Best Tobacco to Break in a New Pipe?

[boudreaux]

Your opinion?
For me - so far, it's been FMC. Tried several others, but this one tastes pretty good even in a new pipe, so I can only imagine how it will be when they are full ready.

 

[teufelhund]

I usually smoke something cheap because I know it won't be on par with a well broken in pipe. I like CBW because it's cheap and because I can sense the tobacco becoming better as the breaking in period ends. Although if I'm going to devote the pipe to a specific type I pick one of those types.

 

[pruss]

I know a lot of people here swear by Carter Hall as a break-in tobacco. The suggestion being that it help builds cake without imparting significant flavour/aroma ghosting.
-- Pat

 

[kashmir]

I'll use Prince Albert to break in a pipe.

It's a good OTC Burley blend and develops a fine cake in no time.

 

[mso489]

From my experience, which is not vast, I recommend something that burns pretty dry, and doesn't ghost,

like an all-Virginia blend, or with OTC, Five Brothers. But only if you enjoy those! The pipe and tobacco

are supposed to make you happy. You're not here for them. First, something you like.

 

[wnghanglow]

I'm with Mso on this one, 20 bowls from now your not going to be cursing yourself wishing you got the perfect break in tobacco, smoke something that you will enjoy down to a dottle, I wouldn't suggest an aromatic though, they get hoppy and you can't finish the last 1/3 ish of the bowl, that'll make for uneven cake.

 

[chubbster]

I always break in a pipe with a Virginia. Either FVF or OGS. I never understood why people say burley, I've never had a pipe build a solid cake with burley, Virginia's on the other hand work super for me.

 

[thesmokindragon]

IMHO, Virginia flake is some of the best for it, will build a strong cake

for you and some blend seem to do it almost instantly ;-)
Also smoke... Very-very slow, smooth slow sip'in will break the bowl

in nicely ...no other other way to smoke IMHO

 

[tennsmoker]

I like what Kashmir said. PA is just a go-to smoke for me on many days. If I have a new pipe that I know I wnat to run English blends through, then I will start with an English.
But, if it is going to be VApers, VAburs, I will either break in the pipe with a straight virginia or the PA.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

I'm an aromatic smoker so I break all of mine in with 1Q.

 

[john218]

Another vote for a Virginia blend, not something heavily cased like the OTC blends,
Virginias are reputed to build the strongest cake and they won't ghost the pipe.
I concentrate on building a good, even cake and let it develop slowly over however much time it takes.

 

[drcarlo]

I use Dunhill EMP. Reason: It is mellow and don't ghost in my hands, it burns very dry and I smoke the bowl completely.

 

[paintedklown]

Not an "old pro" by any means (quite the opposite, in fact), and nothing new that I can add. I will echo the statements regarding simply using the burley tobacco of your choice. Since Carter Hall happens to be my favorite of the burley OTCs, it is the one I would select.
Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[cigrmaster]

In my experience I build a very hard cake quickly using va or vaper flakes. I do not choose to smoke a blend I am not crazy about just to build cake.

 

[ejames]

PA or Carter Hall.

 

[brassonly]

For me I find that Lane's 1Q is a great tobacco to break in my pipes.

 

[neverknowsbest]

If it's going to be a Virginia pipe: Orlik Golden Sliced, P.S. Luxury Navy Flake, Hamborger Veermaster, etc. - any tame, consistent, and predictable golden Virginia blend.
If it's going to be an English pipe: Smokers' Haven Dee-Licious - easy-burning American-English blend that has that great Burley burn for consistency

 

[nsfisher]

CH, PA or Walnut