How are They?

 I was told that Half and Half was like Carter Hall.  Then I read the reviews and found that Estate Blend by Sutliff was like Carter Hall but cheaper and better.  I am still evaluating Mixture No 79.  I smoked a few bowls of Mixture No. 79 in my Savinelli Canadian style pipe yesterday.  Then today I got out my Nording pipe and Mixture No. 79 tasted different.  I had a similar reaction to Autumn Evening the first few pipes I put it in.

At first, I thought Autumn Evening had nothing to offer, but the more I smoked it the better I liked it.  I'm finding the same is true with Mixture No. 79.  One can overthink Mixture No. 79.  If one doesn't think too much about it, then it kind of grows on you.  I told my wife this morning that I didn't like it.  But now as I write I am finding it to be a rather flavorful tobacco.

Some pipe smokers don't care for a Burley based tobacco and the pouch smells like root beer, but the tobacco as smoked is different.  I wouldn't want to smoke Mixture No. 79 all the time like I would Autumn Evening, but the problem with cheaper tobaccos is that they smell cheaper.  But I am looking for a cheaper tobacco that can replace the more expensive Autumn Evening, but for me Mixture No. 79 won't do this.  It's the kind of tobacco I want to say I love like I love Autumn Evening.  

I thought at first I didn't like Autumn Evening, but it is my favorite.  Tropical Export comes close, but Mixture No. 79 doesn't do this.  I try to like it, and maybe I do, but as a replacement, no.  The price difference is $15 a pound.  But I'd rather spend the extra money on Autumn Evening.  

I think I can say the same thing about Carter Hall.  Half and Half is similar to Carter Hall and again, while Carter Hall is cheaper as Estate Blend by Sutliff, it just doesn't do it for me.  I can't say I hate these tobacco blends, but there are Aromatics I like better than both these.  I have some Sutliff Vanilla Custard I like better than both of these, and there are Burley tobaccos I enjoy.  But I've found that cheaper tobaccos are cheaper for a reason.  

Tropical Export isn't cheaper, and the aroma doesn't smell cheap.  Ounce for ounce Tropical Export is more expensive.  I want to like Mixture No. 79. but it just can't replace Autumn Evening.  I'm not sure anything can.  I like Burley tobacco, but it seems I like a Virginia based tobacco with some Burley as a secondary tobacco.  Burley definitely has a tobacco taste while Virginia's add sweetness.  It seems that these two might be better as blending tobaccos with more dark fired Virginia's.  

Well, the fact is I'll smoke both pouches, but at least I can say I tried them.  Mixture No. 79 is one of those blends I want to say I love, but in comparing it to other blends I just can't bring myself to love it.  I can see why there isn't much middle ground on either of these tobaccos, with more love given to Half and Half.  It's just that when compared to my best they are not replacements.  I wish they could be based on price alone.  Maybe some day I'll have to give up my Autumn Evening, but not yet, at least not with either of these.  Thank you for your time and Peace to each one of you.

Dave