Transitioning From Aros To Non-Aros

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ssavarimuthu

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 14, 2016
179
0
Hello everyone!
I just recently picked up pipe smoking, and have really been enjoying it. Thus far I have been smoking local aromatic blends along with Peterson's connoisseur's choice. I am interested in starting the transition into non-Aros, but would really like to keep the good smelling room note. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Welcome to the Forum! Fixed thread title, please see rule number 9. Pertinent portion: Please capitalize words in the thread titles. Thank you, Robert.

 

jvnshr

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 4, 2015
4,616
3,868
Baku, Azerbaijan
@ssavarimuthu, Welcome to the forum and pipe smoking community.
For me, between an aromatic and non-aromatic there is (as it is stated here before by a master blender) a semi-aromatic. For transitioning period I would suggest Erinmore Flake and then Mac Baren Plum Cake. Erinmore Flake is a Virginia/Burley blend with a nice fruity flavor, medium nicotine content and an amazing room note. Mac Baren Plum Cake is considered to be an English blend however I would have called it an aromatic. Can English blends be aromatic? I don't know and I don't care. That would be my suggestions for now.

 

judcole

Lifer
Sep 14, 2011
7,147
32,909
Detroit
Mac Baren Plum Cake is considered to be an English blend however I would have called it an aromatic.
Plum Cake has some Syrian latakia, along with a rum topping. You can have what is referred to as "crossover English", a blend with latakia and a top dressing. Lots of guys like the Frog Morton series; they fit in there.

Other than that I'm not much help; I've always smoked what I liked the taste of, as opposed to what I like the smell of.

 

jvnshr

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 4, 2015
4,616
3,868
Baku, Azerbaijan
Jud, thanks a lot for the info. I didn't know that it was Syrian latakia in Plum Cake. I barely feel latakia in the Plum Cake actually. The tin tone and room note give me a hint, however my palate cannot.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Going directly to non-aromatics, but still looking for some non-objectionable room note, two mild and refined English blends that might be appealing are GLP Westminster, which is not going to stink up he room by any means, and Nat Sherman 536, which is about the most nuanced English blend around with a subdued but pleasant room note. The taste with these is beguiling enough to provide a pleasing bridge from aromatic to non. You can venture into stronger blends as you will.

 

judcole

Lifer
Sep 14, 2011
7,147
32,909
Detroit
I didn't know that it was Syrian latakia in Plum Cake
MacBaren only used Syrian latakia until they came out with HH Latakia Flake. They've got their own supply, but it's going to run out in the next few years.

Before they started the HH series, their three lat blends were, in ascending order of amount of latakia, Latakia (which had just a whisper), Plum Cake, and then The Solent. None of those had a lot. HH Vintage Syrian does. I've got a couple of tins of Latakia (already discontinued) stashed away,and a fair amount of HH VS. I've enjoyed Syian latakia blends over the years, including some that are long gone, discontinued after the legendary warehouse fire. :(

 

gambit88

Can't Leave
Jan 25, 2015
341
2
I second Jud on the Frog Morton series. I would also throw in Mcbaren Navy flake and Dark Twist. Both have a light topping(rum and maple respectively) and are fairly sweet. They were my stepping stone into Non Aeros.

 
The Froggie blend do smell like an aromatic to those in the room not smoking it. It irritates me when a guy fires that crap up around me, because it makes what I am smoking taste like one of those no-taste aromatics. But, Mrs Cosmic likes the smells of straight Virginias. She says they smell herbally in the same way those Yankee and European teas do.

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,621
44,831
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Can English blends be aromatic?
Of course! English blends were once referred to as aromatic blends.
With the rise of swirled marshmallow chocolate cherry bendover goop blends, the term "aromatic" took on a different meaning.
Please carry on.
I'll go back to listening to a discussion of holographic theory and its relationship to information theory. From time to time I like a lightweight subject as a change.
Essentially, you do not actually exist.

 
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
Please carry on.
I'll go back to listening to a discussion of holographic theory and its relationship to information theory. From time to time I like a lightweight subject as a change.
Essentially, you do not actually exist.
I like it!

:mrgreen:
:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXeVgEs4sOo
:

 

blackbeard

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 13, 2015
706
0
S.P.S. Breckinridge. It's a non-aro but I like the note. MacBaren Modern Virginia, was told it has the smell of toast right at the golden stage. Both good smokes.

 
First of all there is no "transition", anyone who says you need to stop smoking aros because you need to smoke "real" tobacco is an idiot. Be an eclectic smoker. Lots of good recommendations in the thread here for you.
Here are mine.
G L Pease Range - Six Pence, Westminster, The Virginia Cream

McClelland - Entire Frog Morton Series

Peterson - Founders Collection, Irish Flake, University Flake
Are you in India? Hit me up, I am a Punjabi living in Bangalore.
Chris

 

ssavarimuthu

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 14, 2016
179
0
Pipe Monk. Thanks for the suggestions, and the encouragement. I really do like Aros, but it seems like people hate on them so much. But also, I do feel like I'm missing out on some great tobaccos.
I am Indian, but live in the States (Born and raised). My father is from Bangalore, ironically. 8O

 
You smoke a pipe for your own enjoyment so you can stop worrying about what others say. I always keep 3-4 aromatics around me. Here are some Aromatic recommendations as well.
1. Mac Baren Navy Flake

2. Sutliff Molto Dolce

3. F&K Bat in a Hat

4. G L Pease The Virginia Cream

5. Peterson Connoisseurs Choice

6. SG Firedance Flake

7. GH Rum Flake
All I ask is that you keep your aromatic pipes separate from your English/Virginia pipes.
My grandfather was from Pakistan side of Punjab (pre 1947, so there was no Pakistan at that time) and my grandmother was an English lady. My mother is also from UK. I'll be in Canada in a couple of years. Hope to see you then in the US.
Cheers,

Chris :puffpipe:

 

carbonmated

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 5, 2015
246
1
I really do like Aros, but it seems like people hate on them so much. But also, I do feel like I'm missing out on some great tobaccos.
If you really like them, then why fix what is not broken???? Transition to non aro's when you feel you want to, you are not missing anything until you want to explore something new. I could give a rats @ss what anyone says about my choice of tobacco. For my taste, I prefer English, Virginia's and VaPer's but aro's have their place when the Mrs. hates the room note :mrgreen:

 

sevenseas

Lurker
Dec 8, 2015
14
0
I really do like Aros, but it seems like people hate on them so much. But also, I do feel like I'm missing out on some great tobaccos.
You don't have to choose one or the other. I smoke flavorful aros (in the daytime), and Englishes (at night). Smoke what you like.
I am interested in starting the transition into non-Aros, but would really like to keep the good smelling room note.
MM965 and Old Dublin. Both are excellent English tobaccos with wonderful room notes. Can't go wrong with either of them. :)

 

danhester

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 17, 2016
249
1
I am smoking a bowl of GL Pease's Haddo's Delight which is excellent. I think it smells really nice as well. Maybe some people would not consider it a true non-aro because of the noticeable liquor flavoring, but what it really does is accentuate the musty, tart sweetness of the perique. IMO only, of course.
I really like the smell of Balkan-style Latakia blends, but some people really don't. H&H Larry's Blend and Balkan Sasieni are a couple of low cost options to try.

 

shutterbugg

Lifer
Nov 18, 2013
1,451
21
First of all, there is no need to "transition from aros to non-aros". Guys who are not in it to compete in a pissing contest with other guys smoke what they like, not what internet chatter says "real pipe smokers" smoke.
I have a couple aros in my stash. Stokkebye 4th Generation 1931 Flake is a stout burley-Va base with a light honey flavor and very pleasant room note. Pease's Va Cream is a moderate Va base with a bourbon-vanilla flavor and also pleasant room note. Of the two, 1931 is by far the better, smokes cooler with no bite and remains consistent all the way to the heel. The topping and room note are also subdued, whereas Va Cream is more in-your-face. But both are examples that aros need not be cheap crap burley soaked in some godawful cloying syrup. A good aro is a pleasure to smoke, is a nice change-off from natural blends, and handy to have around for when you smoke in company of non-pipesmokers.
That said, in non-Aros there are two categories: English, and everything else.
English blends are all variations on a theme, that theme being the flavor and aroma of Latakia. Dunhill's Nightcap is the quintessential English, and you need look no further. The others are merely weaker or slightly bastardized versions thereof. Nightcap is the mackdaddy of English blends.
In the "everything else" cagegory we have 2 major subgroups: Burley-based, and Virginia-based.
Burley's main claim to fame is a stout nicotine content and the ability to take on the taste of whatever it's blended with. The less it's blended with, the more you get the taste of the burley itself. That's not a good thing, so therefore, in a burley-based blend you want to look for one with significant amounts of condimentals. I can't recommend one in this genre because I try to avoid burley outside of aros.
Virginias comprise many different types with different tastes. Some are straight one variety. Those tend to taste flat like cigarettes. Others are blended with different varieties of Virginias. Those have a bit more complexity. Finally, some blends contain Perique. If you want to preview the taste of a Va-Per, sprinkle some black pepper on your tongue. That's pretty much all Perique does, spice up the tongue. In this group I can recommend Dunhill Flake (straight Va), Dunhill Royal Yacht (straight Va with some vague casing, kick-ass nic content), and Dunhill Deluxe Navy Rolls (Va-Per). Escudo is the poor-man's DNR, I haved smoked both, DNR is smoother and sweeter but inasmuch as they both contain Perique, after mid-bowl you will only taste the peppery Perique, and Escudo is cheaper. All VA blends like to smoke hot, so if you don't sip slowly, you will scorch your tongue and palate quickly.
Oh, and there are blends refered to as "Lakelands". They really should be called "no-mans-lands". But seriously, they smell and taste variously like soap, your grandmother's hankie, your wife's deodorant, or urinal cakes. If you have swallowed non-caustic poison and need an emetic and don't have any hydrogen peroxide on hand and can't bring yourself to stick your finger down your throat, a few puffs of a Lakeland will trigger your gag reflex just as well.

 
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