Drug Store Burleys:: Prince Albert, Carter Hall, Half&Half, etc.

[Mister Moo]

Have you been there? Done that? Loved it? Hated it?

I went on a little drugstore burley bender last month, deciding to try the range of brands including PA, CH, H&H and Captain Black (vari9ous versions). While the price by the pouch or cannister is hard to beat I found my first dance with PA was not - it tasted a hair acrid and reminded me a bit of cigarette taste. I worked on through the CH and H&H (so far) and found them both a little softer tasting - neither bad nor particularly attractive to my taste. I note however that at least one person commented on the great aroma of the burning PA when I was smoking it outdoors at a job site.

Advice offered by experts: I tried the PA tobak again after there sat in a cool spot (indoors) for several days as compared to a bowlful from a pouch that had been sitting in a hot car. Maybe there was a slight improvement but nothing dramatic - hard to nail that down.

Further advice offered: I moved the PA, CH and H&H from briar and meer into a cob. You know what? A cob softens that slightly acrid edge I got from PA and did smooth or round-out the CH and H&H. I rate the drugstore burley as much improved from a cob. While it still wouldn't jump out as my first choice of tobak they all tasted OK, packed easily and burned evenly to a fine ash at the bottom of the bowl in every case. It may even grow on me. There is something to be said for inexpensive, perfect burning, moderate tasting, biteless pipe tobacco. It does not lack character and, if you're fortunate enough to fawn over the flavor, I count you particularly fortunate given the price of the gear.

I'd favor keeping some of the Carter Hall around for blending with a couple of intense VA tobaks; I usually buy some more costly burley at a B&M, an ounce or two every so often, but the CH will do the job just fine.

(Poll problem for those who "Tried it but were so-so" like me. I'll say just vote as Tried it ' loved it (and smoke other stuff).

[RJpuffs]

Originally Posted by Mister Moo

...
(Poll problem for those who "Tried it but were so-so" like me. I'll say just vote as Tried it ' loved it (and smoke other stuff).

Ain't no option for that?

I've tried Altadis bulk stuff. My B&M is run by brain dead zombies, their baccy is dripping wet and cigars are wet as sponges - while it did get me started on the pipe, its not something I will try ever again (at least not from these bozos).

[JohnnyFlake]

I love Carter Hall, and Prince Albert is pretty good, however, I can't stand Half & Half!

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by RJpuffs

Ain't no option for that?

I've tried Altadis bulk stuff. My B&M is run by brain dead zombies, their baccy is dripping wet and cigars are wet as sponges - while it did get me started on the pipe, its not something I will try ever again (at least not from these bozos).

Aw c'mon. We're talking Middletons PA or CH and H&H - the nice ready to smoke jazz in a nice foil pouch. No brain dead zombies involved.

[RJpuffs]

Originally Posted by Mister Moo

Aw c'mon. We're talking Middletons PA or CH and H&H - the nice ready to smoke jazz in a nice foil pouch. No brain dead zombies involved.

They don't carry those, only jars of soggy Altadis and MacBaren tins. No wonder I don't see any pipe smokers in my part of town!

[physiognomy]

I think one blend that deserves mention here (in the etc category I think?) is Edgeworth ready rubbed... Smokey burley flavours with a sweetness that isnt over the top (imho). Seems like this one has been discontinued unforutunately... I will have to source some more before it demands $$$ on ebay

[atlacatl]

I haven't tried those yet, but next time I go the my B&M I'm going to buy one of each.

[Highstump]

I have Prince Albert, Half&Half, and Edgeworth RR'd around the place all the time and smoke one or more of them a couple of times a week. I have found that both H&H and PA are much better from the tub than the pouch.

[Mr.Lordi]

H&H: Blah! First baccy I ever smoked, burned the crap out of my tounge due to my noob error (I tried "hitting" it like do, because I thought you have to take deep puffs a few times to get it to stay lit the entire bowl. lol)

Tried it again recently and still Blah! My dad used to roll ciggs with it, so maybe it has some use. Smells awesome though.

Captain Black white: Best of all the captains. Not saying much though in terms of tobacco. Sometimes I like it and it taste like chocolate. Most times it taste like cardboard and chemicals. Smells awesome and makes woman want to have ya kids though.

Other CB's are pretty mediocre.


PA is meh. Not bad, not great. third or fourth tobacco I tried and must say that its better then the above, but not by much.

CH: Sweeter then the prince, but still doesn't do too much for me.

Apple by John Middleton, a burley aro that is ok if you do a frank method in a corn cob and sip slow. other then that, crap.

Mixture 79...this one is weird. the tobacco is good tobacco and when I could taste it underneath that god awful casing, I liked it. But more often then not, all I could taste was the casing and it was blah!

Edgeworth RR,smells like a barn, but in a good way. Taste pretty good too. I like it. too bad its going bye bye.

5 brothers....OMG, the best of the drug store blends. So awesome, I did a whole review on it. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.


I have not tried Granger, PE, or a few of the other burleys and burley aro's yet, but I am not too optimistic about them.

[Slow Triathlete]

Bought a small pouch of Carter Hall last week and smoked my way through it. Did I like it? Well, I went to JRs yesterday and bought a huge tub of it. So yes, I liked it a lot.

Not sure what the aroma is supposed to be though. Cherry? Anyone have an idea?

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by Slow Triathlete

Not sure what the aroma is supposed to be though. Cherry? Anyone have an idea?

Dunno - but the first bowl I smoked in public drew a favorable very comment on the scent.

[TOB9595]

All things considered, I'll pass on the drugstore sets.
BUT...
In a pinch they will work

[Slow Triathlete]

Originally Posted by Mister Moo

Dunno - but the first bowl I smoked in public drew a favorable very comment on the scent.

I had to put mine in a bowl to air out for a bit. The smell is pretty intense when you first open the tub up. I told Evan that it kind of smells like a Urinal Puck the first time the smell hits you. It tones down though after a bit.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by Slow Triathlete

I told Evan that it kind of smells like a Urinal Puck...

Who better to know than EvanS.

[Vrbas]

Tried a number of them, nothing special but glad i tried them. There should be an option for a neutral standpoint

Captain Black Gold - not bad, but don't really remember it all that much, i'll have to come back to it. Never "hit" me all that well.

PA - tried it once, not too bad. I need to give it another go. Very dry to me and smells like apple cinnamon in the pouch