First English Blend

[anotherbob]

I'm new here, but I am guessing that although THIS doesn't make you weird... SOMETHING probably does! We all have a little WEIRD in our DNA!

I am certainly an odd one although not an oddfellow. I've been a weirdo long enough I don't know how to tell when someone realizes it at this point.

 

[pipingfool]

Like many new pipesmokers, I gravitated towards Latakia blends because they were so different from what I was used to (cigars).

But because of where I used to live (FL), it was hard to enjoy them in the very hot and humid climate, so I moved to Virginias and Va/Pers with an occasional bowl of an English blend on those rare cool nights.

Now that I live in a much cooler area, I'm starting to rotate more English blends into my set. I have a LOT of English in the cellar, soI'm enjoying discovering what time has done to these blends.

Enjoy!!

 

[tirefire]

Like many new pipesmokers, I gravitated towards Latakia blends because they were so different from what I was used to (cigars).

But because of where I used to live (FL), it was hard to enjoy them in the very hot and humid climate, so I moved to Virginias and Va/Pers with an occasional bowl of an English blend on those rare cool nights.

Now that I live in a much cooler area, I'm starting to rotate more English blends into my set. I have a LOT of English in the cellar, soI'm enjoying discovering what time has done to these blends.

Enjoy!!

I too was (still am?) a long-time cigar guy and, at least to my palate, found that what is considered a medium strength/taste pipe tobacco does not match what I considered a medium strength/taste cigar. Hence, after a couple weeks of aromatic pipe tobaccos, I had to make the switch to medium-to-full English blends.

 

[rmbittner]

I too was (still am?) a long-time cigar guy and, at least to my palate, found that what is considered a medium strength/taste pipe tobacco does not match what I considered a medium strength/taste cigar. Hence, after a couple weeks of aromatic pipe tobaccos, I had to make the switch to medium-to-full English blends.

You might also enjoy some of the more robust English blends that include cigar leaf, such as Robert Lewis’s 123 Mixture, James Fox’s Bankers Mixture, and G. L. Pease’s Key Largo.

 

[elvishrunes]

I took the conventional approach, but not on purpose. Cheap bagged aros, better aros, to English, I actually picked up a tin of old Dublin by name not for the smoke in 2013 or 14 or maybe 15, and it happened to be an English, then I went to Virginias and Virginia blends after, then now a little of everything…. Lots take this path I've heard…. I still like English though,

 

[Highlandpiper]

I took the conventional approach, but not on purpose. Cheap bagged aros, better aros, to English, I actually picked up a tin of old Dublin by name not for the smoke in 2013 or 14 or maybe 15, and it happened to be an English, then I went to Virginias and Virginia blends after, then now a little of everything…. Lots take this path I've heard…. I still like English though,

I'm a little scatter gun on the tobacco choice and just opening a tin of what I feel like at the time. Being relatively new means there is a huge selection in all categories for me to choose from. Intention will be to stay that way and have started cellaring a equal spread of tobaccos.

 

[OSOBUCO]

like some others here, I bounce around. One day English another day vaper another day aro another day English/aro and the next maybe straight Virginia. I absolutely love variety. Some days i will light up an aro and I will decide im not in the mood and immediately go to an English and save the aro for later or the next day. It’s like my wine addiction eh hobby. I bounce around. Makes it more fun

 

[rmbittner]

Perhaps it’s just that I was deeply curious/passionate about pipes and tobaccos from the get-go, but I never experienced this separation between tobacco genres or had the desire to remain in only one lane; I wanted to try everything, all at once. So within my first dozen or so purchases were Tinder Box aromatics (Lane/Stokkeybe bulks), a couple of Iwan Ries‘s 3-Star blends, Dunhill’s London Mixture and Mixture 965, Balkan Sobranie and BS #975, and a bowl of straight latakia.

(If you’ve never heard of the Tinder Box or Balkan Sobranie #975: this was way back in 1980-83.)

 

[FLDRD]

I'm a little scatter gun on the tobacco choice and just opening a tin of what I feel like at the time. Being relatively new means there is a huge selection in all categories for me to choose from. Intention will be to stay that way and have started cellaring a equal spread of tobaccos.

After about a dozen or so fair quality blends that got me oriented toward understanding decent tobacco flavor, I realized there was literally a world of hundreds of great tobaccos available to me, and that at some point in time, I'd likely enjoy most any single one of them. Combined with reading quality reviews, and matching some of what I could taste to others descriptions, I began serious purchasing. I've got depth in #'s for some blends, yet at the same time I've got well over 100 new to me blends to open... Add to that the sample purchases I've managed from forum members, SS gifts, and I'm swimming in availability of quality tobacco of all flavors. Bonus: opening and trying a new one - I'm almost never dis-satisfied. I accept each one for what it brings and most are good. Mmm

 

[tirefire]

You might also enjoy some of the more robust English blends that include cigar leaf, such as Robert Lewis’s 123 Mixture, James Fox’s Bankers Mixture, and G. L. Pease’s Key Largo.

Thank you for the suggestions . . . Another tobacco appeared in my mailbox today: Arango Balkan Supreme. First bowl was pretty good . . .

 

[PipeIT]

I started out on English, then Aros, but now, I’m mainly into VAs VaPers, pretty much Virginia forward blends.

It’s like this...

English, Drinking Stout and Porter beers, Aros, then having fruit flavored booze, VAs, now drinking more like Ales...

 

[burleybreath]

I overdosed, shall we say, on peaty Scotch, latakia, and Lapsang Souchong tea at about the same time, years ago. I used to get headaches from that common scent. Took me a while to get past the disgust with "English" blends. I now like latakia in small doses, as a condiment only. Perique I'm absolutely addicted to. Your tastes will probably change. Again. Enjoy the ride.

 

[Highlandpiper]

Love the way so many are replying to me using the malt comparison alongside tobacco taste. Helps me believe I'm on the right track. Only a month into my tobacco adventure but 30 years along the whisky trail and still finding new tastes all the time.
Pretty sure after your responses by pipe journey going to be the same.
Thanks all.

 

[OSOBUCO]

Took me a while to get past the disgust with "English" blends. I now like latakia

Indeed! Whenever I light an English I get a "vomit" taste. At first I was like wtf...I taste vomit but I like it!!??? After the initial light it transforms into a seductive delectable rich earthiness I equate to red wine with that barnyard characteristic that I have come to love so much in some varietals! Cheers!

 

[LotusEater]

I love English/Balkan blends and English crossovers. But all so called English blends were not created equally. There is a great deal of variety within the genre - try as many as you can.

 

[FHlight]

I prefer English blends because they are more aromatic.

 

[Coreios]

I smoke different stuff. Love Lat though. If that blows your mind (which it does everyone) someone here recommended Black X to me it taste like smoked beef. Amazing stuff.