What are some "crap" pipe tobaccos to avoid?

[Ropey]

When I was a cigar noob, the first thing I learned was what to stay away from. Unfortunately that came at a pretty heavy price since I wasn't on any cigar forums. I bought my share of horrible Cigars International samplers and "mazos" of worthless junk before I realized what was good and what was absolute dog****.

I'm trying to avoid repeating that experience with pipe tobacco.

So to that end, what are some generally recognized crappy pipe tobaccos? And I don't mean just the OTC pouch tobaccos, but the stuff that masquerades as decent. The Gurkhas and 5 Vegases of the pipe world, so to speak. And building on that, what are some of CI/P&C's "house brands?"

For example, I got an ad in my inbox today featuring a P&C "Grab Bag Sampler." MSRP of $52.03, mine for only $19.99! It includes Villiger 1888 Late Night, Drew Estate Gatsby Luxury Flake, Hearth & Home Signature Sunjammer, and Borkum Riff LE Trinidad Rum.

I have never heard of any of these before and have no idea if they're any good. However, if P&C is anything like CI, then one of them will be semi-decent, another one will be somewhat ok, and the other two will be crap. I just don't know which is which.

Not that I would buy tins as samplers in the first place.. I'm just trying to get an overall feel for pipe tobaccos, as I did (over the course of months) with cigars. Thanks!

[Shemp Jizzle]

http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/


is your friend.

[Hardheaded]

P&C is CI, just the pipe side of things. Your best bet is TobaccoReviews.com. I've not smoked any of those, but like cigars there are way more to try than can ever be smoked.

The Borkum Riff is an OTC pipe tobacco, and some people love it, just like some people love Captain Black. Personally I don't, but I do keep Prince Albert on hand. Just because it's an old school OTC blend does not in and of itself make it bad.

Unless its mixture 79. Just avoid that stuff and all should be good.

[JustTroItIn]

Do you have any idea of the types of tobacco you like to smoke(e.g. Virginia, Burley, English, Aromatics)?

The P&C house brand is Hearth and Home. H&H is quality tobacco blended by Russ Oullette, but not all of them are going to be winners to everyone.

Regarding the sampler you posted, I have heard of them all but tried none. I agree with Shemp on checking out tabaccoreviews.com.

I would personally stay away from bulk tobacco at your local B&M unless they really specialize in pipes. I purchased some real duds from mine when I first started on the pipe. One was so bad I thought it tasted like urine.

[Ropey]

The problem I have with the tobacco review site is that it doesn't really give me what I'm looking for. I'm looking for people's opinions of stuff to categorically stay away from.

For example, if some noob asked me the same question about cigars, I'd suggest he categorically stay away from Gurkha and 5 Vegas, among others. Obsidian, all Fonsecas, Black Pearl, CI Legends, Cu Avana, Graycliff, Xikar, Hesitant Pirate, etc. IMHO those are all crap cigars in every vitola and every line. That's a complete generalization, of course. There might be a Gurkha out there that's great. But a noob won't go wrong by staying away from any of those listed above because they have a general reputation for sh*ttiness. On a review site, some of those might even garner some decent reviews by people who like them.

What I'm looking for in this thread is for folks to state their opinions about what to completely avoid. I realize they're opinions only.

Unless its mixture 79. Just avoid that stuff and all should be good.

Just like that

Do you have any idea of the types of tobacco you like to smoke(e.g. Virginia, Burley, English, Aromatics)?

At this point I'm trying them all.

[Tobias Lutz]

I would personally stay away from bulk tobacco at your local B&M unless they really specialize in pipes.

I concur- most of the time they are a Lane or Sutliff blend that has been "rebranded". Some are good, but some are real goopers. It is not always the case, but very often, you get what you pay for. I get close to 20 pipes out of a 50g tin. With that yield, I'm willing to pay the difference for something like Dan tobacco or Dunhill, rather than saving a few bucks on a cheaper brand. Some cheap tobacco is a winner, but you have to search for it.

[Emperor Zurg]

Crap tobacco is such a broad category I wouldn't know where to begin to list all of them...

But as a rule, and this is just me, I'm leery of anything by Sutliff or Lane and anyone else that sells primarily PG soaked Cavendish blends. This includes 'house blends' in glass jars since most of them are re-branded Sutliff or Lane products AFAIK

I've got nothing against a good aromatic... trouble is, good aromatics are hard to find.

As far as good tobacco goes...

As a general rule, I find anything from Dan Tobacco is good - aro or not. Some are better than others but none of their stuff is nasty.

Pretty much any non-aromatic from Peter Stokkebye is good. The aros are hit and miss.

I haven't had a bad blend from G. L. Pease so far.

I haven't had a bad non-aro from Hearth and Home so far.

I haven't had a bad blend from Estoterica so far.

I haven't had a bad blend from Dunhill so far

[Pugsley]

I think you're asking the wrong question. If you ask for sure winners you'll end up with a list so long it will take years to sample them all. And even then, you won't like all of them, but a list of recommended blends will be much more useful than a list of dogs.

[UncleFesterESQ]

I think you're asking the wrong question. If you ask for sure winners you'll end up with a list so long it will take years to sample them all. And even then, you won't like all of them, but a list of recommended blends will be much more useful than a list of dogs.

But I think Pugsley is!

[NeverBend]

Hi Ropey,

You're asking personal advice that's like having someone pick out your shirts.

Do you have any idea of the types of tobacco you like to smoke(e.g. Virginia, Burley, English, Aromatics)?

@JustTroItIn is right, you have to start with what kinds or types of tobacco you like.

What I'm looking for in this thread is for folks to state their opinions about what to completely avoid. I realize they're opinions only.
Just like that

At this point I'm trying them all.

I've read glowing comments on this and other forums about a tobacco that I find I don't like. I've read reviews about tobaccos that after tasting them I have to think that they smoker was a Martian. It's personal taste.

My problem with CI Gurkhas is construction but that's largely not a problem with pipe tobacco. Start with what Jack says and I'd suggest looking into tobaccos from makers of blends that you like and avoiding ones from makers you don't like but there's no silver bullet.

Pete