Aromatics are Not for the Pipe-Smoker

[jdlander]

I have come to a realization... aromatics are not for the pipe-smoker, but for the pipe-smoker's wife.

I am working through several of the aromatics recommended to me by various threads and websites as "the best aromatic." Maybe they are just not for me, or maybe my palate isn't developed enough yet, but so far, I find them all to be insanely boring and bland.

As I look up Reviews for these aromatics, I have discovered a common theme in most of the 5-star reviews of popular aromatics. They almost all say this: "My wife loves it! She says I can smoke this one around her."

So there's the reason aromatics are popular! Your wife doesn't mind them as much.

This isn't wrong, of course, As pipe smokers, we need to be aware of the people around us and not be a nuisance to them, but I am thinking now that people who recommend aromatics do so, not because THEY like them, but because the people AROUND the smoker likes aromatics.

What do you say, aromatic lovers? Do you smoke them because you truly love them, or because your wife doesn't complain much when you smoke them?

 

[Waning Embers]

I have come to a realization... aromatics are not for the pipe-smoker, but for the pipe-smoker's wife.

To each their own. Flavored blends out sell unflavored ones by a large margin and are the only thing keeping pipe smoking afloat financially. I mostly gave up non-aromatics after decades of smoking them in favor of Aromatics due to finding not much difference in different blends in the same genre. I found more variety in flavored tobaccos than unflavored ones but definitely not for beginners. My wife primarily smokes Virginias and Burleys.

 

[OzPiper]

I usually smoke on my own than when me mate, Doug, comes over for a smoke.
So pleasing others is not an issue.

I mostly smoke non-aromatic blends.
But there are times when I really hanker for an aromatic.
I LOVE aromatics

 

[boston]

I dig aromatics (good ones), quite a bit. Alot of old-school tobaccos have aromatics. And I like the non aromatics too. I never really think about room note, and never pick a tobacco for an audience. BUT...I am aware of blends that non smokers enjoy the aroma of...that's all good too, as long as I dig smoking it.

 

[AcesAndEights]

I do occasionally enjoy a nice goopy aromatic with a cup o’ joe in the morning. All by my onesie out in the garage.

 

[Sig]

I smoke by myself, outside 99% of the time. No heavy aromatic is ever going to replace "non" aromatics for me, but I do like some of them.
They key is to smoke them very lightly. Once the tobacco is burning, the flavor is gone. You want smoke from the smoldering tobacco near the burning tobacco. This goes for all tobacco, but especially aromatic ive found. Even what most people think is slow, is too fast for most aromatics.

 

[warren]

I'm sure enough of my own skin to smoke what I enjoy. There are a coupe of aromatics I keep at hand. My wife is dead so that isn't a concern. It wasn't when she was alive either.

As pipe smokers, we need to be aware of the people around us and not be a nuisance to them

Why? They can simply move away from the aroma of whatever I wish to smoke. If a woman or man is wafting about a fragrance I don't like, I simply move if necessary. Not my job to tell 'em they stink. Nor is it my place to try and please others. My job, as I see it, is to go through life looking after me, enjoying myself as much a legally allowed these days..

 

[sardonicus87]

I enjoy aromatics, and for me, they're not at all about not bothering other people, and quite a few of them actually taste similar to their tin note if you smoke them with care. In a lot of cases, that flavoring can and does transfer to the smoke itself.

Some of my most favorite blends have been aromatics.

Hell, I don't care what kind of blend it is, if you smoke them all the way people constantly preach about smoking VAs (slowly and carefully), they all taste best—the only difference between VA and aro blends over burley and English is that there's less margin of error before you get bit when smoking VAs or aromatics. Try being "extra careful" the way you would with a VA when smoking any other type.

If I had to rank blend types from most to least favorite, my most favorite are burley, then aros, then English and VAs last.

 

[plugugly]

Hard (for me) to find ones that " taste like they smell ". That being said, they still have given me many a pleasant smoke!

 

[Akguy59]

I tried aros when I started back pipe smoking last year. It was due to bad advice from others. I found the fruity, sweet flavors were not what I was looking for.
After very little experimentation, I found that I prefer very strong versions of Vapers and English blends. At this stage of my smoking journey I have found that Bayou Morning and Engine 99 are the blends that are what I am looking for.
I am sure that these strong blends appeal to me because I have been a cigarette smoker for over 50 years. I don't seem to have a very nuanced pallet so I guess that the strong perique and latakia blends appeal to my taste, being strong enough to get my attention.
I guess the trick is to smoke what you like and don't worry about what other people think.

 

[Scrapyard Ape]

About 1/3 of all the bowls I smoke are aromatics. Why? I like the aromas. 'nuf sed.

 

[The Benedictine]

I enjoy all varieties of tobacco. I'm currently smoking an aro as we chat

 

[Briar Lee]

I enjoy aromatics, and for me, they're not at all about not bothering other people, and quite a few of them actually taste similar to their tin note if you smoke them with care. In a lot of cases, that flavoring can and does transfer to the smoke itself.

Some of my most favorite blends have been aromatics.

Hell, I don't care what kind of blend it is, if you smoke them all the way people constantly preach about smoking VAs (slowly and carefully), they all taste best—the only difference between VA and aro blends over burley and English is that there's less margin of error before you get bit when smoking VAs or aromatics. Try being "extra careful" the way you would with a VA when smoking any other type.

If I had to rank blend types from most to least favorite, my most favorite are burley, then aros, then English and VAs last.

 

[WerewolfOfLondon]

There was me thinking snobbery was a particularly English affliction. When it comes to aromatic tobacco the snobbery is boundless. It has to stop, each person should be free to smoke whatever they like without these cock-a-snook type posts.

 

[captainsousie]

I won't pile on but I do like the occasional aro for variety. Also, one of the most dedicated smokers I knew smoked exclusively 1Q. Different strokes etc.

 

[Waning Embers]

each person should be free to smoke whatever they like

Not a single post here suggested otherwise. The OP asked if we liked them and why we smoke them. Stop looking for things to get offended by.

 

[The Benedictine]

Not a single post here suggested otherwise. The OP asked if we liked them and why we smoke them. Stop looking for things to get offended by.

 

[LOREN]

I have come to a realization... aromatics are not for the pipe-smoker, but for the pipe-smoker's wife.

I am working through several of the aromatics recommended to me by various threads and websites as "the best aromatic." Maybe they are just not for me, or maybe my palate isn't developed enough yet, but so far, I find them all to be insanely boring and bland.

As I look up Reviews for these aromatics, I have discovered a common theme in most of the 5-star reviews of popular aromatics. They almost all say this: "My wife loves it! She says I can smoke this one around her."

So there's the reason aromatics are popular! Your wife doesn't mind them as much.

This isn't wrong, of course, As pipe smokers, we need to be aware of the people around us and not be a nuisance to them, but I am thinking now that people who recommend aromatics do so, not because THEY like them, but because the people AROUND the smoker likes aromatics.

What do you say, aromatic lovers? Do you smoke them because you truly love them, or because your wife doesn't complain much when you smoke them?

I've never tasted the sweetness or flavors others have talked about, that's the only reason I don't keep trying aromatics anymore. I wasn't trying for room note.

 

[The Benedictine]

I've never tasted the sweetness or flavors others have talked about, that's the only reason I don't keep trying aromatics anymore. I wasn't trying for room note.

That's what the main thing is for aros; the room note. You'll get faint tastes from it but retrohaling introduces the profile more pronounced. Aros are a tricky bitch.

 

[Peter Turbo]

I love John Aylesbury Dragon Flake and Wilke Rum Cake.