Latakia... what's the deal ?

mluyckx · May 21, 2012

As I have posted in the past, it seems I have a problem with Latakia. And it's not getting any better.
When I (re-) picked up the pipe over a year ago, after a short stint in college, I started looking for tobacco's I really liked. After a couple of months, I discovered that the blends with Latakia irritated the heck out of my tongue and gums. I chalked it up to inexperience at first. Smoking too hot, smoking too fast, tongue burn, you name it. But after a while, I noticed I didn't get the same effect from Burleys or Virginias. So I stayed away from those blends containing Latakia and all was well.
As the infamous box made its way to me over the weekend, I loaded up some small samples of, you guessed it, some blends with Latakia. Some Penzance, some epiphany, some squadron leader. The Penzance went relatively well. Loved the leathery, sweet, smoky aroma. Reminded me almost on occasion of the incense used in the Church services when I was an altar boy. It burned nicely in my BriarBird and I was enjoying that bowl while perusing the box goodies.
But the Epiphany and the Squadron leader... boy oh boy.. I have the whole irritated mouth all over again. Which hasn't happened to me for months.
Conclusion: I am now convinced it is possible that certain people have adverse reactions to certain types of tobacco. I don't know if Mr. Pease or Mr. Ouellette would like to comment on this or whether they can shed some light on this, but personally, I am going to stay away from blends containing Latakia once more. It is a shame indeed that I may not be able to enjoy so many of the more complex creations out there, but as long as there are blends likeEscudo, Telegraph Hill, Anniversary Kake, AJ's, Hall O'the Wynd and Louisiana Red for me to enjoy, I will remain a happy camper... I guess I have become a Va/Per guy.
Anyone else have the same issue with any other tobaccos ?

lordnoble · May 21, 2012

Penzance is a Lat-bomb, IMO. It might not be the Latakia but something that is in mosts blends that contain Latakia.
You are correct that blends affect people differently as well as the tobaccos types contained therein. People have said that Dunhill's Nightcap is a very Nicotine-heavy blends and it sets the room spinning. I've not found that, but then other blends which no one else has a problem with in the Vitamin-N department will knock me for a loop.
I'd try smoking some straight Latakia and see what the outcome is. It WON'T be and enjoyable smoke, but you can then figure out if it truly is Latakia or if you have more searching to do.
Just my 2 cents and YMMV.
-Jason

cortezattic · May 21, 2012

Latakia dulls my taste buds and ruins me for all the other blends. It also irritates the wife.

SPC's Mississippi River is a nice light Latakia blend, though.

If you like Louisiana Red, and you're a VaPer guy looking for something interesting, try NYPC's Bedloe's Island. Like La. Red with Izmir.

mluyckx · May 21, 2012

LordNoble.. interesting observation

Penzance is a Lat-bomb,

And it gave me the least trouble of the three.. if any at all to be honest. Food for thought.
I'll throw some straight Latakia in my next P&C order. I may give it a shot. Worst thing that could happen is that I'll be eating smoothies for a week :rofl:

scotrob · May 21, 2012

hmmm- i find that many Latakia blends are often VERY moist, especially so-called Balkan mixes and the like....moist tobacco will lead to a hot steamy smoke which will scald your mouth..perhaps that is the problem?
one other variable you might want to experiment with is the pipe stem: if your tongue and gums are irritated why not try a Peterson P-lip, which directs smoke to the roof of the mouth instead....P-lips are very much love or hate them, but it's worth a shot to see if this solves the problem

topd · May 21, 2012

When I first started smoking in the early 70's, I packed my pipe with whatever I could get my hands on. Prince Albert or even cigarette tobacco. I wasn't long back in the states when a friend introduced me to real pipe tobacco, all English blends. I had your thing going on, not exactly but similar problems, but here is what he suggested. It was good advice then and should be now.

Pack two pipes.... One with your favorite and another with the Latikia blend you want to get used to. Lite your favorite, smoke a while and set aside. Lite the Latikia and do the same. Then rest it a while... You don't need to smoke the whole bowl today. It's important to have a drink handy also... Some ice tea, coffee, beer or Single Malt Scotch! It wont take long.

mluyckx · May 21, 2012

Thanks for all the tips guys...
Herbeindave... I like my tobacco's on the dry side usually. Most of the time I set them out beforehand. Sometimes even under my desk lamp. The Epiphany is actually a little too dry for me and has a crunch to it. So if anything, it would be burning too fast. The Penzance is actually just right and gave me the least trouble. The Squadron Leader is IMHO right on the moisture level as well. Set it out for about 15 minutes, then had a bowl with a big mug of coffee this morning. Yet definitely have an irritated mouth now.

Scotrob.. I've got several Petes... and have tried P-Lips and not. Same difference. And it's not just the tongue. It's really an irritation on the tongue, gums, even the roof like you ate some really crunchy chips and hurt the roof of your mouth. And then Biotene becomes my best friend again...

TopD.. I may give the alternating a try.
And fwiw... I've had the same thing with several other Lat blends (Dunhill nightcap, 965, Davidoff Royalty, etc etc). Which is why I really think it has to be a reaction to something in the tobacco. Va/Per, Burleys, straight VA's, Cavs, etc.. no issues whatsoever. And given that the selection in that world is huge as it is, I'm ok living in that world ;-) Going to light up some FVF right now... : puffy

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lazydog · May 21, 2012

After years of latakia blend smoking, i find that my old friend is also starting to turn on me (my tongue is complaining). I love the english blends and have been going to a Carey Magic inch pipe for a cooler smoke, and it really works for me. You can find them at Careys smoke shop.com and there are some pretty good estate buys on Ebay. I also believe the cooler smoke enhances the true taste of the baccy. Stogie 37 a fellow PM.com member sells some wonderful Careys on Ebay. I've done some comparison smokes with Careys & my other briars & the Carey really is a cooler smoke. : puffy

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judcole · May 21, 2012

I smoke blends with latakia regularly. Today's smokes included Ashton Artisan and Timm's London 1000. I have no problems with these blends.

If you have trouble with some lat blends and not others, maybe it is the various tobaccos other than the lat that causes problems for you. SL, for example, contains various oriental tobaccos as well as lat. Penzance does too, but I will bet that, due to the high proportion of latakia, it contains less of these than SL. (I may be totally wrong about this, of course - I am just guessing.)

For everythign in pipe smoking, much depends on the individual. : puffy

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pawpaw · May 21, 2012

I am a non lat smoker for the same reasons as the OP feels like I am sucking on a cactus . I still have plently of variety with VA and burley blends.There was a poster onsite that Lats would trigger migrain headaches

rigmedic1 · May 21, 2012

I get that tongue bite thing with Perique blends. I like Perique, but I have to go really light with it. Don't get any bite from Balkan styles though, and thoroughly enjoy Blue Mountain, Dunhill 965', and Penzance. Plum Pudding is very much like Penzance, in my opinion as well. Sextant is good, I only get a slight bite with that in the top of the bowl.

dervis · May 21, 2012

Anything with Perique in it tases like I ate a spoon full of pepper. To the point I feel like I'm choking. I like pepper on food, but not a spoonful, weird I know.

portascat · May 21, 2012

Try Sutliff No. 5. Virginia, Burley, and Latakia.
I enjoy it, and I am a Latakia lover, but Burley and Virginia not so much. So that belnd strikes a nice balance.
Straight Virginia's seem to do to me what latakia does to you.

mjtannen · May 21, 2012

I'm a lat lover. I smoke it without a problem. Beck's OLB first smoke in the morning and Penzance before bed each night. I suggest a large pipe. A large billiard, a large oom paul a large bulldog. A large pipe with a stout stem will burn latakia better in all respects. Save the small bowl for Virginia's.

bentmike · May 21, 2012

My only problem with the L-word is that it makes my pipes stink. 8O I have 2 or 3 pipes just for lat blends. Once in a while I get a hankering for that sooty leaf. The nice thing about pipe tabacco is all the great choices out there so it wouldn't bother me if I had avoid a certain kind.
Nicotine is a vaso-constrictor that's how it can cause migraines. The blood vessels of the brain constrict shutting off flow. That causes the intense pain, visual distortion and sensitivity to bright lights etc. I suffer from them but fortunately tobacco is not a trigger for me.

mluyckx · May 22, 2012

Am I seeing a trend here ?
Those that love the Lats seem to say "VA's... not so much".

Those that love the VA's (or VA/Per like me) seem to say "Lats.. not so much".
Nice to see there's enough of everything to go around for everyone. It's starting to sound like a "Scotch or Bourbon" conversation. ;-)
Off to contemplate this kernel of keen observational skills over a bowl of Escudo : puffy

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taerin · May 22, 2012

I never had issues with Latakia, nearly all my favorite blends contain it. I've had blends that burned featuring all types of tobacco including Latakia based blends and I've had VA based blends that didn't bite, I think it is really up to the skill of the blender to make something with low tongue bite. It seems more to do with differint grades/age of tobacco and their wetness than the actual type of tobacco used. Aged tobacco always seems to bite less. I do have to say though VA blends do tend to burn more than any other kind, I hear it's due to their higher than normal natural sugar content, which leads people to call VA's sweet.

tslex · May 22, 2012

Something may be seriously wrong with the Squadron Leader you are smoking.
If you send it to me I will conduct, er, destructive testing on it and advise. Of course, such testing need to be extensive to be of any value.

mluyckx · May 22, 2012

tslex: :rofl:
I only grabbed a little baggie out of the box with maybe a bowl or three in it. Knowing I have had these Lat issues in the past, I only grabbed small amounts to give it another shot. So it wouldn't meet your criterium of being "extensive" ;-)

judcole · May 22, 2012

Am I seeing a trend here ?
Those that love the Lats seem to say "VA's... not so much".

Those that love the VA's (or VA/Per like me) seem to say "Lats.. not so much".

I smoke 'em both. Don't care for Va/Pers, but love Virginias. Best Brown Flake - Red Ribbon - Hartwell Signature - yum.

Latakia... what's the deal ?

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