Finding Something I Like...

[ksman75]

I've been smoking pipe for a few years, but really haven't found anything I really like.

I just received an order of Peter Stokkebye Luxury Navy Flake from Pipesandcigars to try out.

This is my first flake, and I'm wondering if it's supposed to be really dry. There's no give at all. I broke up a couple of flakes, and they came closer to snapping rather that the moist texture I'm used to in other tobaccos.

Is this normal?

 

[ChuckMijo]

Sounds like it maybe too dry. It’s hard sometimes to find exactly what tobacco to try and what you will like. Some really nice, I think flavor non aromatic to try would be HH Arcadian, Haddos Delight, Pembroke, and dark twist. Their are many more but these are easily found and you can buy just small tins 50g for a few bucks.

 

[ksman75]

Sounds like it maybe too dry. It’s hard sometimes to find exactly what tobacco to try and what you will like. Some really nice, I think flavor non aromatic to try would be HH Arcadian, Haddos Delight, Pembroke, and dark twist. Their are many more but these are easily found and you can buy just small tins 50g for a few bucks.

I tried a bowl of the flakes I broke up, and it burned ok, but gave me a little more tongue bite than I would have liked. I added a moisture disk to the baggie, and will give it a day or two to moisten up.

For my latest samplings, I've bought a tin of G.L. Pease Quiet Night that I haven't tried yet, a tin of G.L. Pease Westminster, a tin of Peterson Mixture 965, an ounce of Peter Stokkebye 38 Highland Whisky and an ounce of Hearth and Home (pipesandcigars house brand) Berry Nice.

Can't say I like the Berry Nice. Way too fruity!

I'm really leaning towards the 38 Highland Whiskey so far. I'm really too new to describe it in a meaningful way. It just suits my taste.

It looks like I prefer aromatics but was hoping to find a non-aromatic to give me a variety.

Like you said, I can get a small tin or an ounce or two bulk and keep puffing until I find a few that I really like.

 

[solideogloria86]

I'm just wondering about you smoking for a couple of years and not finding anything you like. What's kept you going for so long if you haven't liked it for this long?

 

[ksman75]

I'm just wondering about you smoking for a couple of years and not finding anything you like. What's kept you going for so long if you haven't liked it for this long?

It's not that I don't like it. I'm a cigarette smoker. I've toyed with pipes several times over the years, but never long enough to really get to know my pipes or the plethora of tobaccos.

As it sits now, I'm in my second week of smoking my pipes with my morning cup of caffeine and in the evening before bed. I'm hoping I can find some tobaccos that I can enjoy in this quiet time.

 

[solideogloria86]

It's not that I don't like it. I'm a cigarette smoker. I've toyed with pipes several times over the years, but never long enough to really get to know my pipes or the plethora of tobaccos.

As it sits now, I'm in my second week of smoking my pipes with my morning cup of caffeine and in the evening before bed. I'm hoping I can find some tobaccos that I can enjoy in this quiet time.

I recently sent my dad some Haunted Bookshop to help him switch from cigarettes to pipe and still get nicotine without inhaling. He's been a pack+ a day smoker for well over 50 years and he said it really hit the spot. He was not a fan of Quiet Nights or Orlik Golden Sliced. Maybe Haunted Bookshop might be something you'd like. I was a pack a day smoker for about 12 years but I've been quit for about 6 years now. Haunted bookshop is definitely a full, rich smoke, with a good amount of nicotine.

Sidenote: If you are inhaling your pipe tobacco, you'll lose a lot of the flavor, and I'm not really sure of a blend that will recreate the chest hit you get from a cigarette. (not sure if you're inhaling or looking for a chest hit. Just figured I'd add that.)

 

[ksman75]

I recently sent my dad some Haunted Bookshop to help him switch from cigarettes to pipe and still get nicotine without inhaling. He's been a pack+ a day smoker for well over 50 years and he said it really hit the spot. He was not a fan of Quiet Nights or Orlik Golden Sliced. Maybe Haunted Bookshop might be something you'd like. I was a pack a day smoker for about 12 years but I've been quit for about 6 years now. Haunted bookshop is definitely a full, rich smoke, with a good amount of nicotine.

Sidenote: If you are inhaling your pipe tobacco, you'll lose a lot of the flavor, and I'm not really sure of a blend that will recreate the chest hit you get from a cigarette. (not sure if you're inhaling or looking for a chest hit. Just figured I'd add that.)

Thanks, I've bookmarked the Haunted Bookshop for later. Reading the description, it may be more that I'm looking for, but I'm always open to suggestions.

I'm trying the Quiet Nights right now, and my first impression was it's very moist. The exact opposite of the Peter Stokkebye Navy Flake. I'm guessing the dryness of the Nave Flake was an aberration, and not their norm. I didn't even try breaking the Quiet Nights up. I just sort of rolled it into the pipe and packed it. It was a bear to light. Took 3 or 4 tries to get it going, but once lit, it went well for about 20 minutes, then I needed a relight.

As for inhaling, only the first few puffs. Once I get my pipe going, I don't bother inhaling. It gets too strong, and I want to enjoy the smoke, not choke and cough my head off everytime I inhale.

 

[solideogloria86]

Thanks, I've bookmarked the Haunted Bookshop for later. Reading the description, it may be more that I'm looking for, but I'm always open to suggestions.

I'm trying the Quiet Nights right now, and my first impression was it's very moist. The exact opposite of the Peter Stokkebye Navy Flake. I'm guessing the dryness of the Nave Flake was an aberration, and not their norm. I didn't even try breaking the Quiet Nights up. I just sort of rolled it into the pipe and packed it. It was a bear to light. Took 3 or 4 tries to get it going, but once lit, it went well for about 20 minutes, then I needed a relight.

As for inhaling, only the first few puffs. Once I get my pipe going, I don't bother inhaling. It gets too strong, and I want to enjoy the smoke, not choke and cough my head off everytime I inhale.

I love quiet nights. I personally like to dry out all my pipe tobacco before smoking. Not to the point of crispy, but where it's no longer mushy and sticks together when pinched. I also fully rub out quiet nights. Too much moisture and you get more steam than smoke. That may actually be why you've not really liked much of what you've tried. The navy flake was too dry and sounds like quiet Nights was too wet.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Sounds like you're half committed to pipe smoking and not getting much out of it as a result. I understand, was a cigarette and cigar smoker myself before dumping the nasty cigarettes completely and mostly smoking pipe. Keep trying different blends. Dry your tobacco out and puff much slower. Will solve your lighting and tongue bite problems.

 

[ksman75]

I love quiet nights. I personally like to dry out all my pipe tobacco before smoking. Not to the point of crispy, but where it's no longer mushy and sticks together when pinched. I also fully rub out quiet nights. Too much moisture and you get more steam than smoke. That may actually be why you've not really liked much of what you've tried. The navy flake was too dry and sounds like quiet Nights was too wet.

Agreed on the one being too dry and the other too moist.

I just finished the bowl of Quiet Nights about 10 minutes ago. Even though it was quite moist and a bear to initially light, I only had to give it one relight at about the 10 minute mark.

Towards the very end I was getting a little tongue bite, but not too bad. It's already gone.

I was using my meershaum pipe with Nording Keystones, and it stayed cool the entire smoke. I don't think I really need the Keystones as nothing I have smoked in that pipe has caused gurgling, but thought I would give them a try anyway.

Something I'm noticing is with the tobaccos I'm trying is the after taste. I really liked the after taste of the Navy Flake, and the 38 Highland Whiskey. None of the others have been memorable, but those two left a "good taste" in my mouth, lol.

 

[ksman75]

Sounds like you're half committed to pipe smoking and not getting much out of it as a result. I understand, was a cigarette and cigar smoker myself before dumping the nasty cigarettes completely and mostly smoking pipe. Keep trying different blends. Dry your tobacco out and puff much slower. Will solve your lighting and tongue bite problems.

That's been true in the past. I never could overcome the tongue bite. This time around, it hasn't been a problem.

I've done a lot more reading this time, and am getting the hang of packing, lighting, and preventing the tongue bite.

Now, it's just a matter of finding a variety of tobaccos I like and sticking with it.

 

[Sloopjohnbee]

Have you tried smoking Semois?
Some people live for the stuff and it smokes good dry

 

[anotherbob]

I always say for tongue bite don't puff sip the pipe. Helped me not wreck my tongue.

 

[bullet08]

Learn how to dry your tobacco. That would make lot of things more enjoyable.

 

[mso489]

It's impossible to know what might please someone else. I'm currently enjoying Match Elizabethan/PC, for a mild Virginia based blend. For a burley you might try Amphora Burley. It takes a while to like most blends, and sometimes you have to backtrack and try again before the bulb goes off. I've had that experience with C&D Bayou Night and Iwan Ries Three Star Blue, for examples.

 

[ksman75]

Have you tried smoking Semois?
Some people live for the stuff and it smokes good dry

I just looked this up on a couple of sites. Sounds interesting, but also sounds like it may be stronger than I would like. Being so new to this, it's also out of my price range for now. If I could get it by the ounce, I might give it a try, but almost $30 for a 3.5 oz tin is too much right now, just to experiment with.

 

[Sloopjohnbee]

I just looked this up on a couple of sites. Sounds interesting, but also sounds like it may be stronger than I would like. Being so new to this, it's also out of my price range for now. If I could get it by the ounce, I might give it a try, but almost $30 for a 3.5 oz tin is too much right now, just to experiment with.

Don't think about the price buddy - you will not regret it - it doesn't need to be humidified - Buy LESS(or none in a perfect world) Cigarettes - and buy a few bricks of this tobacco - like I said you wont regret it - buy le petit robin and one of the straight blends

 

[ksman75]

It's impossible to know what might please someone else. I'm currently enjoying Match Elizabethan/PC, for a mild Virginia based blend. For a burley you might try Amphora Burley. It takes a while to like most blends, and sometimes you have to backtrack and try again before the bulb goes off. I've had that experience with C&D Bayou Night and Iwan Ries Three Star Blue, for examples.

I'm really appreciating all the feedback on things to try. I'm bookmarking the ones that sound intriguing so I can go back later, when it's time to order some more.

I agree with the backtracking. I'm making a note of what I've tried, and what I "may" like, and what's absolutely out of the question. So far I've tried six different tobaccos, and only eliminated one of them.

 

[ksman75]

Don't think about the price buddy - you will not regret it - it doesn't need to be humidified - Buy LESS(or none in a perfect world) Cigarettes - and buy a few bricks of this tobacco - like I said you wont regret it - buy le petit robin and one of the straight blends

I've bookmarked it just in case. It'll be a few weeks before I make my next order, and with shipping prices what they are, plan on ordering three or four to make it more economical shipping wise.

I know it's not a lot, but I'm trying five tobaccos right now, and want to give them a fair chance before I venture out farther.

Also, I'm retired and on a fixed income, so need to be somewhat thrifty in my purchases, lol.

 

[saltedplug]

In the beginning, which can last a long time, I found a lot of confusion, lasting about a year. The pipe and tobacco classifications were many and not that educative. What I'm saying is that getting to more certainty may also take you some time. In the phase you're in a forum such as this where you can ask questions can be a life saver.