Are Burley Smokers a Breed?

[mso489]

I'm a burley devotee, though I enjoy many Virginia based blends and other varieties of leaf. A good burley blend always makes me feel comfortable and fulfilled in the pipe smoking department. There are burley blends I don't like, but that's not the topic.

Some people smoke mostly or only burley; some like burley as a change of pace; other people can't smoke burley since they don't like it and/or it makes them throw up. This raises two questions, probably more.

Are burley smokers genetically set up that way, in terms of their sense of taste? Or do we come to this through habit or exposure?

And, what percent of pipe smokers, would you estimate, are partial to burley, smoke mostly or only burley or prefer it in general?

And if you are a burley smoker, which brand (not blend) does the best burley blending?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

and/or it makes them throw up.

Ha ha, what wimps. I can't believe that someone would admit that out loud, much less on a forum.

I am a tobacco lover. Give me tobaccos. The thing that turns me off about a blend is never the tobacco; it is always the non-tobacco part added.

 

[captpat]

I’ll smoke anything but heavy goopers. Watch City Cigar is my favorite burley blender, though there others that do a fine job as well.

 

[mso489]

Of course I like the idea that real men smoke burley, but I think that burley chemistry just rakes some people the wrong way, even if they are defensive lineman in the NFL. I don't think people throw up from their sensitive nature. Good old burley just punches them in the stomach, and up comes the lunch.

To answer one of my own questions, I think C&D has been a leader in doing burley based premium blends, though Jeremy has now branched out into Virginia blends as well. I also like Peterson's 3-P and Irish Flake, and Amphora burley, and so many other brands.

To answer another of my own questions, I think about a third of pipe smokers like burley best, and another third enjoy it as a change of pace from Virginia-based and other blends.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I don't think people throw up from their sensitive nature. Good old burley just punches them in the stomach, and up comes the lunch.

The second half of the sentence cancels out the first. And, yes, burley is what built this country.

 

[hawky454]

Burley blends that are heavily topped with molasses or chocolate taste odd to me, most of the codger blends have this off taste but I also get it in Solani Aged Burley Flake. I think C&D is at the top of the Burley game, I definitely like their Burley blends but I like a lot of the newer blends that Jeremy has been coming up with whether they are Burley based or not. So yeah, I’m not a Burley man, I’m just a tobacco man.

I would like to revisit some LJ Peretti Burley blends sometime. I still haven’t tried any Watch City blends, I’d like to try those someday too, though I just can’t justify buying more tobacco at this point… I’m sure I’ll find a way eventually.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Burley blends that are heavily topped with molasses or chocolate taste odd to me, most of the codger blends have this off taste

I would never ever, ever, ever call a codger blend a burley blend. I have no idea why some do this, but my guess is that codger smokers are way too embarrassed to admit that they are smoking an aromatic, and there is nowhere else to lump these codgers. So, they try to drag down the burley guys with their heavily cased stuff. If we just kicked them out of the boat, we'd be way ahead of the rest of the genres.

 

[telescopes]

Hard hitting nicotine tobaccos don't set well with me and red Virginias seem to come off tinny. I am not embarrassed to admit I would throw up if I had too much nicotine. I never lost it in my first two years after college when I worked for a government agency in El Salvador, and I saw some mind wrenching things happen there - how I would love to write a book. I think you are right, body chemistry and tobacco can either be a great match or a repulsive mismatch.

 

[Aomalley27]

Well; since American Aros are inundated with Cavendish that’s produced with Burley (as opposed to the more prevalent Virginia Cavendish in European Aromatics).... and the Aromatic blends comprise 9 of the top 10 best selling blends in the US, then I’d venture to say 90%+ of US pipers are Burley smokers.

However; I think the gist of your query has more to do with either straight Burley, or Burley forward blends. In that case, I’d venture to say a liberal guess would be the inverse, 10%. Though I’d venture to say it’s much lower, maybe in the range of 2%-3% of all pipe smokers?‍

 

[anotherbob]

who knows. But I think burly gets a bad rap. Seen as cheap but some people that just don't know.

 

[Piping Abe]

Most of what I smoke is Burley blends. I agree there are many Burley only smokers, but also see a lot of Virginia only smokers. If we are not counting OTCs i’d say there are more Virginia smokers.

For me, only certain Virginias hit the spot. Usually topped, like St. Bruno ans Erinmore. FVF was the best Virginia I ever smoked. But I traded it away a week later for some Burley blend readily available.

I prefer C&D Burley, the bold some times harshness. Having some more refined stuff like Sutliff, MacBaren, Hearth & Home just doesnt cut it for me.

 

[Peter Turbo]

Anyone sticking to a single leaf is certainly a type of breed.

There's so much variety out there that I wouldn't choose that path just yet in my pipe smoking journey. I often think if I could only choose one blend or one variety of leaf to smoke what would it be? I never come up with an answer. Love me some Burleys though.

 

[telescopes]

Prince Albert is a burley blend. And a burley man he was indeed. It's not easy being in a can.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I do not find all burley blends to be heavy hitter nic blends. And, Prince Albert CAN just just get back in line with the aromatics.

 

[Grangerous]

A breed you say? Sure we are! We’re Burley Men!

Granger is 100 percent Burley, Cosmic! Albeit as mild as a kitten.

Three of my favorite burleys are C&D blends but in fairness, until I can sample some Uhle’s I can’t cast a vote for which is best.

But I surely love C&D’s Pegasus, Crooner, their Burley Flake series, Old Joe Krantz, Big n Burley and even Haunted Bookshop of late is on speaking terms to me now.

Great post, MSO ??

I love Burley

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Granger is 100 percent Burley,

So are 90% of all aromatics.

 

[anotherbob]

I snuff a lot and that's almost all burly. And if you get a non scented snuff weirdly it has the same qualities that a burly cigar leaf blend would have. Which by the way is an type of blend that more should be done with. Not sure why it's commercially not a thing.

 

[Grangerous]

So are 90% of all aromatics.

I’d expect a burley base and 90 percent flavorings!

In another recent post I found myself SMH because the posters complaints were that they can taste more tobacco than topping.

Unbelievable.

The more recent iterations of Lakeland blends have gone so light on the topping that they now taste more like tobacco than “flavor” was the matter in contention.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Aromatics range in percentage of topping to leaf. Some, you can barely tell there is a topping. Personally, I'd rather not have any topping or casing at all. But, if you're going to smoke store bought, then you have to learn to deal with the crap they all want to drown our leaf in.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Unbelievable

What's unbelievable is that an aromatic smoker such as yourself (Granger) would complain. The point of the Lakelands were their flavoring.

I enjoy straight burley twists right out of the barn. Good strong earthy smoke.