First Pipe Tobacco Order

[puff_not_snuff]

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9) - Bob

Good evening and Hello,

A simple inquire which would probably be better suited for search if I wasn’t lazy.

Anyway—just wanted some feedback, that is if SG’s Balkan Flake would be a suitable starter. Having liked some of their snuffs and seeing many of their other pipe tobaccos out of stock in the US, I settled on this for the moment...

Thank you for any and all replies.

 

[lukasstrifeson]

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9) - Bob

Good evening and Hello,

A simple inquire which would probably be better suited for search if I wasn’t lazy.

Anyway—just wanted some feedback, that is if SG’s Balkan Flake would be a suitable starter. Having liked some of their snuffs and seeing many of their other pipe tobaccos out of stock in the US, I settled on this for the moment...

Thank you for any and all replies.

I'd say start by getting an ounce each of a variety of blends, a number of websites do per ounces. Va/Pers, Va/Burs, Virginias, Latakia, Turkish leaf, or maybe Aromatics. See what you like and don't like and then move on from there.

Personally, I'm a fan of SG's Balkan Flake. If you're into latakia it's got a delicious earthy sweetness to it.

 

[alaskanpiper]

^^^ agreed. Make sure you dry that SG for a while after you rub it out. Gawith stuff is often quite moist out of the tin. If you like english blends (latakia particularly) you ought to find it plenty good.

 

[karam]

If you're into latakia it's got a delicious earthy sweetness to it.

Spot on description! I love it exactly because it combines the smokyness of Latakia with sweetness of VA.

OP, if you can, try some 10g samplers of a few types of tobacco before buying large amounts, tastes vary a lot among members, there's a lot of great tobacco but not everything suits everyone.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Thanks to all for what is likely very practical advice. Coming from snuff tobacco which I have to order from the UK, it’s nice not to worry too much about getting the most out of shipping costs, and the wait times... and thank you Bob for properly formatting my subject line (I appreciate the level of decorum).

 

[trubka2]

Gawith flakes are kind of a pain to prep and smoke. I wouldn't recommend them if you're just getting started. I second the idea of getting a selection of small samples.

 

[gervais]

Will this be your first Latakia experience?

 

[tavol]

When I first started smoking a pipe I bought a handful of tins and opened two on the way home from the tobacconist, Dunhill's EMP and SG's Balkan flake. My Second bowl ever was Balkan Flake, it was fantastic, so I'd say, although the prep is a pain, it's suitable for beginners.

 

[tradition]

Start with Carter Hall.

Break-in the new pipe with it as well.

 

[subsalac]

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9) - Bob

Good evening and Hello,

A simple inquire which would probably be better suited for search if I wasn’t lazy.

Anyway—just wanted some feedback, that is if SG’s Balkan Flake would be a suitable starter. Having liked some of their snuffs and seeing many of their other pipe tobaccos out of stock in the US, I settled on this for the moment...

Thank you for any and all replies.

I think the best strategy for a new pipe smoker is to aggressively sample-- this is the main fun of the journey for me, at least. Tobaccoreviews and forums like these are indispensable for discovering new blends. Try the readily available classics first, the stuff you see talked about repeatedly. Some of these even appear in bulk, like the Stokkebye flakes or something like Balkan Supreme since you appear to be a fan of Latakia, a 1 ounce portion should only be a few dollars if you're in North America or and bit more expensive in Europe. Once you narrow down your area of interest, you can look for tins. If you don't like something, in a a few months and a few posts down the road, you can always set up a trade to get more stuff you are interested in. Oh, and keep revisiting the tobaccos, since tobaccos, pipes, and your ability to smoke will change will time, sometimes producing dramatically different experiences. Sample, sample, sample.

Happy Puffing

 

[judcole]

I like Balkan Flake. Dunno if I would recommend it - or any flake - as a starter.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Someone from another forum is kindly sending me some aged tobaccos he has so in the meantime I shall proceed in ordering some small amounts of various often talked about blends as recommended above. Have zero preference as this will be my very first pipe experience (whatever reaches me first) I gravitated to SG just out of familiarity of their snuffs. I will be sure to get some Carter Hall in my first order as recommended by Tradition. Thank you for all the kind replies.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

I would like to add that I had no clue to the vastness of pipe tobaccos available when I decided to venture into this hobby (I can be a bit haphazard with new interests), it’s partially what also attracted me to snuff (so many things to try yet a sense of obscurity) but the number of different pipe tobaccos out there really dwarfs my beloved snuff. The joy! The horror!

 

[puff_not_snuff]

I decided perhaps against some of the advice in this thread to place a single order of tobacco as my first try and being a plug for a reason that might be somewhat superficial: I just like the look of the stuff but also I see both a therapeutic and somewhat extra sensory aspect to the step of breaking the stuff up. I am learning towards Peterson’s Perfect Plug unless someone has a better recommendation. Cheers!

 

[alaskanpiper]

I decided perhaps against some of the advice in this thread to place a single order of tobacco as my first try and being a plug for a reason that might be somewhat superficial: I just like the look of the stuff but also I see both a therapeutic and somewhat extra sensory aspect to the step of breaking the stuff up. I am learning towards Peterson’s Perfect Plug unless someone has a better recommendation. Cheers!

A fine blend

 

[puff_not_snuff]

A fine blend

And fortunately readily available stateside...

 

[anotherbob]

no such thing as suitable for a beginner or not. They'll all eventually teach you how to smoke a pipe if you let them. And taste is so subjective. I have hated that idea ever since people said don't snuff toasts they're not for beginners and then it turns out they're easier for me to take and would have been a much nicer place to start then where I did.

 

[mso489]

A modest variety in small quantities so you can sample. The SG would be fine, and other genres as suggested. What you may not like, jar and try again in a year. Your taste preferences will develop. I'd wait a couple years before buying multiple tins of anything, so you can try more different blends. Keep track of the constituent tobaccos so you'll know what you enjoy most when trying new blends.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

no such thing as suitable for a beginner or not. They'll all eventually teach you how to smoke a pipe if you let them. And taste is so subjective. I have hated that idea ever since people said don't snuff toasts they're not for beginners and then it turns out they're easier for me to take and would have been a much nicer place to start then where I did.

Hello Bob, are you the Bob from the snuff forum? If you rather not answer I understand..

I really never understood with people having issues snuffing anything aside from the snuffs with don’t agree with one’s nose. I had a toast early on and it just requires a smidgen of extra care but not really my favorite style and I n regards to this I can see how pipe tobacco has a similarity in terms of preferences: what one might adore another might be indifferent to. One trap I hope not to fall into with piping is not reordering things I really like because so many more options exist... this makes me wonder now, despite being well beyond the heyday of pipe tobacco, do more options actually exist now?

Mso489 thank you for your input too.

Pipe on!

 

[anotherbob]

Hello Bob, are you the Bob from the snuff forum? If you rather not answer I understand..

I really never understood with people having issues snuffing anything aside from the snuffs with don’t agree with one’s nose. I had a toast early on and it just requires a smidgen of extra care but not really my favorite style and I n regards to this I can see how pipe tobacco has a similarity in terms of preferences: what one might adore another might be indifferent to. One trap I hope not to fall into with piping is not reordering things I really like because so many more options exist... this makes me wonder now, despite being well beyond the heyday of pipe tobacco, do more options actually exist now?

Mso489 thank you for your input too.

Pipe on!

from snuffhouse? Heck yeah. The one that keeps pimping Toques bespokes! As long as you're not theoneandonly happy to have you here . If you are that person it's nice to see you not complaining . I think there is as far as pipe tobacco availability goes there are less options but much more access to those options. It's pretty easy to keep favorites on hand while still trying new stuff you just have to figure out the right ratios. And just like snuff the best rule for purchasing something is does it sound good. These days I am more into my favorites but still trying new things.