What Type of Tobacco Was Used in Nat Sherman Classic (Red Box)?

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anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
16,641
31,191
46
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
I swear that a huge part of the whole Nat Sherman pipe and cigarette line wasn't just tobacco used but something to do with how they processed it. Because I've never had anything else that had the Shermanness that all of their cigarettes and tinned pipe tobaccos had. I hate to say this but they always had a pleasant hint of playdoh to me.
 

NatFinder

Lurker
Nov 9, 2023
10
7
Ozarks
I swear that a huge part of the whole Nat Sherman pipe and cigarette line wasn't just tobacco used but something to do with how they processed it. Because I've never had anything else that had the Shermanness that all of their cigarettes and tinned pipe tobaccos had. I hate to say this but they always had a pleasant hint of playdoh to me.
I wish I could put my finger on what made it stand out. It's been so long since I've had one I simply remember them as being the best. When Nat Sherman went out of business I switched over to Copenhagen and I'm now planning my switch to pipe tobacco. Thanks for talking about this with me.
 
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mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,610
I don't remember that blend, but while we are waxing nostalgic about Nat Sherman, I made a pilgrimage there while it was still going strong, maybe about 2009. Cliff Gold, a lead sales associate, greeted me and recommended Nat Sherman 536, a medium strength English blend with burley as a condiment. I sat down on a rocker by the cigar humidor and had a fine time puffing and people watching. I'm still holding an unopened tin of 536.

For those who don't know Nat Sherman, this was a grand pipe, cigar, and tobacco shop at 12 East 42nd Street in Manhattan. with a big gilt adorned clock over the door. It was one of the businesses that closed at the beginning of the epidemic, perhaps because of lack of walk-in traffic. It was not nearly as old as Iwan Ries in Chicago, but on that scale.
 

NatFinder

Lurker
Nov 9, 2023
10
7
Ozarks
I don't remember that blend, but while we are waxing nostalgic about Nat Sherman, I made a pilgrimage there while it was still going strong, maybe about 2009. Cliff Gold, a lead sales associate, greeted me and recommended Nat Sherman 536, a medium strength English blend with burley as a condiment. I sat down on a rocker by the cigar humidor and had a fine time puffing and people watching. I'm still holding an unopened tin of 536.

For those who don't know Nat Sherman, this was a grand pipe, cigar, and tobacco shop at 12 East 42nd Street in Manhattan. with a big gilt adorned clock over the door. It was one of the businesses that closed at the beginning of the epidemic, perhaps because of lack of walk-in traffic. It was not nearly as old as Iwan Ries in Chicago, but on that scale.
What an experience! Thank you for sharing that. I haven't purchased any pipe tobacco yet, would you be able to give me a recommendation?
 

anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
16,641
31,191
46
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
I don't remember that blend, but while we are waxing nostalgic about Nat Sherman, I made a pilgrimage there while it was still going strong, maybe about 2009. Cliff Gold, a lead sales associate, greeted me and recommended Nat Sherman 536, a medium strength English blend with burley as a condiment. I sat down on a rocker by the cigar humidor and had a fine time puffing and people watching. I'm still holding an unopened tin of 536.

For those who don't know Nat Sherman, this was a grand pipe, cigar, and tobacco shop at 12 East 42nd Street in Manhattan. with a big gilt adorned clock over the door. It was one of the businesses that closed at the beginning of the epidemic, perhaps because of lack of walk-in traffic. It was not nearly as old as Iwan Ries in Chicago, but on that scale.
that store was incredible. And sizeable as heck too. Their rent must have compared GDP of some nations!
 
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mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,610
I'm a burley devotee, though I have taken a liking to several Virginia based blends of late. But I would recommend for sampling C&D's Tuggle Hall, a burley based English and their Stratfordshire, another fuller strength English with burley. I like Peterson's Irish Flake and their 3-P, among lots of others.
 
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NatFinder

Lurker
Nov 9, 2023
10
7
Ozarks
I'm a burley devotee, though I have taken a liking to several Virginia based blends of late. But I would recommend for sampling C&D's Tuggle Hall, a burley based English and their Stratfordshire, another fuller strength English with burley. I like Peterson's Irish Flake and their 3-P, among lots of others.
Thank you! I'm looking into them right now.
 

yanoJL

Lifer
Oct 21, 2022
1,403
3,995
Pismo Beach, California
What is your favorite pipe tobacco?
I'd have to say Virginias and Va/Pers are my favorite. But if you're new to pipes, I think the blends recommended by @mso489 would be a great place to start.
Or perhaps this...

This will give you a few affordable blends to try as you figure out your preferences.
 

NatFinder

Lurker
Nov 9, 2023
10
7
Ozarks
I'd have to say Virginias and Va/Pers are my favorite. But if you're new to pipes, I think the blends recommended by @mso489 would be a great place to start.
Or perhaps this...

This will give you a few affordable blends to try as you figure out your preferences.
Thank you very much!
 
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Briar Lee

Lifer
Sep 4, 2021
4,960
14,329
Humansville Missouri
As to the classic brown Cigarettelos in the red box, there were about fifty years ago a paper insert that read that only the finest of pure Virginia tobaccos were used, and that Nat Sherman only accepted ten per cent of that rich Virginia presented to him. After the sales pitch was an order form if your local dealer didn’t stock Sherman’s.

When Winstons were forty cents a pack I gladly paid sixty five cents for Sherman’s.

But if you ordered by mail, they were always a dime a package more than Sherman’s dealers sold them.
 

NatFinder

Lurker
Nov 9, 2023
10
7
Ozarks
As to the classic brown Cigarettelos in the red box, there were about fifty years ago a paper insert that read that only the finest of pure Virginia tobaccos were used, and that Nat Sherman only accepted ten per cent of that rich Virginia presented to him. After the sales pitch was an order form if your local dealer didn’t stock Sherman’s.

When Winstons were forty cents a pack I gladly paid sixty five cents for Sherman’s.

But if you ordered by mail, they were always a dime a package more than Sherman’s dealers sold them.
Thank you for telling that! I'd bet they were even better back then!
 
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NatFinder

Lurker
Nov 9, 2023
10
7
Ozarks
@mso489 I ordered some Tuggle Hall and am keen to try it out when it comes in. I picked up some "Bayou Night" by C&D at my local shop and have been enjoying it. Thank you again for the recommendation!
 
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