John Middleton, Inc Carter Hall

Love Carter Hall! All the high and mighty pipe snobs can go kick rocks! CH is a good old fashioned American classic. High quality Burley with just a sprinkle of Va to sweeten the pot. This is my go to blend because it is really good. Nice solid, tasty smoke that's been around since the Civil War. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!! Nothing wrong with being fancy pants sometimes, but you also have to bear in mind that sometimes the more you overthink the plumbing the easier it is to stop up the drain. Sometimes simple is better. OTC?...Maybe. But, here is some brutal honesty for everyone that's "too good" for OTC.....ALL tobacco is OTC no matter who "blends" it. To my knowledge the Baccy Nazis in Washington haven't made it "prescription required" yet....Not yet. If you haven't tried it yet, get some. Pack yer pipe and enjoy something that your grandad and his dad smoked for a very long time. You don't have to like it, if it's not your cup of tea, but if it is and you don't try it....You will miss out on one of the finer and simpler things in life.

As I was reviewing the prince, it dawned on me I had missed this one as well. It's not a bad blend at all for what it is. I also want to go on the record as stating I have never, to my knowledge, found a piece of broken va flake in carter hall.

It's a cheap OTC blend that is rich on burley. Like some others have pointed out, it is an excellent blending base for home concoctions. It can mellow out an over the top blend like a dream. I smoked a big heap of this blend some years ago largely due to its simplicity, and price. It is tasty though. And it packs and burns well enough that you barely need to think about what your doing. Good tobacco for working in the yard or at your desk. Good for reading too. I have moved on to more complex things over the years, but I do still grab a packet of this and a cob at the drug store some times when I'm out on the road and didn't bring anything with me.

Having written this, I suddenly have the hankering to get some. May do that tomorrow while I'm out. Might be a good smoke while I watch my little boy playing at the park. I hope you will give it a try. Millions of old pipe guys can't be wrong.

This is just a great burley from Middleton. Light and airy, easy in a cob, perfect for breaking in a pipe. 12 ounces is $23 to $25, that's the cheapest I've seen a tub and it is a great value. I just love the luxury pouch (a vinyl covered foil) as it carries well in the pocket and is just so nostalgic! Four stars for quality to price ratio and for the fact that CH is just so damn versatile and beginner friendly. It does make a fantastic blender.

**A great putzing around the house blend is Half Carter Hall, Half Captain Black Dark which does make an amazing Black and Tan blend**

How to review an American classic that is cheaper yet superior to many of its OTC competition. I had toyed with the idea of giving it four stars just upon this alone, but when compared to other burley virginia mixes available out there, I can't, in good conscience give it four stars. All that said I really did enjoy my time with Carter Hall. All 14 oz in the giant plastic tub that I bought nearly two years ago at the grocery store.

I usually cannot stand a chemical taste to tobacco, but somehow it doesn't bother me as much with CH. How do I know that this is chemically cased? Well, one look at the plastic tub reveals its less than ideal storage capability. Just the slightest grab at the sides will cause the top to pop off. Yet for nearly two years, this tobacco never changed in moisture level or taste. And even with all of this going on, I still enjoyed this more than some pricier burleys from boutique blenders. That is saying a lot when I enjoy a humectant laden tobacco more than a more natural rendition of the same.

This smokes best out of a cob. I started smoking it that way as the cob was the only pipe I had when I bought the tub. As I purchased some briar pipes, I found CH still enjoyable; however, I tended to reach for the cob more often than not when I wanted a bowl of this. There are many people who have smoked a pipe longer than I have been alive who smoke this blend almost exclusively, so that is saying something about how good this blend is.

Needless to say at this point, I do recommend this blend. It is good and it is cheap. If you are not crazy about it, you will not be out of much cash and it can be used to tone down some other blends as it makes a great blending element. It can easily be enjoyed all day long and it has a decent nicotine boost. I have since smoked Five Brothers and Sir Walter Raleigh and put those two up close to CH, but IMO CH still rules the roost for drugstore American blends.

I smoke all the so called cheap drugstore burley's and like most all of them. This is a another dependable mild smoke that like Velvet is mild and hard to burn too hot. I think everybody should find one of these easy to find brands that they like as a fall back tobacco when your not able to get to a good tobacco store. Of Middleton's selections, Kentucky Club has more flavor and the Prince is more funky having a more distinct room note and taste. A decent pack of Pinkerton's Velvet is even more smooth then Carter Hall. The nice thing about the simple blends, with the exception of Half and Half, is that you can mix them with other tobacco without really ruining the taste of the stronger flavored tobacco. This of course depends on not over doing it, but hey you can always find a use for these tobaccos. I am very fussy about aromatics but this sort of simple burley smoke is as dependable as vanilla ice cream.

Even before plain packaging was introduced here in Nanny State Australia, range of tobacco was slim unless one went to a specialist tobacconist in the city. [The new laws all but spelt the death of most of those since]

So one does not develop a prejudice for what many antipodeans take for granted as "OTC" brands.

Before it became illegal to import tobacco in July 2019, I bought as much tobacco as my limited income allowed. On one occasion my account was low where I could only afford five boxes of Carter Hall.

I'm glad that I did. Moisture level was just right. The cut allows for easy packing. A touch closer to mild than mild-medium, even my unrefined palate can detect the nuttiness from the Burley and a hint of cocoa/chocolate from the topping. Nicotine is a couple of steps past mild.

Very good in an MM cob. Nothing fancy about Carter Hall but it is a pleasant all day smoke. It's easy to see why some smoke nothing but CH.

What a shame that I didn't buy a tub as this also works well as a blending tobacco.

A solid 3 star blend.

One of the blends I could smoke everyday. Opening the pouch reminds me of dark chocolate covered raisins. not that milky chocolate, but dark.. with Burley presence and the Virginia taking the aroma to a brighter level. No dry time, no packing method. Just drag that pipe thru the pouch and finger twist it. I am now ready to light it up. Easily lit, a little tamp and it stays that way. My mouth is covered in that light tasting chocolate raisin flavor, with just a slight tingle from the Virginia. The burley keeps it all in check for a very nice mild smoke that doesn't bite. This is comfort smoking, no surprises. like a lifelong friend, always around and always welcomed.

Sidenote: Carter Hall Pipe Tobacco also makes as a pretty good chew to be honest. And if you ever have a toothache.. this is the chew to remove it. Honest!

I have always enjoyed Carter Hall and found it to be an easy smoke to enjoy while doing anything from fishing to reading a book. The taste is very enjoyable and the flavoring does not overpower the tobacco. The chocolate and molasses are combined in unison as to not overpower each other. There is something else there that I really cant figure out but whatever if is is REALLY nice. A great all day smoke! 3stars all day long!

A week ago I came across an unopened tin from the 1970's and I must say this was like finding a pot of gold! The tin aroma was close to a freshly opened pouch but the aroma was... deeper and richer. It did not come out and get me, I was drawn to it and spent several minutes with my face in the tin just enjoying how good it smelled. The tobacco itself took on a darker color and felt different to the touch than the tobacco of a new pouch that I really cant explain. The tobacco was very easy to pack and lighting was very easy. The first puff was AMAZING, it was smooth and mellow from the start and I did not get that first puff " squint and wince" that I get from some fresh tobaccos when I first light them and before everything comes together after a few puffs. The tobacco smooth and mellow, sweet and savory and just a joy to smoke. The flavors melded together so well that to me there was just one perfect flavor and not a combination of flavorings. The tobacco burned very well and only required three relights, the fourth time I tried to relight it I found that the bowl was empty and there was just a bit of ash in the bottom. That is how good the tobacco was, it needed no time to fully develop and smoked consistently from first puff to last puff. There was really no room note that I can describe because I only smoke outside but I will say the smoke smelled as good as the tobacco smelled in the tin. I will enjoy this find for a very long time. Four stars out of four!

Simply the best OTC there is. It must be smoked slow to cultivate the delicious cocoa/molasses burley goodness. I've only smoked it in my cobs and it's a great smoke every time. Just ordered my second tub today.