Thanks Brown Leaf! Best pipe smoke ever tonight, and a tobacco question!

[cxg231]

Hey guys: First post here in Brown Leaf, but I've been lurking, reading and learning for a while now, and I owe you guys a big thanks!

I've been sporadically smoking a pipe since college (15 years on and off, almost all off). Never had much success, most of time I would get some gurgling, tongue bite, and could never finish a bowl without the tobacco getting too bitter. Reading all the great information on here, I decided to pick up the pipe tonight and packed it with some OTC that I picked up about two years ago. Amazingly the tobacco was still fresh and ready to go. Long story short, with all the great info I picked up here, I had the greatest smoke ever! Not perfect, still had a little tongue bite, but the whole bowl smoked down nice and smooth with no gurgling and very little bitterness. And I owe it all to you guys! Thanks!!!

Now for the question! The selection of pipe tobacco on the internet is truly daunting for a neophyte like myself. Suggestions for good, flavorful, but not too strong tobaccos to try out with a novice's level of knowledge would be great.

The OTC stuff is a half n half blend, nothing special, pretty boring but not bad. I like smokey and whisky flavors but I'm open to any and all suggestions.

Thanks guys!

 

[Commander Quan]

A Latakia blend like Frog Morton, is a good blend to start with. They are flavorful and tend to be easier on the tongue than Virginia blends until you have your technique down.

 

[KarlMaldensNose]

A Latakia blend like Frog Morton, is a good blend to start with. They are flavorful and tend to be easier on the tongue than Virginia blends until you have your technique down.

Frog Morton's Cellar might be perfect for Chris. Mild and smooth Latakia blend aged with stave cubes of whiskey barrel (more likely a whiskey casing, but whatever...).

 

[cxg231]

A Latakia blend like Frog Morton, is a good blend to start with. They are flavorful and tend to be easier on the tongue than Virginia blends until you have your technique down.

Frog Morton's Cellar might be perfect for Chris. Mild and smooth Latakia blend aged with stave cubes of whiskey barrel (more likely a whiskey casing, but whatever...).

Hey thanks guys! Coincidentally, I have had both of those blends sitting in an online shopping cart for a few days now, guess I will pull the trigger! They sound pretty good to me.

As stated before, the online selection of tobacco is totally overwhelming, any suggestions on a methodology of where to start? Or does everyone pretty much just let the AD's take over and order everything that sounds good?

 

[Blade Boy]

Frog Morton's Cellar might be perfect for Chris. Mild and smooth Latakia blend aged with stave cubes of whiskey barrel (more likely a whiskey casing, but whatever...).

+1 to this, sounds like it would be perfect, smokey with a touch of whiskey, smooth & mellow.

 

[jrward2]

Hello, I just want to offer my newbish thoughts as well. I bought some Frog Morton cellar. While I really like that flavor of it, I must admit its kind of been a pain for me to get it to work right. I know that my packing skills are probably not the best, and I've tried different methods and experimented with different drying times, but I can't keep this lit at all. I'm talking one or two puffs and then a relight. This might just be a isolated incident, but as a novice myself, I am having trouble with it. And I know that my packing skills aren't that terrible as I can smoke bowls all the way down with other products with just around 4 relights. Anyway, just wanted to give you some more information about Frog Morton coming from another novice. While I really like the flavors of Cellar, its just something I might come back to later on in my career.

 

[Commander Quan]

jrward are you letting the tobacco dry long enough?

 

[jrward2]

jrward are you letting the tobacco dry long enough?

I've played around with multiple different times from 20 minutes to 40 minutes and an hour and some in between. I'm not sure if it is the tobacco being hard to work with or my pipe. Could it be a possibility that I'd need a bigger bowl for cellar? Right now the only pipe I have is a brebbia mpb sailing billiard like this http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/brebbia/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=103984. It works well with other tobaccos so I'm not really sure why I'm coming up short with cellar.

 

[Blade Boy]

Hello, I just want to offer my newbish thoughts as well. I bought some Frog Morton cellar. While I really like that flavor of it, I must admit its kind of been a pain for me to get it to work right. I know that my packing skills are probably not the best, and I've tried different methods and experimented with different drying times, but I can't keep this lit at all. I'm talking one or two puffs and then a relight. This might just be a isolated incident, but as a novice myself, I am having trouble with it. And I know that my packing skills aren't that terrible as I can smoke bowls all the way down with other products with just around 4 relights. Anyway, just wanted to give you some more information about Frog Morton coming from another novice. While I really like the flavors of Cellar, its just something I might come back to later on in my career.

How do you load your pipe?

 

[jrward2]

How do you load your pipe?

I've tried the three pinch method like a child, woman, and man ha. I've tried a method where you put it in really loose and then push down about 3/4 of the bowl then put in another pinch to fill it up. I've tried the method that you leave the bottom of the bowl open, I forgot what its called. And also a couple of other variations as well that I found from youtube.

 

[cxg231]

I ordered some Hearth & Home Classic Burley Kake, Frog Morton and Frog Morton's Cellar online and I went to the local tobacconists to try and find some "premium" pipe tobacco to tide me over until the order arrives. Ended up getting a 3.5 oz tin of Mac Baren 7 Seas Gold Blend. Packed the pipe, letting it rest for a little while then firing it up! We'll see how it goes.

Edit: The 7 Seas Gold was packed in Nov 2010, so I guess it is pre-aged...

 

[jrward2]

I bought some Hearth and home Classic Burley Kake today. Haven't smoked it yet. But if it tastes half as good as it smells we're in for a real treat.

 

[cxg231]

I bought some Hearth and home Classic Burley Kake today. Haven't smoked it yet. But if it tastes half as good as it smells we're in for a real treat.

Oh man, you have a local tobacconist that sells Hearth and Home??? Color me jealous! Since pipesandcigars.com is only about a 5 hr drive north of me, I paid a few extra bucks for overnight delivery so it should be here today. Patience has never been one of my redeeming qualities.

PS - Love the Griswold pic.

 

[KarlMaldensNose]

As stated before, the online selection of tobacco is totally overwhelming, any suggestions on a methodology of where to start? Or does everyone pretty much just let the AD's take over and order everything that sounds good?

I can't afford to just let my AD's take over. My methodology or path was/is this: I lucked out by loving my first tin purchase, Frog Morton. Found out what was in it. Tried some other blends with those components in varying proportions, via a combo of modest purchases and incredible generosity from members here. That further honed my prefs. Discovered through posts here that Blade Boy has similar tastes and have been somewhat following his choices, recommendations, etc. for the past month. We also did a great trade that allowed me to try a WIDE variety of blends. Hasn't steered me wrong yet. Thanks, bro! I also found a few reviewers on tobaccoreviewsDOTcom who like the same tobac as me and have periodically been trying out some of their highest reviewed blends. Again, another successful strategy so far.

The common denominator in all of this has been research. I do A LOT of reading--forums, review sites, blogs--on tobacco and, although a little time consuming, it that has saved me a ton of cash.

 

[KarlMaldensNose]

Oh man, you have a local tobacconist that sells Hearth and Home??? Color me jealous! Since pipesandcigars.com is only about a 5 hr drive north of me, I paid a few extra bucks for overnight delivery so it should be here today. Patience has never been one of my redeeming qualities.

PS - Love the Griswold pic.

I found the H&H blends I've tried to be a bit dry. I do dry out most tobac I smoke, but I'm finding it can get harsh and hot if too dry. The H&H stuff is excellent tobacco, though. So far only Latakia blends for me. Hope you like your Burley!

 

[cxg231]

I can't afford to just let my AD's take over. My methodology or path was/is this: I lucked out by loving my first tin purchase, Frog Morton. Found out what was in it. Tried some other blends with those components in varying proportions, via a combo of modest purchases and incredible generosity from members here. That further honed my prefs. Discovered through posts here that Blade Boy has similar tastes and have been somewhat following his choices, recommendations, etc. for the past month. We also did a great trade that allowed me to try a WIDE variety of blends. Hasn't steered me wrong yet. Thanks, bro! I also found a few reviewers on tobaccoreviewsDOTcom who like the same tobac as me and have periodically been trying out some of their highest reviewed blends. Again, another successful strategy so far.

The common denominator in all of this has been research. I do A LOT of reading--forums, review sites, blogs--on tobacco and, although a little time consuming, it that has saved me a ton of cash.

Great advice, thank you! I too have been doing a lot of reading (including a lot on the above mentioned site), and while it is still a bit overwhelming I think I am getting some sort of focus.

My order arrived today just past noon, and I immediately packed a bowl in one of my new MM cob pipes and loaded it with Frog Morton's Cellar. Now that is what I am talking about, all smiles start to finish.

Like karlmaldensnose I think I might be a Latakia fan. I think my plan will be to try blends, one each with a major tobacco "family" in the forefront, and then settle on a favorite and go from there with trying new blends of whatever turns out to be my favorite "family" of tobaccos.

Thanks again!

PS - I am just breaking in another of my new MM cob pipes, the "Country Gentleman", loaded again with the delicious Frog Morton's Cellar.

 

[KarlMaldensNose]

Yeah, FM's Cellar sounded just right for you. Glad you like. And your plan sounds good. One thing I would add is, once you do start to define your preferences a little more clearly, try out that tobacco "family" (e.g. Balkan blends, which is loosely defined as Oriental forward English blends) from various companies or blending houses. I'm still surprised by how different blenders understand and expsress various genres of tobacco blends. For instance, McClelland's English/Balkan blends are very different than, say, Rattray's are. Obviously there are many different blends so it's facile to say that, but beyond this factor, you'll find that most McClellands have a commonality in character. Same with J.F Germain-produced blends; they make a bunch of blends for a bunch of companies, but people find there's a certain quality to most of them that identifies them as Germain tobaccos.

 

[cxg231]

Yeah, FM's Cellar sounded just right for you. Glad you like. And your plan sounds good. One thing I would add is, once you do start to define your preferences a little more clearly, try out that tobacco "family" (e.g. Balkan blends, which is loosely defined as Oriental forward English blends) from various companies or blending houses. I'm still surprised by how different blenders understand and expsress various genres of tobacco blends. For instance, McClelland's English/Balkan blends are very different than, say, Rattray's are. Obviously there are many different blends so it's facile to say that, but beyond this factor, you'll find that most McClellands have a commonality in character. Same with J.F Germain-produced blends; they make a bunch of blends for a bunch of companies, but people find there's a certain quality to most of them that identifies them as Germain tobaccos.

More excellent advice, thank you very much!

I currently have a shopping cart full of various blends, most of which contain Latakia. I am fairly sure that I don't really care for Burley, not that it is totally horrible, but I don't like that Burley tends to smoke hot, and the Latakia speaks to me more. Oh the adventure!

PS - I spent a few hours today watching football, reading about tobaccos and assembling a shopping cart online. I have eight blends in my cart right now, all of which contain at least some Latakia and none which contain Burley. Can't say if that was a conscious decision or not.

PPS - Apparently I am wrong about what I dislike with the Burley. Seems the Burley actually burns on the cool side, but alkaline. I guess that is the characteristic that I don't care for.