First-Year Pipe Smokers' Favorite Tobacco So Far

[Sewage Pipe]

I've been piping for just a few months now but came from smoking alot of weed previously and a pack of cigs every now and then. To be honest I've been reluctant on buying tins because the 1 I bought(cult blood red moon) I don't like. In fact I don't like any aros after trying maybe 15 types. I lean on flakes for the most part. I've tried a few GH flakes but just too floral/flavored for me. My all time favorite is Newminster Navy Flake. I like the P.S. navy flake as well after I learned adding a little Lane BCA cools down the perique that was a little overwelming for me(love the flavor though). I think the next tin I buy will be capstan blue based off suggestions here. The only english I've tried unfortunately is P.S. proper english which is nice and mellow just not for everyday.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Tough to pick one, so I’ll pick one in each category.

VA: McClelland 40th Anniversary

Va/Per: Sutliff Match Victorian

Va/Bur: Esoterica Tilbury

Burley Based: MacBaren HH Burley Flake

English/Balkan: Seattle Pipe Club Plum Pudding

Rum/Navy: Dan Salty Dogs

Aromatics: Country Squire Old Toby

Bat Shit Nuts Wackadoo Blends: GH Bob’s Chocolate Flake

OTC: Carter Hall

Why? They taste good and burn well, haha. Constantly evolving though, could be totally different next week.

 

[bullet08]

any english/balkan by glp. haven't been disappointed yet.

 

[rushx9]

In the common category of piped years ago, stopped and started back a little over a year ago. I also switched over from cigs(camels). Presbyterian and Durbar were instant favorites. Then I discovered Standard Mixture Mellow and loved the sweetness and fruit topping. In searching out more of that fruity english flavor, And So To Bed has emerged as the current favorite. Also found out I love funky floral Lakelands and have begun developing more of a taste for Va/pers, cigar blends, and strong "empire" VAs.

 

[mordy18]

Also forgot to mention gh bobs chocolate flake. Love it and have three tins of the stuff in a big jar. Very deep, very slightly sweet, slightly floral and very earthy.

Im discovering more and more that i dont care for heavily cased aromatics. I consistently find that the taste doesnt match the smell and more often than not seems chemically. And i like but dont love straight Vas and VaPers. Tried sg full va, escudo, elizabethan, telegraph hill and a few others. All were good as an occasional smoke for me.

 

[jttnk]

I've got about 10 Favs right now C&D's London Squire,Star of the East,Byzantium,Orient Express. G.L.Pease. Westminister Captain Earls 10 Russians. Cults BloodRed Moon Lanes RLP-6 Ole Shenandoah's Summer Berry Brandy.

That is some range! Looks like you’ve explored plenty. Good on ya! (Culturally appropriated from the Aussies, thank you)

 

[DavidT]

My favorites so far are Peterson Nightcap, Prince Albert, and Peterson Irish Flake.
They all scratch a specific itch, and all of them have similar handling characteristics.

Because all are readily available; I don't have to worry about unicorn syndrome type supply issues.
All three need very little fiddling with to smoke regardless of what pipe I choose to smoke them from.These traits score very high with me.

None need to be re-lit numerous times.
So long as I leave the bottom of the chamber packed a little loose, all can be packed near mindlessly.The flake I prefer to be rubbed out.Which can be done in advance and put back in the tin for transport.

Nightcap is my "daily smoke". Medium nicotine hit that gets me going in the morning. Is satisfying though out the day. And makes for a pleasant after dinner/before bed smoke.

Irish Flake is my nicotine hammer for when I need/want a strong smoke.

Prince Albert is my mild nutty bready smoke for when I want a break from the strong smokes.

I've smoked somewhere around 20-30 different blends looking for what I've found in these 3.To this day; Prince Albert is the only tobacco I have been able to smoke all the way to the bottom of the chamber.Sometimes; it doesn't even need to be tamped.

 

[danimalia]

Great thread. I'm happy to see Maltese Falcon make a couple of lists. That was one of the blends that sold me on pipe smoking. I've moved on from some of those early favorites, but MF remains one of my absolute too Latakia blends.

 

[Casual]

Way more have found Presbyterian than I expected. Oriental blends in general have a balance of flavour that’s not too subtle on one hand or too overpowering on the other.

 

[Jmac8504]

C&D Riverboat Gambler

 

[BROBS]

I've been piping for just a few months now but came from smoking alot of weed previously and a pack of cigs every now and then. To be honest I've been reluctant on buying tins because the 1 I bought(cult blood red moon) I don't like. In fact I don't like any aros after trying maybe 15 types. I lean on flakes for the most part. I've tried a few GH flakes but just too floral/flavored for me. My all time favorite is Newminster Navy Flake. I like the P.S. navy flake as well after I learned adding a little Lane BCA cools down the perique that was a little overwelming for me(love the flavor though). I think the next tin I buy will be capstan blue based off suggestions here. The only english I've tried unfortunately is P.S. proper english which is nice and mellow just not for everyday.

if you like navy flakes ditch the aros for the moment IMO.
capstan is a good choice.. MacBaren VA #1 is actually really good.

 

[hauntedmyst]

8. Coniston Cut Plug

9. Tabac Manil Semois- I have smoked Las Brumeuse but I think I would like a finer cut more

10. Gawith Hoggarth & Co - Dark Flake (I smoked the Unscented version, but I think both will have a place in my cellar)

All three of these are on my must try list! I'm finding I'm enjoying richer tobaccos in this vein that I never thought I'd like be.

 

[sandollars]

If I had to pick just ONE..... It would be Arango Balkan Supreme for availability, price and consistent quality/complexity in the smoke.

 

[chopper]

Well, I’m still a relatively new forum member, but not a new pipe smoker, so can’t weigh in. I would think there are at least 4 categories of new pipe smokers:

1. Those coming over from or adding to cigarettes.
2. Those coming over from or adding to cigars.
3. Those coming over from or adding to snuff, chew, snus.
4. Those starting fresh.

I would not be surprised that the preferences are quite different among the three. Would love to here replies based on where new pipe smokers are coming in from!

Then there's the cigarette smokers who need/want nicotine and cigarette smokers like myself who wanted to be rid of the addiction.
When I smoked cigs I'd start craving 30 mins after my last one. After 45 mins I'd be white knuckling.
That's why I choose blends with mild nic levels. Now I can many hours without & not even notice when otherwise occupied.
It's nice to have that monkey off my back while still being able to enjoy a smoke when in the mood.

 

[MikhaelDavid]

I would also say the Presbyterian Mixture. I find it tasteful, and not too strong on latakia.

 

[tobefrank]

In my first year of smoking I found Escudo and it has been a favourite ever since. I do take a break from it from time to time, but it always feels like coming home when I smoke a bowl of Escudo.

 

[gervais]

if you like navy flakes ditch the aros for the moment IMO.
capstan is a good choice.. MacBaren VA #1 is actually really good.

Do you find VA #1 bitey, like alot of people claim?

 

[mso489]

jmac', Riverboat Gambler! Wow, that's a discovery. I enjoyed a tin of that a few years ago, but seldom heard it mentioned on Forums. C&D is Disney World for burley smokers. I'm especially impressed that someone would discover that early in their pipe career. I even liked the tin art, if that is still in place.

 

[kschatey]

I started as a fresh pipe smoker late in 2019 and have enjoyed the following blends the most so far:

• Aromatic = Lane LImited BCA
• English Aromatic = Two Friends English Chocolate*
• English = Arango Balkan Supreme*
• Virginia/VaPer = Orlik Golden Slided
• Burley = Mac Baren HH Old Dark Fired

*I find myself reaching for these tobaccos most often

I am lucky because not only do I have access to my own selection of tobaccos, but I also have two neighbor friends that have smoked pipes longer and have their own collections to share. So even though I am quite new to pipe smoking, I have already had the opportunity to try at least 32 different blends at least once each and there are about that many of other unopened tins among our cellars still yet to try.

 

[lukasstrifeson]

Coming from cigarettes, I naturally gravitated towards Virginias and Va/Pers in the beginning but it wasn't until my first bowl of Dunhill's Nightcap was I convinced to never go back to the sticks again.