First Smoke Was Not Pleasant. Advice for a Newbie?

[connforester4]

Hey all
I am by no means a regular smoker of any kind, but i have always enjoyed the experience and flavor of the occasional cigar. I wanted to give pipe tobacco a try just for the occasional relaxing and flavorful smoke. This weekend, I went out to the local tobacconist and got a scoop of a few different tobaccos, along with a yello-bole pipe.
I got home, dried the tobacco for a few minutes, packed the pipe according to a how-to that i read, and lit up. I encountered two big problems during my first smoke, which was overall pretty unpleasant. First, i could not keep the pipe lit to save my life. Second and more importantly, i did not enjoy the flavor at all. Instead of the rich flavor that i was expecting, I got a sort of smokey ashtray flavor without much substance to it.
So i did a bit of research and found that the brylon yello-bole is not well liked in the pipe-smoking community. Could the pipe alone explain my unpleasant experience? Could i have packed the pipe too light? Any advice is welcome!
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[admin]

Thanks for signing up and posting.
Thread title fixed.
Please use your Shift key in body text as well.
Please see rule 9 here along with the rest of the forum rules

 

[cosmicfolklore]

The pipe smokes hot, but as for relighting and the taste, IDK. It is not uncommon for even the most experienced pipe smoker to relight over and over. I do it to freshen up the taste occasionally and when in conversation when smoking, when my attention drifts. However, there are bad pipe designs with a draft hole that just doesn't allow the fire to breath.
The taste, that depends on what blend you were smoking.
Welcome to the forums. My 2cent advise is to get a corncob or a briar bucket pipe, and give it another whirl.

 

[fearsclave]

Re-lighting is no big deal. As a fellow noob, I've found that drying time, gently tamping periodically, and loading the bowl carefully make a big difference though.
As a cigar guy who recently took up pipe smoking, I've found that they are very different experiences. Both good, but different. There's a lot more variety in the pipe tobacco world, but it's a little more technical and labour-intensive than cigar smoking and requires more equipment.

 

[dread]

Patience, patience, patience. It takes time to figure out what technique works best for you. It also takes time to break in a pipe. Cobs are a great way to start. It also takes time to find a tobacco you like, and to learn the smoking cadence. You smoke a pipe much slower than you think - I still tend to smoke too fast.
But my best advice: find the pipesmagazine radio show on this site and start listening to it. Brian does a segment called pipe parts at the beginning of each show and you will gain about 20 years of knowledge just listening to that. It is an easy way to learn about pipe smoking and your enjoyment and appreciation of the smoke will increase exponentially the more you know.

 

[lostandfound]

Some will say pack lighter than you think you should. Others will say pack tighter than you think you should. I'm in the latter camp.
After you get your pipe properly packed, light it slowly, but completely. Once the pipe is lit, most people will tamp the tobacco down and light it again. I find this to be entirely unnecessary. You can smoke almost half the pipe off your first light if you're smoking it right. Smoking it right means providing the burning tobacco with smooth, gentle, regular air-flow. The best way to do this is to "breathe smoke". Check out a couple videos on youtube. The general premise of breathe smoking is to clench the pipe throughout the entirety of the smoke- not puffing, not sipping, but simply breathing. It sounds easy, but there's a form to getting it right, at least at first. After you've learned to breathe smoke properly, you should be able to go about your day, pipe in mouth, with a gentle wisp of smoking rising from your pipe now and then.
I kid you not, once I learned to breathe smoke, re-lights became few and far between.

 

[rmbittner]

Welcome, Conn!
I'll just add that getting "a scoop of a few different tobaccos" isn't likely to give you the same experience as a high-grade cigar. With a few exceptions, the odds are you got a variety of bulk blends that would be much like picking up a no-name, unbanded cigar from the budget bin. And if they were aromatic blends, then the focus is always going to be on the aroma they generate -- which is perceived differently by those around you than it will be for you, the smoker -- rather than on the flavors of high-quality tobaccos.
So, I'd suggest starting with a high-quality, tinned tobacco blend that is much more likely to satisfy from the outset. And, yes, I think you also would be better served by a mid-priced briar pipe (which would cost $60-$100).
BUT: The first few bowls in any new pipe are not going to be ideal. As others have said, a briar serves best when it has built up a bit of a cake. Also, pipes should not be puffed like cigars; the faster you smoke, the less flavor you will get and the hotter your pipe will get. Neither yields a satisfying smoke. Smoke as slowly as you possible can. Don't worry one bit about relighting; sometimes you'll have a two- or three-match bowl, but that's hardly something to expect or strive for, especially as you're learning to pack and smoke correctly.
Bob

 

[msandoval858]

Don't give up! Pipe smoking is a test of patience and the rewards are great once you get the hang of it. I agree with the suggestion of picking up some quality tinned tobacco. A lot of shops have good bulks but there are also a lot of poor quality ones out there as well. Most of those are aromatics which ultimately may not appeal to you since you enjoy cigars. They are not all bad, and I don't want to sound like an aro hater, but many are flavorless despite how they smell in the jar.
The other factor I see with people switching from cigars is how they draw on the pipe. A lot of cigar smokers are used to a harder draw when pulling smoke in to the mouth. The pipe requires a much more gentle technique. Drawing harder will make it burn hot or often make it go out with the excess air you are pulling through the bowl as well as create harsh flavors. Experiment and find what works best for you. I'm of the camp that says pack lighter than you think smoke it gently.
Hang in there and good luck!

 

[drennan]

As a newbie myself what surprised me is the speed of smoking, you honestly can't smoke slow enough and the slower you smoke the more flavour you get from the tobacco.

 

[apatim]

I was where you are just a few months ago. Do as others have suggested - buy a Missouri Meershaum corncob pipe. I like the Country Gentleman and the Diplomat, myself. Take your time learning to pack by watching youtube videos and reading and practicing.
I found that, as others have said, pack lighter and smoke slower than you think you need to. I found that packing very light and then slowly building up the amount of tightness was the best for me.
It doesn't take long to get the hang of it and begin to thoroughly enjoy the process. I just started in earnest a little over 2 months ago and already have a dozen pipes and a shitload of different tobaccos. By the way, I'll be 58 years old in a couple of weeks and had never smoked in my life other than a very occasional cigar when playing golf.
One other suggestion... go ahead and order a Forever Stem to go with the corncob pipe. The stem that comes with the pipe is worthless in my opinion. You can order the pipe and stem from WalkerBriarWorks for less than $35 including shipping I think.
Your patience will be rewarded! ::

 

[kibo]

msandoval858 hit a great point...the cigar pull is a world away from a sip on a pipe. Pipe smoking shouldn't ever be more strenuous than breathing...if you make it harder, you'll get your tongue bit, tobacco burning hotter and faster, and miss a lot of flavor. The cigar is a straw...you have to do the work to get the taste. A pipe is like your coffee cup(or tea)...you don't have to exert as much effort but you do need to be patient and take your time, or you'll get burnt. Also, that brylon bowl needs at least three full bowls smoked in it before you start to get 'true' tobacco flavor. I recently got a brylon pipe from a friend who hated it...then told me he only smoked it once. I ran half a pouch of Half and Half through it, gave it a run through with a couple pipe cleaners, gave it back to him, and he said its great now. Sorry I'm long winded. Hope this helps, and adds to the other great advice here.
One more thing: May I ask what the tobaccos were? I ask this because its possible you were sold some nasty stuff, but its also just as likely that you were sold something a bit beyond your palate...not everyone loves Latakia-heavy blends, but if your tobacconist sold you some Dunhill 965(for example) and its too spicy or overpowering for your tastes, you may just need to try something in a different vein.

 

[cobguy]

As an aside, I wonder if the pack lighter / harder camp is divided on filter / no filter as well??
With no filter and open draw you can pack fairly firmly.
Start with a single tobacco that you DO seem to like until basic technique is in place.
I, of course, will recommend a cob pipe and some Carter Hall.
Also, draw on the pipe WHILE packing to see where it changes from feeling like a straw that is

completely open, to having liquid in it, to having milkshake in it. Stop at the middle one.
Best of luck and welcome to the forum! ::

 

[james80]

Just to add to all the great advice above - we have all been there.
I am not sure a few scoops of an unknown house blend have helped. In absence of knowing what you are exactly looking for in a smoke it is difficult advise. Frog Morton, Lane 1q may be a good start. That being said, check the pipe tobacco review websites to see what others think of blends - it helped me 3 years ago.
I started out with a mid range pipe and now I understand what I am looking for in a pipe.
Keeping it lit will always be a the most challenging part. Practice. patience and experiment are all key elements to success.
Finally, it is frustrating in the beginning. However, you are on a journey and one day you will find solace in a pipe and your tobacco

 

[kanaka95]

Connforester4 All the advice given above hits it on the nose.This is where i get all my pipe smoking advice and knowledge from.These brothers are great.Anyhow I did experience the same type of char ashtray taste when i first lit up.I to coulndn't keep my bowl lit to save my life.I'm glad i didn't give up.After about a week of trying it nailed me.I was sitting on my favorite rocker given the cheapo pipe i aquired a go.(BAM) i started to taste these unusuall but greatly outstanding flavors.I was amazed.I found that my pipe had to break in.Also my packing needed much practice and still does.It really takes time to develope the taste buds but it did come for me in do time.Just give it a chance.As keeping the pipe lit that takes time as well.I can finally kinda keep it going now but found i had to try a few styles to find what works.Theres a great forum on here i beleive that leads you to a youtube site which gives you about 5 different styles of packing.All very good methods.Sorry i would post it but currently enjoying a good ol' bowl of frog morton cellar at the moment.The last time i tried to do multiple stuff while trying to type and puff i almost fumbled my hot pipe filled with good baccy on to my keyboard.The pipe gods were pissed and so was my wife.Took a vow to never attempt that again.Sorry if this was to long.keep puffin on.

 

[connforester4]

Thanks guys seems like alot of great advice! I think after hearing all of this, I am going to give the brylon a few more tries, but also buy a corn cob and a tin of high quality tobacco and practice my packing and smoking technique. I guess it is pretty counter intuitive to not puff hard when you are used to smoking cigars.
Kibo, a guy that worked at the tobacco shop recommended a few to start with, and labeled the bags as "Mountain" "Rich's choice" and "Maple Rum", and I cant quite remember if they had a brand name.
I am also surprised that noone here had an adverse reaction to the brylon pipe. A few other forums that I have visited seem to be adamant about staying away from brylon.

 

[apatim]

I have a couple of inexpensive pipes that might be brylon... they don't seem like briar. ---- I hate them!
My first choice is high quality briar pipe but they usually run upwards of $100 and more for an estate pipe so not the best choice until you decide you love smoking. In my 2 months of smoking I've bought 2 higher end pipes, several mid-range and a few cobs. High end briar and cobs seem best in my opinion.
Oh, and meershaum too... they smoke great and can be bought at reasonable prices (under $100)

 

[kibo]

Ok, connforester4, if you can send me a PM(so we don't clutter up this thread too much) and let me know the name of the shop, I think I know what 2 of the 3 are, but I want to pin it down more...if it is what I think you got, the Maple Rum can air out for about 25 min before you smoke and it'll taste a LOT better, but I'm not 100% sure. Also, I very much second the opinion of getting a cob...you can usually find a Missouri Meerschaum corn cob pipe at a Rite Aid, some CVS, and some Walgreens, in addition to some gas stations even...its worth the $3-7 they typically run. Brylon is a fickle, hit or miss creature...some brylon pipes don't turn out too badly, and some end up being useless to smoke out of...not sure exactly why, but it seems like maybe its not always the same material through and through.

 

[maxima]

Ha! I smoked my first pipe today too and I am cigar smoker.
I can tell you that I got good run from £25 briar and dunhill tobacco. I didn't relight my first pipe even once but the second I packed twice as hard and then I had to relight so I 'unpacked' it a little and it went as a charm..
I am sure relighting is because of the packing. And I never read any how-to or watched videos (I hate youtube and video news - its complete waste of time imho )
take it easy and it will come around )
P.S. you didn't inhale.. did you? :-D

 

[derfargin]

The best thing you can do is buy a cob when starting out. They're cheap, and you don't have to fuss with them as much as a new briar in order to get a good smoking experience.
However, I think the problem you ran into is similar to what I dealt with starting pipe tobacco. For some reason some "tobacconists" think that starter tobacco needs to be an aromatic. While there are some aros out there that offer some taste, they are far and few between. Most offer a great "room note", but ironically, its lost on the pipe smoker currently smoking them. Sure you'll get the bystanders saying how great it smells, but you'll be standing there puffing way with a "hot mess" of a tongue.
I fell to the trap of beginning with aromatics and was disappointed. Once I got a hold of a nice english blend(EMP to be exact) I was floored by how great the smoke was in comparison to all the aromatics I've tried in the past. After that it was full speed ahead with other varieties, then Straight Virginias and "VaPers"
Aromatics are cased or topped with flavoring, so they tend to be much wetter than non-aromatics. So you have to dry them out a bit more, however this sometimes is counter productive because what you're paying for IS the casing for the specific flavoring described.
My advice, by a cob pipe and get you some Dunhill - Early Morning Pipe. What I've read so far on the forums and myself included, EMP has failed to disappoint most anyone that's smoked it. It think it will suit your tastes more with you having a cigar background.
Pipe smoking is a great hobby, and once you really find out how great tobacco can be, there are so many more out there to try. Welcome to the first steps of this great journey.

 

[foggymountain]

The same thing happened to me on my first smoke. I replaced the crappy pipe with a good one and began to try different tobaccos until I found one I liked. Once the pipe was broken in the taste was great. Unfortunately good pipes are expensive. Get a cheap one and you will have the same problem. And it will never taste like a cigar.