Enjoying Latakia? Anyone?

[jon11]

Man! I used to not care for Latakia whatsoever. I still have about 12 or so tins of various Latakia blends from years ago. So I popped a tin of Gaslight just to revisit the dark leaf and I’m enjoying the hell out of it! I’m predominantly a Va, Vaper, and VaBur smoker. I’ve been smoking this Gaslight for the last week and may have to dive deeper into this genre. This happen to any of you guys? I’ve seen many Latakia smokers transition to Virginias but how about from Virginias to English?

 

[Worknman]

I smoke english blends every now and then to remind be how good non latakia blends are.

 

[bullet08]

Started enjoying Latakia from when I started smoking pipe. And still enjoy it. But don't care for lat bombs. Prefer slightly milder blends. Rarely smoke lat blend back to back. I don't want to fatigue tongue or whatever that chases smokers away from it.

 

[warren]

Been a fan for near sixty years. A lat blend is always at hand.

 

[OzPiper]

I love Latakia.
And washed rind cheese.
And coriander/cilantro
And durian.

Now I'll go wash my mouth out

 

[grimpuffer]

When I first started on the pipe, Lat blends were all I cared for.

It has only been in recent years that I’ve moved away from them and enjoy VaPers mostly.

That being said, I did crack into some aged ones I’ve been sitting on and I still enjoyed them just as much as I had in the past.

I have some Pirate Kake on the way just to see what a true lat bomb is like.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Yes, I enjoy Latakia blends a lot.

 

[The Clay King]

I don't like the smell or the taste of Latakia much...

 

[Meerly John]

I enjoyed it when I first started, and then as I tried more blends I lost my taste for it. One year later, I am a full-blown burley guy. Then I tried HH Latakia Flake. I now love latakia once again. HH Latakia Flake, BCF, Pirate Kake, and most recently Tuggle Hall. These are some of my favorites. I also went from 3 Latakia pipes to dedicating an additional 2 briars, a meerschaum and a cob to Latakia in the last couple months.

I've been told this is weird, but I find a sweet flavor in Latakia, especially after jarring. For that reason I think I find it pairs better with Burley than Virginia.

 

[LotusEater]

I like a little Latakia with everything. But Most of the real lat bombs just taste acrid these days.

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

I took a year and a half or so hiatus from latakia and just recently started smoking it again. I had a tub of old lat blends I haven't sold or trade, thought I'd revisit them some day. It started with some 70s Sobranie a B&M gave me an ounce of for free. I smoked it with them and said "hey, I don't hate that!"
Went home and revisited some 7 Reserve from Rattrays and greatly enjoyed the smoked. I still only smoke a bowl every few weeks of lats, but it's definitely more than the past year.

 

[Jwebb90]

I want to enjoy it but I simply can’t. I try and smoke one Latakia mixture a year to see if my taste have changed. However, I can never finish the tin.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Only if it's so far in the background of a blend that you have to look for it to know it's there.

 

[Servant King]

When I feel in the mood for one, which is often weather based. And when I do, I prefer them on the lighter end. I don't hate lat bombs per se; I just prefer a more subdued presence. Again, I have to be in the mood, but it's like that with aromatics for me as well. When I hear stories of latakia burnout, I can totally see how that would occur, although this hasn't happened to me personally.

 

[VDL_Piper]

Like most here I like it but I like it in a balanced smoke, Mac Baren Latakia Flake is a great example of this.

 

[kola]

Love the stuff. I hated it when I first tried it ...so much as I thought the B&M owner sold me a rotten tin. The stuff was horrid. About 5 years later I started to like it. GLP lat blends IMO are the best..and so many to choose from...and easily available.

And the Syrian lat is THE best.

 

[camaguey]

Just like Warren , over 50 years enjoying it...and still i do.

 

[jon11]

Love the stuff. I hated it when I first tried it ...so much as I thought the B&M owner sold me a rotten tin. The stuff was horrid. About 5 years later I started to like it. GLP lat blends IMO are the best..and so many to choose from...and easily available.

And the Syrian lat is THE best.

Yea I think GLP is nicknamed the Dark Lord for a reason. He knows how to blend with the stuff and has a great palette. His Latakia blends are the best

 

[mingc]

Pipe smoking is all about latakia and GH/SG florals for me. The rest are change of pace blends.

I love Latakia.
And washed rind cheese.
And coriander/cilantro
And durian.

Now I'll go wash my mouth out

You forgot belachan!

 

[kola]

I do enjoy my straight VA's too tho.' Or VaBurs.