Prince Albert is Being Discontinued

[sablebrush52]

The nice thing about OTC's is that they provide a nicely balanced blend that's easy to light up and smoke. No fuss no muss and a decent flavor. There's a lot to be said for simple reliability. I'd be very happy with SWRA and CM if I couldn't buy much else.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

CM? Cherry Middleton?
I notice that a lot of people talk about SWR Aromatic. I like the regular SWR, is the aromatic version that much better?

 

[mso489]

Cosmic, SWR Aro has Virginia as a condiment and three liqueurs as flavoring, but it's tobacco-forward to my taste. I can't taste SWR Regular, so I smoke other burley based blends, but the Aro is mild but flavorful. At least try a pouch; I think you'll like it. I'm really enjoying the Two Timer you recommended. I have to instruct myself to smoke other blends right now. I'm that taken with it.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I will. Thanks MSO, and I am glad that you enjoy the Two Timer.

 

[wolflarsen]

I find SWR Aro to be quite bland. The room note, however, is a real panty dropper.

 

[mso489]

I'm liking some milder blends these days. Then when I get back to the full-strength blends, I get the full ooomf.

 

[techie]

I'd like to at least try PA. Lately I've been collecting OTC pouches and samples just to experience them for myself. Haven't yet found PA in stock.

 

[saltedplug]

Someone said, incredulously about the tobacco regulators/legislators, "Do they want to shut down the entire tobacco industry and stop everyone from smoking?" Yes indeed, that's exact;y what they want to do. If you look at tobacco from a global perspective, the cost of health care and the loss to the world economy are staggering. Anti-tobacco didn't happen overnight, but the accretion of medical evidence against anyit use of it is overwhelming and negative. Thus were born the worldwide regulations.
The continuing use of substances injurious to one's health is addiction, which thrives in denial. But do we say outright about our pipe smoking that it is an addiction, especially in the face of the fact that tobacco is the most addictive substance known to man? Oh no! We call it a hobby. Denial. Addiction. Do I wish I could have maintained my denial and kept smoking? I undoubtedly would have if my symptoms had not crossed a line. To the extent that they were less and I had continued smoking I would have been said to be confused But I was never confused that the continuing use of an addictive substance constitutes addiction. Playing with trains on a track in the basement is a hobby. Smoking is an addiction to a substance universally condemned by medicine, and I still love it.

 

[carolinachurchwarden]

Been keeping the pouch of SWRA I bought in my car. It's my go to when the whatever I've been smoking goes out and I need a refill, but a lot of days I start my mornings with it. It's fantastic right from the pouch, even though it feels wet, like CB, but it's great, makes me smell great, makes the car smell good. I really like it.
That being said, I think one reason that the OTC's still get a lot of love, is obviously the older crowd grew to love one of them or the other because it's all that existed at one time. To still smoke and love it now for some I'm sure is habit and a love for it born out of smoking it for so long. Hard to break away or fix something that ain't broke.
Then you have guys that love it for what it is, quick lighting, easily smoked, filled from the pouch immediately following the purchase. I mean why not? If you're on the road and run out of that special blend that you got from a guy that knows a guy that lives with his girlfriend who's brother got you the score of a lifetime on and need a replacement, then you can pick up that pouch of SWRA and fire it up as soon as you get to your car without having to break out the leather tobacco mat and cut something up and let it dry before stuffing it in your bowl.
The OTC's are just as much a grab'n'go tobacco to fill a quick void as they are real staples. I can easily see SWRA being in my rotation....if I had one...as it stands I smoke it when I want it, which is currently every morning on my drive in to the office with a tall cup of coffee.

 

[erhardt85]

To add to Saltedplugs comments, I think another part of it is that the true upper class has largely moved away from tobacco and cigarettes especially, and since they are so enlightened they decided to force that decision on the world through endless regulations and taxation. If they can't tell people not to smoke then they'll slowly kill it by other means. I mostly agree @saltedplug. I continue to smoke despite obvious signs of declining health. Asthma, coughing up nasty brown phlegm, and sometimes severe discomfort in my throat. Right now I'm smoking much less, but still. Like most things that give pleasure, moderation is key. Even then, it's dangerous though. Anybody that denies that is lying to themselves or is ignorant of the facts. Some people obviously find the word "ignorant" to be offensive, but I don't mean it to be. Everyone is ignorant about something. Saltedplugs nailed it like a sniper... Denial. Of course, many aren't actually addicted but more probably are. Being able to quit because of health fears doesn't change that. Also, I laid out numerous reasons why somebody "would" like PA. I'm not talking down on it just trying to understand why some people exclusively smoke blends like it.

 

[mso489]

So do I understand for now, Prince Albert is not being discontinued? Since the pipe tobacco market is in flux, we have to be careful about rumors. We have to be skeptical when we get "information," and sound out some sources before we react, I think.

 

[erhardt85]

Based on what Russ stated, it looks like PA isn't going anywhere yet. Ba

 

[aldecaker]

Yeah, sorry about that, MSO. I thought since I had heard it from two different sources, it was legit info. Boy, was I wrong.

 

[crashthegrey]

I love the hate on traditional pouch blends, or thinly veiled "I don't understand" posts about them. There is a reason some of them have been around forever, and why many of them may survive newer blends. I make it a point to smoke a codger or pouch blend, and avoid calling them over the counter to keep the anti-tobacco people away from remembering that drug stores carry them, every so often. In fact I often use them to break in a pipe, as the burley blends do well for that task.

 

[cigrmaster]

This thread reminds me of when I was a kid. Me and my friends would make the rounds calling Peretti,Ehrlich, Leavitt and Peirce and Brookline News asking if they had Prince Albert in a can. We would giggle our asses off when they fell for it.
I have never smoked PA but it would be a shame if it went out of business. There are obviously tons of people who love the stuff.

 

[drrock]

Doesn't look like it's discontinued but this darn thread made me buy a few pouches just in case...

 

[newbroom]

thought it was the worst tobacco I've ever smoked. I tried to smoke it, but after about 5 bowls I couldn't do it. It was terrible.

I found that with Codger blends like this one, (PA) it took me several ounces to get the handle on the flavors.

I found the same thing with CH after having first fallen for SWR. At first I thought: "what's the hype about?"

I've learned that my palate requires a bit of training to learn the flavors in any blend, to their best complexity.