Aromatics are Not for the Pipe-Smoker

[WerewolfOfLondon]

Kind of reminds me of the people who insist the only reason people listen to Jazz or Classical music is to look smart and sophisticated. Which that nonsense is usually applied as an insult.
Don't let people who have trouble understanding human interaction dictate what you say here.

Yes exactly. People who do things I don't like or understand must have an ulterior motive. It never occurs to them that people do these things simply because they enjoy them, not because they want to look smart, or because the wife made them. Thanks for your post, thought I was going crackers there for a minute lol.

 

[WerewolfOfLondon]

That‘s exactly what I was thinking.

Thank you, I'm not the only one.

 

[pappymac]

One of my favorite argument topics.
IF you read the definition of the word "AROMATIC," then all pipe tobaccos are aromatic.
I vote for changing the descriptor from aromatic to flavored.

 

[Waning Embers]

I vote for changing the descriptor from aromatic to flavored.

Up until I joined the forum back in 2014, I'd never heard the term used for flavored blends, only for Latakia and oriental blends.

 

[The Benedictine]

Yes exactly. People who do things I don't like or understand must have an ulterior motive. It never occurs to them that people do these things simply because they enjoy them, not because they want to look smart, or because the wife made them. Thanks for your post, thought I was going crackers there for a minute lol.

You are crackers but not on this

 

[crazyhog]

I am divorced and love and only smoke aromatics, although I am picky on which ones. I enjoy the smell myself and I wouldnt smoke it if I didn't. If others enjoy it, that is a plus. When I was married, I only smoked on the patio. This was fine by me as I never like to smoke anywhere indoors. My x wife never commented on the smells as she was not a fan of me smoking anything. My young daughter did appreciate it though. Now, I smoke now at a park, a distance from the kids playgroud, out of respect. I have had older individuals sit at another nearby bench, but no comments good or bad. This usually means the aroma is pleasant.

 

[InWithBothFeet]

I'm just the opposite mostly. I feel like my palet.... pallet.... palette? anyway... I can't taste the breadiness, sweetness or nuttiness that folk use to describe the burley's and virginias.. Either that, or I'm not good at putting words to experiences. In either case, I've tried and jarred the straight tobaccos. I have a couple vapers that don't get any attention either. I occasionally get out my english mutt mixture for something different, but 95% of the time it's a Lane or Country Squire aro.

 

[anotherbob]

Yes exactly. People who do things I don't like or understand must have an ulterior motive. It never occurs to them that people do these things simply because they enjoy them, not because they want to look smart, or because the wife made them. Thanks for your post, thought I was going crackers there for a minute lol.

that said I don't think the op was intending to insult anyone. But it's certainly similar enough to the way other people go about doing just that.

 

[Gerald Boone]

I have come to a realization... aromatics are not for the pipe-smoker, but for the pipe-smoker's wife.

I am working through several of the aromatics recommended to me by various threads and websites as "the best aromatic." Maybe they are just not for me, or maybe my palate isn't developed enough yet, but so far, I find them all to be insanely boring and bland.

As I look up Reviews for these aromatics, I have discovered a common theme in most of the 5-star reviews of popular aromatics. They almost all say this: "My wife loves it! She says I can smoke this one around her."

So there's the reason aromatics are popular! Your wife doesn't mind them as much.

This isn't wrong, of course, As pipe smokers, we need to be aware of the people around us and not be a nuisance to them, but I am thinking now that people who recommend aromatics do so, not because THEY like them, but because the people AROUND the smoker likes aromatics.

What do you say, aromatic lovers? Do you smoke them because you truly love them, or because your wife doesn't complain much when you smoke them?

I heard a line in a series I like called The French Village : "It takes all kinds of people to make a world". I think that applies here. I personally prefer non aromatic tobacco. My go to is a straight tobacco with a ton of perique; that is what I personally smoke 99% of the time. I do have some Symphony which I smoke 1% of the time and it's okay; it's just not my favorite. I also have some spiced rum tobacco I spent $ 20 on and regret. I went to a smoke shop called The Tobacco Plug. With a name like that I supposed I would see a lot of options but was disappointed to see only 6 options all of them aromatics. Symphony, when it's gone I doubt I buy anything other than perique and straight tobacco. That is me, but like I said, it takes all kinds of people to make a world.

 

[sardonicus87]

that said I don't think the op was intending to insult anyone. But it's certainly similar enough to the way other people go about doing just that.

It could be the case the OP just believed what they were saying was a common sentiment and added some snark.

It's something I see a lot more now online than I used to 5+ years ago, people saying stuff like "of course we all know/do/whatever" and half the time that blows up in their face because whatever X is, isn't nearly as pervasive as they thought.

Kind of reminds me of the people who insist the only reason people listen to Jazz or Classical music is to look smart and sophisticated. Which that nonsense is usually applied as an insult.
Don't let people who have trouble understanding human interaction dictate what you say here.

To be fair though, there are some who are like that, and there are some who do listen to that for enjoyment but nonetheless think the fact that they do does make them more smart and sophisticated. However, that can be said for anything, and not for just being smart or sophisticated. I listen mostly to extreme metal and I've heard from others that I only listen to that to try to be "edgy". People often try to paint anyone that does anything differently from them into whatever stereotype they have of the thing they don't do, especially if the thing is something they personally don't like.

But I do think it's much more often the case that other people believe someone only does a thing for affect and not that they truly enjoy a thing, rather than people that only do (or claim to do) a thing because of how it will be perceived.

There's certain things I rarely mention simply because I don't want to deal with the headache of other people giving me grief over what I like or don't like. Or because while I might enjoy something, not a fanboy of it that wants to debate what is or is not canonical or discuss all the trivial minutiae or "lore" around it.

It's gotten to be pretty bad online and in general. "What do X people like?" type questions come up a lot, as if everyone who fits X is a homogeneous group that all does or wants or whatever the same things the same way about X thing.

 

[The Benedictine]

It could be the case the OP just believed what they were saying was a common sentiment and added some snark.

It's something I see a lot more now online than I used to 5+ years ago, people saying stuff like "of course we all know/do/whatever" and half the time that blows up in their face because whatever X is, isn't nearly as pervasive as they thought.

To be fair though, there are some who are like that, and there are some who do listen to that for enjoyment but nonetheless think the fact that they do does make them more smart and sophisticated. However, that can be said for anything, and not for just being smart or sophisticated. I listen mostly to extreme metal and I've heard from others that I only listen to that to try to be "edgy". People often try to paint anyone that does anything differently from them into whatever stereotype they have of the thing they don't do, especially if the thing is something they personally don't like.

But I do think it's much more often the case that other people believe someone only does a thing for affect and not that they truly enjoy a thing, rather than people that only do (or claim to do) a thing because of how it will be perceived.

There's certain things I rarely mention simply because I don't want to deal with the headache of other people giving me grief over what I like or don't like. Or because while I might enjoy something, not a fanboy of it that wants to debate what is or is not canonical or discuss all the trivial minutiae or "lore" around it.

It's gotten to be pretty bad online and in general. "What do X people like?" type questions come up a lot, as if everyone who fits X is a homogeneous group that all does or wants or whatever the same things the same way about X thing.

 

[jdlander]

It could be the case the OP just believed what they were saying was a common sentiment and added some snark.

Yeah ... I wasn't trying to be offensive or snarky. It made an observation that many reviews of aromatics talk about how their wife likes it, and from this observation, I made a unwise and foolish generalization, which ... based on this thread ... is completely untrue!

Frankly, I would LOVE to love aromatics. That's why I keep trying them. I wish I could smoke and enjoy aromatics. I'm jealous of those who do.

It's probably my palate or smoking technique that is hindering me. Or maybe they are just not for me.

Regardless, I agree with the general sentiment of this thread ... everyone should smoke whatever they want and enjoy.

As for me, I'll keep trying aromatics now and then. Maybe one day I'll have that "Ah-ha!" moment and figure them out.

 

[sardonicus87]

That's one of the pitfalls of reading reviews... they often trend towards an inverted bell shape, where many people only go out of their way to make one when they really love or really hate something, so you often end up with a disproportionately larger number of the views of the extreme ends over the views of the majority.

 

[Waning Embers]

Yeah ... I wasn't trying to be offensive or snarky. It made an observation that many reviews of aromatics talk about how their wife likes it, and from this observation, I made a unwise and foolish generalization, which ... based on this thread ... is completely untrue!

Frankly, I would LOVE to love aromatics. That's why I keep trying them. I wish I could smoke and enjoy aromatics. I'm jealous of those who do.

It's probably my palate or smoking technique that is hindering me. Or maybe they are just not for me.

Regardless, I agree with the general sentiment of this thread ... everyone should smoke whatever they want and enjoy.

As for me, I'll keep trying aromatics now and then. Maybe one day I'll have that "Ah-ha!" moment and figure them out.

Just out of curiosity, do you retrohale?

 

[KruegerFlap]

I too enjoy a good number of aromatics. My wife also smokes pipes and cigars so I don't have to worry about that being a factor in what I choose to smoke. I tended to shy away from aromatics when first learning the pipe because they do tend to require a good deal of knowledge how to get the right flavor out of them. I also only smoke at home, but I can understand aroma being a concern when smoking in public. The good news like Chasing Embers pointed out is there are so many aromatics available from high quality producers that there is no need to smoke something you don't enjoy, you just have to find the ones you like that give off a pleasant smell as well.

 

[Choatecav]

Yeah ... I wasn't trying to be offensive or snarky. It made an observation that many reviews of aromatics talk about how their wife likes it, and from this observation, I made a unwise and foolish generalization, which ... based on this thread ... is completely untrue!

Frankly, I would LOVE to love aromatics. That's why I keep trying them. I wish I could smoke and enjoy aromatics. I'm jealous of those who do.

It's probably my palate or smoking technique that is hindering me. Or maybe they are just not for me.

Regardless, I agree with the general sentiment of this thread ... everyone should smoke whatever they want and enjoy.

As for me, I'll keep trying aromatics now and then. Maybe one day I'll have that "Ah-ha!" moment and figure them out.

I totally get your point and never thought you were offensive.

Very basic premise here..... the aromatics are more pleasing to those around you due to their aroma (hence they're called "aromatics").

Personally, I rarely smoke them cause like @Sig said, 99% of the time, I am smoking alone.

 

[anotherbob]

Yeah ... I wasn't trying to be offensive or snarky. It made an observation that many reviews of aromatics talk about how their wife likes it, and from this observation, I made a unwise and foolish generalization, which ... based on this thread ... is completely untrue!

Frankly, I would LOVE to love aromatics. That's why I keep trying them. I wish I could smoke and enjoy aromatics. I'm jealous of those who do.

which have you tried? That could be a big part of the issue.

It's probably my palate or smoking technique that is hindering me. Or maybe they are just not for me.

I enjoy them more now that I smoke more often and have a better handle on how to get the most out of a smoke. Also palate develops over time.

Regardless, I agree with the general sentiment of this thread ... everyone should smoke whatever they want and enjoy.

As for me, I'll keep trying aromatics now and then. Maybe one day I'll have that "Ah-ha!" moment and figure them out.

Oh and I wasn't trying to say you had any intent, just that it's not hard to see why some one might take it that way.

 

[Sig]

That's one of the pitfalls of reading reviews... they often trend towards an inverted bell shape, where many people only go out of their way to make one when they really love or really hate something, so you often end up with a disproportionately larger number of the views of the extreme ends over the views of the majority.

Bingo!
I love the reviews that say...."I hate Latakia, this blend called Latakia Lovers tastes like Latakia....1 star"

A few bad reviews can make a great blend look average.

 

[filmguerilla]

I like aromatics that still retain tobacco flavor. Lakelands, lightly flavored burley, and a select few C&D blends, really. I just don't care for the blends that are all black Cavendish laden with a heavy, goopy topping. At this point it gets rather boring just firing up the same old VaPers, English, etc.

 

[Sig]

I like aromatics that still retain tobacco flavor. Lakelands, lightly flavored burley, and a select few C&D blends, really. I just don't care for the blends that are all black Cavendish laden with a heavy, goopy topping. At this point it gets rather boring just firing up the same old VaPers, English, etc.

This is why I like Danish aromatics.
WO Larsen and MacBaren have some great aromatics that are not goopy, and taste like tobacco....with something extra.
Ive been smoking a tin of Rattrays Exotic Passion...I can't believe I have to keep typing that....im gonna be put on another list!!
Anyways, it's not only not goopy, it's down right dry.
Next on my agenda is some Boswell aromatics. They have a lot of good reviews.