Virginias and a Happy Tongue

minfarshaw · Sep 17, 2014

It's been an interesting week. I haven't touched any of my aromatics since I decided to try Mississippi River again. Not just that, OGS is awesome. So is Orlik Club Mixture, Morning Pipe and Night Cap. Best part of all, I can smoke more because I don't have any tongue bite. I am loving all these blends. I did smoke the OGS a little to fast on an empty stomach and paid for it for a few hours. That stuff is so good with Chamomile Tea. I think the Club Mixture was my discovery of the month from the PTOMC.
Interesting, I thought I didn't like Virginias but now I am gravitating towards them. I'm so glad I didn't get rid of those blends last month.

minfarshaw · Sep 17, 2014

I agree with you on the throat irritation. I did feel that this morning. I chalked it up to leaving the window open last night. Nope.

cosmicfolklore · Sep 18, 2014

I definitely taste the acids in Virginias. But, to me it's like the acidity in Mountain Dew, tingly but not overwhelming. I tend to drink fruit juices with mine, because it really washes my palate and the tartness compliments the flavors to me. It's not a true bite to me, because after I've finished the bowl, I'm fine. However, I have overdone it and ended up with a bit of an acid scald. I think the key is knowing when too much is too much.
Also, after smoking a lot of Virginias and VaPers, if I go back to an aromatic or strong burly, the alkalinity will burn me. If I smoke a burley, I really gargle with Biotene or I only smoke it first thing in the morning. YMMV
Welcome to Virginia country. There are a lot of different cuts and flakes to try. Come on in, join in the fun, the water's warm. : puffy

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minfarshaw · Sep 18, 2014

Thanks! I am seriously trying not to order any more tobacco but I am eyeing the Peter Stokkebye bullseye flake and escudo. Maybe next month.

cosmicfolklore · Sep 18, 2014

Just my opinion, but I wouldn't recommend ordering those two at the same time. They are very very similar, and you might get burned out with that one style of perique use. If I may, I would suggest ordering Escudo and maybe H&H Anniversary Cake, GLP's Telegraph Hill, or Former's Straight Grain. Escudo is spicy and the other three are used to sweeten the Virginia, a sweetened spice. If you think of perique as cinnamon, Escudo would be heavy like the way cinnamon is used in a Red Hot or Fire Ball (but Escudo is not overwhelming at all), and just a touch of cinnamon can sweeten bread, as in a honey bun or cinnamon roll. The other three are light and sweet tangy.

If you are going to explore the mountain, you want a variety of rocky trails and woodland trails. Get a variety. Just my 2 cents. I hope that helps.

newbroom · Sep 18, 2014

Thanks! I am seriously trying not to order any more tobacco but I am eyeing the Peter Stokkebye bullseye flake and escudo. Maybe next month.

I think you and I have started pipes about the same time, but you started with aros, and I started with, well, I started with roll your own cigarette tobacco, but got hip to real tobacco quickly.

As a cigarette smoker (no more) I gravitated to natural tobacco flavors. VaPas, OTC Burley in the form of PA and SWR, LBE, Escudo, McClelland's 2015, Pease's JKP, and recently PS LNF.

These are all fine smokes and for the money, the LNF is my pick. For the absolute best taste in the lot, Escudo works. There's a lot of nic in most of these so you gotta take it easy.

My beverages range throughout the day, starting with a couple cups of coffee, switching to hot tea, attempting to add a glass of water about every 2 or 3 hours, and finishing off with wine. Lately, BlackBox Pino Grigio seems to go nicely.

eightywon · Sep 18, 2014

Sounds like sound advice Cosmic, as per usual.

antbauers · Sep 18, 2014

I love a bowl with some coffee but especially tea. Such a great combination. And they definitely help your tongue during the smoke, making it happy lol. Glad you kept the VAs. With all blends I initially don't like, I'll revisit them later. I end up enjoying it and like you, I was glad I didn't get rid of them. Not sure if its because the blend is a little aged, drier or just my taste buds but I think it's a good practice to get the best experience.

woodsroad · Sep 18, 2014

Man, I misread the title of this post. I thought "Finally, a thread topic that a woman can enjoy"

newbroom · Sep 18, 2014

ba'dumpt da!

minfarshaw · Sep 18, 2014

Hahah, I knew it! Dirty, dirty. No tongue bite definitely helps in that department.

minfarshaw · Sep 18, 2014

Cosmic,

That's a good point regarding variety. I like the idea of using perineum to sweeten a blend. I have more to add to my list.

cosmicfolklore · Sep 18, 2014

perineum

Is that a Freudian slit, I mean slip?

minfarshaw · Sep 18, 2014

Hahahahah! I think I need glasses. Yes it was a Freudian Slit.... I mean slip. @&$) autocorrect.

derfargin · Sep 18, 2014

Yeah...kiss the aromatic's goodbye, you've been hooked.

toadshade · Sep 18, 2014

I did smoke the OGS a little to fast on an empty stomach and paid for it for a few hours.

I started pipe smoking again after a long layoff. Back then Virginia's were my favorite so I smoke my first bowl of Dunhill Flake and got sick as a dog and questioned whether or not I need to start this gain. Then I learned I have to break my mouth and body into smoking again. So I went through about 10 days of a nasty taste in my mouth with none of the tobacco tasting good. Finally, a few days ago, I smoked a full slow bowl of OGS and was back in pipe heaven. Now they all taste great!! Eureka!
The Jubilant Toad

mrenglish · Sep 18, 2014

One thing I have found with VAs is to let them dry quite a bit before smoking. Not crispy dry but maybe just a few steps above that. If its too moist, that tongue bite could, in part, be due to the steam from the tobacco.
I've also found that the darker VAs tend to have much less bite than the brighter VAs.
Welcome to the VA world. A good VA can offer much more complexity and depth than aromatics or even English blends.

crazypipe · Sep 18, 2014

Here's a nice one to try : puffy

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phil67 · Sep 18, 2014

I think it's only natural for a beginner to start out with aromatics. After all, they smell fantastic! The problem is that they do not convey that taste, but more often than not end up being nothing more than a vapid hot air with a terrific room note. If I want a nice smelling 'room note' I can simply light up a scented candle. It took me sometime to realize that before I took the plunge into non-aro's. If I hadn't I would have probably given up pipe smoking a long time ago, but be that as it may and that's just my perspective on aro's and whatever pleases and satisfies one with their pipe smoking experience is all that matters.
As for Va's and Va-Per's it's all a give and take on my part and what I'm in the mood for. Sometimes they can be a pure delight and at other times not so much so. It can take time to realize just what your in the mood for, and even then at times I'm somewhat disappointed, but never overly so. Matter of fact, I often end up my day/evening of pipe smoking with a bowl of PA mixed with about 10% of I-Q which is about as close as I come to smoking an aro any more. As for Mississippi River, although I hate Latakia, I somehow strangely love this blend and it will not bite if you fired it up with an acthylyne torch! :wink:

Virginias and a Happy Tongue

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