Rabbit's Newbie Reviews: Prince Albert

[hmhaines]

Instead of a tin, he's shoved into my cob. This is my first crack at smoking a codger blend and I'm not sure what to expect.
Before I taste smoke I smell it coming off the charring light: strongly reminds me of regular old cigarettes. Oi.
After the first few puffs I am neither offended nor blown away. There's a hint of sting on my tongue, though different than the Virginia bites I've encountered. Being that this is a BurleyDish I wonder, do different tobaccos have different bite?
Anyhow, the flavor I'm getting is a bite vague: sort of woody, but not strongly so. Couldn't point you at a particular wood with complete confidence, but I'll say that Oak would be the closest cousin of this taste.
A soft, sweet, smooth fruit dances around the fringe, making me wonder if this box spent too much time near the cherry or vanilla PA.
Note: excellent for smoke rings. Major bonus for silly old me.
There's no grand complexity, but the flavor doesn't seem like it could become annoying or intrusive. I can see why our predecessors might have kept a pipe of this going all day. If I weren't attempting to review, it might be easy to momentarily forget that I'm smoking
There is, a little ways into the bowl, a green flavor pulling up alongside the woodiness. Not some variation on hay like a virginia, not quite grassy, but very vegetal. It reminds me of the stem of a leaf. All hints of vanilla and fruit have disappeared. Perhaps they were but figments.
Just after mid-mowl.

That woodiness has merged with the greenery to become a slightly nutty flavor.
If I recall correctly, a solution is a combination of ingredients that join into one thing, where a mixture is a combination of ingredients that remain distinct. This smoke seems to be a mixture. I can pick apart the flavors and focus on one facet, or I can taste them as a whole. This is a trait I like in my smokes!
Ends of the bowl, those differnt flavors become one unified taste: green wood. Cut a young twig off of an oak tree, shove it in your mouth, and you'll have a less smokey version of what I mean.
Interesting smoke! After-bowl aftertaste is cooked sugar. Mmmmm.

 

[cortezattic]

Best evidence I've found is that P.A. contains Piedmont Bright (Va.), a flavored and sweetened Burley from Kentucky, and 10% Turkish leaf.

 

[pagan]

Sounds like you liked it, your slowly drifting to the Codger Zone

 

[aeropuffer]

Age wise I would be in the Codger zone. Even though I have been smoking pipes for years, I have never tried it.

I wish you would add the price per..in your reviews.

 

[shutterbugg]

Not all codgers smoked codger blends. Many of them thought of those blends as utter garbage, and instead smoked any of hundreds of fine, top-quality blends. The so-called codger blends targeted the working-class market...cheap tobacco for those who had never tasted better, couldn't afford it, and didn't care. The same demographic that drank Miller beer and Boone's Farm wine, and ate Kraft American Cheese slices...and for the same reasons.

 

[hmhaines]

I like you, shutterbugg. Speakin' straight.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Historically, not everyone had a Pipe Shop near by. These were big city things. Buying online, t'werent no computers. Back in this time, the over the counters OTC were all that was available. If your granddaddy lived in Smallville, USA and smoked a pipe, chances are, he smoked something he could buy at the store nearby, but of course the selections at the store were probably a little more diverse that just PA, SWR, and CH. Half and Half, Trout Stream, etc... There most likely was not a Dunhill blend on the shelf at the Miller's General Store.

 

[mso489]

I'm spoiled and smoke various better blends and single leaf tobaccos. I'm not going to say most over-the-counter blends fill me with joy, but many, like Prince Albert, can be pleasant to me. A number of these have a good even burn, stay lit, and have the taste well balanced. Most of them have some appeal to some smokers. I can't taste much of Sir Walter Raleigh -- too bad since I live in Raleigh, NC -- but others smoke it with pleasure. Likewise, Mixture 79 is the subject of much negative comment, but other Forum members sincerely enjoy it. I'll say this: I have a certain amount of respect for blends that are widely distributed, reasonably priced, and generally available, in contrast to blends that cost a lot and can rarely be found, despite much euphoria and ecstasy claimed on their behalf. Show me the damned tobacco.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Ohh, don't get me wrong... OTC's suck, PG loaded, tongue biting crap. I just think that it has its place in pipe nostalgia.

 

[shutterbugg]

Historically, not everyone had a Pipe Shop near by. These were big city things. Buying online, t'werent no computers. Back in this time, the over the counters OTC were all that was available. If your granddaddy lived in Smallville, USA and smoked a pipe, chances are, he smoked something he could buy at the store nearby,

That's true of many goods, but people with taste made trips to the nearest big city to stock up on whatever they couldn't get locally. Or they had a friend/relative bring it in when they came to visit. Or the local shopkeepers (who were usually their personal friends, played cards with, went hunting/fishing with, went to church with, etc) would procure it for them.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Somebody had to be smoking it. They've been around for forever.

 

[deathmetal]

Best evidence I've found is that P.A. contains Piedmont Bright (Va.), a flavored and sweetened Burley from Kentucky, and 10% Turkish leaf.

This seems about right. Smoking it now. Why do OTCs persist? Easy smoking, easy access, low fiddling. Same reason most people smoke big brand cigarettes or drink big label beer.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

My late Daddy was a sailor back in 50ies and tell you what, all these American standard tobaccoes were considered being expecially good and high in demand among the pipesmoker of our country and in the neighborhood countries as well,Dunhill tobacco was another Top-product , all this took place because those were Imported along with the U.S brand cigarettes and foods,most all American stuff including cars and clothings were highly estemeed among general public.Moreover,I do find Mr Hm Hayness review correspods to the very truth about what PA tobacco represents- just like If I was smoking it,now Over the past few months I was spending my time with CH tobacco which I found to be pretty close to this very review,but lately when smoking the famous CH I started getting some weird slight tongue irritation and sore throat,so I desided to make a pause with it,perhaps these minor issues are due to this tobacco high propylene glygol content or something alike ,go and see,

 

[hakchuma]

I think Prince Albert is on par with people who like little Debbie cup cakes. It tastes off and I'm almost afraid of a back lash from Twinkie loving fans that think it replaces bread from the last supper.