Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Half & Half

H&H was the first pipe tobacco I ever tried back when I was young. It is not forgiving of poor technique, and has a very broad array of flavors depending on how it is smoked. This can be good or bad, I guess. Burning strongly the smoky burley dominates. When it is going out there is a strong grassy flavor that I hate. In between there is literally a sweet spot where the sugars in the virginia and the casing carmelize, and combined with the nutty bread flavors of the burley you get a muffin flavor. Awesome with coffee! However, this sweetness can also get cloying for those who don't really like sweet in tobacco (like me). To get the best results (for me) I need to mix this with a straight burley like Granger. Those who like sweetness will find magic with careful smoking. Be sure to try a conical bowl pipe.

I have a large can of this that I bought at least ten years ago when it had the Pinkerton label on it. For some reason I still have not opened it. I did buy a few pouches of this a year ago and am not sure what to think. It has a really funky spicy/fruity smell that I do not particularly care for. It does not seem to transcend when I smoke it which is good. It actually tastes a little bland but I enjoyed trying it out like I have with the other Over the Counter pipe tobaccos. Okay but not probably a repeat.

This OTC aromatic is exactly what to expect from the kind of tobacco. While others are utter garbage, H&H manages, notwithstanding the chemical cherry topping, to give some credence to the words cheap over the counter pipe tobacco.

The Virginia is slightly grassy and cigarette tasting, the Burley gives a lip service nutty flavor and both flavors are drown into a sea of cherry flavor. The smoking experience is not a great one but not that horrible either, each puff delivers creaminess or harshness. It' s a kind of Russian roulette and I think it's due to the chemical topping. The aftertaste is very ashy, the same as cigarettes.

I'm glad that I kept H&H for last in my journey in American OTCs, it's without a doubt the worst of them all. I say the worst but PB, CH and SWR are good tobaccos that I would not hesitate to smoke again, not so with H&H.

Virginia lover

Cardamom and mace? Seriously? I am basing this review on the Pinkerton production, which may or may not be the same as the current Lane Ltd take on this ancient brand. I have to agree emphatically with several of the most recent reviews. This weed is heinous. This would make an excellent April fools gift, or perhaps a lump of coal stocking stuffer for the frenemy in your life. I do not taste any cherry, nor any anisette. This was mostly tasteless, ammonia tinted hot steam. The aroma is not necessarily offensive, but is not much better than a Marlboro light( I'm sorry "gold" rather). I certainly do not pick up on the promised cardamom, nutmeg, or mace and it is not for lack of trying. Personally, I find this stuff offensive, but clearly some folks out there are fans, it's still being made...

Half & Half.

This is the nastiest thing I've ever smoked in a pipe, including the time I smoked dried maple leaves.  The taste was bitter and chemical-ly.  I guess it's supposed to be cherry - anise and I got that but can't say I enjoyed it for the reasons I mentioned.  Unless you really just enjoy this flavoring in particular...Come to think of it, Velvet has a similar flavor and is still a step up from this one in my opinion. I can smoke a pouch of Velvet in a pinch and be okay with that, I couldn't find anything enjoyable on Half & Half.

Growing up, I remember playing with my father's one and only Tabacco pipe. It was an old Dr. Gray bow with a narrow bowl. Dad had bought and used the pipe in the late 60s and early 70s enjoying campfires and listening to hounds run fox in the East Texas Piney woods. Over the years I heard him mention that Half and Half was the popular blend among the old time houndsmen.

Nearly 50 years later, October 2015, I was honeymooning in a small town called Craftsbury Vt, and went into the gas and fishing tackle store in town. As a was paying for my fishing license, there over the counter was two packages of half and half. I had never considered buying H&H, but here was my chance, and coming prepared with two pipes and a pouch of Boswells Northwoods I was eager to bet back to the cabin and experience a bowl while BBQing in the Vermont woods.

Upon opening the package the smell of the tobacco was of a pleasent earthy/ nutty notes. I don't know how old the pouch was at the time but the ribbon cut tobacco still had some noticable dampness. But even with that, I had no problem with having to relight. Starting the bowl the nutty characteristics remain and believe this is the burly tobacco in the blend. This stayed evident throughout the bowl. Though I'm not a Virgina fan, and am critical of virgina blend tobaccos I could detect the virginas but it was not overpowering or up front. Approaching the middle of the pipe, it began to gurgle with a small bit of hissing. Also burned hot. The room notes stayed pleasent with a constant nutty earth tone.

I've read many reviews stating that at some point in time the blend was changed, there being old H&H and new H&H, with the new blend getting many negative reviews. I will say that if this the "new" blend, I was completely satisfied with it. I could of asked my father to be the guinea pig to test between old and new and if there is a diffrence, I would much rather him remember it as he experienced it back in the day. For me and my experience, it's a winner!

One of my favorite otcs, and has for a few years now been an old friend. Ive only had the tubs, and i truly enjoy this blend. Its a humble, burley based American classic, and is very much in that tradition, however i think its composed of a slightly higher quality leaf than most. While burley is the base, it would be a good selection for someone looking for an otc with more virginia content, as the flavors are balanced and sweet. Definitely aromatic, but done well. For me it has almost Christmasey underpinnings, i get strong notes of allspice and subtle clove. Under that is just a quality burley and bright va present in each draw. Simple, but satisfying. Can burn hot, must be smoked with a controlled cadence to be truly enjoyed. Shines in a cob. I certainly do enjoy it.

I really wanted to like this. After recently being surprised by Carter Hall, I figured I'd give a few other classic OTC pouches a shot as the pouch is nearly as convenient as the price.

I cannot say how the blend smoked to the end because I could not finish the bowl. I packed a second attempt the following day and it was just as brutal. The note in the pouch was wonderful. The room note was okay, but the taste while smoking was unbearable. All I could taste was burning plastic. Whatever chemicals are in the topping and or casing are just ridiculously caustic to my palate. If all pipe tobacco was like this, I would pick a new vice. Seriously.. This is only the second time I have wasted pipe tobacco in my life. The first time was earlier the same day when I smoked Velvet (Also by STG and also mouth-assaulting, chemical garbage).

Final word: There is something rotten in Denmark. I have no idea what chemical in the topping or casing is the culprit, but it is pronounced and unnatural. I cannot imagine ever trying this again and in no way recommend you do either.

Buy Carter Hall if you need a cheap pouch of good tobacco.

Smells like cough syrup, taste like cough syrup. This is absolutely horrible tobacco, literally taste like it was dipped in nyquil cough syrup. This is so bad I can't stomach the thought about finishing the bag let alone finishing a single bowl. Complete garbage