tr
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First Name: Tom
Favorite Pipe: Savinelli Porto Cervo 122
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Post by tr on Jan 8, 2019 13:02:09 GMT -5
So I'm a new pipe smoker, been smoking for less than a year, and so far I have zero experience with the familiar over the counter blends that have been around forever. I'm referring, of course, to Prince Albert, Sir Walter Raleigh, Half & Half, Carter Hall, etc.
I'm sure this has been discussed on this forum a million times, so I apologize for bringing it up again, but could my more experienced fellow pipe smokers give me their impressions and/or recommendations of what to try or where to start with the OCBs or if they are worth bothering with. They have all been around for a long time, so they must be doing something right?
If there is a thread already devoted to this subject, fell free to redirect me. Thanks.
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Post by McWiggins on Jan 8, 2019 13:22:20 GMT -5
Personally, I find it hard to say. They all have good things about them and I have them all. Do I reach for them often? No because I have other blends I like more but thats my personal taste. Others could smoke OTC's all the time. Every9ne likes different things. My opinion is that a pouch is cheap. Grab a pouch of each and spend some time with them. You might find you really like them or hate them. Or like me, find one or two you enjoy periodically. With so many blends out there, half the fun is trying new things.  |
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Post by puffy on Jan 8, 2019 13:33:39 GMT -5
I agree that if you want to try them.Start with a pouch.It's cheaper that way.
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Post by Cramptholomew on Jan 8, 2019 13:43:42 GMT -5
Out of all the OTC blends, I like Carter Hall and Half & Half best. The topping on Half & Half really appeals to me, but I can't figure out what it is.
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rmb
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Post by rmb on Jan 8, 2019 13:56:24 GMT -5
I really enjoy Carter Hall and Prince Albert. I don't think you can really go wrong trying any of these.
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Post by monbla256 on Jan 8, 2019 14:01:07 GMT -5
Personally, I find it hard to say. They all have good things about them and I have them all. Do I reach for them often? No because I have other blends I like more but thats my personal taste. Others could smoke OTC's all the time. Every9ne likes different things. My opinion is that a pouch is cheap. Grab a pouch of each and spend some time with them. You might find you really like them or hate them. Or like me, find one or two you enjoy periodically. With so many blends out there, half the fun is trying new things.  |
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Post by kbareit on Jan 8, 2019 15:50:51 GMT -5
Out of all the OTC blends, I like Carter Hall and Half & Half best. The topping on Half & Half really appeals to me, but I can't figure out what it is. I need to revisit Half and Half. Haven't had it in years and didn't dislike it. |
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Post by Dramatwist on Jan 8, 2019 16:08:41 GMT -5
Try Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic.
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Post by Cramptholomew on Jan 8, 2019 16:20:54 GMT -5
Try Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic. I really need to do that. it's one of the only ones I haven't tried. I have SWR regular, and it's kinda "meh" to me. |
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Post by trailboss on Jan 8, 2019 16:34:06 GMT -5
I think that on the Pipe and tamper podcast, he referred to it as gas station blends which points to ease of purchase... I think is a better description than Over The Counter, matter of semantics I suppose.
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Post by Pistol Pete 1911 on Jan 8, 2019 16:51:42 GMT -5
The only OTC I smoke is Five Brothers and I like it
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Post by Butch Cassidy on Jan 8, 2019 17:07:30 GMT -5
What OTC's are not aro's ?
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Post by roadsdiverged on Jan 8, 2019 17:19:00 GMT -5
SWRA is one of my favorite "I want a pipe but dont know what blend" blends.
I'd say buy a pouch of each and if you dont like them you're only out a couple bucks.
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booknpipe
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Favorite Tobacco: Burley
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Post by booknpipe on Jan 8, 2019 18:57:44 GMT -5
I don't have a ton of experience but these are the ones I've tried in order of preference:
1. Lane Limited Ready Rubbed
2. Carter Hall
3. Blenders Gold (Walgreens) Golden Burley
Those 3 I smoke semi-regularly. The rest I've tried but never bought a second pouch except for PA; tried several times to like it and failed.
4. Prince Albert
5. SWRA
6. SWR
7. Amphora Original
8. Velvet
9. Half & Half (very 'artifical' to my taste)
No experience at all with Capt. Black or Borkum Riff.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2019 19:41:49 GMT -5
OTC blends comments:
Captain Black Dark is one of my favorites. Captain Black is nearly as good.
I also like Smokers Pride Black Cavendish and Admirals Choice Natural Cavendish.
Super Value Black Cavendish also good but less flavorful than Smokers Pride BC.
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Post by McWiggins on Jan 8, 2019 20:00:06 GMT -5
Now is a good time to try them as P&C is having a sale on all pouched pipe tobacco.
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jackdiamond
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Favorite Tobacco: Davidhoff Flake Medallions. No wait, Semois. No wait, Squadron Leader. Ugh. I dunno.
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Post by jackdiamond on Jan 8, 2019 20:14:26 GMT -5
Carter Hall is my favorite. I'm really heavily into burley blends, though.
To me, it's like a hamburger: simple, cheap, and tasty.
Edit: Clarification: CH is my favorite OTC blend, not my favorite overall.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2019 20:29:16 GMT -5
Carter Hall is like a pair of broke in house slippers always good and welcome.
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Post by Cramptholomew on Jan 8, 2019 20:38:59 GMT -5
Now is a good time to try them as P&C is having a sale on all pouched pipe tobacco. You again! Good thing my wife put the kibosh on spending until Friday. Also, for some reason I don't get all of these sale emails. I'm signed up for them, but they must not like me. I don't blame them. |
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cgvt
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Post by cgvt on Jan 8, 2019 20:43:14 GMT -5
I keep a can of OTC around at all times. I smoke the hell out of them in my cobs when I am working around the yard or on the go. To me, H+H CH and PA are good, simple, mindless smokes. Perfect to fill a pipe that will be hanging out of my mouth as I do other things.
I just finished a can of Half and Half and now have an open can of Carter Hall. I like Carter Hall more and will probably get another can when this one is gone.
BTW, I pick them up at my local Piggly Wiggly for about $25 for a 14 oz can. I think that is a hell of a deal
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Post by McWiggins on Jan 8, 2019 20:51:02 GMT -5
Now is a good time to try them as P&C is having a sale on all pouched pipe tobacco. You again! Good thing my wife put the kibosh on spending until Friday. Also, for some reason I don't get all of these sale emails. I'm signed up for them, but they must not like me. I don't blame them. Im sure the sale will still be running past Friday. Then you can stock up on some Captain Black: Grape for $5.99 a pouch! |
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Post by peterd-Buffalo Spirit on Jan 8, 2019 20:53:41 GMT -5
...all the OTC's you mention are good...as stated, try one or two at a time and buy the pouch version to keep your cost down...
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Post by smellthehatfirst on Jan 9, 2019 0:28:39 GMT -5
Out of all the OTC blends, I like Carter Hall and Half & Half best. The topping on Half & Half really appeals to me, but I can't figure out what it is. I can't stand Half & Half. As my father-in-law would say, it smells like it's half toe clippings and half beard hairs.
Carter Hall is such a great smoke that I indulge in it regularly. It ain't because of price or availability. I just really, genuinely like it.
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Post by smellthehatfirst on Jan 9, 2019 0:31:02 GMT -5
In short: yes, the old-time OTC blends are worth bothering with.
You're not going to find top-quality Virginias or what-have-you, just old-time satisfying blends based around Burley and various toppings.
Carter Hall and the Prince have rather delicate toppings. They're focused on the underlying flavor of the Burley, with just enough VA to keep it interesting.
Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic and Half & Half have rather more assertive toppings. I can't say I much care for either, but I'd rather never smoke another bowl of H&H if I could avoid it. You may feel very differently! it's probably worth a try.
(I've never met a man who didn't like Carter Hall.)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2019 0:55:57 GMT -5
The two OTC's that I like are Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic and Five Brothers, by themselves and mixed together.
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Post by Cramptholomew on Jan 9, 2019 1:00:44 GMT -5
Out of all the OTC blends, I like Carter Hall and Half & Half best. The topping on Half & Half really appeals to me, but I can't figure out what it is. I can't stand Half & Half. As my father-in-law would say, it smells like it's half toe clippings and half beard hairs.
Carter Hall is such a great smoke that I indulge in it regularly. It ain't because of price or availability. I just really, genuinely like it.
you're right! Half & Half does smell like toenails and beard clippings! That's exactly what I couldn't figure out! I just NOW clipped my toenails and trimmed my face, gathered it all it in a pile, and set it alight. Sure enough, that's the smell of Half & Half. At least now I know I can add toenails and facial hair clippings to my ABF, and I'll have my own high quality Half & Half blend. |
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Post by smellthehatfirst on Jan 9, 2019 1:42:27 GMT -5
I can't stand Half & Half. As my father-in-law would say, it smells like it's half toe clippings and half beard hairs.
Carter Hall is such a great smoke that I indulge in it regularly. It ain't because of price or availability. I just really, genuinely like it.
you're right! Half & Half does smell like toenails and beard clippings! That's exactly what I couldn't figure out! I just NOW clipped my toenails and trimmed my face, gathered it all it in a pile, and set it alight. Sure enough, that's the smell of Half & Half. At least now I know I can add toenails and facial hair clippings to my ABF, and I'll have my own high quality Half & Half blend. I'm pretty sure you still gotta get some rat tails and floor sweepings from a tobacco factory to really round it out.
Just re-creating the odor isn't enough for authenticity.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2019 2:52:02 GMT -5
Aside from the excellent suggestions in preceding posts, with time you should hunt out some of the match blends manufactured by Sutliff and others, which are inspired on some great OTCs of the past. Some of them actually improve on the original, imo. These include Sutliff Match Revelation, Match Barking Dog, Holiday, etc. (check P&C for them). C&D Morley's Best is a great approximation of Blue Boar Rough Cut. H&H Chestnut Russ O's take on the also defunct Middleton's Walnut, is also outstanding. You have many choices from which to select among both surviving OTC blends and matches inspired by the ones that have left us. You'll find that this adventurous search is a huge part of the fun in the piping hobby.
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atison
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Post by atison on Jan 9, 2019 8:15:26 GMT -5
I keep a pouch of Captain Black (original) around. I don't dip into it much at all but it is close enough to 1Q that it would work in a pinch. I mainly picked it up to try so that I would know an OTC brand I liked in case I was traveling and needing to pick something up I know I could find.
I do need to try Carter Hall and Prince Albert given all its followers.
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cgvt
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Post by cgvt on Jan 9, 2019 9:52:46 GMT -5
Out of all the OTC blends, I like Carter Hall and Half & Half best. The topping on Half & Half really appeals to me, but I can't figure out what it is. I can't stand Half & Half. As my father-in-law would say, it smells like it's half toe clippings and half beard hairs.
Carter Hall is such a great smoke that I indulge in it regularly. It ain't because of price or availability. I just really, genuinely like it.
I don't like the smell of Half an Half in the can, but like to smoke it. It is not my favorite OTC, but don't hate it by any means and certainly would not turn down a bowl. I posted this somewhere else before, but I recognized the smell and couldn't place it so I went through all of the spices in my spice cabinet. It is cardamom. Who knew? BTW, the smell doesn't seem to be a strong in a pouch as it is in the can. And I agree with you on the Carter Hall. If the tobaccapocolypse were to leave only Carter Hall I could be content. |
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