Burley Blends for Breaking in New Pipe

pipefish · Mar 2, 2015

After doing some background reading it appears that burley blends are very popular for breaking in new pipes. I don't have many burley blends in my growing cellar, but there are two that I could use--one is from my B&M and it's described as a VA/Burley/KY mixture with a whiskey topping. The second in C&D's Pennington Gap which is BC/Burley/Perique with a Bourbon topping. I don't think either are Burley forward blends.
I also have a tin of MB Scottish Mixture that I have yet to pop that does contain some burley but it is listed as an aromatic.
Thoughts on using any of these to break in a pipe? Can whiskey/bourbon blends ghost a pipe?
NB--Carter Hall and PA aren't available in Europe otherwise I'd pick some up. Also, I can get MacBaren Golden Blend and Peterson Irish Flake but would rather save the cash if the others would be OK

brass · Mar 2, 2015

I don't like most burelys in particular and break my pipes in just fine by stuffing with VaPers, straight Virginias, or even light lats. However, I did try Missouri Pride, a Russ Oulette Blend, that was quite tasty. It was blended specifically for cobs but tastes just fine in briars. A 1.5 oz pouch sells for less than $5.00.

brass · Mar 2, 2015

I don't like most burleys in particular and break my pipes in just fine by stuffing with VaPers, straight Virginians, or even light lats. However, I did try Missouri Pride, a Russ Oulette Blend, that was quite tasty. It was blended specifically for cobs but tastes just fine in briars. A 1.5 oz pouch sells for less than $5.00.
I haven't had a problem with ghosting when I have smoked whisky cased tobaccos. Even aromatic ghost burn away in a bowl or two. I would not use aros to break in a pipe, mostly because I would be concerned with the moisture content. But I have to admit, I broke in many a pipe with pouch aros when I was younger. Can't say that it hurt anything although, if I recollect correctly, it took longer to break in with aros.
Pax

pipefish · Mar 2, 2015

Thanks, Pax; unfortunately Pipes and Cigars does not ship outside the US, so I'll still have to keep searching. Perhaps I could use Dunhill Flake, Navy Rolls, or OGS instead of burley?

brass · Mar 2, 2015

Durn. Wexxley burley slices are made in Germany. Peter Stokebeye Blue Grass is a Burley ribbon cut as is PS Dark Fired and PS Burley (702). Think you can get these in Europe.
You can also go to tobaccoreviews.com and search for all burleys by ticking the burley box under blend type.
Hope this helps.
Pax

menuhin · Mar 2, 2015

Hi pipefish!
I'm also located in Europe. While I am lucky enough to get some Prince Albert, recently I used the recommendation from a local tobacconist - VAUEN Trüllerie. It's a pure Virginia mixture (they say), mellow and sweet without added flavor, yet burns really well down to the bottom of the bowl with only white ash left.

The branded pure Burley I can think of is Solani 656 Aged Burley Flake - but it's in a flake form, so it is not so convenient for 'breaking in' new pipes. I have to hear the experience of smoking Solani 656 rubbed or cube cut, perhaps it can serve as a breaking in tobacco if you do that.

Good luck!

cosmicfolklore · Mar 2, 2015

I have heard this a few times about breaking in a pipe with a burley, but if you don't like burleys, what's the point?

I have always found that smoking what I intend to smoke in the pipe is what I start off each new pipe with. I can't imagine suffering through a bowl of nasty burley as the first bowl of a new pipe. Besides, I am one of those that loves the first few bowls in a new pipe. It gives me an idea as to what the briar is going to taste like and what it will add to the aroma of the blend the pipe is intended for.

pipefish · Mar 2, 2015

@Pax--thanks-I've never seen Wexxley or PS blends in Switzerland, but I'll keep on the lookout
@menuhin--never heard of Vauen pipe tobacco--will be on the lookout for it; Switzerland does have some Solani blends but I've not found 656.
@cosmic--I'm not sure what I like and don't like--at this point I'm still exploring tobaccos. I've got about 10 jarred blends ranging from Frog Morton Cellar to Dan Devil's Holiday to Capstan Blue to GLP Quiet Nights and I've been using cobs. I've got a few new pipes and I want to start breaking them in but don't want to ghost them from the off. Just looking for some good neutral blends to get a cake going on them. Based on reading the posts burleys seem to be very popular for new pipes. I've never smoked a burley forward or straight burley so I'm not sure what to expect. I do like VAs--is it possible to smoke VAs predominately in a pipe and then switch to Englishes or aros?

cosmicfolklore · Mar 2, 2015

Yes, very possible. I tend to switch between genres sometimes. I tend to have a rotation from the pipe that has the previous blend complimenting the next. Such as if I had an aro in one, then I would smoke a latakia blend next in it. I can handle a slight aro taste in the latakia. I actually like it this way sometimes. And, after a pipe has had latakia, then I can take it back down to a Virginia pipe, because I don't mind a little latakia taste in my Virginias or VaPers, much more so than an aro taste in a Virginia. Does that make sense?
Then I have a friend who only has one pipe and he smokes whatever the heck he wants in it.
Its good that you're researching, but don't take anything that you hear about pipes as a rule. First rule of pipes is that there are no rules. Be a trendsetter, outlier, rebel. Do it YOUR way.
Me, I wouldn't want a burley cake in my pipe.

phred · Mar 2, 2015

I have heard this a few times about breaking in a pipe with a burley, but if you don't like burleys, what's the point?

This, exactly. The Burley blends that I actually like (Sugar Barrel, Prince Albert) both have distinctive additives, and in the case of PA, I did find that it "ghosted" enough that the first time I smokes something in one particular pipe that had been 'broken in' with PA, I thought to myself "This reminds me of Prince Albert!".
I think the idea behind breaking in a pipe with Burley blends (especially some of the OTC/codger varieties) is that they tend to be a little less fussy, allowing one to focus on the pipe itself and its smoking characteristics with a blend that isn't throwing a bunch of other variables into the mix - which of course only works if you're already familiar with the particular blend and how to pack it, smoke it, etc...
So I guess I'm back to breaking in my pipes with whatever I plan to smoke in them, be that a Latakia-forward blend, a Va/Per or straight VA, an aromatic of some kind, or a Burley blend.

darwin · Mar 2, 2015

Broken record---Chatham Manor from P&C.

bigpond · Mar 4, 2015

In my experience, the difference between breaking in a pipe with viriginia flake vs burley flake is approximately 3 bowls. Smoke whatever you like. You only get a first bowl once per pipe so you might as well chose something that will really shine.

leacha · Mar 4, 2015

Pipefiah,
My experience.... I've used Burley blends to break in all of my pipes and was an advocate of doing so. Then on one pipe, in which I decided to dedicate to VaPers, I used a straight VaPer blend for the break in. And it had a faster break in and developed a cake much faster. Since then I've come to the conclusion to break in with whatever you want and to enjoy the process.

pipefish · Mar 4, 2015

Thanks to everyone for your insight and advice. Since I'd never really tried a burley forward blend I went out and bought MB Golden Blend to try out in a new wide chambered Chacom pipe. Altogether a nice smoke. Not earth-shattering but also not fussy. Easy to keep lit and I didn't experience tongue bite that so many people associate with MB. Will most likely continue to smoke it in that pipe to build up cake.
I have a few other pipes with narrower chambers that I'll use VAs and Vapers in; I've got Dunhill Flake, SG Navy Flake, OGS, Capstan Blue, Anniversary Kake, Deluxe Navy Rolls, Tudor Castle, F&T Cut VA Plug, Marlin Flake, and Old Gowrie…looking forward to trying some of these!

brudnod · Mar 4, 2015

I have always broken in pipes with the tobacco that I have intended to smoke. Implies knowledge of the pipe's best blend but that has been my decision from the start...

billypm · Mar 4, 2015

Always Carter Hall for me, more for my benefit rather than the pipe's. Mild, tasty, quick burning, cake-forming. It gets me past that horrid (to me) bitter period and into the smooth, tasty zone with a minimum of hassle. I've yet to feel that the CH cake has had anything but a positive effect on whatever tobacco I wind up smoking in any given pipe.

matchstickman · Mar 4, 2015

I generally smoke a lot of Burley anyway, so a lot of my new pipes get broken in with some kind of Burley or Kentucky blend. I could try and throw some science at you as to why I think it builds a better cake quicker or helps the break in process, but I would need to break out the Bunsen burners and test tubes :mrgreen:

mso489 · Mar 4, 2015

I'm skeptical that burley is any better for breaking in pipes than Va/Pers or English blends. Unless your standard smoke is a Lakeland blend or a real Lat bomb, I wouldn't worry about ghosting. Smoke what you like, would be my advice. However, I think you should sample some of the Cornell & Diehl non-aromatic burley blends which are quite an amazing family of blends. Billy Budd, Old Joe Krantz, Big 'n Burley, just for themselves.

buroak · Mar 5, 2015

From the bits and pieces I have gathered from others' arguments about break-in tobaccos, the sugars of Virginia blends make them superior cake-builders. Based on some of these arguments I have used McClelland's 5100 Red Cake as my break-in tobacco. The problem with Red Cake, however, is that it is not as easy a smoke as some of my Burley tobaccos. Consequently, I have recently started mixing Burley leaf with Red Cake to make my own mixture. Five Brothers seems to be a good Burley for the task. The fine cut and easy burning nature of this leaf make it a nice complement to Red Cake. The fine cut also helps to form a good, even cake.
One caveat, I would listen to mso489 on the subject of Burley. Nearly all of what I know about the joys of Burley I have gleaned from his posts in these forums. I am in his debt.

tppytel · Mar 5, 2015

Just smoke whatever you want to smoke. Buying a blend just for the sake of breaking in a pipe? Way too much fuss, and any benefit (if it exists at all, which I doubt) will be tiny. I wouldn't smoke a Lat blend or a heavy aro in a pipe I wanted to primarily smoke natural VA's or Bur's, but even that's not a big deal in the long run.

Burley Blends for Breaking in New Pipe

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