A Few "Non-Smoker Newbie" Thoughts

[mpelletier92]

Good day pipesmagazine forum,
I have been watching the Gray Bailey channel on YouTube lately and it made me wanna give pipe smoking a try. As a non-smoker I know that wanting to get into this hobby will raise a few questions in my surroundings and would like to share my thoughts with you. I have been reading articles/forums about the subject so that I know a bit more before asking you. So here is what I end up with:
1. I read a lot about the fact that it's relaxing. Is it the same kind of relaxing as a cigarette smoker who got his nicotine fix after not smoking for a few hours? I don't wanna inhale so it shouldn't be an issue but I need to ask.
2. Would this hobby suit me if: I like to light campfires, daydream/get lost in my reflections, taking care of it and so on. Could you say that pipe smoking is kind of a scaled down campfire that tastes good?
3. Speaking of taste, is it as great as tasting coffee, whiskey, wine etc? Are flavored tobacco's really tasting like let's say: vanilla, cherry, rum and so on?
4. Does any of you come from Canada? How hard is it to buy outside the US? Any recommended website?
5. I plan to smoke at the same frequency that I'm drinking so that means a few times a week or even less. I like things to be done in moderation so that I keep enjoying 'em. Anyone doing the same thing?
That's about it for now. I know that most of these could be answered by just giving it a try right off the bat but I prefer discussing about it first... and I've got lots of time to spend this weekend.
Thanks for your time, have a nice day.
Edited by jvnshr: Title capitalization.

 

[Chasing Embers]

1) The process is a lot slower.

2) A pipe suits many interests.

3) Flavored tobaccos taste exactly what they smell like, but only after years of smoking a pipe and learning proper technique.

4) We do have many Canadian members.

5) Many do smoke infrequently, many smoke several bowls per day.

 

[johnbarleycorn]

Number 2 is a great analogy. And I would say yes.

 

[jazz]

1. No

2. Yes

3. It's better

4. I don't. Others here do

5. I smoke whenever I want. You smoke whenever you want.
6. You're going to have to find all this out for yourself before you will really know the answers to these questions. You must experiment with life. Consider pipe smoking such an experiment.

 

[mikethompson]

First off, welcome to the forum!
1) I find pipe smoking relaxing. It's a little more involved than lighting a cigarette but worth it in my opinion. I can't speak to cigarettes as I've never tried them or would want to. You generally don't inhale pipe smoke into your lungs. Some would argue this makes them 'healthier' and I would tend to agree.
2) yes! In the same way that a campfire needs attention your pipe fire does too. Learning to tend it is part of the journey. Pipes are a very contemplative affair (see 1). I use my 'pipe time' to reflect on a number of things.
3) there are countless blends to suit countless tastes. There are different types of tobacco leaf (latakia, Cavendish) and they have different flavours. Same as how there are different blended scotches. Starting out they will all probably taste the same to you, but again, its the journey and self discovery that's key.
4) I'm from Canada, and can IM you some info if you'd like. Tins of tobacco go for $40 at my local shop which I used to think was normal. Its not!
5) I smoke exactly one bowl a week which would cause some folks on here to lose their minds! Some smoke more, others less. Its not a race or competition. This forum is so welcoming, we take all kinds! Further, I only use my pipe when the weather is nice, so I might have one or two more goes before that's it.
Hope this helps!

 

[nevadablue]

I would not recommend starting camp fires in a hotel lobby, even if you have a pipe.

 

[mpelletier92]

Thank you so much for all your answers. It makes things clear now and I'll definitely give it a try.
mikethompson wrote:

4) I'm from Canada, and can IM you some info if you'd like. Tins of tobacco go for $40 at my local shop which I used to think was normal. Its not!

I would really appreciate any information from you. Where and what to buy first is always a concern when introduced to something new.
I still keep an eye on this thread for those of you who would like to share their opinion.
It's a good talk after all

 

[olkofri]

I'm from Canada too.
4noggins.com is a good place to buy, if you keep your purchases to small amounts (1-2 tins), both in quantity and final selling price.

 

[mso489]

I agree, moderation's good. Some smoke all the time and really enjoy it, but if you can enjoy a pipe but keep it occasional, that is probably better. Don't get into inhaling or retro-haling (through the nasal passages). Again, some must do that, but you don't have to start. My usual advice: starting out, buy only in small quantity, even if you find something you really like. Your taste will change. Take it slow and easy. Relights are fine. Dottle (unburnt tobacco left in the pipe) is fine. Just enjoy. Otherwise, what's the point?

 

[mpelletier92]

To mso489 : I like your words of wisdom, it puts things in perspective. After all, it's all about enjoying little things in life right? :wink:
Thanks olkofri for the website. I'm taking a look at it at the moment and ... damn there's a lot of brands out there.
So what about beginner-friendly tobacco?
What did you guys used to smoke in your apprentice-bowl years?
By the way, this forum has a very great community so far.

 

[hawky454]

Sounds like you got your stuff together and you are making a rational decision to start smoking a pipe. I fully welcome you to the dark side, my friend. Fred Hanna once said that pipe smoking is on of the most underrated pleasures known to man. I think most pipe smokers would agree, I know I do.
I have a couple of friends that live up in Canada and while it is much harder to get tobacco for a fair price there, it certainly is not impossible. The downside of ordering from America is you have to keep your tobacco purchases to under 200g at a time others wise you might get a ridiculous tax added on.
If you like campfires, you definitely need to get started on Latakia blends first.

 

[mpelletier92]

hawky454 (nice name btw, got any muscle car?) said:

The downside of ordering from America is you have to keep your tobacco purchases to under 200g at a time others wise you might get a ridiculous tax added on.

Thanks for the tip, will definitely take a note on that.
hawky454 said:

If you like campfires, you definitely need to get started on Latakia blends first.

You think it'd be possible to develop on that one?
Thanks a lot.

 

[olkofri]

Even with amounts smaller than 200 g you can get legally robbed blind (tax on tobacco, HST and handling fee). First time I ordered from smokingpipes.com the amount was 150 g and I was dinged for ~$35. High, but it was reasonable (and still cheaper than buying the same stuff here, assuming some of it was available locally, which it wasn't). A couple of weeks or so later I placed another order at smokingpipes.com for three tins of 50 g each. The total was only six to eight dollars higher than the previous one, and this time I got dinged with an $115 charge! I refused to pay and sent the parcel back for reassessment –still haven't heard about it.
Do note that the tax-free tobacco 200 g exemption only applies if you have been outside of Canada for more than 48 hours. Some website reports or implies that you can import tobacco by mail and benefit from such exemption: this is incorrect if you've not travelled.
Thus, keep your purchases spaced out and to a minimum of 1 to 2 tins. That way, the CBSA (Customs Bull$hit Agency) might choose not to bother or keep the charges relatively low/reasonable. Since you plan on occasional smoking, a 50 g tin should last you a couple of weeks or more. An average bowl is ~5 g of tobacco.
For beginners, I –a humble beginner myself– have learned that it's probably much better to start with an English blend. Aromatics are nice but they do tend to burn hotter and wetter, which will likely make it difficult to keep the pipe lit and will require numerous relights, with the subsequent havoc wreaked on your tongue (this depending on how sensitive your mouth is to heat as well, everyone's different). Good news here is that even at sobering $40+ prices you're likely to get Dunhill tins in our country. Regina has only one B&M pipe shop and I've seen Dunhill and Peterson, and even McClelland tobaccos there (although nothing like the cornucopia you see on 4noggins or smokingpipes.com). Some suggest Dunhill's Early Morning Pipe is a good blend to start: it's English, medium, and not too moist right out of the tin.

 

[Chasing Embers]

If you like campfires, you definitely need to get started on Latakia blends first.

You think it'd be possible to develop on that one?

Latakia blends taste the way a campfire smells. A good order of tobacco to try for user friendliness would be this.
1) Burley Blends - Cool smoking will nearly smoke themselves. Strong, nutty/cocoa flavor.

2) Latakia Blends - Cool smoking, more complex. Smokey and sweet.

3) Virginia/Burley - Virginias have a high sugar content, and burn hotter. The addition of burley helps to cool them. Nutty, earthy, and sweet.

4) Virginia/Perique - A bit more complexity than "VaBur" blends with pepper/plum/bread notes.

5) Virginia Blends - High sugar content, burns hotter, but very sweet and grassy.

6) Aromatic Blends - Casings and topping make these need more heat to burn, but with accumulated experience and proper technique, are a joy to smoke.

 

[mpelletier92]

olkofri said:

it's probably much better to start with an English blend

The thing is, as a "not-even-pipe-smoking-yet" person, I'd like to try aromatics first in order to enjoy the smell (don't know if I'll enjoy the smell of just tobacco) and I'd really like my wife to enjoy my soon to be new hobby.
Who else started with aromatics first?
edit:
So if i get what chasingembers said: Does that mean that there are kinds of tobacco other than aromatics that can have a sweet/lovely smell?

 

[Chasing Embers]

I purposely left Virginia Oriental blends out, even though they are my personal favorite. On my list, they would best fit around four or five. They are a but of a wild card, and taste of sweet grassiness with some great sour notes. When exploring Virginia blends, they can be placed in any order on the list of types of Virginia blends I listed.

 

[Chasing Embers]

The thing is, as a "not-even-pipe-smoking-yet" person, I'd like to try aromatics first in order to enjoy the smell (don't know if I'll enjoy the smell of just tobacco) and I'd really like my wife to enjoy my soon to be new hobby.

You likely won't be able to taste them yet, and end up with a very raw tongue.

 

[mpelletier92]

If only I knew someone who uses a pipe. The only kind of smoking that I have smelled so far is cigarette or little cheap cigars and I don't want them to be my reference point regarding tobacco.
No matter which tobacco is smoked in a pipe, I still have a hard time figuring how good it could smell. Any comparison?

 

[nevadablue]

Beginner friendly = Carter Hall.

 

[hawky454]

Don't get into inhaling or retro-haling (through the nasal passages).

No point in smoking a pipe if you aren't gonna snork it! I'm gonna start a new thread. This interests me.