Carter Hall--A Revelation

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

New Cigars




PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Status
Not open for further replies.

pipefish

Can't Leave
Aug 25, 2013
341
6
I'm smoking CH for the first time and I have to say what a lovely tobacco this is. I'm a 1-2 bowl/week smoker and I usually go for the more "upscale" blends of GH, SG, and Pease. However, I've always been a bit frustrated in keeping the bowl lit, and usually by the end of my smoke I have quite a bit of unsmoked tobacco left in the pipe along with a pile of matches. Thus far, I've been smoking for about 30 minutes in a brand new Savinelli Ontario and I've just struck match number 3--and I didn't take any time to dry out the tobacco. Hell, I might make it to the bottom of the bowl this time! This stuff simply keeps burning and burning and has a wonderful nutty, slightly fruity flavor. Not terribly strong, but consistent and flavorful, albeit a bit monochromatic.
Overall, I really like this stuff. Highly recommended to anyone frustrated from relights! There's something to be said about "codger blends" and glad to see that this one won't be affected by the the new FDA regs.

 

leacha

Part of the Furniture Now
Jun 19, 2013
939
8
Colorado
Happened to me once:
If your smoking it outside, the wind is blowing and you set your pipe down just right, it'll smoke itself.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Excessive relights will take care of themselves over time. You'll have fewer, and you won't notice much either. But yes, Carter Hall has been around forever for good reason. A tub will last a good long time and it keeps well. It mixes well with many other blends for adding variety. Pipes and Cigars makes a pleasant match blend called Chatham Manor that costs a few dollars less per tub. These are classic blends, and at least Carter Hall should remain on the market with no problem after August, but now would be a good time to lay in a few tubs for the future, at today's prices.

 

shutterbugg

Lifer
Nov 18, 2013
1,451
21
I'd rather have to relight a hundred times during a bowl than smoke Carter Hall but if you like the way it tastes, then it's all good.

 

aldecaker

Lifer
Feb 13, 2015
4,407
42
In addition to "the good stuff", I've also been laying away copious amounts of mundane stuff like Carter Hall and Prince Albert. Now that the Nannytards are well and truly off the chain, Lord only knows how far it will go for our practical smoking purposes. I am trying to take as few chances as possible.

 

shutterbugg

Lifer
Nov 18, 2013
1,451
21
That ^ I don't get. I can see resorting to CH and PA if it's all that's left and you're addicted to smoking (note I didn't say "nicotene" because neither of those blends has enough of it to count), but if you're in hoarding mode why not devote all your funds to "the good stuff"? Personally I'll quit before I smoke OTCs, because pipesmoking's supposed to be a pleasurable experience and for me those blends are like smoking hot, gross-flavored air.

 

aldecaker

Lifer
Feb 13, 2015
4,407
42
It's because I like PA on it's own and CH as a blending base. I'm stowing some away because I'm not convinced the availability and/or price will not change in the very near future. I'm not buying things I dislike or would have to "resort to"; I'm simply saying I'm stocking up on rice as well as caviar.

 

aldecaker

Lifer
Feb 13, 2015
4,407
42
Oh, and by the way, if all you get is hot, gross-flavored air it may be because you don't know how to pack or smoke a pipe. :rofl:

 

tinsel

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 23, 2015
531
7
This stuff simply keeps burning and burning and has a wonderful nutty, slightly fruity flavor. Not terribly strong, but consistent and flavorful, albeit a bit monochromatic.
Yes Carter Hall is a classic. It's been around forever, it's a pleasant smoke, and it's cheap.
Kinda like how Basil Hayden's and Blanton's bourbons are fantastic and out of this world ... but a glass of regular 4 year old Jim Beam is still a damn pleasant bourbon to drink. It's affordable, uncomplicated, and a true classic.
I've often wondered ... If Carter Hall and Prince Albert were put into tins and sold at a much higher price with a different name how the pipe smoking community would react. I'm betting they would sell a LOT of tins before people realized what was going on :D

 
Dec 28, 2015
2,337
1,003
I recently revisited CH myself and was shocked at how much I enjoyed it. I see no reason not to keep it around at all times. If your palette is too refined to enjoy CH it is just TOO refined in my opinion.

 

ejames

Lifer
Oct 6, 2009
3,916
22
That ^ I don't get. I can see resorting to CH and PA if it's all that's left and you're addicted to smoking (note I didn't say "nicotene" because neither of those blends has enough of it to count), but if you're in hoarding mode why not devote all your funds to "the good stuff"? Personally I'll quit before I smoke OTCs, because pipesmoking's supposed to be a pleasurable experience and for me those blends are like smoking hot, gross-flavored air.
IMHO--Carter Hall is the good stuff !! I have tobacco from Mac B., Rattray,Orlil,Solani,Mc Clelland,Sutliff,and others. So when I decided to re-stock here about a week ago--what did I buy? 4 tubs of Carter Hall ! If I could no longer buy it I would quit smoking !
PA is a close second to CH-- again--IMHO !!
Also--IMHO,P&C's match for Carter Hall does not even come close !! I
Why is it so hard for some to understand that CH and PA and other so called "codger burley's" are not exactly floor sweepings and that some of us PREFER it to the "good stuff" !!!???

 

hawky454

Lifer
Feb 11, 2016
5,338
10,220
Austin, TX
I do enjoy CH but with all the other good tobaccos I own I rarely reach for it. Great beginner blend for sure as it's definitely got some kind of burn accelerant on it.

 

jndyer

Lifer
Jul 1, 2012
1,020
725
Central Oregon
Oh, and by the way, if all you get is hot, gross-flavored air it may be because you don't know how to pack or smoke a pipe. :rofl:
I would not ask if you know how to pack a bowl but if you know where to put the stem.
Back on topic, CH is a decent smoke. I do not judge what a person smokes so long as they enjoy it. Smoke what you like and love what you smoke.

 

troutface

Lifer
Oct 26, 2012
2,328
11,362
Colorado
Why is it so hard for some to understand that CH and PA and other so called "codger burley's" are not exactly floor sweepings and that some of us PREFER it to the "good stuff" !!!???

I don't know why, but it's damn hard for me to understand. All kidding aside, Carter Hall is only one of two tobaccos (the other was Half & Half) that I hated so much that I couldn't finish my first bowl. I'm truly happy that others enjoy it.

If your palette is too refined to enjoy CH it is just TOO refined in my opinion.

I don't know John, no one has ever accused me of being TOO refined. :rofl:

 
Dec 28, 2015
2,337
1,003
All palettes are different I suppose. As most everyone says smoke what you love and love what you smoke. I sure won't judge anyone either way.

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,253
108,359
Lotsa love for PA, CH, and SWR here. Sometimes only the classics in a cob will do.

 
Mar 1, 2014
3,646
4,916
Pipefish:

a wonderful nutty, slightly fruity flavor.
If you want to kick it up about five notches, stick some Carter Hall in a jar with about 10-20% blending Perique. It's not quite a top tier VaPer but the results are nothing to scoff at.
I happen to love Carter Hall on its own as well, the flavor is good, if not great, but the burning characteristics can be every bit as important as flavor for some of us.

 
Status
Not open for further replies.