I've lurked the pipe threads here for a while now, secretly lusting over some of the fine pipes members have, and the joyous smoking experience they spoke of. As a cigarette smoker of 2 years, and the occasional consumer of cigars and snus, I had been looking for a way to make my tobacco consumption both more enjoyable and cheaper.
About 1.5 months ago as I scoured a flea market for shaving treasures, I came across a man with a few old pipes, one of which instantly appealed to me. So I grabbed that pipe, another for a newb pipe, and a razor, gave the man $6, and walked away exited to try my new aquisitions.
That night I cleaned all three very well, and set about identifying them. The pipe I had to have I soon found to be a Charatan's Make Cavalier style Special. I instantly became petrified to use it. I was afraid of scorching such a fine piece of briar, so I packed it away and started working on my technique with the "training wheels" pipe and a pouch of Prince Albert. From the first smoke I found it to be better than any cigarette I had smoked and on par with all but the best cigar I've enjoyed.
I left that pipe at work this weeked. Wanting a walk and a smoke on such a beautiful evening, I decided to try the Charatan. I packed the bowl from my current pouch of Borkum Riff Cherry Liqueur and headed out into the sunset.
From the moment I lit it I knew this was going to be a smoke like I had never experienced. In my other pipe I had found this tobacco rather harsh on the tongue, with little or no cherry flavor coming through. The Charatan was sooooo much smoother, with just the right note of cherry. I still can't say I like this tobacco very much. But it is quite acceptable in this pipe. The smoke stayed cool and dry for the entire bowl, becoming just slightly ashy flavored at the bottom (probably from the lack of any cake there).
I now understand some of the "pipe snobbery" I've seen here. I really can't wait to try a good tobacco in it. I think I will be joining the Brotherhood of the Briar group here. And probably developing two more ADs I don't need.
Reagards
~Zac
About 1.5 months ago as I scoured a flea market for shaving treasures, I came across a man with a few old pipes, one of which instantly appealed to me. So I grabbed that pipe, another for a newb pipe, and a razor, gave the man $6, and walked away exited to try my new aquisitions.
That night I cleaned all three very well, and set about identifying them. The pipe I had to have I soon found to be a Charatan's Make Cavalier style Special. I instantly became petrified to use it. I was afraid of scorching such a fine piece of briar, so I packed it away and started working on my technique with the "training wheels" pipe and a pouch of Prince Albert. From the first smoke I found it to be better than any cigarette I had smoked and on par with all but the best cigar I've enjoyed.
I left that pipe at work this weeked. Wanting a walk and a smoke on such a beautiful evening, I decided to try the Charatan. I packed the bowl from my current pouch of Borkum Riff Cherry Liqueur and headed out into the sunset.
From the moment I lit it I knew this was going to be a smoke like I had never experienced. In my other pipe I had found this tobacco rather harsh on the tongue, with little or no cherry flavor coming through. The Charatan was sooooo much smoother, with just the right note of cherry. I still can't say I like this tobacco very much. But it is quite acceptable in this pipe. The smoke stayed cool and dry for the entire bowl, becoming just slightly ashy flavored at the bottom (probably from the lack of any cake there).
I now understand some of the "pipe snobbery" I've seen here. I really can't wait to try a good tobacco in it. I think I will be joining the Brotherhood of the Briar group here. And probably developing two more ADs I don't need.
Reagards
~Zac
. Yeah coming from cigarettes you might like some thing a bit stronger. If you like berry aromatics you've got to try Firedance Flake by Samuel Gawith. But be warned they all will strongly flavor a bowl I might hesitate to use in a Charatan unless I was sure that's what I liked. But that being said, smoke what you like & like what you smoke. I tend to favor natural tobaccos except for some of the traditional Lakeland aroes; 1792, G&H dark scented flake, G&H rum flake, etc. But in the interest of full disclosure I have a large GBD devoted to Firedance as, in my experience, it is the only fruity aromatic that lives up to what others promise. 
. My lucky day for sure.
