Aromatics/ New Pipe Smoker

[EMP27]

I've been smoking a pipe for 8 months so I'm pretty new to this.

I primarily smoke English blends which I love but I've also tried several different aromatic blends such as... Autumn Evening, MacBaren Vanilla Flake, Lane RLP6, Cult Blood Red Moon, and Apricots and Cream.

I don't find any aromatic to have much taste but the room/ tin notes are always pleasing. Are these mostly to please non smokers around you or have I not been smoking long enough to appreciate aromatics?

 

[fireground_piper]

You might want to try and English aromatic. If you regularly smoke Latakia, it could be a case of just being used to such a strong flavor. An English aro might help you bridge that gap.

 

[PipeIT]

There are massive amounts of Aros out there with a lot of flavors, that are not so stereotypical, what people commonly think about Aromatics.

Aromatics come in various topping strengths; light medium heavy.

Light ones can come across almost natural like, depending on the toppings.

These are a few decent Aros to put on your list.

Samuel Gawith - Grousemoor
Ken Byron Ventures - Sakura
Wilke - 515

Some Aromatics take some time to appreciate and understand, it all depends on how heavily topped they are, because a heavily topped Aro, might only taste like the flavors added, and not much tobacco flavors.

 

[Bbailey324]

I suppose to somewhat answer you initial question, yes many aromatics are mostly about the room note. That said, I like some of the Mac Baren offerings including Vanilla Flake and Roll Cake. I get tobacco flavors from both. I also enjoy 7 Seas Regular. You might want to try Mac Baren Club Blend. Lots of Virginia flavors there but also a sweet room note. I enjoy a range of English blends and understand what you are saying about the flavor and mouthfeel of these blends. I've smoked more MM965 today than anything else.

 

[Peterson314]

I've been smoking for 20 years. I started with 1-Q and aromatics, discovered English blends, and then came back to aromatics when I learned more about how to smoke. Aromatics affect the room note, but you can often find the flavor when you learn to keep an ember at a low temperature.

 

[EMP27]

You might want to try and English aromatic. If you regularly smoke Latakia, it could be a case of just being used to such a strong flavor. An English aro might help you bridge that gap.

I've actually smoked Plumcake and wasn't blown away by that one either.

 

[PipeIT]

Sillem’s Black is considered a good English Aro crossover.

https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipe-tobacco/Sillem/black-100g/product_id/39861

 

[Chasing Embers]

Are these mostly to please non smokers

No. The slower and cooler you smoke them, the closer the taste becomes to the tin note.

 

[PipeIT]

Good point Chasing made!

Dry them good
Pack them light
Barely light the tobacco
Take slow gentle sips
Let the pipe cool down and repeat

All of this equals cool slow smoking, which yields better flavors.

P.S. Don’t worry about keeping the pipe lit...

 

[Searock Fan]

A couple of thoughts.

1. Avoid the "codger" blends you get at the drug store.

2. Try smoking aromatics in a pipe with a balsa filter. It will absorb some of the juices and smooth out the smoke.

3. Don't smoke aromatics in the same pipe you smoke English. Dedicate a pipe.

 

[PipeIT]

Clay pipes don’t ghost, you can smoke anything in them.

Briars ghost
Cobs ghost
Meerschaums ghost

 

[bullet08]

Your palate hasn't been accustomed to aromatics yet. Unlike what most people think, it takes time for aromatics to show what they can taste like. It just takes time.

 

[Gimlet]

I smoke more English flake than anything else now but I don't mind aromatics. My issue are those that taste very artificial. Some cherry blends smell like sweets or sickly vaping fluid when you open the tin. It may be a bit of a generalisation but if I can't smell the tobacco in the tin I'll generally give them a miss.

Unfortunately I don't have access to the range of intruigeing sounding US blends mentioned on here. In the UK it's mostly English or European. But Willsons of Sharrow make some nice aros and I like some of the GH American-style blends but tend to find Dutch brands too sweet and dominated by vanilla. Borkum Riff Ruby, for example, I find sickly. It's very good quality but it's like a fine cup of tea that's had five sugars put in it.

There used to be an old tobacconist near me (now sadly gone the way of most high street tobacconists here) who never referred to aromatics. He had a shelf of them in jars but called them "house baccy" because they were the blend wives were mostly likely to allow husbands to smoke indoors.
His "shed baccy" were those you smoked for your own pleasure rather than other people's and these were the rich and strong flakes, plugs and twists.

My favourite tobacco is GH American coffee and caramel which is a black cavendish. It is top dressed but genuinely does taste of coffee and caramel. Tin smell is like Christmas pudding and it's a blend that seems to please the smoker and bystanders alike.

 

[Gimlet]

No. The slower and cooler you smoke them, the closer the taste becomes to the tin note.

I think that's true of all tobaccos to be honest. It's a learning curve to be sure.

 

[The Clay King]

Clay pipes don’t ghost, you can smoke anything in them.

Briars ghost
Cobs ghost
Meerschaums ghost

@PipeIT Clays all the way for me!

 

[Ghosted Tamper]

The best tasting aromatics to me have always been the Samuel Gawith or Gawith Hoggarth blends. I'd recommend getting a couple ounces of Ennerdale Flake, or Mixture with your next tobacco purchase for a true aromatic (with flavor) experience. Do buy a cob that you will be willing to dedicate to this blend, as it will ghost like a sonuvah.

I've enjoyed a bowl of Samuel Gawith Firedance Flake here and there and recently have smoked a few bowls of Rattray's Bagpiper's Dream, to my liking. Peter Stokkebye's Nougat was flavourful, as well.

The best advice has already been given in regards to cadence, packing, etc. However I will say that there are sometimes just blends that don't quite "do it" for us all. No harm, no foul. The best thing to do is carry on and find what suits you best. Give it a few years and you might be surprised that you ever felt a certain way about a particular blend, for better, or for worse.

 

[Gimlet]

The best tasting aromatics to me have always been the Samuel Gawith or Gawith Hoggarth blends. I'd recommend getting a couple ounces of Ennerdale Flake, or Mixture with your next tobacco purchase for a true aromatic (with flavor) experience. Do buy a cob that you will be willing to dedicate to this blend, as it will ghost like a sonuvah.

I've enjoyed a bowl of Samuel Gawith Firedance Flake here and there and recently have smoked a few bowls of Rattray's Bagpiper's Dream, to my liking. Peter Stokkebye's Nougat was flavourful, as well.

The best advice has already been given in regards to cadence, packing, etc. However I will say that there are sometimes just blends that don't quite "do it" for us all. No harm, no foul. The best thing to do is carry on and find what suits you best. Give it a few years and you might be surprised that you ever felt a certain way about a particular blend, for better, or for worse.

I've just bought a tin of Ennerdale. Haven't smoked it for several months. Last time I tried it I was more into the sweeter European and American blends. Since then I've graduated (if that's the right word - diversified is perhaps better) onto stronger Kendal flakes. My mainstays now are GH Best Brown unscented and SG 1792 flake interspersed with GH Coffee and Caramel and Exclusive black cherry.
Called in at my local tobacconist just now and fancied something different for a change. L was hoping for some Capstan navy cut or some Conniston cut plug but they didn't have any so came away with a tin of Ennerdale.

Reamed and cleaned a Rattrays usually dedicated to Ex BC and stuffed it full of Ennerdale. I'm smoking it now and I have to say I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I'm not getting any of that "Lakeland" geranium scent that so divides the crowd on here, just a mildly sweet hint of hay and almond on top of the familiar best brown-like Kendal background. And not a hint of black cherry ghosting in the pipe I cleaned. Maybe I should switch around blends and pipes more often. A change is as good as a rest.

 

[Ghosted Tamper]

I'm smoking it now and I have to say I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I'm not getting any of that "Lakeland" geranium scent that so divides the crowd on here, just a mildly sweet hint of hay and almond on top of the familiar best brown-like Kendal background.

Many have stated a shift with the top note being much less perfumed versus past iterations. It's been a couple years since I picked up any Ennerdale, but I remember being able to smell the tobacco through the actual box, unopened. It literally ghosted the shipping box. It's an absolutely delightful blend when smoked fresh and only deepens and sweetens in flavor with a bit of age on it.

 

[Homer]

I am rookie pipe smoker and for example today I smoked Mac Baren Virginia flake and 4noggings three blind moose. The Virginia was sweet with subtle hay like flavor and tasted much better than the aromatic.

I have learned that at least I need to first learn to smoke Virginia and then move on to other types of pipe tobacco.

 

[EMP27]

I've tried slow smoking and still don't get much taste from aromatics. Other than the smell it's lost on me. I enjoy other non aromatics so I think I will stick with those instead and revisit aro's later. Thanks for all of the input.