Help getting started with first pipes, tobacco, etc.

[Sigmund]

Keep strong aros out of your other tobacco pipes. There are some that even one smoke will flavor several bowls to come. Some are less severe but you dont know until you know!

Strong lat or English blends are best segregated, then another pipe for burleys and other VA.

You can go to extremes and if your palate is really sensitive you might do more. Id say that is the bare minimum.

That said, I will smoke some lat blends in my other pipes but if its really strong I try to keep them to themselves.

 

[Pooh-Bah]

Should I only use one "family" of tobacco in this pipe? Should I not mix aromatics and non aromatics? Are there any rules on that?

There are rules, but they aren't enforced - or at least, the Pipe Monitors haven't sent me to detention yet. I spent my first two years smoking everything from the same pipes, and only recently began to even consider the idea of dedicating them to styles or blends.

If you're feeling brave, you can get some interesting/pleasant results from mixing and matching - putting some Latakia, for instance, into a pipe that's usually for Cult, as a hypothetical.

 

[The Libertine]

Really appreciate the advice! Great forum! A few follow up questions/comments:

1. A generous member of this community has helped me acquire a pipe at a very good price so I have that issue out of the way!

2. Should I only use one "family" of tobacco in this pipe? Should I not mix aromatics and non aromatics? Are there any rules on that?

3. Most people here seem to believe I should start with non-aromatics and I will do that. The reason I had some aromatic blends in there is a couple of youtube guys (Mutton Chop Piper, Pipe cottage) had suggested them to start. Are those not people I should listen to or just a difference of opinion?

Thanks again and looking forward to smoking my first pipe!

An answer to number 2 is that there are hundreds of different opinions on it. Some tobaccos ghost a pipe (leaves a taste of the previous tobacco). I tend to keep a separate pipe for aromatics.

An answer to number two is use the forum as a starting point. I don't watch YouTube pipers. Here you will get a better set of answers than one person being the end-all-be-all to the hobby.

 

[dog_park_piper]

Cobs are fine in their own right, but they should not be training wheels for briar. Get the Peterson, the Sav, or the Rossi.

Also, don’t think aromatics are training wheels for non aromatic tobacco. They are fine in their own right. I don’t smoke them. I don’t know if I know how to smoke them.

I learn I found what I like putting in time into smoking.

Most coffee mugs are just fine. Most pipes are just fine.

Most coffee is just fine. Likewise, find the tobacco you can go back to often

 

[anotherbob]

Hi, first post here! Looking to join the world of Pipe Smoking and looking for a little advice. I have done a decent amount of research online, watched a lot of youtube videos and its all a bit overwhelming, but at some point I guess you need to pick a pipe and some tobacco and get going. I wanted to talk about the choices I'm considering and see if I'm on the right path! A little bit about me first, I'm 42, live in the Dallas, Tx area and I'm a former cigarette smoker, quit a little over 2 years ago. I don't miss cigarette smoke itself, but I absolutely miss the relaxation aspect of it. I miss it with my morning coffee, or an evening cocktail. I miss the social aspect as well, some people I barely talk to anymore that I quit cigarette smoking which is a shame. Anyway, I imagine going forward I would be smoking a pipe at night after the kids go down with an evening cocktail, or in the morning on the days I get to work from home when I'm alone on my back porch. I am prepared that pipe smoking may not be for me, but if I decide not to continue pipe smoking, I want to be because I did it the right way and it wasn't for me, not because I did not know what I was doing. I'm certainly aware of tongue bite and want to do my best to avoid it.

For Pipes I'm considering most likely a Peterson, but also a Savinelli. I have watched and read quite a bit, and there seem to be two camps out there, those that suggest a straight pipe like a Peterson 87 Straight Apple and those that suggest a Peterson System pipe like a 307 (or various 300 series) to avoid the tongue bite. I am also considering similar pipes from Savinelli. I will start with one pipe, but assuming I don't hate it, I would imagine buying a second one fairly quickly. So I would be interested I guess in a good "first two Pipes" that may compliment each other. I have never smoked pipe tobacco, so I'm just guessing, but I would imagine liking a mild aromatics. For price I'd like to keep it under $200 per pipe, but definitely under $300 per pipe.

For tobaccos, I was going to go with 5 tins. I am looking for a variety that would be beginner friendly. These are the tobaccos I came up with listening to videos and reading forums. 1. Cult Blood Red Moon 2. Peterson Early Morning Pipe 3. Kramer's Father Dempsey 4. Sutliff Eastfarthing 5. Cornell and Diehl Autumn Evening.

Just wanting to know if I'm heading in the right direction, and if not if someone could steer me that way. And just any other advice you guys have! Cheers!

you will get tongue bite by the way. It's not great but you'll live. And it could be the first time or 20 years from now the day after you brag about never getting tongue bite. If you do what it seems like you'll do and follow advice and pay attention you'll be able to stop before it gets bad. (mild bite is nothing compared to full on bite.

 

[elvishrunes]

Really appreciate the advice! Great forum! A few follow up questions/comments:

1. A generous member of this community has helped me acquire a pipe at a very good price so I have that issue out of the way!

2. Should I only use one "family" of tobacco in this pipe? Should I not mix aromatics and non aromatics? Are there any rules on that?

3. Most people here seem to believe I should start with non-aromatics and I will do that. The reason I had some aromatic blends in there is a couple of youtube guys (Mutton Chop Piper, Pipe cottage) had suggested them to start. Are those not people I should listen to or just a difference of opinion?

Thanks again and looking forward to smoking my first pipe!

2-is a hotly debated topic referring to ghosting, I never did separate and it doesn’t bother me at all. I do have an English latakia pipe now, but more out of routine, than flavour. You will get the most of out of a single blend if you do dedicate though.

3-most probably disagree here, but I think you should start on the bottom as most of us did with codger pouches. Captain Black, Half and Half, Backwoods, Sir Walter Raleigh, Granger, ect and work your way up, but that Amphora 5 sample pack gives you a bit of everything including good aros.

 

[jtkuga]

Elvishrunes I'm curious why you believe I should start with the old codger packs? Is it because thats what most people start with or is it because it is a better way to start than otherwise suggested?

 

[ziv]

I started with a codger pack: Half&Half, Velvet, and Sir Walter Raleigh. Wish I did Amphora pack instead.

I smoked the three of them (actually, just two - SWR was unsmokable) and enjoyed them, since I had nothing else. But as soon as I made another online purchase and tried my first English (it was Match Nightcap) and then some VaPers and DFK, I never went back to the codger blends.

 

[jtkuga]

I'm getting a lot of recs for the Amphora pack, but I don't know anything about the details of the individual blends. I assume they are all good blends? I just did a google search and it looks like there are five different blends? Is that the right pack?

 

[ziv]

I'm getting a lot of recs for the Amphora pack, but I don't know anything about the details of the individual blends. I assume they are all good blends? I just did a google search and it looks like there are five different blends? Is that the right pack?

Yes, the five pouch pack - you can see the description here: Sampler - Amphora Pipe Tobacco | Smokingpipes.com - https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipe-tobacco/amphora/amphora-sampler/product_id/346122

I've only tried the Kentucky Blend, and it's very good.

 

[Randy Anderson]

I would recommend looking at the MBSD pipes web site and then giving them a call about a nice estate pipe. Their estate pipes are cleaned and ready to smoke. You can purchase a nice quality estate pipe that will serve you well that fits your budget. Then look at the Country Squire web site about some tobacco. Call and talk to them about a few of their house blends that can be purchased in small quantities to try, and see what varieties you like. I have found both of these merchants to be helpful . Good luck.

 

[elvishrunes]

Elvishrunes I'm curious why you believe I should start with the old codger packs? Is it because thats what most people start with or is it because it is a better way to start than otherwise suggested?

Good question, I guess because of A, it’s how most start. I’m a whiskey drinker and started with blends and low end Irish and bourbon, still drink lots of that, not single malt. But codger blends are made to be simple, light, appeal to a large audience, and neutral. For me I never got bad tongue bite off them. It’s a right of passage the way I see it…

However, just pick a few and smoke them, whichever blends they are codger or higher end, don’t over think it. If it is for you you’ll find out.

 

[elvishrunes]

I'm getting a lot of recs for the Amphora pack, but I don't know anything about the details of the individual blends. I assume they are all good blends? I just did a google search and it looks like there are five different blends? Is that the right pack?

That pack covers all the main blend types; English, Virginia, Aro, Burley, DFK…. and pretty decent commercial mainstream versions. And you could just get the three; English, Virginia, and Cavendish/or Original Blend if wanted to save some money and cover your bases…

 

[Thehogfatherpdx]

I’ve never smoked the amphora tobaccos but that seems like a legit way to go. Should give you a good idea of the different categories anyway.

I of you have a B&M you can go to, sometimes talking to someone is helpful when getting started. I started with an oriental blend from my B&M on the recommendation of the woman that worked there. It was a great introduction because it was a tasty smoke and as I started to pick out my favorite notes I got curious about which tobaccos provided the different elements and it fueled my curiosity for exploring all of the different kinds of blends.

 

[wyfbane]

A good briar is a great choice, but it isn't either or. If you got a great deal on your briar, I would still recommend a cob or two. They are GREAT choices for knocking around the yard, trying some goopy aro you are gifted at a pipe club, etc.

Tobaccos: Try everything. Someone said you may be near a Brick and Mortar Tobacconist. Get 1/2 or 1 oz sample of as many things as you can find. Everyone likes this or that. Well no one else is you. You may like the goopiest mess tobacco or, God Forbid, 1792 flake. No one can tell what you are going to like.

I find tobaccos are like food. There are grassy Virginias that are like salad. Some have Perique or burley added, so like a Ceasar or spicy salad. Then there are the meaty toabaccos. I found it helped that I liked peaty scotch for these, but not at all necessary. The smokey latakia in some of the English blends reminds me of the smokiest cured meats. Others are spicier dishes like when Oriental tobaccos are added. Then there is dessert. Virtually any flavor of tobacco you can want has been made. Anything from coffee, chocolate, maple, fruits, candies, even mint. Then there are booze tobaccos. Wine, whiskey, and others are all out there. There are even some oddities out there, like tobacco with deertongue, or a flowery flavor that is a rather love/hate affair. The bottom line is, you are getting into this with a lot of choices out there and it is up to you to discover your likes/loves.

This is why I recommend some cobs to accompany your briar.

 

[Briar Lee]

You have been given some great advice and all I’ll add is buy the last famous codger blend still widely available in a 1 1/2 ounce package, Half and Half.

Why?

The same company that made these advertisements designed Half and Half to smell and taste like a Lucky Strike.





It’s different than all other codger blends, yet it’s an all day smoke.

Part burley, part Virginia, sweet and spicy, intoxicating aroma, it tastes and smells like Half and Half did in 1972 when I bought my first package for a quarter.

If you can’t smoke Half and Half, it’s hard to imagine how you’d aquire a taste for any other blend.

 

[JoburgB2]

2. Should I only use one "family" of tobacco in this pipe? Should I not mix aromatics and non aromatics? Are there any rules on that?

3. Most people here seem to believe I should start with non-aromatics and I will do that. The reason I had some aromatic blends in there is a couple of youtube guys (Mutton Chop Piper, Pipe cottage) had suggested them to start. Are those not people I should listen to or just a difference of opinion?

I wouldn’t be too concerned about thinking you must have some “rules”. I have preferences but keep a wide range of blends and styles. I wouldn’t shy away from aromatics. I see nothing wrong with what might be termed light aromatics, Lane Limited 1-Q is always on hand, it’s one of the most popular bulk blends for a reason, and gives you that aroma that most non-pipe-smokers associate with their pipe smoking memories of a grandparent or uncle. I’d be careful though of things like grape, cherry, maple, etc. that seem artificial. Light/medium English blends like Old Dublin, Early Morning Pipe, My Mixture 965, are classic examples and are delicious but they have a completely different characteristic taste and room note. I didn’t care for them or appreciate them when I first started out, but over time are my favourites. I mix and match all of them or whatever I can get my hands on. I do agree with everyone who suggests packing lighter than you think. When I started, I overpacked, tight, and tamped firm, and so had to draw and puff hard, burning hot, and guess what? Tongue bite. Anyway, welcome to forum and good luck!

 

[troutface]

I think the most important thing to remember is that the vast majority of pipe smokers didn't learn how to smoke in a matter of days or weeks. Most here will tell you it took months and even years to truly refine their technique. Patience is key. Most noobs give up in a couple weeks. You can see by the huge variation in replies that folks have come at this in many different ways and still been successful. Despite all the advice on YouTube and here in the forum you will still make some mistakes and have to figure out what works for you. If your don't mind spending the money, then by all means buy a briar. I would also suggest you look at BriarWorks pipes. I think their quality is just a bit better than Peterson and Savinelli, though I own both those brands. Keep at it and ask questions if you get stuck, because as Red Green always said "Remember, we're all in this together."

 

[OverMountain]

Hi, first post here! Looking to join the world of Pipe Smoking and looking for a little advice. I have done a decent amount of research online, watched a lot of youtube videos and its all a bit overwhelming, but at some point I guess you need to pick a pipe and some tobacco and get going. I wanted to talk about the choices I'm considering and see if I'm on the right path! A little bit about me first, I'm 42, live in the Dallas, Tx area and I'm a former cigarette smoker, quit a little over 2 years ago. I don't miss cigarette smoke itself, but I absolutely miss the relaxation aspect of it. I miss it with my morning coffee, or an evening cocktail. I miss the social aspect as well, some people I barely talk to anymore that I quit cigarette smoking which is a shame. Anyway, I imagine going forward I would be smoking a pipe at night after the kids go down with an evening cocktail, or in the morning on the days I get to work from home when I'm alone on my back porch. I am prepared that pipe smoking may not be for me, but if I decide not to continue pipe smoking, I want to be because I did it the right way and it wasn't for me, not because I did not know what I was doing. I'm certainly aware of tongue bite and want to do my best to avoid it.

For Pipes I'm considering most likely a Peterson, but also a Savinelli. I have watched and read quite a bit, and there seem to be two camps out there, those that suggest a straight pipe like a Peterson 87 Straight Apple and those that suggest a Peterson System pipe like a 307 (or various 300 series) to avoid the tongue bite. I am also considering similar pipes from Savinelli. I will start with one pipe, but assuming I don't hate it, I would imagine buying a second one fairly quickly. So I would be interested I guess in a good "first two Pipes" that may compliment each other. I have never smoked pipe tobacco, so I'm just guessing, but I would imagine liking a mild aromatics. For price I'd like to keep it under $200 per pipe, but definitely under $300 per pipe.

For tobaccos, I was going to go with 5 tins. I am looking for a variety that would be beginner friendly. These are the tobaccos I came up with listening to videos and reading forums. 1. Cult Blood Red Moon 2. Peterson Early Morning Pipe 3. Kramer's Father Dempsey 4. Sutliff Eastfarthing 5. Cornell and Diehl Autumn Evening.

Just wanting to know if I'm heading in the right direction, and if not if someone could steer me that way. And just any other advice you guys have! Cheers!

Sounds like you are a solid guy with a good plan. Someone on here told me, to slow down…and then slow down some more when starting out.

Some things take practice and experience. Hope you find your new hobby relaxing and enjoyable.

Btw, pipe smokers may be more “tobacco tasters” than “smokers”.

Best of luck, and welcome!

 

[woodsroad]

Keep it simple.
Remember that enjoyment is your goal, not process.