just a few examples
I like Virginia Flakes, but . . .
- Thread starter Morbius
- Start date
SmokingPipes.com Updates
Watch for Updates Twice a Week
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
just a few examples
You probably want something like vanilla flake without the vanilla. I don’t know if they ever made something like that, but that was a VA/Cav flake.
I wouldn't call B20 unflavored, tbh. To me, it's fairly revolting and I have some to pass on to some unwitting victim.
How often do you smoke? You may just have to slowly increase your tolerance to nicotine.
No help for you as I still get blind sided by random unwanted nic... EMP, are you serious?? However.... I've wondered about the nature before of pipe smoke and nicotine intake. It seems, anecdottaly (pun not bad spelling), that people maintain low or moderate pipe smoking for long periods and they don't seem nicotine driven. 4 years in for me and I try and avoid nicotine more than need it. Typically cigarette smokers seem to always increase use over time. Why doesn't the pipe do that when it clearly has significant nic hit potential? Or am I just wrong about this?
Those are allegedly un-flavored. I think all of the Cavendish has some flavor, some better some worse. I’m more of a BCA fan personally.
To me straight Virginias and Virginia Perique blends are higher on the nicotine levels but they are also some of the best tasting blends, a light English like EMP or Father Dempsey are good choices, also there are many aromatic blends that I’d consider as low nicotine level smokes like 1Q, lane BCA. As others have said bowl size and conditions like meal time and cadence can be contributing factors.
A lot of people are making blend suggestions, but I would like to offer a different approach:
Have a sugary drink while you're smoking. I don't know the science behind it but something about having some sugar really helps limit how nicotine is absorbed and/or how it affects the individual.
Have a sugary drink while you're smoking. I don't know the science behind it but something about having some sugar really helps limit how nicotine is absorbed and/or how it affects the individual.
Capstan Blue and Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake are pretty light as far as Vitamin N goes, though I'd avoid C&D's red Virginia offerings like Yorktown and Opening Night since they tend to pack a pretty good wallop for Virginias.
The good news though is that all you really have to do is keep smoking what you're smoking right now and your body will adjust to it fairly quickly. I remember when I first started smoking Gawith's dark fired blends like Kendal Dark, Dark Flake, Dark Plug, and 1792 Flake I'd be running to the bathroom to park it on the toilet after 20 minutes or so of smoking every time.
After about 2 weeks of smoking them every couple days though my insides got used to the higher nicotine content, and now they don't cause any intestinal distress at all for me. It just takes a little time for your body to become accustomed to the nicotine.
The good news though is that all you really have to do is keep smoking what you're smoking right now and your body will adjust to it fairly quickly. I remember when I first started smoking Gawith's dark fired blends like Kendal Dark, Dark Flake, Dark Plug, and 1792 Flake I'd be running to the bathroom to park it on the toilet after 20 minutes or so of smoking every time.
After about 2 weeks of smoking them every couple days though my insides got used to the higher nicotine content, and now they don't cause any intestinal distress at all for me. It just takes a little time for your body to become accustomed to the nicotine.
I’m a Nic whimp
Taking a different tack - I smoke strong Nic blends eg Peterson’s Irish Flake (cube cut or very well rubbed out) in a gourd calabash. The smoke gets diluted in the gourd chamber and nicotine gets toned down.
I imagine a reverse calabash will have the same effect
Taking a different tack - I smoke strong Nic blends eg Peterson’s Irish Flake (cube cut or very well rubbed out) in a gourd calabash. The smoke gets diluted in the gourd chamber and nicotine gets toned down.
I imagine a reverse calabash will have the same effect
I don't have one of those but I do like to pack my pipes with the air pocket method. It does help me out to have some air between the draught hole and the ember. I can see how a calabash would work out. Or maybe one of those Peterson system pipes, although those look like they would be a real pain to clean.
Yes, this is what I have been doing lately and my nic tolerance has increased significantly. I smoked a MM General full of Pegasus this morning in one go with only pleasant nic effects. This would have made me sick a few months ago. I can now enjoy nice long, relaxing smokes in larger bowls, and more frequent smaller bowls of my favorite tobacco’s with no ill effects. Just smoke the offending tobacco more frequently and in progressively larger bowls. Put the pipe down when you start to have a negative reaction, but you do have to push the limit on a regular basis until you get over the hump. A medium bowl of Five Brothers is doable for me now. Eat something before you smoke, and have some soda or candy ready in case you overdo it.Capstan Blue and Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake are pretty light as far as Vitamin N goes, though I'd avoid C&D's red Virginia offerings like Yorktown and Opening Night since they tend to pack a pretty good wallop for Virginias.
The good news though is that all you really have to do is keep smoking what you're smoking right now and your body will adjust to it fairly quickly. I remember when I first started smoking Gawith's dark fired blends like Kendal Dark, Dark Flake, Dark Plug, and 1792 Flake I'd be running to the bathroom to park it on the toilet after 20 minutes or so of smoking every time.
After about 2 weeks of smoking them every couple days though my insides got used to the higher nicotine content, and now they don't cause any intestinal distress at all for me. It just takes a little time for your body to become accustomed to the nicotine.
Alternatively, just keep trying blends known to be lower in nicotine until you find some that you like that agree with you.
Last edited:
Surprised nobodies mentioned this. When you feel nicotine coming on, stop smoking, put the pipe down. The great thing is you cam relight it later, and it doesn't affect the taste like with cigarettes or cigars.
Not at all difficult to clean, even IF you are a very wet smoker.
I always clean my pipes after each and every smoke.
Scrunched tissue, paper towel or a folded over pipe cleaner.
Batten down the hatches, I feel a PAD moment coming on!
In my experience, I enjoy Virginia flakes in smaller pipes. That might help. I find the flavors are better and easier to coax out the subtleties.