What's new

RECOMMENDS . . .

I'm still relatively new to pipes but I've found Mac Baren Vanilla Cream to be a popular tobacco with the ladies (well, with my wife at least) and I enjoy the taste too. It's not too moist, it doesn't bite and it's easy to keep alight. Maybe worth trying once you've got a pipe or two.

I prefer blends with more nicotine like Bold Kentucky (also from Mac Baren), War Horse Bar or Peterson/Dunhill Nightcap but I doubt they'd be a favourite with anybody's wife and the Vanilla Cream does make a nice change of pace.
 

seabee1999

On the lookout for new chicks
This is probably about as good a place to start as any. The sample pack has the basic blends within the realm of pipe tobacco for a decent price. Personally, I’ve not tried any but from what I understand they are pretty good.

 
This is probably about as good a place to start as any. The sample pack has the basic blends within the realm of pipe tobacco for a decent price. Personally, I’ve not tried any but from what I understand they are pretty good.

I second the sampler. The Burley and Kentucky are awesome. Many like the Virginia blend and the English was a good introductory to the type as well. The cavendish is great for making your own blends later on if you get into that. You will find some blends you enjoy more than others, but you won’t be disappointed with any of them!
 

seabee1999

On the lookout for new chicks
**HOPING** to see my pipe this week, which leads me to . . . TOBACCO

I am going to assume that, much as with blades, the best option is to buy a sampler or three and see what I like?

I read your post again and thought about this site as well. Like blades, everyone’s experience or taste is different. However, the website below can at least assist in making an informed decision on future tobacco blends. I use this site quite often in at least determining what direction I intend to go either in purchasing or placing on a wishlist for a future purchase.

Browse Tobaccos - https://www.tobaccoreviews.com/browse
 
I read your post again and thought about this site as well. Like blades, everyone’s experience or taste is different. However, the website below can at least assist in making an informed decision on future tobacco blends. I use this site quite often in at least determining what direction I intend to go either in purchasing or placing on a wishlist for a future purchase.

Browse Tobaccos - https://www.tobaccoreviews.com/browse

Okay . . . I took a quick peek and think I may have made a mistake. OMG, talk about overload. :a14::a14:
 
Oh, it's a lot! Those sites can make your head spin with the different blends, types, and everything else! That Amphora sampler is a good start. It's a good introduction to the various types out there. And yeah, your milage will indeed vary.

The advice given to me here, which I REALLY wish I took, was to get a pouch of Carter Hall or Prince Albert or Half and Half (pretty much whatever your local drug store carries that isn't Captain Black) and use that to work on techniques. I ended up spending quite a bit of time and money before I brought myself to OTC codger burleys.

Now Radrick96 said you won't be disappointed by any of them. That's not entirely true. Again, with varying mileage, you may indeed be disappointed with one or more of them. And that's fine. Not everyone likes everything. I was so excited to try black cavendish. I loaded some up and after 4 puffs, emptied the pipe out and was tempted to throw it away. Instead, put it in a jar and come back to it later. Or try mixing.

But the most important thing is to just have fun with it. As long as you can get (not keep, but get) it lit and draw smoke through it, you're doing it right. In the meantime, read much and ask more. Everyone here is very helpful.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
I've just started buying samples this year, after 7 years of random pouches and tins, one at a time-consuming. It's been fun, but also somewhat confusing and overwhelming. From now on, I'll be going back to maybe buying the same again if I like it, or something else if I don't. All that matters, is that I enjoy the bowl I'm having right now, and not how many others I like. I think it's very easy to overthink it.

Even if you don't like a blend, that doesn't necessarily mean that you won't like any other blends of that type. Your first year will be learning how to operate the thing without steaming your tongue, and getting a rough idea of what you might like. By your second year, the chances are your techniques will have developed, but your tastes may change too.

To start with, buy something that you can readily get more of if you like it. Ideally something that doesn't need ageing to get the best from it. As Rookie calls it in the post above, drugstore blends, whatever they are over there. Luxury hard to get blends which need 10 years of controlled environment pampering, aren't going to help you right now :)
 

BradWorld

Dances with Wolfs
I’m I regular cigar smoker that dabbles in pipes. I started with a savinelli unfinished pipe that cost me around $40 and a bag of bulk Lane 1q. That’s was a great start for not a lot of money. I’ve since bought a few more pipes and enjoy them from time to time. And I have a small selection of Tobbaco as well. The Morgan bones pipes are awesome. Enjoy.
 
Well, I ordered the Amphora Sampler today, along with 4 other 1.5 oz pouches (Sir Walter Aromatic, Borkum Riff Bourbon and Cherry Cavendish, and Half and Half)

My intent is to put them away, find a local B&M with a reliable supply of "something", and learn how to puff. SWMBO will happily purchase me a cob to "learn on", maybe even two.

Once I can keep a bowl lit, it will be time to explore the samples I have purchased with an eye to expanding my palate. Thank you, gentlemen, for your responses. Most enlightening.
 
Sounds like you have some good stuff on the way, you're in for a treat! And that Amphora sampler will serve you well as learning pouches. The burley especially. That one will let you know if you're going too hard (most common rookie mistake), packing issues (also very common), or whatever without biting your tongue too bad.

And go right ahead and try all the different blends! It's not worth the whatever it is that keeps you from knowing it's there are not trying it. So try the English, the Virginia, and all of them. Enjoy it!
 
My thought was to, "learn with something generic", recognizing I am going to make mistakes, so as not to prejudice myself against any of the sample packages purchased due to my ineptitude.

I have read that it takes a dozen or more bowls to properly "break-in" a pipe. So, I figure if I go through 20 bowls or so with my "learning tobacco", I will likely be able to move to my purchases and have a better opportunity to determine which I prefer.
 

Kentos

B&B's Dr. Doolittle.
Staff member
Think of tobacco like types of Booze. Beer, Scotch, Bourbon, Vodka, etc.

If you like Bourbon, pretty much any bottle of Bourbon you buy will at least be drinkable. Sure the 2.99 rotgut special will go down pretty hard but it was the last bottle of bourbon on the planet you would find a way to enjoy it.

Tobacco is the same for me. I like VaPer’s, so I know any one I try will at least be smokable. The ones I buy pounds of are the ones I really like.
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
Think of tobacco like types of Booze. Beer, Scotch, Bourbon, Vodka, etc.

If you like Bourbon, pretty much any bottle of Bourbon you buy will at least be drinkable. Sure the 2.99 rotgut special will go down pretty hard but it was the last bottle of bourbon on the planet you would find a way to enjoy it.

Tobacco is the same for me. I like VaPer’s, so I know any one I try will at least be smokable. The ones I buy pounds of are the ones I really like.
Same here. With me it is Burley. I keep a range from mild to bold and always have one that suits me on any given day.
 
Top Bottom