I traded some pipe tobacco with someone in the UK, and he sent me three tins of Mullins & Westley snuff. I would guess that the producer is Wilsons based on the packaging. Does anyone know which WoS snuffs the M&W versions are?
If you think they are Wilsons ,That is the first place I would inquire. But you may get lucky here. This is all the info I could find . I had read they have 9 snuffs ,What three do you possess? Mullins & Westley Covent Snuff, Jock’s Choice, 25g Originally an exclusive recipe for a very demanding, Scottish nobleman, this unusual, finely ground snuff is enjoying a growing popularity. Its main flavor is determined by neroli. The special qualities of this snuffs discover not usually right after the first pinch - they give it a second and third chance. Without menthol. http://snuffhouse.org/discussion/912/emerald-mocha http://snuffhouse.org/discussion/6768/covent-rose#latest http://snuffhouse.org/discussion/3449/citrus-delight#latest Mullins & Westley Covent Particular 25g snuff Aroma: The recipe of this relatively finely ground snuffs based on a very popular from the 18th Snuff Century. Only the blend of tobacco from Malawi and South American varieties of tobacco is new - otherwise the recipe remained unchanged. This is not least sniff snuff to pleasant by its fine flavor and its freeness. Mullins & Westley runs a small tobacco shop in London near Covent Garden. Here you will find a large selection of quality cigars, pipes, and the Mullins & Westley even “blinded” extraordinary pipes and snuff. Mullins & Westley maintains a tradition of blending and refining of snuff tobacco. The result and the quality of this tobacco Affineurs is our view absolutely incomparable. Mullins and Westley Mature Crumbled -by ermtony This comes over as a well aged SP snuff and is really very nice. The name does seem appropriate. The bergamot/citrus flavouring is toned down, no doubt an effect of the aging process (said to involve maturing for several years in wooden barrels). Unlike fresher or newer SP snuffs, it has little burn, just a good solid tobacco doing what it should. I do seem to detect a touch of coffee in there, though it could just be my imagination! Well worth a try whatever. Mullins and Westley Rumba- By ermtony Alcoholic flavourings, whether brandy, whiskey, wine or port seem all to work well with snuffs. In the case of Rumba the flavouring is most distinctly rum, as one would guess from the name. While my preferences for an all day snuff generally lean towards the plainer end of the snuff spectrum, this is one that could well take its place in the daily line up on occasion. The rum flavouring, while strong enough, is not so strong as to overwhelm tobacco. Always a plus point with me. The tobacco base is good, of medium grind, moisture and colour and carried that flavouring very well, though the scent doesn’t linger too long in the nose, rapidly requiring a top up. Such hardship! http://snuffhouse.vanillaforums.com/discussion/2936/mullins-and-westbury-mature-crumbled-snuff
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Particular, Mature Crumbled and Keen Scented
It appears that they only been producing 4 snuffs for some time. You can purchase online at http://www.davy.co.uk/cs/cps/cigars-and-snuff/buy-snuff-online.html And they have a snuff menu if you want the same details as a pdf at http://www.davy.co.uk/documents/cigar\_and\_snuff/Snuff\_menu\_2008.pdf I was going to visit them yesterday when I was in town but did not have time in the end. The Mature Crumbled and Jock’s Choice sound good.
@chris They have 4 everyday snuffs (Particular, Keen Scented, Jock’s Choice, Mature Crumbled) and four rotating monthly “manager’s specials” (Rumba, Emerald Mocha, Covent Rose, Citrus Delight). To get the latter four you either have to visit the shop in person, or get someone to visit the shop for you. However, Snuffstore.de does carry the full range, at a bit of a mark-up. Its pretty obvious that they are produced by Wilsons of Sharrow, and most are simply WoS snuffs rebranded. I haven’t tried the full range, but Mature Crumbled is probably the same as Best SP. Particular is a bit of a plainer SP: probably WoS SS or SP2. Keen Scented is one of WoS’s various menthols. I don’t have any of any on hand to make a comparison. Jock’s Choice is certainly unique, and I’ve never come across a WoS blend that is anything like it. Although it might be a mixture of F&T Seville and Ton Buck. Rumba: not tried but probably unique. Of the others I’ve had the Rose, but the names should tell you which WoS is comparable.
@Xander Many thanks for that info. When I have time to get there I will pick up some Jock’s Choice and see what else they have. If they have decent tins then I may get some Mature Crumbled as well rather than going for the WoS version. I picked up a tin of WoS Best Dark and when I took the sticky strip off the can had rusted and had holes in it. I know from reading here that is a common problem so I will check the Mullins tins. Thanks again
@Chris I can’t be sure of Mature Crumbled being a clone as I have not had that one personally. I just read Snuffster’s report on it in the link above and he says its a unique blend so it may well be. Try it and tell us what you think. If you can do it, I’d be much obliged (due compensation of course) if you’d get an extra Jock’s Choice for me. Something I’ve been after for awhile. PM me if its possible. Also I’m going to move this thread to Types of Snuff
@Xander Okay - I’ve sent you a message
I just spoke with the Segar and Snuff Parlour in Covent Garden. They are now stocking the basic four snuffs as per their snuff menu and also four others that have been mentioned above. The really interesting news is that they have approx twelve others that are the old G Smith & Sons range. I was worried that they might be old stock from when G Smith closed down but was assured that they were all fresh and were being produced by Hoggarth. Their own snuffs are produced by WoS. I am hoping to have time to pop into the shop this afternoon so I will report back. Right now I am off to read the reviews of the G Smith snuffs and make a “small” list. :))
Now that is promising! Fingers firmly crossed that the Smith’s snuff I like will be among the 12…
I’ve been using the Keen Scented for the last week due to being sick. It differs from my normal medicateds, 6 Photo No. 66 and GH CM in its lack of camphor. I do like the addition of eucalyptus, and my overall impression of Keen is that it’s a nice snuff. I find it improved by a one third addition of WE Garrett Scotch and enjoyed that combo all weekend.
@cakeanddottle The chap in the shop did say that the Keen Scented was one of their best sellers but I am not that keen on menthol apart from a quick blast of Poschl Gawith Apricot in the morning. That has quite enough menthol and I have a few boxes on hand so I decided not to get that. @ermtony Hopefully you will be able to uncross your fingers. The Smiths they are selling are SP Best, Princess Dark, Kendal Brown, Top Mill, Covent Cafe Royale, King George, Covent Garden (Golden Cardinal), Special Menthol, Sandalwood, Strawberry, Cinnamon, Attar of Roses. Some of the name changes - such as the Golden Cardinal now being called Covent Garden - are due to the fact that while G Smith did not own the recipes they had trade marked some of the names. The chap assured me that they are all the original recipes. Better still they come in the GH plastic 25g tubs so they seal well after being opened. On the basis of the reviews on your excellent ermtony site I bought the Cafe Royal and Covent Garden. Needless to say I have already tried them and I totally agree with your reviews. The Golden Cardinal / Covent Garden does have a delightful bouquet and will have a permanent place among my perfumed snuffs. The Cafe Royale is very good but I have not tried any other coffee snuffs so I can’t compare it with anything else. Another good point is the price. I noticed a discussion about Smiths on this forum and it says that they were charging £7.30 for 25g back in January 2010. The price from the Segar & Snuff Parlour was a far more reasonable £4.60 per 25g. Going back to the original Mullins & Westley topic they now keep all eight varieties in stock permanently so they are: Mature Crumbled, Particular, Keen Scented, Jock’s Choice, Covent Rose, Rumba, Citrus Delight, Emerald Mocha. They are also £4.60 for 25g but they still come in the WoS tins. I picked up Mature Crumbled and Jock’s Choice but I am fighting temptation and have not opened them yet. They will have to wait until I get some glass jars to decant them into - hopefully in the next day or so. Apologies for the very long post but there seems to be a great deal of interest in both the Mullins & Westley and the G Smith snuffs so I thought that I would give you all the details.
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That’s actually very good news, and I’m glad the Smith’s snuffs have found a way to live on.
@Xander Well the two Smiths I picked up are very good so I will probably pick up a few other ones the next time I am in the area. I noticed in the worst snuffs discussion that you share my feelings about QWS Sandalwood. The shop has sample containers of all their snuffs and the aroma of the Smiths Sandalwood was exactly how I expect Sandalwood to smell. I didn’t take a pinch as I had just finished a cigar but if it is as good in the nose as it is in the container then it should be what I was looking for when I got the QWS so that is definitely on the list.
@chris the Smith’s may well be the Gawith Hoggarth Sandalwood rebranded, as I don’t recall a Smith’s Sandalwood in their previous few years lineup. I’ve had and liked the GH one and another GH relabel: Atherthon’s. Also the WoS Sandalwood is pretty good.
Also I’m wondering if the new one called “King George” may be formerly Smith’s George IV, which was one of my favorites.
@Xander I went back and looked at the discussion from 2010 and you are spot on - no mention of Sandalwood. Looking at the list from 2010 there was one called Spanish that is not the list they gave me in the shop - did that have Sandalwood in it and they have just changed the name? You are also correct about the King George originally being George IV - the chap in the shop did mention that when he was telling me about the name changes. When I was making my list this morning I was thinking of getting that but saw a review from @ermtony that said it had an initial burst of cloves overpowering the other ingredients. I don’t mind the occasional whiff of cloves but that sounded like being a bit over the top for my tastes.
@chris No sandalwood in Spanish. In fact Samuel Gawith made the snuffs for some years prior to GH, but GH had them before that. So the line-ups changed. Anyway, Spanish is essentially an extra charged SP, very much like WoS Grand Cairo. I don’t remember any cloves in George IV, it may have had some as a hint. The main scenting was almond and tonquin I think. Both one I had were from the time SG was making them, and both were excellent snuffs. Those two and Golden Cardinal were some of the best snuffs around. I’ve got reviews written of all three and a couple others. So, I’ll post them in the review section when I get some time.
@Xander I look forward to reading your reviews. If the clove aroma is minimal then I may pick up the King George the next time I am in that area.
Worth remembering that I can’t stand cloves at all, so even a little is too much for me!