What do you call a good pipe tobacco

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bluegrassbrian

Your Mom's Favorite Pipe Smoker
Aug 27, 2016
5,974
51,378
41
Louisville
I like a dark, earthy, malty straight Virginia with no added flavorings.
I like a brighter Virginia mixed with tangy, floral, sweet Orientals.
I like perique and burleys in moderation, but I appreciate the nuance they can add.
No latakia, ever.
 

orthodoxpiper

Lurker
Jan 11, 2019
40
27
I like a decent nic kick, no bite - VA/Pers and Orientals mostly. FVF, McC Pebblecut, McC Classic Samsun are all favorites. Trying to find substitutes for the McC now, but haven't found anything quite as satisfying.

I'm trying to get into burley blends, mostly because of the nic content and tendency not to bite as much, but none have really spoken to me yet other than Solani Aged Burley Flake.

Yesterday I would have said no Latakia ever, but Presbyterian Mixture recently changed my mind.
 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,258
108,365
mol-tp-1000.png
 
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haparnold

Lifer
Aug 9, 2018
1,561
2,389
Colorado Springs, CO
The guy who taught me what I know about wine used to say "if you like it, it's good wine". I think the same applies to pipe tobacco.

For me, good tobacco is one which feels like a small luxury to get to smoke it. I don't really look for "bang for the buck" in a blend because pipe tobacco has a really low marginal cost (much less than a cup of coffee), and I don't smoke a lot.

As far as brands, I'm heavy into GL Pease blends and the Mac Baren HH line, though the real special occasion stuff for me comes from brands like Germain and Gawith.
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I seem to enjoy non-aromatic blends with good burley or Virginia as base. As a change of pace, I like distinctly tobacco forward aromatics often with whisky, rum, liqueurs or vanilla flavoring. Loose cuts require less preparation, but a good flake, coin, plug, or rope is great when time permits. I don't seem to require nicotine, though a buzz can be pleasant. I don't get nicotine nerves when I don't smoke for days. After those guidelines, I depend on the blenders, and sometimes my own sense of mixing, for some surprisingly good smokes. I did a strong tobacco quest for a while, which was enjoyable, but now I am equally interested in medium and even mild blends, adding stronger tobaccos on impulse. A bowl or two a day is usually all I do, though I do several bowls on weekends on occasion, and skip a day or three if I'm busy otherwise. I don't smoke and drive, since I tend to be one track in terms of concentration. My thought processes are already multitasking as it is.
 

danimalia

Lifer
Sep 2, 2015
4,385
26,440
41
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
I seem to like most genres, so it's hard to describe what makes a tobacco good for my tastes. I guess there just needs to be something interesting about a blend to keep me coming back. That could be that I find the tobacco extremely satisfying (code for has lots of nicotine, probably) like Dark Flake U/S or Bold Kentucky. It could be that I love the interplay between the different leaf types in something like GLP Kensington. Maybe the way an added flavoring can bring out something unique in the same old ingredients in something like Bengal Slices Haddo's Delight. Sometimes I just find a blend comforting to smoke like a lot of the good burley blends out there.
 
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Jul 28, 2016
7,565
36,060
Finland-Scandinavia-EU
I'm a simple man with simple tastes, so I reckon I prefer straightforward not too complex medium-strong Burley and Virginia blends, if there is topping then it has to be subtle and not masking the initial tobacco flavors too much,and yes Kentucky Dark fired is my favorite condiment leaf
 
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Since I only smoke 1 bowl per day (at best), it's gotta be near perfect:

No bite, Lots of thick cool smoke, a bit of a nic hit, slow burning, flavorful, and easy to maintain.

English or other non-aromatics are my preference but I even get a hankering for a big old bowl of Captain Black cherry on occasion though rare may they be.... :) .

I take my mood and match it with one of about 40 tobaccos I have open and in jars at the moment. Then I smoke it..
 

judcole

Lifer
Sep 14, 2011
7,150
32,931
Detroit
I don't want to be hit over the head, either by the nicotine or the flavor so although I enjoy latakia, lat bombs are right out. I do tend to enjoy a good latakia blend to end my day.
 
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hugodrax

Can't Leave
Jan 24, 2013
448
669
Balance. I think that makes me a bit of a dinosaur, but I don't care for blends with too much going on. I prefer a harmonious whole to varied tastes depending on which leaf is burning at the time. This doesnt mean a lack of complexity, but rather, a consistency in flavour.
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
If a blend or single-leaf has a good flavor profile, the other primary quality is burn characteristics. Does it light readily, burn slow and evenly, stay lit, and relight easily. The less I think about ignition, the more I attend to the flavor and texture of the smoke.
 
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nunnster

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 17, 2019
141
62
I dont know. Something that I like. I flip back and forth between English blends and a good stright va or a va/pur. I pretty much smoke everything except Middleton cherry lol.

But for real, I like alot of blends. There is so much good tobacco out there that I don't limit myself. I'll get stuck on stuff for a time but I'm always switching it up.
 
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