A Latakia Love Story, What`s Yours?

[mindovermatter]

My first pipe tobacco was Captain black gold. We met in my early 20`s and its the only tobacco I knew for quite some time. One day, about 10 years ago, I stopped by a cigar shop in NYC and got introduced to a tobacco blend by the name of Gordon Pymm, it had a scent I never knew existed in pipe tobaccos, A wonderful mixture of a camp fire,Smokey, barbecuey aromas. I couldn't resist, I loaded my bowl with it and the wonderful scent filled up the small room I stayed in. It was a love at first sight! Since then I had purchased a couple Aromatic tobaccos, but I still find Latakia English blend my favorite and when I have the craving for something sweet I rather eat something then smoke something.
What was your first encounter with Latakia? Was it a positive experience?

 

[tom12]

Dunhill 965 nearly 20 years ago, first off I thought why am I smoking this horror but after finishing the bowl I was completely converted to it. My favourite now is Maltese Falcon with about two years age on it. Trying to stock up so that I never go without.

 

[leatherman]

My first Latakia tobacco was a tin of Frog Morton On The Town. On first opening the tin, I fell in love with that smokey aroma. I've since tried many blends containing Latakia but OTT is my favorite. I also really like McClellands P.M. Pipe.

 

[edwinbaz]

Early Morning Pipe six years ago. Up to that point I had smoked some Cherry Cavendish that a local smoke shop carried. I included EMP on my first online order and it was my first aha tobacco moment. So different, so easy to pack, no bite, so campfirey. I smoked it then in my first briar, a Stanwell bulldog. Sure, the average yearround temperature in PR is in the 80's°F, but that hasn't stopped my affinity for the smoky dark leaf.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

My first latakia blend was Hearth & Home Blackhouse. When I first joined the forum in January of 2013, there were a bunch of guys touting Black House led by a member called BaronSamedi. I called him The Baron of Black House. They called themselves Black Bloods, a small sect within the membership here that all went on and on and on and on and on blah blah blah about the blend. They were SO ANNOYING! Very similar to those of us calling ourselves the Brothers Of The Black Frigate (check out Cornell & Diehl's Black Frigate... it's freaking amazing!!!!) :mrgreen: Oh wait, where was I? Oh yeah... Black House! So I finally decided to try it, and I kid you not I fell in love at first light and immediately considered myself one of those annoying Black Bloods. And I still do. Although now I'm an annoying Black Blooded Brother of The Black Frigate From The Blue Mountains because Blue Mountain/Balkan Blue is freaking fantastic too! :mrgreen:

 

[workman]

Nightcap. Taste was powerful and strange and I remember that I found it more interesting than pleasant. The next day I smoked it again and fell in love. These days I smoke it a couple times a month and it is perfect everytime.

 

[mikestanley]

I can't remember what my first was but Balkan Sobrainie 759 and McClelland Bombay Extra were certainly favorites. That was in 1988 and went on for a few years. These days,Bombay Court is more enjoyable. Currently, I have a tin of Nat Sherman 536 open to satisfy my Latakia tastes.

Mike S.

 

[warren]

I can't remember back that far. Most likely something Dunhill. Must have been positive as I'm still smoking English blends among others.

 

[virginialover]

McClelland - Bombay Extra (Personal Reserve)was my first mixture with Latakia, quite exotic, for me, at the time.

 

[mso489]

I encountered Nightcap in a long smoke in a big bowl and it was a nicotine experience more than a taste discovery. I stuck with it and enjoyed both aspects. But then I found Nat Sherman 536 and realized that Latakia could be both subtle and refined, and that gave it more dimension. Now I like both versions, but I don't need it to be dominant every time to be enjoyable. It was a gradual discovery, not a ah-ha moment.

 

[prairiedruid]

My love affair with latakia started with Dunhill London Mixture which I still enjoy to this day. My heart break latakia story is slowly unfolding as I smoke my cellar of 3 Oaks Syrian. I have enough for 7-10 years if I pace myself so at least it will be a long goodbye.

 

[perdurabo]

The one I fell in love with? C&D Buffalo Soldier

 

[admiral]

After smoking 95% of the time only Lat based blends and building a handsome cellar accordingly to my preferences....

Several months ago while on pilgrimage got sick and afterwards Latakia started to taste odd and tasteless to my palate.
Swapped to Vapers/Vaburs/Va blends which suddenly started tasting way better than before.

And guess what now I am rebuilding my cellar ... accordingly to my new taste :crazy:

 

[sumusfumus]

My pipe-smoking adventures, started back in 1966 with "Mixture No. 79", and "Sugar Barrel". Those old-timey, OTC blends were all I could buy, and all I knew. Struggled through some bad smokes, for years, and then, gave up the pipe. Many years past by, and I decided that I wanted to smoke my old pipes again. Joined the NY Pipe Club. Back in the day, a gent named Sailorman Jack was the club president. He smoked a mixture that contained prodigious amounts of Latakia and cigar-leaf. The smoke wafting from his pipe choked me, gagged me, made my eyes water, and it smelled like burnt leather. The smoke was overpowering. A stench to beat all stenches! To each his own, but I eventually had to quit going to any more meetings. No harm, no foul. I just had a very bad reaction to Latakia. Strong cigars do the same thing to me. Go figure.
So....I learned that Latakia was not my friend, and now I smoke only those blends without Latakia. So how come my favorite blend is my own, home-brewed concoction, that has a small amount of Latakia and cigar-leaf in it?
SMALL amounts of Latakia, I think, give a very special, exotic aroma to room-smoke, and I don't find that piney quality unpleasant at all. Strong, Latakia forward blends, IMO, are not very smeller-friendly, and the heavy, burning-leathery, room-notes can be quite repulsive. Heavy-robust-strong Englishy blends are hard to take, smell-wise. Something to keep in mind.
Your smoke, matters.
Frank

NYC

 

[menuhin]

My first English blend was Butera Pelican.

It took me a journey to go from "people smoke this kind of hideous stuff?!" to "English blends are divine and classic".

 

[jayski]

Not long ago in what seems like a place far far away I tried my first English. Tsuge: Ryujin was the name. It was strong, earthy and Smokey. Love the stuff. Alas, I cannot find it anymore.

 

[deathmetal]

Nightcap (RIP)

 

[thomasw]

When I do smoke English blends, it is usually Nightcap or Northwoods.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Burlington Arcade. Hasn't been around for over 20 years. Anyone cotton to it?

 

[mso489]

admiral, I always warn new pipe smokers that their tastes will change, but it goes for us all. That doesn't mean don't buy a pound, but maybe think a long time about five.