Well, it's quiet time in the UK again - just one post in the last hour. So, having endured two torrid clinical days I thought it might be time for another 'Flaky Wall of Text' for rothnh to wake up to! LOL.
It concerns 'ropes' - tobacco that has been flue cured before being 'twisted' into ropes. Whether the resultant ropes are 'Brown' or 'Black' depends on the length and degree of flue-smoke curing. Surprisingly, to me anyway, the lighter-cured Brown Ropes are MUCH stronger in nicotine than the Black Ropes (based on appearances alone the Black Ropes are much scarier, but in this case looks do indeed deceive lol).
The Brown Ropes need careful preparation and are not for the faint of heart! There have been a number of recent posts from brethren who are trying to kick the heavy nicotine 'smokeless' Skoal/Copehagen habit - IMHO smoking Brown Ropes may well give a big enough 'Nic-Kick' to help in the weaning-off process - in 12 years' heavy pipe smoking they are by far the most powerful tobaccos I have smoked LOL
So, I thought I would give what little I know of their history (HOPEFULLY AIDED BY ESOTERICA from MISTERLOWERCASE - Please?), then give my own experience and sources followed by a direct comparison of the qualities of an archetypal Brown Rope with its Black counterpart.
My 'ropy' history -
About 10 years ago I was in the local pipe shop picking up my usual Bulwark, Balkan and BB Flakes when a guy came in and asked for something that was cut off a huge, black, shiny snake-like thing. I was told it was "Black XX" and "not for wimps". I wish now that I had acted more manly and demanded a couple of inches!! LOL
It was only a couple of years ago, after lurking on the 'mysmokingshop' site and reading a little about the history of 'twists' and 'ropes' that I pulled the trigger. I'm mightily glad I did!
The history of Twists and Ropes -
I haven't found a lot written on them and I hope misterlowercase can help. It seems that Native Americans were the first to make twists out of tobacco leaves, but what is certain is that tobacco ropes were very popular among British sailors (and presumably their American and Scandinavian counterparts). Ropes are dense and easily portable - they would carry them on their person, cut off a piece, rub it out and stick it in their pipe. If that was not possible (work, weather etc) they would chew it!! Like with plugs, the idea of smoking tobacco as it was done in the distant past appealed to me enormously. So I bit the bullet, if not the rope itself!
My source -
I buy in bulk from "mysmokingshop" which has a wide range of SG (should be available stateside) and G&H ropes.
I have tried them all, but have avoided 'scented/aro' versions which, with the possible exception of the rum-flavoured articles, I feel sure would not have been smoked by sailors, even had they been available!
SG: Black XX Brown No4 Roll/Twist
G&H; Black Bogie Brown Bogie Black XXX Brown Irish
Others may disagree but IMO the variants on Brown ropes are based more on their size ('bore') rather than actual taste, and similarly with the Blacks. However when compared against each other the smoking qualities of the Browns are VERY different from the Blacks.
Below therefore I have compared the G&H Brown Bogie with the G&H Black Bogie which are similar in diameter:
BROWN BOGIE versus BLACK BOGIE
The pipes:
In each case a Peterson's Straightgrain Silver-mounted Sitter; one is reserved for my black ropes, which while unscented leave a very smoky ghost: the other for my brown ropes. They have medium-sized bowls. I don't think it sensible to smoke Brown Ropes in large bowls and I know these marvellous pipes very well!
The Ropes:
The Brown Bogie looks exactly like a perfectly whorled dog turd, with a slight oily sheen to it! Luckily it does not smell of very much at all. The Black Bogie is the same, but is as black and shiny as new pitch. Its nose is faintly of wood smoke, barbecued steak and creosote.
The preparation:
IMO this is VERY important. I no longer take any notice of the advice to slice the ropes into 'coins' and place these in the pipe to smoke - this give very unpredictable results and can ruin the experience.
After many experiments I now use a VERY sharp blade to cut ribbons that are as fine as I can manage. These I rub VERY gently - fluff them really - int a suitably-sized pile of ribbons.
The Black rope ribbons I leave on the prep board for a few minutes (cup of tea time) till they 'crisp up' a bit and are easy to introduce into the bowl, mainly by gravity with a medium finger tamp at the end. If you get this wrong, it will spoil your smoke - too light and you will need multiple re-lights; too firm and the ribbons will pack too hard, impede airflow and result in a lot of 'gardening' with the pick of your pipe tool.
The Brown rope ribbons need a bit more time on the board, not because drying makes for a better smoke, but it helps the bowl packing and tamping, as above.
The Smokes:
1. Brown Bogie - Prepared as above the light is easy. It starts off sweet, with almost no added flavour apart from the slightest hint of a smoky flue. And you think WHAT IS ALL THE FUSS ABOUT? This is mild, medium at most. Then about 10 mins in when the pipe is really going well, the smoke becomes richer and sweeter. Now it is time to SIP, show RESPECT as the nicotine begins to kick in! If you don't, unless you are a stronger man than me, you will be headed for the 'vomitorium' and will need to lie down in a dark room! LOL If you do it right though you will be treated to a wonderful smoke of strong Va. I would not suggest putting the pipe down for too long as the tobacco goes out easily, but a few re-lights is no penalty for such rewards.
This is the tobacco I reach for when I am looking for a 'smoke with poke!', usually last thing at night but sometimes to kick-start me in the morning.
2. Black Bogie - as above, except IMO these tobaccos are nowhere near as strong as they are made out to be. If the Brown Ropes are 'very strong' in my book, these are 'medium/strong'. From the outset the taste is SMOKY, like bonfires and BBQs. Five minutes later, the Va sweetness kicks in and the taste deepens; meaty! - some say it is like charred steak, I would go further and say it is exactly like the burned fat you get on a well-charred BBQ steak! There are no other tobaccos that IMO taste like this (although Revor Plug may be their little brother). The middle third is absolutely stunning.
Together with G&H Dark Flake/Plug, the Black Ropes are my favourite pre-bedtime smokes. If I'm on the last third, there is no way I will not finish the bowl - no matter what the exhortations from the bedroom!! LOL
So, if you are not familiar with ropes and want to smoke tobaccos as they were smoked by the ancient pipers, even before they got into Plugs, give them a try - they are an acquired taste but IMHO one well worth acquiring.
It concerns 'ropes' - tobacco that has been flue cured before being 'twisted' into ropes. Whether the resultant ropes are 'Brown' or 'Black' depends on the length and degree of flue-smoke curing. Surprisingly, to me anyway, the lighter-cured Brown Ropes are MUCH stronger in nicotine than the Black Ropes (based on appearances alone the Black Ropes are much scarier, but in this case looks do indeed deceive lol).
The Brown Ropes need careful preparation and are not for the faint of heart! There have been a number of recent posts from brethren who are trying to kick the heavy nicotine 'smokeless' Skoal/Copehagen habit - IMHO smoking Brown Ropes may well give a big enough 'Nic-Kick' to help in the weaning-off process - in 12 years' heavy pipe smoking they are by far the most powerful tobaccos I have smoked LOL
So, I thought I would give what little I know of their history (HOPEFULLY AIDED BY ESOTERICA from MISTERLOWERCASE - Please?), then give my own experience and sources followed by a direct comparison of the qualities of an archetypal Brown Rope with its Black counterpart.
My 'ropy' history -
About 10 years ago I was in the local pipe shop picking up my usual Bulwark, Balkan and BB Flakes when a guy came in and asked for something that was cut off a huge, black, shiny snake-like thing. I was told it was "Black XX" and "not for wimps". I wish now that I had acted more manly and demanded a couple of inches!! LOL
It was only a couple of years ago, after lurking on the 'mysmokingshop' site and reading a little about the history of 'twists' and 'ropes' that I pulled the trigger. I'm mightily glad I did!
The history of Twists and Ropes -
I haven't found a lot written on them and I hope misterlowercase can help. It seems that Native Americans were the first to make twists out of tobacco leaves, but what is certain is that tobacco ropes were very popular among British sailors (and presumably their American and Scandinavian counterparts). Ropes are dense and easily portable - they would carry them on their person, cut off a piece, rub it out and stick it in their pipe. If that was not possible (work, weather etc) they would chew it!! Like with plugs, the idea of smoking tobacco as it was done in the distant past appealed to me enormously. So I bit the bullet, if not the rope itself!
My source -
I buy in bulk from "mysmokingshop" which has a wide range of SG (should be available stateside) and G&H ropes.
I have tried them all, but have avoided 'scented/aro' versions which, with the possible exception of the rum-flavoured articles, I feel sure would not have been smoked by sailors, even had they been available!
SG: Black XX Brown No4 Roll/Twist
G&H; Black Bogie Brown Bogie Black XXX Brown Irish
Others may disagree but IMO the variants on Brown ropes are based more on their size ('bore') rather than actual taste, and similarly with the Blacks. However when compared against each other the smoking qualities of the Browns are VERY different from the Blacks.
Below therefore I have compared the G&H Brown Bogie with the G&H Black Bogie which are similar in diameter:
BROWN BOGIE versus BLACK BOGIE
The pipes:
In each case a Peterson's Straightgrain Silver-mounted Sitter; one is reserved for my black ropes, which while unscented leave a very smoky ghost: the other for my brown ropes. They have medium-sized bowls. I don't think it sensible to smoke Brown Ropes in large bowls and I know these marvellous pipes very well!
The Ropes:
The Brown Bogie looks exactly like a perfectly whorled dog turd, with a slight oily sheen to it! Luckily it does not smell of very much at all. The Black Bogie is the same, but is as black and shiny as new pitch. Its nose is faintly of wood smoke, barbecued steak and creosote.
The preparation:
IMO this is VERY important. I no longer take any notice of the advice to slice the ropes into 'coins' and place these in the pipe to smoke - this give very unpredictable results and can ruin the experience.
After many experiments I now use a VERY sharp blade to cut ribbons that are as fine as I can manage. These I rub VERY gently - fluff them really - int a suitably-sized pile of ribbons.
The Black rope ribbons I leave on the prep board for a few minutes (cup of tea time) till they 'crisp up' a bit and are easy to introduce into the bowl, mainly by gravity with a medium finger tamp at the end. If you get this wrong, it will spoil your smoke - too light and you will need multiple re-lights; too firm and the ribbons will pack too hard, impede airflow and result in a lot of 'gardening' with the pick of your pipe tool.
The Brown rope ribbons need a bit more time on the board, not because drying makes for a better smoke, but it helps the bowl packing and tamping, as above.
The Smokes:
1. Brown Bogie - Prepared as above the light is easy. It starts off sweet, with almost no added flavour apart from the slightest hint of a smoky flue. And you think WHAT IS ALL THE FUSS ABOUT? This is mild, medium at most. Then about 10 mins in when the pipe is really going well, the smoke becomes richer and sweeter. Now it is time to SIP, show RESPECT as the nicotine begins to kick in! If you don't, unless you are a stronger man than me, you will be headed for the 'vomitorium' and will need to lie down in a dark room! LOL If you do it right though you will be treated to a wonderful smoke of strong Va. I would not suggest putting the pipe down for too long as the tobacco goes out easily, but a few re-lights is no penalty for such rewards.
This is the tobacco I reach for when I am looking for a 'smoke with poke!', usually last thing at night but sometimes to kick-start me in the morning.
2. Black Bogie - as above, except IMO these tobaccos are nowhere near as strong as they are made out to be. If the Brown Ropes are 'very strong' in my book, these are 'medium/strong'. From the outset the taste is SMOKY, like bonfires and BBQs. Five minutes later, the Va sweetness kicks in and the taste deepens; meaty! - some say it is like charred steak, I would go further and say it is exactly like the burned fat you get on a well-charred BBQ steak! There are no other tobaccos that IMO taste like this (although Revor Plug may be their little brother). The middle third is absolutely stunning.
Together with G&H Dark Flake/Plug, the Black Ropes are my favourite pre-bedtime smokes. If I'm on the last third, there is no way I will not finish the bowl - no matter what the exhortations from the bedroom!! LOL
So, if you are not familiar with ropes and want to smoke tobaccos as they were smoked by the ancient pipers, even before they got into Plugs, give them a try - they are an acquired taste but IMHO one well worth acquiring.
