most of their customer base has probably passed away. In real life I've never met a smoker of this stuff that was younger then 50.
Prince Albert
- Thread starter BROBS
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On the bright side, every head shop across America that says it it is a "tobacco shop" will have one or two tubs of this that have been sitting since they opened. l have a full 7 oz tub I got off ebay 8 years ago. I check it yearly , still moist and I have hardly smoked any of it.
2020...we have entered the Twilight Zone
Wow, what a loss. Prince Albert started off my pipe smoking journey just about 4 years ago, and was a blend I really enjoyed, but never thought to cellar. Just always thought anything would be discontinued and gone before PA, always thought that even if I had nought but a crummy head-shop and a few crumpled dollar bills that I’d still be able to have a worthwhile smoke. Honestly rough stuff, man, rough stuff.
It's always good to stock up on CH, but it looks like that's the only blend they're continuing production of... Until they aren't
I am sure the sales of that one have dropped dramatically. Even when I was a youngster most of the people smoking Prince Albert seemed to be retired. And even the younger people that smoked it didn't smoke it the same way. As in it was part of a rotation something they'd get some of the time not what they smoked. That in my early pipe career seemed like one of the biggest difference between old and young pipe smokers. Even back then the youngsters didn't pick a blend and just smoke that. But almost all of the older pipe smokers picked a brand. They'd smoke 1Q or Carter Hall or Prince Albert or something else. Of course there where exceptions but they stood out like a sore thumb. The choice that leaves them with is increase the price or cull the brand. Heck even here you can see that there aren't many people that just smoke Prince Albert notice there are some that mainly smoke Carter Hall. It's probably just not worth it to keep making it. Classic doesn't mean anything if the sales are dropping.
You can scratch that codger itch with many of Cornell and Diehl blends. Far better leaf as well. Maybe we will be creating the next generations pleasant sense memories. The torch has passed, perhaps.
often times the classics have to deal with perception the perception that it's for old guys. I think a lot of pipe smokers that aren't the kind that go on forums don't see the old blends as for them. Additionally the old blends have a customer base they can't afford to lose but that base is dwindling if they change anything it is a gamble that doesn't seem worth while.
Yes I'm one of those Old Codgers who has smoked Prince Albert on a daily basis for over 50 years. If Middleton has decided to discontinue its production of PA then so be it. Nothing I can do about it. I'll just move on and buy more C&D Pegasus. I was going to buy 2 tubs of it today but decided that I've got enough tobacco to last be until the end of my days.
Ray has the answer.. There are too many good blends out there to mourn PA.
Meanwhile Ozzy turned 72 today.
Crazy times...
Crazy times...
The only codger blend I've tried is Carter hall. I like it for what it is. Straight forward no nonsense tobacco flavor. Haven't tried pa all because of one guy who told me it made his mustach smell like ammonia ? Definitely not interested in that sort of side effect.
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I emailed Altria about the possible discontinuation. I didn't answer the 1 800 number they called back on today. A lady with a southern accent left a message to call them. I did call back on the number they left. But it was not the lady who left the message. Anyway, they are not showing that Prince Albert is discontinued. Only the 7oz cans, and the 14oz cans in California. It should be available still otherwise.
RIP My sweet prince...
And I was going to order a pouch of PA and Velvet. Better get a life time supply of CH and SWR. One tub of each would do.
I think the link above from Milan Tobaconist mentioned that they were getting rid of everything BUT Carter Hall.
Then again, if you had told me a year ago, or even six months ago, that Prince Albert would no longer be in production I would have had a difficult time believing you.
I'm pretty sure the match Blends will still be made by other companies like pipes and cigars
I heard another rumor about it today but I am not to to spread it so as not to add more confusion. Guess we shall see...
I have several unopened metal pocket tins of varying ages up to 50+ years, but no new PA. I never thought it would be unavailable so I didn't "cellar" it.
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