Good Day from SW Louisiana

[CajunCountryPiper]

Avid reader of this forum and new member. I am a relatively new pipe smoker (6 months) and I am a cigarette smoker. My cigarette smoking has slowed down to a trickle and I only smoke cigarettes during the morning and evening work commute. So I am down to about a pack a week.

If a new pipe smoker searched beginner tobaccos, then your search results will melt your computer. I understand that everyone has a different pallet so everyone's opinion will vary. After smoking a vast variety of blends, I am finding that most of these tobaccos just kinda taste the same. Is this due to my cigarette smoking? I badly would like to fall into a tobacco that I like but it is hard for me to differentiate between different tobaccos. Now, I will admit, if I smoke let's say a cherry aromatic, I do taste a hint of cherry, same with vanilla, etc. I have a few English blends i.e. Early Morning pipe, Nightcap for example and I can tell the difference from the aromatics.

Is it just a matter of time before I can begin to pick up those different notes, am I killing my taste with the cigarettes, or am I just starting off with the wrong blends? I have visited a local tobacco shop and I will likely never step foot into this store again due to the sheer arrogance of the owner. It was as though I should have known what I wanted and he seemed to only want to cater to the cigar smoker.

So I know my question may seem like it is all over the place but I really enjoy smoking in general and I am just hoping to find a blend that sweeps me off of my feet without buying 700 different blends.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I am finding that most of these tobaccos just kinda taste the same. Is this due to my cigarette smoking?

It took me about 6 months to start tasting tobaccos. My advice is, that if you are wanting to stop smoking cigs, then quit first, and get it out of your system, and then come back to pipes.

I badly would like to fall into a tobacco that I like but it is hard for me to differentiate between different tobaccos.

I went right for Virginias. I loved cigarettes and the flavors of a Virginia are going to be the most familiar for you. Some might suggest an English, and that's not a bad choice. Latakia is a love/hate thing, you either love it or hate it. Try a sample first.

I have visited a local tobacco shop and I will likely never step foot into this store again due to the sheer arrogance of the owner.

I f^cking HATE places like that. There is a place in Gatlinburg where the people that work there say the stupidest things thinking that their customers won't know they are lying or don't know what they are talking about, and when you ask or question them when they are wrong they get egotistical and become assholes. I visit that town frequently, but I will never set foot in there again. They are morons. I kinda chuckled when I found out that they lied to an ATF agent and got slapped a $5000 fine. Moral of the story, don't lie to customers, and don't be assholes.

Welcome to the forum, and make yourself at home.

 

[J.GANDY]

Welcome to the forum from Savannah,Georgia!

Learning to taste different types of tobacco takes time. Pipe smoking technique takes time. Just when you think your getting the hang of it, your taste and technique develops further, you get better and enjoy it even more. Then you wonder why the heck was I doing it like that before.? Repeat. It evolves for most people, it has for me anyway. I was a cigarette smoker as well. As Cosmic suggests, kick them to the curb and come over to the pipe side. You will love it!

 

[CoffeeAndBourbon]

Welcome from NC!

 

[mso489]

Don't drive yourself crazy. This is the golden age of pipe tobacco blends because of the internet, and there are hundreds, probably thousands of blends on offer. Just shift to a lower gear and try selectively and in small quantities for a few years, and get a feel for what you like. I have to learn blends. What tastes blah or bad may unfold into something really good. Jar what you don't like and try again in a year or two. I think your pompous pipe shop owner has dealt with too many tourists and hasn't learned the right persona to deal with the public, with authority but generosity. He can probably be highhanded in selling people overpriced products since he won't every see most of them again. He could be mind-gamed, but it isn't worth the effort. The members of Forums -- if I do say so -- on an average know more about pipes and tobacco than the average staff in pipe shops, if not owners themselves.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Welcome from the NW part of the state!

 

[smokiespipesmoker123]

Welcome from East Tennessee

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Be Welcome Sir, and best greets from Finland-EU,
(Ps , In the past I was cig smoker as well, then i gradually reduced consumption of those to a minimum,I'm still smoking cigs 1 to 2 per day, here i'd suggest to be very watchful with cigs if you can't quite entirely , cigarettes are easy and very devious thing

 

[lelik]

Welcome to the forum !

 

[anotherbob]

I f^cking HATE places like that. There is a place in Gatlinburg where the people that work there say the stupidest things thinking that their customers won't know they are lying or don't know what they are talking about, and when you ask or question them when they are wrong they get egotistical and become assholes. I visit that town frequently, but I will never set foot in there again. They are morons. I kinda chuckled when I found out that they lied to an ATF agent and got slapped a $5000 fine. Moral of the story, don't lie to customers, and don't be assholes.

Welcome to the forum, and make yourself at home.
View attachment 46890

I'd much rather shop somewhere that they admit when they don't really know their products. Even sometimes a certain people say this about our product but I don't know.

 

[mikethompson]

I'm still trying to tease flavours out from pipe tobacco. It is a journey that you take for your whole time with a pipe.

Nice little rotation there by the way!

 

[02Knight]

Welcome to the forums from The Great State of TEXAS. When I started I asked for advice on this forum, then once they knew I had been dipping Copenhagen snuff for 42 years I was lead to some stronger tobaccos. HH Old Dark Fired, Peterson's Irish Flake, John Cotton's Double Pressed Kentucky, & Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky are some of my favorites. As for some aromatics I enjoy Mixture No. 79 & Sutliff Rum & Maple, when I can get it dry enough to smoke. We each gravitate to a certain taste and strength and with help from the folks here I'm sure you'll find your niche.

 

[FurCoat]

Welcome from North Carolina.

 

[tbradsim1]

Welcome from S Louisiana Cane Country

 

[gerryp]

Another welcome from Louisiana, this time Arabi right outside New Orleans.

I wouldn't worry about so-called beginner tobaccos. After trying some "beginner" blends and being unimpressed with them and pipes in general, I tried Nightcap and saw things very differently. I was a regular cigar smoker back then, so mild flavors weren't appealing.

You say you think cigarettes have messed up your palate? Try some C&D Billy Budd, I guarantee you'll taste that one. It just about knocked me on my ass the other night.

 

[edger]

Welcome from Arizona. I hope you and yours are safe and dry. This forum is a friendly and helpful place. Ignore the SOB at the store. Some people just have to be meaner than a gulf hurricane!

 

[anotherbob]

The whole idea of beginner tobacco baffles me. Otherwise then nic content but English isn't such a hard taste to appreciate or a Va or any thing really.

 

[JPremo]

Welcome from Vegas!

Nice collection as well, what's that 3rd pipe in on the top left?

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

Welcome!️

 

[Seamaster]