Duke Albert/Prince Andrew

[GothPiper]

I've long wanted to try the famed Prince Albert, but I could never bring myself to commit to 14 oz. of any tobacco that I don't know if I'll even enjoy. So I decided to try the match blend Duke Albert (and someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that Hearth & Home's Prince Andrew is the very same blend, as they are both produced by Sutliff).

Now on to the review:

The bowl started with a slightly bitter nuttiness (I'd say it was most like a chestnut flavor) from the burley, along with an unsweetened cocoa note (like baking chocolate). This, in itself, was ok; if not terribly flavorful. The room note was distinctly cocoa as well, which was pleasant. But this burns off quickly, and along comes a very cigarette-like taste and harshness, which continued for the remainder of the bowl (with the chestnut/cocoa receding far into the background). The nutty cocoa flavors would peek out now and then, but ashy cigarette was overwhelmingly the most dominant flavor here.

It burned at double the speed of any other tobacco I've smoked (lasting barely 20 minutes), created an unusually high amount of smoke, and made strange whining/popping sounds whist burning. I certainly wasn't freight-training this, so I have to chalk it up to the tobacco itself.

Overall, I have to say I was quite disappointed. I do most definitely enjoy burley. Heck, SWR regular is one of my favorites, and I was expecting this to be comparable. But sadly, it was a whole different animal. This is one Duke whose kingdom I shall not be moving to anytime soon...

 

[mso489]

I enjoy the Walnut match, Chestnut, in the same Midtown series, but I tend to find Prince Albert a little too cocoa flavored for me, and too mild, so I haven't tried the Prince Andrew version of it. The burning characteristics don't sound good. It's something that isn't mentioned much in reviews, but it is important. I tamed the difficult burn of McC's discontinued Dark Star with a hand grater so it burns like a champ, but this blend is already ribbon and not as exotic in pedigree. Sorry to hear this match isn't appealing.

 

[Grangerous]

I had a very old pouch of PA and I’d found tucked away and I loved it so much that I ordered a tub. That tub is still 3/4 full. I seldom visit it because it didn’t compare with my experience with the pouch which was old tyme pipey goodness. In fact, my taste for Middleton has left the building. I have tubs of SugerBarrel and Carter Hall that get the same treatment. I don’t know why but I get “artificial” from them. Cocoa or Sweet. Just something that I cannot describe.

 

[WVOldFart]

I know that Chatham Manor is not the same as Carter Hall. It is supposed to be a match, but I did not enjoy it as much. Prince Albert is a basic burley, all day, every day pipe tobacco. Some love it, others think it tastes like zoo dust. Don't base your opinion on the match blend. That is the problem of having match blends for already existing blends. If you want to taste what the original taste likes. taste the original. Unfortunately the tobacco companies make it hard on the buyer by offering mostly tub amounts. Who wants to pop down $40.00 for a tub of tobacco that might make you hurl. Prince Albert is still available in pouches, but very hard to find. My advice is if you can find a pouch of Prince Albert, buy it and try it. There are so many other great burley "Codger " blends.SWR, Half N Half, Heine's Blend, Sutliff Ready Rubbed etc.