Codger At Heart

[JMcQ]

I have been trying as many different tobacco blends as I can get my hands on. I keep going back to the OTC classics like Half and Half and Prince Albert. I'll even dip into some Captain Black grape and cherry if I'm in a fruity and sweet mood. This must be the reason that these blends have been around for a hundred years or so.

Just babbling

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I won't argue against codger blends, as I too will smoke one occasionally. But, I think that what has established codger blends was marketing. You could find them where you find cigarettes for decades. And, you could chose between a roll and a tub. Throw in a ton of PG for a huge shelf life to keep them wet, and everyone who doesn't live within an hour of a pipeshop will buy them, and buy them repeatedly.

I don't remember what tobaccos my uncles smoked growing up, but I know that there were no tobacco shops within hours of where we were, so most likely it was codger blends also.

 

[kurtbob]

Both grandfathers smoked a pipe when I was growing up in the 60s-70s. No pipe shops, was pretty rural. The only place to get tobacco was the five and dime or drug store so they smoked what they could get. Sometimes when I’m feeling nostalgic, I will fire up some Prince Albert and think about them.

 

[ray47]

Nothing wrong with smoking OTC blends, regardless if your an Old Codger or a first time pipe smoker. I smoke several higher end non-OTC blends, but always come back to the classic OTC blends on a regular basis. You'll find your way eventually.

 

[Elric]

I did a very limited tour of several and discovered Carter Hall. I will definitely have some around going forward!

 

[lawdawg]

I did a very limited tour of several and discovered Carter Hall. I will definitely have some around going forward!

I enjoy variety, but if there was nothing besides corn cob pipes and Carter Hall, I'd get along just fine.

 

[danimalia]

I enjoy some of these blends quite a bit. Good old Prince Albert is a fine smoke, IMO. John Patton's Stormfront is not a true OTC blend, but I would describe it as a codger blend, and I really like it.

 

[captainsousie]

Love me some Carter Hall here. Gonna pick some up when I'm in the states over Christmas as it's the only blend I can think of that will do OK in the India heat.

 

[mso489]

Not everything in a pouch or tub is a heritage blend. Capt. Black Grape is a recent introduction. I like some pouch and tub blends a lot. Some of them I rate right up there with premium blends by name blenders. Also, I give some high marks for good marketing and distribution, so you don't have to chase them across the landscape and pay triple for them. Some of the unicorn blends are pretty insulting for their lack of availability and exalted pricing. "Out of Stock" tends to make me think "out of business."

 

[mortonbriar]

I like searching out my favourite blend from each genre, The 'Codger Award' was won by Sir Walter Raleigh. (A great antidote to losing my head.)

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

I have found CH & Mixture 79 being pretty enjoyable

 

[anotherbob]

I find codger blends to be in the same category as beers like budwiser or coors and teas like lipton or red rose. Totally fine nothing special seemingly made less to impress and more to be non offensive to a variety of palates. In other words very good but rarely interesting. That said the only codger blend I ever buy is five brothers. Love that one. Have half a pound of it in unopened pouches. There is sometimes something comforting about knowing precisely what you are getting and how it will taste. The other non codger blends I love demand attention and will surprise me with nuances I never noticed before or maybe even never had.

 

[peregrinus]

This must be the reason that these blends have been around for a hundred years or so.

+1
And they will likely be the last to go for the same reasons.

 

[bnichols23]

+1
And they will likely be the last to go for the same reasons.

Aaayyyyyup!

 

[lawdawg]

Love me some Carter Hall here. Gonna pick some up when I'm in the states over Christmas as it's the only blend I can think of that will do OK in the India heat.

Agreed about Carter Hall in the heat. It's definitely my most-smoked blend in the summer, plus I associate Carter Hall in my sensory memory (or however you'd want to describe it) with lots of good summer experiences - fishing in the creek on my friend's grandpa's farm, drinking cheap American light beer with my dad on his back porch, canoeing and swimming all day on our local spring-fed river, and having little outdoor parties (usually just me and my wife) on the backyard patio on summer evenings with some music and a fire in the chimenea. These are my quintessential summer experiences.

I find codger blends to be in the same category as beers like budwiser or coors and teas like lipton or red rose. Totally fine nothing special seemingly made less to impress and more to be non offensive to a variety of palates.

Same. I have several good single malts in the liquor cabinet right now, and some craft brewery porter in the refrigerator. I've also got some basic bourbon and some cheap light beer. Same with my pipe tobacco as well, and I enjoy both ends of that spectrum equally at different times. Probably won't be sipping a peated scotch on a hot and humid summer day!

 

[captainsousie]

Agreed about Carter Hall in the heat. It's definitely my most-smoked blend in the summer, plus I associate Carter Hall in my sensory memory (or however you'd want to describe it) with lots of good summer experiences - fishing in the creek on my friend's grandpa's farm, drinking cheap American light beer with my dad on his back porch, canoeing and swimming all day on our local spring-fed river, and having little outdoor parties (usually just me and my wife) on the backyard patio on summer evenings with some music and a fire in the chimenea. These are my quintessential summer experiences.

Dang man, and I still have 3 weeks before I can get some CH...? Making me wish I had some now.

 

[tradition]

Always have Carter Hall, Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic and Lane Limited Ready Rubbed tubs around.

 

[mso489]

I wouldn't smoke something that I experienced as humdrum. The over-the-counter blends I smoke are taken as competitors to GLP, Dunhill/Peterson, and other premium brands. I think Sir Raleigh Aromatic is one of the better aromatics, as is Iwan Ries Three Star Blue. I think folks are persuaded to think that if it is in a pouch or tub, it's innately codger bland. And once again, I give high marks for good marketing and distribution so buying a favorite blend doesn't have to be a computer search project.

 

[anotherbob]

Agreed about Carter Hall in the heat. It's definitely my most-smoked blend in the summer, plus I associate Carter Hall in my sensory memory (or however you'd want to describe it) with lots of good summer experiences - fishing in the creek on my friend's grandpa's farm, drinking cheap American light beer with my dad on his back porch, canoeing and swimming all day on our local spring-fed river, and having little outdoor parties (usually just me and my wife) on the backyard patio on summer evenings with some music and a fire in the chimenea. These are my quintessential summer experiences.



Same. I have several good single malts in the liquor cabinet right now, and some craft brewery porter in the refrigerator. I've also got some basic bourbon and some cheap light beer. Same with my pipe tobacco as well, and I enjoy both ends of that spectrum equally at different times. Probably won't be sipping a peated scotch on a hot and humid summer day!

I personally like saving the good stuff for the times I am just enjoying the good stuff. Like a good whiskey in my opinion should be sipped and should be the star of the experience. Just sitting there enjoying the little details. Same with pipe tobaccos. The codger blends are great for outdoor adventures where I am enjoying the pipe but not hanging on every last detail.

 

[BROBS]

only OTC tobacco I have found to tolerate really at all is SWR Aromatic.