Burley Blues

[wilson]

Until about two months ago, I could, and did, smoke just about anything. Though I favored latakia blends, I just wasn't very picky. I would read reviews about blends and see comments about bite and wonder what they were talking about. I had a vague understanding of the difference between burn and bite, but I had never been bitten. Never.
About two months ago, out to walk the dogs on a cold night, I packed a bowl of Carter Hall. For the first time ever, I noticed some tingle. It was my whole mouth, not just a spot on my tongue. It wasn't terrible, and somewhat reminiscent of what you get with a red wine that has a lot of tannins. And, I recall thinking that this, amp'd up, is what is known as bite.
Over the course of a week or two, it got worse. To the point where I had trouble smoking any blend with burley. It seems to have subsided a bit, but I'm still not able to enjoy blends that have much burley. I was not sick -- no cold, no flu, nothing like that -- and I've not changed my diet, but I suppose there has been some change in body chemistry that has made me more sensitive to the alkaline smoke from burley?
It's not the end of the world, there are other blends to smoke, but I am wondering if this has happened to others and if, in their experience, it ever goes away?

 

[petes03]

Wow, you got Carter Hall to bite? I didn't think that was possible.

Burley can bite from time to time, but I've never really had any issues with it.

The only burley that has ever bitten me, and that was only the first time I'd ever smoked it, was Mac Baren Burley London.

I say give the Burley a rest, then come back to them in a few months. Maybe by that time things will have changed a little.

 

[frankenstein]

Wow! For me it is the complete opposite. Can't smoke anything than burley heavy blends, and not even just any kind of burley blend but I'm almost uniquely compatible with C&D blends. Which isn't a bad thing actually when you look at it.
But I started my pipe smoking, note I'm from europe, with Sam Gawith flakes, MacBaren, Rattray's and Dunhill blends and they all took a chunk of flesh out of my mouth every time i smoked. And I was persistent and didn't quit, maybe I was a fool for not doing so despite injury. This went on for about two years until I tried Haunted Bookshop and since then I've never experienced tongue bite. As the years have passed I've learned to steer away from anything latakia heavy- and virginia heavy blends. They just don't suit my bodily chemistry. Though I've read on a tobacco growing forum that with an addition of perique in VA blends the PH-balance will be adjusted.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Isn't it odd how Ph affects us all differently? I can smoke the low PH Virginias and VaPers all day, but when I get something with too high a PH, I get bite, which excludes most burleys for me. However, I can smoke Carter hall occasionally. It may be the preservatives in CH that may be affecting you.

 

[wilson]

I'm almost certain it's a pH thing -- it is not limited to CH. Other blends, including Stokkebye English Luxury, 4Noggins Harvest Moon and MacBaren Golden Extra give the same effect.

 

[voorhees]

I have some reactions to Red Virginias. I have to be careful or it bites me.

 

[cigrmaster]

If your tongue is not covered in bloody pustules that is oozing a combination of blood and puss, then I would not worry about it. lol
Welcome to the world of pipe smoking, body chemistry changes and you just have to go with the flow. I cannot smoke red virginia's because of an alkalinity issue in my body so I smoke blends without it. There are so many different blends out there that you just need to experiment and find what works best for you.
You may also want to loom at your technique to see if you are doing anything differently there. You may be smoking your tobacco with too much humidity, you may be packing too loose or too tight. It may be that you are on your period and that can have an effect. You may need to take your estrogen shots earlier in the day instead of at night. hehehe

 

[peter70]

I have always gotten bit by Burley heavy blends, even recommended non biters, like Prince Albert, but I have no problems with Virginia blands, even pure Virginia. I only have to avoid blends, which others recommend as bite free, and smoke blends, which seem to be problematic for most other pipers, like MacBaren, and I'm good to go.

 

[latbomber]

I've had a similar thing happen to me with billy budd lately (the only blend I smoke with burley). It has started making me salivate a lot (think of chewing tobacco) and has lost the creamy mouth feel I usually get from it. Strange, it must be a diet/chemistry thing.

 

[peteross]

The few bowls of Kentucky Planter I've had gave me this "whole mouth" sensation. Not awful, but not desirable.

 

[thesmokindragon]

Solani Aged Burley Flake ~ IMHO...."The Best Burley Around" :worship:

 

[sablebrush52]

The only tobacco variety that stings me like battery acid is Virginia bright. I avoid it to the fullest extent possible.

 

[andrew]

You aren't alone I can't smoke burly unless it's mixed into a blend and only in small quantities. I find it dries out my mouth to the point where I have no saliva in my mouth for hours, like cotton mouth. I don't get full on bite or burnt but just the dry mouth is enough for me to not want to smoke burly heavy blends.

 

[cortezattic]

Burley, The Rodney Dangerfield Of Tobaccos, by Russ Ouellette

 

[sladeburns]

I tried some Ultimate English at my local B&M recently and it tore my mouth apart. Still trying to figure out what the heck was in that mix that nailed me.

 

[smokertruck]

i like burley london blend - 8 tins left - never bothered me but prince albert just finished the last of a packet -last bowl burned my whole mouth & tongue had intense fire on every puff. biotene did not help

didnt care for golden extra - tried 4 noggins butternut burley - still not same as blb- now ordered burley delight as a try.

carter hall not available here in toronto