John Middleton, Inc Prince Albert

What can I say that hasn't already been said, been around forever a decent solid all day smoke that's affordable. burns nice down to ash with no problems...

Prince Albert is a trip down memory lane for me like so many others. It was one of the two blends that my Grandfather smoked regularly and I remember the roomnote from my childhood.

When I started pipe smoking again in 2017, PA was one of the blends I started with both in the regular and the vanilla version. As I learned about "higher-end" blends it found itself shuffled to the back row and basically forgotten about.

Recently (2021) there has been rumors again that it might be going out of production, so I decided to invest in a 14oz tub for nothing else than "old time sakes".

The tub-note is the same as I remember, there is a slight smell of something sweet, but mostly just burley. The moisture content is perfect from the tub without needing any drying. The cut makes it easy to pack in a pipe and it usually burns fine from the first light.

I have found myself reaching for it for my early day smoke along with my coffee. This spot in the rotation is usually covered by Corn Cob Pipe by CD or their Burley Cube Cut. I've found that it likes slightly taller bowls such as my radiators and/or Country Gent corncobs.

It's a great early smoke as the burley plays well with the coffee, it burns great without having to be messed with and it smolders consistently allowing for a nice slow smoke.

There is a reason that this blend has been around so long and I'm glad to have it around stiil. My wife compliments the room note which is a plus and it's on the list of "approved" blends for smoking on road-trips. It's also fairly easy to find on the road in case you find yourself traveling and needing something to hold you over.

Welcome young ones, glad you found your way here! I have been smoking this old time burley since it was selling for 49 cents a pouch. It is for many MANY pipe smokers a retreat from their regular rotations of English blends, or aromatic aficionados. Sometimes a person just has to “go home” I have read the other reviews here, I have noticed this same feeling amongst many of them. It’s a burley, it’s monochromatic ( perfect description, look it up if you don’t know its meaning ) and if if want to experience what the old guys smoked years ago, you have it here. Mild, will not bite if you don’t tug on it, and should be tried by all new pipers to give you a burley jumping off point for reference in your pipe smoking experience.

My grandfathers favorite and an annual Christmas gift to him by me since the 1940’s. First time ive smoked it in years...good stuff, easy packing, easy lighting, easy burn, no relights to the bottom of the bowl, dry cool smoke. No bite. Light nicotine kick near the end. All around good tobacco.

Nice cocoa smelling tobacco with a medium cut and some thicker strands. Catches fire easily no need for tamping and the burn is somehow slow. Taste wise, a light nutty, cocoa flavor with some Bourbon and sweet licorice.

The good thing is that the topping and tobacco while light, compliment each other. The bad thing is that if you puff fast, the smoke becomes harsh, ashy and gears towards a cigarette. The aftertaste is an unpleasant cigarette taste. All in all, a good OTC pipe tobacco, cheap and readily available in the U.S. A less topped Carter Hall if you will. I would give it 2.5 stars.

Virginia lover

I was reluctant to spend a portion of my limited free time smoking a tobacco that has all the mystique of an inexpensive hand rolled cigarette tobacco, and had this particular brand tasted like a combination of dried leaves, cigarettes, and lawn clippings, I was prepared to author a witty one-star review. But that is not what happened. I enjoyed PA. It is mild and does not provide a tremendous amount of flavor, but it is far from bad. PA is certainly no masterpiece, but it smells and tastes like a pipe tobacco worthy of the title. The ribbon cut burly tobacco also burns quite well.

What can I say, this was my great grandfather's blend. One of my earliest memories is of him smoking this CH, and Cherry Blend. Smoking it reminds me of him. As far as OTC blends go this is a very good one. The burley is a little sweet, which suggests that it is topped/cased with something. I could also get a note of coffee and maybe licorice as a top note as well. All very mild and adds to rather than takes away from the earthy nuttiness of the burley. Nothing special and it will not break into my rotation other than on occasion when I am feeling nostalgic. Still a good blend and it should be tried by all pipe smokers not overlooked as a drugstore blend.

An excellent OTC burley. Great as a palate cleanser, handy to keep a pouch on hand. And it's what, 3 bucks for an ounce and a half? There's a reason this is a hall of fame blend although, personally, I reach for Carter Hall first when I want a nice cool easy smoking otc blend. I've smoked the snob blends and still do, but it's easy to see the attraction here and I really doubt the Prince will ever be fully out of my rotation. Yet to meet anyone who doesn't get a spark of pleasant nostalgia at the room note, either.

When I first opened this I immediately thought 'Carter Hall' as I had smoked that before and love it. The packaging is almost exactly the same in description as Carter Hall, just arranged differently. Also just a little disappointed that it no longer comes in a tin, making the famous 'Prince Albert in a can' joke a little sad. It has a mildly sweet smell and faint chocolate to it, and that's about it. A very very pleasant smell, just not all that complicated. What did occur to me was that the smell seemed a little forced and unnatural. In smoking this feeling of it being unnatural subsided but did not go away. It has a mainly sweet tobacco taste with a little licorice added to it. Even though I used a filtered cob I still got a little bite but this can likely be attributed to the fact that I rushed a little and was outside in the wind. A firm pack and slow smoke would rectify this easily. Not exactly ground shaking but I can definitely appreciate why people can smoke this all day every day. Personally, I'm gonna stick with Carter Hall.

(Side note) My grandfather and great-grandfather both smoked this in the past (1920s to 1960s). My grandfather is still alive, and when he tried it again he said it was a fair bit sweeter and less nutty than he remembered. He also tried Cater Hall and said that is what he remembered Prince Albert as.

Two years after above posting: I have now tried the original Prince Albert in the form of a tucked away tin from 1950. Having tried it I can honestly say that the modern interpretation, while accurate in some aspects, can't hold a candle to the original. The original has none of the artificial taste, more nuttiness, and a room note that will win over even the most finicky nose. I don't know what Middleton thinks they're making, but it's NOT the original Prince Albert. Carter Hall is DEFINITELY closer to the original.