Beware of the Carter Hall Hype!

hfearly · Feb 9, 2013

Hi Folks,
I'll probably be pretty unpopular after this post, but someone has to say it: Carter Hall is hyped way too much in this forums

Due to the constant raving about this tobacco from some here I added a tub of it to a recent order on p&c.
Had my second smoke of it today and I can't help but give it a big thumbs down. Tastes like cardboard that has been flavored after a cheap cigar. While it doesn't burn hot or bit, it still leaves my throat feeling like I caught a fungus on top of Mono... Verdict: not for me.
On the positive side, the order contained Black House, which is absolutely fantastic

That one well deserves the big hype around it, that's for sure.

peckinpahhombre · Feb 9, 2013

Hey hfearly - you aren't the only one. I added 2 oz to my recent order and I won't be ordering more. It sure wasn't the worst thing I ever smoked but I didn't particularly enjoy it either. Mehhh, to each his own I guess. Sure glad I didn't order a tub lol

hfearly · Feb 9, 2013

It's a beautiful plastic tub though, lol! After I dump out the contents my pipe cleaners and filters will be happy in there ;-)

ghost · Feb 9, 2013

Thirded. I added a pouch to a recent order and it's just meh so far. I'm going to blend it going forward to see if I can get any magic combos going.

bogglor · Feb 9, 2013

I am not sure it's really been hyped per se, rather I think many are surprised that an OTC can be anything other than complete crap, I too tried it yesterday for the first time and although it didn't blow me away or anything it was definitely as advertised. Mild, very easy smoking with zero bite, and I can see it being a good blending agent for other stronger tobaccos or really to add "burley body" to something.

peckinpahhombre · Feb 9, 2013

hfearly - try some stormfront if you get a chance. The reason some like CH is because it's a pretty easy blend to smoke when your doing chores around the house (like mowing the lawn - as if we need to worry about that now) primarily because its a pretty maintenance free smoke. For me, stormfront serves that purpose. It's not overly complex, but it lights right away and has a very pleasant taste for my pallet.

dragonslayer · Feb 9, 2013

The most talk about CH is that it’s a good base for blending. Being a Burley it’s light and will absorb flavors easily. Check out any of the blending forums and you’ll see many are 50% CH and some different aromatics and/or strong English. Stuffing it in a jar for a month. I’d say 75% of blenders use CH. Being VA/VApers guy, have no interest in blending aromatics, or wasting VA.

judcole · Feb 9, 2013

The old codger burleys are nice, mild, smoke 'em all day and don't pay much attention to 'em blends. They are not, however, made with high quality tobaccos. I have tried a lot of them, over the past few years, since I never did when I first started smoking - CH, PA, PA Choice, Granger, KC Mild, Walnut. Walnut was the only one I found at all interesting.

hfearly · Feb 9, 2013

After I dump out the contents

If you decide tho dispose of it, please consider trading it or giving it away. I apologize if this is your plan already, but when I saw the word "dump," and with so many in tough straights financially, I felt compelled to post this.

That was my first intention, too, alas tobacco trades have been severely discouraged here so I didn't offer ... and no, I won't bother using briarbid.

The most talk about CH is that it’s a good base for blending. Being a Burley it’s light and will absorb flavors easily. Check out any of the blending forums and you’ll see many are 50% CH and some different aromatics and/or strong English. Stuffing it in a jar for a month. I’d say 75% of blenders use CH. Being VA/VApers guy, have no interest in blending aromatics, or wasting VA.

I shall look into home blending !

05venturer · Feb 9, 2013

I am not sure it's really been hyped per se, rather I think many are surprised that an OTC can be anything other than complete crap,

+1

my thoughts also, and I am a big fan of CH BTW

dragonslayer · Feb 9, 2013

This site doesn't deal a lot with blending, have to go to the other site...Don't want to get in trouble. But yeah Jud Walnut is one of the most mentioned, and favored.

sparroa · Feb 9, 2013

Most gentlemen who praise Carter Hall smoke 5-10-15 bowls a day and they love its mildness, gentle sweetness, consistency, and burning properties. Their endorsements should be viewed through that kind of lens.
As soon as I smoked Prince Albert, I understood exactly why I was wrong to expect some kind of taste revelation. These codger burleys are not for flavour junkies looking for a roller coaster ride - they are simple and very predictable. If you smoke one or two bowls a day, these are probably not the tobaccos for you...
These blends are more notable for their longevity and for their undemanding nature than for setting any standards of excellence.
(By the way, 4noggins sells 2oz samples of the main drugstore blends - it's a good way to save yourself the hassle of having a giant tub of something you aren't fond of)
I have seen a few guys on other forums who smoke nothing but CH, so it really depends on what you want from your tobacco.

nsfisher · Feb 9, 2013

@hfearly.
Hey mate, sorry you don't care for CH, but that won't make you unpopular mate. It is not for everyone. Everybody has likes and dislikes and not in tobacco alone. Glad to have your opinion, whether it is good of bad. I like CH, but that is just my preference. Many premium baccys, I find I can take or leave, and am glad I found a Baccy that is easily found, ordered, and packaged. Whatever ones' preference is, smoke it and enjoy it. :puffpipe:

Perique · Feb 9, 2013

I too was curious to try CH (as well as Sugar Barrel and Walnut) as a result of several threads on this forum. I've found them ok. Just ok. Haven't tried the Wal-Hall yet but it's on my to-do list. CH isn't terrible and it isn't great. I find Angler's Dream a much, much better blend. But that's the great thing about our hobby - so much variety, something for every taste.
Of them all,my personal opinion is that Walnut is the most interesting, if only for the surprising Latakia aroma - very different than any other OTC.

yohanan · Feb 9, 2013

Hey hfearly, sorry you didnt like CH, I didnt really care for it when I first tried it, and preferred PA at the time. The more I smoked it, the better I liked it. It certainly is not the best I have smoked, and is far from the worse I have smoked, all that being said, your still ok in my book. : puffy

:

wildcat · Feb 9, 2013

Most gentlemen who praise Carter Hall smoke 5-10-15 bowls a day and they love its mildness, gentle sweetness, consistency, and burning properties.

Bingo.

taerin · Feb 9, 2013

That's the problem with buying baccy from someone else's opinion, it won't always be right for you! On the otherside, without them, your flying blind. Either way you can trade whatever you buy using briarbid, just discuss what you would like to trade it for and put it up there. Saying a baccy doesn't deserve its hype because you don't like it is a little overboard though, but you don't seem like a bad person, so it is all good

gwtwdbss · Feb 9, 2013

@hfearly
Understood. It is not my favorite but a stable for me. I love to break in a new pipe with it. To me the more I smoke it the more I crave it. I really like the Nutty Walcut blending that fisher suggested. To me that is just a basic but delicious smoke that is great for walks or doing stuff while smoking.
I don't think ya bashed it too badly and everyone has different tastes. My tastes change a lot. Some months I am hard and heavy on Latakia, others, its a VA or VaPer. Lately with breaking in some new pipes I recently acquired it's Burley. Nutty Walcut was also my go to blend when I got over a nasty cold that lasted for about ten days. I am sure you can trade your tub off to someone that will appreciate it.

hfearly · Feb 10, 2013

Most gentlemen who praise Carter Hall smoke 5-10-15 bowls a day and they love its mildness, gentle sweetness, consistency, and burning properties. Their endorsements should be viewed through that kind of lens.
As soon as I smoked Prince Albert, I understood exactly why I was wrong to expect some kind of taste revelation. These codger burleys are not for flavour junkies looking for a roller coaster ride - they are simple and very predictable. If you smoke one or two bowls a day, these are probably not the tobaccos for you...

+1. I'm a "taste" smoker, not a "nic" smoker. Max 1 bowl a day, but that better be some good stuff =) Wrt. to Burleys, I'll take 4th Generate 1931, Solani's ABF and MB Burley London over CH. I also found a really nice pipe tobacco that tastes like a premium Maduro cigar: Vooroogst from the Netherlands is entirely blended from Indonesian and Java cigar wrapper leaf, very delicious!

rigmedic1 · Feb 10, 2013

For a good all day smoke, I like Altadis's Edgeworth Ready Rubbed match. It is a simple burley with a light molasses casing, barely noticeable, and mild on the vitamin N. I have never tried CH, but I remember the scorched tongue I got in my early piping days from Borkum Riff and Middleton's, which put me off on the drug store classics early. The only way to know what you like is to sample as much as you can, lol.

Beware of the Carter Hall Hype!

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