Getting used to English Tobacco

waznyf · May 13, 2012

Wanted everyone's opinion on whethe or not one can start smoking English blends and eventually get used to them if at first they weren't too appealing.

Aromatics never seemed all that good to me at first, so I bought a few English blends until I was able to find some I actually liked. At first though I couldn't stand most of them. When thinking about it further I realized that it was like coffee for me. I never drank it with cream and sugar except for maybe twice. I simply got it black and drank it until I liked it.

Is it possible over time one might be able to acquire a taste for it?

scotrob · May 13, 2012

i guess so- i am not a fan of Latakia which features in many English blends, but like Perique it is worth trying a few times until you get used to it.. i think also your tastes change over time too, so tobaccos you might have enjoyed when a beginner pipe smoker may no longer appeal as you age and mature...you could also try mixing English blends with another tobacco (not an aromatic, but a mild fairly neutral one) so that you start to build up a tolerance/liking to the flavours

ichbinmuede · May 13, 2012

Well in my opinion one doesn't have to "get used" to anything that they grow to enjoy. What's really required for something like these and all varieties of tobaccos is to get to know them. You discover the flavours in them and learn the qualities that you like about them and you learn what you like in general. If you give them a fair chance and you still don't like them well then it would seem that it's just not for you.
I also started off with some aromatics and found some that I enjoyed and one day I smelled a Balkan blend and was intrigued by the smell. So I bought some and found the side of pipe tobaccos that was really for me and started my search for the blends that really spoke to me.
Haha so I suppose it is sort of the same thing just with a more artistic wording and a different angle of viewing. Not "getting used" to something but acquiring a taste, developing a broader palate, and setting yourself out on an adventure of flavour.

mattmars · May 13, 2012

For me it took a lot of bowls to really appreciate the few English blends I've tried. I'm not talking lat bombs but blends like GLP Lombard or MacB Highland Blend and now Cerebus have really shown me a side of pipe smoking that i'm glad to have tried.

judcole · May 13, 2012

It's all a matter of timing, Waz. Aromatics,like the "codger burleys", are not, as a rule, complex blends - the casing is the flavor. Most latakia based blends are complex,though, with a variety of flavors - the basic sweetness of the virginias, the smoky,leathery tastes of latakia, and the varying tastes of the oriental tabaccos - and sometimes perique - added to them. Generally, it takes a more experienced smoker to appreciate these.
If you're not fond of aromatics,and aren't ready for latakia blends, try some of the old classic burleys - Carter Hall, Prince Al, and so on. Simple blends, of the type that can be smoked all day. Walnut has just a hint of latakia - you can get a couple of ounces from 4 Noggins to try it out. MacBaren's Latakia blend is another with just a hint, I understand. These might serve as intros to this wonderful part of pipe smoking.
I think I smoked a pipe for about 3 years before I started smoking lat blends. I brought blends like Sail Yellow and Troost Special Cavendish into my rotation before I did. Alas, those blends are not as easy to find now as they used to be!

treeder13 · May 13, 2012

I've enjoyed one english so far and it blew away all the cigars I've ever had lol really wish i had kept baggy it was a sample loved it right off the bat and i'm new to this still!

knightmare · May 13, 2012

I have to say at first I hated Dunhill Nightcap, but now I am thoroughly addicted to it. I love the stuff, I'm sad because my tin is getting low.

ohin3 · May 13, 2012

My tastes change all the time. Months can go by where I seriously start to doubt that I will ever buy another blend containing latakia and then just when I am about to walk away from it I will have a random bowl and be hooked on it again. Same with aromatics. The only thing that seems to persistently appeal to me and never suffers any period of doubt is straight Virginias.

slowpuffer · May 13, 2012

I fell in love with Latakia very early on in my pipe smoking experience. I think the main reason was that it finally produced the flavorful full bodied smoke that I wanted (the aromatics were not!). That being said, it is a different taste and one that may take some time to get used to. Believe it or not, I originally did not like Virginia blends. Not because they bit my tongue, but I had to get used to the flavor. Now, I love a good Virginia. I think a big part of finding my taste for those blends was finding the right blend to taste. There is a variety of Latakia blends out there and some are better than others. I think one of the best blends to start with is Dunhill's Standard Mixture Mellow. I really enjoy that blend a lot and it somewhat light on the Latakia. I think it is a great introduction to the genre and you can develop your taste buds for the latakia bombs out there.

rcstan · May 13, 2012

MacBaren's Latakia blend is another with just a hint, I understand

Yes, and it's hard to spot it. Has to be smoked SLOOOW so the classic MacBaren VA bite doesn't happen, has to be at the right moisture, and most importantly DO NOT BREAK the little coins up. It has been a love/hate relationship for the past couple months but patience paid off.
As for the OP, there are fewer "bad" Englishes out there from what I have tried than "bad" aros. I would recommend from what I have smoked, in no particular order, the Frog Morton Original, Frog Morton On The Town, Balkan Sasieni, Sutliff Blend No 5, Peter Stokkebye English Luxury and even Altadis Balkan II although it has somewhat of a chemical aftertaste to me.
I cannot recommend any "codger burleys" because I simply do not like them based on my taste, they all taste flat and cigarette-ish to me.

waznyf · May 13, 2012

As of tomorrow I will have a little extra spending money and I'll will order some of the recommended blends.

Thanks guys!

frennchy11 · May 13, 2012

I wasnt the biggest fan of Frog Morton right away, but the more I smoke it, the more I like it!

baronsamedi · May 13, 2012

I took to English like a duck to water. Some people take a little while to get used to them and some people simply can't stand Latakia and stick with aros, VAs, VAPers, etc. Everyone is different.

waznyf · May 13, 2012

I have to say at first I hated Dunhill Nightcap, but now I am thoroughly addicted to it. I love the stuff, I'm sad because my tin is getting low.

I've heard only good things about the night cap and hope to try it.

waznyf · May 13, 2012

My tastes change all the time. Months can go by where I seriously start to doubt that I will ever buy another blend containing latakia

I understand this entirely! It's however your taste buds react to it over time. Almost like how you crave Chinese food for a while and then it's on to Mexican etc.

profpar · May 13, 2012

I recently started smoking English (Fog Mortom in particular) and have tried some penzzance. I absolutly love them. They have great flavor. Wish I had tried the, sooner.

waznyf · May 13, 2012

Which of the forum sponsors carries Frog Morton?

captainbob · May 13, 2012

waznyf,
McClelland makes the Frog Morton series.
On this point of Latakia (English blends), I do have several favorites. But, the wife does not enjoy Latakia aroma. Thankfully, I have my three C&D Blends which have only a sprinkle of Latakia in one of them and that is Captain Bob's Blend. I use Latakia in "blending" like I use pepper on eggs. Just enough to know it is there! My wife loves CBB and does not know that it is 1/16th Latakia (but I know)!

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rcstan · May 13, 2012

Which of the forum sponsors carries Frog Morton?

Pipesandcigars, 4 noggins, Smokingpipes, Cup O'Joes. I prefer 4noggins since it's the only place with free shipping to Alaska on orders over $100. Pipesandcigars is a close second and they have a broader selection of stuff but no free shipping to AK. Never ordered from SmokingPipes or Cup O'Joe because of higher overall cost. If you're in the "lower 48" and you can get the free UPS over $100 it's a non-issue but to me it is. For example, an order of 5x100 g tins of Frog Morton and a 24 oz box of Stokkebye Luxury Twist Flake ( enough baccy for the summer and then some ) would cost me as follows: P&C $117.56+$17.70 shipping, Cup O'Joe $126.31+$11.99 shipping, SmokingPipes $125.50+$15.65 shipping ( or $19.30, it gives me two Priority Mail costs, I'm assuming one is flat rate and the other not ), 4noggins $127.44 shipped.
Sorry for the OT rant

waznyf · May 14, 2012

@rcstan thanks!

I really appreciate that. I don't have a preferable for sites yet as I have only ordered from pipes and cigars but I think I may try cup o joes.

Getting used to English Tobacco

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