Maybe not a flake but the mac Scottish mixture is in the same vein as the vanilla cream I'd say. Slightly aro but with tobacco flavor.
Flake Tobacco (PS Navy Flake)
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What else have you been smoking? Maybe other tobaccos have overwhelmed your palate?
That’s a good tobacco. Maybe getting the hang of getting each bowl to smoke well is all you need. It took me a while and sometimes I still have a dud.
I do usually let the tobacco dry by rubbing it out or just letting it sit in open air for 10-20 minutes. I don’t want it dry as dust, but if it’s too wet then it seems to get foul near the end of the bowl and it requires too many relights.
Also, consider if you’re packing too tightly. Sometimes looser works better.
You’ll get the hang of it. It’s an art and science which is part of the fun once you figure it out.
I do usually let the tobacco dry by rubbing it out or just letting it sit in open air for 10-20 minutes. I don’t want it dry as dust, but if it’s too wet then it seems to get foul near the end of the bowl and it requires too many relights.
Also, consider if you’re packing too tightly. Sometimes looser works better.
You’ll get the hang of it. It’s an art and science which is part of the fun once you figure it out.
I’m actually glad you did. As a relatively new pipe smoker that recently decided Aros were not my thing (for the most part), I’m trying to find blend(s) that appeal to me, have a good flavor and something that I just can’t wait to light up! So far I really enjoy several English blends (love Latakia (but finding that it’s best enjoyed by me, in the morning with my coffee) and really like the one, or two VaPers (really like Perique, in the right dose) that I’ve tried, but having problems keeping them from getting too hot, and losing the taste that I enjoy. I’ve found (when all goes well, which is rare) that I really enjoy these blends in the evening with my bourbon tea! I’m sure my unfortunate experiences are due to my tobacco being too wet, too dry, improper packing, drawing too hard, or smoking too fast… but I feel like I’m smoking just enough to try and keep it lit. I’m frustrated, but not giving up, because I do enjoy them… when I get it right. I do tend to like the VaPer blends on the sweet side, but hesitant to buy more when I can’t consistently enjoy what I have. I do like the idea of trying some other Virginia blend (i.e. VaBur), however, I feel that they may produce similar results, until I fix my issue. Kind of at a loss here! Ideas, recommendations are welcome! I want to be able to smoke and enjoy any tobacco I have, or want to purchase in the future, and want to load a bowl and smoke it any time of day based on what sounds good in the moment. So far, I can only consistently enjoy English blends.
I have mainly stuck with English blends, and while I do love them, I primarily smoke them exclusively because seems that anything that is Virginia forward, burns too hot (tongue bite), ashy taste, multiple relights, etc… On the rare occasion that I seem to get everything right… I really like the one or two VaPers that I have (PS LNF, and Orlik Golden sliced). Suggestions??
You’re right… I know I’m doing something wrong! But my English blends smoke great and I love them, but would like a little variety! Need to go through the learning process I guess, but the tongue bite, constant relights, or tobacco too dry and burning through a bowl in 15-20 minutes, not to mention the waste of good tobacco and taste of ash…. Is getting a little frustrating. It’s like playing 18 holes of golf… those few drives, or putts, that are close to perfect… keeps me going back! I’m not giving up on my pipe, because when I get a good smoke… there’s nothing like it, but smoking anything other than English blends, those great experiences are few and far between!
English blends in my experience tend to be the most forgiving. Try some burley blends. They are not as bitey as virginias and vapers.
When I first started and was having problems tasting aros, someone suggested trying Prince Albert, which I believe to be burley based, and I didn’t get ANY taste from it (except maybe cigarette smoke taste) which may be great for some, but not me. Perhaps you can recommend to good, strong flavored, burley blends?
I had a very similar experience. I came to pipes from Cigars. For the first 2-3 years, I could only get satisfaction from English blends. Everything else was bland and flat. I'd would compare it to only drinking espresso, and not being able to taste anything going on in a medium or light roast coffee. I would bet that if you spend a week or so smoking nothing but Va blends, you'll be able to figure them out. Va is nuanced and subtle, not the in your face bold flavors of English blends.
"anything that is Virginia forward, burns too hot (tongue bite), ashy taste, multiple relights, etc"
If the bowl is packed too tightly, or if you smoke to quickly, you'll get what you described here. I'd stick to one blend for a few days experimenting with drying, packing and slowing your cadence until you nail it. Look up breath method on youtube and play around with that as well. Once you figure that out, and you taste the tobacco the way it was intended to, you'll know what you are aiming for. Then you can adjust that method to accommodate the way you like to smoke. I have my own version of it that works for me.
One other thing I like to do. I like to smoke my Virginia flakes in filtered cobs, but I don't use the filter, so I get a wide-open draw. With that wide open draw, it's more difficult to puff too hard on it. It's much easier to have a slower cadence. Just in case you have any cobs lying around.
If the bowl is packed too tightly, or if you smoke to quickly, you'll get what you described here. I'd stick to one blend for a few days experimenting with drying, packing and slowing your cadence until you nail it. Look up breath method on youtube and play around with that as well. Once you figure that out, and you taste the tobacco the way it was intended to, you'll know what you are aiming for. Then you can adjust that method to accommodate the way you like to smoke. I have my own version of it that works for me.
One other thing I like to do. I like to smoke my Virginia flakes in filtered cobs, but I don't use the filter, so I get a wide-open draw. With that wide open draw, it's more difficult to puff too hard on it. It's much easier to have a slower cadence. Just in case you have any cobs lying around.
You may also work your way towards Virginias by going through Orientals...
And it seems your issues are common and similar to what I experienced.
Persevere, but slowly and you'll be rewarded.
And it seems your issues are common and similar to what I experienced.
Persevere, but slowly and you'll be rewarded.
Not happy to hear that you experienced the same, but it’s promising to hear that it’s not just me, bc I really like, or want to enjoy, VA blends. I’m going to take your recommendation and try just VA blends for a week (as soon as I can get a couple more tins to try). Any recommendations based on your similar experience?
Thank you! I’ll give that a shot. I have one cob, but actually am considering adding another one or two.
I am now a Va lover and my list of recommendations could be very long, but the two you have now are good tobaccos. I would also recommend Gl Pease Union Square. It was the first Virginia I came to appreciate.
VA does tend to smoke hotter and yes, English blends tend to be very forgiving. But VA blends that have perique or cavendish will smoke a little cooler than straight VAs or VA/Burs. You just have to go really easy with VAs and aros relative to other types. For an average-sized typical pipe bowl (holding about 2/3 to one whole flake rubbed out), it should take you 40 minutes to 1 hour to get through it.
That said, drying and packing right are easy enough. I "codger scoop" everything (flakes/coins get rubbed out before scooping). Just keep putting tobacco in without packing it tightly and check the draw. Should be able to easily draw air through and if you draw heavy, shouldn't bbe any whistling sound. If it whistles, you can pack a little more. Don't over-complicate this part. As you smoke, don't over-tamp.
The next piece of advice I have is, don't try to keep it lit. Pipes go out sometimes, it happens, just re-light it. Puffing faster and harder to try to keep it from going out is only going to ruin the flavor, burn your tongue, risk burning-out the pipe... and it's still probably going to go out anyway necessitating the re-light you were trying to avoid (and all the hard and/or fast puffing might even be causing or contributing in the first place).
If you are going too fast, the tobacco can burn down the middle, remain unburnt on the sides, cause the ember to be smaller, and make it easily snuffed out because air can't get to it through the unburnt tobacco and too much ash above it.
Just don't push or fight the tobacco. If it doesn't want to stay lit and you have too relight too much, try drying longer next time, or packing lighter. You could try taking smaller sips more often rather than bigger draws less often.
That said, drying and packing right are easy enough. I "codger scoop" everything (flakes/coins get rubbed out before scooping). Just keep putting tobacco in without packing it tightly and check the draw. Should be able to easily draw air through and if you draw heavy, shouldn't bbe any whistling sound. If it whistles, you can pack a little more. Don't over-complicate this part. As you smoke, don't over-tamp.
The next piece of advice I have is, don't try to keep it lit. Pipes go out sometimes, it happens, just re-light it. Puffing faster and harder to try to keep it from going out is only going to ruin the flavor, burn your tongue, risk burning-out the pipe... and it's still probably going to go out anyway necessitating the re-light you were trying to avoid (and all the hard and/or fast puffing might even be causing or contributing in the first place).
If you are going too fast, the tobacco can burn down the middle, remain unburnt on the sides, cause the ember to be smaller, and make it easily snuffed out because air can't get to it through the unburnt tobacco and too much ash above it.
Just don't push or fight the tobacco. If it doesn't want to stay lit and you have too relight too much, try drying longer next time, or packing lighter. You could try taking smaller sips more often rather than bigger draws less often.
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Burley should help with the "getting too hot" issue. It may be an easier smoke altogether, like an English blend. Then after some time when your comfortable with dryness and packing, you'll go to load a straight VA someday and find you love it or it's not for you. I think Virginias can be hard early on. Same with aros. Burley blends and English mixtures seem to be pretty easy and no-fuss blends. I for one smoked for some time before growing into VaPer and Straight VA blends - now it's about all I smoke.
Like anything, it takes time and a little effort - but try not to get frustrated. I found that early on, I was putting far too much thought into moisture level and packing method. My best smokes were ones I just left some tobacco out to dry and stuffed it in a pipe and went- the ole stuff & puff method. I continued just drying and loosely stuffing my bowls and found consistency in these great smokes. Eventually, it's what I found worked best for me - though some blends are more finicky than others.
Best of luck.
A few thoughts that may help:
Flake tobacco can be tricky to get right, it just takes practice and patience. The one thing I noticed with fold and stuff is when your doing the 'stuff' , make sure that it sits in your pipe bowl pretty lose and light, when I check draw I don't want to feel any or barely any resistance on the draw. Otherwise the pack will be too tight and invariably I would end up with problems towards the end of the bowl.
Another thing I found that helped with flakes is putting in a few nording keystone into bottom of the bowl first. This helped keep the airway from getting blocked when I got 1/2 or 2/3 down. They also absorb moisture if you are prone to getting gurgle.
Flake tobacco can be tricky to get right, it just takes practice and patience. The one thing I noticed with fold and stuff is when your doing the 'stuff' , make sure that it sits in your pipe bowl pretty lose and light, when I check draw I don't want to feel any or barely any resistance on the draw. Otherwise the pack will be too tight and invariably I would end up with problems towards the end of the bowl.
Another thing I found that helped with flakes is putting in a few nording keystone into bottom of the bowl first. This helped keep the airway from getting blocked when I got 1/2 or 2/3 down. They also absorb moisture if you are prone to getting gurgle.
Great advice! I’m going to try all the above. Just one question, do I pack lighter than my English blends?
Take that advice with a grain of salt. Burley smokes cooler than Virgina. Perique may not cool down a smoke, I don't remember, but I know cavendish will make a blend smoke cooler. But, this is just a generalization. There's some blends with cavendish that'll still smoke hot and others that have none that'll smoke cooler.
As far as packing, depends on the specific blend, personal tastes, how you smoke, etc. I personally have gone to being a wetter smoker, and I tend to pack everything the same (but depends on how dry the tobacco is) and just adjust my speed and depth of draw as needed. But I don't pack anything different based on the type of blend, only how dry or not it is (dryer can pack tighter). It's all by feel.
Just something you're going to have to experiment with and get a feel for as to what works for you.
There's no right way or one answer. There's some wrong ways, but there's no right ways.
As one of the readers pointed you need to slow everything down. Flake tobacco doesn't absorb heat like other tobaccos so be patient with it. Don't be discouraged by relights..