A Question About Different Types of Tobaccos

[Cpt._GreyBeard]

In my youth, I fondly remember my Grandfather and his pipes. Especially his meerschaum pipe carved into the likeness of Uncle Sam. I am unsure what type of tobacco he smoked, whether he stuck to a particular brand, or if he enjoyed many different types. What I do remember was that each time he smoked there was that very distinctive smell of pipe tobacco. A smell you could not mistake for a cigar or cigarette.
The first tobacco I tried was Captain Black original. After that I went to my local B&M and tried a few house blends (explaining to them my affinity for Captain Black and desire for something similar).
Unfortunately, after getting back into pipe smoking, I found that particular shop is no longer in business. I found another and have begun experimenting with their house blends. My first non-aromatic was a Flake or Navy cut Burley. I was surprised to find the distinctive "pipe tobacco smell" was not there for this one. It tasted similar to cigarettes to me. At first, I didn't like it too much but after smoking half an ounce it started growing on me.
I would like to experiment with more blends trying some Virginia, English, Oriental, etc.
I am curious, are aromatics the only blends with that distinctive "pipe tobacco smell and taste?"
I have seen people get very creative and meticulous when describing a tobacco, its smell and its taste. However, I have found that all the aromatics I have tried, while having differences, have that similar pipe tobacco smell. Is this true for the rest of the different types?

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

I was very uncharacteristically enjoying a Christmas blend aromatic in the house over the holidays - kind of a sweet vanilla/caramel whatever aspect - I can tell you my wife who grew up with a father and grandfather dedicated to Latakia did not think what I was smoking smelled like her idea of distinctive pipe tobacco smell. My ideas of "distinctive" pipe tobacco smell growing up and until I actually started experimenting with it definitely ran to what would be more of an English blend and/or burley type aroma based on encounters over my life and definitely nothing like any aromatics I may enjoy. As an example, the tin note of Kramer's Blend for Cary Grant screams pipe smoking to me, but I tend to smoke other kinds of tobacco more often.

Just means different things to different people.

 

[K.E. Powell]

My mom told me my great uncle Dory used to smoke pipe, but for the life of her she could not remember what it was. The memory of the smell, however, did stay, and with some time I was able to tease it out. Dory smoked Half 'n Half, but back in his time, that tobacco used to have deertongue in it, which has a very unique aroma and flavor. I don't think Half 'n Half uses deertongue anymore, but there are other blends that do. Maybe try those?

As for a being distinct, I would not say that aromatics are the only blends that can offer a smell and flavor unique to pipe tobacco, but I would say for those chasing the nostalgia vapors emanating from the memories of their grandfather's pipe, then chances are they are looking for an aromatic. I can't say that most aros smell alike to me, so I can't speak to that.

 

[pappymac]

My step grandfather smoked George Washington until they stopped making it around 1974. I once asked my older sisters and my cousins if they remembered what he smoked and everyone of them said, "George Washington."

I found it interesting that none of them could remember what he smoked after he couldn't buy it any longer.

 

[SBC]

I've very rarely smelled a pipe tobacco's room note since I didn't grow up around any pipe smokers (and I can't smell my own).

For some reason, we don't smell what those around us smell while we're smoking our pipes. I'd love an explanation for this. But in any case, I've found that I can smell what others smell if I put the pipe down, step outside, breathe deeply of fresh air for a minute, and then step back into the room.

My wife taught me that I can help this "nasal re-set" even further by breathing in from a bag of coffee beans. She's right!

Every once in awhile, somebody gets on here trying to hunt down a grandfather's or uncle's tobacco by room note. If I were trying to do that, I think I'd line up the usual suspects, grab a bag of coffee beans, and run a systematic experiment until I found what I was looking for.

But this doesn't answer your question. The answer to your question is, as others have said, that different genres of tobacco give different genres of room note, so just which genre gives what you've experienced as "that pipe tobacco smell" will depend on which genre of tobacco you were exposed to.

 

[JimPM]

That classic "pipey" smell to me underscores the presence of a spent Burley. Love it. My grandfathers smoked SWR and PA and that is my true association with that wonderful aroma.

 

[bullet08]

More than likely, your grandfather enjoyed OTC codger blends. They are mildly or heavily topped aromatics that gives welcome home warm feelings, or many at least feel that way. Most pipe blends are cased. But some are topped and others are not. Ones with minimal toppings will taste more like pure tobacco. OTC codger blends are mostly burley top with flavor. There are some which are purely flavored Cavendish.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

For me, it is the warmed briar aroma that makes the pipe distinct from cigarettes and cigars. It may be hard for the pipesmoker to understand, because of this weird cruel thing where we pipesmokers can’t easily smell our own roomnote.
But, I can load my pipe with cigarette tobacco and smoking it in a pipe does NOT smell like a cigarette. It smells like old fashioned pipe smoke.

I have been smoking straight Virginias, and people have walked up and told me that my smoke reminds them of their grandpa’s pipe. Same with a Virginia burley mix. Now, you can’t tell me that in the 1960’s in backwoods Alabama that their grandpa was smoking anything other than a codger blend… but yet the smell of the same tobacco type used predominantly in cigarettes triggers their olfactory memories. It’s the pipe, and that warmed briar aroma that makes pipesmoke smell different. Or, literally everyone who tells me this is stupid.

 

[WhiteCrown]

Great answers so far as to room note and other's perception, it depends... Or maybe not...depending on the person As far as wanting to experiment with new blends to find what you are looking for, without ending up with a bunch of stuff that is not it, here's what I did:

Buy a 12 pack of 4oz canning jars (fits 2oz of tobacco) and order 12 different bilk blends in 1-2oz quantities. And definitely order some Edgeworth ready rubbed. This way none of your half to full pound of tobacco dries out too much while you are popping a dozen plastic bags and smoking each one a little at a time.

Let us know if you find the note!

 

[mortonbriar]

Black cavendish as a component will generally get a "...my grandad..." comment in public

 

[Doctor Chopper]

Most people appreciate a cherry blend, which is a common drugstore tobacco.

 

[Sjmiller CPG]

C&D Winchester is advertised as having a room note with an "old time pipe fragrance".

 

[augiebd]

My great-uncle smoked a meerschaum pipe but no one living remembers what blend he smoked. The father of a friend growing up smoked a pipe but I don’t know his blend either. It did always seem the same. Seemed to be a tobacco note with rum flavouring? This would’ve been in the 70’s. But, I agree, what you associate that old pipe tobacco smell with depends on what you were exposed to.

 

[Coreios]

Definitely try English and Orientals they are very different.

But to answer your question, no they're not all the same, but most are because they have that distinct sweet black Cavendish that comes through. But some do have a topping that's more unique.

 

[makhorkasmoker]

Reading the replies here with interest.
My guess—this is only a guess— is that the classic pipe smell comes not so much from the smoke, or at least not the smoke we see, as from the ember warming the tobacco and oils in the pipe. I suspect sometimes the smell of the visible smoke covers or detracts from the ember-in-tobacco smell. So, if only in my imagination, every tobacco has 2 room notes: the harsher smoke smell and the wonderful ember smell

 

[mso489]

The pipe tobacco smell from your childhood is likely one of the standard aromatic flavorings. If you sample around small quantities of those, you may well come across it.

Meantime, you might like to try some of the standard non-aromatic tobaccos often used as bases for blends, that is, the largest percent of a blend that is then often supplemented with condiments of other tobaccos.

Try a simple Virginia like Amphora, and maybe their burley, both in a pouch, to get you grounded, so you can sort out the different flavors. Then maybe some unflavored black Cavendish and some Oriental like Turkish.

If you're new to smoking, don't buy a lot of anything. Keep it to an ounce or two bulk, or one tin, or one pouch, etc. Your tastes will change as you try more single leaf tobaccos and (mostly) blends.

I wouldn't go on a quest. Just try a variety and enjoy it as you go. Enjoyment is the point.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Blends that always remind me of my older pipe smoking relatives are Half & Half, HGL, RLP-6, Sir Walter Ralghie Aromatic, Carter Hall, and 1-Q. While all different they all have the Codger aromatic smell to the room note, to me anyway.

 

[ThermionicScott]

By all means, try out some Oriental and English blends. But unless you fondly remember your grandfather’s pipe smelling like some combination of campfires, burning leaves, and dirty socks, it probably wasn’t those.

 

[WhiteCrown]

By all means, try out some Oriental and English blends. But unless you fondly remember your grandfather’s pipe smelling like some combination of campfires, burning leaves, and dirty socks, it probably wasn’t those.

I agree with this, it probably wasn't those but they are definite must-trys. Also ThermionicScott I like how your avatar isn't a pipe, but sure looks like one.

 

[Zamora]

If your grandpa owned multiple pipes including a meer then chances are he smoked a variety of blends. A common etiquette protocol many follow is to only smoke aromatics in front of non smokers, which is a big reason pipe tobacco is stereotyped as smelling really good. My grandpa was a pipe smoker when my mom was growing up, he'd quit by the time I was born though (still smoked cigars though). No idea what he smoked but she's always said it smelled really good.