Done with Aromatics…?

[anotherbob]

I’ve acquired a bunch of estate pipes over the last few months, mostly Danish. It may sound silly, but I’m not sure if they take filters. It’s a silly question: most pipes like 60s Stanwells can accept filters?

pretty easy to tell. If the stem and the stummel have a big hole that a filter would fit in it will take a filter. If you really want a filter in a pipe that doesn't take them... They make little absorbent stones you can put in the pipe as well as little pads. here is a popular example well popular with people that use these things. (filters aren't uncommon, but not really popular).

 

[badbriar]

Well, this may explain why aromatics are much more likely to result in tongue bite...
First, some people are simply much more sensitive to the additives, chemistry in aromatics. It's a chemistry thing - not much you can do about that. I've been enjoying pipes for quite a while and simply cannot smoke aromatics. Second, Aros are notoriously difficult to dry, having good bit of propylene glycol. That stuff simply will not dry well.
Now, you may try some of the lightly topped quality pipe tobaccos. Those are not soaked in PG and have little to moderate amount of casing or topping for the flavoring.
Personally, I stick to English, Scottish, Orientals,Virginias and Va-Pers. No flavored pipe tobaccos for me.
With most of these, Virginias excluded, the likelihood of getting any bite is small.
Best of luck.

 

[The Algerian]

In the 80s I spent more than too much time in caves. Aros were a definite positive.

 

[OSOBUCO]

I been at this seriously for only a year now and I used to get bit like hell. Now I dry more - not crispy. just slightly moist. I pack looser - none of this Frank or 3-step method crap. Then I added a charcoal filter. WIth a filter i can push the heck out of most aros if I want (note I don't want) and not get bitten. The times I push them are when I am hiking and clench the pipe. I end up choo chooing pretty good and no bite. The exception still is PS blends tend to bite me and some virginias. Anyway, give a filter a go if you haven't already.

OH - and stay away from sloppy wet aros. Boswells, Country Squire and WCC have all been really kind to me as is Eileens Dream and other tins.

 

[OSOBUCO]

I have smoked quite a few tins of Mac Baren Vanilla and Vanilla Creme. For me the trick is to load the bowl lightly. Put some in.....tap the side of the bowl a couple of times to let the tobacco work its way down then lightly fill again. Repeat as necessary for bowl size but don't press pack.

Exactly! I have a leather desk mat that I tap the pipe on to settle the tobacco. If I press, it is ever so lightly. Once I started this my experience improved dramatically.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

well you know except for the fact that unlike a cigar there is a range of moisture that works. In part because you know that step where you pack the pipe and have more control over draw and how it burns.
I am really struggling right now to find the right phrase.... It says something about apples and oranges and doing something with them.
Though being inspired by this weird assumption that base material equals basically same thing I am going to make a sandwich with two crotons.

"unlike a cigar there is a range of moisture that works"
I've never heard people say a dry cigar is bad because ruins the draw, it ruins the flavor.

 

[anotherbob]

"unlike a cigar there is a range of moisture that works"
I've never heard people say a dry cigar is bad because ruins the draw, it ruins the flavor.

o.k. doesn't change that they're different things right down to the level of how their processed and how they're used. Or in other words there are more then a few reasons that just because one works one way that the other would have to work the same. I'd say the biggest difference is consensus. Or that there are many people that say I like my pipe tobacco this moist or this dry, but I've never heard a group of people say that personally they think cigars are best very dry to semi dry. Just don't agree with your point is all and think the premise doesn't really sell me on it. That's all.

 

[anotherbob]

In the 80s I spent more than too much time in caves. Aros were a definite positive.

like living in them or just hanging out? Exploring? I really have to know now.

 

[PipeIT]

@milk the PH Balance of Virginias bite, some worse than others. So if you are buying a blend, see if the contents are mainly VAs, if so, and you notice bite, try drying a bit.

True, some Aro blends don’t taste to good dried out, but good Aro blends do.

Read at the bottom of this post, I pasted in information on Bite, so you will be better informed.

Any Advice? Killer Tongue Bite :: Pipe Smoking Basics & Beginner Questions

Roll up your driver's window but leave a just crack for ventilation. If you're filling up the cabin with smoke you're puffing too fast anyway but the draft from highway driving can be like a supercharger for a pipe

pipesmagazine.com

 

[The Algerian]

like living in them or just hanging out? Exploring? I really have to know now.

Avoiding Shaitan and his arba.

 

[Lumbridge]

I was just thinking the same thing about sweet aromatics and then came across this thread. For me, it's not an issue of tongue bite - I've made a lot of progress in learning how to avoid that. It's that each and every time I think "Oh man, that one sounds good" and buy a heavily-cased blend, I'm always disappointed.
I cracked a tin of CAO Eileen's Dream in anticipation of St. Patrick's Day and had a bowl this morning in my trusty Legend cob, all the while thinking "WHERE is the flavor?". Yet I recently tried several new to me non-aromatics like Haunted Bookshop and Match Balkan Sobranie and quickly fell in love with both.
I can count on one hand all of the heavily aromatic blends that I've actually enjoyed smoking. Light aromatics like Carter Hall/Prince Albert do it for me because they still have real tobacco flavor.

 

[bullet08]

I'm slowly enjoying aromatics. Didn't really get into it when I started. Blood Red Moon and Guilty Pleasure was it. Then quickly found Dunhill Navy Roll and English blends. Never looked back. But when I opened St. Espresso, it was very intriguing. And enjoying it every time smoking it. Also OTC blends like Capt. Black and others. But sometimes, heavy topping on certain blends put me off. Not sure what the hell's going on.

 

[sherlock67]

A

…and my family is going to suffer (with the smell of non-A’s) I guess. I’m just no good at this and I know it probably comes down to bad technique. I had smoked Virginia tobaccos for a few years and had few or no problems. At that time, I mostly enjoyed stuff like Full Virginia Flake, and University Flake. I quit pipe-smoking for a few years. Now I’ve come back to pipe smoking and I’ve started out with aromatics because of the family and my needing to smoke indoors. At first, I got a lot of flavor from aromatics but then the problems started. Of course I’ve been having tongue bite like I’ve never had it before. But I’ve also had a problem of flavor and getting the humidity just right. It seems like all these tobaccos I’ve tried (Solani Red, Blue Note, Mac Vanilla Cream) provided me great flavor at first but then have no flavor when they’re too dry or too wet. I feel very frustrated with not being able to tell the exact right state they are supposed to be in and I feel like plain old flakes were never this finicky. I’ve really been trying hard with all these aromatics I’ve bought. I’ve even been jarring them with Boveda at 62%. If they’re too wet, I steam my tongue; if they’re too dry, there’s just no flavor at all. Should I just come back to these aromatics later? My mouth is in pretty bad shape. They’ve got me really frustrated. They just seem so fussy to me. I know experienced smokers can get it just right by the feel of it. I can tell when it’s very wet or very dry but I’m not at the point where I can get it exactly right and the smoke is thus unenjoyable. I’m thinking of going back to those days I fondly remember with my plain flakes. Maybe I’ll try Best Brown Flake or Peterson’s (Dunhill?) Flake which seem to have less offensive room notes than stronger Virginias or those English varieties I never got around to trying (I guess those are out if I don’t want my family to kick me out of the house?).

Aromatics are a hit and Miss . I have tried them all after 30 yrs . I do like Arrow head tobacco from Paul’s pipe shop .

 

[milk]

I was just thinking the same thing about sweet aromatics and then came across this thread. For me, it's not an issue of tongue bite - I've made a lot of progress in learning how to avoid that. It's that each and every time I think "Oh man, that one sounds good" and buy a heavily-cased blend, I'm always disappointed.
I cracked a tin of CAO Eileen's Dream in anticipation of St. Patrick's Day and had a bowl this morning in my trusty Legend cob, all the while thinking "WHERE is the flavor?". Yet I recently tried several new to me non-aromatics like Haunted Bookshop and Match Balkan Sobranie and quickly fell in love with both.
I can count on one hand all of the heavily aromatic blends that I've actually enjoyed smoking. Light aromatics like Carter Hall/Prince Albert do it for me because they still have real tobacco flavor.

I think I’ve learned to avoid tongue-bite also but, also, don’t like aromatics much. I recently made a big mistake which was accepting a free tin of St Patrick’s reserve with a new Peterson I ordered. I just realize that I’m gonna get hit with a huge tax by the Japanese gov. (I’ve lived in Japan for many years). Yeah, I don’t like aromatics much. Or maybe I just need to try aromatics that are light on casing and tobacco forward? What aromatics are like that? How about Bothy Flake? How about Royal Yacht?

 

[yanoJL]

... I don’t like aromatics much. Or maybe I just need to try aromatics that are light on casing and tobacco forward? ...

Same. I posted a comment in this very thread 2+ months ago mentioning two aromatic blends from Boswell's that I had in my rotation. I never did find the bottom of those blends. They're still open/jarred and never seem to get smoked.
I genuinely enjoy the natural flavor of tobacco. I realize that straight leaf is harsh and often flavorless, so some casing is required in the making of an enjoyable smoke. But I no longer reach for blends that are artificially flavored.
Tobacco is my favorite flavor.

 

[Lumbridge]

I think I’ve learned to avoid tongue-bite also but, also, don’t like aromatics much. I recently made a big mistake which was accepting a free tin of St Patrick’s reserve with a new Peterson I ordered. I just realize that I’m gonna get hit with a huge tax by the Japanese gov. (I’ve lived in Japan for many years). Yeah, I don’t like aromatics much. Or maybe I just need to try aromatics that are light on casing and tobacco forward? What aromatics are like that? How about Bothy Flake? How about Royal Yacht?

Bothy Flake definitely isn't in the goopy/sugary genre of aromatics. Can't comment on Royal Yacht as I haven't had it.
PA/CH as I mentioned are light aros, apparently with whiskey as one of the toppings, but all I taste topping-wise is something vaguely chocolately.
I grabbed some Sutliff Eastfarthing at a B&M the other day. It's supposed to be a lighter English with a not too strong vanilla-ish topping. Have not opened it yet.
Got my eye on C&D Bourbon Bleu (a VaPer with DFK and whiskey) and Peterson Irish Cask (BurVaPer aged in sherry wine barrels) for my next online order, along with some other mostly non-aromatics.

 

[Lumbridge]

Same. I posted a comment in this very thread 2+ months ago mentioning two aromatic blends from Boswell's that I had in my rotation. I never did find the bottom of those blends. They're still open/jarred and never seem to get smoked.
I genuinely enjoy the natural flavor of tobacco. I realize that straight leaf is harsh and often flavorless, so some casing is required in the making of an enjoyable smoke. But I no longer reach for blends that are artificially flavored.
Tobacco is my favorite flavor.

Every now and then I get the urge to smoke some Captain Black White or Smoker's Pride Rum Cured/Black Cavendish out of a sense of nostalgia, I suppose - they remind me of when I first started with a pipe, because that's all I could find locally at the time.
Beyond that, I most every time I try a heavier aromatic, I get bored of it very quickly. Cherry blends especially are a big yawn for me. Got a tin of Blood Red Moon collecting dust that may or may not change that opinion.
Tobacco tastes good. Excessive sugary artificial flavoring juice and humectants do not.

 

[telescopes]

Aromatics.

Whenever any group of people come together, a group identity will take shape. What is cool and what isn't cool will be defined and a large majority of that group will gel around those beliefs.

I find what people have to say about aromatics to be like that as well.

 

[bobpnm]

All aromatics are not the same. Some are not wet smoking, sugar bombs.

 

[milk]

Aromatics.

Whenever any group of people come together, a group identity will take shape. What is cool and what isn't cool will be defined and a large majority of that group will gel around those beliefs.

I find what people have to say about aromatics to be like that as well.

Thanks for pointing that out. It's easy to forget that this tends to happen. It's human nature I guess.