The Most Popular Pipe Tobacco.... 50 Years Ago.

[sandollars]

So, I have in my Hall of Olfactory Memories, a certain smell of what pipe tobacco should smell like. I have yet to find that blend but I must confess I have tried zero Codger blends to date. Well, except Mixture 79. I would like to hunt it down and buy some.
As a kid, I was around a lot of pipe smokers and there is a predominant smell. It's sweet. It might have had cherry or vanilla, maybe both? I am not sure.

I would like to hear from some of the veterans or knowledgeable young'uns (as in had a grandpa or dad who smoked this brand) what blend you associate in your memory as The Poster Child of Pipe Tobacco.

I figure the law of averages will reveal or narrow down the field to an affordable purchase of Codger blends to try.

 

[spicy_boiii]

Edgeworth and Captain Black for my ol gramps and great gramps.

 

[tschiraldi]

Borkum Riff & Captain Black for my grandfathers.

 

[edger]

My Ulster grandfather and his buddies all smoked Condor in a village redolent with the aroma of coal fires. Memories......

 

[Ahi Ka]

St Bruno, erinmore and capstan were the regulars down under. Erinmore probably being the most popular in the memory of the general public, but not necessarily the most smoked

 

[philobeddoe]

Captain Black (white), is the “Old Spice” of pipe tobacco, everybody’s grandpa or uncle smoked it at one time or another. After all these years of pipe smoking, CB is still the essential pipe tobacco smell for me.

 

[Reggie]

SWRA

 

[Grangerous]

Guess?


While possibly GRANGER, it could be any of the longtime favorites. Very likely you would immediately recognize any of the Captain Blacks, aside from Gold (straight Virginia) Same if he’d smoked Middleton Cherry or a Rum flavored smoke or perhaps Edward G Robinson.

But if his Baccy of choice was straight burley, you’d have a tougher time deciphering between Carter Hall, Sir Walter Raleigh, Prince Albert, Granger, Velvet, Sail and the ilk. Follow your nose. Smell evokes the strongest memories.

 

[Grangerous]

Oops. Let’s not rule out SugarBarrel or Walnut

 

[anotherbob]

So depends where you grew up. When I was a kid it really was mostly captain black. Which I still love the smell of but can't stand the taste. Thankfully there are some blends that ape it well without all the P.G. which I will tell you know effects different people differently. If it didn't no one would smoke that stuff and frankly it's hard to find a tobacco I don't enjoy. Dark or light simple or complex natural or doused in aromatic additives they're all pretty great except a few that I'd only smoke if I was having nicotine fits.

 

[kola]

Some 40 years ago I smoked Half & Half daily for years.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

If you go back 50 years, you're talking about the codger blends. SWR, Granger, Velvet, Half & Half, Capt Black, etc..

 

[Ahi Ka]

Some 40 years ago I smoked Half & Half daily for years.

With deer tongue i pressume?

 

[sandollars]

SWRA

Sorry, I must have missed that day.... What is SWRA?

 

[jpmcwjr]

All those pouches were around 50 years ago, but I lucked into Burlington Arcade (discontinued some 30 years ago) and occasionally some Balkan Sobranie.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Sorry, I must have missed that day.... What is SWRA?

Sir Walter Raleigh aromatic

 

[DonutLuvr]

My dad mainly smoked Tinderbox Mixture No. 1 and Mixture No.33 in the 70s and 80s when I was growing up. There use to be Tinderbox stores all over the US, there’s a very good chance it was a house blend from Tinderbox. Or it could just be a OTC blend. Good luck on your search!

 

[crawdad]

Living in and around Winston-Salem, home of RJ Reynolds, my family on both sides at one time worked for or sold their tobacco to Reynolds. It should come to no surprise that my grandfather smoked George Washington cut plug (before switching to Granger when GW was discontinued).

 

[Ahi Ka]

My dad just came over and I got him to smell the jar of 1980s st bruno. It was cool to watch. He was childlike and was like yep that’s the stuff! Hadn’t smelt it since he used to play with his grandads tobacco pouch as a school kid

 

[prairiedruid]

Half and Half