What's the Deal With Nic Ratings?

[panamacharlie]

I'm perplexed. The two open jars on my desk right now are Troutstream and Bullseye. I can smoke multiple bowls of Bulleyseye and never get a nic hit, but just a few puffs of Troutstream makes me dizzy. But Tobaccoreviews says that Bullseye is stronger. What gives?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Body chemistry. I have yet to get a nic hit from smoking a pipe, and I smoke things like ODF, ropes, and 1792. Everyone's different.

 

[scloyd]

I have gotten some nic hits from some burley blends that knock my socks off and I just want to lie down. I tend to avoid burley blends or smoke them in wee bits...not full bowls.

 

[seanv]

As stated, body chemistry. We are all built differently and react differently to different things.

 

[trouttimes]

Some blends don't effect me one time and kick me in the butt the next. Chemistry does effect it and things like if I've eaten, what I've eaten and what I'm drinking.

 

[mso489]

I think the nic ratings must be approximations, and after that, differences occur with the aforementioned body chemistry originating from genetics, diet and hydration, medication, etc. Different people respond differently to different kinds of leaf. I can get light headed from nicotine, but sturdy burley blends don't often give me any sense of nic at all, or slight. I do look at the ratings and take it as fair warning. I usually start out with a high-rated leaf or blend in a small or partial bowl to see how it goes. I don't mind diving in, but I'm not always in a position to recover. I almost never buy a blend for a nic hit, but when it happens, I usually enjoy it, if it is not dizzying. I will say, I'm a moderate smoker, mostly a bowl or two a day, with days off. If you have much trouble, but enjoy a pipe, try various filters to see if that works for you. Many mild blends can be quite good, depending on your taste.

 

[ray47]

I agree with others, it's body chemistry, although I'm amazed that you get a nic hit off Trout Stream and not P.S. Bullseye Flake.

 

[crashthegrey]

Useless ratings in my opinion. We all vary too much.

 

[mechanic]

I smoked cigs for 20 or so years when first switched to pipe still had a few cigs a day to sastify nic. Now im all pipe and havent got a nic hit from anything iv tried so far. But i do smoke a lot so maybe just im spreading it out?

 

[newbroom]

You want some nicotine? Try Big 'n Burley, or Picayune. There are others like these too, that I haven't tried yet.

First sign for me is a hiccup. Then, I'm putting the pipe down and sipping something wet, and maybe eating something sweet.

I like a rich, deep blend from time to time. Big 'n Burley (at least, that last time I smoked it) is so smooth that it sneaks up on you.

Picayune has perique and maybe some dark fired? but it is right there on the palate but very very tasty.

 

[cigrmaster]

The only blend I make sure to smoke on a full stomach is Peterson Irish Flake. None of the other blends in my cellar is as high nicotine wise.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Ratings are based on what members post. Most of the smokers that chose Bullseye are mostly Virginia smokers. So, maybe Bullseye is the strongest blend that these guys smoke. Trout and Stream, however, is a codger blend of sorts, and most posters who would rate it would be burley smokers, and it may be the lightest nic hitter in their rotation. It's subjective in a way.

I am perplexed by what some would say is a heavy hitter, but I also have Cotton Boll Twist and rusticas in my rotation, so Nightcap and most other blends that are reported to be heavy hitters seem like a medium (at best) to me. There's really not a true VaPer that I would mark as above a mild IMO.