SG Grousemoor & Erinmore Mixture

[Mad Hatter]

I picked up a tin orf SGs Grousemoor (mild aromatic) about a year ago. The tobacco is cut in thin strips similar to squadron leader. In appearance it is a light colored tobacco, mostly a light medium brown with a few lighter pieces scattered around, similar to cigarette tobacco in coloration. No dark colors at all. It has a really nice smell when you put the tin up to your nose, kinda nutty and sweet and something else I can't put my finger on. Straight out of the tin it is pretty moist and its a bit hard to keep lit at first but once you do get it going it stays lit and burns surprisingly cool. It tastes almost exactly the way it smells, nutty, slightly sweet and that odd kinda pleasant something. I used it for an ocassional smoke since I got it but was never really quite sure if I liked it or not.

This week I got a tin of Erinmore mixture and upon opening it I was very disappointed that it seemed almost identical in every aspect to Grousemoor. I was even more disappointed when I saw that it said "authority of Dunhill Tobaccos" on the bottom of the tin, but determined to hope for the best I took a small pinch of it and packed it loosely in my Peterson and put the torch to it. Shocked, to say the least, is how I felt. It tasted almost identical to the Grousemoor but it had a subtle yet very distinct sweetness that was missing in the SG blend. I decided to set my Peterson aside after a few puffs and loaded up a good sized bowl in my new pipe and fired it up. Despite being very moist straight from the can, the Erinmore kept going fairly well after only three or four lights. In the new pipe I had to be careful not to puff to much in order to keep from burning my tongue, but god it was an awesome smoke. The flavor didn't change much from the top of the bowl to the bottom and in the end there was nothing left but a very fine gray ash and me sitting there peacefully on the couch listening to the clock tick. I live alone so I can't comment on the room note, but damn it smelled good in the can and it tasted awesome through the pipe. Whats more, it seemed to make a link to the SG Grousemoor that wasn't there before, an understanding if you will, and I've enjoyed several bowls of both brands in the week since then. Definitely a new favorite on both counts!

[Mad Hatter]

Originally Posted by Mad Hatter

I picked up a tin orf SGs Grousemoor (mild aromatic) about a year ago. The tobacco is cut in thin strips similar to squadron leader. In appearance it is a light colored tobacco, mostly a light medium brown with a few lighter pieces scattered around, similar to cigarette tobacco in coloration. No dark colors at all. It has a really nice smell when you put the tin up to your nose, kinda nutty and sweet and something else I can't put my finger on. Straight out of the tin it is pretty moist and its a bit hard to keep lit at first but once you do get it going it stays lit and burns surprisingly cool. It tastes almost exactly the way it smells, nutty, slightly sweet and that odd kinda pleasant something. I used it for an ocassional smoke since I got it but was never really quite sure if I liked it or not.

This week I got a tin of Erinmore mixture and upon opening it I was very disappointed that it seemed almost identical in every aspect to Grousemoor. I was even more disappointed when I saw that it said "authority of Dunhill Tobaccos" on the bottom of the tin, but determined to hope for the best I took a small pinch of it and packed it loosely in my Peterson and put the torch to it. Shocked, to say the least, is how I felt. It tasted almost identical to the Grousemoor but it had a subtle yet very distinct sweetness that was missing in the SG blend. I decided to set my Peterson aside after a few puffs and loaded up a good sized bowl in my new pipe and fired it up. Despite being very moist straight from the can, the Erinmore kept going fairly well after only three or four lights. In the new pipe I had to be careful not to puff to much in order to keep from burning my tongue, but god it was an awesome smoke. The flavor didn't change much from the top of the bowl to the bottom and in the end there was nothing left but a very fine gray ash and me sitting there peacefully on the couch listening to the clock tick. I live alone so I can't comment on the room note, but damn it smelled good in the can and it tasted awesome through the pipe. Whats more, it seemed to make a link to the SG Grousemoor that wasn't there before, an understanding if you will, and I've enjoyed several bowls of both brands in the week since then. Definitely a new favorite on both counts!

Having had a few more pipes of SG Grousemoor and having been introduced to more types of tobacco since this writing, there are a few things I would like to add. It seems in the pipe reviews I've read that Grousemoor is a love/hate tobacco. Most people go one way or the other. It is stated in a couple of reviews that due to having a more subtle flavor GM goes much better with a cup of tea than it does with a cup of coffee and yeah, now that its put that way I can definitely agree. This 200 year old blend from the Lakeland region of England just has something that has totally grown on me in the last month. "Flue-cured Zimbabwe" doesn't mean a lot to me but having smoked a few more tobaccos lately that are higher in content or purely VA , I totally recognize that tobacco which I am learning rapidly to appreciate. I would definitely put GM and Erinmore in a similar class with MacBaron's Dark Twist Roll Cake for those of you familiar with it.

[a.paul]

I've read that Grousemoor seemed to have had some consistency problems batch to batch?

[Mad Hatter]

Originally Posted by a.paul

I've read that Grousemoor seemed to have had some consistency problems batch to batch?

Hmmm, sounds odd, but could be. I'll have to pay attention when I get some more tins.

[cquon]

Sounds like these two baccy's might work very well together, as in a pinch of each in the same bowl. I love doing this with tobacco's that are similar but different, know what I mean?

[a.paul]

Originally Posted by Mad Hatter

Hmmm, sounds odd, but could be. I'll have to pay attention when I get some more tins.

Can't remember where I saw that. I think it was smoker's forum. Maybe it was only the bulk...My mind is going...and it's not taking the rest of me...uh oh...LOL.

[Mad Hatter]

Originally Posted by cquon

Sounds like these two baccy's might work very well together, as in a pinch of each in the same bowl. I love doing this with tobacco's that are similar but different, know what I mean?

Great way to contrast two similar tabaks also!

[DubintheDam]

Good review Mad hatter, I do like Erinmore myself, I'm half way though my tin of flake, but my first experience was mixture, both are different, but I think I prefer the mixture to the flake, which goes against the grain.

I was also wondering what Grousemoor was like, it being so popular. Now I know. Great and an orginal way to do a baccy review...top marks.

[jgros001]

This is an awesome review. Hopefully I can add some impressions since I just purchased some Grousemoor. I bought it since I had read descriptions that there is a floral element to the tobacco and since I had really liked this flavor in cigars thought I'd give it a shot.

[tzilt]

I smoked my first bowl of Grousemoor last night. I was really looking forward to this one. I like weird flavors: floral teas, weird candies, etc.

I have to say, I was a little underwhelmed. After all the reviews on tobaccoreviews.com I was really expecting the floral element to be stronger. To me it tasted slightly cigarette-ish with a slight hint of something flowery. I guess I was kinda hoping for a really strong, spicy, floral, jasminey sort of taste.

To be fair I am getting over a cold so maybe that dulled my senses a bit.

[Alyks]

It's hard for the folks at SG to make something I don't like. I've loved almost every blend I've had by these fine tobacco mongers. When I first opened the tin I though this was going to be an exception. The tin aroma was very flowery similar to rose pedals, but with a hint of mint and honey. At first I wasn't sure if I wanted to smoke the thing, but since I had already spent the money and opened the tin it was the least I could do.

I didn't bother drying it out even though it was fairly moist. The ribbons are golden brown yet very light in colour. I packed it in my meer as I was hoping any ghosting would be contained. Despite the moisture level the tobacco lit easily and stayed lit.

I was surprised by the taste even though I found the tin aroma overwhelming the smoke is quite mild. Often I have tried to isolate the 'Lakeland' essence with which I'm sure some of you are familiar. Here is tobacco that delivers the quintessential lakeland flavour front and centre.

While Grousemoor is mild that is not to say it is not flavourful, and surely deserves high marks. 9/10.

Keep up the good work SG.