Beginner Blend Progression

[Ghines04]

(apologies if this has been discussed before)

Good morning all,
talked with another member here this morning, and that spawned a question I wanted to put out here in order to learn more...

If you were guiding a new pipe smoker, someone who's been giving it a go for roughly 6 months, what progression would you take that person through in trying new blends? Starting with a quality Aro from someone like Country Squire, how would you progress that new pipe enthusiast through the different types of tobacco blends, and what's an example of that blend? (not looking for everyone's favorite, or best, I know thats very subjective)

Looking forward to seeing where this goes.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Definitely not aromatics in the beginning, save those for much later after you've gotten a good smoking technique down.

 

[CoffeeAndBourbon]

I wouldn't start a new smoker out with an aromatic. Too many potential problems.
I would go with an order from Smoking Pipes.
Bulk Tobacco and get an ounce of each of the main tobacco styles to test out.
Codger Type burley - Chatham Manor, Pegasus, etc.
Virginia blend - PS 400, Bayou Morning
English - C&D Engine #99

etc.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Although, I have always thought that aromatics were not a great choice to start out with... I have to wonder what seasoned smoker of fine Virginias and Englishes is going to ever start to get a hankering for peach pie flavors. Cap'n excluded though, cause we all know he'll just about smoke anything.

 

[Scottmi]

I second the 1 oz samples of a variety, whether be from Country Squire, smoking pipes, 4noggins, or other online, or a local B&M if you are so lucky to have one. Each may pack differently so you get to have fun with that learning curve, too. Peruse 'instant favorites' for some ideas if you like, and check tobaccoreviews.com on the ones that look interesting to see they might work for your samples.

 

[Peterson314]

I started with aromatics, swore off aromatics, learned to smoke, and now I rotate in some aromatics.

Some of my friends know I smoke a pipe, and because of that, I've made more than a few starter kits. Here's what's in my last one:

Lane Limited - BCA. Black Cavendish Aromatic. It's a perfect beginner tobacco, and @Ghines04, if you've tried TCS's Black Arrow, you'll find this very similar but more forgiving. Black Arrow likes it hot. BCA likes it anyway you like to smoke.

Lane Limited - LL-7. Get 1-Q or RLP-6 if you'd rather, but my favorite of that trio is LL-7. Smoking slow and low, it's like hot chocolate.

Mac Baren - Scottish Mixture. This is technically an Aromatic, but I've been puzzled by this classification since first bowl. My guess is that it's slightly sweetened with white sugar. It's not a consistent blend on purpose. It's a blend of 35 different tobaccos. Every puff is a bit different, and it's a great tobacco to start teasing out individual flavors.

GL Pease - Westminster. This is a quintisential English. It's not the richest, not the boldest. But it is consistent, easy to smoke, and approachable. If you like this blend, there is a world of English and Balkans to explore.

C&D Haunted Bookshop. I pop this blend in for converting cigar smokers. There is no additives whatsoever in this blend. It reminds me of Avo Domaine Avo series cigars.

Bengal Slices - And now for something completely different. I bring this because it's unique and I really like smoking it.

Sample sample sample, and see what you like. Cheers!

 

[Servant King]

I'm in the camp that feels starting with an aromatic might not be the best idea. I understand the logic behind it in theory, but when factoring in the technique necessary for success as @Chasing Embers points out, it doesn't often work in practice. Same goes for VAs. If I had known this when first starting off, it probably would have gone much smoother.

My opinion? Best place to start would be something like SWR or Granger, something along those lines. Pegasus even. Secondarily a mellow English blend as these, for me anyway, seem to consistently be some of the easiest blends to smoke without immersing your brain in technique mode the entire time. If you insist on an aromatic, make it a light one--Mac Baren Mixture Scottish Blend, for example. Or SWRA.

 

[Pooh-Bah]

Other week I introduced a trio of noobs to the pipe with Three Star Blue. Not too wet or too sweet, so far as aromatics go, and it smells nice. Donated the can to them, it was half-empty.
They got themselves pouches of a Peach and a Rum aromatic, and Match 20 off the shelf at the shop, so I guess that's about right for a starter - a couple aromatics at different levels of wetness, and something way off on the other side.

...which, now that I think of it, is more or less what I did.
And, yes, Haunted Bookshop, also very good in an introductory sampler kit.

 

[fireground_piper]

I started with aromatics and Virginia blends and they are still my favorites. They are also not all created equal....especially aromatics.

Had I started off with an English, burley or other OTC blend I likely would not have enjoyed it as much or kept up with it.

My suggestion for a reasonable aromatic is any of the 3 Mac Baren vanilla blends or something light from the house of C&D......I love Two Friends English Chocolate.

My experience has been many bulks are very wet or have similar casing/topping properties and never really worked well for me both in flavor and enjoyable experience.

If you like the smell and taste of aromatics or Virginias.....learn to smoke them is my opinion. It makes absolutely zero sense to waste away learning to smoke a burley if you dislike burley and have a love interest in Virginia.

 

[timt]

Personally speaking, I think any starter pack of tobacco should include some Orlik Golden Sliced, since it was my first revelatory experience smoking a pipe. It's easy to work with for a virginia flake, burns nicely and has that pleasant bergamot topping. We're all different though and you might hate it.... but you did ask.

 

[anotherbob]

(apologies if this has been discussed before)

Good morning all,
talked with another member here this morning, and that spawned a question I wanted to put out here in order to learn more...

If you were guiding a new pipe smoker, someone who's been giving it a go for roughly 6 months, what progression would you take that person through in trying new blends? Starting with a quality Aro from someone like Country Squire, how would you progress that new pipe enthusiast through the different types of tobacco blends, and what's an example of that blend? (not looking for everyone's favorite, or best, I know thats very subjective)

Looking forward to seeing where this goes.

I'd have to know the smoker. I think the most important thing is enjoying the blend. So I'd ask what they already enjoy. Booze or other tobacco products are a good place to start the questioning. Then go with something that is similar to flavor profiles they already like but also show off what is different with a pipe. Also I always will say this. Technique is much more important then blend. The best of a pipe needs to be coaxed out. And yeah consider blends but getting the rhythms and patterns down that agree with your smoking the most will do so much more then finding the correct blend. Gentle is really the best single word I can use for technique. The packing should be gentle full but with room for the tobacco to stretch out (it expands a bit when burnt). Puffing or drawing gets the most flavor and least burn to tongue when done gently and not in a hurry. I think sticking with not too many blends and mostly smoking through a tin or pouch will do more to show you how to best smoke for yourself then jumping blend to blend. Here is a thought about this philosophy if you jump from blend to blend and you get a particularly great smoke that's kind of perfect you won't know if it's the technique or the blend, conversely if you're going through a pouch of something or other and that smoke suddenly hits a new level and knocks your socks off you know you are finding your footing with the pipe. That's just my opinion but if there is a speck of something that helps you or anyone enjoy a pipe more that's a little victory.
Oh and if we minded the same question being asked we shouldn't be on a forum like this.

 

[Doctor Chopper]

Scientific Approach to Tobacco Choice? :: Pipe Smoking Basics & Beginner Questions

I have been a very casual pipe smoker, and becoming more interested recently. I have difficulty choosing tobacco or knowing what I really like. Embarrassingly, I usually choose tobacco based upon name or appearance. My question is if anyone has made an algorithm or system approach to testing...

pipesmagazine.com

 

[Ghines04]

I started with aromatics, swore off aromatics, learned to smoke, and now I rotate in some aromatics.

Some of my friends know I smoke a pipe, and because of that, I've made more than a few starter kits. Here's what's in my last one:

Lane Limited - BCA. Black Cavendish Aromatic. It's a perfect beginner tobacco, and @Ghines04, if you've tried TCS's Black Arrow, you'll find this very similar but more forgiving. Black Arrow likes it hot. BCA likes it anyway you like to smoke.

Lane Limited - LL-7. Get 1-Q or RLP-6 if you'd rather, but my favorite of that trio is LL-7. Smoking slow and low, it's like hot chocolate.

Mac Baren - Scottish Mixture. This is technically an Aromatic, but I've been puzzled by this classification since first bowl. My guess is that it's slightly sweetened with white sugar. It's not a consistent blend on purpose. It's a blend of 35 different tobaccos. Every puff is a bit different, and it's a great tobacco to start teasing out individual flavors.

GL Pease - Westminster. This is a quintisential English. It's not the richest, not the boldest. But it is consistent, easy to smoke, and approachable. If you like this blend, there is a world of English and Balkans to explore.

C&D Haunted Bookshop. I pop this blend in for converting cigar smokers. There is no additives whatsoever in this blend. It reminds me of Avo Domaine Avo series cigars.

Bengal Slices - And now for something completely different. I bring this because it's unique and I really like smoking it.

Sample sample sample, and see what you like. Cheers!

Thanks for the time taken to write that out. Really helpful!

 

[Ghines04]

These are some really great insights!! What I've seen so far is:

A. I started my journey the hardest way possible
B. Technique seems as important, if not more so, as blend.
C. (This is the big one I think) Pipes are meant to be handed down. Meaning the experience would be so much richer were it given, man to man, rather than internet to man. NOT dissing the forum and online pipe channels at all. Just seeing how much more valuable it is to pick up a pipe and learn from an experienced piper face to face.

Keep it coming, this is really good!!

 

[Peterson314]

These are some really great insights!! What I've seen so far is:

A. I started my journey the hardest way possible
B. Technique seems as important, if not more so, as blend.
C. (This is the big one I think) Pipes are meant to be handed down. Meaning the experience would be so much richer were it given, man to man, rather than internet to man. NOT dissing the forum and online pipe channels at all. Just seeing how much more valuable it is to pick up a pipe and learn from an experienced piper face to face.

Keep it coming, this is really good!!

A) A lot of us started with aromatics. The idea that aromatics are bad beginner tobaccos is relatively new and somewhat counterintuitive. The reason behind this new line of thinking is that aromatics often have a small pocket to get the intended flavor, and you have to know how to find it. Often with aromatics, the flavor sits at the lowest temperature where just the slightest puff off an almost-dead ember delivers the best experience. Of course, this is not a hard and fast rule. In my experience, TCS blends like it HOT. I gave my brother a lot of TCS blends because he still draws on his pipe like he's trying to sneak in a smoke in the boys room in high school. I'm trying, but I digress...

It takes experience to know how to hunt for the flavor. In this case, non-aromatics are generally more forgiving and still let you play with temperature and puff frequency to see how the blend develops. A lot of us have honed our skills, picked up long-forgotten jars of aromatics in our cellar, and rediscovered new favorite blends.

B) Technique is important because of the above. The most important thing is to learn how to properly pack a pipe. Relights are relights and are part of the experience of pipe smoking. But if you have to relight after every puff, there's no way to find the correct flavor. Once you learn how to pack a pipe, then you can play with temperature and puff frequency with one of the more forgiving blends that I mentioned up top.

C) Indeed. There's no one correct way to smoke, but there are certainly tips, tricks, and techniques to improve the pipe-smoking experience. But you can get it. One thing will click, then another, then another, then when you've got it all figured out, buy Samuel Gawith Black XX and be humbled back to square one.

Cheers!

 

[OzPiper]

Although, I have always thought that aromatics were not a great choice to start out with... I have to wonder what seasoned smoker of fine Virginias and Englishes is going to ever start to get a hankering for peach pie flavors. Cap'n excluded though, cause we all know he'll just about smoke anything.

Careful or you’d be keel-hauled

 

[Peterson314]

Although, I have always thought that aromatics were not a great choice to start out with... I have to wonder what seasoned smoker of fine Virginias and Englishes is going to ever start to get a hankering for peach pie flavors. Cap'n excluded though, cause we all know he'll just about smoke anything.

I have a jar of Stokkebye's Peaches and Cream and it's free to a good home.

 

[OzPiper]

Get some sampler packs so you can taste a variety of genres

Boswell Pipes do their own blends and have sampler packs of aromatics and English blends
Good way to get an idea of what might appeal to you.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Wilke also has sampler packs, wherever you go for that it's a good idea (not just because I've done that, lol).

I started with some aromatics and some lighter English blends. Got more into Virginias the past year or so, but sure, I definitely get more out of aromatics than I did a couple of years ago but honestly I get more out of Virginias as well. That doesn't mean I got nothing out of them to start with. Heck, depending on all sorts of things on the day or at the moment, a blend may taste a bit different so why not experiment and make comparisons.

This will make @cosmicfolklore cringe, but one of the first times I remember "getting" more of the tobacco out of an aromatic was an old Nording Hunter (McClelland) blend which was a bit heavy on the hazelnut.

I agree learning how to smoke your pipes is important and will make a big difference, but it's going to be trial and error and to me part of that is trying a range of different types and going wherever it leads.

LOL, at some point for me an "aha moment" was having a bowl of something and realizing I didn't like it, if that makes any sense.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

This will make @cosmicfolklore cringe, but one of the first times I remember "getting" more of the tobacco out of an aromatic was an old Nording Hunter (McClelland) blend which was a bit heavy on the hazelnut.