Beginners Advice

[Old_Newby]

I am 3 months in and had a revelation I want to share with beginners. If you tried Latakia blend and did not like it, or a Perique blend and did not like it, then double check the blend. I recommend trying a Latakia blend without Perique in it, and visa versa before trying anything with both.

For my tastes I tried Early Morning Pipe and loved it. Then this morning I tried VooDoo, knowing it has Latakia in it, but something was a little off.
I discovered that Voodoo also has Perique in it and for me it was competing with the Latakia. (again my palate is a virgin).

So at first try them separate, not together. You might love either or both of them but not together. For me orientals, burley, Virginia’s, and cavendish can mix with anything but the 2 alpha males of Latakia and Perique might not play well on your palate if you are new to pipe smoking. Noting I have not had dark fired Kentucky yet.

My thoughts on Voodoo were torn during the bowl due to the peppery spice fighting the sweet smoky Latakia. Then 2 hours afterwards I like the flavor in my mouth. If you are wanting Smokey sweetness without the peppery spice then avoid Perique in your Latakia.

Once my palate develops more I will probably like it, but for now I am going to shelve my alpha combos. So my unopened Stonehenge, Artisan, Chelsea Morning, Firestorm, and Anniversary Kake will stay unopened in my cellar until I am ready to try again.

I am going to try VaPers and have my eye on the 2019 Curley Block that a fellow member was nice enough to shared a sample with me. I really want to like Perique but for me, for now, it clashes with Latakia.

 

[kcghost]

That's why they invented Va/Pers.

 

[WVOldFart]

It sounds as if you are developing well into your new past time. You are tasting and assessing and thinking things out. You may be a newbie but you are farther along than most. Keep on enjoying the journey.

 

[Streeper541]

Excellent observations. I'm glad you are continuing to enjoy the pursuit of the experience.

 

[newbroom]

If you mean, Voodoo Queen by Sutliff? I wouldn't use that as a baseline.
If you don't love Firestorm, I would worry some.

 

[clynch]

Makes a lot of sense. Try to keep it simple and find what you like. Take your time. I've been doing the same. I stay with the same smoke for a couple days through a couple pipes. My BIGGEST learning moment was letting it dry out for an hour before packing the pipe. Night and day from moist. Relights are decreased big time.

 

[Old_Newby]

If you mean, Voodoo Queen by Sutliff? I wouldn't use that as a baseline.
If you don't love Firestorm, I would worry some.

Yes on Voodoo Queen. I have not opened Firestorm but Muttnchop made it sound delicious.

 

[newbroom]

I bought a 1# bag of VooDoo Queen. I find it tolerable at best, and I find almost everything tolerable.
I haven't been smoking much Latakia at all for quite awhile. It can be irritable.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

VooDoo Queen has a topping of spirits of some sort that benefits from some time in the cellar. Aged, the perique transforms into a fruity taste without that pepperiness. I find it to be similar to Bothy Flake in that everything together can come together to transform the latakia away from that smokiness and into something more sweet and fruity, without a fruity additive.
Give it a year in the jar to settle down. It's one of the few blends that I would say becomes something else entirely with a little age on it.

 

[monty55]

Hope you enjoy the Peter Heinrichs Curley Block