What I've been told . . .

jcberne · Feb 27, 2014

that one should only smoke a specific blend of tobacco from one pipe and one pipe only.
I've been using, different blends in different pipes. Yes, I clean them between each smoke. I've been told that a pipe will acclimate to a blend eventually - and that even after cleaning - introducing a new blend to a pipe will alter the taste.
With my personal tests, I've not experienced much alteration in taste from pipe to pipe, and blend to blend. I can still taste the difference - so. Is this bunk? Or is this based on research?
Thanks, all.
Joe

Perique · Feb 27, 2014

Lots of controversy on this. For me, I've found that I lose the subtle flavors of straight Virginia flakes if I smoke them in a pipe usually used for VaPers, let alone Latakia blends. I have also found that smoking a Virginia or VaBur in a pipe used for aromatics makes for a big difference in flavor. So I dedicate pipes to styles of blend.

cosmicfolklore · Feb 27, 2014

It's researched and mandated by law :wink:
There are several (many) articles on this on this site, with many ways of doing it. Some have different pipes for each blend, or each genre. Some only ever use one pipe for everything. Some have favorites for specific pipes, etc... As many ways of doing it as their are pipe people.
Me, I mostly smoke Virginias and VaPers, so I have 90% of my pipes devoted to that genre. I will also smoke Turkish, burleys, and some orientals in them also (without latakia). I have three pipes for lat blends, which hardly ever get used. And, I have two aromatic pipes that I use for date nights. She has her favorite blends, and as long as she encourages me to smoke them, I will.
Others will share their methods with you, I'm sure. But, take a look through the articles on here. There are a bunch on the how and whys of rotations and devoting certain pipes.

woodsroad · Feb 27, 2014

With my personal tests, I've not experienced much alteration in taste from pipe to pipe, and blend to blend. I can still taste the difference

And therein, Sir, lies your answer.
Oh, Berne Boy

The Pipes, the Pipes are calling

From Blend to Blend

And deep down the Cellaring Slide

It's new, it's new

Has come and I must buy

sallow · Feb 27, 2014

I have found that there are benefits to pipe dedication to specific blends, even in the short term.
I have also found some pipes that taste the same no matter what I smoke in them. These are usually old, well seasoned pipes. I look forward to these.
I prefer to let the pipe pick the blend.

fadingdaylight · Feb 27, 2014

In the end, its whatever works for you. Right now, I have 3 pipes. I have noticed that the english/lat blends tend to ghost, so I have been keeping those to one pipe. I smoke everything else from the other two. That said, I should be recieving my next pipe tomorrow, and Im thinking it will be dedicated to VAs.

smeigs · Feb 27, 2014

I smoke what I want, whenever I want, in anything I want.

tuold · Feb 28, 2014

The thing is, if you really want to enjoy a nice toasty English blend and you end up tasting peach or cherry with it, you may not be as happy. Maybe you will....

mso489 · Feb 28, 2014

To dedicate pipes or not is a perennial question. I don't get much carryover, ghosting, or I don't taste it,

and if and when I do, it doesn't bother me. I have a lot of pipes in rotation (not compared to some...) so

that probably limits ghosting to a degree. But if you taste the difference, and it improves your smoke,

I'd do it, absolutely. I do dedicate inasmuch as I tend to like big, complex blends, English and aro, in

wider bowls like pots, authors, and a prince, and sometimes Virginias seem to do much better in slightly

smaller bowls like bulldogs and Rhodesians. But I'm not strict about it, and if I want an English blend in

a bulldog, I just do it. Some folks love to designate and have a better experience doing it.

brdavidson · Feb 28, 2014

I'm not very scientific in my approach. I try to figure out what I want to smoke then I look for a pipe that's calling my name that day. Some weeks its the same pipe every day, other weeks its a new one each day. I do tend to group my English blends but even that is not hard and fast. Stuff and puff my friend.

salewis · Feb 28, 2014

The idea is to not make it too complex of an issue whether to rotate or not. Usually, pipers dedicate their pipes to either Virginia, English and aromatic blends. In the Virginia pipes pipers usually switch off among only Virginia blends and if they are like me and I believe that they are the pipers may smoke five or maybe ten different Virginia blends in the pipes dedicated to Virginias, similar with English blends you get the idea.
Certainly, you can un-dedicate a Virginia pipe on your rotation and turn it into an English pipe; do this it will take several bowls of English tobacco to convert a pipe to another tobacco genre.
Finally, do not sweat this pipe rotation thing if you have less than five pipes. Pipe smoking is supposed to be a fun hobby and a little experimentation yields a lot of experience.

mrenglish · Feb 28, 2014

For years I had a pipe that I smoked nothing but Pembroke in. Definitely ghosted but it never failed to provide an outstanding smoke. I would also recommend just dedicating pipes to types of tobaccos, VA/VAPER, English, etc. as this method seems to work the best. Pretty much was salewis said above I have found to be way. It's definitely harder to change a English pipe to VA and aromatics are really difficult to cross over. You do get some nice smokes by occasionally smoking a VA in an English pipe. I am rambling.

aquilas · Feb 28, 2014

If you have the pipes (or the deep wallets) to dedicate, go for it. You might notice things with certain blends that you would not have noticed before when sharing pipes.
I don't dedicate (except for one pipe to Mississippi River) my pipes and it's never failed to give me a great and tasty smoke.
Just go with how you feel like you want to experience your smoking.

phil67 · Feb 28, 2014

Starting out I wouldn't give it any concern whatsoever as smoking a pipe should be relaxing and not a scientific endeavor. Don't worry about the small, and or possible/supposed nuances of pipe smoking as more likely than not you'll never encounter or notice them. Then again, I have the taste buds of a snake albeit I can't stomach the taste of Latakia. I think I'd much rather shave my head with a cheese grater while chewing on a raw chicken liver. But, that's just me and I'm 'somewhat' new to pipe smoking (long story)and perhaps down the road I'll fully enjoy it. Bottom line... don't let the all of the 'small' things that you read bother you and obsess about them. Just take your pipe(s) that you have, place whatever tobacco you wish to smoke in them and relax. After time you, and only you, will then be able to ascertain as to whether you can differentiate any supposed 'ghost' taste in your pipes. Just fill them up with whatever, smoke them, and relax.

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