Carter Hall Issues

[bearwolf56]

I bought a tub of Carter Hall recently. It had been a year or so since I last smoked it, and two things are going on that I can't figure out I hope you Carter Hall smokers out there can help me with. The first is it burning hot right out of the gate. I fill the pipe, light it, and within three or four puffs the bowl gets hot, and I mean HOT. The odd thing is it's hot above the line of where I've packed the pipe. I have slowed my cadence, in fact mostly breath method. I've packed it light and packed it tight. I've dried it out (although many reviews say it's good to smoke right out of the can). I've left it wet. I thought maybe the ceiling fan was doing it but it still happens with it off. I've really cleaned my pipes well and let them dry out overnight. Nothing seems to help. I let the bowl cool off and relight, good for a few puffs then back to being hot and harsh again. I can only think of all the Carter Hall smokers on this forum, this can't be the case with everyone.

The other thing that happened with Carter Hall is one morning I got up, filled a bowl right from the tub, lit it and WOW I got so many wonderful flavors from it, smoked cool and was a great experience. The next bowl was back to being hot and harsh.

Anyone out there have any suggestions as to what's going on here? Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated, especially if any regular Carter Hall smokers can tell me how they fill and smoke theirs.

 

[Ranger107]

Hard to say. Never had that experience. What pipes are you smoking it in? Which one was the good one? I usually smoke it in cobs but also in briars occasionally.

 

[bearwolf56]

Hard to say. Never had that experience. What pipes are you smoking it in? Which one was the good one? I usually smoke it in cobs but also in briars occasionally.

Thank you for replying. The good experience I had was in one of the same pipes I was having the bad experience with. It's become very frustrating. I even thought it might be the overhead fan, but it still happened after I turned it off. It might be due to the humid weather we've been having. I'll keep trying but thank you for your input.

 

[bearwolf56]

Hard to say. Never had that experience. What pipes are you smoking it in? Which one was the good one? I usually smoke it in cobs but also in briars occasionally.

Also I know it's something I'm doing because if it was a common problem Carter Hall wouldn't be around anymore.

 

[Singed]

I do notice my pipes burn hotter under a ceiling fan. I often think that once a pipe starts to burn hot it wants to continue that way. My Va Slices are burning hotter than I like and ?I have many of the same conditions you mentioned, ceiling fan, high humidity, and I imagine high ambient temperature contributed to it, too. I really do hope it isn't CH, I just ordered my first tub and it should be here any day. I'm thinking about moving a chair to my basement to smoke during the coming heat wave.

Here is another thought, have you changed matches or lighter fuel?

 

[David The Druid]

It's the humidity. Dry it out a bit longer.

 

[Aussiemike]

Can't say I have had to many issues with it smoking hot bear, but I do really notice some bowls are really aromatic and full flavoured and others not. Not sure if its my palate or not mixed enough in the batch/tub.

 

[bearwolf56]

I do notice my pipes burn hotter under a ceiling fan. I often think that once a pipe starts to burn hot it wants to continue that way. My Va Slices are burning hotter than I like and ?I have many of the same conditions you mentioned, ceiling fan, high humidity, and I imagine high ambient temperature contributed to it, too. I really do hope it isn't CH, I just ordered my first tub and it should be here any day. I'm thinking about moving a chair to my basement to smoke during the coming heat wave.

Here is another thought, have you changed matches or lighter fuel?

I haven't changed anything. Same lighting. I did consciencely try to slow down even more. Let me know how your tub smokes.

 

[Singed]

@bearwolf56 Will do! If it ever arrives...

 

[ralphmcculley]

I bought a tub of Carter Hall recently. It had been a year or so since I last smoked it, and two things are going on that I can't figure out I hope you Carter Hall smokers out there can help me with. The first is it burning hot right out of the gate. I fill the pipe, light it, and within three or four puffs the bowl gets hot, and I mean HOT. The odd thing is it's hot above the line of where I've packed the pipe. I have slowed my cadence, in fact mostly breath method. I've packed it light and packed it tight. I've dried it out (although many reviews say it's good to smoke right out of the can). I've left it wet. I thought maybe the ceiling fan was doing it but it still happens with it off. I've really cleaned my pipes well and let them dry out overnight. Nothing seems to help. I let the bowl cool off and relight, good for a few puffs then back to being hot and harsh again. I can only think of all the Carter Hall smokers on this forum, this can't be the case with everyone.

The other thing that happened with Carter Hall is one morning I got up, filled a bowl right from the tub, lit it and WOW I got so many wonderful flavors from it, smoked cool and was a great experience. The next bowl was back to being hot and harsh.

Anyone out there have any suggestions as to what's going on here? Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated, especially if any regular Carter Hall smokers can tell me how they fill and smoke theirs.

I've said this from the beginning. Ever since John Middleton sent production down to the Dominican Republic Carter Hall went to crap. Prince Albert is still fantastic though. I friend bought 4 tubs of Carter Hall after it returned after disappearing for a year. He sent me a sample because he thought he was going crazy on how horrible it was. He was right. It tasted horrible, smelled like stale cigarettes in the room note. He returned 3 tubs in exchange for Prince Albert. That is his all day smoke now. He was a Carter Hall smoker for 35 years and switched. I still have a tub and a few pouches of the American made stuff and it is completely different from the crap coming out of the Dominican. My opinion is if you don't like it, get rid of it. By something you like.

 

[Swede]

I've said this from the beginning. Ever since John Middleton sent production down to the Dominican Republic Carter Hall went to crap. Prince Albert is still fantastic though. I friend bought 4 tubs of Carter Hall after it returned after disappearing for a year. He sent me a sample because he thought he was going crazy on how horrible it was. He was right. It tasted horrible, smelled like stale cigarettes in the room note. He returned 3 tubs in exchange for Prince Albert. That is his all day smoke now. He was a Carter Hall smoker for 35 years and switched. I still have a tub and a few pouches of the American made stuff and it is completely different from the crap coming out of the Dominican. My opinion is if you don't like it, get rid of it. By something you like.

Prince Albert is also now made in the DR. I've got both USA and DR versions and prefer the USA. There are reviews on TR for both, and @JimInks has a great one . My approach is to smoke up all my DR origin PA and go to strictly Granger. AFAIK, it has always been strictly a pipe blend (no ryo) and made in the USA. My latest and first pouch of Half and Half is also made in the USA (Tucker, GA).

 

[ralphmcculley]

Prince Albert is also now made in the DR. I've got both USA and DR versions and prefer the USA. There are reviews on TR for both, and @JimInks has a great one . My approach is to smoke up all my DR origin PA and go to strictly Granger. AFAIK, it has always been strictly a pipe blend (no ryo) and made in the USA. My latest and first pouch of Half and Half is also made in the USA (Tucker, GA).

Correct, yes they are both made in the Dominican. I happen to still like Prince Albert which was my everyday all day smoke for about 8 years. I still have a few tubs of the King Of Prussia USA made stuff that I have deep cellared. I bought 4 tubs of the Dominican made from a buddy who owns a pipe and cigars shop. I began smoking the Dominican stuff and really liked it. I live about 20 minutes away from the old John Middleton plant here in Pennsylvania. I was a HUGE Middleton tobacco fan for years. But strangely I've gravitated to stronger blends. I don't get to smoke a pipe all day anymore because of my job. I can't even bring my pipe and tobacco on the property "which I find eccentric", but I work for a Quaker private boarding school. If your pouch says "made in Tucker, GA then you have older pouches. I know for a fact that the production of Lane Limited tobaccos are no longer made in the United States. The tubs are even 7oz tubs now because of the move. All the Lane tobaccos were made in the US up too 2019. The only Lane produced tobacco that wasn't made in the US before the move was Borkum Riff, that was made in Denmark at the Scandinavian Tobacco Co. the parent company of Lane. Trust me, after your Half & Half runs out and you buy more the pouch will say "Made in Denmark".

 

[Bud Savoie01]

ralphmcculley wrote: ". I can't even bring my pipe and tobacco on the property "which I find eccentric", but I work for a Quaker private boarding school." That's strange. William Penn and the early American Quakers were big dealers in and users of tobacco. How times change.

 

[Singed]

Prince Albert is also now made in the DR. I've got both USA and DR versions and prefer the USA. There are reviews on TR for both, and @JimInks has a great one . My approach is to smoke up all my DR origin PA and go to strictly Granger. AFAIK, it has always been strictly a pipe blend (no ryo) and made in the USA. My latest and first pouch of Half and Half is also made in the USA (Tucker, GA).

How do you like the Half & Half, Swede?

 

[Ranger107]

I'm still smoking NY last tub of US made CH. Not sure what I will do when it runs out. May try Granger. Or just roll over to my own Urban Cowboy which I actually like better, lol.

 

[Swede]

Correct, yes they are both made in the Dominican. I happen to still like Prince Albert which was my everyday all day smoke for about 8 years. I still have a few tubs of the King Of Prussia USA made stuff that I have deep cellared. I bought 4 tubs of the Dominican made from a buddy who owns a pipe and cigars shop. I began smoking the Dominican stuff and really liked it. I live about 20 minutes away from the old John Middleton plant here in Pennsylvania. I was a HUGE Middleton tobacco fan for years. But strangely I've gravitated to stronger blends. I don't get to smoke a pipe all day anymore because of my job. I can't even bring my pipe and tobacco on the property "which I find eccentric", but I work for a Quaker private boarding school. If your pouch says "made in Tucker, GA then you have older pouches. I know for a fact that the production of Lane Limited tobaccos are no longer made in the United States. The tubs are even 7oz tubs now because of the move. All the Lane tobaccos were made in the US up too 2019. The only Lane produced tobacco that wasn't made in the US before the move was Borkum Riff, that was made in Denmark at the Scandinavian Tobacco Co. the parent company of Lane. Trust me, after your Half & Half runs out and you buy more the pouch will say "Made in Denmark".

I still like the DR PA too, but won't buy any more for a while. That's too bad about the Tucker, GA plant. I guess this pouch must be close to 5 years old. Think I'll pick up some more. For nostalgia, here's how my pouch is labeled.

 

[Swede]

How do you like the Half & Half, Swede?

I like it fairly well. It has a taste that kind of lingers and makes me want more. I'll experiment with it in blends.