I've really wanted to like Latakia forward blends. Tonight I decided to give Quiet Nights a try. I think I'm in the minority when I day that I didnt care for it whatsoever. The flavors were so muted for me. I've decided that while my brain says Latakia tastes good, it just isn't comforting to me, it's like a fight in my mouth. So, I'm deciding to just chill a bit and be happy with what I know I like. Like burley. Switched to old joe krantz instead for the first time, so good. Next new burley will be Macbaren London. Tin note is exceptional. I cant wait.
Done with Latakia, For Now
- Thread starter dcicero
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Smoke What You Like, and Like What You Smoke, That's all that matters!!!
I went through a latakia period where all i smoked was durbar, nightcap, 965 iirc it all started with bill baileys balkan blend.
Idk if i overdose on it or what but like overnight it just really started to turn me off. Its not for everybody.
Im a burley fan myself these days.
Idk if i overdose on it or what but like overnight it just really started to turn me off. Its not for everybody.
Im a burley fan myself these days.
Was once a fan of Latakia myself, now I only smoke it occasionally. Big fan of Virginia/Orientals and aromatics now.
Early in my smoking I smoked English blends primarily. Then one day, seemingly overnight I hit the fabled latakia wall which comes on mysteriously. Couldn't stand any latakia and stayed away from it for about 20 years. Then, just as mysteriously, about 10 years ago I fell back in love with it.
My first experience with QN was like that. Everyone talking about like it's Latakia heaven and though I recognized its quality it just kind of bored me. I've recently re-visited it and like it much more now. I do really like Lat but prefer it in modest doses with Oriental leaf or even a bit of added flavoring to give the Lat more to play off of.
Life is too short to not smoke what you love, though. As an OJK fan, i recommend C/D Burley Flake #1. Similar components and I'm loving my first tin
Life is too short to not smoke what you love, though. As an OJK fan, i recommend C/D Burley Flake #1. Similar components and I'm loving my first tin
I've been on a Balkan kick lately, but I have so many latakia blends open now that I went back to Va/Pers for the last few days. I have been disappointed in most of the Balkans/English blends I've just recently opened. Abingdon, Charring Cross- I thought would be right up my alley but they aren't. I am however growing fond of Lagonda and I think I want to try Chelsea Morning again. Meridian is okay, but I think I need to smoke more than 2 bowls to give a fair assessment.
There’s got to be something behind the similar stories people tell. I’m also transitioning from Latakia forward blends to burlies. Who knows where this ride ends?
I wonder to what extent the seasons play with our sense of taste and smell. Certainly many mammals in nature change their diet in the winter months, and it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that above a certain latitude we have evolved to favour certain flavours to help us seek out winter-friendly foods. But that’s all speculation.
I wonder to what extent the seasons play with our sense of taste and smell. Certainly many mammals in nature change their diet in the winter months, and it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that above a certain latitude we have evolved to favour certain flavours to help us seek out winter-friendly foods. But that’s all speculation.
Hated the stuff for years. My first tin of a latakia blend (Frog Morton) I seriously thought it was bad -rotten or something. I returned it to the B&M and the worker guy laughed. I threw my pipe away as well. Now I love it madly.
I smoked nothing but Latakia blends when I first started. My first smoke was Murray’s Early Morning Pipe and I never looked back. Then moved on to Virginia’s, but I still go back to Latakia in the colder months for a few bowls.
I go back to the Lat from time to time. At one time, they were all I smoked. Once I tried VaPers/Virginias, my Lats took a back seat. I still have so many Lat blends that I delve into them occasionally just to mix things up a bit.
Yup. Though in my case, not so much a wall as a brambly hedge. I can still get through it. Seems like only yesterday that Hawky was coaching me on how to appreciate VAs and VA/Pers. His method worked too well! I thought I'd never want to smoke anything other than my beloved Skiff Mixture, Samarra, and other trusty English/Balkans. Now I find the palate for them no more than once a month, and even then I'm kind of wishing I'd smoked something else. Hope the Lat-wall remains permeable, or crumbles somewhat, because I've got a shitload of Skiff & Samarra squirreled away. Already sold off most of the Margate.
I was underwhelmed by all the GLPease Balkans you mention. The only one that spoke to me is Samarra -- try that one sometime. It's much heavier on the Orientals, in my opinion.
Problem with GL Pease is it’s made by C&D.
another suggestion is to try a good product with Latakia in it..... ?
another suggestion is to try a good product with Latakia in it..... ?
Problem could be attempting to get a decent smoke out of a Peterson pipe.
Another suggestion is to try smoking it in something other than a turd.... ?
My long term favorite Latakia containing blends are Penzance and SG's Balkan Flake. MacBaren's HH Latakia Flake is another very good one. All of those to me are creamy, sweet, and exotic tasting. Very little campfire or "hillbillies cooking hot dogs over a trash fire at the boat ramp" taste that's prevalent with many of the PG laden bulk "English" blends.
Latakia is a remarkable condiment tobacco, but done and overdone to death, which is a distinct disservice to pipe smokers. I love it, but I make a point of smoking something else on a regular basis, so I enjoy it when it comes around.
Still enjoy the Latakia but I probably have days when it doesn’t appeal. I hope this doesn’t mean I’m approaching a wall or hedge.
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