A New Castello Provides ZERO Taste... WTF!

[uzzi101]

So I own a few Castello pipes, and they all have been beautiful smokes. I’m newer to the pipe club and not full of wisdom, but felt Castello was to be a superior pipe in term of smoking qualities.

So here’s my dilemma. I never smoked Black House before and was told to give it a try. I cracked a tin and smoked it in my Savinelli 606. I was blown away. Sweet, Smokey, tang, sour. This Tabasco has it all in my opinion. I almost purchased 5 more tins half way through my first bowl.

I decided to break in my Castello Collection I’ve been sitting on. She’s a beauty. A small little bent apple that looked too good to smoke. So I’ve had a few bowls of Black House in this pipe that I’ve paid too much for of course... about 4 times the cost of my Sav.

The pipe has muted the taste of Black House, almost to nothing. I can hardly taste any of the lovely notes I found in the Savinelli. The Sav was smoked for a year or so.

The bowls on both of these pipes are pretty similar.

Is there hope for this Castello?

Why would the taste be so muted?

Would you expect it to provide a better taste over time?

Has anyone had a similar experience?

I’ll try some others blends in her but hoped to dedicate this pipe to Black House.

Would love your opinions on this matter, and any guidance is much appreciated.

 

[Chasing Embers]

a superior pipe in term of smoking qualities.

You just described every well drilled pipe, brand isn't going to affect anything but the cosmetic.

Is there hope for this Castello?

Yep, break it in.

Why would the taste be so muted?

You're only going to mostly taste the unsmoked briar for the first several smokes.

Would you expect it to provide a better taste over time?

Yep.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

Yep, even worse with a new meerschaum and far worse with a new gourd calabash.

 

[bullet08]

You already smoked it. Try few more times.

 

[jpberg]

I once bought a Castello that like yours, had no soul.
It was almost eerie how that pipe broke every tobacco I put in it.

 

[Casual]

There once was a man from Nantucket

Whose pipe he kept in a bucket

It never had taste

And seemed such a waste

So he asked if he ought to just chuck it

 

[Chasing Embers]

if he ought to just chuck it

I have, but that's another story. Cue Limahl.

 

[uzzi101]

I once bought a Castello that like yours, had no soul.
It was almost eerie how that pipe broke every tobacco I put in it.

did you stick with it? Move on?

 

[gervais]

I don't believe the different pipe = different flavour phenomenon. I believe it is due to the fact that it is new

 

[CoffeeAndBourbon]

Give it time to break in before you give up on the pipe

 

[jpberg]

did you stick with it? Move on?

I sent it to a pal who worked with it off and on. He couldn’t get much satisfaction either.
We chalked it up to metaphysics and moved on.

 

[daveinlax]

I have a newer Castello that is drilled so wide open that it seems to affect the flavor. I tighten up the draw by packing the first pinch in tight then fill normally

 

[sandollars]

Patience, Grasshopper.


If you want them pre-broken in, look to the Estate markets.

 

[anotherbob]

I personally find that pipes with really open draws always taste muted. And some pipes just do that for some reason. Could be something to do with about half a million different things all of which are impossible to really measure.

 

[pauls456]

There is a tobacco and a packing method for any decent pipe.

 

[tobefrank]

Sounds like you may have to pack it a bit tighter and break it in a bit.

Can we get a photo of the pipe for oogling over?

 

[LongHairDontCare]

It sounds like it just needs to be broken in. Keep smoking it

 

[uzzi101]

many thanks for the advice good sirs.... I appreciate the insights. what I find strange is my other Castello pipes provided beautiful smokes from day one.

g

I have a newer Castello that is drilled so wide open that it seems to affect the flavor. I tighten up the draw by packing the first pinch in tight then fill normally

great advice. will give it a try

 

[uzzi101]

many thanks good sirs. I'll post a pic during my next smoke.

my surprise of the muted taste is due to my other Castello pipes being beautiful smokes straight out of the gate. I will be patient with this one and try all your advice.

I've packed this pipe tight with Frog Morton, in hopes it will "season" with a bit of flavor.
Am I crazy to think this may work? I'm wondering if anyone else has tried this method to help with flavor.

 

[Ahi Ka]

This Tabasco has it all in my opinion.

There in lies your problem bro

 

[Chasing Embers]

I never smoked Black House before and was told to give it a try. I cracked a tin and smoked it in my Savinelli 606. I was blown away. Sweet, Smokey, tang, sour. This Tobacco has it all in my opinion. I almost purchased 5 more tins half way through my first bowl.

If no one has mentioned it to you yet, Sutliff's Balkan Sobranie 759 Match is the bulk of Black House.