Why The Dislike For Latakia?

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Kingsley

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 16, 2020
278
1,879
25
PA
I accidentally stuck myself in the situation of having nothing but SPC’s Plum Pudding Special Reserve to smoke for about four months early on last year, so, naturally, after that experience I don't personally feel overdose is the wrong word for it.
 

pantsBoots

Lifer
Jul 21, 2020
2,132
7,517
Terra Firma
It took me a while to "get it," but I love the stuff, especially when used in a condimental amount such as in Robert Lewis Orcilla Mixture and Presbyterian.

As for why folks don't like it, you'd have to ask those whom you see self-identify as latakia-haters.
 

ChuckMijo

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 26, 2020
775
2,348
When I first started smoking a pipe I smoked mostly English and of course that had a lot of it in there. And as I tried different blends I slowly began to not enjoy its heaviness, the smokeyness of it became cloying to me. at least for a everyday smoke. I don’t dislike it, I just need to be in the mood to have it.
 

hauntedmyst

Lifer
Feb 1, 2010
4,006
20,750
Chicago
I love the stuff! Latakia has a lot of testosterone in it. Not a lot of guys can handle the extra shot, not like us real men. I think they are the kind of guys who look at Pomeranian in a handbag and think it's in the same family as a real dog. Probably the same guys who watch Dancing with The Stars instead of Deadliest Catch. The same kind of guys who go to a brunch buffet, see that glorious tray of bacon and say "No, that's to heavy for me. I want some Arugula and sprouts!" And after they are done eating, they get in their Prius and drive to their net neutral energy home.

Ah, who am I kidding, I don't know why anyone doesn't like it. To be honest, you couldn't get me on one of those boats in the Bering Sea and I am probably one T level away from becoming ice dancer Johnny Weir so what do I know? Except now I am thinking about that tray of crispy bacon.
 

tschiraldi

Lifer
Dec 14, 2015
1,813
3,555
55
Ohio
When I came back to pipes, I REALLY got into Latakia, English & Balkan blends. I started with light Latakia blends, but I found myself chasing the flavor. It was like Heroin! Before I knew it, I was smoking Lat bombs exclusively, things like Gas Light and 10 Russians. I couldn't get enough! Then, overnight, I couldnt stand the taste or smell of them. It's like that one tequila night... you know what I'm talking about. Haven't been able to touch the stuff since.
 

olkofri

Lifer
Sep 9, 2017
8,033
14,644
The Arm of Orion
Hyping something is a sure fire way to make someone hate it.

Latakia. Sigh. The stuff is not bad in itself, though it's not the bomb either. But when people start pompously going around on fora calling themselves real smokers and 'connoisseurs' because they smoke nothing but English blends whilst at the same time snubbing aromatics and those who smoke them as 'kiddies' and not 'real pipe smokers' that's a sure fire way to develop resentment and hatred towards the supposedly 'superior' shit.

Circa 17 years ago I loved the Mozilla browser and it was my default, but when Flawedfox debuted and M$ haters started rampaging through the digital countryside hyping FF and snubbing anyone who didn't use it, I switched back to IE in a jiffy.
 

brian64

Lifer
Jan 31, 2011
9,604
14,671
I love the stuff! Latakia has a lot of testosterone in it. Not a lot of guys can handle the extra shot, not like us real men. I think they are the kind of guys who look at Pomeranian in a handbag and think it's in the same family as a real dog. Probably the same guys who watch Dancing with The Stars instead of Deadliest Catch. The same kind of guys who go to a brunch buffet, see that glorious tray of bacon and say "No, that's to heavy for me. I want some Arugula and sprouts!" And after they are done eating, they get in their Prius and drive to their net neutral energy home.

@olkofri: nevermind...you're no longer needed here.

EDIT: oh damn...too late.
 

username

Lifer
Dec 24, 2014
2,084
14,237
Tucson Az
I started with Latakia nightcap to be specific. But I find as time when on I gravitated to it less and less. I still smoke the stuff but it’s not a go to like it used to be. *shrug*
 
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unadoptedlamp

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 19, 2014
742
1,368
My theory is that it is related to nicotine content and addiction. Not saying that to throw a grenade in this thread, so please keep it peaceful if you disagree.

I just happen to suspect it's how it goes and there is nothing wrong with it. Assuming you're OK with being addicted to nicotine, which many of us seem to be. Keep in mind, not everyone here is a nicotine addict, as some are quick to point out. Disclaimer over.

I have the impression that a lot of newer pipe smokers eventually find latakia and have that "this is it!" moment. They've found that "real" tobacco taste and go whole hog for awhile. It is a uniquely interesting taste that a lot of new pipe smokers seem to discover in a uniquely similar way. Not everyone... but many. In nicotine content, latakia tends to be a step up from burley/cavendish blends... which happen to be the base of many aromatics that people (not everyone, of course) often start with.

With nicotine (addiction), the trend is to want more. It's usually subconscious, as most addiction is, but it's the general direction these things go. Alcohol, heroin, cocaine, etc. Eventually, you're taking a dose that would have killed you if you started there. Latakia doesn't have that bell ringing dose compared to other leaf that people "graduate" to.

So it then seems that a lot of people (not everyone) slowly (or quickly) trend toward favoring higher nicotine blends; particularly virginia/perique blends (perique is a high nicotine leaf) or dark fired kentucky (possibly the king daddy of nicotine content). Those are very popular components among committed (though not always addicted) pipe smokers who have been at it long enough to work their way through the major blend families... all the while building nicotine tolerance and needing a higher dose for that certain satisfaction that comes from pipe smoking.

Obviously this does not apply to those on board who are free of nicotine addiction. But for the rest of the junkies, I suspect that is why latakia eventually seems to fall out of favor.

It's all a bunch of bullshit, most likely, but it's the beginning of my theory. It makes sense on the back of the napkin I have here, but the math is very complicated and I'll not bore you all with the calculations.
 
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