All Tobacco Tastes the Same

[anotherbob]

I'm about a year into my pipe smoking adventure. It took until probably a month ago to learn how to slow down smoking. And it's still something I'm struggling with. Better, but not quite good yet. But I figured out the slower I smoked, and the drier the tobacco is when I light it, the more flavor I'm getting.

I say instead of thinking of slowing down think of sipping. For some reason thinking about sipping on a pipe versus slowing down is just easier to do and easier to keep doing. Plus sipping means sipping slowing down has a whole range of things it can mean depending on where you start from. It's one of those simple things that makes a big difference. Also I found that out early by reading an account of pipe smoking in the new world where the writer used that term so I tried it and it worked wonders.

 

[Callsignwinch6]

All tobacco tastes pretty much the same to me too. I can recognize the difference between Burly and Virginia, but little else. In fact, I have smoked vanilla and cherry aromatics on the same day and didn't notice a large difference. I do choose aromatics sometimes when around people because they seem to like the smell but it neither adds or takes away from the enjoyment I get from my pipe. Kinda like doing certain things during sex for her enjoyment but they're not that important for your satisfaction. In all fairness, it may have to do with my life experiences though. Being raised in the country, as most farm kids can attest to, taste buds were only used to warn your stomach that something was on it's way down. While getting dressed for a day of cropping tobacco in 98 degree heat and 95 percent humidity, at five in the morning mother would be putting breakfast on the table. In her defence, she always had two options available for every meal. You could eat it or not. I left the farm at 19 and went straight into my first of three tours of duty. I learned early on that the Infantry shared my mother's philosophy about food, as they always offered the same two options. Even to this day, when my wife asks if there's anything I would want for supper (that's dinner to my nonsouthern brothers) I just say "nope, whatever you want is good with me". Kinda like that sex thing we discussed earlier. We do get down to Calabash NC from time to time for the seafood, and she'll rave about how good it was all the way home. Me? I'd just as soon have catfish as flounder. It all tastes like fish to me.
My pipe is a good friend that I enjoy for many reasons, but I'm afraid different taste experiences will never be one of them. That being said, I think I'll keep it for all the others and I hope you will too.

Very, very funny

 

[pappymac]

Some of you guys definitely should take up writing for stand-up comedians.

I've always thought it just takes time to be able to differentiate between the subtle flavors and aromas of pipe tobacco. The more you smoke slowly, the more you are able to detect the differences. And, as someone else stated, the flavors you smell in the tin aren't always tasted while you smoke.

For me personally, I can't name a tobacco blend that I would say hits you in the face with a particular aromatic flavor while I'm smoking it. It is usually subtle suggestions. The exception to that are latakia forward blends and oriental blends in my personal experience.

 

[anotherbob]

Some of you guys definitely should take up writing for stand-up comedians.

I actually have done that a tiny bit. And it's really funny because the amount they rework every joke to fit their style and voice basically means all you really sell them is the premise. And it feels really weird to sell a premise for that much. Oh it started by accident with one of the worst jokes I've made.