I got one as well.
Say goodbye to PA
- Thread starter Columbo
- Start date
I was searching for a retailer last night and saw where someone had contacted
P&C and was told PA was being discontinued. True or not; I don’t know but I canceled my order and ordered 8oz of Match PA from WV Smoke Shop to have while all this stuff works itself out. Reviews of the Match are good enough for me. Might want to consider it because the Match seems to be selling out. I recently bought some Match Carter Hall and while it it isn’t exactly the same as CH, it is basically the same. Topping is different but it provides just as good of a smoke. I expect the same with Match PA.
I wonder though, is it being discontinued? Or is this retailer no longer stocking it? The little difference between "its being discontinued" compared to "we're discontinuing it".
I believe it is one of three things:
1. It is actually being discontinued
2. PA is discontinuing their Vanilla and Cherry causing some confusion.
3. The company put out the rumor on purpose.
I canceled my order of PA and ordered a half pound of Match PA while it is still available. While the CH Match isn’t identical to CH, I find it just as good as a blend on its own. I expect the same with PA and the reviews are, for the most part, very good.
There is no shame in OTC’s. They are simply American style blends and became as they are because they suited our tastes and they are generally mild to medium burley forward blends and there seems to be a common thread or style running through them and they are far and away my favorites. Sadly it took me forty years to get into them. Whenever I smoke one of my tinned tobaccos, I find myself wanting to dump it after a few minutes and smoke an OTC - current or Match and most often do. There are several Match versions of OTC’s I’ve yet to try, Field and Stream for example and one day I will. My conversion began about nine years ago before I went to cigars and when I quit cigars and came back to pipes, I picked up where I left off and happily so. After many years of pipe smoking, I’m confident in my tastes; I smoke the codger way proudly and am not displeased that they are even less expensive than the “finer” stuff. I must admit to many years of tobacco snobbery but I now have seen the light and atone for my sins.
How are we going to make the famous joke now?
But seriously, that's terrible news. It's like saying Clubman was discontinued or something.
But seriously, that's terrible news. It's like saying Clubman was discontinued or something.
Or even worse - Old Spice. It is always a tragedy to lose an American iconic something or another but it happens. Every dog has its day. One day, even I, an American icon (in my own mind) will be lost, just dust in the wind and life will go on sadly without me. Come on wipe that tear away.
Yeah. And also, I think certain drugstores dropping all tobacco (seriously, pipe tobacco? What kind of drugstore doesn't have pipe tobacco? It won't smell right in there any more!) products might have been the death knell. But who knows.
I wonder it old privately owned drug stores still do. I will be moving to a more rural area in a couple of months and I’m hoping to find that.
They sell all kinds of vile stuff, but pipe tobacco - that's the enemy.
Absolutely! Vegetable oil far deadlier than tobacco but they want you to consume 32% of your calories with that stuff! Who can you trust these days? Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
I received a half pound of March PA today. Tastes fine. I will grab a pouch of PA from my neighbor in the next two or three days and do a comparison in identical pipes and sis out the differences as best I can.
On Facebook someone says they contacted Middleton directly and they said it wasn’t discontinued. It’s on FB so you know it’s true.
Well, I'm glad it was just an ugly rumor. It fills such an important niche. Well, 2 important niches. First, a tobacco that smokes itself when you're busy will always have a place in my rotation. And it's always a good thing to see anything next to Captain Black on a shelf.
- Thread starter
- #75
Some Updates. Some doubling down, and some other confused chatter.
First, this was recently added to the top of the vendor‘s line card page that started this thread, in big red letters:
MIDDLETON HAS DISCONTINUED PRODUCTION OF ALL PIPE TOBACCO
*EXCEPT* CARTER HALL CANISTERS/POUCHES.
However, in looking for more updates, there is mixed information. One person on another site claims they “called Middleton”, and was told there is no discontinuation. Interestingly, Altria does have an 804 area code number to call. And that is based out of Richmond, VA. And also interestingly, the above vendor has been in business for 108 years, and is based in nearby Roanoke. So they are likely close to Altria corporate as well.
Others are saying that only PA tubs are being discontinued, but that the pouches will continue.
The best bet is to give this time to sort out. In the meantime, PA in tubs looks about sold out nearly everywhere.
[Addendum: since I now have the phone number, I will probably call Altria myself later today]
First, this was recently added to the top of the vendor‘s line card page that started this thread, in big red letters:
MIDDLETON HAS DISCONTINUED PRODUCTION OF ALL PIPE TOBACCO
*EXCEPT* CARTER HALL CANISTERS/POUCHES.
Middleton Pipe Tobacco ~ Middleton Carter Hall and Prince Albert Pipe Tobacco Blends are Available at Milan Tobacconists
Milan Tobacconists offers Middleton Carter Hall and Prince Albert Pipe Tobacco. Providing superior customer service and quality tobacco products since 1912. Shop our site now!
www.milantobacco.com
However, in looking for more updates, there is mixed information. One person on another site claims they “called Middleton”, and was told there is no discontinuation. Interestingly, Altria does have an 804 area code number to call. And that is based out of Richmond, VA. And also interestingly, the above vendor has been in business for 108 years, and is based in nearby Roanoke. So they are likely close to Altria corporate as well.
Others are saying that only PA tubs are being discontinued, but that the pouches will continue.
The best bet is to give this time to sort out. In the meantime, PA in tubs looks about sold out nearly everywhere.
[Addendum: since I now have the phone number, I will probably call Altria myself later today]
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- Thread starter
- #76
And I’ll add this. Out of curiosity, I sifted through the Altria corporate site. Recent corporate governance changes are increasingly tobacco-hostile, IMO.
Read Altria’s “about” and “our vision” statements, and you can see the impact already.
Looking at these statements, and looking at the Middleton website that talks about everything except pipe tobacco, I would not be surprised if all Middleton tobaccos were discontinued by this time next year.
Read Altria’s “about” and “our vision” statements, and you can see the impact already.
Looking at these statements, and looking at the Middleton website that talks about everything except pipe tobacco, I would not be surprised if all Middleton tobaccos were discontinued by this time next year.
I’m sitting here alternating Match PA with PA in identical pipes with palate cleansing coffee (also used for paint removal) between the two. This is a hard one. A review I read on the Match mentioned a toasted marshmallow note and I agree but it is minor and you may or may not pick up on it. Pouch notes are very close, maybe a bit of vanilla in the Match but not certain. PA is a very simple blend and I suppose getting a near identical match wasn’t that difficult. Whatever the minor differences I doubt PA is worth the extra cost - at least not for me. The half pound of the Match I have will last me a year or two anyway.
Just for kicks, how well does Carter Hall and Prince Albert store if one were to load up on it?
- Thread starter
- #79
I spoke today with representatives of Altria. It took about three call transfers to get to the right person.
The gentleman told me that Prince Albert has been discontinued. And that what's out there is all that is left ("while supplies last").
I will take that as CONFIRMATION.
RIP, PA.
The gentleman told me that Prince Albert has been discontinued. And that what's out there is all that is left ("while supplies last").
I will take that as CONFIRMATION.
RIP, PA.
Thanks for your efforts to sort this out. Much appreciated!
