Pipes Magazine » Pipe Tobacco Discussion

1. 

   futureman
   

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   I now have two English blends: FMOTT and D's Nightcap (the latter acquired through a recent trade). I'm happy to have them both. Yet every time I light up a bowl, my experience is the same. It's not a single or one-dimensional experience. It involves stages:

   1. First few puffs: My God this is awful. You English lovers are nuts.
   2. As I settle in: OK. Not *too* bad. I can see why others like this leaf: smooth, cool burning, no bite, etc. But do I *like* it?
   3. Last half of the bowl: This stuff endures! And (with the Nightcap, anyway) I love the mellowing effects of the nicotine. But do I *like* it?

   After finishing a bowl, I'm left wondering if I'll give it another try. Funny thing is: I always do. I'm not sure if I'm *trying* to like it in spite of my aversion to its smell (and I'm not crazy about the taste, either), or whether I'm actually starting to like it.

   That's where things stand in my (thus far) finicky relationship to Latakia. So here is my question: did your love of English blends develop over time? Was it immediate? Don't ask me to send you my tins! Lady Latakia and I are still trying to work things out.

   Posted 4 months ago #
2. 

   nsfisher
   

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   hated it with a passion first time i tried it
   Larry's Blend (my opinion) far surpasses Frog series
   Now the only thing i want to smoke is lats

   Now i gotta larn how to reed and rite good

   Posted 4 months ago #
3. 

   mp31guitar
   

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   Same here. I find I cant part with the english I have. I still smoke it sometimes. You might like Distinguished Gentleman. It's a crossover blend (I think). I find it smokes quite nice.

   Posted 4 months ago #
4. 

   kamikazesasquatch
   

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   I could tolerate it at first. I like it a little bit more with every bowl though. I started off with Larry's blend which may have been a bit much. I'm doing some Balkans right now that are a bit easier on the lat and they just get better and better. Even have a pipe that I've decided to dedicate to lat bacs

   No, my name is spelled 'Luxury Yacht' but it's actually pronounced 'Throatwobbler Mangrove'.

   Posted 4 months ago #
5. 

   Mick
   

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   I have (maybe temporarily) ended my relationship with Lady Lat.... My mouth would be irritated each time i smoked FMOTT. But Ginny (aka Ms. Virginia) and Ms. Burley, accompanied by the lovely Cav are treating me just fine

   "The fact is, squire, the moment a man takes to a pipe, he becomes a philosopher. It's the poor man's friend; it calms the mind, soothes the temper, and makes a man patient under difficulties. It has made more good men, good husbands, kind masters, indulgent fathers, than any other blessed thing on this universal earth."
   -"Sam Slick, the clockmaker" aka T.C.Haliburton

   Posted 4 months ago #
6. 

   harrumphicus
   

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   I don't know how you can't like Latakia! I've found it to be delicious since my first smoke - makes everything else seem bland in comparison!

   Posted 4 months ago #
7. 

   baronsamedi
   

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   I took to Latakia like a duck to water, but I like strong tastes in general. The more medicinal the Scotch and the funkier the cheese and the darker the coffee, the more I like it. I started with EMP then quickly found H&H's Marquee Series and it was done. I was a Lat lover. I like Froggy on The Bayou, too.

   BTW, I'm not a badass, I'm just socially awkward. – BillyZoom

   Posted 4 months ago #
8. 

   yohanan
   

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   I "myself" have enjoyed Lat blends from the first time I tried them, But if you don't like lat blends or they dont agree with you, There are about as many blends to try today as there are blades of grass in an acre field that dont have any latakia. But on the same hand what you dont like today you may find that you absolutely love a year from now.

   Posted 4 months ago #
9. 

   nsfisher
   

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   harrumphicus;

   different strokes for different folks, is there a type of food u dont like to eat harrumphicus??? i myself live in the canadian maritimes, land of lobster lovers, my father was a comercial fisherman, as were most of my uncles on both my parents side, but u know what? I HATE LOBSTER. 95% of the maritime population luvs it and will gladly pay a fortune for it, and i wont accept it for free. Long story short, people have different tastes!

   O and BTW yuk, i'm not fond of Aniversary Kake but its suppose to be popular here lol

   Posted 4 months ago #
10. 

    baronsamedi
    

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    You can send all those lobsters to me. We're lobster deprived down here in Texas.

    Posted 4 months ago #
11. 

    Mick
    

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    +1 on the lobster depravity up here.

    I love the flavor, don't get me wrong. I like strong coffee, Lagavullin orLaphroaig, love porters and dark beers. Hey, my kids even complain on occasion I use the spice rack too liberally (although they all show up when I cook..we had 12 at the dinner table again yesterday).... But the Lat just doesn't work for me. I may try again in a year or so.

    Posted 4 months ago #
12. 

    DonGreyface
    

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    Does FMOTB have latakia? I know the other ones do, but it's not mentioned on that one. If it does, then I tried some the other night and loved it....if not....I'll have to wait to open one of my other FM tins to try some.(Or at least I don't think I've ever tried it in any other tobacco before)

    Please allow me to adjust my pants,
    so that I may dance the good time dance,
    and put all the on-lookers and inocent bystanders into a trance.

    Posted 4 months ago #
13. 

    Mick
    

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    Tobacco reviews says it does ?

    http://tobaccoreviews.com/blend_detail.cfm?ALPHA=F&TID=1788

    Posted 4 months ago #
14. 

    nsfisher
    

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    i luv the Lat so much so that larrys blend is becomin to mild in lat for me now. i have an order of american patriot in mail from sterlings now. Its said to be heavy in lat so i hope.

    Posted 4 months ago #
15. 

    thesmokindragon
    

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    Ah the Dark-Side...JOIN US!
    

    Posted 4 months ago #
16. 

    nsfisher
    

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    i smoked alot of junk and some good baccy over the last 15 yrs or so. but when i light baccy heavy with latikia i always inhale first few puffs an i git a feelin of serenity. kinda like when i leave the driveway with the bike and run tru the first couple of gears

    Posted 4 months ago #
17. 

    loneredtree
    

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    I loved it from the first puff. It must be the memory of camp fires past. If ever I am rich, I will hire someone to smoke it when I can't.

    There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable. Mark Twain
    
    “Very few people are focusing on the potential damage this ill-conceived and hastily assembled homage to the ability of bureaucrats to conceive of all manner of problems where problems don't exist then apply solutions to those problems that only create new problems without solving the original problems at all will bring to many sectors.

    Posted 4 months ago #
18. 

    zanthal
    

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    I see your schwartz is as big as mine, dragon

    Oh and if you like a full bodied, strong tasting yet consistently smooth Latakia blend, try SHPC Great Hiatus.

    "Under all speech that is good for anything, there lies a silence that is better. Silence is deep as eternity; speech is shallow as time."
    
    Thomas Carlyle

    Posted 4 months ago #
19. 

    juni
    

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    I gave up on it but there are so many other great blends I don't feel I'm missing out on anything.

    Posted 4 months ago #
20. 

    Jud
    

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    I've been smoking latakia so long, I don't remember what my first reaction was.

    I personally find that I need oriental/balkan tobaccos with my lat. Likewise, I need latakia with my orientals. I recently got some Altadis Heavy English, that was heavy on the lat but very light on the orientals, if indeed there were any at all. Smoked maybe 1/2 of my 1 oz package before setting it aside. Later, trying the African Queen from Altadis, which has no lat, but lots of orientals, I made ti through 2 bowls before deciding I missed the lat too much. I tossed the two together, shook the bag up, and intend to let it all marry for a couple of weeks before I see what I came up with.

    Thought in the early morning, solace in time of woes,
    Peace in the hush of the twilight, balm ere my eyelids close
    Rudyard Kipling

    Posted 4 months ago #
21. 

    baronsamedi
    

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    FMOTB is a Balkan with some Latakia but it isn't overpowering to me.

    Posted 4 months ago #
22. 

    jpberg
    

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    I tried my first latakia blend,Nightcap, in 1986, and was overwhelmed to the point of not liking it. I was 18 years old, had been smoking pipes for a few months, and my taste buds just weren't ready for something that foreign. I'm always surprised when hearing of people who like latakia from the first puff.

    Posted 4 months ago #
23. 

    Brewshooter
    

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    When I first started smoking, someone sent me a few samples, included among them was not only 1792 Flake, but also Penzance. I know, the man was a maniac!! Anyway, from my first puff, I loved that Penzance. Early on however, I did tend to experience a bitter/soapy bite with latakia blends which I don't get as much now that I'm used to them. Kind of like cilantro, when I was a kid it tasted like soap to me and I hated it. Now I love the stuff, but I've always loved latakia.

    Posted 4 months ago #
24. 

    unclearthur
    

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    With me Latakia was love at first puff. I know a lot of folks though that just plain don't like it. Whatever works!

    If at first you don't succeed you are running about average.

    Posted 4 months ago #
25. 

    iowamike
    

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    I loved Lats from the get go.... but not Penzance belive it or not.
    Plenty of different tobacco out there if you don't like lats.

    Posted 4 months ago #
26. 

    winton
    

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    Yet to find a Lat blend that I really enjoy. Saving the blends that I have now, since tastes change.

    Winton

    Posted 4 months ago #
27. 

    hnryclay
    

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    I first found Latakia with Dunhill Nightcap. I was 18, and I thought the tin looked cool. That first tin lasted about a month, it was a eye opening experience! I moved on to Frog Morton, then 965, and although I have smoked a lot of different blends in the 14 years since I keep coming back to the 965. Currently I am enjoying some blends from a local B&M with some internet exposure Milan Tobacconists. They have an English blend "King's Ransom" which is smooth and delicious. You just cannot beat an English blend in an English pipe.

    Posted 4 months ago #
28. 

    lordofthepiperings
    

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    I'm still not impressed with Latakia. Had a bit of Old Dublin, and that blend made me puke. So I put Latakia off. Picked up a tin of Plumcake recently, which has a bit of Syrian Latakia in it, and still don't like the taste. For me Latakia seems too bitter. Don't like the whole "earthy" smell and taste. Much prefer Virginia, Burley, and Cavendish blends or some combination thereof.

    Posted 4 months ago #
29. 

    kennerth
    

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    I am developing a taste for FMOTT. Before that I took the strongest blend in San Antonio (Balkan Texas) and mixed it 50/50 with Black vanilla cavidish. It is great!

    Posted 4 months ago #
30. 

    jameral
    

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    My first baccy with Latakia was C&D Billy Budd. When I lit up my first bowl, having only smoked aros up to that point, it smelled to me like the south end of a horse trotting north. I thought to myself, how can so many people like this stuff? As bad as it was for me at first I found myself going back for more. Then I tried Frog Morton and now I can't get enough of the stuff and aros have definately taken a back seat in my rotation.

    Know your limits but always push the envelope.
    
    I don't trust air I can't see.

    Posted 4 months ago #
31. 

    juvat270
    

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    Like Uncle Arthur stated, it was love at first puff for me as well!

    Right now I'm working my way through a tin of C&D's Bow-Legged Bear and loving it. It is by far the strongest blend, flavor wise, that I have ever smoked. Each puff is a cornucopia of flavors that will straighten your pubes and curl your toes!

    The other blend I'm currently enjoying is C&D's DaVinci. This blend is like 75% latakia but not as intense as Bow-Legged Bear and a bit one dimensional because of the amount of latakia in it. But still enjoyable smoke.

    Posted 4 months ago #
32. 

    smokenscotch
    

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    I really loved it from the first smoke. Perhaps coming from Cigar smoking (still do on occasion), I enjoy the smokey flavour. I always say, smoke what you like and enjoy. I hope one day it comes around for you, but if not, don't worry, enjoy different blends.

    Posted 4 months ago #
33. 

    salewis
    

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    I have liked latakia blends from the get go. One of the first blends that I ever smoked was the Tinder Box Philosopher blend that was a heavy full balkan blend. Today, GLP Westminister is a blend in my regular rotation and I would classify this blend as an all day medium english blend that is complex yet the virginia and orientals always shine through. For those that light a heavier latakia blend try GLP Abingdon which I would easily classify as a full balkan yet easy on the pallet without too much nicotine.

    Posted 4 months ago #
34. 

    clanobucklin
    

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    Like many Folks - I started off with Aromatics and then "Graduated" to English with Latakia in the blends. For many years that is all I smoked - English - not Aros. However, when Esoterica came out with "So to Bed" I found myself slowly moving back to Aros. Now I enjoy it all for what they are and what my mood is in for. I usually start off my day with an Aro and move towards a stout English blend before retiring. Some times I feel like smoking something sweet after dinner and it's another Aro or Crossover.

    Posted 4 months ago #

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