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I think my taste buds must be off or something

Welp, I'm starting to feel like all pipe tobacco tastes the same to me. Smoked through various Missouri Meerschaum cobs, the following blends have tasted and smelled near identical to me: Boswell's Christmas Cookie, Boswell's No Bite Delite, Boswell's Vanilla Cream, McClelland Black Raspberry, Peter Stokkebye Harbormist, and a blend from a local tobacconist called Sherlock's blend (forget the exact composition).

Here's the circumstances:
-Always smoked outdoors
-Have used alternately bic lighters and wooden matches, mostly matches
-They're all aromatics, so far
-Hard to tell any differences between them, but they do seem different to me than cigar tobacco
-pushed out through the nose I get teensy tiny hints of the aroma, but it's overwhelmingly generic burning tobacco smell
-Smoked through cobs and a Dr. Grabow

Am I doing something wrong? I also have trouble keeping them lit for more than 2-3 minutes, but that may be because I'm outdoors
 
Most aromatics tend to be mostly Burley. Try a straight English or a Balkan blend next. The room note won't make you as many friends as Aromatics do, but the flavor should definitely be different.
 
I'm wondering about the smell though. Why is it that the amazing aromas people claim from, say, the Boswell blends are only present in the bag?

I will try a nonflavored English, Balkan, and maybe Virginia next time
 
I'm wondering about the smell though. Why is it that the amazing aromas people claim from, say, the Boswell blends are only present in the bag?

I will try a nonflavored English, Balkan, and maybe Virginia next time

It will smell different to you (the smoker) then it will to others in the room. Your smell is being effected by the taste of the smoke.
 
I think that sometimes the blenders get a little carried away with their blend descriptions.
I remember eagerly awaiting to try some GL Pease Cumberland. Going by the description, I was expecting to hear strains from the Vienna Symphony Orchestsra when I lit a bowl. Actually it sort of tasted like what I remember a fresh Chesterfield King cigarette tasing like (not entirely a bad thing).
Now that I know what to expect, I kind of like Cumberland, It is an honest, full flavor tobacco blend.
Good luck with your tasting, you just have to find what tastes good to you.
 
Just out of curiosity, how many cobs and Grabows make up your rotation? Is it possible that you've so completely ghosted your smokers that you're simply getting a muddled mess of casings with a background of White Burleys?

Also, it may be an indicator that a cold is just around the corner. I often notice that I can't taste the subtle notes of bright Va's and complex Orientals (with the exception of Izmir, which seems to grow more potent) when I'm getting sick, but rather pick up an unpleasant cigarette like flavour.
 
Just out of curiosity, how many cobs and Grabows make up your rotation? Is it possible that you've so completely ghosted your smokers that you're simply getting a muddled mess of casings with a background of White Burleys?

Also, it may be an indicator that a cold is just around the corner. I often notice that I can't taste the subtle notes of bright Va's and complex Orientals (with the exception of Izmir, which seems to grow more potent) when I'm getting sick, but rather pick up an unpleasant cigarette like flavour.
10 cobs (I got the big bag o' cobs) and a single grabow. Last night I used an unsmoked cob just to check, same results. It's been this way from the start for me, so I don't think I'm coming down with anything (at least I hope not 0_0)
 
Aromatics often tend to taste like hot air. Smell great, but don't taste anything like they smell. They have to be smoked very very cool and slow because most of them have a ton of sugars that burn off at a lower temperature than the tobacco. Branch out into some more straightforward (non-aro) blends. You'll be amazed.
 
Aromatics often tend to taste like hot air. Smell great, but don't taste anything like they smell. They have to be smoked very very cool and slow because most of them have a ton of sugars that burn off at a lower temperature than the tobacco. Branch out into some more straightforward (non-aro) blends. You'll be amazed.
Ah, that's good to hear. I was thinking of trying some flake tobacco, do you have any suggestions?
 
Absolutely not meaning to hijack this thread, but I was going to post a tastebud type thread as well tonight. So instead of having two maybe I'll try to piggyback (not hijack) this thread!
i have been smoking mostly aromatics. I have tasted some really nice individual flavors and enjoyed the heck out of them! Tonight I tried (for the first time) Dunhill Morning Pipe. Just by the name I was expecting an absolutely mellow smoke, but to my surprise it was not mellow at all (IMO).
Can I get some feedback regarding the general opinion of Morning Pipe in regards to its mellowness (or lack there of)?
 
Words like mellow and mild are not only highly subjective but don't mean much unless attached to a specific variable. I have some tobaccos that won't bite even when provoked and don't linger on the palette. Going by that some might call them mellow. They would also give many smokers the room spins from the nicotine and some would call them full and rich. I find EMP to have a fairly mild flavor that doesn't linger overlong, but a bit if sharpness to it or a tang from the condiment leaf. Strength I would place at a solid medium.
 
"I find EMP to have a fairly mild flavor that doesn't linger overlong, but a bit if sharpness to it or a tang from the condiment leaf. Strength I would place at a solid medium."


I definitely agree! In the Morning Pipe I could taste background smoothness that I get from Frog Morton, but it was accompanied by a certain "sharpness".
Holy cow! I think I just made my first complex review! :a21:
 
I'm thinking Dunhill Flake and Orlik Golden Flake so far

Both are good tobaccos. However to get the most out of light VA flakes you really need to be comfortable going low and slow. I'd recommend SG Navy Flake or Peterson's Irish Oak (not a flake) both rich tasting blends that take a fair bit of abuse without biting about medium in strength.
 
Words like mellow and mild are not only highly subjective but don't mean much unless attached to a specific variable. I have some tobaccos that won't bite even when provoked and don't linger on the palette. Going by that some might call them mellow. They would also give many smokers the room spins from the nicotine and some would call them full and rich. I find EMP to have a fairly mild flavor that doesn't linger overlong, but a bit if sharpness to it or a tang from the condiment leaf. Strength I would place at a solid medium.

I remember some brand of "Navy Flake" that I had to lie down because of dizziness, after smoking half a pipeful. [Sorry for the grammar . . . ]

But it was really smooth!<g>

. Charles
 
Both are good tobaccos. However to get the most out of light VA flakes you really need to be comfortable going low and slow. I'd recommend SG Navy Flake or Peterson's Irish Oak (not a flake) both rich tasting blends that take a fair bit of abuse without biting about medium in strength.
I'll grab some of those, thanks for the tip. I also want to get a brick of tobacco I can cut my own flakes of at some point
How often do you smoke? You may just need to take a short break and allow your pallet to cleanse.
Once every few days, sometimes a week in between
 
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