OTC tobacco?

[sparroa]

Bubba,
That sounds like an affliction I could live with! I'm praying my measly four tin tobacco parcel is going to reach me safely in a few weeks from 1500 kilometres away in Vermont.
I'd have a big stash by now if I was anywhere close to resources like that - and from what I've read, Bubba, you do! American citizenship would be a wonderful thing to me; if only those damned Newfoundland politicians made a different choice in 1949! I don't know what else my life would be like, but there would be no shortage of good beer and pipe tobacco.

 

[unclearthur]

Been ages since I smoked OTC tobacco. I have some Sir Walter Raleigh on the list for my next order. Visiting the tobacco that I started with a long time back.

 

[python]

I have never liked the term "OTC" because in my mind OTC means "Over the Counter" and all tobacco is sold over the counter (for the time being). I call them Drug Store Blends because they are the blends that you can get at most drug stores/convenience stores (or you used to be able to any way).
I think most of them are OK and that they are neither really good or really bad, just somewhere in the middle.

 

[yuri66]

I have smoked what you guys describe as Captain Black White for years, it is a mixture of cavendish black and blonde, it is a good flavour and a great aroma, I usally get invited to stay a while longer while smoking it. I have experimented with all the specialty brands of bacci, but seem to come back to the black cavendish that I love. Now if I could I would prefer to smoke the Borkum Riff Black Cavendish it has a little better flavor or at least used to, (cant find it anymore). Dont get me wrong in my travels around the world I have found many interesting flavors that I liked but usually cant find them locally, so I guess I am one of those who goes back to what he is used to and enjoys it, also the price is better (most of the time). So no matter what you call it it is all tobacco and it is what you like.

Smoke on Brothers.

 

[surfmac211]

I have tried most of the Drug Store Blends and found them to be pretty decent smokes. My problem is spending the money for just ok tobacco when I can get something a lot better for way cheaper in bulk.

 

[pstlpkr]

I put on the Bing Crosby, load up some half and half or something and think of simpler times driving around with my grandfather in a huge ass car visiting relatives, listening to my grandfather sing and hum all day and the smell of his pipe or parodi. Ahhh simpler times.

Amen Brother Phil!
My only complaint is... I STILL CAN'T FIND THAT CHEAP A$$ APPLE BACCY THAT I LOVE SO MUCH!

 

[cornguy]

When I decied to come back into the fold after a 25-30 year absence, I was surprised by the dwindling stock of "drug store brands" on the shelves of retailers.

Back in the day, anyplace that sold tobacco would offer 15 or 20 different brands. Now it's about half that at many places.

Or at least that's the case here in Missouri.
Hey jwp159, I'm also smoking the Prince -- and flat-out love it. Who knew? This stuff is a genuine American classic. Perfect for a retro-dude like me.

I experimented with some blends I had bought online. For some reason, I just didn't care much for them.

So I hit the local discount beer and cig joint and bought a handful of "drug store brands."

My clear favorite is PA and Carter Hall would be in second place.

You mentioned you also smoke H&H. How do you find it compares to PA?

Maybe I'll try a pouch when I go back to get my can of PA.

 

[collindow]

Personally, I have yet to smoke any OTC blends. At least OTC in the sense of commonly available stuff like Prince Albert. I went from cigarette rolling tobacco billed as pipe tobacco, and straight into MacBaren and then onto store blends from Rich's. Seeing them mix up a new batch with huge amounts of burley, and a bunch of Virginia and god knows what else is simply amazing.

 

[mattia76]

My first pipe experience of Captain Black and a Grabow from an Osco Drug nearly pushed me away from pipes and permanently into cigars.
Years later I bought an estate Stanwell and was taught how to pack my Morning Coffee at Just For Him in Springfield, MO.

Now that was living.

 

[juni]

I was wondering, do you buy OTC:s in pouches or cans? Over here they all are in pouches and I have heard cans or tins are much better tasting. Anyone compared for example Half & Half in a pouch versus Half & Half in a tin?

 

[unclearthur]

The big tins tend to be better than the pouches.I think it's the same stuff but still I prefer the large (14oz. ) tins

 

[hobie1dog]

Amen Brother Phil!
My only complaint is... I STILL CAN'T FIND THAT CHEAP A$$ APPLE BACCY THAT I LOVE SO MUCH!

This stuff?

$4.00 a pouch here

http://www.pipesandcigars.com/miapto1po.html

 

[chero]

i buy all my tobacco OTC

 

[ejames]

I smoke mainly OTC tobaccos.CH,PA,SWR(reg),Walnut and Sugar Barrel in that order are my favorites. Have a few PS and McClelland bulks and a couple of tins of C&D.Can't abide anything with perique in it and only small doses of latakia. Get most of my tobacco from West Virginia Smokeshop and Pipesandcigars.

 

[flipflopsandshades]

I have smoked Capt. Black Red like 2 or 3 times and the first time gave me horrible tongue bite. I have since smoked Capt. Black White once and it wasn't too bad, maybe I will give it another go soon.
Unfortunately for me, there are no real tobacco stores within legitimate driving distance and I only recently discovered that there is a CVS close to me that sells Capt. Black pouches and POSSIBLY 2 or 3 others but I was in a rush that day in the store.
Having said all this, I still would like to try a few of these brands...you just never know when you will find one that you PERSONALLY like.

 

[maxpeters]

That's how I found two of my favorites; Middleton's Cherry blend and their Walnut blend. Now that Kevin has enlightened me about the Co. that makes those two belnds, I don't know if I will be buying anymore. Damn shame.

 

[mowens]

Bogie
My first experience with pipe tobacco was with an OTC brand called Borkum Riff. I wasn't too fond of the stuff so I set out looking for something different and found myself in a cigar/pipe shop and I tried out a couple blends. For me they were 10x better than the Borkum tobacco. They had their tobacco in mason jars and the only way to identify the different blends was with the hand written label on the front of the jar. The guy behind the counter told me that they mix all their own blends and that they were unique to their shop. I haven't looked back to OTC since.

 

[expatpipe]

Where I'm at, Mac Barens pouch or Borkum Riff is the main OTC. The Mac Barens Scottish Blend for me is ok good. Not super or even really good, but good enough. Sometimes thats all that matters.

 

[unclearthur]

A LONG time back I smoked Borkum Riff a lot. Recently I thought I would give it atry for old times sake. The contents of a cat's litter box would have been better! I'll stick to my nice bulks and the occasional tin from my etailers.

 

[schmitzbitz]

I too, being stuck with frustrating Canadian tobacco laws, have been limited to OTC blends for the most part (so far - my local tobacconist is actually in the process of setting herself up with bulks, so blends, here I come!).
That said, I am really quite enjoying Amphora Original Blend, and my wife loves it when I load a big bowl of Mr. B's Vanilla Maple (Brigham Ent. Vanilla Maple). Only thing I have noticed is that the OTC's usually need to sit open for a few hours to allow some of the humectant flavours to dissolve/allow the tobacco to dry a little (particularly with the goopy aro's). I made the mistake of firing up a bowl of the Mr. B's blend strait out of the humidifier, and wow, did it ever get steamy fast.