Help with Non aromatic that doesnt suck

[danielplainview]

O.K. fellas, I know I will catch hell for this post, but here goes... I have been smoking a pipe since 1995, and a lot of people say aromatics are for beginners. Guess what, I still smoke aromatics. I have tried to branch out to English blends and a few others. I do like some burly blends. Im not into the cherry and vanillas. My go to smoke is black bourbon. Its not to sweet. I have tried several Dunhill blends. I wasted another $15 on some Dunhill Early morning pipe. It tastes like campfire ashes. So here is my Question: Is there something in between aromatics and English blends? I wont mind trying some stronger stuff as long as it doesn't have that housefire taste. Let the contempt commence.

 

[yorkshirepipe]

I've been in the hobby for 5 years and I still like aromatics too - I think there is a gap between aromatics and english blends, more tend to be known as non-aromatics. You can also get Aro-english, but I'm not sure what they entail, if I've spelt it correctly!
I would recommend going for either straight virginia blends, such as Full Virginia Flake, or maybe a bit of a mix between the two, Chocolate flake has some latakia in it and so isn't your usual aromatic nor is it there as an english blend - both of those by Samuel Gawith. If you're in the states then others will be able to recommend more I'm sure!

 

[tamer291]

I still enjoy aromatics as well. You like what you like. I do however smoke Frog Morton Cellar or H&H Anniversary Kake. But my "go to" smoke is always an aromatic.

 

[apatim]

Taste is so subjective - what others often love, I detest. I'm finding that I just have to try different blends and see what works for me. I have several I'll be giving away soon, I think.

 

[fadingdaylight]

A lot of people will recommend the Frog Morton series as a transition from aros to english. I haven't tried them, so I cn really speak on it, but I would recommend something along the lines of PS Luxury Navy Flake or McClelland's BB Bayou Slice. Both are VA/Per blends with very pleasant flavors and room notes that aren't too bad. Old Dark Fired is my go to smoke, but it is bold and slightly tangy and may not be quite what your looking for.

 

[gregprince]

As apatim suggests, you will most likely go through a lot of tobacco on the road to finding what suits your taste and even then your taste will likely evolve over time. Frog Morton and VA/per blends are both good suggestions to explore. There is a vast amount of information available here and on other sites to help narrow your search.

 

[ravkesef]

OK, here's what we know so far: you like aromatics, you don't like English blends. That doesn't make you less of a pipe smoker, less manly, or less accomplished in your tastes than any other pipe smoker. It means you are a connoisseur, which means someone who knows what he likes. Doesn't sound at all bad to me. You might try Virginia's, as has been suggested above, and in that category, try Mac Baren Virginia No. 1--it's light, sweet, and quite pleasant.

And by the way, if in your exploration of aromatics you have not yet tried Iwan Ries Three Star Blue, may I suggest this one to you. It's an iconic blend that has been around a long time, and is advertised as the aromatic that doesn't taste like an aromatic, by which I suppose is meant that it's not as wet and goopy as some other aromatics. It does however, have a spectacular room note, and is a very pleasant smoking blend. One caution, It tends to be a bit on the hot side if not sipped slowly.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

As one that only smokes aromatics as well I'd suggest Dunhill Flake (straight Va), GL Pease Union Square (straight Va), Robert McConnell's Scottish Cake (Va/Per), and Three Nuns (Va/Bur). Those are blends that I smoked the entire tin of and enjoyed.

 

[leonardw]

Shameless self-promotion alert...

For an aromatic/latakia hybrid, try HGL. Might have a bit much vanilla for you, but it's what I typically recommend when folks are looking to make a transition.
A lot of folks have a love/hate relationship with Erinmore flake, but it's a mellow Virginia flake (no Latakia), with a hint of top flavor.

 

[ravkesef]

+1 on Leonard's posting. HGL is a truly amazing blend and deserves to be in your cellar. It's got Latakia,, but it's not intrusive, it's sweet and mild, but it's not at all goopy, and withal, is a very pleasant tobacco that you may well enjoy.

 

[numbersix]

Frog Morton Cellar. I don't consider it an aro, but some do. In any case, if I were forced to choose one blend to smoke for the rest of my life, it would be FMC.

a lot of people say aromatics are for beginners.

Many old timers who have smoked aros for decades would disagree. Taste is a funny thing. We often will tell ourselves that something or another is an "acquired" taste. IMO, what this means is that the body/taste buds naturally reject it - but we force it on ourselves until we actually do like it (or we become addicted to it.)
Taste is very subjective, but if someone wants to believe their taste buds are superior to another's because they have moved on from aros - that's their fantasy and they are welcome to it. ::

 

[tobyducote]

All great suggestions..I would like to add Sutluff's R Blend

 

[smeigs]

Mac Baren Vanilla Creame Flake is pretty tasty. It is considered an aromatic but doesnt have the real sweet and "cheap" taste to it. It comes in a great pressed flake and it has an excellent flavor.

 

[Perique]

Daniel, it sounds like you don't like Latakia. So here are some crossover blends I would recommend that don't include Lat:
- GL Please Barbary Coast

- Erinmore Flake

- Orlik Golden Sliced

- Rattray's Marlin Flake

- Peterson's University Flake
If you want to take another swing at Latakia, in small doses with plenty of sweet intertwined, give Pipeworks & Wilke a call and try some No.5

 

[danielplainview]

Thanks for all the info guys. I will keep looking for that new "magic blend". I think you guys nailed it. I'm guessing Latakia is what gives the overbearing smokey taste. I haven't any pipe buddies in my neck of the woods, so there isn't any fellow tobacco sampling for me. I just have buy and try. Trial and error tasting. Usually ending with a waste of $20 and another cellared jar. I suppose I'll open the early morning pipe blend in a decade from now and give it another shot.

 

[settersbrace]

Daniel, I think you've nailed down that Latakia is the issue and you are wise to cellar it. Come back to it in a year or two and who knows? I love the stuff personally but that's what makes us all different and therefore there are thousands of blends to try.
I love the Dr. Steve avatar btw. The show is sick.

 

[zekest]

.

Try Palidin Black Cherry.
After three bowls of Palidin, most non-aros suck less.

 

[ithelouniverse]

Great crossover blends

-mans best friend

-Kentucky planter- straight burley with a hint of something nice

-grey havens. Maybe it's gray havens. Don't know. It's a VaBurPer with a drop of sweet
I've found a couple of places online calling these subtle non Aros "American blends."

And over at pipes and cigars the have a non aro sampler pack. Good stuff.

 

[thehappypiper]

I must admit I did read the thread title three times to see if I had understood it right.

I am so sorry for the OP. It's like "I like kissing, but hate to see a woman naked"
Go onto tobaccoreviews.com and do an advanced search for a mild to medium straight Va with nocasing and four stars.
Good luck.

 

[peter70]

People always connect Latakia blends with blends, which contain 25-40% Latakia, but there are blends, where Latakia is used as spice with 5-10%. In them it gives a certain smokiness, but dos not overwhelm the rest. Additionally, there is an enormous range between high flavored aromatics and Virginia/Burley tobaccos, wich are slightly flavored.