My journey in to pipe tobacco. What to do next...

[Fallbeard]

I started my tobacco pipe journey about 3 months. Over this time frame, I have been reading and trying to soak up information from folks on this forum that have graciously shared their knowledge and experiences.

I am stumbling through my tobaccos exploration, mostly off the recommendations from the members here on BL. I subscribe to the "variety is the spice of life" way of thinking. However, I have stumbled across a blend that I have found to immensely enjoy. Watch City's Glass Slipper.

Watch City's Glass Slipper (Bulk by the Ounce)

Watch City Cigar & Pipe is more than an online pipe tobacco and cigar sales website. Our physical store has tens of thousands of pipes and tobaccos, as well as robust custom ordering for hard-to-get smoking items.

watchcitycigar.com

I don't know enough about tobacco to know why I enjoy this blend. I am definitely going to bulk up on this one.

My question is, does any one know what tobacco varieties this blend is made of? Right now, I can't say "I really like this blend because it has XXX tobacco in it." Do I search for similar blends, or just keep casting a wide net to broaden my experience and list of preferred blends?

I have amassed a modest amount of tobacco I have yet to even try, cellaring for future enjoyment. I understand that taste and preferences can change over time.

 

[seabee1999]

Tobacco Reviews is an invaluable source of information for pipe tobacco blends. Have a look here. It provides a breakdown of the component tobaccos.

updating via yoast

www.tobaccoreviews.com

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

If you really like it, I'd say stock up now. They have on their website that it's a limited release.

"Originally released as part of our Micro-Batch project, Glass Slipper is available now for a limited time in bulk format. We have acquired the last of a vintage 1990's crop Tukish leaf and will continue to produce Glass Slipper until that leaf runs out. We can't say how long that will be but if we had to hazard a guess we'd say maybe a year. Initial batch may sell out, but more will be made available within 4 weeks."

It looks like it's a blend of burley, black cavendish, Izmir Turkish, stoved VA, bright VA and a touch of perique. It sounds like, what really makes makes it stand out, is the '90s crop Turkish.

Glass Slipper:
"What started as a request from a customer for our "Persian Slipper" without Latakia became this truly unique, smooth and delicious "Oriental Cavendish" blend. It's got everything that Persian Slipper has except we removed the Latakia, tweaked the proportions slightly and added a measure of rich Stoved Virginia as well as using our stash of vintage 1990's crop Turkish in place of the standard blended ribbon used in Persian. Notes of Cocoa, Fig and Plum come and go as you smoke this smooth yet complex blend!"

Persian Slipper (for reference):

"Not dry and strong like the tobacco Holmes kept in the toe of a Persian slipper but more like the slipper itself?soft and comfortable! This is a blend in the Scottish tradition which leans toward the Oriental. Izmir Turkish, Green River Black, Crumb-Cut Burley, Latakia, a touch of Perique and a bit of Carolina ribbon for a nutty sweetness."

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

Tobacco Reviews is an invaluable source of information for pipe tobacco blends. Have a look here.

updating via yoast

www.tobaccoreviews.com

That's strange, I tried searching for it in Tobacco Reviews, but Persian slipper was the only result that popped up.

 

[Multum in parvo]

Oriental/Turkish mixture without Latakia

Tobacco Reviews can also sort by blend type and exclude contents:

Tobacco Reviews | Search Tobaccos

Tobacco Search Keyword Search switch to filter search. Try to search for reviews Change to reviews search

www.tobaccoreviews.com

 

[Fallbeard]

Thanks guys. I appreciate your responses.

@seabee1999 This is a great resource and explains exactly what I was looking for.

@Multum in parvo Thanks for pointing out the ability to search by contents. This will help me try new blends, knowing they may share ingredients from blends I've enjoyed in the past.

 

[CANES]

Same thing happened to me a month ago when I looked for it there.
I've tried it. To me it's heavier on the aromatic and only has a smidge of the Turkish- but I love Turkish and make my own stuff that is loaded down with the leaf. I never could taste the Perique at all and wouldn't have known it was even in there if I didn't read it.

 

[CANES]

@SwamperWI can probably add some more insight. I got my sample from him

 

[SwamperWI]

I’m rather new to pipes myself. May of this year. It looks like you found all the information I could locate myself. I suspect it is a fairly balanced blend of Burley, Turkish, Virginia, and Black Cavendish with a touch of Perique. I’m a noob, but nothing really stands out to me in it. I’ve put in the “it’s fine” category, because I think I want it to have a bit more flavor. It has worked really well to add a bit of Mac Baren HH Old Dark Fire to it. I may like it more than I give it credit for.

 

[Fallbeard]

I think my next advancement will be to decipher which ingredients I like and why.

 

[SwamperWI]

I think my next advancement will be to decipher which ingredients I like and why.

I was trying to do that myself. I can’t say I’ve been very successful. It seems like I can try two different bends that are mostly a certain type of tobacco, like one and dislike the other. I’m going to keep trying stuff, focus on enjoying the moment, and try to make note of the blends that I enjoy most. Enjoy your journey and exploring.

 

[luvmysuper]

I think my next advancement will be to decipher which ingredients I like and why.

I was trying to do that myself. I can’t say I’ve been very successful. It seems like I can try two different bends that are mostly a certain type of tobacco, like one and dislike the other. I’m going to keep trying stuff, focus on enjoying the moment, and try to make note of the blends that I enjoy most. Enjoy your journey and exploring.

I did that starting when I first picked up the pipe.
I posted a spreadsheet which lists brand, and blend name, toppings if any, and the components of each.
I marked down if I liked it or not and... most importantly - what pipe I smoked it in.
I made some interesting discoveries:
I could dislike a blend in one pipe, but like it in another pipe due to the pipe characteristics.
I changed my mind on many blends as I progressed, and now quite like blends I didn't like before.
Anyway - you're welcome to take a look at the spreadsheet and see if it could be beneficial to you.

Burley Recommendations

I'm looking for burley recommendations. Specifically, non fruit nor floral casings or toppings. I seem to be drawn more toward nutty, chocolatey, toasted flavors, just as long as they're not candy sweet, or synthetic in smell and taste. Even light toffee or hazelnut flavors would be fine as long...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[Fallbeard]

I’ve been doing some canning lately.

I had previously vac sealed some of the bulk purchases but then read another post of the BL forum that they are not air tight.

Picked up these cans off Craigslist. Old Kerr, Mason, and Atlas jars. I enjoy repurposing things and think their imperfections add to the story.

 

[Fallbeard]

The lid tags are temporary. I’ll be utilizing the tin labels @luvmysuper graciously created.

 

[RookieGuy]

I think my next advancement will be to decipher which ingredients I like and why.

I did that too. I ended up ordering a few different blends focusing on a leaf: a couple Virginias, few va/per, burley heavy, etc. From there I found what I liked and didn't. Then went about finding which of the blends of X I want to stock deep. What I didn't count on was how much some blends change in cellaring and how much my tastes changed.

 

[Benzadmiral]

My problem: I am limited on room. A bunch of mason jars wouldn't fit in my kitchen closet, not with everything else that's there. All my tobaccos have to stay in pouches, plastic bags, or their original tins for now. And I have to keep my pipes tucked away in there too; a pipe rack would be a natural target for the kittens.

Thus, if anything is aging (besides me), it's doing so inadvertently.

 

[luvmysuper]

My problem: I am limited on room. A bunch of mason jars wouldn't fit in my kitchen closet, not with everything else that's there. All my tobaccos have to stay in pouches, plastic bags, or their original tins for now. And I have to keep my pipes tucked away in there too; a pipe rack would be a natural target for the kittens.

Thus, if anything is aging (besides me), it's doing so inadvertently.

Grab something like this Peterson wall hanging rack made of leather. Holds a few pipes, out of the way, and the kitties can't get to them.

 

[Fallbeard]

Reorganized my cellar this evening. The last two months were expensive and contributed to a lot of cellar growth.

 

[Fallbeard]

While organizing, I noticed a recent purchase of C&D Jolly St Nicholas looked different from the previous 2022 tin. Turns out, it is a tin from the 2018 batch. Four years of age right off the bat!

The sticker is more indicative of the time of purchase. Is it normal to have a discrepancy like the sticker on the bottom and the tin label?