John Bull

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homesteader

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 7, 2019
209
543
I got lucky in that this was part of a sampler of pouch tobaccos I ordered. I really like it and it is a regular in my rotation. For me this seems to be a burley-forward blend, as that is the predominant flavor I get--nutty like a lot of burley blends. Like others say, it's not heavy on the Latakia but it is for me a strong second on the flavor I get, adding some smoky flavoring. The cavendish kind of just mellows the blend and allows the different tobaccos to mix well. I get some of the Virginia, with a bit of grassy taste, in the background. This is a pouch tobacco but there doesn't seem to be any PG added. Not goopy, just the right moisture out of the pouch. Burns well, not a lot of re-lights. No tongue bite and no wet mess at the bottom of the bowl. I smoke this in my MM corn cob pipes. 3.5 of 4 stars.
 
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mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I've been enjoying John Bull pipe tobacco on and off for a few years and maybe because of the burley find it one of my favorite English blends. For those who don't know, it is a pouch tobacco, but as good as many tinned English blends. I feel sort of contrary to keep saying it, but many good blends are not more expensive. You can spend a lot for mediocre, and not much for some excellent blends, scatter shot. They also make cigars, but I'd be surprised if I liked them as well, since I'm somewhat off cigars. PC seems to be a consistent source for John Bull, as they are of Erin Go Bragh, another good one, an Irish whiskey aromatic.
 

Pipewizard420

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 28, 2020
241
506
Picked up a pouch of John Bull recently but have not cracked it open yet since I just opened Peterson's Irish Dew instead. Am looking forward to trying out this John Bull and am glad y'all are giving it approval. Pouch tobacco has a cool factor to it and is easier to travel with than tins.
 

BROBS

Lifer
Nov 13, 2019
11,765
40,026
IA
I've been enjoying John Bull pipe tobacco on and off for a few years and maybe because of the burley find it one of my favorite English blends. For those who don't know, it is a pouch tobacco, but as good as many tinned English blends. I feel sort of contrary to keep saying it, but many good blends are not more expensive. You can spend a lot for mediocre, and not much for some excellent blends, scatter shot. They also make cigars, but I'd be surprised if I liked them as well, since I'm somewhat off cigars. PC seems to be a consistent source for John Bull, as they are of Erin Go Bragh, another good one, an Irish whiskey aromatic.
Erin Go Bragh seems like it would be bad based on price and in a pouch but it’s a damn good aro!!
 
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lawdawg

Lifer
Aug 25, 2016
1,792
3,801
I've been enjoying John Bull pipe tobacco on and off for a few years and maybe because of the burley find it one of my favorite English blends. For those who don't know, it is a pouch tobacco, but as good as many tinned English blends. I feel sort of contrary to keep saying it, but many good blends are not more expensive. You can spend a lot for mediocre, and not much for some excellent blends, scatter shot. They also make cigars, but I'd be surprised if I liked them as well, since I'm somewhat off cigars. PC seems to be a consistent source for John Bull, as they are of Erin Go Bragh, another good one, an Irish whiskey aromatic.

That’s one of the great things about pipe tobacco - the really good stuff is generally priced about the same as the run of the mill stuff. The saying that “you get what you pay for” really does not apply to pipe tobacco in general, and there is not much of a premium to pay to smoke the best.

Now, if only I could find some top notch cigars for the same price as swisher sweets puffy
 

anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
15,677
29,395
45
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
That’s one of the great things about pipe tobacco - the really good stuff is generally priced about the same as the run of the mill stuff. The saying that “you get what you pay for” really does not apply to pipe tobacco in general, and there is not much of a premium to pay to smoke the best.

Now, if only I could find some top notch cigars for the same price as swisher sweets puffy
yeah it's kind of amazing when you think about it. Crazy part from what I understand is that has much to do with how tobacco leaf is bought and sold. And that by the time it comes to tobacco for pipes no matter how good the leaf is no matter how tasty it's devalued because it can't be in a cigar. I know that's a gross oversimplification, however I think it makes sense.
 
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mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Cigars effectively tapped into a high end market in social communities like Wall Street and pumped up the prices so that people were paying for premium cigars but also the aura and appearance of high status. Cigars are seemingly easier to smoke than pipes, and pipes don't always have that high-end aura. Preferring pipes, it is a lucky break for me, but keeps the pipe and pipe tobacco market on a shorter leash financially.
 

anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
15,677
29,395
45
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
Cigars effectively tapped into a high end market in social communities like Wall Street and pumped up the prices so that people were paying for premium cigars but also the aura and appearance of high status. Cigars are seemingly easier to smoke than pipes, and pipes don't always have that high-end aura. Preferring pipes, it is a lucky break for me, but keeps the pipe and pipe tobacco market on a shorter leash financially.
big cost of cigars are those unblemished big leafs they wrap around the outside. Those are super expensive. Pipe tobacco doesn't have to be impossibly perfect.
 

lawdawg

Lifer
Aug 25, 2016
1,792
3,801
Cigars effectively tapped into a high end market in social communities like Wall Street and pumped up the prices so that people were paying for premium cigars but also the aura and appearance of high status. Cigars are seemingly easier to smoke than pipes, and pipes don't always have that high-end aura. Preferring pipes, it is a lucky break for me, but keeps the pipe and pipe tobacco market on a shorter leash financially.

That's all true of course. I think there are other factors giving rise to the higher cost of cigars as well, including the volume and processing style of tobacco used and the time and skill required to roll one. Higher end cigars (i.e. pretty much anything you'd get out of a humidor at a tobacconist) are all rolled by hand and use "long filler", meaning that the leaves are not all diced up into small pieces. Rather, single slices of leaf run the entire length of the cigar, and then they are all rolled up together in another wrapper leaf.

IMO, once you take all that into consideration, a $7 or $8 premium cigar is quite inexpensive given the time and effort involved to make one. They just get expensive if you want to smoke them all the time.
 
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