Golden Shag

Tobacco Name: Golden Shag

Brand: Uhle’s

Contents: Virginia, Latakia, Perique, and Burley

Cut: Ribbon

Strength: Mild

Flavoring: None

Taste: Medium

Room Note: Pleasant/Tolerable

Pipe Used: Danny Boy Pipes Churchwarden “Assassin” 

Bottom Line: Golden Shag is one of my absolute favorite blends of tobacco. I picked my pouch up at the Renaissance Fair from a booth owned by Danny Boy Pipes. This tobacco provides a very mild and smooth smoke all the way through with little bite. It gives a pleasant room note and could definitely be an all-day smoke.

Contrary to the name, Golden Shag comes in a ribbon cut ready for packing. The aroma from the strands is sweet, savory, and woody. It lights fairly easily, even on a windy day, and the first few puffs provide a bit of heat with the sweetness. The flavor for me, certainly influenced by the name, reminds me of golden toasted vanilla. As I acclimated to the smoke, an oaky black pepper persisted over the sweetness. A slight sourness from the nicotine clung to the flavor throughout the smoke.

My favorite part of this smoke was when I got to the second half of my second bowl. I tend to pack the bottom of my bowl tighter, and I attribute this to really bringing out the flavor of the tobacco. A bold and savory flavor presented itself in an almost nutty note – like chestnut or cashew. As I put my pipe down and let the taste of the tobacco hang in my mouth, the finish was slightly herbal and reminded me of a black tea.

Golden Shag is a pleasant, sweet, and mild smoke that has always delivered an enjoyable experience for me. It lights easily, burns smoothly, and rarely needs a relight.