Do OTCs have additives?

[williamcharles]

Carter Hall IS good stuff. It's always in my cellar if not in my pouch. I do like the strong, dark smokes though and smoke more it them than anything else but that's just because I love nicotine and full flavored tobacco. That's my story and I'm sticking to it :lol!:

 

[loki993]

We all smoke whatever we want. lol



There's a lot to be said for the OTC's like...tradition...and cost...and availability...etc. But for me - I never really was exposed to many of them, so it was what I would call...the regular stuff...from the start. A lot of McClelland and Cornell & Diehl...which I still enjoy (depending).

Bit I think that no matter what you start out with from this point on, the more you get into it as a "hobby" thing the more and different kinds of blends you naturally start trying and you'll move off of the OTC's (still likely keeping them around for an occasional smoke) and into the other blenders items. It's kind of a natural progression that we all go through. And especially if you hang around here...with this or that guy touting this or that blend...we'll make SURE you get exposed to new and different blends! It's our mission!!!!

Yeah I linda skipped over it myself and just went straight to other blenders stuff.

does anyone have more info on tambo? I've been wondering if it had any additives at all.

Since Tambolaka is cured in the rafters of the huts of the growers (that's what they say anyway...I think this is a cottage industry kind of thing) and given this is in Indonesia (bug country...big time) I'm thinking that there's gotta be all kinds of bug parts in there...little feelers, antlers, itty bitty feet, chunks of exoskeleton...you know what I'm talkin' about. And lots of bug poop!

.

ahh bug poop, I've always found it adds a nice flavor to a tobacco.

Do you all smoke the OTC stuff or just go with the "good" stuff?

And what makes you think that American Classic Blends/OTCs aren't "good" stuff too?

I suppose I didn't word that properly, maybe what I should have said was more expensive stuff

 

[Dave_In_Philly]

I am a huge proponent of codger burleys. I wholeheartedly believe that every pipe smoker owes it to himself to smoke with through at least one pouch of an OTC burley. I just wish I hadn't avoided them for as long as I did. The stigma is certainly undeserved.

I regularly smoke Prince Albert (buy it by the tub) and Carter Hall. I also regularly smoke Captain Black (white) and occasionally Sir Walter Raleigh Aro (the burley is good but a not nearly as good as PA or CH, IMHO).

 

[Smoker99]

I don't care for the OTCs for a couple reasons. To me they lack strength and body is the main reason. Second, they are just soaked with PG or other preservatives. That wouldn't bother me if I didn't get a chemical taste, or they didn't goop up my pipes, but they do. I have smoked burley straight from the field, and, to me C&D has the closest thing to it. If you really like strong pure burley, try some Kelly's Coin. Closest thing I have found to straight from the field.

 

[calipuffer]

I decided to give the OTC's a go and collected as many as I could find. I found Carter Hall to be very good in comparison to other tobaccos. Definitely worth a try, don't write them off as inferior. Also great as blenders to give body to aromatics.