Review - Middleton's Sugar Barrel

[Anonymous]

I ordered a tub of this age old Middleton drug store blend from JR Cigar as it is virtually impossible to find nowadays in the drug store or supermarket. I read a number of reviews that ranged from good to tongue bite hell, so I wasn't too sure what to expect.

Upon opening the tub, I found a mixture of light and dark brown tobaccos which were rough cut and seemed to be neither too wet or too dry. It smelled like Prince Albert with a sweet casing.

It loaded easily enough, as most Middleton blends do. I didn't expect much from this tobacco given the inexpensive price tag but found myself pleasantly surprised. It smoked cool, burned slow and possessed real tobacco flavor combined with a lighty applied, sweet casing which reminded me of brown sugar. Now, it may just be that my body chemistry agrees with this blend, but I experienced no tongue bite. I also experienced no bitterness toward the bottom of the bowl as is common with many blends containing Burley . Overall, it was a great smoke.

I recommend that you give it a try and if it doesn't agree with you, send it to me.

 

[Justpipes]

Thanks Grampa Bill! Great review.

It was with great anticipation that I was awaiting this review. I will definitely have to try Sugar Barrel!

It is ironic that when I was at John B. Hayes Tobacconist in DC about a week ago one of the emplyees asked me what I smoked regularly and I anwsered that I smoked an old "drug store" blend. Before I could tell him the name he blurted "just don't tell me that it is Sugar Barrel!"

 

[Stormcrow]

Thanks for the review.

 

[puros_bran]

Bill,

A set up and followup question.

Do you normally taste PG in blends that contain it?

Did you taste it in this blend?

I think I'm allergic to it as I react to it done to pretty small levels and it kills what would otherwise be a very pleasent smoke for me.

 

[Mikem]

I have always wondered if it had a sugary taste as always has been alluded too, and thus the bitterness I've heard others talk about. From reading your review Grandpa Bill it doesn't seem to be that bad (sugar content). Thanks for the review.

 

[Anonymous]

Bill,

A set up and followup question.

Do you normally taste PG in blends that contain it?

Did you taste it in this blend?

I think I'm allergic to it as I react to it done to pretty small levels and it kills what would otherwise be a very pleasent smoke for me.

If you're allergic to PG, then you're going to find damn few blends to smoke outside of some of the English blends from Europe. I typically don't taste PG, but it's presence can be very apparent in the amount of steam it causes during smoking. From what I can tell, SB doesn't have an unusually high amount of it. It's pretty dry right out of the tub compared to most aromatics. It doesn't seem to effect the smoke to any degree.

I can also imagine mixing this 50/50 with some PA and it turning out to be a pretty good smoke as well, but I have yet to try it.

 

[smokey422]

Bill,

A set up and followup question.

Do you normally taste PG in blends that contain it?

Did you taste it in this blend?

I think I'm allergic to it as I react to it done to pretty small levels and it kills what would otherwise be a very pleasent smoke for me.

Puros, if you're allergic to PG, I would recommend that you try some of the English blends from C&D. Craig doesn't use any PG on his English blends, only his aromatics. You can usually tell how much PG is in a tobacco blend by leaving it out for a day or two. If there's no PG, you should notice a significant amount of drying.

Smokey

 

[Benton]

I've always wanted to try Sugar Barrel because it was my grandfather's smoke. I still have one of his old tins (empty now). They were metal cans, like a paint can, with a lever on the lid.
Its too bad they don't sell it in smaller packages, although I do enjoy Middleton's Carter Hall, so maybe I should just bite the bullet and buy a can of Sugar Barrel and give it a try.

 

[morleysson]

Benton: PM me w/ an address and I'll send a sample. I'm smoking a bowl as I type. a favorite of mine for a light aromatic.

Bob Runowski

 

[J_Rock]

I will have to give this a try. I think I remember my grandfather smoking this from time to time. He was a huge Carter Hall smoker so I bet he did smoke this on occasion. I would be willing to trade for a sample or buy some off of someone before I buy a tub.

 

[SailorJack]

I really enjoy Sugar Barrel. It doesn't seem overly sweet to me at all.
After you open the tub, the longer you let it sit the more the sweetener seems to subside and the burley develops, becoming nice and buttery.

 

[Buddy Springman]

Bill,

A set up and followup question.

Do you normally taste PG in blends that contain it?

Did you taste it in this blend?

I think I'm allergic to it as I react to it done to pretty small levels and it kills what would otherwise be a very pleasent smoke for me.

Puros, if you're allergic to PG, I would recommend that you try some of the English blends from C&D. Craig doesn't use any PG on his English blends, only his aromatics. You can usually tell how much PG is in a tobacco blend by leaving it out for a day or two. If there's no PG, you should notice a significant amount of drying.

Smokey

I think testing has shown that nearly all pipe tabaks have PG in them. It's not up to the blend - it hits the wares upstream in the process.

Buddy