Dr James Robertson Justice

My daughter happened to walk past the Covent Garden snuff/tobacco shop and bought me a tin of this delightful snuff. It’s a Fribourg and Treyer snuff which of course is made by Wilsons of Sharrow. Incidentally, Fribourg and Treyer has been made by WoS for many years and I don’t know anyone that has tried the original blends. Nevertheless, this is a beautiful snuff. According to an old F&T list that I have, this is an unflavoured snuff. If that is the case the blender must have been a genius. The sweetness, depth and complexity of the flavour is intoxicating. I get floral notes, spice and the flavour of well cured tobacco. You won’t see F&T in your corner store but it’s well worth putting it on your next mail order. By the way, who the hell was Dr J R Justice?

I really would love to know just what the original Fribourg & Treyer snuffs were like. I tell you, if I possessed a time machine I would be living at that Haymarket shop. The only person I can think of who could tell us how the original F & T snuff compares to the modern Wilsons of Sharrow version is Professor Phillips Griffiths. Here is his site, if you’ve never seen it before: http://www.snuffbox.org.uk/

James Robertson Justice was a geologist, journalist and famous actor of the 50s and 60s (died in the mid 70s), appearing in the Doctor films. He was very partial to snuff, so F&T must have made a blend for him, or dedicated the snuff to him.

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Yes Of the Carry On Doctor Film, and many more.
I did read some place that it is a equal mix of F&T’s Morlaix & Bordeax. This is about my favorite of the F&T snuff.

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Thanks for that, I recognise him now - a very dignified looking gentleman. He was excellent in those old films.

I think it was his personal blend but I may just be remembering that because that is what I think. It is a 50-50 mix of morlaix and bordeax mix the two let them marry and you’ve got the same snuff. This is the only friborg and treyer snuff I’ve tried that I don’t like. Oddly the morlaix and bordeax are both incredibly amazing snuffs and the dr justice is an equaly awesomely scented snuff. For some reason this snuff does not agree with me. It not only clogs me up but will cause me to sneeze all freakin day and make me feel sick to my stomach. For some reason I’am allergic to this snuff although the bases it’s made from are wonderfull and agree with me like a dream.

Sheffield Exchange^Lists all the F&T and some WoS snuffs and what’s in them. Dr. Justice is indeed listed as 50/50 Bordeaux and Morlaix.

has sheffield exchange shut down now? any other comparable sites about?

i think Sheffield exchange was just the old wilsons website

Taken from an English magazine article about Fribourg and Treyer  in 1962.

As to what snuff is taken from the boxes, tastes vary as much as for wine.  Almost all of Fribourg and treyer’s snuffs are blended from old recipes, but at least one is of modern origin-  Asthoroth , suggested by Dr.James Robertson Justice. It has a new base, being compounded from Latakia tobacco.  The plant is a few inches high, all of it is used except the roots, and the tobacco is cured for six months over osier fires.  Jasmin is used to perfume the result which has a distinctive tarry flavour.

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I have found that an English style pipe tobacco mixed 50/50 with a jasmine snuff makes a good Asthoroth type snuff.

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@Juxtaposer   I bought some pipe  Latakia  and some  Perique  a few weeks backs to try  grinding and mixing with a plain snuff like Viking Brown.   Still not got round to it.

Not being a smoker , only a snuff taker I wouldn’t have a clue what to choose.  Any suggestions for a UK pipe tobacco to use.  Name and maker please.

Cheers.

Ashtoroth sounds interesting. I have some JRJ and it definitely has no Latakia.  

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@Chico    I wonder if   Asthoroth  is a completely different snuff to what we know as  JRJ .

It certainly has not got any hint of the Sam Gawiths pipe Latakia that I purchased.

@ArtChoo, I think it must be. According to MrSnuff reviews and description, JRJ is half Bordeaux (Violets, Geranium Bourbon, Lemon, May Blossom, Tonquin Essence, Musk) and half Morlaix (Lemon, violets, lavender, talc).  It’s not in the least smokey like Latakia, and while I haven’t tried Morlaix it sounds like it’s not either.  

Somebody needs to recreate Asthoroth!

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@ArtChoo You said you bought some Latakia for grinding! Use that. You can fortify the Asthoroth with the Viking Brown.

@Juxtaposer    Perhaps the grinder needs a bit of explanation.   It is a stone polisher, one of those that you put pebbles and abrasives in to tumble polish pebbles .   I know where I can borrow one from.

A clean tub and a load consisting of Latakia and ball bearings should do the "grinding " I hope.

There are quite a few methods for creating ground tobacco. A quick search within this forum should give you some good examles. I have never used an ball grinder myself. I understand that they are a superb.

His father, after whom he was named, was a geologist, and it’s possible that the snuff was named after him. 

When i heard the name before seeing it print, I used to think it was ‘James Roberts Injustice.’  Which is a pretty good name for a guy in a punk band.

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