What Sequence Works Best?

hoosierpipeguy · Jan 30, 2018

I smoke 4 to 6 bowls per day. I generally start the day with coffee and a Virginia or lighter VaPer. I normally finish the day with something like Quiet Nights where the Oriental is more muted. It would be rare for me to smoke the same tobacco twice in the same day. I like variety and I'm also trying lots of different blends. Every now and then, I clearly get something out of order as the subsequent bowl is flat without much taste.
I think some tins are obvious. As an example, even though I'm not a heavy latakia lover, I would think smoking a heavy latakia blend could screw up the rest of my day.
What do you guys recommend as the best sequence for the day? What should one avoid smoking earlier in the day?
By the way, I prefer Virginias and VaPers. I mostly don't smoke aromatics. I don't like heavy latakia like squadron leader but enjoy Frog Moron and Charing Cross. I like Quiet Nights and Frog on the Town but can't handle Balkan Sobranie.

Chasing Embers · Jan 30, 2018

No right answer for that one. Smoke what interests you at the moment.

cortezattic · Jan 30, 2018

I usually start the day with VaPers. Straight Va flakes during the day, but something Burley-forward after a meal. If I can't make up my mind, I go with Vapers. I find that D&R's Rimboché AP satisfies my appetite under just about any circumstances. I'm not a Latakia guy.

madox07 · Jan 30, 2018

I am not a big fan of fixed rules, as far as what one should smoke followed by the next best thing in sequence type of recipes. Actually I frown upon that ... my life is revolving around a number of set rules, I don't need my hobby, which is meant to offer me pleasure and relaxation, to follow strict rules. I like the diversity in pipe smoking, and freedom to smoke as I please. My advice? Don't look for fixed rules, in my honest opinion it adds a level of useless stress to the habit. Whatever works for you, works for you, and don't let anybody tell you otherwise.

newbroom · Jan 30, 2018

Smoking different blends from one bowl to the next does provide contrast, but, some of us will suffer a decline in our abilities to taste after some with more pronounced flavoring like Lat or Perique.

I think most blends will be ok to switch up with, but there are some with higher %'s of these 'heavy' varietals that can play havoc with your buds.

In my mind, I think that burley is the best start to a smoking day, but I have no rule on that. I have been enjoying my VA blends so much more than ever before, this year, largely due to experience. Almost 4 yrs of it!

I don't typically smoke a Lat blend first thing in the morning. In fact, although I enjoy a Lat blend, I smoke them more sparingly than other blends. I'm talking about high % Lat blends, not those that contain just a smidgen.

For instance, Big 'n Burley has Lat in it, but that doesn't really show an obvious impact on the flavor, to ME.

Chasing Embers · Jan 30, 2018

Just woke up from what amounts to sleep with me, and starting the day with a Ben Wade freehand full of 1792 Flake. Yesterday I started with a 50/50 mix of Black Twist XX and ODF. Just depends on mood.

hawky454 · Jan 30, 2018

Try loading two pipes with two very different blends and plan out enough time to smoke both in one session, I call it, smoking in tandem. Start smoking one of the pipes until it gets warm and then set that one down and pick up the other pipe and continue doing this until they are both finished. The contrast of flavors between each pipe will really make the flavors POP! I like to do this with an English in one pipe and a VaPer in another but you’re welcome to choose any blends you like. I always smoke two pipes at a time as it keeps things interesting and I tend to achieve that “perfect smoke” almost every time. Have fun with it, it’s worth a shot.

cosmicfolklore · Jan 30, 2018

Yeh, I find that smoking from light to darker flavors helps keep from overwhelming my taste buds before smoking a lighter flavor. I start with an aromatic with my coffee, and then Virginias throughout my day (usually 5100) and then go to VaPers, and then something with a burley after dinner, and then something heavy in the nicotine before bed like a twist or a burley flake (something heavy, not like that weak-assed Solani stuff). And, if I smoke a latakia, it's later in the day, because I cannot taste a Virginia after a lot of dark fired or latakia. It just wipes out my taste buds.

I don't mind smoking the same straight Virginia back to back during the day.
Typically I smoke 12 or more bowls a day, but I have been cutting back a tad. But, as the days get longer I could smoke a lot more.

ray47 · Jan 30, 2018

I smoke heavy nicotine blends first thing in the morning to get my heart started, then gradually reduce the nic content during the day. By bedtime I'm smoking very mild blends because heavy nic blends keep me awake. That's just me, other pipe smokers do my routine in reverse. It's all very personal.

hoosierpipeguy · Jan 30, 2018

Lots of interesting answers and thoughts. Thanks.

btp79 · Jan 30, 2018

chasingembers

Just woke up from what amounts to sleep with me, and starting the day with a Ben Wade freehand full of 1792 Flake. Yesterday I started with a 50/50 mix of Black Twist XX and ODF. Just depends on mood.

That's how Chuck Norris would start his day if he smoked a pipe. That's pretty awesome.

derekflint · Jan 30, 2018

Light to heavy....

thesmokindragon · Jan 30, 2018

I like a little punch first thing in the AM with my coffee before I set out for the day, so GLP's JackKnife plug fits the bill. I then tend to lean for something with more complexity for my afternoon bowls so I switch over to something like C&D's Dreams of Kadath, GLP's Temple Bar, etc

cigrmaster · Jan 30, 2018

Mark, I start my day with a milder Virginia Flake such as Capstan Blue flake, Fribourg & Treyer Cut Virginia Plug, Astleys no 109. Then I move up the strength ladder as the day goes on. Examples are Wessex Brigade Campaign Dark Flake, Astleys no 44 Dark Flake, Sg Full Virginia Flake. Then I might go to a Vaper like Sg St James Flake, Dunhill Deluxe Navy Rolls. Next would be a Vabur such as Stonehaven, Mac Baren Old Dark Fired, Solani Silver Flake, . After that I could go for something stronger like Peterson Irish Flake or Perfect Plug. Sometimes I will smoke an aromatic after dinner, kind of like having desert with something sweet. Those would be Cult Blood Red Moon( yeah I know a cherry blend) but it is tasty. Other aromatics would be Sutliffe Molto Dolce or Vanilla Custard.
There are really no set rules here, smoke what you get a craving for and have fun.

sablebrush52 · Jan 30, 2018

It's tobacco, not sushi. Smoke what you feel like smoking when you feel like smoking it. Sometimes I'll decide to smoke a couple of blends whose flavors offer real contrast from one another because smoking contrasting blends, one after the other, really lets me focus on those flavors. Mostly I just smoke what I want, when I want. Water and a bit of apple is a great palate cleanser.

cosmicfolklore · Jan 30, 2018

The Bard does as the Bard wants, when the Bard so desires. : puffy

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What Sequence Works Best?

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