Different Times of Day = Different Tastes?

wispy · May 1, 2013

Hi Everybody! I'm brand new to this site and this is my first forum for any sort of discussion ever, so it looks like I'm hooked! I've been smoking pipes seriously for about 4 months now and can't get enough. I'm so glad I discovered pipe smoking. It's become a daily indulgence that is so relaxing and rewarding that I'm almost jealous of our ancestors in centuries past where legitimate smoking was such a common enjoyment. Really excited to be on here.
Anyway, onto the question. I've got one briar and about 4 MM corncobs now. I originally started buying a little bit of captain black and then bought some of the custom blends from tobacco-barn.com which I believe are spectacular and succeeded in turning me into a devoted pipe smoker with their fresh and affordable packs. Now however, I'm spending a little more money on tins of the established names such as the Mac Baren navy flake, McCelland Oriental, and Cornell and Diehl. Ever since learning to pack correctly and smoke evenly, everything's tasted amazing, but on these tins I'm seeing descriptions referring to "good for a morning smoke", or "a nice strong blend for the evening." I definitely have an attraction to the full bodied blends and anything that says "English", but I am also aware of how tastes change over time, seasons, types of pipes, and of course experience. I imagine time of day has some effect as well. I'm starting to smoke multiple times a day now, so I'm wondering if I should smoke certain kinds in the morning like they may be intended for, or if I should just experiment and let my own personal tastes develop. Just thought I'd ask since I haven't ever paid attention to how "strong" the tobaccos I've tried so far have been. Even the most general of suggestions would be nice since I'm still looking for ideas of what tobacco/smoking methods to try next!

paintedklown · May 1, 2013

Wispy, I am too new to pipe smoking to be able to provide you with a well thought out, educated, and/or researched answer...but I will attempt to anyway. HAHAHHA!
My "guess" is that blends labeled for early morning are probably blends that have a lighter/mild flavor and have less nicotine, and blends that are labeled for evening/night use are probably bolder flavors and contain a higher level of nicotine on the average.
Reason being, is that nicotine is smaller doses acts more as a stimulant, while nicotine in higher doses is a relaxant. In fact, I always find myself wanting to nap after having a couple of bowls, and have actually dozed off several times after smoking. LOL!
Anyone, PLEASE, feel free to correct me if my "guess" is wrong.

doctorthoss · May 1, 2013

Smoke whatever you like, whenever you like. Experiment to see what your preferences are, and keep experimenting.

Usually, blends advertised as morning smokes are relatively mild while evening smokes are more potent, but not all smokers follow that kind of pattern. I, for instance, prefer powerful blends in the morning to wake up with!

theboz · May 1, 2013

Aside from preferring one flavor over another, everyone has a different metabolism, a strong blend for one person may be mild to another nicotine wise, and full flavor doesn't necessarily correlate to higher nicotine. I don't see a reason to follow a recommended time of day, except maybe to follow "tradition".

judcole · May 1, 2013

experiment and let my own personal tastes develop

This. Different blends work differently for different folks. I like latakia to start my day, and usually the sweet/smoky thing that comes from having some of the sweeter Orientals mixed in. But that's not what everyone is going to like. It's about your tastes.

rmbittner · May 1, 2013

wispy:
Welcome!
To me, tin copy is purely for advertising/marketing purposes. Most blenders are awful at it. (I think Pease and McClelland are two exceptions.) We're not even past the point where every single blend is supposed to smoke "cool" and "smooth." All of that to say that I look at those poetic "perfect for the morning" descriptions to be completely meaningless. I wouldn't even take such descriptions to indicate nicotine level or strength or anything other than a copywriter's desire to say something interesting.
Now, I clearly prefer different types of blends at different times of day. I don't like starting with something heavier in nicotine or with overly present spicy orientals. The latter is why, for me, Dunhill's Early Morning Pipe is completely wrongly named; that's not how I want to start the day. And Esoterica's And So to Bed is also badly named for me; one bowl of that and I want another one right away. And then another. At that rate, I'd never go to bed!

For me, I tend to favor medium-strength English blends and Balkans first thing in the day. By late afternoon, I'm usually ready for a change-of-pace, so I'll have a bowl of a straight Virginia or a VA/burley flake. By the end of the day, I'm usually fatigued and don't want to pay too much attention, so I may switch to something lighter (or even an occasional aromatic).
Bob

cigrmaster · May 1, 2013

wispy, welcome to the forum, I am glad to hear you are in love with the pipe and your tobacco. I usually go up the strength ladder as I go through the day. My morning smoke will be a mild Va flake such as Dunhill Flake or Wessex Gold Virginia. Then I will move to a more full bodied smoke usually a darker VA flake like a Wessex Campaign Brigade. My third bowl might then be a virginia/perique flake like Escudo or a Virginia/Burley like Solani Silver Flake. Then I will move on to the stronger flakes like a Old Dark Fired, or Irish Flake or FVF. There are times when I don't want a full strength flake at all that day and stick to just medium strength ones. I might have a sweet tooth one day and smoke more of my rum cased flakes or a University flake. I go where my mood takes me but in general, I do not want a strong nicotine laden blend first thing on an empty stomach, even after all my years of smoking, I would get queasy as hell if I smoked Peterson Irish Flake first thing. You will find your mood will dictate what you feel like smoking the more experience you have with different blends. You might find that one of your favorites is just perfect for the morning, or another perfect for after dinner. Just keep experimenting and have fun.

rekrap21 · May 1, 2013

I recently had a go with a churchwarden pipe - which I really enjoyed. Churchwarden pipes produce a cooler smoke due to the distance from the bowl to the mouthpiece. Also there's the added benefit of keeping your face further away from the heat and smoke produced by the combustion in the bowl.
My husband has made a hobby of hand carving pipes and recently we got our first set of churchwarden stems...he was totally sold after trying 1. You can really get a good feel for the taste without the tongue bite.

wispy · May 2, 2013

Yeah I haven't thought too much about nicotine content but I'm sure that's a huge factor with the heavier blends. I'll definitely pay attention to my senses and moods and see where it takes me. All your answers are great! Thanks so much

drcarlo · May 8, 2013

It all comes down to personal taste...
In the morning, you would probably like something on the lower nicotin and a refreshing taste. Also, I would prefere a blend that (IMIO) is perfect with coffee. For me this has been Dunhill Early Morning Pipe, which is very very mild in the Latakia department and carries a nice Oriental taste. It can also be an all day smoke.

However, on the go I prefere a bright Va or a VaPer. In the evening, I'm ready for a bowl of the stronger and fuller oriental mix Rattray's Red Rapparee (or you may like to try out Rattray's 7 Reserve first, which is lighter, but imo boring compared to RRR).

pruss · May 8, 2013

Hi Wispy, welcome to the forums.
I agree totally with the comments above that centre around, "Smoke what you like, when you want."
That being said, it's my experience that a person's relative sensitivity to flavours based on aroma and taste reception changes throughout the day. I taste coffee for a living (well it's part of my job anyway...), and we schedule our approvals tastings for the morning, when our palate is less ... polluted. Over the course of the day we build up food oils and solids in our mouth, which necessarily changes what and how we taste.
It doesn't surprise me at all to hear folks make comments about increasing the intensity of the flavour/nicotine of their smokes throughout the day. Because as the day goes on, more intense flavours are going to get through the "noise" of other tastes/aromas in the mouth and retro-nasal passage that have been building up through meals, snacking, and previous bowls.
Have fun trying, testing and tasting different tobaccos so you can decide what you like, and when you like it, but don't be surprised if you find a blend you like in the morning, but aren't satisfied with in the evening.
Best,
-- Pat

kashmir · May 8, 2013

It's funny, but I like Nightcap in the morning, with a large mug of strong black coffee. It's got overtones of chocolate and roasted beans to it. And the nic content don't hurt either. And I like EMP in the evenings, on account of the mellow Orientals.

drcarlo · May 9, 2013

Pruss - I love that post!

You use the words I coud not find. You are the expert on tasts and the post was written in a beautiful academic style. I can tell you how tast and smell are detected, coded into molecule language and translated in the brain to give a particular sensation. What I cannot do is talking about tast and fragrance from a practical perspective. YOU can.
So please continue to enlighten us! Tobacco and coffee are favorite subjects of mine!

drcarlo · May 9, 2013

Kashmir - tha's interesting!

Originally, I was of the opinion that the morning meeting with coffee, pipe and newspapers, should include strong tasting, high nic. tobacco, so I used to have RRR (oriental tobaccos are winners!). Dunhill EMP is much more mellow, and I found it suits my mood at dawn better than the stronger RRR. But it has to be EMP. A medium bright Va or a spicy VaPer does not work for me.

pruss · May 9, 2013

It's funny, but I like Nightcap in the morning, with a large mug of strong black coffee

I hear you Kashmir, back when I was smoking darts I couldn't wake up without a Dunhill and a large cup of dark roast. When I quit smoking entirely my palate changed. I started drinking lighter roast coffees in the morning, and moving to progressively darker roasts in the afternoon and evening. Now I drink my coffee, tea, wine, whiskey and beer based on that same rule, "What would taste good to me RIGHT NOW." Sometimes this is influenced by time of day, a food pairing, what I've already eaten, mood, company.
Taste is so much fun to play with. Thank goodness there's variety.
drcarlo - Thanks for the kind words. Happy if anything I have to say resonates.
-- Pat

reformedchris · May 10, 2013

With coffee or rich black tea, (No not Lipton water tea)I enjoy a good English like Presbyterian but as of late my choice has been Philosophers (Tinder Box)
With an afternoon, I switch up for English to a nice cherry flavor which I call my desert.
I do not smoke but maybe once or three times a week; I find I enjoy the pleasure more when I do not partake in it daily. Pipe smoking should be enjoyed and in my rule book never as a smoke break from work. Pipes need to be enjoyed with a good study or a sit outside to reflect.

Different Times of Day = Different Tastes?

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