Three Castles
Another US remake of of a famous blend (made by D&R for HBI, Republic Tobacco's Drum is the other). Three Castles is a high quality fine-cut bright Virginia tobacco that's light and tasty (similar to Export A). The tobacco is wrapped in some type of porous treated tissue (its not your standard waxed paper) and then placed inside of a pouch that is neither sealed or wrapped in cellophane. While others have reported the tobacco being moist, mine was a tad on the dry side. At ~$49LB you'd think they'd package it better. 25g pouches only.
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- Re: Three Castles
- Posted by Thomas Hester on Saturday, 14-Jun-2014
I've smoked regular Camels since I was seventeen; grew up (to the extent that I grew up) on a farm where we raised tobacco. Psychologists tell us that we remember and recall smells more easily and more accurately than nearly any other memories. I remember the smell of the two big tobacco barns on the farm very well. I loved the smell. Hence, the best cigarettes I could buy, Camels, Luckies, James Russell Turkish, State Express (all Virginia) in the yellow metal tin with the purple print, all non-filter, of course. Until recently I kept a 100 gram tin of Three Castles on the coffee table. Too bad it's no longer available in that tin. It's delicious. Virginia tobaccos have a much higher sugar content than Burleys. They tend to burn hotter, so some alternatives in curing are needed to ameliorate that tendency, but they are also mild and sweet in flavor. I also smoke pipes and favor Virginia blends there, also, though one ends up with change-ups for when the odd mood strikes. Have also smoked the best cigars I could buy all these years and now, with the internet, you can buy all the great Cubans from off-shore. They're delivered right to your mailbox by the unwitting U.S. government. Of note, John Kennedy sent Pierre Salinger riding around on airlines for as long as it took to discreetly stock up JFK's humidors with his favorite Havanas BEFORE he announced the embargo against Cuba.
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Further note, psychological studies indicate that the most common, best stored olfactory memory for most Americans is that of Crayola crayons. I smell the wax anytime I think about it.
- three castles
- Posted by adam on Friday, 16-Feb-2007
this stuff is awsome mild and smooth its on the pricey side but coming from pre mades im used to spending 10.00 to 15.00 dollars a day and now i cut my smoking from 2 to three packs a day to 10 to 15 smokes a day so for me the price isnt an issue if you can afford it try it.Happy smokin
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- The Easy Way
- Posted by Tom Hester on Saturday, 14-Jun-2014
Allen Carr, an English accountant, stopped smoking one day. Like John Wayne and Dwight Eisenhower, he had been a four pack a day smoker and he'd tried every trick in the book to quit. He'd actually quit for a horrible three or four months once, but was so miserable he could barely think, so he started back. When he finally discovered his simple method for quitting, it was so easy, after a few days he decided to quit his profession and enter smoke cessation as a new career. After helping all his friends, he opened a clinic and eventually wrote his best-seller, "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking." There are now Easy Way clinics throughout Europe and America, etc. The clinics cost a lot of money and offer a lifetime money back guarantee. That's how the determine their 90% success rate. Only 10% of clients have ever asked for their considerable payment back and the guarantee is unconditional. If you ask for a refund, you get it, no questions asked. The book is in most libraries. It's available at audible.com amazon.com, etc. I saw Anthony Hopkins in a video swearing by the method. Ashton Kutcher, also. Wanna quit? Have at it. Hope this helps!
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By the way, there was one fallacy in the book. I attribute it to Allen's being a filter cigarette smoker. He asserts that smokers hate their cigarettes. If I smoked filters, I would too. But I always loved my Camels. So, a grain of salt with that one statement in the book/seminar.
- Re: The Easy Way
- Posted by G on Tuesday, 17-Jun-2014
I read his stuff and tried using his self-brainwashing method.
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In addition to being wrong about smokers all hating their cigarettes, he also states smoking provides no benefit besides relieving withdrawal. That is flat out wrong as many smokers and scientists attest- tobacco is a powerful substance having effects throughout the body and providing clear boosts to mental powers and mood.
- Three Castles
- Posted by adamatari on Thursday, 23-Nov-2006
I tried this recently for a sweet tobacco (I like having both light/sweet and rich cigarettes). It's VERY good but the packages are small and it's a tad expensive. It's sweet, mild, and flavorful, quite a treat really. Although reported by some to be moist I thought it was just slightly dry out of the pouch.
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I would say if you are looking for something cheap look elsewhere, but if you want something good or you'd like a treat beside your regular this is it.
- Three Castles
- Posted by Racoonster on Sunday, 27-Nov-2005
I have recently opened and smoked (partially) my first package of the new Three Castles hand-rolling tobacco.
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After years of reading about Three Castles on the RYOMagazine site, it is finally available on the Internet.
(hope no one strains a muscle patting themselves on the back)
It comes in a small (25 gram) pouch, in a little patty wrapped in a wax paper like substance. Looks like a Chesapeake Bay crab cake, minus the spices. Very fine cut, with thread like strands of light brown, and tan. Not a strongly aromatic blend, it has a nice light smell to it, like the smell of a hay field at a distance.
The patty pulls apart easily. I try to just separate enough off of one end to make 2-3 cigarettes, so that the patty retains its shape as long as possible, so that I can re-wrap and reinsert it into the bag. I treat it gently and like gold (for good reason).
I had no problem stuffing it, so I assume the moisture content is fine. It was slightly moist, which is the way I prefer my tobacco. Dry tobacco to me is an invitation to harshness. It should be moist enough that the strands do not break.
If I were to pick a blend that is closest to it, I would say "Canadian Natural" Manufactured by Choice Tobacco. This has a similar color, though the cut is thicker. The smell and taste seem similar, but of the two the Three Castles is milder and smoother. Also the TC has a hard to define aftertaste, or note, that is very subtle, yet tasty.
I also purchased a box each of the Three Castles 'Full Flavored' and 'Mild Flavored' Tubes (Red and Blue), and used these for my initial stuffing. I've become a Full Flavor tube user over the last few years, so I prefer the Red, but the taste comes through just as well in the Blue. I imagine this would be a nice non-filtered blend as well, if that is your style.
I can't imagine mixing this with anything, as the taste would be overpowered by any but the most timid of tobaccos. I would use a cheaper blend if the purpose was to use it to lighten up a halfzware or burly, like the above mentioned Canadian Natural.
The only source I have found for this is Custom Blends. They carry the 25 gram package, and the tubes.
The tubes are pretty good quality, and compliment the tobacco. I have not used them for any other blend, as I only have one box of each. I have used Filterite Full Flavor tubes with the Three Castle Tobacco, as they were on my table at the time, but I think I prefer the TC tubes. Tube cost is reasonable/high , at $2.75 a box. I've paid more, but not often.
The Three Castle Tobacco pouch goes for $3.95. Which I paid, purchasing 3 packages to get a good sample of this much spoken of (on one site anyway) blend. If you are going to sample this, I guess everyone can afford a pack.
As a go to smoke, or an everyday smoke, this is insanely high priced stuff. The most I have ever paid for tobacco, period. And I have had, as far as I can tell, every brand available in the US, and several that are not. At this time I probably have on hand 75% of the available blends in at least a few grams. And despite the "No Better Brand then Three Castles" statement on the bag, there is, and they are cheaper.
Just to put this in units we can all understand: $3.95 for a 25 gram package works out to around about $4.50 per ounce or $71.50 a pound.
If this were available at a lower price, I'd smoke it pretty often. Now it will remain as something I smoke rarely. Perhaps after a period of time, when sales drop back off after the initial curiosities are quenched, prices will drop too. Hopefully, the packages then available won't be too stale.... And I'll snatch up a good quantity so that when people mention the "old 'new' Three Castles" that used to be around, I can pat myself on the back, and say "I still have some I have been saving".
::sigh::
- Re: Three Castles
- Posted by Bob on Tuesday, 18-Dec-2012
Hello, You said that you knew of some other brands of tobacco that are similar to Three Castles. Would you mind sharing your list? Thanks
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- Re: Three Castles
- Posted by Wilbur73 on Friday, 04-Dec-2015
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Ive been looking for a three castles replacement since i opened my last tin in 2001! i found a pouch of dried out and no good Three Castles in 2007....
Here they are in order of my favorite to least!
Robert McConnell: SPECIAL LONDON FINE CUT 50g tin (The Best Ive found as 2015)
Auld Kendal Golden Shag RYO
Gawith Hoggarth & Co.: Kendal Gold*
Golden Virginian RYO (not available in US)
Various: Peter Stokeybe Bulk blends
Daughter & Ryan: 3sails tins & bulk
Bali Shag Red
Drum gold
Bugler gold
HBI reissue of Three Castles (D&R Repackeged)
- Re: Three Castles
- Posted by David Becker on Saturday, 08-Feb-2020
Is there a link you can send me yo Custom Blends to buy online? I haven't been able ty o buy Three Casyles for more than 20 years. Email westernairlinez @ gmail . com (without the spaces)
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Thank you
