Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Half & Half Regular

I must agree with some previous reviewers that the recipe for this tobacco must have changed recently. I seem to remember smoking this and it being hot, ashy, uninteresting. My pouch says Lane LTD, Tucker, GA. This is certainly not a cigarette tobacco, nor does it taste anything like cigarette tobacco. This is a pipe tobacco -- the question is whether it's a good pipe tobacco. In that regard, I must still answer no, not really.

Presentation is somewhere between ribbon and cube cut. Call it broken ribbon. Or, better, call it "OTC cut". Comes very damp, soaked in PG. Pouch note is largely of pleasant Christmas scents and something else.... aniseed?

Like most OTCs, the charring light is all it needs and it's off to the races. Burns fast, but not particularly hot. There must be some propellant agent OTC companies use to get these PG-soaked tobaccos to burn so fast. Initial flavors are a burst of maraschino cherry and other glazed, candied fruits. Akin to Christmas fruitcake. That hint of aniseed in the background. Overall, a pleasant casing on some poor quality, chemically drenched tobacco. I would enjoy tasting this topping on a high quality burley/Virginia Christmas blend. As it stands, there is little to no tobacco taste and after mid-bowl the topping wears thin as a more ashy and nondescript chemical taste asserts.

I have to admit to liking this topping. Just not a big fan of the overall blend. But far from awful. May appeal to those who enjoy very mild, OTC aromatics with bold toppings. Were I in a pinch, on the road, and out of tobacco, I would probably opt for this right after Sir Walter Raleigh, Carter Hall or the more difficult to find Sugar Barrel.

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

half and half is one plain tobacco that I find myself going back to for over 20+ years. I usually smoke lanes 1Q (aka captain black royal!!)When I grow tired of the sweet stuff and want some good plain tobacco I smoke this. I also found that this tobacco is one of my favorites for building a nice cake in a new pipe!! Its got a 'spicey" falvor and the only words I can think of to describe it is a fresh, crisp autumn day! It also is great in a corncob. I'd recommend it to a seasoned smoker of a couple months. It does have to be smoked slow, -and enjoy it!

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tommyboy

A classic drug store tobacco blend that has been given a bad rap by some smokers. The pouch note is similar to Velvet, a sweet raisony kind of smell. Lights well, and generally doesn't need to many relights. The flavor is reminiscent of Velvet, but doesn't become harsh like Velvet can. A good change of pace blend. As for those who don't like this blend, I bet if they put it in a tin and charged $15+ for it they'll probably love it. Highly Recommended.

Back in the 80's I worked for a tobacconist who offered this Lane Limited tobacco in bulk. It was a very popular tobacco and we sold it often by the pound. I smoked it occasionally and often used it as a blender with heavily cased cavendishes.

In an emergency I bought a pouch of this from a tobacco shop hoping for the same honest no nonsense blend that was so cherished by my customers at the cigar shop in the 80's. I was so very wrong.

Upon opening the pouch I was surprised at the unsavory sickeningly sweet citrus apple aroma. It was a very random appearing tobacco with crumbled ribbon and broken flake cocoa brown in color. I let it dry out 15 or so minutes before packing it into an old YB billiard. It lit fairly easily after the char. The room note of this tobacco was not unpleasant at all but the flavor was lacking in an extreme sense. I was hoping for a straight tobacco smoke flavor as I remembered instead I got a mouthful of a flat tasting smoke that seemed dry and indescript if not a tad sour. I might have to try it in a cob or something I haven't smoked too many stout VA's or English blends in.

This is one I will hopefully pass on to another smoker who has a taste for this blend.

This tobacco does everything a tobacco should. "Drug Store" or not, I like it better than 90% of the expensive tobaccos I've tried. Good thing I don't always listen to people on the internet.

Half & Half won't take you to a far away land with elves and fairies and giant stags. But it hits the spot when you come home from work and it smells good enough that your non-pipe friends won't think it's cheap. I can see myself smoking quite a lot of it.

Edit: So far, l like it packed very loose in a cob. Better taste, no tongue burn to speak of and stays lit.

Personally I love Half and Half. It's been my go-to, everyday pipe tobacco for years. It's simple, cool, dry and clean, making it easy to smoke all day long. There are those who dislike this tobacco and I'm not really out to change anyone's opinion here. I think that too often pipe smokers become like craft beer enthusiasts, unwilling to try or enjoy tobacco's that aren't "trendy" or "hip" and they turn their noses up at OTC brands like H&H or Captain Black. While I enjoy a good tin of more expensive "craft" tobaccos as much as anyone else I look at tobacco like Half and Half as the "workhorse" of pipe tobaccos. It's the Genesee Cream Ale of pipe tobacco and while it isn't fancy and doesn't have the "mystique" of other tobaccos it's still a solid product and it gives you exactly what you are paying for.

OTC tobaccos for me are what I like to call a "baseline" tobacco. You can't truly enjoy good tobacco unless you have a point of reference. Half and Half is simple and sweet. It's a classic old school flavor that you probably remember your Grandfather smoking. It's not going to blow your socks off but at the same time for those of us who enjoy smoking a pipe all day long you would be hard pressed to find a more reasonably priced tobacco with the same quality and flavor as Half and Half.

Give it a shot and even if it isn't the most incredible tobacco you ever smoked you are only out a few bucks. I think I picked up my pouch for less than $4.00 so it's not exactly breaking the bank.

I tried this in 2010. It tastes and smells ten time better when smoked than it looks and smell in the pouch. Best thing in a corn cob. Overall nutty flavor, I don't like the anise flavoring because it is too similar to cinnamon which I despise. It is true that it looks like a one tobacco blend that smells like medicine, but its a pretty decent smoke.

Funny thing. I once bought a box of this wonderfully soft, easy burning, chocolatey type of burley....but someone poured the nastiest cough medicine all over it!

This stuff would be pretty good if not for the topping. I almost can't believe some people like this. It is so horrible that it left a bad taste in my mouth for DAYS. And I do NOT have a sensitive palate. Tried unsuccessfully to make it through a bowl in hopes I would discover something good. When I first discovered Latakia it took a few bowls to get it, and now I love and crave it. I thought I might have the same experience with this stuff. But I couldn't even make it through a half bowl. Dumped the rest and tossed the package. I wouldn't even give this garbage away.

As far as OTC blends go, not too shabby. I'd actually recommend it to somebody just starting, and only had access to a drug store, or cruddy tobacco shop. It's not a bad place to get to know your burley. The virginia didn't come out to me very much and almost non-existent.

A lot of OTC blends are over cased but this is pretty tasteful. I have my complaints, and I wouldn't buy it again, because of the chemical burning and some bad after taste. It does smoke cool, however. A decent mild aromatic.

As far as price goes, you can get a million times better aromatic burley over at mcclelland or almost any where else. For any beginners, I would start there.