Burley issues

[Indygrap]

Something I’ve noticed when I smoke burley or blends with burley, it tears my throat up. Not necessarily while I’m smoking it, but the next day it feels like when I used to smoke cigarettes & went particularly hard the night before.
It really sucks because I enjoy the flavor & what they contribute to blends. Does anyone else experience this? Am I doing it wrong? To clarify, Va’s, VaPers, English, Aros, etc don’t bother me like this. It seems like it’s just burley.

 

[ashdigger]

They used to bother me. It’s a body chemistry thing

 

[makhorkasmoker]

What burleys are you smoking?
So many burleys are so heavily cased/topped that I can’t smoke them without mouth/throat issues. C&D’s dark burley and their white too are both easy on the mouth

 

[Indygrap]

What burleys are you smoking?
So many burleys are so heavily cased/topped that I can’t smoke them without mouth/throat issues. C&D’s dark burley and their white too are both easy on the mouth

I’ve tried several VaBur blends & C&D Burley #1. It’s not as bad if say, an English blend has it in there. But even if it’s a minor component I still get it.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

According to our famous tobacconists that post here occasionally, there is a little burley in all blends. The Virginias have it to balance out the PH a tad bit.
If the smoke is reaching down your throat, are you inhaling? If so, pipe tobacco is way harsher than cigarettes.

 

[makhorkasmoker]

I’ve tried several VaBur blends & C&D Burley #1. It’s not as bad if say, an English blend has it in there. But even if it’s a minor component I still get it.

Here's what I did when I kept having irritation in my overly sensitive mouth/throat. I bought samples of blenders--a straight dark burley, a straight white burley, a straight red virginia, a "bright" virginia, some dark fired, and so on. I experimented with smoking each of these straight, without blending them. To my surprise, I found that it was virginia and to a lesser extent other tobaccos that were bothering me. Straight burley suited me fine. I don't believe I would have figured this out if I hadn't tried this experiment.

Then I began trying straight or nearly straight burleys that have been cased and topped--so called codger blends. I found that the additives also irritated me--though in a different way. Now dark burley is my regular smoke, and i smoke a blend or cased tobacco as an occasional treat. The problem was solved.

Everyone is different. Some people just react badly to burley--or to some other tobacco. But the only way I was able to figure out which tobaccos really suited me--both chemically and flavor wise--was explore the individual, unblended tobaccos. This is what really changed the game for me.

 

[fireground_piper]

According to our famous tobacconists that post here occasionally, there is a little burley in all blends. The Virginias have it to balance out the PH a tad bit.
If the smoke is reaching down your throat, are you inhaling? If so, pipe tobacco is way harsher than cigarettes.

Could you get the same PH balance by blending different parts or grades of Virginia? Does it really have to be burley?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Could you get the same PH balance by blending different parts or grades of Virginia?

Like I said, that is merely one reason a blender might add burley. It may also added for various other reasons.

Does it really have to be burley?

I would think not. I imagine other leaves could be added, pending what results the blender is going for.
H&H Annie Cake is one that I "think" has some Orientals added, or at least something else. I get hints of some various other things that reminds me of some orientals that i have sampled. I notice the same from C&D Folklore. The two have some similarities, and differences, but anyways... just my thoughts.

 

[Indygrap]

According to our famous tobacconists that post here occasionally, there is a little burley in all blends. The Virginias have it to balance out the PH a tad bit.
If the smoke is reaching down your throat, are you inhaling? If so, pipe tobacco is way harsher than cigarettes.

I do occasionally inhale but try to limit it. I smoked cigarettes for 30-ish so I catch myself accidentally inhaling.
I don’t get the irritation from straight Va & only mildly from blends with dark fired. If they’re putting burley in blends for the pH balance, it must be in small enough amounts for me not to notice.

 

[Indygrap]

S

Here's what I did when I kept having irritation in my overly sensitive mouth/throat. I bought samples of blenders--a straight dark burley, a straight white burley, a straight red virginia, a "bright" virginia, some dark fired, and so on. I experimented with smoking each of these straight, without blending them. To my surprise, I found that it was virginia and to a lesser extent other tobaccos that were bothering me. Straight burley suited me fine. I don't believe I would have figured this out if I hadn't tried this experiment.

Then I began trying straight or nearly straight burleys that have been cased and topped--so called codger blends. I found that the additives also irritated me--though in a different way. Now dark burley is my regular smoke, and i smoke a blend or cased tobacco as an occasional treat. The problem was solved.

Everyone is different. Some people just react badly to burley--or to some other tobacco. But the only way I was able to figure out which tobaccos really suited me--both chemically and flavor wise--was explore the individual, unblended tobaccos. This is what really changed the game for me.

Sounds like a fun experiment!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I do occasionally inhale but try to limit it. I smoked cigarettes for 30-ish so I catch myself accidentally inhaling.
I don’t get the irritation from straight Va & only mildly from blends with dark fired. If they’re putting burley in blends for the pH balance, it must be in small enough amounts for me not to notice.

We have many members that don't like Virginias, or don't like burleys, or latakia, or perique... for various reasons. You are lucky to know what you are having a problem with. Just avoid burleys. Although, it would be interesting to know which burley you have the most problems with. There are many different varietals, white and dark being the most used classifications in marketing. But, really, there are way more than that.

Really though, Virginias and burley are the same genetically. It is just environment and curing that makes the differences. But, maybe that's enough to make a dramatic difference.

 

[spartacus]

Burley always roughs up my mouth a little. With the exception of Semois. I do enjoy a good burley blend, I just have to limit what, when, and how much I smoke it.

 

[anotherbob]

I think one problem I have with burly is it's not so sensitive to temperature as a VA which means it's easier for me to smoke a burly hot and get some ouch. A VA or even an English blend or most aromatics get flatter and less flavorsome well before the ouch temperatures, burly does a bit but not really noticeably. Before realizing that I tended to get more irritation from burly especially the more tasty ones. Not at all an issue now but maybe something like that's going on.

 

[mso489]

A number of members have said they don't smoke burley, some because it's too strong, some because it makes them nauseated, and some because of the bite. For them, Virginia is the leaf of choice. Other people get serious bite from Virginia and especially red Virginia.

Others like me prefer burley. However, I enjoy many Virginia blends, as a base tobacco, or all-Virginia blends or single leaf.

i don't seem much motivated by nicotine. I seem to be able to stop smoking for a day or two or a week or two without feeling cravings or mood changes. I enjoy the occasional nicotine buzz, but it is never a reason for smoking.

People are highly differentiated on this. I assume it is genetic. My dad was an all-day smoker for more than half his life, mostly pipes, some cigars, and the occasional chew. My mom liked cigarettes, mostly for the drama of gesturing in conversation, but I don't think she ever had a pack that didn't go stale. She had no nicotine cravings at all. So I can attest there are genetic differences.

 

[Davy]

Try Mac Baren HH Burley Flake and Old Dark Fired, see what gives. C & D Burleys are on the strong and 'brute' side.

 

[AJL67]

Some people just can't smoke some tobaccos, there are many more out there to try so i will not be one trying to talk you into smoking something burning your throat do to whatever reason that i don't know because I'm not a chemist or a doctor.

 

[krizzose]

There are some burleys that do this to me. Anything with a lot of the C&D cube cut as a component tends to have the biggest effect on me. I retrohale a lot, and I feel that burley scratch in the back of throat. However, there are a lot of burley blends that don’t do this to me, and which I like because they’re so smooth. I suppose Cosmic is right when he says it has more to do with the processing than the leaf variety. However, in my own experience (whatever value that has), I’ve never had the same thing happen with any Virginia forward blend.

 

[John_B]

Burley causes me a kind of chemical tongue bite. I try and avoid it, but some blends are ok in small doses. I'm ok with Dark fired and Perique though as these are sufficiently FUBAR to not upset my chemistry.

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

I personally don't experience this, but I've heard Russ Hicks say many times that he has a chemical reaction to Burley. I've heard others have this reaction with Perique. It could just be a chemistry thing and your body reacts negatively.

 

[vosBghos]

Something I’ve noticed when I smoke burley or blends with burley, it tears my throat up. Not necessarily while I’m smoking it, but the next day it feels like when I used to smoke cigarettes & went particularly hard the night before.
It really sucks because I enjoy the flavor & what they contribute to blends. Does anyone else experience this? Am I doing it wrong? To clarify, Va’s, VaPers, English, Aros, etc don’t bother me like this. It seems like it’s just burley.

Stay lubricated I'd say, they can be dry and harsh, stay wet my friend...