Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Half & Half Regular

Picked this up with some other OTC blends I was trying out, to see if there were any staples of cheap easy to find tobacco to fill my tobacco collection. This is definitely one I will keep smoking.

In the pouch it has a strong, powerful aroma that I can't place, but love the scent of. It was easy to pack and light and stay lit for me easily.

The taste was strong, spicy, and nutty, and I loved it. It was a taste that I knew I would be able to use as an all day smoke. The room note is very pleasant and great smelling.

For me, this was a great find for a cheap OTC that I can easily get a hold of and enjoy.

Half and Half is a really nice American blend that has stood the test of time. Dont let the internet experts put you off of trying this iconic blend that many of our granddads called number 1. Many of them like to sound pretentious and would eat worms if you gave them a fancy french name. Smoke some properly and in a cob and you'll understand.

I tried this a few years ago and managed to finish one bowl. Tongue bite like crazy, and really not much flavor. Tried it again today and although it wasn't as unenjoyable as last time, I still don't see myself finishing the pouch. It did bite a bit, and the only flavor I could get is just a faint hint of fruitiness and not much else. It doesn't have a bad room note. I'm satisfied that I've given it a fair shake, but in the end, the only time I would ever smoke this again is if the only other option was Borkhum Riff.

This is not the same Half & Half as once was desired by many back in the day. After stopping by the Tobacco Store & picking up a few things I made the bad decision of getting a flap of this stuff. After arriving home & fixed a glass of ice tea I went to my smoking spot, my porch and packed a bowl. 3 puffs later I was trying to figure out what to do with it. It was awful! My dog gave me this go to hell look before he limped off & the neighbors gathered trying to figure out how to call in a fire retardant drop from the forest service air wing. Took 20 minutes of brushing my tongue before finally getting that sweet burnt tar flavor out of mouth. Maybe I had a bad batch, but roofing tar with molasses was the smell. Good luck..

Half and half is still a weekly staple in my home. It costs a dollar a pouch and Lane is more than happy to send coupons monthly. It smokes clean and has little bite. I tend to blend it with whatever I feel like at the moment as filler. It is a clean, good room note and burns like a freight train. If you need to thin something strong use this.

This is the absolute worst thing I've every smoked. I used to work in a chemical plant, and this tastes like what happens, if ya get smoke in your mouth, during a fire in the plant. Personally I wouldn't even give this as a joke. It may work as an execution product though, in a word HORRIBLE !!!

When Pinkerton and American tobacco co. Made this it was good, more like Granger with some va added. Now that lane took it over they ruined it ! You can still find 14 oz Pinkerton tins though and those are the ones I'd try to get if you like this.

My first encounter with this blend was way back in ‘93. I was a young night watchman training a new guard -A retired gentleman bored of sitting at home. My memory says he looked like Mark Twain but I’m not sure how accurate that is. Anyway, during the night he asked for a smoke break. I said we can smoke anytime so he pulls out a pipe and a flannel tobacco pouch. The aroma from the pipe was amazing so I asked what blend is that, and he said Burley and Bright. I told him I smoke a pipe occasionally, but I’ve never heard of that blend. He said if you have your pipe, you’re welcome to have a bowl so I went to my car and grabbed my pipe, loaded it up and sat with this gentleman sharing this exquisite blend. The next day he brought me a box of “Half and Half”
It was the Pinkerton version at that time which I know wasn’t the best version but I really enjoyed it. Every once in a while it makes it into my rotation and I’m never disappointed. The STG version of this tobacco is far superior to the old Pinkerton stuff but it’s funny how sharing a pipe and some stories with someone make a decent tobacco so much better. If you like (or want to try) classic American burley blends you can’t go wrong with this one.

I haven’t had this fresh in years. My jar is from 2013. Revisiting it now, it’s not as bad as I remembered it to be. Could be that the age has done it some good, or maybe my pallet has changed over the years. It burns fantastic. It’s very affordable, and easy to find in the states. The burleys have a hint of cherry added to them, but mostly tastes like warm aromatic burley air. I don’t pick-up on the Virginia’s at all. This one also slightly bites me, so those two things alone bump it way down. Its not for me, but It’s worth a shot. Many people really like this blend.