Favorite OTC blend and why...

[gmjabsky]

Carter Hall, it's unpretentious and has some decent, nutty burley flavor. It burns great. Amphora original is a close second, for a fun Cocoa Puffs taste.

 

[mcitinner1]

Granger, because I have to be different.

 

[oldreddog]

Condor.... just because.

 

[txsasquatch]

I've smoked a fair number of blends, but for some reason I've never tried an OTC drugstore blend. I suppose I have a bias in my mind that it would be like drinking boxed wine when there is so much better around, and the only reason to buy it is because of value and availability. Maybe I'm wrong on that.

 

[hawky454]

CONDOR LONG CUT. Granted it is not OTC here in the States. It's my favorite.

 

[mso489]

I enjoy the bulk and tin blends that borrow from the virtues of OTC's, like Russ O.'s Log Cabin and Edward G. Robinson, among others. They refine the heritage blends and yet retain their homespun gentle easy manners.

 

[didimauw]

I feel the need to post...
Carter Hall is 99 percent of all my smokes. For mei can smoke it all day, with no irritation, it's got the true nutty taste I like, and it burns with no effort. I have two tubs in storage and 1 on it's way.

 

[pipebeast]

Captain Black Dark far and away is my favorite OTC in a pinch. If I want Lane BCA on the fly it does the trick.

 

[maxx]

I've been smoking OTC for some weeks. It was Prince Albert till my little shop hasn't restocked it and I went with Carter Hall. Today I tried some Borkum Riff Original Mixture. Twice the cost of the other two. Sure do miss the good stuff from online. Time to get back. Latakia, here I come.

 

[ophiuchus]

To start, I loathe calling codger/drugstore blends "OTC" blends. Over The Counter ... as opposed to what, Under The Table? Non-perscription? Of course, I also chuckle a little every time I hear/read the expression "estate pipe" ... :twisted:
Anywho, on it's own, Carter Hall is my favorite "OTC." Uncomplicated, sweet and satisfying, like a cup of Dunkin' Donuts coffee with cream and sugar.
In and amongst the sleeves of tins and jars in the "cellar," I also tend to hoard 14oz. tubs of Carter Hall, Prince Albert, Paladin Black Cherry, Half and Half, and Captain Black Regular. I won't be running out of those anytime soon. ::

 

[newbroom]

What I found as I sampled the spectrum of these codger blends was that I would become accustomed to the flavor of the one and when I would try a 'new' one, it took awhile for me to adjust my palate to its flavor.

After having sampled a few of the blends from the shelf of the local Walgreen's (a couple of Blender's Gold and some Captain Black white) I ordered a 14 oz tub of SWR.

I began to bring in the likes of LBE, JKP, Mc's 2015, and I kept returning to the SWR which always packed easily, burned great and tasted good.

I found the same qualities eventually, with PA, CH, and to a lesser extent, Half and Half.

I found the Half and Half to be the most difficult for me to overcome either the chemistry or the topping and the tongue bite, but eventually, I found it too, to be satisfying.

I wish I'd started out with Granger and Velvet, because these are the least expensive of this genre, yet they are about as good or as good as the big three mentioned above. SWR, CH, and PA.

Now I just keep some around for the comfort of knowing they're there on my shelf, and I smoke mostly my own blending tobaccos in various combination.

Codger blends aren't really a value buy, except that they are dependable.

A cob and some codger blend and life is good.

 

[mso489]

Sir Walter Raleigh is about the only blend of any kind I simply can't taste. I've thought it was because I had a stale pouch from a convenience store. From a different source, I thought it was because a MM cob I'd bought on the road had a filter. I love burley and like most burley blends. I LIVE in Raleigh, N.C. It's no help. It's just a blend that is flavorless to me.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

I'd have to go with Captain Black Dark. It's pretty close to Lane's BCA which I really like.

 

[didimauw]

Carter Hall. It's the only tobacco my tongue can handle all day.

 

[ophiuchus]

I'd have to go with Captain Black Dark. It's pretty close to Lane's BCA which I really like.

Captain Black Dark was a very pleasant surprise when it came out. Really good stuff. Also a great mixer. (I'll throw a generous pinch of this into a bowl of McClelland's Dark English once in a while ... mmmmmmm!)

 

[maxx]

This Borkum Riff is a pleasant smoke. 60% Black Cavendish, 40% Virginia. It seems a "cleaner" tobacco than Prince Albert and Carter Hall. Not as wet and gooey.

 

[greshapa]

i'm a relatively new pipe smoker, so ive only tried 3 drug store tobaccos. Capt. Black W, Borkum Riff Cavendish Cherry, and Five Brothers.
i'd have to pick 5 brothers. its got lots of nicotine, is very dry, and has almost no flavor. so i crush it up and sprinkle it in other tobaccos when i want the extra nic.
on its own its nasty though. if i had to pick one on its own it would be the capt. black