Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Half & Half

Simple and cheap smoke, along the lines of Carter Hall. If you like burley then give this a shot. One of my regular smokes, tasty, nutty, easy to smoke.

I often see bad reviews on long standing quality tobacco like this one, the reason? snobbery, plain and simple. Many new generations of pipe smokers seem to forget that pipe smoking is about rest and relaxation, smoking what pleases you and nothing more. While I do not disagree that sampling different blends is nice you have to keep in mind that most pipe smokers don't have the so called rotation or buy hundreds of different tins of foo foo blends.

Take it for what it is, for what it promises to be: a straight forward and relaxing smoke, nothing else. Want complexity? look elswere, as in a different price range, don't complain about the quality of a ford focus when you are used to driving a corvette.

UPDATE 10/19/16

Smoked about 2 oz of the new Lane version which addresses all of the problems with the Pinkerton version of my earlier review. This has no chemical, plastic taste and instead tastes like a reasonably well done mostly burley with a bit of bright Virginia leaf. This is something that I could smoke all the time if I had to, whereas the previous version is something I hope to never smoke again. Now this is probably one of the better OTC's available and is worth 3 stars. Good stuff!

ORIGINAL REVIEW I was gifted most of a large tub of this, an action I at first thought gracious - until I smoked a couple of bowls of it.

I neither see nor taste any virginia in this mess; just a lot of heavily cased probably raw off the stalk burley. This is definitely one of the 5 worst tobaccos I've ever smoked. If you can tolerate it in a pinch, my hat is off to you. If you actually *like* it, I salute you. But if you come to my house and want to try some from my tub and have never smoked it, I will do my best to dissuade you. If I cannot, you must sign a waiver that says you won't sue me as your host for jeopardizing your health and safety, as well as your taste buds.

I have a better idea. This might make a good fertilizer/weed killer.

I tried this blend in the 1970s and hated it. I wasn't ready for burleys and certainly not this one. Very recently, I decided to give it a try when I learned Lane took over production from Pinkerton, and a number of people said this was better now. I had to wait until I finished a pouch before deciding what to think of this blend. I didn't like the first few bowls. I was put off by the strong chemical taste and smell. I had thought about not finishing the pouch, but I soldiered on. I'm glad I did. The taste grew on me a bit. The chemical taste became less noticeable after I dried it out, and started smoking it slowly in a cob and one dedicated briar. The alcohol/liquor, anise, and other toppings (one of which has a cherry-like essence) and spices fairly overpowers the Virginia (which is lightly grassy), and halfway does the same to the burly, though I do get a nutty, earthy, molasses taste from it. There is a slight cigarette note, too. The nic-hit is mild. The strength is just past the center of mild to medium, while the taste is a step past that. It burns cool at a reasonable pace, and gives you a decent amount of smoke, and a very consistent flavor. Didn't bite or get harsh, but left some moisture in the bowl. Requires an average number of relights. Can be an all day smoke. Two and a half stars.

-JimInks

A few points to add to the excellent review by "Hink" of a true American tobacco. Pinkerton has done a great job in maintaining one of the classic American tobaccos, some of the others being Prince Albert, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Edgeworth RRd. When H&H was an American Tobacco product, the burley was a little thicker cut, but basically, the aroma and the burn are the same. Nothing here but Kentucky and Tennessee burleys and virginia bright flake. Funny but I always found that this tobacco favored a larger billiard bowl, and would always smoke clean to the bottom, with a fragrant white-gray ash and very little moisture. It also has one of the most distinctive room fragrances that I ever encountered. It is still my "go to" tobacco if I'm traveling and run out of my normal smoke. The only complaint that I ever had was that if H&H was dry, it wouldn't rehydrate and that it would only re-blend with Paladin Black Cherry (3 parts H&H to 1 part PBC, evens out the PBC). I do prefer the can to the pouch, because the first cut from the can gives out some of the best fragrances of tobacco, especially like that of baking bread and autumn leaves. It may not be the best smoke to start a pipesmoking career, because it can be a little stout for a new smoker. Highly recommended as a change of pace smoke for the aromatically inclined, to taste what tobacco is really like.

I'm recanting my earlier heresy; this is a 4star tobacco. After finishing my second full can of H&H, I'm convinced that H&H may be, w/ PA, the best "go-to" tobaccos on the market. Acrid smoke, unique taste, never bites...Pinkerton, I'm sorry that I doubted your abilities. I will not mock the nay-sayers. I will only say that these blends bring it home for me, w/o pretension or guile.

I am setting the record straight. This tobacco is a very good smoker, it has a great taste, and is does not bite like people say, there is a little bite at the end of the bowl, but that is common with a lot of tobaccos. I say try it. You see the problem with most reviews are that 1. These people are newer to pipe( I'm 18 years running) 2. Haven't explored the range of tobaccos( I'm 830 blends stong 3. ( the big one) their palate isn't for this kind of tobacco ex:aromatic, english ect. This is a good blend, just give it a try before these bad reviews make it disapear forever.

When Skandanavik bought this brand they must have gone back to the original recipe. I smoked this in the 1970's and really liked it. Pinkerton tobacco changed the formula and it was horrible. I am not sure if it is still made in Owensboro, ky. The formula has gone back to the old one that I loved. When you buy this stuff, make sure it is stamped Skandanavik. Other wise, you will be getting the old production of less tasteful tobacco blend. SOme smokers have said this contains deer tongue tobacco. Others compare it to anise or cherry. It has a very unique taste. I love it personally. I sometimes mix it with other burleys to flavor it just a bit. I will be buying a few tins to keep on hand. This tobacco does not burn my tongue. It is smooth to me. Taste great in a cob or briar. Burns rather quickly. Easy to light. I am so glad they went back to the original formula.

BEST PART: finishing the pouch (hate to waste $$$$$)

WORST PART: buying the pouch (see answer above)

CONLUSION: don't waste your $$$ on this product

Well, I'm going to finally add my 2 cents to the reviews of this tobacco. I've put it off for no particular reason. Maybe I just wanted to say the right things. This was the 1st tobacco I smoked that let me know that I am truly a pipe smoker and probably always will be. I, for the life of me, cannot understand why so many seem to dislike this blend. I absolutely love the pouch note and I think this is how pipe tobacco should smell. I just can't get enough of the aroma! I end up having to make myself stop smelling it so I can load it up to smoke it. I've smoked all kinds of pipe tobacco and have a veritable pipe tobacco store inside my house. This is in no way an uninformed review. I had the best pipe smoking experience of my life smoking this blend. It was one of those where you just sit back, close your eyes, and smile as you smoke. Not because you're trying to 'engage' that feeling and experience, but just because it's happening all on it's own. I'm not sitting here saying that just anyone can go buy a pouch of this and replicate my experience. All I can say is what I've personally experienced with half n half. I still have this in my rotation and it's flavor evolves with my tastes and I'm in a better than usual phase with this tobacco at the moment, but it is always good to me. People compare it to PA or CH, but for me, hnh is too different to directly compare to anything really. It stands on it's own as my favorite OTC blend. I will always have a place reserved for the tobacco that really properly introduced my to the wonderful, immensely enjoyable pastime that is pipe smoking.

Well, after nearly 35 yrs. of piping I had yet to try Half & Half. Started out in the eighties with Captain Black White. And Prince Albert. But for the last fifteen years or so, a solid English and Balkan blend smoker. My mainstays being Abingdon, Westminster, Star of the East, Pirate Kake, Crown Achievement, London Mixture, Nightcap, Durbar, Aperitif, Black Mallory, Red Repparee, White Knight, etc. And occasionally the Virginia flake like Dark Star, and Blackwoods Flake, etc. And Escudo or Navy Rolls. Even St. Bruno I really like. All this is to say, I've been around the block quite a few times in regards to pipe tabac. Well, I must say, I truly enjoy H&H. Its a codger OTC burley. Been around forever. And with good reason. Its an all day smoke. Delivers a cool fine low nic burley bright smoke, with a hint of anise and perhaps cinnamon and cloves. I love it. Can't understand all the negative reviews. You know, if GL Pease made this the blend would receive outstanding reviews. Its that good. And, by the way, H&H was Civil War historian Shelbey Foote's favorite go to smoke. And if it was good enough for him, why its good enough for me. I'll be stocking up on H&H.

A very very good all day smoke. Easy on the tongue as it is on the wallet. I have many tobaccos in my cellar that I dont enjoy nearly as much as this fine tasting blend. I feel that you really need to use a well burley seasoned pipe to get this tobacco. Keep telling yourself that you need to spend $5 an ounce on pipe tobacco before its any good. If Pease had his label on this blend, and a $50 per/lb price tag. The internet tobacco experts would all sing its praise.