Rustica in a Calabash

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civalwar

Might Stick Around
Feb 28, 2018
64
16
I really enjoy a bowl of HH Rustica with a cup of coffee in the morning. But lately I lost my taste for it, just wasn't really liking it anymore. Which sucks, because I have about 80 tins. So I tried it in a Calabash pipe, and WOW what a difference, it was fantastic! This was a twofer for me because I really hadn't smoke my Calabash pipes all that much. So now I enjoy Rustica again, and I am using my Calabash pipes. The Calabash really tones down and mellows the smoke. If you have tried a strong tobacco like Rustica or Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. twist tobaccos (Brown Bogie, Brown Irish X, Brown Pigtail, etc) and they were too strong for you, you might want to give them another try in a Calabash pipe (a true Calabash style pipe with the removable cup and a condensation chamber).
 

wyfbane

Lifer
Apr 26, 2013
5,117
3,518
Tennessee
That is excellent advice.

After I read this, I vaguely recall reading something like this somewhere before on here. But as the years goes by and moving, raising kids, and life in general happens, I forget more and more. Thank you for bringing this up. I just ordered some pretty strong tobacco for the cellar and this will help me get the most enjoyment out of it.
 
Jun 23, 2019
1,842
12,762
I really enjoy a bowl of HH Rustica with a cup of coffee in the morning. But lately I lost my taste for it, just wasn't really liking it anymore. Which sucks, because I have about 80 tins. So I tried it in a Calabash pipe, and WOW what a difference, it was fantastic! This was a twofer for me because I really hadn't smoke my Calabash pipes all that much. So now I enjoy Rustica again, and I am using my Calabash pipes. The Calabash really tones down and mellows the smoke. If you have tried a strong tobacco like Rustica or Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. twist tobaccos (Brown Bogie, Brown Irish X, Brown Pigtail, etc) and they were too strong for you, you might want to give them another try in a Calabash pipe (a true Calabash style pipe with the removable cup and a condensation chamber).

That's why I try to sample new tobacco in a variety of pipes before I form an opinion about it. You never know how the internal aerodynamics of the chamber/draw of a pipe will affect the taste.

To the extent that I have a couple of dedicated pipes to particular blends that taste much better in them than any other pipe.
 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,448
109,402
This was a twofer for me because I really hadn't smoke my Calabash pipes all that much. So now I enjoy Rustica again, and I am using my Calabash pipes. The Calabash really tones down and mellows the smoke.
If the calabash is fairly new, it's muting the flavor of the blend. It will only have that effect until the gourd is saturated with tobacco oils at which point it will only cool the smoke without taking any edge off of the flavor.
 
Jun 25, 2021
1,369
4,444
England
That's why I try to sample new tobacco in a variety of pipes before I form an opinion about it. You never know how the internal aerodynamics of the chamber/draw of a pipe will affect the taste.

To the extent that I have a couple of dedicated pipes to particular blends that taste much better in them than any other pipe.
That's so true, and when I find a pipe that really brings out the flavour of a particular blend, I do not water rinse it.
Just use a dry pipe cleaner and a wipe with a dry paper towel.
 

mingc

Lifer
Jun 20, 2019
3,998
11,124
The Big Rock Candy Mountains
WOW!!! 80 Tins... Too much for one man. Send me a tin. Always wanted to try this tobacco, but not in my budget this time around... Best & thanks (You can only ask. Don't hate me)
I don't think it's wise to post your address for all to see. This is a public forum. If it's too late to edit your post, you should ask the mods for help.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

OzPiper

Lifer
Nov 30, 2020
5,856
31,186
71
Sydney, Australia
Peterson's Irish Flake is the only blend I've had so far which has "sat me down".

I find that smoking it in a gourd calabash ameliorates the nic-hit. It results in an "airier", drier smoke.

My calabash was bought new in the '70s or very early '80s. It smokes so much "cleaner" now that I've given it a 48 hour cotton ball and alcohol soak.
 
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chopper

Lifer
Aug 24, 2019
1,480
3,317
I wish I could say that my TAD ended there. I probably have enough tobacco to last me three lifetimes. All nicely organized and packed in appropriately labeled crates. That's my OCD kicking in.
No such thing as 'too much' tobacco.
If the 2,100% tax hike is approved you'll be asking yourself if you have sufficient.

Being a popular blend among many, you'll have no problem swapping a tin or two for something different.
 
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jewman22

Lifer
Apr 2, 2021
1,110
10,950
Ontario Canada
I've tried a couple bowls of the stuff now, and to me it just tastes like a really cheap cigar. Maybe I'l try it in my Calabash to see if that changes anything.
 
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Civil War

Lifer
Mar 6, 2018
1,552
396
I've tried a couple bowls of the stuff now, and to me it just tastes like a really cheap cigar. Maybe I'l try it in my Calabash to see if that changes anything.
Rustica has a very unique flavor. Kind of reminds me of a Drew Estates infused cigar. To me it has herbal tones, kind of like, but different, than an Acid cigar.
 
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