Hearth & Home Mid-Town: Prince Andrew

Hearth & Home Mid-Town : Prince Andrew - I received the 14oz tub (normally retails about $30) for only $12.50 pro rata; due to being combined on a special-offer with the purchase of my regular order of the 14oz tub of Middleton's: Prince Albert (normally about $37.50), in a promotion called: "A Princely Punch-Out" for a total of $50.00 for BOTH 14oz tubs.
That was the first nice thing about my experience trying-out H&H's Prince Andrew pipe tobacco.
Normally, I would not buy an entire tub of a mixture that I had never tried before; however, for essentially the price of two 2oz pouches of Prince Andrew - and picking-up the residual balance 10 extra ounces and the tub itself for "free" - how could I resist?
First-off I wish to be perfectly clear that Prince Andrew is NOT a sly misnomer for an intended Prince Albert MATCH.
What Prince Andrew is, is a COMPARABLE to Prince Albert; which simply means that it is SIMILAR TO Prince Albert, but not trying to be exactly the same thing; and that it is, indeed!
Now, what did I find as different?
Upon opening the Prince Andrew tub, the first thing I was immediately struck with was that Prince Andrew has wonderfully strong and highly odoriferous "boozy" pouch-note to it. This thrilled me no-end, as I am currently in a love-affair with other very popular boozey blends, such as: C&D's Black Frigate, and, Super-Value's Bourbon Whiskey.
I find Prince Albert has. to me, a very familiar "raisin" pouch-note foremost.
Upon smoking, I was delighted and surprised by the fullness and depth exhibited by Prince Andrew. This truly is a masterful mixture. I could certainly taste the similarity to my old favorite, Prince Albert, but there was just enough of a delicious difference to recognize Prince Andrew as it's own pallet-pleaser - yet comparable in similar taste to Prince Albert.
What Prince Andrew does not exhibit in terms of the distinct and exact signature secondary flavorings found in Prince Albert, it rather exhibits in a deep richness and dimension of it's key flavor bass-note; which Prince Albert does not share.
Will I give up Albert for Andrew? No.
Will I give up Andrew for Albert? No.
Because Prince Andrew was such a flavorful, full, and wonderfully satisfying smoke, I will be buying and smoking BOTH mixtures from now on. I am very much looking forward to switching back-and-forth between these two "Princely" mixtures for added variety in my work-a-day pipe smoking.
If you are a stead-fast Prince Albert fan, as I am, I cannot see how you will not be overly-pleased if you give H&H's Prince Andrew a try in your own pipe; for the simple reason that if the taste of Prince Albert appeals to you, then there is no reason you should not also appreciate Prince Andrew - as these two mixtures are most certainly "comparable" to one another; in both class and taste.
So, in the end, who won the so-called: "Princely Punch-Out"?
I did.
I was "totally knocked-out" by the wonderful promotional deal I received on both tubs of these two fine tobaccos; and newly, by Prince Andrew, and as always, by my ever-faithful, Prince Albert . - Sherm Natman
"Know, oh prince, that between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities, and the years of the rise of the Sons of Aryas, there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars - Nemedia, Ophir, Brythunia, Hyberborea, Zamora with its dark-haired women and towers of spider-haunted mystery, Zingara with its chivalry, Koth that bordered on the pastoral lands of Shem, Stygia with its shadow-guarded tombs, Hyrkania whose riders wore steel and silk and gold. But the proudest kingdom of the world was Aquilonia, reigning supreme in the dreaming west." - Robert E. Howard; Conan: The Phoenix on the Sword; 1932.

mso489 - That's right. The H&H Mid-town range pouches are a big 2 ounces in size; and run in the $5-6 each. - Sherm Natman

NewBroom - I do indeed very much enjoy the Burleys - especially in the cold weather, and the Virginias when it's warmer outside - so I appreciate the timing of your recommendation on the D&R: Rowland series, being before the weather changes too much here in PA. It looks like D&R's Rowland: Regular (Burley, Virg, Orient) would be the most likely candidate for me to try-out next. Thank you for that.
While risking drifting the thread away from H&H's Prince Andrew, I do want to say that find it interesting that you mentioned D&R: Two-Timer: Regular (Straight Burley, twice-toasted), as I also sampled that on the same night as the H&H: Prince Andrew mixture; and I was pleased how much I enjoyed it as well - Review Pending - and the added inducement in favor of the D&R line is the low price on the tins you mentioned.
Also, yes, I also find that having to get through most of a pouch to fully appreciate a mixture is essential; especially when the initial bowl(s) experience leaves on "on-the-fence", as it were. However, in this case of H&H: Prince Andrew, the first puff was a big hit, and now being up to more than a dozen bowls consumed, I can report that Prince Andrew is hanging right in there - straight out of the gate, with no signs of fading in the back-stretch.
It would be nice if a few race horses I have unfortunately known in the past would have followed the same performance example! LOL! - Sherm Natman
MikeFu - Yes, I am looking forward to trying-out H&H:CM very soon. The only reason we did not have that one along with H&H:Prince Andrew for the weekly smoker just passed, was that P&C was out of pouches of H&H:CM at the time I placed the order for the double-tub "Princely Punch-Out". I do know that back in Feb or Jan, P&C was running a similar "double-tub" promotion; but for a tub of CH and a tub of CM at a similarly special discount price.
Thanks for the very kind words, I appreciate you reading my review of H&H:PA - Sherm Natman

Weezell - Let us know what you think on the re-visit. Thanks for the read and kind words. - Sherm Natman

3rdGuy - I just read the description and the reviews on your recommended Redburn by C&D, and it definitely sounds like it might be right up my boozy alley! Thanks for that, I will add it to my next order, and I will let you know how it goes. I appreciate the recommendation, and your read. - Sherm Natman
Paul - Thanks so much for saying so; I am no master-reviewer, so your acknowledgement means a lot to me Paul. - Sherm Natman
Embers - Well, as you and everyone else knows, Middleton's Prince Albert is my main smoke; so I am with you there (and on The Black Frigate, me 'earty!). - Sherm Natman

Paul - I really would like to try Granger, but unfortunately I have not been able to find the 1.5oz pouches anywhere so I can sample it; only the 12oz tin - Sherm Natman