I Can't Believe I Was Hesitant

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

Watch for Updates Twice a Week

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

desrtrat68

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 27, 2020
104
265
Phoenix, AZ
So I'm a newb as many others in here are and I've been smoking Aromatics. Most have been...meh. A few have been OK. One or two I actually liked (Devil's Holiday, Stokkebye Nougat, Sutliff Vanilla Custard) , but I still hadn't found what I was looking for. Nothing that I thought, ya, I can stick with this. On a whim I picked up a tin of G.L. Pease Quiet Night at a local tobacconist.....HOLY SHIT! This stuff is awesome! I can't believe I was so intimidated to try an English. It was smooth and creamy and delicious. By far my favorite so far. It was the first time I'd smoked a bowl and wanted another, right away. Admittedly I thought it smelled bad in the tin and was really tentative about trying it but man, it was great. I never thought that just straight tobacco would taste good. As if my TAD wasn't bad enough I'm on the English band wagon now and have just received some Balkan Supreme, Lancer Slices and have EMP and Nightcap on the way. Thanks to you all that suggested trying an English. Any other newbies in here like me and intimidated by the english blends, I definately concur that you should try it! I was very pleasantly surprised. Any other tobacco recomendations from the codgers? I'm definately open to anything now.
 

Casual

Lifer
Oct 3, 2019
2,577
9,420
NL, CA
I’m only a year in, but started off the same way you did. After my palate developed for a couple months on the stronger English blends, I was better able to taste lighter flavours. That opened up a host of burley blends, and now I am getting more and more subtle blends to try, 15 months in. Just follow the wave, its a journey.

Balkan Supreme is going to knock your socks off!
 

desrtrat68

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 27, 2020
104
265
Phoenix, AZ
I’m only a year in, but started off the same way you did. After my palate developed for a couple months on the stronger English blends, I was better able to taste lighter flavours. That opened up a host of burley blends, and now I am getting more and more subtle blends to try, 15 months in. Just follow the wave, its a journey.

Balkan Supreme is going to knock your socks off!

Guess I know what I'm going to try tonight!
 
Jan 28, 2018
12,952
134,606
66
Sarasota, FL
There's a reasons there is thousands of blends. Taste is subjective and varies greatly. And may evolve and change over time. Pipe smoking should teach patience. Experience different blends and discover what your sweet spot is. Then go full blown TAD and buy like a madman.
 

shanez

Lifer
Jul 10, 2018
5,188
24,083
49
Las Vegas
0 Oj6rvhXjQ4bP-zmC.jpg

We have such sights to show you...

Why do I always get this feeling when I read these threads?

It sounds like you've got plenty of blends to try for that specific genre. Enjoy them and then branch out. C&D Dreams of Kadath or Seattle Pipe Club Plum Pudding (regular or SR) would be a great next step. The sky's the limit really.

Don't be afraid of strong blends either. I smoke smaller amounts of them in small chamber pipes and the flavor is fantastic. GH&C Dark Flake Unscented or Happy Bogie are my favorites.

With a little practice straight VAs and VaPers yield phenomenal flavors and with good variety.

I do recommend easing into Lakelands though. Order an ounce of one with a reputation as being a mild Lakeland just to see if you like them. If you do you have a whole nother genre at your disposal.

Devil's Holiday is a fantastic blend when the mood strikes!
 

desrtrat68

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 27, 2020
104
265
Phoenix, AZ
View attachment 30845

We have such sights to show you...

Why do I always get this feeling when I read these threads?

It sounds like you've got plenty of blends to try for that specific genre. Enjoy them and then branch out. C&D Dreams of Kadath or Seattle Pipe Club Plum Pudding (regular or SR) would be a great next step. The sky's the limit really.

Don't be afraid of strong blends either. I smoke smaller amounts of them in small chamber pipes and the flavor is fantastic. GH&C Dark Flake Unscented or Happy Bogie are my favorites.

With a little practice straight VAs and VaPers yield phenomenal flavors and with good variety.

I do recommend easing into Lakelands though. Order an ounce of one with a reputation as being a mild Lakeland just to see if you like them. If you do you have a whole nother genre at your disposal.

Devil's Holiday is a fantastic blend when the mood strikes!

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm dying to try Plum Pudding...next on the list haha. Well played with Pinhead...my favorite horror character!
 

desrtrat68

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 27, 2020
104
265
Phoenix, AZ
I’m only a year in, but started off the same way you did. After my palate developed for a couple months on the stronger English blends, I was better able to taste lighter flavours. That opened up a host of burley blends, and now I am getting more and more subtle blends to try, 15 months in. Just follow the wave, its a journey.

Balkan Supreme is going to knock your socks off!

It wasn't bad Casual! Not bad at all. A little more...I don't know spicy? Sour? Than the Quiet Nights, but definately enjoyable. Burned well and tasted good all the way to the bottom. Reminded me a lot of HH Balken Blend. Very close.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Casual

Bowie

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 24, 2019
980
4,352
Minnesota
I have been at it about 9 months. I wish I had hit on Englishes earlier, so good for you. Peter Stokkebye Proper English is a good one. Consider also English Aromatics like Sutliff Aromatic English etc. they are a good reintroduction to aromatics.

And of course: Burley burley burley #TeamBurley.
 

gamzultovah

Lifer
Aug 4, 2019
3,171
20,923
Like you, I started with Aro’s but was left mostly frustrated and unfulfilled. Most Aro’s need Burley in order to really shine and unbeknownst to me, my pallet can’t handle the alkalinity of Burley tobacco. Smoking Aro’s masked this problem for many years. It wasn’t until I made the decision to smoke only natural tobacco that the world of pipe smoking really opened up to me. I started with PS Proper English and worked my way up to stronger, more complex blends like Quiet Nights, Meridian, Plum Pudding and Royalty. Once my palette matured on Latakia, I moved cautiously into Straight Virginia, VaPer’s and VaOr...I also moved into straight Burley and that’s when I learned not to smoke it or any variant of it. This came as a great relief to me.

Pipe smoking is quite the journey and I would highly recommend to any new pipe smoker reading this post to start with a light Latakia blend, you and your palette won’t regret it in the long run.
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Take your time so you find how one or several blends develop over time, and jar blends you don't like and try them in about a year, since your tastes will change.
 
Mar 1, 2014
3,646
4,916
Gaslight is what did it for me. I tried Quiet Nights later and indeed it is another very full flavored blend.

Interesting thing is I know I did try an "English" blend from my local tobacconist in my first month of pipe smoking, but I cannot remember tasting anything of significance at all from that blend. It's impossible for me to say if it was the blend or if it was me, so at this point I still can't say with full confidence that throwing a top quality G.L. Pease blend at any random newbie would still give the same effect.

Give it three months smoking one bowl a week of ordinary burley or virginia blends, and after that anybody should readily taste the greatness of a good Latakia blend.
 

desrtrat68

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 27, 2020
104
265
Phoenix, AZ
I have been at it about 9 months. I wish I had hit on Englishes earlier, so good for you. Peter Stokkebye Proper English is a good one. Consider also English Aromatics like Sutliff Aromatic English etc. they are a good reintroduction to aromatics.

And of course: Burley burley burley #TeamBurley.

Proper English is in my queue. I've already got some Aromatic English but haven't tried it yet. Thanks for the suggestions!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bowie