19 year old and started smoking a pipe

[robvfr400]

im 19 and have started smoking a pipe mainly because cigars are too much maintenance and cost with the humidor etc. and cigarettes just don't appeal. I bought Alsbo Vanilla and haven't really had great success due to the fact that im not getting the flavors. It just tastes like ash and im trying to burn it as cool as possible. It smells great but smokes awful. My pipe is an unknown manufacturer and wasnt relatively expensive.
Anyone have any tobaccos that are suited for beginners, ive read that aromatics are not a great choice
Thanks

 

[greyfoxactual]

Welcome to the forum and the hobby!
Everyone's tastes are different and everyone will have their opinions on what's the best to start; in both tobaccos and pipes. This hobby does not have to be expensive to be enjoyable. So, take everyone's input with a grain of salt.
I just started myself and have found that most strong aros are not to my liking.
Frog Morton

RLP-6, which is quite similar to Captain Black Regular.

Trout Stream
Those are what I started with and began expounding from there. Once you find one that you like, you can start researching to find similar tobaccos that will introduce you to an even broader array of tobaccos. Like everything worth doing, it takes time. Happy lunting!

 

[phred]

Welcome to the forums, and to pipe smoking in general!
Aros have a tendency to smell better than they taste - I usually smoke aromatics if I'm around other people who may or may not be favorably inclined toward pipe smoke, as they tend to wax poetic about their grandfather's cherry blend... :D
Lane's 1Q is one of the few aromatics that actually smokes pretty well - tobacconists often have it under a "house label", but it's also available in bulk (and now in tins, if I'm remembering correctly).
Some of the so-called "codger burleys" are a good starting point as well - they're a little more forgiving. Sir Walter Raleigh reminds me unpleasantly of cigarettes, so I'd suggest sampling a pouch or two before springing for a full-sized tub. Prince Albert is a popular choice, and one I can personally recommend. Sugar Barrel was recently discontinued, but there are a couple of "match" blends that duplicate it nicely (site sponsor Pipes&Cigars.com carries them - Hearth & Home Midtown Sweet Cask is the full-tub option, but they also have a bulk "match" version...)
One other suggestion if you're not experiencing flavor is to try what's called "retrohaling" - basically, pull the smoke into your mouth, then exhale it through your nose. Gets the nose involved in tasting, which helps.
Good luck! And cruise the other threads for more advice - lots of good stuff in here.

 

[Perique]

Having chosen pipe-smoking, you are quite obviously wise beyond your years.
Try some GL Pease Cairo and some Balkan Sasieni, both forgiving and flavorful blends.

 

[mso489]

robv', welcome to Forums. A pipe is a good choice compared to cigarettes because it is less addictive. At 19, or any age, I'd keep your pipe smoking at a moderate level. For starters, you might enjoy a tobacco like Carter Hall, which is mostly burley, and mild. I'd start mild until you get the hang of pipe smoking. I'd buy Carter Hall, or similar tobacco (Prince Albert, Sir Walter Raleigh) in a pouch, or bulk tobacco in small quantities, an ounce or two. Even when you find one you like, keep quantities small because your tastes will keep changing, and it's enjoyable to try different blends, but take your time. You might want to buy two or three Missouri Meerschaum corn cob pipes, with medium size bowls, so you can let your pipes "rest" between smokes, to dry out. Be sure to scoop them out, clean them out, pipe cleaner them out, after each smoke -- just takes seconds. Enjoy, take your time, don't overdo.

 

[newbroom]

Welcome to the forums Rob. You are very very fortunate to live in the digital age and have access to so much pipe related information AND to be open to it at such an early age.

I envy you because you will now be able to avoid the pitfalls of the cigarette much sooner than I did.

Once you read from the archives on the subject you'll come away with more suggestions than you will be able to afford to try.

If you enjoyed the tobacco taste of a cigar, as well as the nicotine you got via your mucosa while smoking said cigar, you will likely enjoy a lot of the non aromatic blends.

Pipe tobacco cannot be pigeonholed, or its flavors appreciated (by most) with just a small sample.

For that matter, it takes most of us awhile just to master loading the tobacco into whatever pipe your using so as to have it burn to its fullest potential. Most of us learn through repetition.

I've never knowingly tried Lane 1Q, but that one seems to be a starter tobacco. It's classified as an aromatic, but don't let labels be your only concern since there is a wide variety of experience within each 'genre'.

The first 'good' pipe tobacco I smoked was Sir Walter Raleigh, and that was after smoking Captain Black White which I hear is the best seller in the US.

I wish you a long life of enjoyable pipe tobacco discovery. ::

Mike, or in your case...Uncle Mike.

 

[framitz]

Try the frog Morton series 5 variations exposure to perique latakia. Etc. smoke slowly and have fun started at 16 now 76. Enjoy the experience. Shel

 

[robvfr400]

Thanks for responses.

I live in the UK so some of the tobacco's listed are unavailable in the uk.

Is Frog Morton, the Mcclelland Frog Morton?

This seems to be the only available one

 

[stvalentine]

Things are quite simple and I wish someone would have told me when I was at your age: Avoid aromatics and smoke english mixtures or blends. Any brand will do, just try a lot and you will find one that suits you. Good luck!

 

[framitz]

Yes there is fm fm on the town fm on the bayou fm cellar fm accord the pond. Shel

 

[nathaniel]

<p>GL Pease' Jackknife Plug smoked at a relatively fast pace will do the trick.

 

[nathaniel]

<p>...don't listen to me

 

[roryrumfelt]

Id say some good starter smokes are englishes or balkans;

Mclelland balkan blue

HH ten till midnight

Frog morton

dunhill night cap

early morning pipe- those were a couplea my firsts!

 

[shawnofthedead]

Frog Morton is definitely the best to start with. I'm 22, started smoking pipes 3 months ago. The first few blended tobaccos I smoked were Captain Black Gold, it's definitely not great; Davidoff Red Mixture, a little better; and W. O. Larsen Signature Vintage Mixture, which is my favourite blended by far. I also tried English/Latakia blends like Dunhill's Early Morning, My Mixture 965, and Night Cap, somehow I prefer them over blended from the very beginning; but they are a little on the heavy side, so may not be everyone's cup of tea. And recently I bought some Frog Mortons: on the Town, on the Bayou, and Cellar. Now these are my favourite tobaccos, and I'd recommend them to any beginner pipe smokers; they are a good way to introduce people to Latakia blends, very soft and mild compared to some others; no tongue bites whatsoever, and the room smell is simply wonderful.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

Frog Morton's Cellar is good stuff.
For a straight English I suggest Cornell & Diehl Star of the East.
Samuel Gawith St. James Flake was one of my first blends that I got any flavour out of in my first month of trying.
Sutluff Mountain Pass hits the mark pretty well for an aromatic, and Sutliff Top Shelf is both flavourful and easy burning.

 

[jkrug]

You've already been given a ton of good suggestions so I'll just say welcome to the forums and enjoy exploring all the different tobacco blends. ::

 

[stickframer]

Welcome!

 

[thomasmartin]

I always hated aromatics right from the start. My beginner tobacco was Dunhill Standart Mixture Mild.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I also started with English style blends, and there's more than enough to explore in that part of the world!

 

[bigpond]

At 19 pipe money is better spent on girls and books imo. You'll have plenty of time to pontificate with a pipe ahead.