or something on their palate?

for egr & m79 the tobacco under the topping has a funky taste, almost like the chems you taste in cigarettes

I've smoked pounds of EGR, and never got a chemical or cigarette note. I've smoked a little Mixture #79, and noticed a slight syrup at times, but no chemical or cigarette taste. That may be your reaction to American burley.

 

[Bugsahearn]

Yea that's possible, I don't think cigarettes is the right word..sutliff blends taste kind of papery to me

 

[Dutch]

I generally like a wide variety of tobaccos, from different genres, so I am not extremely picky. However, Sutliff was recommended to me, by a local B&M shop manager, and it is the only tobacco I have ever taken back to the seller, and asked for a full refund.

I didn't hesitate to ask for a refund on the opened tins either. The quality was so bad, I had no conscience.

IMO, if I hesitate to give an honest opinion on a product I have sampled, I do a great disservice to the quality products that some in the industry, work so hard to develop and market.

Since pipe smoking and collecting are my hobbies, and I never hesitate to lay down my hard earned cash for pipes and tobacco, I certainly have no reservations about giving an honest review of either. It reminds me of some of the Scotch and Bourbon reviews we see on You Tube. I sometimes wonder, if there are any offerings they didn't enjoy?

Nobody gets more upset than I, when a quality seller of a quality product gets trashed on a public forum. The reality to it, is that there IS a market for tobacco of this quality, and Sutliff is selling a lot of it. However, I cannot with clear conscience recommend it to anyone, who I am encouraging to continue to participate in the hobby. I could recommend that Sutliff step up their game, but my guess is they like the profits in the league they are playing.

It's like trying to compare Heaven Hill to Four Roses Barrel Strength. Two distinctly different products, marketed to two distinctly different markets.

 

[Richard Burley]

Sutliff either is or isn't the same quality base tobaccos as the other suppliers of tobaccoweed for the pipe. Seems perfectly clear to me, and I shall proceed accordingly.

 

[JimInks]

Sutliff either is or isn't the same quality base tobaccos as the other suppliers of tobaccoweed for the pipe. Seems perfectly clear to me, and I shall proceed accordingly.  

What do you smoke?

 

[Bugsahearn]

Jim who originally made EGR was a sutliff back in 1946 when it first came out? I thought it was made by someone else but it smoking pipes says sutliff, probably a mistake right? Who was the og blender?

 

[Richard Burley]

Sutliff either is or isn't the same quality base tobaccos as the other suppliers of tobaccoweed for the pipe. Seems perfectly clear to me, and I shall proceed accordingly.  

What do you smoke?

Pretty much everything, including EGR. I was being facetious above, or at least attempting to be.  :bball:

 

[JimInks]

Jim who originally made EGR was a sutliff back in 1946 when it first came out? I thought it was made by someone else but it smoking pipes says sutliff, probably a mistake right? Who was the og blender?

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

I didn't know they made the hearth and home blends. I like AJs va/per, Virginia spice and fusiliers ration just fine though.

Yep. Virginia Spice is excellent, as are a number of H&H blends.

As far as the Sutliff Private Stock stuff goes, last year I smoked through tins of Breckinridge, Maple Street and Great Outdoors. I enjoyed them all. Breckinridge was a stand out, and sadly it's been discontinued.

 

[Bugsahearn]

thanks jim, did sutliff buy it in the 60s? have yu smoked the og version?

 

[JimInks]

thanks jim, did sutliff buy it in the 60s? have yu smoked the og version?

I'm not certain when Sutliff bought it. I fairly sure it went to another company inbetween. Seems to me I heard 1974, but I'm afraid to say that declaratively, and I'm not sure when Sutliff acquired it from whoever bought it first. I was told Sutliff is using the original formula, and btw, they pay royalties to Robinson's grand daughter.

I have smoked two different 1960s versions, and still have some left of the early '60s. They taste pretty much the same, though the older one gathered some spice, likely due to age. The topping seems similar, but the new stuff is a little deeper in flavor, and again, I figure some topping may have been lost with age on the old stuff. Funny you ask because I'm going to a show on Saturday and taking some with me, so Ill try again and see how it is.

 

[Jevverrett]

I didn't know they made the hearth and home blends. I like AJs va/per, Virginia spice and fusiliers ration just fine though.

Yep. Virginia Spice is excellent, as are a number of H&H blends.

As far as the Sutliff Private Stock stuff goes, last year I smoked through tins of Breckinridge, Maple Street and Great Outdoors. I enjoyed them all. Breckinridge was a stand out, and sadly it's been discontinued.

I have a habit of not going back to line tobaccos once I get burned badly. I notice some lines are more or less the same blend with different toppings. That stuff tore my mouth up badly. It smelled nice enough, but was bland. I don't generally smoke for room note, I go for taste and nic content.