Honestly I do not think Captain Black is awful, or even just plain bad. I would consider taking the time to smoke it carefully, remembering that for over 40 years this blend has been a top seller by people that could have chosen to smoke something else. Not all the drugstore blends are good, in fact I have a dislike for Palidan, but I do think if you approached the Captain with a different preparation, and smoking technique, it would be at least suitable to your palate. As far as that goes Prince Albert, Sir Walter Raleigh, Carter Hall, and Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic Blend, are all good cheap tobaccos you can find locally almost anywhere in the USA. I made an ignorant mistake when I first started smoking pipes 14 years ago by going with the gourmet tobaccos, in fact I was a tobacco snob. What I missed out on were great common blends, that had stood the test of time, and been passed down for generations. Give them a shot for the cost of a tin of Dunhill 965, which I absolutely love, you can buy 2 maybe three of the old drugstore blends. If you don't like them you are not out a lot of money, but if you do you might save a lot at least for an everyday blend that can be purchased anywhere. I am not advising you not to buy more expensive tobacco, just give the old standards there due in your lineup.