Another Look At Beginning The Art Of Pipe Smoking

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perdurabo

Lifer
Jun 3, 2015
3,305
1,575
As all of us have heard, start off with an Aromatic and a cob.
Sounds great, right! Now after two years of smoking a pipe, like most, I realized that's not sound advice at all. I would have said yesterday to start with an English and work towards Virginia blends. Today? Not really good advice either. I think former cigarette smokers make the transition to pipes without a lot of pain because of their experience with tobacco. Non smokers think of those nice cherry flavors that envelope the air around them from those codgers of old. Therefore, they're attracted to those goopy vanilla/cherry blends that scorch their mouth and leaves them bewildered. Folks, its tobacco. That's what it is, that's all it will ever be. Beginning to smoke a pipe is also an investment that many may not want to break the bank for. My advice:
Buy a Missouri Meerschaum Legend cob. Next, acquire a box of Charter Hall. At this point, you need to accept the fact that you are going to smoke pipe tobacco, not cigarettes. Also, you have at this point only spent about $12, the wallet is safe. YouTube and Pipesmagazine have enough info on packing, pacing, and technique galore. Finally, it's trial and error. This, in my opinion, is fool proof. Charter Hall has those favors that I find in GLPease Barbary Coast, C&D OldJoeKrantz, and C&D Briar Fox. As a beginner, you will want to try as many tobaccos as you can. These I mentioned above would be great to gravitate towards next. Also something like Dunhill Night Cap, would be the better intro into English mixtures. As far as aromatics, you should be ready to explore those with the experience that you have gained from hours of smoking the blends above.
Many may agree with me, many may disagree. It's just my advice. I didn't start with Carter Hall. I started with that goopy aromatic crap. Haddo's Delight, Frog Morton on the Bayou, and Royal Yacht saved me. Good luck!

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,255
108,359
Carter Hall and a cob are definitely good to start with, and still a good choice after 24 years here. A big +1!

 

newbroom

Lifer
Jul 11, 2014
6,088
6,412
Florida
I tend to agree. If you can't find a way to enjoy Carter Hall in a cob, maybe pipe smoking is not for you.

 

phxrock

Can't Leave
Aug 18, 2014
348
29
There is nothing like Carter Hall, Prince Albert or Sir Walter Raleigh in a cob. These tobacs give the new Pipe smoker all the flavor with the ease of smoking. They are thee most for giving while learning. One of these is my smoke while I am working.

 

perdurabo

Lifer
Jun 3, 2015
3,305
1,575
As a case in point, I ran into a gentleman that smoked aromatics occasionally. His memory was tainted by the cherry tobacco he remembered his grandfather smoking. I asked him about Virginias and English and he look at me like I was speaking French. All he knew there to be was goop.

 

elbert

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 10, 2015
604
28
I just walked into a B&M, bought a Peterson and the most popular bulk aro in the house (at the recommendation of the tobacconist), which I think might possibly be Lane BCA, and figured it out. My first few smokes weren't great, but here's the thing--I was over a hundred dollars in (plus an hour drive), and I wasn't going to give up. If I had started with a cheap cob, I might not have stuck with it if it didn't go right.
There is no right way.

 
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