Dedicating Pipes to Tobacco Blends

Perique · Mar 21, 2013

I was just smoking a pipe dedicated to a certain tobacco and was thinking: is it just me? Certain pipes and tobaccos seem to find each other. I also seem to be sensitive to prior subtle ghosts - enough so that I'll intentionally smoke one blend in a pipe in anticipation of the next blend because I like the effect of the subtle and temporary ghosting. Flip side is I'll avoid some other blends in certain pipes where I don't want to taste the ghost. I suppose this has resulted in my dedicating a number of pipes to specific tobaccos.
I have several dedicated to particular styles, but here are my true dedicated one-blend combos: 2 different pipes dedicated to Escudo, 2 dedicated to Haddo's Delight, 1 dedicated to Anniversary Kake, and 1 dedicated to Barbary Coast. I suppose I also have one pipe that is unofficially dedicated to LNF, by default, because that's all I tend to smoke in it. And, finally, I have another that while not specifically dedicated to LBF may as well be, since it's such a great combo I tend to stick with it.
What are your dedicated combos?

neverknowsbest · Mar 21, 2013

I have observed this as a retail tobacconist:
Most pipe smokers with more than one pipe separate their pipes into at least those for aromatics and those for non-aromatics (if aromatics at all).
A majority subset of these pipe smokers separate their pipes into aromatics, Virginia, and English, and that's as far as most go.
I only see the pipes dedicated to specific blends thing among pipe smokers with many pipes and many years under their belts and/or pipe smokers with a fine sensitivity to the changing flavors of a blend.
Personally, I have corn cobs and clays for aromatics. I then have an "old-school Burley / American-English" pipe, then several Virginia pipes, and then many English pipes. I only have one pipe dedicated to one blend, and that is a Bill Shalosky pipe I have committed to Exotique.

thesmokindragon · Mar 21, 2013

I dedicate pipes to types of blends; English, Vs, Aros and then I have

pipes for specific blends...gives me excuse to buy more pipes I guess

;-)

metalheadycigarguy · Mar 21, 2013

I have a few pipes I smoke only aromatics in and the rest are dedicated to English and non-aromatic blends. Something that I do different is I only smoke Mississippi River in my Savinelli 645 Bent Apple Short Pipe; however, I do smoke other blends in that pipe. For some reason I just prefer to smoke Mississippi River in that pipe only.

drwatson · Mar 21, 2013

Most of mine are for aros, have two or three for english. Thats about as far as I go.

wadmacallit · Mar 21, 2013

4 pipes for any latakia blend. 1 pipe specified for nightcap. 1 vaper pipe, 3vir/bur pipes, 2 virginia pipes, and 1 dedicated to dunhill flake. 2 aro pipes that i have to clean and ream real good because i only smoked aros for a month or two.

judcole · Mar 22, 2013

I have one pipe that is dedicated to a specific blend, and that's a Stan I dedicate to Murdock's Pipe from McCranie's. When I discovered the blend, I fell in love with it immediately. It smoked so brilliantly in that Stan that I decided to dedicate that pipe to to it.

gmwolford · Mar 22, 2013

When I first started I just did not get this concept at all. After a while now I have learned to understand it and watch for it. I don't know why, maybe it's the bowl shape, but some blends do taste better to me in certain pipes. And I have enough pipes now in my rotation that I can separate some for English, Balkans, some for Va/VaPers, and a couple for burley/aromatics, though mostly the aros go into cobs.

rmbittner · Mar 22, 2013

I smoke way too many different blends to dedicate pipes to each one. But as others do, I dedicate pipes to specific styles. Because of what I enjoy, I have pipes dedicated to English blends, Balkans, straight Virginias, Virginia/burleys, and a small handful set aside for the very rare occasions when I want an aromatic. I also have some of my most favorite pipes dedicated to Penzance. the only blend-specific pipes I have. (If I were going to expand on this at all, I could see setting aside a range of pipes for Virginia/cavendish blends like Jocks Mixture and McClelland's Anniversary, two favorites.)
I will say this: I've found that oil-cured pipes seem to really bring out great flavors in Virginia-dominant blends. So my Dunhills and Radices tend to be concentrated there.
Bob

lumberjakpipester · Mar 22, 2013

I don't have any blend specific pipes but I do dedicate by type. My Brighams are my aromatic pipes, my smaller Billiards and Dublin are for Va flakes, and my less valuable "beaters" are my English/Balkan pipes, as I smoke those blends outdoors and I don't really want to go hiking with a pricey pipe.

yazamitaz · Mar 22, 2013

I am also in the camp of dedicating pipes to blends, not necessarily tobaccos, but I am still getting my feet wet here and in a year I may have 5 pipes dedicated to 5 tobacccos. I look forward to revisiting this around Christmas and see if I have changed my thought process on that

crpntr1 · Mar 22, 2013

I have a Pete 303 dedicated to FVF and thats the only pipe I smoke it in, I have a Pete 69 that I only smoke VaPers in, but I do smoke VaPers in other pipes too...I have a Baachus meer for Englishs but I only smoke them a few times a year now...The rest will smoke whatever I load in them. I don't smoke any stout aros, 1Q, Erinmore and the like are about it, so its usually Va & VaPers

tjameson · Mar 23, 2013

I have one cob that I've smoked everything in. A meer that has smoked everything but only smoked one thing well, GLP Ashbury. A Tsuge Dublin and LaRocca Bent for VAs and VAPers, the LaRocca smokes lighter VAs very well and has a large bowl. A little Stonehaven basket pipe that smokes everything but English and heavy aros. A bent Eriksen for English. An Amphora Canadian that smokes Balakans very well but especially Black House. A Pete that Chris gave me that smokes aros and Burleys very well. One straight GHB that Jim (Fnord) gave me that I haven't quite figured out what works best so I've been smoking SWR in it as it seems a fitting combination. I am realizing though that I don't have a GREAT pipe for Latakia blends yet most of these pipes have slight flaws in construction that effect the smoking qualities. I'm on the hunt for a great pipe that will let those Latakia blends be the best they can be.

dragonslayer · Mar 23, 2013

I have one each for SJF,BBF,FVF,Esucdo. Two for AK and two for other VA/Vapers. I have 2 I use for the ocasional Aromatic/English and a ceramic for whenever someone sends me something with Latakia to try. All estates I restored/fixed and everything goes to the cellar. When tobacco goes crazy I'll be looking at artisan pipes.

ohiopuffer · Mar 23, 2013

I do the same thing.Some pipes I have dedicated to a type while others I will dedicate to a specific tobacco.

admin · Mar 24, 2013

This one is 4th down on the Featured Articles list on the left sidebar -
Dedicating Tobacco Pipes to Pipe Tobacco Blends

plet · Mar 24, 2013

I have three "categories":
1: 6 pipes for blends containing Latakia and/or Oriental.
2: 6 pipes for Va/Vaper/Vabur/Bur blends.
3: One pipe for Aro's.
Besides ghosting issues IMO the different categories of blends are smoked better in certain types of pipes. Blends with Lat/Ori are best in wide large bowls. Va/Vaper/Vabur/Bur are best smoked in narrow tall bowls and Aro's in wide bowls with thick walls. So to me the design of the pipe is determining what type of blend I am dedicating to the particular pipe.
Let me know if you think I am a nut : puffy

:

cigrmaster · Mar 25, 2013

I have always dedicated pipes to certain categories of blends. I have my Va flake pipes, my vaper flake pipes, 2 aromatic pipes and then I have a few pipes specifically for certain blends. For example I smoke Sg FVF in my Lane Era Charatan After Hours Dublin. I have a Rad Dublin I only smoke Escudo or Dunhill Navy rolls in. I use my Savinelli Linea Piu 5 for Carter Hall. I believe that certain pipes smoke certain blends better and when you find the right combo it is Nirvana. I have a Don Carlos Billiard that just sings with SG Best Brown Flake, so that is all I smoke in it. When you build a cake of a certain category it just makes sense to me to stick with it.

Dedicating Pipes to Tobacco Blends

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Site Sponsors

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Lifer

Starting to Get Obsessed

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Lurker

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Starting to Get Obsessed

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Can't Leave

Smoking a Pipe Right Now

Starting to Get Obsessed

Lifer