Enjoyment of simplicity or one Dimensional?

[HammerandPipe]

Lately I’ve been thinking about how much I appreciate simplicity in my pipe smoking. Maybe it’s just because I'm getting older and the current world is over stimulating, or maybe after just a couple of consistent years in the hobby I'm naturally gravitating towards simpler or lightly nuanced blends. Either way, I keep finding myself reaching for burley blends like Old Joe Krantz regular, blue label, PA and seeking out other burley blends for slight variation on the theme. To me they’re honest, easy to taste, easy to burn, and somehow just… grounded. I really vibe with burley a lot.

But every now and then, I catch myself wondering if that means my tastes have gotten one-dimensional already. There are so many blends out there layered with nuance and sometimes, I feel like I should be trying them, even when I don’t really want to. That's not to say I don't enjoy some. I think Horizons and Kings fool are great for example. I do intend to try some others....eventually.

Maybe that’s missing the point, though. Maybe there’s a kind of quiet depth in simplicity. When I light up a good burley, it doesn’t demand attention or brain strain it just lets me settle in and exist. There’s no puzzle to solve, no flavor note to hunt for. It’s just me, the pipe, and a moment that burns steady and true.

Still, I’m curious, how do the rest of you look at it? Do you ever feel torn between appreciating straightforward blends and wanting something more “complex” more often? Or have you found peace with the simpler stuff?

 

[Servant King]

For me, variety is the spice of life. But variety not just as it applies to blends, but also, to your point, to the type of smoke I want at any given time. There are times when I want something utterly simple, and there are times when I want something that's got a whole lot going on in it. For me, the former is a simple VA (I don't get along well with burley heavy blends for whatever reason, but hey, if that ever changes, I'm not one to fight the flow), and the latter is something like Drucquer & Sons Inns of Court. Everything's got a time and a place, and which thing I'm in the mood for is utterly spontaneous and unpredictable.

 

[xrundog]

It’s more about the pipe for me. Picking one out and enjoying it. Handling and looking at it while smoking it.
I smoke Old Joe Krantz 90% of the time. It never disappoints.

 

[warren]

I keep my smoking simple so I can enjoy just that. And, I very rarely doubt myself or my choices.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

It's much simpler for me. I've determined the blends I like. I load one up when I'm ready to smoke and enjoy it. No thought or second guessing. It's not about the tobacco, it's not about the pipe. It's simply enjoyment.

 

[HeadMisfit]

liking a "plain" blend is a good thing. It means that your not interested in having the flavor change with every puff.

 

[sardonicus87]

Couple of things...

Either way, I keep finding myself reaching for burley blends like Old Joe Krantz regular, blue label, PA and seeking out other burley blends for slight variation on the theme. To me they’re honest, easy to taste, easy to burn, and somehow just… grounded. I really vibe with burley a lot.

Well, burley is the best, eventually some realize this fact, others are just lying to themselves.

But every now and then, I catch myself wondering if that means my tastes have gotten one-dimensional already.

I don't find burley to be any less potentially complex than any other type. There's a wealth of virginias, englishes and aromatics that are absolutely one-dimensional and samey, and there are definitely burley blends that are as complex and different from "standard burley" as any other type.

There are so many blends out there layered with nuance and sometimes, I feel like I should be trying them, even when I don’t really want to.

Forget about should, do what you want. This isn't a moral conundrum, should has no place. It's a luxury, the point is to enjoy it, and I can't think of a way to enjoy something more than doing it the way you want to, instead of forcing yourself to do what you think you should when you don't want to. There's no rule that says you have to try everything.

Still, I’m curious, how do the rest of you look at it? Do you ever feel torn between appreciating straightforward blends and wanting something more “complex” more often? Or have you found peace with the simpler stuff?

Nope, never torn, I do what I want, when I want. If I go months or even a year not wanting "complex", I don't do complex and I am fine with that. There's absolutely no obligation do do pipe smoking in "the right way" because there isn't one.

Do it however you enjoy it and don't over think it.

 

[Sobrbiker]

For me, variety is the spice of life. But variety not just as it applies to blends, but also, to your point, to the type of smoke I want at any given time. There are times when I want something utterly simple, and there are times when I want something that's got a whole lot going on in it. For me, the former is a simple VA (I don't get along well with burley heavy blends for whatever reason, but hey, if that ever changes, I'm not one to fight the flow), and the latter is something like Drucquer & Sons Inns of Court. Everything's got a time and a place, and which thing I'm in the mood for is utterly spontaneous and unpredictable.

That completely sums up my pipe journey. I have other nicotine delivery methods in continual use that I want nothing more from than the same old, same old reliable repeatable experience.
With my pipes, unless I’m working on a project on the property and carry a pouch of an old standby, I rarely if ever smoke the same tobacco repeatedly.

 

[OzPiper]

Circumstance and the mood you’re in play a huge part.
And sometimes it’s the pipe.

At times “this is such a good smoke, can’t believe I’m done already”
Other times “meh, I think I’ll dump the rest of bowl”

I’ve found I enjoy my smokes more when I’m “in the moment” and not actively trying to analyse and extract every nuance of the blend

Much like wine - there are times eg with a BBQd steak - a nice juicy, quaffable red goes down a treat.
But there are occasions (not too often) when only the best will do

 

[Sig]

Im all over the place.
I like trying new blends, but rarely find any that are a MUST have.
Those days seem long gone.
I have my few blends I smoke 90% of the time, with the other 10% left for an occasional smoke.
Pegusus, Virginia Gentleman, Va #1, SOTE, Balkan Supreme are why I only post on the "whacha smokin" thread occasionally. Nobody needs to hear im smoking Va#1 in one of the same 4 pipes I use every 20 minutes.

 

[BingBong]

I like the ones where I drift away on the smoke and suddenly the flavours overwhelm my reverie and I think "oh, that is perfect". Cabbies does that frequently.

 

[Waning Embers]

Do you ever feel torn between appreciating straightforward blends and wanting something more “complex” more often?

Nope

 

[gamzultovah]

3 blends and two pipes, that’s what I’m down to. Simplicity and full enjoyment is the pastime now.

 

[Sigmund]

There are no rules and there is time to try other stuff. Just enjoy. If and when you feel like experimenting you can do that too. Ive tried a lot of blends but there are less than a half dozen that I repeat regularly.

 

[BriaronBoerum]

I'm still new at this, so there's always the urge to try new blends -- hell, I'm still retrying old blends and finding my first impressions have changed!

But yeah, I get what you're saying, sometimes I just want a straightforward Va flake, or a codger burley blend, and other times I'm going for the high end Balkan or the limited release stuff. I don't see a contradiction; like others have said, it's about having the desire for and the privilege of having a diverse cellar and lots of choices.

 

[BriaronBoerum]

Couple of things...


Well, burley is the best, eventually some realize this fact, others are just lying to themselves.

At first I laugh. Then I say, NO WAY!! And then I think, well, ok, he's kinda right.

Do it however you enjoy it and don't over think it.

Whadda ya mean!? I'm posting regularly here, overthinking everything is part of the fun!!

 

[anotherbob]

I often find these simple blends to be more complex as I smoke them more. A lot of one or two note blends still give me surprises. I guess I don't know how simple they are or are not at the end of the day.
Though I do as contradictory as it sounds choose what blends to smoke based on mode and one of the metrics is do I want a blend I can just enjoy or do I want a blend I have to pay attention to in order to get max enjoyment? And like a lot of pleasures in life one factor in what I pick is just how long it's been since I enjoyed something like that. When I was single as crude as this sounds, I'd want to go on a date with a blonde if the last date was brunette.
This is one of the things I've enjoyed about pipes so much though, is that there is a lot of blends to choose from that scratch different itches.
Back to the tobacco. Less then simple in profile, I find some blends easy going. I don't have to worry too much about how I packed what cadence I use. In that way some blends could be called simple. Pegasus is great that way for example. It doesn't bite me if I don't pay attention. And always tastes good.

 

[HammerandPipe]

I appreciate the replies everyone. Pipe thoughts are cool to discuss. Wrote the post in the middle of a smoke.

 

[Contrarian_King]

My tastes are simple and pedestrian, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love the fact that if i like a tobacco, I can simple smoke it without having to think about it. Its either good (I like it) or bad (I didn't like it), and its just plain nice to light and go, but then again, I don't treat pipe smoking as a hobby, which probably plays into it. Now if only I could get rid of all the crap I bought...

 

[sablebrush52]

Lately I’ve been thinking about how much I appreciate simplicity in my pipe smoking. Maybe it’s just because I'm getting older and the current world is over stimulating, or maybe after just a couple of consistent years in the hobby I'm naturally gravitating towards simpler or lightly nuanced blends. Either way, I keep finding myself reaching for burley blends like Old Joe Krantz regular, blue label, PA and seeking out other burley blends for slight variation on the theme. To me they’re honest, easy to taste, easy to burn, and somehow just… grounded. I really vibe with burley a lot.

But every now and then, I catch myself wondering if that means my tastes have gotten one-dimensional already. There are so many blends out there layered with nuance and sometimes, I feel like I should be trying them, even when I don’t really want to. That's not to say I don't enjoy some. I think Horizons and Kings fool are great for example. I do intend to try some others....eventually.

Maybe that’s missing the point, though. Maybe there’s a kind of quiet depth in simplicity. When I light up a good burley, it doesn’t demand attention or brain strain it just lets me settle in and exist. There’s no puzzle to solve, no flavor note to hunt for. It’s just me, the pipe, and a moment that burns steady and true.

Still, I’m curious, how do the rest of you look at it? Do you ever feel torn between appreciating straightforward blends and wanting something more “complex” more often? Or have you found peace with the simpler stuff?

The older I get, the more I find simplicity elegant.