Head-to-head tobacco choices

[AimlessWanderer]

Just for fun, which one of the two in the following tobaccos would you choose?

To keep it fair, only pick one if you have smoked BOTH tobaccos. If you've only smoked one, skip that pairing, and move on to the next. I've tried to keep it to tobaccos that many here might have had access to.

SG Full Virginia Flake
SG Best Brown
Solani 633 Virginia Flake
Peterson Deluxe Navy Rolls (aka Escudo)
SG St James Flake
Rattray's Hal O'the Wynd
Peterson Elizabethan Mixture
Peterson Irish Oak (aka Irish Cask)
Peterson Irish Flake
Solani Silver
SG Squadron Leader
SG Skiff Mixture
Germain's Eighteen Twenty (aka Esoterica Penzance)
Rob McConnell Oriental
SG Firedance Flake
Peterson's University Flake

 

[Kentos]

I would have to go Elizabethan and HOTW. Out of the lot I have tried 10 of them over the years.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I would have to go Elizabethan and HOTW. Out of the lot I have tried 10 of them over the years.

Cheers Kent. I tried to base the pairings on what I thought was reasonably accessible on both sides of the puddle, but some might be less commonly smoked over there than I thought.

 

[Multum in parvo]

Skiff over SL
I always thought that there is something missing in SL but I haven’t smoked a ton of it.
Skiff is a filling all day smoke for me that stays interesting throughout the bowl.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Skiff over SL
I always thought that there is something missing in SL but I haven’t smoked a ton of it.
Skiff is a filling all day smoke for me that stays interesting throughout the bowl.

Interesting. To me, Skiff is an occasional smoke, else the Orientals can get weary, and Squadron Leader is one I can smoke frequently. I've got some of each ageing at the moment, to see if that shifts the balance at all.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I will add that I haven't smoked all these myself yet, and some if those I have tried, we're smoked "too fresh".

 

[nortac]

I don't think I've had both of any parring, I've smoked at least a half dozen or so and probably have another half dozen in my stash that I have yet to try.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I've tried the first two, but both tasted of hot air. Waiting for them to become something worth smoking.

The next two I have too, but haven't popped the lid on either yet. Soon will though!

St James Flake wins the next for me. The Kentucky in the other was a little harsh.

Elizabethan vs Irish Oak is tough! I think I'd probably go with Elizabethan, but I'd be continually doubting myself.

Not tried Solani Silver yet

Squadron Leader > Skiff Mixture

The last two pairs, I've only smoked one of, although Firedance might be sampled in the not too distant future.

 

[Hirsute]

I've had them all, so here are my choices. One note: the Peterson Deluxe Navy Rolls aren't Escudo. They're reformulated? Dunhill Deluxe Navy Rolls. The recipes are a bit different, even though they're both VaPer coins. I haven't had the Peterson version, but the Dunhill version always tasted like Escudo with 5 years of age to me--darker, smoother, less of a sharp perique note, less hay and grass more raisin and plum. It's a darn good blend. Just not as good as the Solani. ;-)

 

[AimlessWanderer]

One note: the Peterson Deluxe Navy Rolls aren't Escudo. They're reformulated?

Thanks for the correction, Micah. I was under the impression that the Peterson version was identical to Escudo. That's the damn internet misleading me again

Tell me more about the McConnell Oriental please. It's the only blend on the list I don't actually have yet. How similar is it to Skiff?

 

[Ponycarman]

Lots I haven't had on that list haha. I do have a tin of a few I think but haven't popped it yet. Only had both in two of the pairings.

I think I would grab sg best brown over the fvf but just barely. They are close in level of enjoyment.

The Elizabethan/irish oak or cast pairing is a tough one. They both are really good. Maybe Elizabethan... it is a smidge more spicy but the irish oak/cask was just a smidge smoother. Ahhh

 

[AimlessWanderer]

The Elizabethan/irish oak or cast pairing is a tough one. They both are really good. Maybe Elizabethan... it is a smidge more spicy but the irish oak/cask was just a smidge smoother. Ahhh

Yeah, I thought that was a stinker of a choice too! That's why I asked it I answered Elizabethan too, and am doubting myself already.

 

[Ponycarman]

Yeah, I thought that was a stinker of a choice too! That's why I asked it I answered Elizabethan too, and am doubting myself already.

 

[Price]

There were a couple of these I haven't tried, which kept a couple faves out of contention, and full transparency I've not had the Peterson version of Elizabethan or Irish Oak (answering based on older Dunhill tins. YMMV.) Also, not making a call between 633 and Escudo, as these are two of my top five all-time, and I couldn't bring myself to eliminate either.

 

[02flhtci]

St James Flake and Escudo.

 

[Whisky]

SG Full Virginia Flake
SG Best Brown
Solani 633 Virginia Flake
Peterson Deluxe Navy Rolls (aka Escudo)
SG St James Flake
Rattray's Hal O'the Wynd
Peterson Elizabethan Mixture
Peterson Irish Oak (aka Irish Cask)
Peterson Irish Flake
Solani Silver
SG Squadron Leader
SG Skiff Mixture
Germain's Eighteen Twenty (aka Esoterica Penzance)
Rob McConnell Oriental
SG Firedance Flake
Peterson's University Flake
*** The difficulty obtaining this compared to Escudo may have made it “better” in my memory. I’ll have to have a bowl of both soon and will revisit my conclusion then.

 

[Whisky]

Not sure what happened to my choices in my last post but here’s the winners out of the blends I’ve tried
SG FVF
Solani 663 ***
Rattray’s Hal o’ the wind
SG Skiff Mixture
SG Firedance flake

*** The difficulty obtaining this compared to Escudo may have made it “better” in my memory. I’ll have to have a bowl of both soon and will revisit my conclusion then.

 

[luvmysuper]

Apologies to all in this thread.
We had a table code error which caused the thread not to display.
I removed the table data causing the problem, but I was apparently not as thorough as I thought and may have lost some of your data.
Again, I apologize for the trouble.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Apologies to all in this thread.
We had a table code error which caused the thread not to display.
I removed the table data causing the problem, but I was apparently not as thorough as I thought and may have lost some of your data.
Again, I apologize for the trouble.

Thanks Phil. I've replied to your PM, but in the meantime I'll pair these back up as text, so the thread can continue.

SG Full Virginia Flake vs SG Best Brown
Solani 633 Virginia Flake vs Peterson Deluxe Navy Rolls (or Escudo)
SG St James Flake vs Rattray's Hal O'the Wynd
Peterson Elizabethan Mixture vs Peterson Irish Oak (aka Irish Cask)
Peterson Irish Flake vs Solani Silver
SG Squadron Leader vs SG Skiff Mixture
Germain's Eighteen Twenty (aka Esoterica Penzance) vs Rob McConnell Oriental
SG Firedance Flake vs Peterson's University Flake

 

[AimlessWanderer]

If anyone's post lost their choices while the earlier error was being corrected, please repost as text. It was something in the table code that went kaput.

Cheers