I Need Some Advice With Tasting The Tobacco

[silky]

I smoked my first ever bowl at school with a friend. I could only feel a bit of chocolate hint the last few puffs.
2 days ago I tried smoking my MacBaren Supreme Choice, however I wasn't able to taste any cherry. (friend says it tastes great)

Could anyone help me understand how to 'fix' my taste buds? Haha.

Thanks for any advice!


EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title

 

[lukasstrifeson]

I think some time of YouTube might solve your problem. If you're new to all this, it could be your smoking (puffing vs "sipping" vs whatever they wanna call it) technique is not quite there yet. If I had one piece of advise for when I was starting out it would be "you have no idea what slowly and softly means until you're trying to smoke a pipe for taste".

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

A lot of these aromatics smell like the flavoring is strong but the smoking flavor is subdued. Also try a retrohale or at least a French inhale to enhance the flavor.

 

[silky]

A lot of these aromatics smell like the flavoring is strong but the smoking flavor is subdued. Also try a retrohale or at least a French inhale to enhance the flavor.

Yes, nice.. I just found out about retrohaling on youtube. Thanks man!

 

[brian64]

3 points to focus on would be:

1. Dry the tobacco out before loading your pipe. To begin with, get it bone dry...especially until you get proficient with your cadence and packing technique. After that you can experiment a little more with moisture levels depending on the blend.

2. Don't pack too tight or too loose...and try to load it evenly.

3. Only "puff" on the pipe when lighting...otherwise just focus on breathing through your nose without drawing in through your mouth...this should create just enough of a draw into your mouth by itself...with only occasionally sipping very lightly and tamping lightly if it's starting to go out.

 

[silky]

3 points to focus on would be:

1. Dry the tobacco out before loading your pipe. To begin with, get it bone dry...especially until you get proficient with your cadence and packing technique. After that you can experiment a little more with moisture levels depending on the blend.

2. Don't pack too tight or too loose...and try to load it evenly.

3. Only "puff" on the pipe when lighting...otherwise just focus on breathing through your nose without drawing in through your mouth...this should create just enough of a draw into your mouth by itself...with only occasionally sipping very lightly and tamping lightly if it's starting to go out.

Ok so, I only sip when lighting and when i put in my mouth to draw I breathe in with nose trough mouth? SO thats what i been doing wrong.. THANKS!

 

[saintpeter]

"Flavored" pipe tobacco is often confusing to not only new, but long term pipe smokers. The flavor does not present itself in a fashion we might expect. Cherry (or any flavoring or topping) just normally does not taste like popping the fresh fruit in your mouth and chowing down. So your taste buds might not be at fault - just the expectations.

 

[olkofri]

Careful here, though: aromatics don't like to be dried too much: they lose flavour. I wouldn't let them get to bone dry. Englishes and VaPers (nothing to do with 'vaping') and others, sure, let them go quite dry.

What Brian described in point #3 is the famous 'breath method'. Feel free to try it, but it doesn't work for everyone (it doesn't for me).

Don't fret too much. If you're just starting out your mouth will have to undergo a natural period of getting used to tobacco. Tongue bite is to be expected. This is all normal. Eventually things will settle and you'll be tasting all kinds of things.

 

[brian64]

I forgot to add #4:

4. Pipe smokers agree on very little. The more replies you get to this thread the more confused you'll probably be.
If you stick with it you'll eventually find what works for you. Good luck!

 

[didimauw]

Smoke the pipe, like you are trying to sneak a smoke in your parents brand new bedroom. Gently and barely any smoke.

The first time I smoked in my wife's new lease vehicle, I got the best taste of a tobacco I've been smoking non stop for a year or so. Because even though she knew I was doing it, I pretended like I was hiding it from her. And it was a different experience.

 

[Casual]

It took a couple of weeks for my palate to adjust to taste anything other than cigarettish smoke. And the first ones to come through well were Englishes. Aromatics took a while longer.

 

[warren]

We all might add, not knowing you or, the condition of your "tasters", as your friend is tasting and you are not, see a doctor and get a professional opinion.

 

[Stickmaker1958]

I just received one of those battle blends where you try 2 different brands but the same flavor profile and do a review. So I tried C&D’s black cherry. The smell from the bag is crap nasty something to scrape off your shoe....I let it dry in a dish most of the day. Smoked it and there’s not one hint of cherry or any thing. Just tasted like a non descriptive tobacco. I’ll try the other battle blend tomorrow and hope it’s better.

 

[Stickmaker1958]

I just received one of those battle blends where you try 2 different brands but the same flavor profile and do a review. So I tried C&D’s black cherry. The smell from the bag is crap nasty something to scrape off your shoe....I let it dry in a dish most of the day. Smoked it and there’s not one hint of cherry or any thing. Just tasted like a non descriptive tobacco. I’ll try the other battle blend tomorrow and hope it’s better.

Lane’s Dark Red, nice berry smell out of the bag. Just no taste and will not stay light.
I do believe I’m done with most aromatics. No bad after taste at least that’s good. And I left it out to dry for about 5 hours..

Would not recommend or buy these two blends again

 

[Stickmaker1958]

"Flavored" pipe tobacco is often confusing to not only new, but long term pipe smokers. The flavor does not present itself in a fashion we might expect. Cherry (or any flavoring or topping) just normally does not taste like popping the fresh fruit in your mouth and chowing down. So your taste buds might not be at fault - just the expectations.

Excellent advice! Wish I had read this before I bought the aromatics.

 

[mso489]

I sure wouldn't want to fix my taste buds. It sounds like you are overthinking this. You might or might not like lobster, but you wouldn't fix your taste buds over them. Try 'em, see if you like 'em, try something else. This is about you and your taste buds enjoying the blend. If not cherry, then vanilla or something without flavors for the good tobacco flavors themselves. You want to have a good experience, good taste, good fragrance. It pleases you, you don't please it.

 

[mso489]

Uh ... "first ever bowl at school with a friend...." How old are you? If you're younger than 21, you might want to give this a few more years to see if you want to smoke. Don't hurry things.

 

[olkofri]

Lane’s Dark Red, nice berry smell out of the bag. Just no taste and will not stay light.
I do believe I’m done with most aromatics. No bad after taste at least that’s good. And I left it out to dry for about 5 hours..

Would not recommend or buy these two blends again

You need to try quality aromatics; stuff like Sillem's Black and/or Blue, Dan's SVH, MB's Vanilla Cream, just to name a few. I don't bother with OTCs, and I find most of Lane's offerings to be subpar.

 

[cshubhra]

You put this very nicely. I could not, so I never replied.

+1 to your post

Uh ... "first ever bowl at school with a friend...." How old are you? If you're younger than 21, you might want to give this a few more years to see if you want to smoke. Don't hurry things.

 

[WebsterDitty]

I sure wouldn't want to fix my taste buds. It sounds like you are overthinking this. You might or might not like lobster, but you wouldn't fix your taste buds over them. Try 'em, see if you like 'em, try something else. This is about you and your taste buds enjoying the blend. If not cherry, then vanilla or something without flavors for the good tobacco flavors themselves. You want to have a good experience, good taste, good fragrance. It pleases you, you don't please it.

Rubber comes to mind when I think of my parents giving me my first taste of shrimp and lobster. Try match lighting a smaller portion of the tobacco in the top of your bowl.