A Bakker's Dozen

[AimlessWanderer]

I have several tobaccos in my array which are in that crossover zone between aro and non-aro.

To me, it comes down to what is the dominant flavour. If the tobacco is lurking in the background, it gets smoked in my aro pipes, and if it's tobacco with a hint of X, then it doesn't. For example, I would smoke Louisiana Flake in a Perique pipe, despite the hint of chocolate, and despite Bob's Choc Flate having a slight Lakeland edge, that blend still goes in the Burley/Misc pipes. Condor is too aromatic for the Virginia pipes though, so that and Ennerdale need to be in a pipe dedicated to that floral topping. Gawith RED, Celtic Talisman, American Delite etc, also have way too much fruitiness going off for general pipes, and need Aro pipes in my opinion.

There are exceptions though. New Prince is a maple topped Virginia/Burley blend, that's light enough to smoke in a straight Virginia pipe. Germain's Medium Flake is at the point where it really ought to be smoked in an aromatic pipe, but is so delicate a smoke, that whatever ghosts are in the aro pipe might overwhelm it. As such, it goes in the Virginia pipe, and I'll run the risk of a light ghosting. Coniston Cut Plug Unscented, should really be called Ghosted rather than Unscented, as it carries a light Lakeland scent that probably wasn't really intended to be there. However, because it's a heavy enough tobaccos blend to carry that light ghosting, I smoke that in the Lakeland pipe, and let the pipe ghosts add to whatever ghosts are already floating around in the blend.

I know these are probably all blends that you're unfamiliar with, but hopefully the points carry across anyway.

 

[RookieGuy]

Eh, just don't worry so much. Smoke what you like and leave the labels to the websites.

 

[Bakker1964]

This the way I'm leaning . . . I'll start down that rabbit hole when I have more experience . . . in a decade or so. For now . . .

 

[Bakker1964]

So . . . I have been having some difficulty of late. I ended up with some sensitivity in my mouth after eating some spicy food. This caused my next bowl to be somewhat "bitey". No problem, thought I, give it a few days to recover and off we go . . .

Well we are closing in on two weeks and, while I have not completely abstained, the smokes have been rare. The insides of my lips feel overly sensitive (like how they get when you "lick" them too often). The tongue feels very dry, and sensitive underneath, too.

I have avoided "spicy" since the initial meal that kicked this off, but I am beginning to become concerned. Was not a smoker until I started in with cigars well over a year ago, and pipes just recently. I doubt this is a reaction to smoking in general, because of this timeline, but I am at a loss for another explanation. Guessing a Doctor will say, "stop smoking", if I inquire there, but this is very frustrating.

 

[brandaves]

So . . . I have been having some difficulty of late. I ended up with some sensitivity in my mouth after eating some spicy food. This caused my next bowl to be somewhat "bitey". No problem, thought I, give it a few days to recover and off we go . . .

Well we are closing in on two weeks and, while I have not completely abstained, the smokes have been rare. The insides of my lips feel overly sensitive (like how they get when you "lick" them too often). The tongue feels very dry, and sensitive underneath, too.

I have avoided "spicy" since the initial meal that kicked this off, but I am beginning to become concerned. Was not a smoker until I started in with cigars well over a year ago, and pipes just recently. I doubt this is a reaction to smoking in general, because of this timeline, but I am at a loss for another explanation. Guessing a Doctor will say, "stop smoking", if I inquire there, but this is very frustrating.

That's disappointing to hear. I can't really provide you any sage advice unfortunately as I haven't experienced this. My guess would be that you've probably pinpointed it (a combination of the spicy food and perhaps some chapped lips) but it does seem like it would have cleared within two weeks. I hope this resolves soon my friend.

 

[Bakker1964]

Yeah . . . more just explaining my absence than anything else. Trying again on the weekend. One side effect was that I was REALLY taking it slow.

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

If it persists through your next smoke don't dwell on it. Mouths are funny. A few weeks off can do wonders. If it was dry and your lips were chapped then your mouth could have been overly dry as well. Tobacco dries your mouth out more and possibly had more to do with it.

I haven't smoked a pipe or cigar in possibly a month and a half. I think it was October still... Just haven't felt the desire then got sick and have really not felt the desire! It'll come back. Someone has to smoke the 30 pounds and few hundred sticks I have under my guest bed .

 

[Bakker1964]

So . . . I took a bit of a lay-off leading into Christmas. Loadede a bowl of my Secret Santa White Knight . . .

So this is latakia. Interesting, and I see how it plays as part of English Blends. This is obviously a lot stronger (think Single Malt v. Blended Scotch). Not sure I like it on first blush, but it will need some sussing out before a decision is made. Very smooth smoking blend, and stayed lit very easily.

 

[Columbo]

This is obviously a lot stronger (think Single Malt v. Blended Scotch).

Some of my favorite Scotches are blends (think Royal Salute). Single malts are just so ... monochromatic.

Enjoy that Lat.

 

[Bakker1964]

I don't find Single Malts to be "mono" at all, though blends almost by definition are more complex.

Secret Santa is two for two, as CULT is the first blend my wife has asked "how much of that do you have?", and said flat out I should buy more.

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

I don't find Single Malts to be "mono" at all, though blends almost by definition are more complex.

Secret Santa is two for two, as CULT is the first blend my wife has asked "how much of that do you have?", and said flat out I should buy more.

She's a keeper if you like the Cult

 

[RookieGuy]

Secret Santa is two for two, as CULT is the first blend my wife has asked "how much of that do you have?", and said flat out I should buy more.

It's hard to overstate the importance of Mrs. Bakker liking a blend. And Cult, is that the aromatic line?

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

It's hard to overstate the importance of Mrs. Bakker liking a blend. And Cult, is that the aromatic line?

Yes. Cherry if memory serves.

 

[Bakker1964]

So . . . an update as to my absence from this page.

I was given a positive test result for COVID 19 on January 1st. My brother's job takes him to LTC homes, and his weekly test came back positive. Because he had visited our home over the Holidays, my wife and I went to get tested, and I popped as positive. Funny thing is, she was the one with symptoms, and I was my usual unaffected self.

So, I was left with 10 days of self isolation. I also stayed away from here because, symptoms or not, I thought it best to shelve my pipes and baccy as a precaution, and did not want to be tempted to break that stricture.

Isolation ended uneventfully last night, and I am back at work right now. Planning on a nice aromatic bowl when I get home to celebrate. I feel very fortunate that nothing came of all of this, except a bit of a pang in the absence.

 

[RookieGuy]

So glad you're ok now!

 

[Dan-O]

Ive heard that people that smoke are less likely to be effected by the bat virus. That’s my excuse, as wrong as it may be, and I’m sticking to it.

 

[Bakker1964]

To each their own, obv. My reasoning was simply that, despite the fact one does not inhale, I was not going to do anything that might impact my lungs while this was hanging over my head.

 

[Dan-O]

To each their own, obv. My reasoning was simply that, despite the fact one does not inhale, I was not going to do anything that might impact my lungs while this was hanging over my head.

I inhale, unlike slick willy.

 

[RookieGuy]

To each their own, obv. My reasoning was simply that, despite the fact one does not inhale, I was not going to do anything that might impact my lungs while this was hanging over my head.

I can't fault your reasoning. Well, just about everything cellars well and will be waiting for you when you're ready. In the meantime, work on getting yourself healthy again.

 

[Bakker1964]

Well, see, that's the frustrating part . . . no fever, no sore/scratchy throat . . . nothing. I had a slight headache the day I got my result, but a Tylenol sent that away quickly. Completely asymptomatic the whole time.