First smoke- disasterous

[jjm1]

I just packed a corn cob pipe (1/2 full) with some Lane 1Q and thought the taste was horrific. I quite smoking 15 years ago and it reminded me of a cigarette ; it had little flavor other than chemical, and reminded me of what a cig filter would taste like if it got wet- like tar and rank. I smoked slowly and thought I observed all the "correct" procedures so I don't think this is a reflection of something I did wrong.
Really disappointing experience. Is this kind of taste going to be common underlying flavor in other tobaccos I try? To be direct, I am wondering if pipe smokers are accustomed to this taste (as I was once with cigarettes) and don't recognize it as something offensive.
I would like to hear some thoughts and suggestions. This was my first bowl and I am saddened.

 

[troutface]

With all due respect to the 1Q lovers out there, I think you could do better in the baccy selection. If you want an aromatic I would suggest something more restrained like Mac Baren Vanilla Cream Flake or McClelland Virginia Woods. For something rich and full bodied I would suggest Pease Sextant. There are thousands of choices so don't give up yet.

 

[tarak]

Jim1-
First, welcome.
Second- I'd bet $100 that you're smoking way too fast. Probably the most common new guy mistake. Smoking quickly causes the tobacco to burn too hot, and become acrid like a cigarette. I had this experience the first time I bought a "good" tobacco- Escudo. Smoked 100 miles an hour and hated it. Then I learned to slow down and it's in my top 5.
Pipe smoking is an art and a craft, and the flavors are often that of subtlety and nuance- it takes time and patience to master prepping, packing, lighting, and smoking. If you simply want to stuff leaves in a piece of wood, apply fire, and puff like a freight train, you'll never discover what it is.
Lastly, be aware that "aromatic" blends like 1-Q have amazingly pleasant smells, but they do not translate nearly as much to taste. Some enjoy these tobaccos immensely, others like myself find that "non-aromatics" don't smell as great, but have fantastic flavors.
There's lots of things here about packing and smoking pipes. Read around, watch some stuff in Youtube, and keep at it. If you just SLOW DOWN your smoking, and are okay with needing to relight, you'll go a long way.
Enjoy.

 

[jjm1]

I finished smoking most of the 1/2 bowl in about 10 minutes. Too fast for an average sized bowl?

 

[pruss]

Way too fast, pal.
Tamp a little firmer, and slow it down. Consider clenching your pipe, it will force you to slow your cadence down.
-- Pat

 

[tarak]

Waaaaaaay too fast. I'd shoot for more like 30 minutes for half a bowl.
I mostly smoke flakes (which is a different beast and takes longer) in larger pipes- easily a 1.5-2hr smoke. I'm not like some of these guys with a pipe hanging from my mouth all day- I'm a 2-3x/week smoker when I truly have time to relax.

 

[troutface]

Agreed, way too fast. No tobacco will taste good when it's that hot. Don't puff fast just to keep the pipe lit. Let it go out and relight, your tongue will thank you for it. Packing the pipe correctly and getting the cadence right are usually the two hardest things for a beginner. At least it was for me :wink:

 

[jjm1]

Ok. Thanks all. I will give it another go in a day or two. In addition to speed, I think maybe the tobacco was too loose... I never pressed down much on the tobacco and it only went out once. I thought everything was being done correctly as the bowl was a little warm but never hot and I did not experience tongue bite....but apparently not.

 

[phil67]

Like others have so aptly put... way too fast. Puffing away will degrade the taste immensely and end up being on the acrid side, or what seems to me to have a somewhat tar like taste. Slow 'er down, and by all means try some other baccy's. Bottom line... don't give up.

 

[mso489]

Another suggestion -- think of the recommendation to sip at your pipe, rather than sucking in the smoke. You're

trying to get small quantities of smoke for the taste. Consciously avoid inhaling, from the cigarette habit. Sipping

doesn't have to be too timid. You can take in a full mouthful now and then, but along with slowed down cadence,

the sipping idea will limit your intake so taste is the focus. Try getting several of the smallest quantities of various

blends that you can, 1 oz. each if possible. Bulk tobacco that might be more pleasing than 1Q are Lanes LL-7,

Altadis Queen Anne's Revenge, Altadis Dark Obsession, Sutliff's The Great Outdoors, and (tinned) Edward G.

Robinson. You might also want to try a non-aromatic, maybe Altadis Fox and Hound. But take it slow. Don't

do all of this at once. Try 1Q again at a less frantic pace. Try a simple pouch tobacco like Carter Hall. You may

not like pipe smoking, but it may just be learning to do it. New pipes, even cobs, can taste a little off, especially if

you don't know what to expect. Play around with it, and enjoy the exploring; there's no pressure.

 

[andystewart]

Welcome to the forums jjm1 - your experince is why I don't smoke aro's. I prefer blends like those made by GL Pease and the Mac Baren flakes that have depth, nuance, and substance all the way down the bowl. They don't always have a room note favoured by those around me but I'm smoking for me, not them.
On another front, I'm watching the film 'All the President's Men' - pipe-smokers doing their thing where and when they want.
Andy

 

[smeigs]

Most aromatics dont have that great of a taste to me. They smell great, but when it comes to a good tobacco flavor they just dont cut it for me. Dont give up just yet. It takes a while before you start to appreciate the flavors and differences between tobaccos and pipes your smoking with. Everyone has there own preferences and sometimes it just takes a while before you find out what yours is. Perhaps try some good virginia blends or a good english blend. These are much different than the aromatics and will give you a deeper palate experience. Good luck!

 

[foggymountain]

I'll tell you what happened when I tried 1Q. I lit the pipe, took two drags and emptied it asap before throwing out the small supply of it. No offence meant to guys who like it, but if this had been my first smoke, I would have stuck with cigars.

 

[mcitinner1]

"I'll tell you what happened when I tried 1Q."
1Q was one of my first four blends in my first order, and it has lived in a jar for about 6 months now.
tinner

 

[wyfbane]

Well. These guys can poo poo the 1Q but it sells like MAD so there are a bunch of people who like it. lol.
I have really liked (or better) every tobacco I have ever tried except 1792.
All the above advice on how to get the best out of a bowl is spot on.
One thing I was thinking was: What kind of cobb was it? There are some cheap crappy cobbs out there that might also give a bad taste.

 

[jjm1]

It was a Missouri M...... pipe. I am thinking that the pipe then was not the issue. I plan on giving the pipe another go in 24 hours, though am wondering if another tobacco should be tried.

 

[tarak]

Everyone has tobacco that does and doesn't work for them...it's part of the journey.
You may find as your technique grows that you love 1-Q, or it may not be your thing.
I think everyone here would say that they've had a terrible smoke at some point that was the fault if their technique. I've had many!

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

I think the best advice I can give is to load the bowl all the way, not half way.

Flavour depends on heating up the tobacco to a temperature just below burning, if most of the stuff in the bowl is actually burning then you'll get significantly less flavour.

I tried putting just a little bit of tobacco in the bottom of my bowl the other day and it was just horrible, if you want to smoke small amounts at a time you probably need a narrow bowl so that you can actually have some unlit tobacco beneath the cherry.

 

[sean81]

I would give the 1Q another shot before letting it go. It's one of my favorites. If you think you'll be more into the aromatics than the english style blends, I recommend Sutliff Molto Dolce (my absolute favorite). I agree with everyone else, the issue was most likely your smoking speed. IMHO, pipes should be smoked slow. I enjoy mine the most when thats all I am doing. Sitting quitly on my deck or maybe listing to music in my room/mancave/study. You might try concentrating on your smoking cadence, even sitting the pipe down for a bit between puffs. Just remember, no one gets it right straight out of the gate (I've been smoking pipes for over 4 years and I still have trouble sometimes).

 

[easterntraveler]

I do not smoke aromatics. Try some Lata Kia based blends.