Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Half & Half

This is the tobacco I remember from my youth! Papa Jim always had some in his pipe and in his pocket!

I am taken back everytime I smoke this. While certainly not an aromatic, the room note is classic. No complaints from family or friends.

Nice flavor and good nicotene strength. Easy to smoke all day, several days in a row... or everyday like Papa Jim did! Works great blending with other tobacco as well.

Awesome OTC, codger blend. Takes me back. A real time machine!

Update 1/31/17: STG version is even better! Bumped it from 4 to 5 stars... Get ya some!

Half-n-Half I'm just not a fan of. I wouldn't call this a 50/50 mixture- it's more like 75-80% sharp and bright Virginia, On top of this is a honey and cinnamon casing and it's pretty heavy making the tobacco too moist. It doesn't light well and gunks up my pipe when I get it running. I like the drugstore blends but Half-n- Half is one I don't enjoy.

A lot of bad reviews for this one.

First off, *I* don't detect any anise flavoring or topping or casing in this in any way. Maybe that is just my body chemistry.

The topping is what I would describe as "warm spice" (think cinnamon, allspice, brown sugar).

The tobacco is a bit rough...it is not aged. It can jump up and bite if not petted nicely.

I like the nuances of the tobacco, enjoy the topping and like the stronger strenghth this blend has as compared to CH or PA.

That said, it does get boring and it can get "hot". I have found that if I mix 4 parts H&H with 1 part Captain Black regular and let that dry overnight and then jar it, that it becomes a much better, dare I say, zen-like blend.

I recommend that blend in a big way if you are stuck with a 14OZ tub of H&H.

Overall, H&H is as American as hot dogs, but while I like hot dogs, I would not want to eat them everyday. Cheers.

This is by far the best OTC Burley blend I have smoked to date. I have played with PA, SWR, CH,etc and still prefer this over the others. Everything else seems to get bitter the further into the bowl I get. The above tin descrition of heavy anise couldn't be further from the truth. Good burley that provides the nuttiness and VA to add a touch of sweet. I can smoke this all the way down with no bitterness. Absolutely fantastic in a cob, however it is good to go in briar as well. Also a good choice for someone to make the switch from cigarettes, as it provides a good nicotine kick. I always have a tub of this on hand, as I prefer the tub to the pouch. Just remember to sip slow as this dog will bite if provoked.

Old Schoolr's 04/06/2011 review of supermarket standard Half and Half pretty much approximates my own - there are certain props like the sun rising, Interstate Highways and good old summer time US American watermelon that you want around. It's mighty comforting to know that Half and Half is still here and may be for another generation or more.

I encountered that nostalgia on a recent trek to the Philippines where I had an unquenchable yen for a good old Kentucky burley after my special vacation stash was mislaid at my hotel; started to panic. I headed for the nearest mall knowing that you can't readily find native pipe tobacco in the Phils - maybe some pretty good cigar leaf here and there but no such thing as a great rhum soaked aromatic lying around in a tobac emporium somewhere.

Thankfully the tobacco kiosk had a few choices...several Borkum Riff varieties, some Leonard Dingler 1904 blends from South Africa and the reliable green and red H&H box with the trusty aluminium foil pouch tucked inside. Never mind that all these tobacco products, including H&H manufactured by the Pinkerton Tobacco Co. of Owensboro, KY, are actually owned today by a huge Scandanavian tobacco conglomerate known as "Swedish Match." I was just glad to get by hands on a few ounces of this stuff in a place so far away. It still pretty much tastes like the H&H I knew as a teenager. Back when we used to smoke it in the farm yard tree house along with the corn silk, Model, Old Briar and an occasional pack of Chesterfields.

Truth be told in these days of the Great Recession H&H remains a resilent, reliable and ready companion to provide that proverbial "cargo of contentment" Burley and mild aro lovers crave. Just a mild, sweet, steady and enjoyable draw as long as you sip it slowly and don't overheat the chamber - even in the 90+ degree humidity of the Pearl of the Orient.

Half & Half is a nice tobacco. Great for blending, has a good nicotine kick, and overall is pleasant. There can be a bite to it if smoked too much so I rotate its use. Probably good in cigarettes as well so overall for the price, I say it is definitely worth a try. It's a tobacco that you probably won't write love poems about, just a decent smoke.

I admit being lured into trying this pipe tobacco by another reviewer's remarks about how this tobacco reminded him of his grandfther, Thanksgiving holidays enjoyed together, etc. So I went out and bought a big 'ol 14 oz. can from a local tobacconist (the only size he had) and I now have enough of the stuff to last me until Doomsday.

Upon opening the package, an immediate aroma was very noticeable which I would describe as being almost fruity, "liqueur-like", with maybe a dash of licorice. When smoked, however, I did not detect any taste of this flavoring, nor does it add to the room note. Other reviewers mentioned that H&H is a cube burley and maybe that's the way this tobacco was cut in years gone by, but it is not cube cut now; more of non-uniform size flakes. The tobacco seemed to be properly moist but not wet.

I found this tobacco easy to light in a briar pipe and it stayed lit during almost the entire smoke. Re-lights are easy. Not much of a room note but it is pleasant.

For those who experienced a lot of tongue bite from this blend, I'll just say that I've had better quality burley blends than H&H and they ALL bite somewhat. This blend is no worse as long as you smoke is slowly in small puffs. I'll also admit to a bit of residue at the bottom of the pipe after smoking but nothing a p/c can't handle.

All in all, not my favorite OTC blend but not bad and...good thing because i've got 14 oz. of it to soldier my way through.

I enjoyed H/H very much.Had a great taste,and a nice after taste.It lit well and burned well.I would recommend this blend to a beginner in a merchum or a cob.

With the unbearable summer heat, I have had little enjoyment in my smoking. In fact I've been rubbing snuff in place of the pipe. The other day I had a pipe, no snuff or tobacco, so I bought some Half and Half. Yes it's loaded with humectants, but it's surprisingly tasty with adequate nicotine. Maybe it's the newness of its flavor, but its working in this hot climate. Half Burly and half bright Virginian, cased with a bygone recipe makes for a surprising break of pace. Don't pack it too tight or the smoke will be burdensome. If I find myself smoking bowl after bowl then there's something pleasing for me.