Frustrated and Desperate :(

[rmbittner]

One thing that I mentioned in response to Jonas's first post in another thread but which hasn't come up here:
It's possible that you simply don't like the taste of tobacco. If that's the case, no amount of experimentation or advice is going to help.
If you truly don't like it -- and don't enjoy learning to appreciate tobacco flavor -- then it just may be that smoking in general is not for you.

 

[numbersix]

It's possible that you simply don't like the taste of tobacco

+1
I'd be curious is you're trying english blends or aromatics. Aromatics tend to smell delicious, but rarely taste like they smell. English blends can taste like cigarettes, and if you're not a regular smoker, can taste "ashy".
If you were hoping for a fruity taste in your tobacco, look for a high-quality aromatic. With many aros however, I can see being disappointed since the taste and smell are often worlds apart.
Ultimately, I'd suggest you buy several 1 oz samples of various tobaccos. If you have no idea what types you might like, let us know what you were looking for and we can make recommendations. One I'd recommend for you to try is Newminster No.35 French Champagne. Nice smell, nice taste too.

 

[fitzy]

English blends can taste like cigarettes, and if you're not a regular smoker, can taste "ashy".

It is certainly possible that he's confusing the smokey flavor of Latakia with an ashy taste.
We definitely need more information on what types of tobacco's he's smoking.

 

[fitzy]

From looking at his previous posts I figured out some of what he's been smoking. I think he should try an English or Balkan style.

The first one I tried was very cheap aromtaic and all the reviews I found on the internet were really bad but the second one received good feedback (W.O. Larsen 2013) and I am asking myself if I'm doing anything wrong?

 

[pux3]

Wow, you guys are awesome! So many people who want to help out :D The community alone is a reason to keep smoking :P
I'll try to answer the questions one by one:
1.Does your pipe have one of those pre-carbonized bowls? - Yes it does
2.Have you tried giving your pipe a rest between smokes? - about 24 hours, sometimes 2 days
3.Is your tobacco dry enough? - Yes it is
4.Have you ever smoked tobacco before? - Not on a regular basis
5.What exactly are you smoking? - Exclusiv, Mango; Dunhill, Nightcap; One local brand (virginia), w.o. larsen 2013; and I forgot the last one (not mine)
What i gathered:
1.Alcohol cleaning

2.Patience

3.Try more tobaccos

4.Get a corn cob

5.Patience

6.Try an estate pipe

7.Zen mode

8.Even more patience
It might be that I just don't like the taste of tobacco but this I will only accept once I tried everything because I very much like the idea of smoking a pipe.
I hope I forgot nothing :P
And once again thank you all for the feedback, it is very much apreciated and you definietly gave me new hope haha
Sincerly Jonas ::

 

[pruss]

Wow, what a fantastic supply of tips, suggestions and advice! This community is truly a wonderful support for fans of the leaf.
Let me take a slightly different tack, and let's talk a bit about taste and smell. I make a living with my nose and my taste-buds. Your tongue alone has the ability to discern primary flavours like sweet, sour, salty and bitter (and some would add "Umami" but let's save that for a different conversation); your sense of smell adds the ability to detect unique flavours.
Without your nose, your sense of taste is pretty limited. Want to try something fun? Grab a jelly bean of any colour, plug your nose with one hand and pop that bean in your mouth and chew. You'll taste sugar and maybe a hint of flavour. Keep chewing, unplug your nose, and take a breath. Notice the difference in what you're "tasting"?
Why is this important? Because smelling tobacco, fresh and unlit, delivers only the smell of the tobacco. Lighting the tobacco on fire and inhaling the smoke a) changes the smell/flavour of the tobacco by incinerating the ingredients and b) introduces taste to your assessment of the tobacco. Just as brewed coffee won't taste exactly like the beans/grinds it was made from, smoke from burning tobacco won't taste/smell exactly like the tobacco it comes from.
If you've tried tobaccos which have aromas/smells that you LOVE and they taste horrible, and you're comfortable with how you're smoking/cleaning your pipe then I agree it's time to consider what the deal with your pipe is... or to consider whether your palate is too sensitive for the intensity of smoke. Not a pleasant consideration, but certainly better than continued frustration no?
Good luck!
Pat

 

[fitzy]

Jonas I would suggest you just keep on going. It's possible the pipe isn't fully broken in yet or that you haven't developed a taste for tobacco yet. I'd leave off on the aro's for a while. They tend to not taste like they smell.(one of the few aro's that I think tastes like it smells is Villiger's Mid-Day but that's just my opinion)
I also think maybe you should stick with English or Balkan blends as they will have more flavor than lets say a Virginia blend. Virginia's tend to have a very subtle taste that takes time to develop a taste for.
Don't give up yet.
Do you notice any taste differences at all between the tobacco's you currently have? You should notice a different taste at least with the Nightcap as it's got some Latakia in it. I personally haven't smoked it so I don't know how strong the Latakia taste is though.
I would also recommend maybe something along the lines of Frog Morton's Cellar. It's like a cross over between an aromatic and an English.

 

[numbersix]

3.Try more tobaccos

This is probably the best tip. I must have tried nearly 50 different tobaccos in the short time I've been smoking. Doing this has taught me what I like and don't like. Try ordering small 1oz packs of tobacco of various types. Also check out tobaccoreviews.com for detailed descriptions
The key is whether or not you should try aromatics or not. Since you say you're not a smoker, I am thinking you're not going to enjoy (yet) blends that taste and smell like cigarettes. I would suggest you try some of the better aros. Some to consider:
Pipeworks and Wilke Rumcake

Pipeworks and Wilke Bleeker Street

Newminster No.35 French Champagne
These blends are top quality aros. They offer a pleasant aroma and taste. Good for someone who isn't used to smoking.
Good luck and don't give up too quickly. Pipe smoking is almost an artform. Takes time to figure it all out.

 

[smeigs]

Smelling a pipe and smoking a pipe are completely different. When I first started, I expected it to taste just like it smelled, which of course was not the case at all. Once you start smoking frequently and getting the hang of it you will start to find what you like and you will be able to pick out the different flavors of each tobacco. Dont give up! It will come to you.

 

[pitchfork]

Jonas, you mentioned Dunhill Nightcap. It's a great blend, but in my experience it can get hot and ashy and cigarette-like if you're not careful. Most English blends aren't fussy in that way, but Dunhill's are somewhat, at least compared to most other latakia blends.
Many beginners like the Frog Morton series. My first tobacco was Frog Morton on the Bayou and I loved it. The new Frog Morton's Cellar is another great beginner tobacco. It has latakia and Virginias, but it's flavored with whiskey by a chunk of bourbon barrel. It's one of the few aromatics that tastes like it smells -- very mellow and a little sweet.
Beyond that, I'd say just pick some English blends at random and give them a try.
Finally, a pipe that has had aromatic (flavored) tobaccos smoked in it, plus VA's and Latakia blends probably isn't going to taste great when you're switching styles and trying different kinds of blends. The flavors will mix up in odd ways that just clash and cancel each other out (hence the nondescript ashy taste, perhaps). I'd keep the first pipe for aromatics (if you like them), especially since you've already flavored your pipe with them, and get a new pipe for VA's and latakia blends. You could even get a cob or two for trying stuff out. Good luck!

 

[crpntr1]

I've been paying very much attention on how fast I am smoking

You've payed attention to how frequently you take puffs or how quickly you draw the smoke from the pipe?
Even if you are slowing down by taking less puffs per minute...if you draw hard on the pipe, your still not gonna have the best experience. When you draw from the pipe pay attention to that also, make sure you're sipping, even if its a long sip, not sucking the heck out of it every 30 seconds

 

[admin]

I think it's more the tobacco than the pipe.
Based on the no-taste and ash-taste, you are likely smoking a cheap aromatic, Cavendish and/or a Burley-heavy blend.
Burley tobacco has a high amount of actual ash in its chemical make-up, and you can taste it when a blend has a lot of Burley in it. Burley is also used in aromatics since it has less flavor than other tobaccos, and it has the best absorption rate for aromatic topping. Most Cavendish is also made from Burley.
Oddly, many brick & mortar retail tobacconist's house blends, and the ones they suggest to newbies is what I described above, and it is what you described in your opening post.
I suggest buying a premium tinned tobacco in the English or Balkan genre.
Try Frog Morton, Maltese Falcon, and G.L. Pease Westminster. Try Black House as well.

 

[smokeybear]

I found that when smoking most of my aromatics it helps not to tamp down all the time or so often. this will create an ashy taste due to the ash being forced down and mixed with the fresh tobacco in the pipe.
try doing a false light then smoke with out tamping when you find it all white on the top just gentle tap out the ash and tamp down gentle once using just the weight of the tamper itself (relight if you have to) and keep smoking if that doesn't work for you just keep trying different blends till you get one that does.

 

[quincy]

Rothnth. I was just thinking the same thing. Jonas, as someone who just got back into pipes after a long break, I understand how frustrating it can be but trust me; that first time everything clicks is heavenly and it only gets better from there!

 

[bigboi]

Jonas, I am new new pipe smoker as of last october. I am still finding that perfect moment. But I am finding I am really enjoying my smokes more now that I am getting better at it. There is this saying most of the great artists weren't great because they had natural talent, they were great because they kept at it. Kind of like pipe smoking. I have gathered from this site that most people really don't get that first great smoke right off of the bat. So keep it up man.