Hooray, Mail Came Today. First Impressions

[Erehwesle]

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9)

When popping home from the grocery store, quite the travail in this fraught time, I was pleased to find a package on my stoop!

So while my MM Cobbitt Elf and Prince Albert is yet to arrive, I did get my MM Ozark Hardwood and C&D Haunted Bookshop. So, tamping with a ten-penny nail I loosely packed a bowl about 3/4 full trying to follow instructions i've seen, gave it a bit of a char, then puffed away.

Overall I'm very pleased with myself, and pipes in general. I guess I got lucky as I had no real problem keeping the pipe lit, only had to relight it once. The taste overall was significantly richer than a cigar, and it was a pleasure to puff on. I really just sipped it on occasion, while sitting on the porch, reading a nice collection of sonnets and making some notes in my journal.

The Ozark fits really nicely in my left hand, and it had a little bit of a burnt wood taste at the beginning and end of the smoke, which I am guessing is the pipe breaking in.

I was pleased with the smoke Haunted Bookshop gave, not having much to compare it with. Much more notes of earth and leather almost compared to, say, a cigar. A little heady from the nicotine, which I am unused to, feels like a couple cups of coffee.

We'll see how I feel about the Prince Albert when it arrives in comparison, and how the pipe smokes a second time, probably accompanied by a nice Darjeeling I also got in the mail today after dinner.

Cheers!

TBS

 

[coming to_falling too]

Glad you had a good experience.

 

[bent1]

Haunted Bookshop is a blend I enjoy, especially when the burley tastebuds call for it. Sometimes I’ll add ~10% red virginia to it, sweetens it a bit. Look forward to your post on Prince Albert, and how the Elf works for you.

 

[coming to_falling too]

Prince Albert was the first blend I ever smoked. I like it, and it's been around for a long time for good reason. Hopefully it won't disappoint.

 

[brandaves]

I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the Haunted Bookshop. It sounds like you have the correct temperament and perhaps genetics for pipe smoking! That might be the best first bowl experience I've heard in a while. Some new pipe smokers get caught up in their expectations and have bad first experiences.

The Prince Albert will be a very different experience for you from Haunted Bookshop. Very nice, but different. Enjoy!

 

[augiebd]

Good on you, patience and reserve are the key. You’ve made it easy, keep doing THAT!

 

[Erehwesle]

Thanks, mates for all the comments, and support!

Yeah, I was a little intimidated by all the info about how to pack a pipe etc... and expected things to go out a bit and be fussier, but things seemed to go rather swimmingly.

Really the whole production was stress free, and quite pleasant, definitely preferable to smoking a cigar.

I found the Haunted Bookshop to be nicely subtle and quite flavorful to be honest.

 

[didimauw]

You may love prince Albert, or you may hate it. However I think you won't find the flavors that are in haunted bookshop. But prince Albert is an easy smoking blend.

 

[wordheavy]

Congrats on a good experience. You're off to a great start.

 

[troyniss]

I love me some Prince Albert. A great smoke. PA stands for Pipe Appeal, don't you know?

 

[mikefu]

Nice. Haunted Bookshop comes pretty dry (i.e. ready to smoke), so I'm sure that helped to contribute to the great first smoke. The PA may be a bit more moist and need a bit of drying time to get as good a burn, but it sounds like you are off and running. I hope we will see much more of you and hear more of your experiences!

 

[mso489]

Good start. Take your time. Enjoy the learning curve. Incidentally, it never ends; there's always something to learn, after forty some years here. Sit back and enjoy. That's the point.

 

[whiteburleydude]

Sorry to sound like a nerd, but Elves don't smoke in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. If i remember right, they detest it. Never understood why they named a pipe after them. OK.. turning nerd mode off now.

 

[Erehwesle]

Sorry to sound like a nerd, but Elves don't smoke in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. If i remember right, they detest it. Never understood why they named a pipe after them. OK.. turning nerd mode off now.

They find it a 'flighty' habit of hobbits and men, but yet Gandalf still seems able to get ahold of pipe-weed at the House of Elrond in Fellowship. I BET Elrond has a stash of Haunted Bookshop....

 

[Eaglesgift]

They find it a 'flighty' habit of hobbits and men, but yet Gandalf still seems able to get ahold of pipe-weed at the House of Elrond in Fellowship. I BET Elrond has a stash of Haunted Bookshop....

I know you’re steering clear of full-on aromatics for now but how long do you think you’ll be able to resist trying some Tewksbury Hobbit's Weed Match?

 

[Erehwesle]

I know you’re steering clear of full-on aromatics for now but how long do you think you’ll be able to resist trying some Tewksbury Hobbit's Weed Match?

absolutely NOT! I am INCREDIBLY prone to just buying things with cool names, entire reason why I bought the haunted bookstore....

 

[augiebd]

I know you’re steering clear of full-on aromatics for now but how long do you think you’ll be able to resist trying some Tewksbury Hobbit's Weed Match?

Maybe that is what I should smoke today, haven’t pulled it out in a while.