Tobaccos John Middleton, Inc - Prince Albert Choice Blend

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2009-01-28		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

I'm a guy who has smoked PA regularly for many years and there certainly are differences between the two: on PA and PA Choice:

1. Open a 5 ounce bag of PA Choice and a pouch of PA. The PA has a strong "wine" sort of smell and Choice does not. It has more of a "sweet" earthy smell.

2. Pour out a half ounce of each. The PA is of a much finer cut than Choice.

3. Smoke them both. PA is less refined in taste, the smell in the pouch transcends a little into the smoke, and it can indeed be a tad harsh, particularly as you get to the bottom of the bowl. PA Choice is smoother from top to bottom and does not ever present the pouch smell into the smoke itself (if it does, I can't tell).

I'm no Sherlock Holmes but if I was, I'd probably just call Middleton and find out for myself rather than take the word of cyber space posters that I don't know from Adam. (-;

Best, Pipestud

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-04-04		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Pleasant

Update 5/3/2020

Smoking this now and decided to check out the reviews. Regarding the person that called John Middleton and was told this is the same as regular PA but in a bag instead, I imagine JM's response went something like this:

"Yes, it is just regular PA in a bag instead of the pouch or tin. However, we are a bit nonplussed to learn that someone noticed how we are duping our customers. We try very hard to be discreet about it. Granted, we're not doing anything that our competitors don't do, but it's still a bit embarrassing to be caught in a bald-faced fabrication. But since you've pointed it out, we freely admit our malfeasance to you so that you can advise the rest of the pipesmoking public of same. We believe this will generate more goodwill and profitable business".

ORIGINAL REVIEW

I took Pipestud's advice below and compared the look and smell of this and regular PA, as well as the taste. I came to an identical conclusion - the two are not the same. This is better.

Regular PA is a fine smoke, although not something I could include in my regular rotation. It starts off well enough but then turns harsh and ashy-tasting. PA Choice stays nutty and natural throughout the bowl. It burns cleanly and does not bite in the slightest. If you overpuff, it will turn sour - so don't overpuff! :)

Natural, unflavored burley taste. There are other OTC's I prefer but this one is where the "codger burley" starts. It's a step up from regular PA and I find it also preferable to Carter Hall. It's not that easy to find but when you find it, you'll very likely have bought your last tin of PA regular.

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3022)	2018-11-01		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

The very nutty, earthy, woody, mildly sweet and savory burleys also have a very light topping, though I can’t tell what it is. They also sport a touch of cocoa and a few grains of sugar. The strength is mild, while the taste is a step or two past that mark. Has a very mild nic-hit. Won’t bite or get harsh. Burns fairly cool and very clean at a slightly fast pace with a consistent flavor, that unlike the regular PA, doesn’t change near the finish. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires few relights. Has a short lived, pleasant after taste and room note. An all day smoke.

The regular PA has bourbon and cocoa toppings, which this does not. They fade in PA toward the finish. This blend doesn’t get cigarette-ish as PA could do, and lacks the chemical note of PA as well. Plus, no PG, and this is a little smoother than PA. It’s been reported that Middleton says this is regular PA, but I respectfully disagree, and I’d need to see the respective formulas before believing otherwise.

-JimInks

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-06-27		Strong	None Detected	Full	Very Pleasant

I found this tobacco quite by accident while looking to read reviews here of regular PA. Since I love Prince Albert and all burleys, I decided I just had to track this one down and fire it up. Well, I'm sure glad I did!! (And BTW, this blend was harder to find than a nest of dodos!) This has many similarities to regular PA with the exceptions already noted below so I won't repeat them.

Suffice to say, this is a nutty, high nicotine, smoky, easy-to-keep-lit, VERY satisfying smoke! And did I say delicious? DELICIOUS!! You love burley? Buy this!

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2015-03-13		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Just smoked this back to back with PA. I have no doubt the two are different. This has more body which I noticed immediately. This is slightly different in flavor, it's missing the slight cocoa note I got from PA and is a little sweeter. Unlike PA where the flavor started mild and increased in strength as the bowl progressed, this starts mild to medium and stays that way. I like both, but this gets an extra star for the extra body and strength of flavor. That increases my pleasure factor.

Mild to medium in body and flavor. Moisture is perfect as is the burn. This is good stuff.

Pipe Used: MM General

Age When Smoked: fresh bulk

Purchased From: http://wvsmokeshop.com/

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	oldredbeard (4)	2013-03-23		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant

I found this at milantobacco.com and had to try a bag. Let me say that first of all Prince Albert regular is one of my favorite OTC blends. IMO this is certainly different. It's not topped the same as reg. It has a richer, nuttier burley taste. It burns very well and dry to the bottom of the bowl. I didn't get any of the harshness at the very bottom as I do with reg.

This will be in my regular rotation, a wonderful all day smoke that gets a very high recommendation from me. If you like Prince Albert regular, I think you will like thus even better.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Txspurgeon (8)	2010-08-24		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I have smoked Prince Albert often for several years. All I can say is this stuff has to be different. It is much better. Ordered it from Lil' Brown smoke Shack, and I gotta tell you it wont be the last time I order it. With regular PA, I never had such a rich, almost buttery smoke, like I have with PA choice. For those of you who say it's the same thing as regular PA, your taste buds must be ruined from years of piping..LOL! They dont even smell the same in the pouch. Pipestud was right about the smell. Regular PA smells kind of like apples in the tin, this smells sweet and earthy. This is now my go-to all around all day smoke. I love it!!! ...John Middleton, please keep making this.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DakotaPeacePipe (33)	2009-01-29		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Here is my contribution to the raging debate regarding Prince Albert Choice vs Prince Albert. I have likely smoked a carload of ?traditional? Prince Albert over the decades and perhaps a half dozen bags of the ?choice? blend. Is there a difference?, not that this smoker can detect. The only difference I could discern between the two was that the bagged ?choice? blend did indeed seem ?fresher? which I attributed to the packaging.

That being said, both versions (if they really are versions or only packaging) are excellent cool smoking, bite free, crimp cut, and for me flavorful burley. Ain?t we lucky - you can?t go wrong either way!

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	wintermute (90)	2008-11-19		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

First of all, let me say that I love the standard Prince Albert tobacco. Choice Blend is a stronger and more natural form of the classic. The pouch aroma is musty and nutty like any good Burley should be. The cut is more ribbon than the regular Prince, as well. On first light, the taste is dark and mellow. This tobacco lacks a topping so the natural tobacco taste shines through. It does brighten up a little when you cruise down the bowl, however. The aroma is about the same as the classic, but with more of a cigar feel to it. The nicotine level is a bit heavier and the ash is not quite as fine. I will still smoke the heck out of regular Prince Albert, but this one will have a permanent place in my rotation. Any true Burley lover needs to try this one. It is better than most of the Burley offerings from the more expensive groups of tinned tobaccos. And, even the Burley offerings that might be better will still find a worthy opponent in Prince Albert Choice Blend. By the way, the only place I've found this stuff is at Lil Brown Smoke Shack. I think I bought their last pouch myself! They have promised to be ordering more so check back with them often. For under $4.00 for 5 ounces, you can't go wrong.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-04-16		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I found this at Lil Brown Smoke Shack (nice folks by the way) and decided to try it. My observations:

1. PA has a nice wine smell, this is more natural.

2. Little difference in cut, it depends where you get your sample from, top of bag is ribbon, bottom is dust.

3. PA is moister, this is dry.

4. Side by side in two cobs they are not the same. This is smoother and will not bite. Even heavy smoking will not turn it bitter. It has a much more natural tobacco flavor than the cased PA. It also seems to have a more mellow strength.

5. Smoking two bowls back to back is the most telling. Start with PA and this will seem weak but pleasant. Start with this and PA regular will seem bitter and harsh.

In the Florida summer heat I am always looking for a tasty smooth sweet burly. This is it.

It also makes a great mixer. Try 50/50 with Balkan Sasieni. That is what the pros do when they make a bulk buy and find out it is crap, mix in some burly and call it great, tin it and sell it to the fools.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-07-06		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This is a very nice burley, smooth and dry all the way to the bottom of the bowl. The difference I noticed between this and regular PA is that this is all natural in smell and taste where the regular PA has a sweet top note. If you like a smooth nutty burley that burns cool and dry this is a good bet.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-01-20		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

As one reviewer noted, it's just regular Prince Albert in a 5 ounce poly bag. Call John Middleton inc. and they'll be more than happy to give you a clue. Note that there is no "Prince Albert Choice" listed as one of their products on the John Middleton web site. http://www.johnmiddletoninc.com

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Moe (46)	2009-01-14		Mild	Medium	Medium	Tolerable

I have smoked regular Prince Albert for years and am never without a tub. This choice blend is however not the same as Prince Albert. My guess would be its scrap that wasnt good enough to make it into the tub, then they added a sugar topping and some dirt (or something that tastes like dirt) and bagged it for sale instead of throwing it away with the rest of the scraps. Brilliant really. Take the waste product, throw it in a cheap bag, and sell it for profit. Stick with the real McCoy, this isnt worth the trouble.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-01-09		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

First off, all of you that for whatever reason seem to think that Prince Albert "Choice" is anything other than plain ol' Prince Albert in a 5 ounce bag are sadly mistaken. This is in fact regular Prince Albert in a 5 ounce bag. This was confirmed by a phone call to the John Middleton Company.

So, it's just Prince Albert. Nothing more to be said about it.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	crrbassman (12)	2016-08-31		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I'll echo the chorus of 'this is different than original PA', and I believe it is.

It's exceptionally smooth, burns evenly all the way down the bowl and I've never experienced any bite from it whatsoever. Like many have said, it's not extravagant, but rather a very consistent, tasty smoke. I took the advice of another poster and have enjoyed a bowl or two with morning coffee or tea, almost daily.

I will continue to order and cellar this as long as I can find it. It never disappoints.

Pipe Used: Don Carlos 2-Note bent Dublin

Age When Smoked: Fresh out of the bag to 18-months' cellared

Purchased From: Lil' Brown Smoke Shack

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Young Piper (304)	2015-12-25		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I ordered the whole Prince Albert collection from Milan and found that Choice blend was a close second to the original in the red tub. A little more rough cut and lacking the Cocoa aroma, I did find that it reminded me of Granger, just a simple Burley blend that is perfect for putzing around the house or on the computer. I gave the original 4 stars and this is close at 3 but I do prefer the Cocoa taste and aroma that Choice was lacking. At $2 an ounce these are very good values and since John Middleton has been around forever they have access to excellent tobacco crops and their recipes have been enjoyed for over 100 years.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	OSR (78)	2014-12-29		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I buy Prince Albert this way, in the bag. If it's different from the boxed version then it's different. I've not tried this "back to back" against the regular PA but it seems that others have, and the conclusion is that Choice IS different.

Regardless, I love this stuff when I'm looking for an old fashioned burley smoke that's not acidic, sharp or "flat". Flat is my own descriptor for when a tobacco doesn't have any redeeming qualities. Burleys tend to be flat and PA has a nice "roundness" to the smoke. Whatever, PA or PAC is great burley.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ducksbreath (125)	2014-04-06		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Certainly among the best pure burley blends you can find anywhere.

I always did like PA but this refinement kicks things up a notch.

I think it is richer, more buttery, than normal PA and perhaps I should have rated it "medium".

There are certain negative qualities OTC (i.e., drugstore) tobaccos often seem to share: ashy taste toward the bottom of the bowl, annoying unnatural toppings, a plastic/chemical aftertaste. This has none of those. It is rich, gently and unobtrusively cased (all burley is cased) with excellent smoking properties.

Two negatives: 1)extremely hard to find; 2) Deserves to be put in something better than a cheap plastic bag.

Pipe Used: Nording highgrade, tall narrow bowl

Age When Smoked: new

Similar Blends: Prince Albert regular.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Slow Triathlete (62)	2008-11-12		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I guarantee if you ever smoke PA's Choice Blend you will never go back to regular PA. I was originally turned off to the original due to the amount of PG in there. With Choice Blend you don't have to worry about that. It also tastes A LOT better than the original.

You think that the original tastes good when mixed Half and Half with Carter Hall? Wait until you try it with Choice Blend!!

It's great as an everyday smoke and cheap to boot.

It is hard to find but it is well worth the search.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	InTheBiz (4)	2008-08-11		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Prince Albert Choice Blend is almost identical to regular PA, with just a couple of differences. Cut, burn rate, and room note are pretty much the same. It packs easy, stays lit, and can be enjoyed with a minimum of fuss.

Top note, or pouch aroma, is one thing that is totally lacking in PA Choice Blend. It posseses an almost cigar-like, pure tobacco smell in the bag, not the chocolate aroma I detect with regular Prince Albert. Overall taste is nearly identical to the regular blend, yet a bit more robust, with absolutely no tongue bite.

Room note is traditional, old-time "pipe" aroma. The tobacco selected for PA Choice Blend seems to be of a higher grade and quality, resulting in a smoother, more flavorful smoke. The taste can get a little "ashey" towards the bottom, typical of straight Burley tobacco, but it's not too bad.

Personally, I feel PA Choice Blend is one one of the smoothest straight Burley pipe tobaccos available. Because of it's basic tobacco taste, it also blends well with other tobaccos.

PA Choice Blend can be a bit hard to find, but it's well worth the search.

3 out of 4 stars

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Earl Grey (34)	2016-01-09		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Unnoticeable

Prince Albert is one of my all time favorites. I smoke it daily. This is not the same stuff as the regular PA as some have claimed. There are no casings or flavors added. It's a nice, smooth, straight burley smoke. It doesn't get harsh at all as the bowl progresses. This is definitely a higher quality than my old standby. I usually pick up a bag once a year. It's worth trying if you like burley, especially Prince Albert.

Pipe Used: Missouri Meerschaum, Italian Briar

Age When Smoked: Fresh out of bag.

Purchased From: milantobacconists.com

Similar Blends: Prince Albert.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tbear79072 (18)	2016-02-01		Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Bought 5 ounces of this to try the Prince. Was a little dry when I got it. Put it in a cob and as it is burley I puffed it slow and easy. Was a good smoke. Got the nuttiness of the burley from start to finish. Won't be something I smoke everyday but in a pinch won't be afraid to buy it either. If just a bit moister it would be really good. Could use it on something that is too sweet or fruity to tone down the blend. If you like good honest tobacco without the flavorings or the smoky English blends try the Prince. It's worth the money.

Pipe Used: Corn Cobs

Age When Smoked: 1 month

Purchased From: WV Smokeshop

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