Couple of noob questions

[bkfist]

OK, I've actually been enjoying my pipe I got a few days ago... The "most popular" tobacco's that I picked up, not so much.

I don't know what to "call" the tobaccos that I picked up, but the best I can describe them are "flavored" - scented, leave a wonderful aroma just from being in the room, nice aroma when smoking, but to be honest, not much "flavor" to them. Sticky, sugary coating of some kind.

I stopped at a "Tobacco Outlet Plus" yesterday, they don't have any "real" selection of pipe tobaccos, just some "corporate store blends" under the name of "Super Value all natural tobacco"... and had a few of the old brand I remember seeing in grocery stores etc. I picked up a "cherry" and a pack of "Captain Black" in the white pouch.

The cherry was horrible, however the "Captain Black" was far better than any of the other's I've tried, and at half the cost of the "store blends" I got when I purchased my pipe.

I've got another pipe and a tobacco sampler ordered from a web site called Milan (what ARE some good sites to find tobacco?). The sampler is supposed to include English, flavored etc. blends, so I can get a better idea of what "category" I prefer, but I'm curious what general category Captain Black falls under.

Next question: Trying to smoke to the bottom of the bowl... How often do you tamp down your tobacco to keep it lit while enjoying a full (or half-full) bowl of tobacco? I've found if I tamp lightly while drawing, it helps, but I've only managed to get it completely (or really close) to the bottom a couple of times.

Also, should the tobacco be lit/glowing completely and evenly from side to side, or is the reality of it that the cherry tends to burn more down the center 2/3 of the pipe?

Sorry for all the new questions!

 

[nrdoty]

OK, I've actually been enjoying my pipe I got a few days ago... The "most popular" tobacco's that I picked up, not so much.

I don't know what to "call" the tobaccos that I picked up, but the best I can describe them are "flavored" - scented, leave a wonderful aroma just from being in the room, nice aroma when smoking, but to be honest, not much "flavor" to them. Sticky, sugary coating of some kind.

I stopped at a "Tobacco Outlet Plus" yesterday, they don't have any "real" selection of pipe tobaccos, just some "corporate store blends" under the name of "Super Value all natural tobacco"... and had a few of the old brand I remember seeing in grocery stores etc. I picked up a "cherry" and a pack of "Captain Black" in the white pouch.

The cherry was horrible, however the "Captain Black" was far better than any of the other's I've tried, and at half the cost of the "store blends" I got when I purchased my pipe.

I've got another pipe and a tobacco sampler ordered from a web site called Milan (what ARE some good sites to find tobacco?). The sampler is supposed to include English, flavored etc. blends, so I can get a better idea of what "category" I prefer, but I'm curious what general category Captain Black falls under.

These are all your standard American style aromatics. Captain Black is still an aromatic, but certainly less goopy than some. They will have a nice note in the bag or the room but do often leave much to be desired in tobacco flavor. If you want an over the counter style baccy with less sweetness in the smell & flavor & more tobacco taste look for Carter Hall.

Next question: Trying to smoke to the bottom of the bowl... How often do you tamp down your tobacco to keep it lit while enjoying a full (or half-full) bowl of tobacco? I've found if I tamp lightly while drawing, it helps, but I've only managed to get it completely (or really close) to the bottom a couple of times.

Also, should the tobacco be lit/glowing completely and evenly from side to side, or is the reality of it that the cherry tends to burn more down the center 2/3 of the pipe?

Tamp as often as you like, but make sure to do so lightly enough to only crush the ash. You don't really wanna pack down the unsmoked tobacco any further. Until you get the hang of it, try to maybe just use the weight of the tamper instead of actually pushing down.

If you are seeing a glowing red cherry across the whole pipe, you'll probably burn the pipe up pretty quick. You want a more mellow smoldering. Everybody has trouble smoking to the bottom at first. It could be a flaw in the pipe, the aromatic tobacco being too wet, or your technique. Starting out it's most likely a little of all three.

 

[zatopus]

+1 to mrdoty

Also don't apologize for newbie questions. Everyone was there once, and the guys in the brown leaf are great. I've got help a few times from jwhite recently and I been on the pipe a couple years.

 

[gaj90027]

Nick already answered most of your questions but here are some more reputable sites to buy pipes and tobacco.

Have a look at the bulk tobacco sections from any of these sites and order with confidence:

pipesandcigars.com
4noggins.com
cupojoes.com
iwanries.com

There are many more, these are just off the top of my head.

One other piece of advice might be to check out tobaccoreviews.com before you order any more pipe tobacco. Don't worry so much about the overall reviews just look for keywords like "way too moist", "goopy", "flavorless", etc.

Also, what brand/type of pipes did you buy?

Photos would be great as well.

Once you have a good pipe and some good tobacco in your bowl the rest will fall into place with time and patience just like wet shaving.

 

[Artistik]

Good answers and suggestions above. Be sure to try other Over The Counter blends. Carter Hall is best to me, but I also like Sir Walter Raleigh and PA.

If you like aromatics but not so much the taste, try Boswell's blends (www.boswell.com). They have many light aros that do not cover up the taste.

 

[zatopus]

The first pipe he got is a Crown

 

[bkfist]

Good answers and suggestions above. Be sure to try other Over The Counter blends. Carter Hall is best to me, but I also like Sir Walter Raleigh and PA.

If you like aromatics but not so much the taste, try Boswell's blends (www.boswell.com). They have many light aros that do not cover up the taste.

I don't know if I like aromatics yet, (or should I say, I don't know if I prefer them) since that's all I've tried to date. The Captain black definitely has more tobacco flavor than the other 3 (good thing). It falls a bit more into the cigar flavor arena (also good) than the others.

I did see PA at the outlet store, but I don't remember seeing Carter Hall or SWR.

I am hoping my sampler gets here today or tomorrow, so I'll get a bit better idea what types of blends I enjoy the most.

Your mention of Bosewll, you mention light but don't cover up the taste... Do you mean don't cover up the taste of the tobacco, or the tobacco doesn't cover up the taste of the aromatics?

 

[bkfist]

Nick already answered most of your questions but here are some more reputable sites to buy pipes and tobacco.

Have a look at the bulk tobacco sections from any of these sites and order with confidence:

pipesandcigars.com
4noggins.com
cupojoes.com
iwanries.com

There are many more, these are just off the top of my head.

One other piece of advice might be to check out tobaccoreviews.com before you order any more pipe tobacco. Don't worry so much about the overall reviews just look for keywords like "way too moist", "goopy", "flavorless", etc.

Also, what brand/type of pipes did you buy?

Photos would be great as well.

Once you have a good pipe and some good tobacco in your bowl the rest will fall into place with time and patience just like wet shaving.

Thanks for the additional links.

I ordered the sampler from Milan mainly because there was an Erik Nording free-hand pipe I happened to like the looks of that I ordered, and just ordered a sampler to go along with. Hopefully they give me a representation of the types so I'll have some ideas of what to try more of.

 

[gaj90027]

Great pipe - you should be all set once you find a nice tobacco!

Boswells tobacco was mentioned above and I hear nothing but praise about them. I would try boswells and I also highly recommend the hearth and home blends from pipesandcigars.com.

 

[bkfist]

Great pipe - you should be all set once you find a nice tobacco!

Boswells tobacco was mentioned above and I hear nothing but praise about them. I would try boswells and I also highly recommend the hearth and home blends from pipesandcigars.com.

Thanks. I'll definitely be trying some more varieties. There is a store in Des Moines, where I got my first pipe, and they have about 20 or more house blends, as well as "commercial" tins of tobacco. I'll be returning there also to try some more once I get some different styles sampled.

 

[Artistik]

I don't know if I like aromatics yet, (or should I say, I don't know if I prefer them) since that's all I've tried to date. The Captain black definitely has more tobacco flavor than the other 3 (good thing). It falls a bit more into the cigar flavor arena (also good) than the others.

I did see PA at the outlet store, but I don't remember seeing Carter Hall or SWR.

I am hoping my sampler gets here today or tomorrow, so I'll get a bit better idea what types of blends I enjoy the most.

Your mention of Bosewll, you mention light but don't cover up the taste... Do you mean don't cover up the taste of the tobacco, or the tobacco doesn't cover up the taste of the aromatics?

Don't cover up the tobacco taste.

 

[Artistik]

Thanks for the additional links.

I ordered the sampler from Milan mainly because there was an Erik Nording free-hand pipe I happened to like the looks of that I ordered, and just ordered a sampler to go along with. Hopefully they give me a representation of the types so I'll have some ideas of what to try more of.

View attachment 244206

I have one of these Nordings and it is a great smoker. It is not a clencher and it holds alot of toby. I ususally smoke mine when I have a hour and a half or more to finish the bowl.

 

[conroygc]

I don't have anything to add to the excellent advice above except...enjoy your pipe! Capt Black is still one of my favorite tobaccos.

By the way I read your original post in this voice:

 

[PugslyCat]

Thanks. I'll definitely be trying some more varieties. There is a store in Des Moines, where I got my first pipe, and they have about 20 or more house blends, as well as "commercial" tins of tobacco. I'll be returning there also to try some more once I get some different styles sampled.

Is that David's Briar Shop in Merle Hay Mall? I've got a pipe to take to them for repairs.

 

[Uncle Jackie]

I'm sure you will love the Nording. I have a couple and they are both great, actually I was smoking one today.

Captain Black is an aromatic, one of the better ones in my opinion. I'm sure you've noticed by now that tobaccos rarely taste how they smell. Another nice aromatic is Sail - Yellow, though it is quite mild. Personally I tamp when the draw becomes weak and I feel I'm not getting enough smoke. For myself it is usually 5-6 times a pipe. If it doesn't burn to the bottom of the bowl, no bigie. Some pipes do, some don't, some tobaccos do, some don't. Sometimes all it takes is to dump a bit of ash.

 

[Blackbeard's Delight]

You'll definitely want to experiment with the different flavors until you find one that really stands out. It all comes together in time, I have noticed. Little factors like how hard you draw on the pipe... the harder you draw the less even the burn, and the hotter it burns down, and the flavor is more bitter. If you sip at it, you get more flavor from the smoke... it tends to be thicker and have a texture to it. I find I have to re-light the bowl frequently during the smoke, usually because I am chatting with someone and it goes out a lot. But it's preferable to having a red glowing charcoal sizzling to the bottom of your bowl like a hunk of glowing hot mag-mah... (I couldn't resist re-reading the original post with the Dr Evil voice!)

 

[bkfist]

Is that David's Briar Shop in Merle Hay Mall? I've got a pipe to take to them for repairs.

Yup, one and the same.

 

[bkfist]

You'll definitely want to experiment with the different flavors until you find one that really stands out. It all comes together in time, I have noticed. Little factors like how hard you draw on the pipe... the harder you draw the less even the burn, and the hotter it burns down, and the flavor is more bitter. If you sip at it, you get more flavor from the smoke... it tends to be thicker and have a texture to it. I find I have to re-light the bowl frequently during the smoke, usually because I am chatting with someone and it goes out a lot. But it's preferable to having a red glowing charcoal sizzling to the bottom of your bowl like a hunk of glowing hot mag-mah... (I couldn't resist re-reading the original post with the Dr Evil voice!)

I've been finding the same thing - especially a light draw when trying to light seems to get it burning better than a hard draw, which at first seems opposite what it should be...

If 5 or 6 tamps per bowl is "normal" than I'm not too far off.

So far I've tried some half bowls of 3 of the 8 tobaccos that came today, and found one really good aromatic, and one really good non-aromatic, and one non-aromatic that I'm pretty sure is not for me.

 

[Stevew443]

I tried Captain Black a couple of years ago when I forgot my tobacco tin at the house and I could not get over the chemical taste that it had. I have pretty much been smoking only aged Virginia/Perique tobacco for many years. I dearly love aged McClelland 2015 (I never could taste the catsup flavor) or aged Stokkebye Luxury Navy Flake, and I still have a few tins of 7 year old Escudo in my cellar.

 

[Mediumrarechicken]

I'm a new pipe smoker as well, YouTube the frank method. I wasn't getting the results I wanted with the 3 fill method so it helped me out less relights and good smoke production right off the bat. Also don't give up on a tobacco too fast, I just loaded up a pipe with a tobacco that I hated at first, now I like it. But do stay away from cube it's expensive and quite sour very odd. Almost like it has citric acid in it.