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justdafacts

Lurker
Oct 31, 2017
19
0
So I have been a cigar smoker for many years (1995), but recently jumped over to the pipe, and love it.
So recently I found 2 tobaccos that I really enjoy (Macanudo - Lane Limited) & (Frog Morton cellar). I have 4 pipes at this time. (1)Luca Vanetti Rhodesian (5.5"), (2) Corleon (Rosewood pipe), (3) Baraccini Pocket Pipe (4.4"), and a (4) Mini Missouri Meerschaum cob (3.5").
Here is what I have noticed and also my question: I smoked both of these tobaccos in my full size pipes (Luca Vanetti and Corleon) and they are absolutely awesome, I taste and smell every flavor and enjoy them. But when I pack them in to the smaller pipes and smoke them, all I taste is plain smoke. The flavor and aroma disappears. Is that common because of the shorter pipes? I did not just notice this one time, I actually tested it a few times with the same results. Switch back to my full size pipe and presto, I enjoy these tobaccos immediately, switch back to the mini-pipes and tastes like I am battling to get out of a burning house. I know that some of you seasoned smokers will be able to explain this phenomenon to me. Thanks,
Justdafacts

 
A couple of things is happening. You are switching from cigars to pipes, so I will assume that you like to see smoke while puffing on the pipe. This is fine, especially for the latakia and the vanilla aromatic, and especially the bigger pipe diameter. The flavors from smoking a pipe, comes from the unburned tobacco around the cherry of the fire and just below the fire, it is warming the tobacco and releasing the essential oils. This is why when you switch to a smaller diameter pipe, and puff like a cigar, the fire spreads all the way across the diameter of the pipe and all you taste is burning tobacco, as in a cigarettey like flavor. NOT appealing.
If you like the big puffs of smoke, then stick with larger more forgiving pipes, but traditionally pipe smoking was about holding the smoke in your mouth only letting it slowly trickle in and out, sometimes called breathsmoking. The smaller pipe will give you more flavor if you just SSSSSLLLLOOOOWWWW way down. Smoke slow and cool, keeping the cherry from spreading all the way across the surface. You'll absorb more nicotine, get more flavor (even from the larger pipes) and your pipes will cake faster, and the stars will line up and you will step into the sublime. :puffy:
Latakia is a smokier tobacco, so it is more forgiving. Aromatics, as in the Macenudo vanilla, really doesn't put as much flavor on your tongue as it appeals to the nose and room notes.
Nothing wrong with puffing like a cigar smoker. But, you might try something new, by smoking it on the verge of going out. Don't speed up to chase a flavor, savor the smoke, roll it around the taste buds, lift your tongue and let the smoke you soak in. Become one with the smoke. Play in it, and then... let in a little more smoke, and savor that, and go slow, relax, think relaxing thoughts, and sink into it.
Or, maybe get more big pipes and choo choo all you like, ha ha. Enjoy what you smoke and smoke what you enjoy. :puffy:

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,775
45,377
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Part of the journey is finding combinations between certain tobacco and certain chamber sizes and shapes. Blends will taste differently in differently sized bowls. But there is no absolute correlation between bowl size and flavor intensity. There are other factors that also affect the flavor, such as moisture content and packing. As an experiment, try letting your blends dry down a bit before packing the smaller pipe and see if you get more flavor from it.

 
Yeh, 70% of my pipes are smaller diameter pipes (.7"-.6"), but I love Virginias. The smaller pipes (for me) really allows me to focus in on the very subtle flavors of the natural sugars in the tobaccos. I like to smoke a Virginia in a larger pipe sometimes also, and some Virginias seem to demand a larger diameter. But, for the most part, narrow and Virginias work for me. But, Virginias require more experience with pipes. You'll get there. Keep enjoying yourself. That's the important part. :puffy:

 

justdafacts

Lurker
Oct 31, 2017
19
0
Thank you all for the advice and information. I truly appreciate it. I will experiment with slowing down more with my smaller pipes and see what that does for me.
Thanks,

Justdafacts

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,744
27,344
Carmel Valley, CA
The cob will taste different until it's broken in. Perhaps the same for the other shorty.
And welcome to the forum. Enjoy!

 

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,638
Chicago, IL
I think that beyond appearances, justdafacts has discovered what will guide his future pipe purchases.
When I see a pipe that appeals to me, the first thing I check are the bowl dimensions -- I'm usually looking for something from .75" -- .90" and a depth from 1" -- 1.75"; and I avoid conical bowl interiors. I have found that this works best with what, and how, I smoke. It's been a long-running trial and error experience.

 
I keep telling Skip to put the bowl dimensions on The Briary website, but he keeps shrugging it off that guys don't care about that, and I am all, "that's the number one thing I care about when I buy a pipe." Haha. I love small, mediums, and larges, and I even had Dan Chlebove make me a 1" diameter bulldog that is massive... but I also love to learn the ways that new pipes want to be smoked. Each new pipe and size is a new adventure, IMO.

 

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,638
Chicago, IL
Yeah, it's a plus to publish the dimensions, and most sites are doing it. PipesAndCigars is a little disappointing in this regard because they only measure to one decimal place -- which is a little vague. But that's a lot better than Iwan Ries, who still uses the totally uninformative Dunhill group # system.
Not a big fan of those sites that just post a pic of the pipe against a ruler.

 

jazz

Part of the Furniture Now
Feb 17, 2014
813
65
UK
I keep telling Skip to put the bowl dimensions on The Briary website, but he keeps shrugging it off that guys don't care about that
No dimensions = no purchase. It's the first thing I look for after a pipe has caught my eye.

 
You mean there IS an absolute correlation? Wow! Could you post that?

Come on Sable, you are smarter than that.

In my opinion as well as many that have posted about similar things, it is as I posted above in my first comment. And, then olkofrie posted this - http://passionforpipes.squarespace.com/neills-blog/2010/10/28/finding-that-magic-fit-between-pipe-and-tobacco.html - which merely shows a diagram and better explanation of what I have already said. You literally had to scroll past all of this. Which shows the correlation to flavor and bowl size and shape.
I can also explain how I prefer conical shaped bowl, because they focus the flavors as the smoke and stove the tobacco as the bowl progresses, so there is another one. Then there are the hundreds of hours on the Radioshow where size and shapes and flavors have been discussed over the years, you do listen to the radioshow, right?
But, is there some scientific evidence... no absolutely not. This is the realm of subjectivity and opinions. You, Sable, maybe chose to not believe that there is any correlation, and that is ok. The rest of us can believe. As stated, we are all merely experts in our own opinions. :puffy:

 

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,638
Chicago, IL
Oh! So you ignite a flame war and politely beg-off, do you. :lol:
Cosmic, I think a point of agreement here should be acknowledged. Jesse did preface his remark with, "Blends will taste differently in differently sized bowls."

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,775
45,377
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Michael, you and I were posting at the same time. I just finished my initial post right after you posted. Since this was a beginner posting I was keeping it simple.
BTW, I have a copy of the article on bowl geometry that once appeared on A Passion For Pipes. It's helpful, but it doesn't and wasn't intended to, give the whole story.
The thing is, there are other factors that contribute or take from, the intensity of flavor. One that I've experimented with quite a bit, is moisture content. For the blends that I smoke, a low moisture content gives me the most satisfying results. And there are other factors, prep, packing, cut, etc.
And, there are exceptions to the rule. There are always exceptions to the rule, whether it be bowl size or moisture, or prep, or packing. And, taste is personal. Palates are not the same with everyone. The ability to taste flavors is not the same with everyone. If you want to believe there is one and only one Way, of which you are the authority, good for you.
The poster wrote that his smaller pipes didn't give him the same level of flavor. I suggested that he try drying his tobacco. Keeping it simple at the start.

 
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