Getting best from Virginias in a cob

[dawnpiper]

I like cobs, i drill them to fit 9mm filters. I love Virginias. I have never got the nuances of Virginias in cobs, like I have in briar. Someone on here once remarked, “Virginias need more moisture in the smoke to fully develop the flavours, cobs smoke too dry for this”. I think that person was on to something. I also notice that smoking the Virginias in a well broken in cob or briar, one seasoned with plenty of burley, seemed to drown out the nuances of the Virginias. I have been breaking in a Cob with only Virginias, and it seems to be coming into it’s own as a good Virginia smoker. I have noticed that when smoking back to back bowls(something I usually never do, one pipe a day guy), I noticed that the second bowl had much more nuance to it. I think that I will try wetting the inside of the bowl with a little water before loading next time to see how that goes. Any cob lovers out there who have dedicated a cob to Virginias out there? If so, have you noticed them giving more nuance after being well broken in? PS: I have a good palate, so all you leather tongue latakia addicts need not reply! Joke. For my one smoke a day, I want a excellent fuss free experience. Do I ask too much from a cob&virginia combo?

 

[peregrinus]

I smoke briars mostly, but, I do have a couple 20 year old cobs that I have smoked with only Virginia flakes and the occasional Virginia ribbon. I smoked some SG FVF in one last week and was amazed how clean and pure the flavors came through, much more so than any of my briars.
As far as moisture, for me, generally the drier the tobacco the better and particularly so with VF.

 

[perdurabo]

I was smoking some FVF bulk in a cob the other day. It was much better in the cob. I find that cobs smoke everything better. ?

 

[Chasing Embers]

I find that cobs smoke everything better

This and moisture will dilute the flavors of a Virginia too much.

 

[didimauw]

I thought it was against the rules to smoke a virginia tobacco in a corncob pipe?

?

 

[lightxmyfire]

was amazed how clean and pure the flavors came through, much more so than any of my briars.

+1 peregrinus

I also always found the opposite to be true. I’ve got an MM legend that I exclusively smoke VA’s in. It was that pipe that really taught me to love VA’s. It was in that pipe that I really tasted Orlik for the first time and was blown away.

I’m also a one a day smoker or more often a 1/2 a day smoker (not so purposeful DGT) when I finish my smoke in the cob I run a pipe cleaner through the stem and either lightly clean the bowl with a paper towel or use mutton chop pipers “crab” pipe cleaner technique to clean the bowl. The next morning I’ll take it apart and really clean the stem and airway. That’s it! Every so often after a decent number of smokes I’ll really scrub the bowl out with a few alcohol prep pads and let it dry for a day or two before I smoke it again.

I just smoked some Stonehenge Flake in that pipe and man it was good.

I will say that I’ve had a few cobs that seem to have a “break in” period where the first couple smokes are real musty and have like a burnt wood thing happening. But after pushing though maybe three full bowls like that they always clear up and smoke great and clean. Maybe give it a few more smokes and it will be great!

 

[trubka2]

VAs smoke great in cobs for me. It tastes different than smoking them in briars, but just as good and often better. I don't worry about seasoning my cobs. I just scrape them out real good when I remember to, and run a dry bristled cleaner through the stem and shank now and again. I get no ghosting to speak of - the magic of cobs. I rarely dry tobacco before putting it in a cob.

 

[smokedank]

I love smoking anything in cobs