Alright Ladies and Jellybeans, reptiles and crocodiles! It is time to state what your absolute favorite SP is. MMM that delicious burn and outdoorsy citrus... I love these snuffs. My ALL TIME favorite SP is Tom Buck. I'm sure quite a few of you know this. I have several 25g tins of this stocked up and I intend on getting a pound soon. I just can't get enough of this snuff!
Grand Cairo is in CLOSE second. I've heard this is supposed to be WoS's "Red Rappee" but it's too close to being an SP I'll just call it one.
So what is your favorite SP snuff? Why?
Comments
Having already fallen for Queen's Extra Strong and Strasbourg, I also received SP100, Tom Buck, SP2, S.S ... my nose not being as refined as most of yours, does anyone else find these all too similar?
I prefer SP Best due to its freshness, crispness, and longevity ... with the others fading more quickly? QES is a nice second.
Question - will I be able to discern the subtleties of fragrance with time and experience or are these variations so slight in their recipes that they will continue to blend together as one terrific SP? No matter, I suppose, as I love them all, the bottom line is - to me, at least - I have ample to supply myself without worrying about reordering. Although my sniff rate continues to rise.
Do any of these make anyone else's list as top SP for the time being?
Well ... that became a rambling mess ... my apologies.
@gillybean129 - would it be "Sheffield Pride"? I read on WoS website it may have stood for "Spanish" at one time ... but then again, I have read lots of things about the mystery of "SP" ... maybe it is one of those things I should never want to know and just go with the mystery ...
Toque Original comes in second (I think that snuff counts as a SP).
Granted, I haven't tried all that many SPs.
So what is your favorite SP snuff? Why?
Very interesting thread. I started my quest for a suitable all day snuff some months ago. I am drawn to the plainer sorts.
I tried Tranter's SP, Dr Johnson and Regency. Covent (Mullins and Westley: Particular, Mature Crumbled and Jock's Choice (the latter being an SP type perhaps with neroli). I smoke a pipe and this I find this sometimes reduces my ability to taste and appreciate these snuffs to the full. However I would say that all these are excellent, some with more some less of the citrussy taste. A good SP properly treated with respect and properly 'tasted' is about as good as it gets. I tried the Wilson' Cairo, Tom Buck and the exotic variants such as Strasbourg.
SP heaven for me is Samuel Gawith's SP No1 High Mill. It is fine but moist. Mild and easy to take. People have rightly detected orange in this. Sometimes more strongly marked than at others, never cloying. The snuffs mentioned above are excellent and may be a little better in their dark rich SP sort of way, with more of a hit on tasting. For me Sam's SP is perfect to take all day. I still reach for it sometimes in the evenings when it has a full range of other more exotic snuffs to compete with. I have it in bulk and would not be without it.
I have also tried G Smith's High Mill. This tastes and hits just like a fine dry SP but there are subltle and more exotic frangrances lurking there. It is not worth the £8 X 25 g. And would lose in my book hands down to Sam's SP.
I have not tried Gawith Hoggarths SP. This received fairly unenthusiastic reviews. My experience with GH snuffs is that they strike me as better than the sum of their reviews. The tap box effect might account for some of this lack of appreciation, and I intend to try this from 25 g tub later.
I am still learning about how good all these SPs can be. And as you can tell from this waffle, I'm still quite enthusiastic about it.
( I also smoke SG's Full Virginia Flake pipe tobacco. Some people don't get it, as some don't get SP. Each to his/her own.)
Gold Label
Irish D.H. Toast #20 - I know it says toast, but it is more of a toasted SP, and it is one of the finest SP style snuffs for me. Please try this one if you have not had it.
@gillybean129 - here we are debating the origin of the name of one of the most prevalent styles of snuff! The history is important!
They are all good or 'Superior', in a certain sense - you've just mentioned another I must try. So that's GH SP, Toque Original, SG Scotch SP and so on and..Ah yes McChrystal's SP etc
Stefan
@petersuki I think I said my favorites! I'll list them again though:
Tom buck is definitely FIRST
and then a CLOSE SECOND is
Grand Cairo.
Snuff Head reminded me as well about Gold Label!
I vacuumed the HELL out of that tin when I got it. It's a GREAT SP but the best part about this one is the U.S. VIRGINIA Tab! It's a dark, robust, and sharp SP that definitely lingers for awhile!
I like both of those too. In fact I've taken a sniff of Tom Buck which confirms your good taste. I'd mention Gold Label, except that I have a hunch that it loses it's EXCEPTIONAL tobacco taste quickly on airing. SP Best is a sort of Gold Standard of these sorts.
(I should say 'Best SP' not SP Best.)
I'm going to try another tin of Gold Label. What I have is vg. Strangely this was the closest to a Havana wrapper taste I've got in a snuff, though it's said to be made from American Virginia! What I've just tried is good but 'no cigar'. I will try it to see if I can preserve that fine aroma I sensed once at the begining (worth its weight in gold). And see just how deadly any sort of air contact is to it.
I do not get the cigar so much from Gold Label, I have a pinch in right now. That red tobacco sure is good!
@transistor- The #20 is very much a constant companion of mine, my daily carry is a double Collins box, one side Grunt (original coconut) and Irish D.H. toast #20 in the other. What I carry is the greatest test of what I truly like! But it is cruel to chose between snuffs, they all have something special to offer.
Transitor: You are right. There is no point in naming the snuffs you don't like. Others will enjoy them and they have the advantage of enjoying something I don't. In any case, just when I have a pecking order, I taste something great in another another one.
I have tried the Grunt but alas no coconut! I gather that this no longer features in this snuff
Do you have a favourite SP?
I'm interested in trying McChrystal's.
Kind regards
Peter
And @Xander, I am with you, ruling out an SP or two from the long line of them from WoS helps - with Best SP being the one I will choose when re-ordering.