I Need Help

[jttnk]

As has been stated, patience. It took me a while months, smoking one bowl a day or every few days to get any sort of “hang of it”. I agree with try English’s or crossover blends, also known as American English’s. It really changed my enjoyment and learning curve. Balkan Suoreme is fantastic stuff and comes in bulk.

Take your time and enjoy the journey.

 

[Pirate444]

...also, don't get discouraged. This hobby isn't as intuitive as experienced pipe smokers can make it seem. If you've never smoked a pipe before there is a lot to learn. You're setting yourself up for failure if you expect to be smoking like Bing Crosby out of the gate. Take your time and try not to be too critical of yourself. It'll come, just maybe not as quickly as you might like...just try to enjoy the experience.

Thanks man

 

[jaytex1969]

OGS was hard for me to enjoy early on. The flavor is subtle and, as new smokers. many of us just "try harder" to get flavor which leads to making matters worse.

If you get nothing from it but hot air and discomfort after the first two bowls, put it in a jar and come back to it in 6 months.

I lucked out and grabbed a flavorful English right out of the gate (in my case, it was John Cotton's #1, but the Balkan Supreme will do, as will most other English blends). You may or may not like latakia, but you'll likely have no trouble tasting it.

I can't believe no one has said this yet, but, with a name like pirate444, you may as well get yourself a tin of Black Frigate. It has some latakia and a rum flavoring, both of which should come across easily for you.

Just remember these "cardinal rules" that you will hear over and over:

Dry it more than you think you should.
Pack it looser than you think you should.
Smoke it slower than you think you should.

You can adjust all of those things more to your liking as you develop your technique.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

I'm in the OTC camp. I wish that's how I started, it would have "clicked" sooner.

 

[mingc]

Any blend recommendations?

Get some Gawith Hoggarth Ennerdale. If you still can't taste anything, give it up; pipe smoking ain't for you.

 

[alaskanpiper]

As others have said, get an english blend. If you can’t taste latakia you’re tongue blind.

But beyond that, technique and cadence take a while to develop. Once you figure it out you will get more out of the tobacco. But you might as well taste something distinct and flavorful in the meantime.

 

[dcicero]

So I just smoked my first pipe. It's a corn cob and the blend I smoked is Stanwell Vanilla. Listen I understand that I'm gonna taste smoke since I'm burning tobacco but I just thought maybe there would be more flavor other than smoke. I know aromatics don't taste like how they smell and I'm not expecting a mouth full of vanilla but at least some hints and also to be able to taste the tobaccos as well but it all just tastes like smoke.
Yes I dried the tobacco
Yes I smoked it cool not hot
Yes I tried he breathe method.
I dont know if it's cause my palette isn't strong yet or what. I have some orlik golden sliced on the way so I'm really hoping to get something better out of that. It's just a little frustrating cause I watch videos of gentlemen just ahhing over a tobacco cause of how rich and good it tastes and I want to be able to taste the different notes as well. Any advice would be really great. Thanks

Give it 6 months. Took me about that much time to learn to smoke well enough, find blends I really enjoy, etc. Try and enjoy the process.

 

[Chicken Cod]

I haven't been smoking for a long time but I will share the advice that made the biggest difference and moved me from "this tastes like ash" to "wow, that's delightful" upon lighting a bowl.
Buy a fresh corncob (i.e. don't reuse the one you smoke your aromatic in; it's already ghosted).
Buy a pouch of Prince Albert (the regular one, not the cherry or any other aromatic version).
Make yourself a fresh cup of your favorite coffee.
Pack said corncob with said tobacco and light your pipe.
Sip the coffee.
And finally (this is the most important part) sip the smoke. Sip. Don't puff.
After every sip of smoke, take a sip of coffee.
This should get you moving in the right direction.

 

[smokiespipesmoker123]

When I started many moons ago it was aromatic and tongue bite every time, when I restarted last year I looked on it as an art form and did most of the recommendations already stated. I can now actually taste things in aromatics, the subtle sweetness of Virginia’s , the perfumy incense like qualities of orientals and Latakia . It just takes time and patience.

 

[Black Forest Piper]

Do you remember the first time you had a cup of black coffee? The first full swig of whiskey? It's like that. Coffee doesn't taste really how it smells...These things are earthy and take some time/experiences to get into the flavors. After two years of trying (I'm still a hobbyist, not a daily smoker) I'm finally at a point where I'm enjoying a smooth, cool smoke and different tobaccos. I'm finally actually tasting the tobacco and not the smell of the aromatic. I had some tobacco that I bought right after I got my pipe that I hated and nearly threw out. But I put it in a jar and forgot about it and it dried out a bit and a year later I tried it again and it's now one of my favorites.

My brother, (who is not a smoker or pipe or cigar guy) and I made corn cob pipes with my dad at Thanksgiving and then smoked 'em. He hated it. But he was puffing on that thing like he was syphoning gas. He kept telling me he wasn't, but I was watching him. Sadly, I doubt he'll ever try it again. He thinks I'm crazy. It will taste only like smoke at first. It's a bit of a surprise if you aren't used to it. Just like black coffee. I think I was 5 or 6 pipefuls in before it wasn't terrible. Also on a brand new pipe like you are.

 

[cigrmaster]

For an aromatic blend I would get Cult Blood Red Moon.

For a natural Virginia with nice sweetness grab a tin of Capstan Blue Flake. You will have to read up on how to smoke flakes, but I always say go big or go home. You can do it.

 

[Scarlet claw]

Any blend recommendations?

	MacBaren cube. Tastes like xmas cake. peterson connnoisseror's choice. tastes like top end scotch mixture.

 

[mso489]

Interesting. We've heard similar comments from first time pipe smokers before, so it is a standard experience. Yes, you taste smoke, and the flavor is in the smoke. So you have to slow down, sip the smoke, and take time to let it register. It might help to smoke some non-aromatic tobacco, with no added non-tobacco flavor, no vanilla, cherry, rum, etc. Make friends with that flavor, probably mostly a Virginia or burley base, and then work from there. Buy only small amounts of any blend for a year or two, because your tastes will change. Save what you don't like in jars and try it in a year or so.

 

[Pirate444]

I haven't been smoking for a long time but I will share the advice that made the biggest difference and moved me from "this tastes like ash" to "wow, that's delightful" upon lighting a bowl.
Buy a fresh corncob (i.e. don't reuse the one you smoke your aromatic in; it's already ghosted).
Buy a pouch of Prince Albert (the regular one, not the cherry or any other aromatic version).
Make yourself a fresh cup of your favorite coffee.
Pack said corncob with said tobacco and light your pipe.
Sip the coffee.
And finally (this is the most important part) sip the smoke. Sip. Don't puff.
After every sip of smoke, take a sip of coffee.
This should get you moving in the right direction.

Thank you so much

 

[Pirate444]

Do you remember the first time you had a cup of black coffee? The first full swig of whiskey? It's like that. Coffee doesn't taste really how it smells...These things are earthy and take some time/experiences to get into the flavors. After two years of trying (I'm still a hobbyist, not a daily smoker) I'm finally at a point where I'm enjoying a smooth, cool smoke and different tobaccos. I'm finally actually tasting the tobacco and not the smell of the aromatic. I had some tobacco that I bought right after I got my pipe that I hated and nearly threw out. But I put it in a jar and forgot about it and it dried out a bit and a year later I tried it again and it's now one of my favorites.

My brother, (who is not a smoker or pipe or cigar guy) and I made corn cob pipes with my dad at Thanksgiving and then smoked 'em. He hated it. But he was puffing on that thing like he was syphoning gas. He kept telling me he wasn't, but I was watching him. Sadly, I doubt he'll ever try it again. He thinks I'm crazy. It will taste only like smoke at first. It's a bit of a surprise if you aren't used to it. Just like black coffee. I think I was 5 or 6 pipefuls in before it wasn't terrible. Also on a brand new pipe like you are.

Thanks for the advice

 

[Jaylotw]

It’ll take time. My suggestion, as others have said, is to get a good English blend and give that a shot. I started with Carter Hall, and OTC aromatics way back when...but the first time I had an English style tobacco, I understood what it was all about. Balkan Sasieni was my first tinned, English blend and I still remember how eye opening it was the first time I smoked it. As far as tasting all the notes and things, that takes time to develop a palate for those flavors, but getting there is tons of fun.

 

[Pirate444]

It’ll take time. My suggestion, as others have said, is to get a good English blend and give that a shot. I started with Carter Hall, and OTC aromatics way back when...but the first time I had an English style tobacco, I understood what it was all about. Balkan Sasieni was my first tinned, English blend and I still remember how eye opening it was the first time I smoked it. As far as tasting all the notes and things, that takes time to develop a palate for those flavors, but getting there is tons of fun.

Thanks. I bought some Balkan supreme. Cant wait to try it.

 

[Jaylotw]

Thanks. I bought some Balkan supreme. Cant wait to try it.

That’s a good one! I think you’ll be on the path with that one, but remember to chill and enjoy the smoking experience, and don’t be scared to ask all of us for advice.

 

[hauntedmyst]

The smoke itself won’t taste like vanilla but the mouthfeel, sidestream, and snork will. Make sense? ?

dry the tobacco until it’s crispy.

What’s wrong with you? Whatta telling the kid about the snork for? We don’t normally tell them about the snork until till we know their spirits are well and truly broken and they aren’t a flight risk. Don’t you know what’s at stake? You are on notice. One more screw up and your stem will be snapped mister. Then you’ll be out there crying like all the other pipe less losers.

 

[zapplin4]

I too am a fairly new smoker. Been a little over three weeks now. Aromatics gave me tongue bite something awful, and I was chugging it like a freight train. Ordered an English tobacco as per recommendations of a pipe smoking FB group. Still waiting on it, but looks like the English tobaccos are the way to go for us noobs.