Could I Be An Oriental Fan? After All This Time?

tarak

Lifer

Jun 23, 2013

1,528

15

South Dakota

• Oct 25, 2015

• #1

For my entire piping life (5 or so years) I've avoided Oriental tobaccos very purposefully. I smoked EMP once, which I believe has oriental, hated the experience, and never revisited. I've slowly built a modest cellar full of quality Virginias, VaPers, and Latakia blends which are gaining age....there is no burley (keep trying it, keep hating it) and no Virginia.
Except....that one little jar of Frog Morton On the Town which I never got around to trying. I didn't really realize that Basma was an oriental leaf. Yesterday, randomly, I popped it open and tried it.
And freaking loved it. Tried it again today. And freaking loved it.
Holy crap, after buying and cellaring all this tobacco and making darn sure nothing had orientals....could I have been astray all this time?

 

elbert

Part of the Furniture Now

Mar 10, 2015

604

28

• Oct 25, 2015

• #2

You know, I was wondering where you had gone off to!
I really dislike EMP. Never could get it to work for me, and I'm not sure why--it just had this acrid sourness to it. On the Town will be in my next order. Haven't met a Frog I didn't like yet.

 

papipeguy

Lifer

Jul 31, 2010

15,778

35

Bethlehem, Pa.

• Oct 26, 2015

• #3

Presbyterian is a classic Oriental blend and always worth a try.

 

dmcmtk

Lifer

Aug 23, 2013

3,672

1,685

• Oct 26, 2015

• #4

I really like On the Town, it also ages very well, picked up a tin of '09 at my local B&M the other day.

 

fmgee

Part of the Furniture Now

Sep 26, 2014

922

4

• Oct 26, 2015

• #5

I have to put a vote in for Skiff Mixture. I am yet to try EMP but I have a tin in the mail.

 

shawnofthedead

Starting to Get Obsessed

Jun 5, 2015

249

5

• Oct 26, 2015

• #6

Of course Skiff Mixture and London Mixture are very good orientals, and needless to say... Penzance. I'm personally more of a balkan fan, and I think balkans and orientals are very closely related, so it doesn't hurt to try some of them too.

 

lochinvar

Lifer

Oct 22, 2013

1,687

1,634

• Oct 26, 2015

• #7

Yes, you have been astray, but you only hurt yourself so all is forgiven. You may, in truth, not like the sharper, more sour Turkish style blends,but like the Greek/Macedonian leaf. Stay away from Durbar, Rajah's Court and (it pains me to say this) Red Rapparee. Try Presbyterian, the McClelland Grand Oriental line (especially the Drama, Yenice Agonya and Katerini), McClelland Virginia No. 24 and McConnell Oriental.
Remember that Oriental is like Virginia, it improves with age. Don't get disappointed if you open a fresh tin, and the it's not quite as magical as this tin. Just buy and wait.

 

aggravatedfarmer

Part of the Furniture Now

Sep 9, 2015

865

3

• Oct 26, 2015

• #8

Frog on the town is quite tasty

 

mrbigglesworth

Starting to Get Obsessed

Sep 1, 2015

196

1

Winston Salem, NC

• Oct 26, 2015

• #9

I am really into some FM Across the Pond right now. I am discovering all kinds of wonderful tastes with the orientals. It makes me want to broaden the horizons of orientals. Ironic that you posted this, tarak, because I was just wondering the same about myself recently.

 

tarak

Lifer

Jun 23, 2013

1,528

15

South Dakota

• Oct 26, 2015

• #10

That's great input @lochinvar- since I've sort of avoided them, I know nothing about them. Sounds like Drama/Basma may be my jam. I almost ordered both Virginia 24 and Drama Reserve on the order I just put in, but then didn't. Doh.

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate

Nov 12, 2014

43,399

109,160

• Oct 26, 2015

• #11

Try Yenidje Highlander. Wonderful smoke!

 

krizzose

Lifer

Feb 13, 2013

3,120

18,156

Michigan

• Oct 26, 2015

• #12

McClelland Classic Samsun is great. Very nutty and sweet

 

hakchuma

Part of the Furniture Now

Jan 13, 2014

791

77

52

Michigan, USA

• Oct 26, 2015

• #13

Orientals were the last tobacco variety that I could distinguish in a blend. Took me two years then it was like a light bulb that went off in my head and I was like 'ah OK'. But I know I'm weird so....

 

iamn8

Lifer

Sep 8, 2014

4,248

14

Moody, AL

• Oct 26, 2015

• #14

Ummm I think you have call them Asian Americans or Asians.

 

G

graydawn

Starting to Get Obsessed

Feb 7, 2014

164

1

• Oct 26, 2015

• #15

McClelland Grand Orientals are exceedingly well crafted. Samsun is added to many of my straight Virginias.

 

deathmetal

Lifer

Jul 21, 2015

7,714

32

• Oct 26, 2015

• #16

When I was a preteen, I loved Camel cigarettes, which actually had some Oriental flavor back then. Now I get most of my Orientals kick from English blends, where those tobaccos are an essential ingredient.