My Weekend with Half & Half Tobacco

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CarterHallJunkie

CarterHallJunkie

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Hello Gentlemen - I hope all is well in your neck of the woods. Cooler finally here in the Midwest.

On Friday I picked up some OTC Half & half tobacco. All of the few places that I have locally to get Carter Hall were out of stock. Rather than just opting for Prince Albert, I decided to give H&H a try.

My thoughts:

First of all - it is very different from my other tobaccos. The burley and bright mixture is harder to control and I found myself in the middle of a pretty bad tongue bite.

I took most of the day from it yesterday and enjoyed the remaining Prince Albert I had on hand.

Returning to it today, I have found that I like it, but i have had to adjust my packing, tamping and lighting regime. I also discovered that it smokes better (more easily) in an older no name (made in England) pipe I have than my Aldo Velani Octagon.

All in all - I think I will stay with it through the rest of the pouch - but will try other burley's to get a better reference point for them.

Just my experience. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this tobacco.
 
One of very few tobaccos that I just can not stand. I know many love it, but it leaves a terrible taste in my mouth. I think the label was misunderstood at the printers, as they describe it as "burley and bright" and I think what they meant was "burley in blight"? But we each have our own chemistry and preferences, so perhaps it will work with you, just doesn't for me.

Natch
 
That's one OTC I've never tried, but do remember smoking Half & Half nails many years ago.
 
Not for me way to harsh, I prefer better cured tobaccos.
 
During my "Summer of burleys" a couple of years ago I smoked nearly all the OTC's I could find but never tried H&H. Have heard a lot of poor to bad reports on it which keeps me steered away. Too bad cause that is one that our local grocer still sells for under $20 a tub. Guess I need to grab a pouch and give it a try.
 
Hunter5117

A"Summer of burleys" - now that sounds fun!

I really do like the taste of H&H - if I could just get over the tongue bite (which I don't get with my other tobaccos).

I had a better day with it yesterday until we went out for Thai food...hot and spicy and residual tongue bite do not go well together :shock:

 
It was interesting to read through this thread.

One of my father's uncles died away this past year. I don't have any memories of the man when he wasn't smoking a pipe.

When we cleaned out his house I ended up with several of his pipes (mostly Dr Grabow's in bad or irreparable condition).

We also found dozens (possibly 100) of the square Half & Half tobacco tins. They were in cabinets filled with odds and ends (screws, nails, bullets, tools, silverware) on coffee tables and nightstands with pencils, mail, etc in them. We also found pouches of Half & Half all over the house, many of them unopened.

Apparently he'd been smoking it for years, and was well stocked up.

I kept several of the unopened pouches, but haven't tried it myself yet.



 
I tried H&H early this past autumn -- I didn't find it bad and I didn't get any bite, but it was the only tobacco I've tried since coming back to the pipe that I found just plain boring.
 
H&H is one of two pipe tobaccos available within 50 miles of my home, the other being PA. When I first re-kindled my relationship with pipes, I grabbes some half and half and tried it out.

It was almost enough to make me want to completely sever my relationship to the pipe.:x Tongue burn, harsh, nearly tasteless. Oddly enough, it wasn't bad as a roll-your-own cigarette.
 
My father-in-law smoked it exclusively. Every Christmas I would buy him some. Never tried it...Prolly never will. It smelled to high heaven.
 
I tried Half and Half once an tossed it after the second bowl. It tasted more like nasty chemicals.
 
Sometimes H&H bites me like rabid wolf and other times it doesn't. I like the taste (almost like a mild coconut to me). I have to get the pack just right. I buy a pouch now and then but still prefer Carter Hall as my go to mixture when I'm not smoking flakes.
 
Back in my early pipe smoking days in the late 60s and early 70s I mainly smoked Carter Hall with some PA but would occasionally get a pouch of Half and Half. One thing I found out right away is that if it gets the least bit dry it bites very badly. If it was at the correct moisture level it was not a bad smoke but I preferred Carter Hall so I stuck with it. I haven't smoked any of it for at least 30 years.

Smokey
 
I was at a local cigarette shop getting my wifes RYO tobacco and saw a pouch of this. Decided "what the hell" I'll give it a try. I couldn't believe it..... I actually like this stuff and I've never really like some of what I would call over the counter blends like this, Carter Hall, Walnut, etc. I let it air out for a day before smoking. No tongue bite or bitterness. Maybe I've been missing something all these years. Maybe I should give some of the others another try. Walnut next :confused: . :lol!: :lol!: :lol!:
 
Oddly enough, I like half & half. Guess it all depends on body chemistry and how you pack it. For my main OTC's I switch between it and Sugar Barrel. Just bought an old 14 oz tub of Kentucky Club Blue yesterday. Pretty well dried out. Tried a pipe full -- now there was some tongue burn! Humidifying it now...
 
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