The learning process

Well, I started piping about 7 years ago. Kinda fumbled around with it and didn’t really get into the “groove”. Burnt tongue, overheated pipes, smoking too fast making everything I tried taste like burnt ashes. Anyway, ended up moving to a different state and pipes went into storage.
Fast forward to about 6 months ago and I decided it was time to knock the dust off my pipes and get them all cleaned up. I have about a dozen pipes, mostly Stanwells and Petersons. Now that I’m all settled in, I was able to devote more time and research to the cleaning process, rotating pipes, tobaccos, tobacco storage and most importantly, smoking techniques.
Well, thanks to this forum, I’ve been able to refine my smoking techniques and most important lesson learned was to SLOW the heck down. Once I learned the proper way to “sip” most tobaccos it’s like I was reborn! For the first time I was amazed at how different the taste and experience is when taking it nice and slow. I still need to work on cadence as I have a tendancy to be a constant puffer so even sipping gets the bowl a little warmer than I like. Practice, practice.
One thing I don’t do is make a big deal out of packing techniques. 99% of the time it’s a simple gravity, 2 stage pack and I’ll adjust with a tamper as I go. Seems to be working well as I’m experiencing that “perfect” bowl much more these days. Small puffs while tamping, priceless.
Anyway, I’m sure I’ll be learning much more and looking forward to it. This forum is an absolute gold mine. Thanks everyone and looking forward to being here for a long time. Headed to the back porch to finish a bowl of Pirate Kake. I absolutely love me some Latakia.

Thanks for the reply Cortez.
Yes for sure have been exploring several different blends. Naturally I started with aromatics but am really enjoying the english blends. Current favorites are Shepards Pie, a Frog Morton copy offered by The Country Squire. GL Pease Quiet Nights. The popular Dunhills: Nightcap, early Morning Pipe. I actually find mixing the two 50/50 to be ecxellent. Unfortunately Dunhill going away but there’s obviously much more out there. Been trying some flake, cake and coin tobaccos recently. University Flake, Escudo, Junkyard Dawg to name a few.
Since I learned how to slow down and actually taste the tobacco, I really enjoying this period of discovery and experimentation.
I’ve recently started blending different tobaccos with tremendous success. Nightcap/Early Morning Pipe and 1-Q/BCA my current favorites.

Yes npod. Exactly! Like a whole different world.

Oops. Just read rule #9. Sorry, forgot to capitalize the subject line.

I hear you dethmutt
I also like big clouds of smoke. So far the only tobacco I can puff on like crazy is Lane BCA. Black Cavendish aromatic that absolutely refuses to bite. Lot’s of fun and one of the only tobaccos I’ve found that tastes a lot like it smells in the tin.
Mostly like to slow down with a good English blend and try to pick out the complexities and individual components. Much fun and very relaxing.