Is there any truth to this statement I found online?
<<Do yourself a favor and visit a proper tobacconist for something to put in your pipe other than Captain Black. Today's Captain Black isn't even 100% real tobacco. I do not consider reconstituted sheet tobacco to be real. >>
@motie2 I'm not sure if there is any truth to that or not, but as an OTC blend, it wouldn't surprise me. Even if true, I can't help but keep a pouch of regular and copper in my rotation. The CB tinned tobaccos are indeed a better quality. Their Red Sky Cherry blend is by far the most enjoyable Cherry I've found. The Midnight Gold is enjoyable and smooth as well.
So here's the deal in case not everyone knows about this, I for one did not. There is a significant amount of the shredded brown innards of most modern cigarettes is a paper product called "reconstituted tobacco" or "homogenized sheet tobacco," which is made from a pulp of mashed tobacco stems and other parts of the tobacco that would otherwise go to waste. so, it's really crap. The stuff left over from premium tobacco that nobody wants. This is an effort to increase profit from tobacco purchased. My question is, do they have to label that on the package? Can someone take a look since I do not own any OTC tobaccos?
@Londy3 - Seems the answer to your question is YES.
The Guidelines read: Tobacco that has been processed with any chemical, additive, or substance other than potable water is to be reported as described in section III.D.3.c below. Each type of leaf tobacco used in a tobacco product is to be reported as a separate ingredient. For example, if you purchase a tobacco leaf blend or reconstituted tobacco for use in manufacturing a tobacco product, you are to report the blend or reconstituted tobacco as described in section III.D.3.c below. The manufacturer responsible for assembling the blend or reconstituting the tobacco is to submit ingredient lists for its tobacco products and, in doing so,reporting each type of leaf tobacco used in the blend as described in this section. (Page 10, Lines 332 to 339).
Captain Black has been a much maligned pipe tobacco for as long as I can remember, yet as an OTC blend it's probably one of the best. Oftentimes the same people who criticize Captain Black are those who wouldn't smoke an aromatic anyway. I have no doubt that many gas station blends you'll see dangling from one pound plastic bags are made from the reconstituted tobacco or sheet tobacco like "Jester", "Gambler", "Largo" or "4 Aces" as implied, but I seriously doubt that any of the Captain Black blends fall into that category. I'm currently smoking all manner of aromatics from ... Sutliff bulk and special blends, P&C Russ' Monthly Blends, East India Trading Company, Cult, McClelland, Lane, Panama Jack, Mac Barren, W.O. Larsen, Cornell & Diehl, CAO, and Captain Black. I buy my Captain Black in bulk because it's cheaper and all I can say is many of the tinned tobacco cost a bit more, or taste a bit better, but as a whole blends mentioned above taste pretty damn similar to the assortment (Regular, Gold, Royal, Copper, Cherry, Dark, Round, Grape) of Captain Black blends available. So if Captain Black is guilty of using second rate tobacco products then the entire aromatic tobacco business is as well. Many claim Lane Q1 is actually Captain Black Royal.
@Londy3 I knew about tobacco companies using the floor sweepings dyed brown in their cigarettes, but I've yet to see any description of tobaccos on 90% of my tins, and not all tobaccos mentioned are specific like Orientals. the descriptions of the tobacco in the catalogs and sale emails are pretty accurate,
Didn't really dig Captain Black Cherry, it's not horrible,just not something I would purchase again. Have of course tried the original, and CBD,and of course CBR.Only one I haven't tried is the Cooper Blend.
@buflosab I've yet to find a cherry tobacco that I'd highly recommend because they tend to taste too artificial or chemical. Probably the best (and that's not an full-throated endorsement) would be Cult Blood Red Moon. The cherry flavor is not as up front as many cherry tobaccos, so that taste isn't as off putting. Only because the quantity isn't so pronounced. But what-ever artificial flavoring tobaccos companies use for their version of a cherry blend seems to be used by all. The better blends just don't have as much added. I'm still looking for a cherry blend that closer to true cherry or at least a Maraschino cherry flavor. And all seem to have the same aftertaste as artificial sweeteners.
Back in my very early days of pipe smoking, I smoked Captain Black or Borkum Riff because that's what I could get if I ran out. I preferred Borkum Riff over Captain Black. That being said, Captain Black & Borkum Riff are both in the same category as Prince Albert, Carter Hall and Half & Half - old OTC tobacco's that everyone claims to hate but they still make enough money for the companies to sell.
@PappyJoe- I agree with that. I also smoked Captain Black or Borkum Riff because that's what was around but always preferred Borkum Riff out of the two, especially the old blend, not today's remake.
Also, I like Prince Albert, Carter Hall and Sir Walter Raleigh. Although it is not the same as when R.J. Reynolds made it, I still smoke Prince Albert as my go to tobacco. In fact, I managed to purchase two tins of vintage Prince Albert from the 1950s and two tins of vintage Borkum Rifffrom the 1970s from our friend, Pipestud.
Of all the tobaccos available in today's market, and I have tried many as most every pipe smoker has, my preferences have always been Prince Albert, Sir Walter Raleigh, vintage Borkum Riff, and Dunhill tobacco blends.
When I was in the business years ago, I had the opportunity to go on a tour of Lane Ltd. in Tucker, GA. Saw the whole operation, top to bottom. Quite a facility, and the aroma was amazing. Witnessed Captain Black being made and I can assure you that absolutely no sheet tobacco is used in it’s manufacture. Just high quality whole leaf tobacco. Enjoy with confidence.
I'm not positive on this but I suspect if there were reconstituted tobacco in a blend we as pipe smokers would be able to notice it. We handle our tobaccos, rubbing it out, pinching it into the pipe, and such. If there were thin strips of paper products mixed in, I think we would notice that.
Woodsman
Master
Comments
<<Do yourself a favor and visit a proper tobacconist for something to put in your pipe other than Captain Black. Today's Captain Black isn't even 100% real tobacco. I do not consider reconstituted sheet tobacco to be real. >>
The Guidelines read: Tobacco that has been processed with any chemical, additive, or substance other than potable water is to be reported as described in section III.D.3.c below. Each type of leaf tobacco used in a tobacco product is to be reported as a separate ingredient. For example, if you purchase a tobacco leaf blend or reconstituted tobacco for use in manufacturing a tobacco product, you are to report the blend or reconstituted tobacco as described in section III.D.3.c below. The manufacturer responsible for assembling the blend or reconstituting the tobacco is to submit ingredient lists for its tobacco products and, in doing so,reporting each type of leaf tobacco used in the blend as described in this section. (Page 10, Lines 332 to 339).
Here are the Guidelines: https://www.fda.gov/downloads/TobaccoProducts/Labeling/RulesRegulationsGuidance/UCM527044.pdf
That being said, Captain Black & Borkum Riff are both in the same category as Prince Albert, Carter Hall and Half & Half - old OTC tobacco's that everyone claims to hate but they still make enough money for the companies to sell.
Also, I like Prince Albert, Carter Hall and Sir Walter Raleigh. Although it is not the same as when R.J. Reynolds made it, I still smoke Prince Albert as my go to tobacco. In fact, I managed to purchase two tins of vintage Prince Albert from the 1950s and two tins of vintage Borkum Riff from the 1970s from our friend, Pipestud.
Of all the tobaccos available in today's market, and I have tried many as most every pipe smoker has, my preferences have always been Prince Albert, Sir Walter Raleigh, vintage Borkum Riff, and Dunhill tobacco blends.