Just got my new Big Ben, slightly bent brandy today. Going to dedicate it to Virginia tobaccos. Smoked it for the first time tonight. Filled the bowl semi-loosely with McClelland 5100 (thanks again, Capt) and smoked it to (almost) the end. I say almost because after I re-lit it for what seemed to be the last time and it went out again, I shook out the bowl (after swirling the ashes around inside) to find some small bit left at the bottom. The taste of the tobacco was not as mellow as it was when I smoked it last in one of my other pipes; found it a bit "raw" for lack of a better word. But suspect this will improve as cake develops.
Did discover not to drink oolong tea with the smoke, at least when breaking in. Oolong has a tiny bit of bitterness which seemed to transfer to the taste of the smoke. Next time it will be green tea which tastes more similar to the Virginia.
Note for next run: only fill bowl half way to be more certain that I get it smoked to the bottom.
Did discover not to drink oolong tea with the smoke, at least when breaking in. Oolong has a tiny bit of bitterness which seemed to transfer to the taste of the smoke. Next time it will be green tea which tastes more similar to the Virginia.
Note for next run: only fill bowl half way to be more certain that I get it smoked to the bottom.
