Why Does Everyone Love Carter Hall So Much ?

You won't get any thumbs down from me. I believe in "to each, his own". You don't like it, that's just fine. You like what you like and don't what you don't.
CH is enjoyed by a lot of guys and a lot of them also enjoy PA. CH is enjoyed a lot because to me, it's a very simple blend. It can burn hot if you're not careful, so it makes one slow down even more. When I smoke it, I'm smoking slow enough that I can taste the nuttiness in it. I don't really ever taste ash when I smoke it, unless I get it burning too hot.

Nutty-cocoa-molasses goodness. Been a pipe smoker for nearly thirty years and love it.

Nothing wrong with having your opinion on something!

Prince Albert fan myself.

I've never tried it myself, but I think the reason it's recommended to new pipers is that it is so readily available everywhere, and fairly even on taste.

I would ask you, how long have you been smoking cigars, and how long have you been smoking pipes? While I'm not a huge fan of Carter Hall, it's not because it tastes like ash, it's really more that I want something more full flavored, and I'm not a huge burley fan.
I'm wondering if your palette is more adjusted to cigars. Cigars are typically bolder than most pipe tobaccos. Also, your palette may not be adjusted to pick out the pipe tobacco flavor gamut yet. You might want to start with some fuller flavored, bolder blends.
I would recommend trying some English/Balkan blends first, get your palette adjusted to them first, then start branching out from there, especially coming from cigars. Maybe even some blends that have cigar leaf in them.
I'm not much of a cigar leaf guy, but I'm sure guys will chime in and give you some recommendations.
For fuller Englishes I would recommend trying:
Dunhill 965

Dunhill London Mixture

Dunhill Nightcap

Ashton Artisan's Blend

Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian/HH Vintage Latakia

C&D Star of the East Flake or ribbon cut

GLP Gaslight

GLP Westminster

GLP Quiet Nights

Peterson Old Dublin

Peterson Balkan Delight
You might also try some fuller flavored non-English/Balkan stuff.
Either way, you need to tune your palette to the pipe tobacco area, and Carter Hall is very mild. It's mild enough, that your palette may not be tasting it yet. I know when I first started smoking pipes, there were some blends that I could not taste, they were just hot air and ash. Now, I go back to them and they are full of flavor. I had to educate my palette.
That's my 2 cents, your mileage may vary.
Slainte.

A corncob? Phhht... ha ha, JK

+1 Uncleyoda
If you want a “pipe experience” neither Carter Hall nor a corncob is going to give it to you, unless youre Popeye.

Nothing wrong with either, but just not pipe-y in flavor or experience. They're my go to for yardwork, but when I want a pipe, I smoke a good tobacco in a good briar.

Why is CH so popular?

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I agree with mikethompson...might be because it's readily available. I can walk three blocks to our local "cheap cigarettes" store and pick up a pouch of Carter Hall, Prince Albert or Captain Black. That's all the pipe tobacco he sells...no tins. I currently have a pouch of each...I don't love them, but I'll smoke them on occasion.

Not sure about linking here, but if you go online and search for "whole leaf tobacco", maybe add "cigar" in there, you can get decent cigar leaf online.

Never understood folks suggesting new smokers start with a cob.

Suggesting that new pipers start with a cob is like suggesting to someone interested in cigars start with a Backwoods brand cigar. They are pretty good ok cigars, but you won't get close to the quintessential cigar experience.

Never understood folks suggesting new smokers start with a cob.

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I really think it has more to do with finances than the "pipe experience"
Cobs provide a reasonable smoke, they are cheap and semi durable (compared to briar). Having said all that, they give a completely different flavour than briar and, lets face it, are not exactly works of carving art
I used to carry a cob when I went fishing, but after realizing that I'm sitting on the river bank and there is no real danger of dropping my pipe in the stream, I now take a small briar. Tobacco just tastes better to me in a briar.
The other thing about starting with a cob is that you may very well get a bit of a surprise when you go to a briar pipe. What you thought was either a great (or not so great) blend will change.
My advice to a prospective pipe smoker is go ahead, get a cob and a pouch of something like Carter Hall and give it a try. If you're completely turned off, you've invested maybe $15, if you like the experience, throw in $50, get a reasonable estate pipe and smoke the crap out of it till you either get comfortable with the whole smoking thing or get bitten by PAD
In closing, I would like to apologize to all the cob aficionados out there, but, to each his own.

"In closing, I would like to apologize to all the cob aficionados out there, but, to each his own."
I don't see any need for an apology. Like you say, it's to each his own. I own more briars than cobs, but smoke cobs more often than briars. Try making sense of that- I can't.

I had one box/pouch of Carter Hall and that's all I'll ever have of it. It was very bland and mundane. Extremely boring flavor profile. After having it I really understood why people use it to cut blends with. Just about any tinned aromatic blend is better than Carter Hall in my opinion.
If you're looking for a blend with cigar leaf that kinda reminds you of a cigar give C&D's Mad Fiddler Flake a go. It has Kasturi in it which from what I hear is a filler cigar leaf. It really gives that earthy incensy spicy cigar like notes to the flavor. The Virginias compliment it well with tangy fruity notes and the Perique adds a bit of that figgy plum like profile. It's a really interesting flavor profile and the Kasturi, for me, is definitely evident and sometimes taking the lead in the flavors.

People suggest what worked for them. Most of us understand that "one size fit's all" is not really applicable to smoking. But, some here firmly believe that, if they like a cob then, everyone should. I won't offer a blend suggestion when asked as my palate differs from others. I'm a firm believer in others finding their own way without a all the confusing and contradicting information one can find. New smokers are looking for quick answers and the love of the pipe can be a "twisty" trail.
As to Carter Hall ... It's usually readily available and is a "start" as any other first blend would bee. Special to some and rather bland for others. Carter Hall could turn a new smoker away from the pipe as easily as it could be attractive to someone as an introduction to the pipe.

No one has to like anything, and you will find quite a crowd that dislikes any of the twenty most popular blends. Why do people like Carter Hall? It's good basic burley based leaf with what most find a pleasant mild added flavoring that usually stays lit and burns evenly and is mild enough for all day, or a second bowl, or whatever you want. It is said to be "ideal" for breaking in pipes and building cake (if that's what you do). Okay, that's a pretty objective assessment. Let me opine that Carter Hall appeal also relates to its being produced consistent with supply, and is widely distributed so you don't have to stampede to an online or other retailer to buy it in competition with others. It's there, in pouches and tubs, in plentiful supply when YOU want it, not when they deign to squeak out a few tins of it. A lot of people don't have time to make a pilgrim quest for a favored blend and appreciate buying in a normal way at their convenience. I will say that I would prefer the Russ Ouellett match in the PC Midtown Series, Chatham Manor, for its fine flavor and lower price. My own favorite Midtown is Chestnut, a match to the discontinued Walnut, that is the non-aromatic in the series.

Duplicate. The system gives me blank windows, then a "you move too fast" window (when I don't), and finally does multiple posts. Eh?

Warrens post is dead on. Some people may find a generic blend quite good to start with, others not

Again, cobs are suggested for newcomers because not everyone is willing to pay $50 or $100 for a briar pipe in case they find pipe smoking isn't their thing. I prefer MM cobs to cheap briars or drugstore pipes like Grabows.
If money is not a main concern, buy a Savinelli as a starter pipe or whatever strikes your fancy.
With that said, I'll still take a rotation of cobs over a single briar for an equivalent price.
Anyway, bw, I suggest you buy a few more tobacco blends before you give up. The codger burleys aren't always that rewarding. Other than the premium burley flakes, I find most satisfaction from Virginias. Sample some of the more highly regarded blends on Tobacco Reviews and you will surely find something more to your liking...