Ageing without hoarding

[AimlessWanderer]

Looks like a tasty start Al.

Cheers Steve. I was wondering where to start with this lot, but it looks like that decision has been made for me

,

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Pipe day!

Sample smoke #1 - Charlatan First Bowl

Weapon of choice - Parker Cherrywood
(Dunhill second - Group 4)
Amount packed - Around half the sample, maybe 3g

This sample felt like the perfect humidity for smoking, and I was right. It lit, and stayed lit, from the first match. There was a definite hint of liquorice to the smoke and taste when I fired it up, which then ebbed and flowed throughout the smoke. Aside from that, the taste is quite mild, and an "easy" smoke. Despite sipping, the bowl did get a little warm around the 20 minute mark, and I set it down for a minute or two. There was a light breeze outside today, but not to a level I'd expect to fan the flames as it were. Maybe this tobacco needs a denser pack in future.

Around thirty minutes, and halfway down the bowl, the tongue felt a little slimy, and there was the hint of a gurgle. That's not like this pipe! I smoked a bowl of Squadron Leader in it two days ago, and the pipe cleaner came out clean afterwards.

I set the pipe down to go and refill my mug of tea, and fetch a couple of pipe cleaners. I fed the narrow end of the cleaner down, and it came out a little wet at the end, but not dark and slimy. The faintest waft of a flame from my lighter got it restarted, and I sipped through till the end, only needing one relight about five minutes before the smoke ended.

Overall, I enjoyed the smoke, but that liquorice type taste, and particularly the coating it left on the tongue, is not something I would want to encounter regularly. I'm happy to finish the sample, but want something different for the next bowl. I'm looking for tobaccos that I can open a tin of, and stick with it for a couple of months till that tin is finished. This tobacco does not suit that criteria.

Smoke again? Yes
Smoke regularly? No
Keep in stock? No

 

[brandaves]

First delivery is here!

View attachment 1105491

View attachment 1105493

Some of these samples look like they might only give me one bowl full. Others look like they might give two. So these samples won't last as long as I originally thought. I'll make a note of how many bowls I get as I go along too, as that might sway the choice between a couple of favourites.

Judging by the waft of tobacco scent when I first opened the parcel, I'd say that if these are going to ghost each other, it's probably already happened, so I'm not going to fuss over sorting them and sealing/jarring separately.

My order also had one of those hydrostone thingies (plus pipe cleaners and filters) so I'm not overly concerned about them drying out either. Popping that stone in the sample bag overnight should bring back any which have dried out

It's to bad most are only one smoke. Sometimes I have a bad bowl, even of my favorite tobacco. If that happens here you may never again try what might be your favorite blend...

 

[steveclarkus]

Pipe day!

Sample smoke #1 - Charlatan First Bowl

Weapon of choice - Parker Cherrywood
(Dunhill second - Group 4)
Amount packed - Around half the sample, maybe 3g

View attachment 1105653

This sample felt like the perfect humidity for smoking, and I was right. It lit, and stayed lit, from the first match. There was a definite hint of liquorice to the smoke and taste when I fired it up, which then ebbed and flowed throughout the smoke. Aside from that, the taste is quite mild, and an "easy" smoke. Despite sipping, the bowl did get a little warm around the 20 minute mark, and I set it down for a minute or two. There was a light breeze outside today, but not to a level I'd expect to fan the flames as it were. Maybe this tobacco needs a denser pack in future.

Around thirty minutes, and halfway down the bowl, the tongue felt a little slimy, and there was the hint of a gurgle. That's not like this pipe! I smoked a bowl of Squadron Leader in it two days ago, and the pipe cleaner came out clean afterwards.

I set the pipe down to go and refill my mug of tea, and fetch a couple of pipe cleaners. I fed the narrow end of the cleaner down, and it came out a little wet at the end, but not dark and slimy. The faintest waft of a flame from my lighter got it restarted, and I sipped through till the end, only needing one relight about five minutes before the smoke ended.

Overall, I enjoyed the smoke, but that liquorice type taste, and particularly the coating it left on the tongue, is not something I would want to encounter regularly. I'm happy to finish the sample, but want something different for the next bowl. I'm looking for tobaccos that I can open a tin of, and stick with it for a couple of months till that tin is finished. This tobacco does not suit that criteria.

Smoke again? Yes
Smoke regularly? No
Keep in stock? No

I believe that Parker is the one I’m on the waiting list for. Glad it is a good smoker!

 

[brandaves]

Pipe day!

Sample smoke #1 - Charlatan First Bowl

Weapon of choice - Parker Cherrywood
(Dunhill second - Group 4)
Amount packed - Around half the sample, maybe 3g

View attachment 1105653

This sample felt like the perfect humidity for smoking, and I was right. It lit, and stayed lit, from the first match. There was a definite hint of liquorice to the smoke and taste when I fired it up, which then ebbed and flowed throughout the smoke. Aside from that, the taste is quite mild, and an "easy" smoke. Despite sipping, the bowl did get a little warm around the 20 minute mark, and I set it down for a minute or two. There was a light breeze outside today, but not to a level I'd expect to fan the flames as it were. Maybe this tobacco needs a denser pack in future.

Around thirty minutes, and halfway down the bowl, the tongue felt a little slimy, and there was the hint of a gurgle. That's not like this pipe! I smoked a bowl of Squadron Leader in it two days ago, and the pipe cleaner came out clean afterwards.

I set the pipe down to go and refill my mug of tea, and fetch a couple of pipe cleaners. I fed the narrow end of the cleaner down, and it came out a little wet at the end, but not dark and slimy. The faintest waft of a flame from my lighter got it restarted, and I sipped through till the end, only needing one relight about five minutes before the smoke ended.

Overall, I enjoyed the smoke, but that liquorice type taste, and particularly the coating it left on the tongue, is not something I would want to encounter regularly. I'm happy to finish the sample, but want something different for the next bowl. I'm looking for tobaccos that I can open a tin of, and stick with it for a couple of months till that tin is finished. This tobacco does not suit that criteria.

Smoke again? Yes
Smoke regularly? No
Keep in stock? No

Nice review...this is going to be fun!

 

[AimlessWanderer]

It's to bad most are only one smoke. Sometimes I have a bad bowl, even of my favorite tobacco. If that happens here you may never again try what might be your favorite blend...

Yeah, I know what you mean. I would think that even a poor bowl of a possible favourite, would show potential though. I don't think I've ever really liked a pipe of something one time, and then really not liked it another - except for when I've tried smoking it too wet or something, but again you can still tell there's promise there (and leave the pipe alone, and finish it the next day)

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I believe that Parker is the one I’m on the waiting list for. Glad it is a good smoker!

Yes, it can be confusing. For some reason The Pipe Shop calls the Parker pokers, pokers, but also calls the noticeably slightly bent, with noticeable slanted base cherrywoods, pokers too. I've seen that other places too though, with my square panel being simply called a panel, or a panel billiard.

Aside from that, yes, it's a very good smoker. You'll probably be seeing that pipe a lot in this thread, as I smoke my English blends in it.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Nice review...this is going to be fun!

Thanks, Brandon. I'll probably be doing two or three a week. Obviously a couple might repeat if I get two bowls from it, like I did with this one. I'll still "log" them though, in case my perceptions change, I pack differently, or choose a different pipe.

 

[steveclarkus]

Yes, it can be confusing. For some reason The Pipe Shop calls the Parker pokers, pokers, but also calls the noticeably slightly bent, with noticeable slanted base cherrywoods, pokers too. I've seen that other places too though, with my square panel being simply called a panel, or a panel billiard.

Aside from that, yes, it's a very good smoker. You'll probably be seeing that pipe a lot in this thread, as I smoke my English blends in it.

I just checked and it is the same pipe with a bit of a bend which I prefer. When I was ordering tobacco last night, I went over to their cobs and MM has a new model “Mark Twain” for $8 and change so I ordered one with the bent stem along with the tobacco. It has a pretty large bowl as well. I’ll send a photo when I receive it. A cob is an absolute must for any piper!

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I prefer slight bends too, although the two new ones en route are straight, as are a couple I already have here. I currently have three cobs, but will be replacing one later in the week. I'll go into that in more detail when the new ones land. I'm thinking of doing a separate thread with pics of all my pipes, and what I use them for, to save cluttering up this one too much.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I'll drop a link to my pipe thread here, so they're linked for anyone reading this thread in future.

My humble array of pipes

Yesterday, my pipe array looked like this I only buy new pipes (I find the idea of estate pipes rather icky), and nothing there cost more than £25. Today, a couple of new ones arrived, and will replace a couple in the pic. Two out, two in. I thought I'd start a thread detailing this humble...

www.badgerandblade.com

It's certainly proving difficult to be self-disciplined with all this pipe tobacco at my disposal. Especially with two new pipes too. I'll be trying to keep pipe days to one at the weekend and one midweek though.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I just checked and it is the same pipe with a bit of a bend which I prefer. When I was ordering tobacco last night, I went over to their cobs and MM has a new model “Mark Twain” for $8 and change so I ordered one with the bent stem along with the tobacco. It has a pretty large bowl as well. I’ll send a photo when I receive it. A cob is an absolute must for any piper!

I noticed on one of my other tobacconists' sites, they have quite a few new cob styles. The ones that caught my eye, were the Charles Towne Cobbler, and Maple Country Gentleman. That Cobbler looked particularly nice, but was only £2.00 cheaper than the Dunhill second poker I just got.

 

[KellyG]

I have a couple of the Charles Towne Cobbler’s. They are far and away my favorite cobs. Very comfortable in hand and the acrylic stems are a nice addition. I like the bigger bowl size as well. I smoke any sort of blend in them but mostly they are aro pipes. They smoke as well as any pipe I own. And I have two because I didn’t want to be without one in the event of a failure; thus far that hasn’t been an issue. I think you would enjoy one. See how the enabling works?

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I have a couple of the Charles Towne Cobbler’s. They are far and away my favorite cobs. Very comfortable in hand and the acrylic stems are a nice addition. I like the bigger bowl size as well. I smoke any sort of blend in them but mostly they are aro pipes. They smoke as well as any pipe I own. And I have two because I didn’t want to be without one in the event of a failure; thus far that hasn’t been an issue. I think you would enjoy one. See how the enabling works?

Ha! I see it very clearly indeed, Kelly I'm at my pipe limit though, and would need to find one to part with, before I could add another. I'm not sure there's any I want to let go of just yet.

 

[nortac]

I would second the Town Cobbler, probably my most used cob of several that I have. It is often my "truck pipe" used during my long commute home from work.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

My hand crafted (I cut the lid off with my pocket knife ) pipe storage unit is already full

So if the cobbler goes in, something else has to come out

(basically, I refuse to go into double figures )

 

[radrick96]

My hand crafted (I cut the lid off with my pocket knife ) pipe storage unit is already full

View attachment 1106406

So if the cobbler goes in, something else has to come out

(basically, I refuse to go into double figures )

Join the dark side! Start a 7 day set now. You could start doing an all cob Missouri meerschaum set or a Parker briar set!

I’m doing a set of clays(2 pipe so far), set of cobs(2 pipes so far), set of Morgan bones(1), set of churchwardens(1), and a set of b&b LE pipes(1). The LE pipes will take the longest to complete!

Once I finish one those 5 sets I figure I’ll start another...Where does it end? I guess when I get to 52 sets

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Join the dark side! Start a 7 day set now. You could start doing an all cob Missouri meerschaum set or a Parker briar set!

I’m doing a set of clays(2 pipe so far), set of cobs(2 pipes so far), set of Morgan bones(1), set of churchwardens(1), and a set of b&b LE pipes(1). The LE pipes will take the longest to complete!

Once I finish one those 5 sets I figure I’ll start another...Where does it end? I guess when I get to 52 sets

I'm no collector, and don't smoke enough to need any more pipes. A seven day set is no use to me when I only have two pipe days a week, and stick to the same tin till it's done. In fact I might even discover I can dedicate each pipe to a specific blend, once I've narrowed down my favourites.

Talking of which, Bobs Choc Flake will be the next sample. I haven't had a bowl of that for far too long. I'll probably get that in the aro pipe tomorrow.

 

[radrick96]

I'm no collector, and don't smoke enough to need any more pipes. A seven day set is no use to me when I only have two pipe days a week, and stick to the same tin till it's done. In fact I might even discover I can dedicate each pipe to a specific blend, once I've narrowed down my favourites.

Talking of which, Bobs Choc Flake will be the next sample. I haven't had a bowl of that for far too long. I'll probably get that in the aro pipe tomorrow.

I am attempting to narrow down a 7 day tobacco blend routine for the week, and a 3 blend routine for my day. I chose to do a 7 day routine for tobacco blends because that’s what I did with my shaving soaps/aftershaves.

Currently I am attempting at buying everything until I find the ones I want. Usually one to try, and one to cellar so I can revisit it with age. I figure this way I can stay small and not regret being unable to find any in the future.

As for pipe collecting, I’m doing this to
find my nirvana pipes. Those 5 sets will give me plenty of experience with different balances, weights, and shapes to find my favorites. In the end my goal is to have a 7 day set of LE pipes(one dedicated per blend), a travel pipe, and one extra in case of anything. I choose to do this because I that was my plan with my shaving razors.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I am attempting to narrow down a 7 day tobacco blend routine for the week, and a 3 blend routine for my day. I chose to do a 7 day routine for tobacco blends because that’s what I did with my shaving soaps/aftershaves.

Currently I am attempting at buying everything until I find the ones I want. Usually one to try, and one to cellar so I can revisit it with age. I figure this way I can stay small and not regret being unable to find any in the future.

As for pipe collecting, I’m doing this to
find my nirvana pipes. Those 5 sets will give me plenty of experience with different balances, weights, and shapes to find my favorites. In the end my goal is to have a 7 day set of LE pipes(one dedicated per blend), a travel pipe, and one extra in case of anything. I choose to do this because I that was my plan with my shaving razors.

Wow that all sounds rather complicated. I think the thing I'm finding most challenging about figuring out a system for myself, is having a system at all. I'm typically someone who enjoys the freedom to buy (or not) on an adhoc basis. Even a simple system of putting aside four tins per year to be smoked in certain years feels restrictive to me. It isn't, because I can top up with what I want at the time, and in real terms its no more restrictive than your food shopping deciding what you'll be eating for the next week or so. It just feels weird having a system at all, for something that never needed one. However, if I'm going to enjoy aged tobaccos without uncontrolled shopping, it needs to be done.