Ravenwood Moose Marmalade

Recently there seems to be an uptick in independent and small batch pipe tobacco blenders coming to the market. To be very clear, I find this insurrection to be a wonderful thing! Similar to artisan pipe carvers, these boutique tobacco blenders – when done well – help support the aging hobby of pipe smoking and contribute to advancement in the pipe smoking pastime. Furthermore, I do believe this creative practice generates a healthy, innovative avenue for those of us on the never-ending search for the perfect tobacco blend (this is where Tobacco Acquisition Disorder – TAD – originates from) and keeps the big boy tobacco producers from getting completely lazy and monotone in their blending practices.

For those who may not be familiar with the producer of this blend, The Briar Fellowship, owned and operated by James Ravenwood, is an independent pipe tobacco blending company and online pipe and tobacco consignment shop. Established in 2011, The Briar Fellowship is an online hub for the Ravenwood pipe tobacco blends, which currently have a portfolio of 14 – 20 blends at any given time. As many of the Ravenwood offerings are one-off creations or seasonal blends, the serious pipe tobacco adventurist will need to follow The Briar Fellowship on Instagram (@thebriarfellowship) to be informed of small and seasonal blend releases. 

According to The Briar Fellowship website, Moose Marmalade was created as “a little different than your everyday aromatic. The main flavor profile is that of citrus – tangerine, orange, lemon. Using Virginia, Burley, and Toasted Cavendish, I tone the citrus down a notch with some sweetness and earth, balancing the mixture out. The end result is something that really is reminiscent of Marmalade, a slightly citrus sweet blend that retains some “baccy” flavor, with some wisps of almond and vanilla.” 

For more information on this tobacco and other offerings, be sure to visit the website at: https://www.thebriarfellowship.com.

On to the review…  

From the Tin: The first thing to note, even before opening the tin, is the awesome tin art Ravenwood has commissioned for this blend. Again, this is something the independent tobacco producers are doing much better than the large-scale tobacco conglomerates. And let’s be real, having great tin art is never a negative when it comes to deciding whether to try a tobacco blend. It’s part of the overall pipe and cigar smoking experience!

Upon opening, the first thing you will notice is the aromatic bliss of vanilla syrup and fruit zest. Before going any further – be warned – if you are not an aromatic pipe tobacco fan, you will not want to pursue this blend.  The tobacco is a very nice mix of light and medium ribbon cut pieces, with the dark cavendish taking front and center stage visually. The tobacco is very moist upon opening and does need a bit of drying time before loading into your favorite pipe for enjoyment. I found between 20-30 minutes to be perfect for drying out the blend.  

Flavor Notes (Taste + Aroma): After smoking six bowls of Moose Marmalade, I found that I most enjoyed it in a small – group 1 or 2 – sized bowl. The moisture level in the tobacco seemed to burn and perform better when not packed in large size quantitates/bowl. The room note on the tobacco is most enjoyable and continued to bring my palatable mind to glazed donuts and pancake syrup. The vanilla seemed to be the most prominent flavor with mild chocolate, roasted marshmallow, and faint orange fruits also being present in the tobacco’s flavor profile. The smoke consisted of a thick, rich creamy texture and the retro-hale proved to be harsh – almost unbearable. Between all six bowls I never once experience tongue bite and the total package – aroma + tastes – had me wanting more. This is a very well blended aromatic and I plan to purchase more tins for enjoyment with friends and family this holiday season.       

Overall Impression: Fun, interesting, and enjoyable. Those are the three adjectives to best describe this blend. Has Ravenwood revolutionized the pipe tobacco and blending world? Probably not. However, it is very nice to have access to such a wonderful example of a classic aromatic pipe tobacco. In fact, this blend reminds me a lot of the aromatics I used to purchase at my local Brick & Mortar Tobacconist when I first started pipe smoking. And as discussed above, these small independent blenders are much needed to fill the unfortunate void where small town tobacconist have gone away and/or closed shop.

If you are looking for a nice sweet, aromatic smoke for the holiday’s, Moose Marmalade will not disappoint you (the pipe smoker) or your guests (the in-laws). Although pricier than most regular big-box production pipe tobacco blends, I most certainly recommend picking some up for the extra buck or two it will set you back. Not only will you be supporting both the independent blender and the hobby as a whole, but I am also confident you will find lasting enjoyment in each deliciously sweet and aromatically savory bowl. Finally, in a world that seems to be consistently fighting against our innocent and relaxing hobby of pipe smoking, I applaud James Ravenwood – and the many other boutique tobacco blenders – on being the continued innovators and pioneers of pipe tobacco blending. If these courageous folks keep fighting the battles, and we will keep supporting your endeavors. 

Tobacco Score: 4 out of 5 pipes

Rating Chart Score Breakdowns can be found here.