I am a new pipe smoker, originally I wanted to try every blend available at my local tobacconist to broaden my horizon, but I have just realized each blend burns differently so I figure I'm going to have to slow down a bit and take more time on each blend. That raises the question, Which type of tobacco is best for a new piper to learn the art of piping, and how frequently did you go to a new blend for a new taste?
Is there a general consensus on what blend a new piper should start on?
- Thread starter WLY
- Start date
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Pipe smoking. You are smoking a pipe. You are not playing a pipe like a set of bagpipes. You can learn a set of bagpipes and after 7 years, you can call yourself a piper.
There are no consensus as to what is the best blend to start smoking. You pick what you fancy the most and start with that. However, there are easy blends to smoke. OTC blends are less expensive, and fairly easy to smoke. As a new pipe smokers, you won't notice much as to the flavors and so on, so why waste on expensive blends? Also, if you want something that will leave definite impression, Latakia containing blends like English/Balkan will work. They burn less hotter than VA. But this is just a possible suggestion. You can smoke anything you want. Some might bite, and some might not. Everyone's palate is different, and we can't tell what will happen to you with certain blends.
There are no consensus as to what is the best blend to start smoking. You pick what you fancy the most and start with that. However, there are easy blends to smoke. OTC blends are less expensive, and fairly easy to smoke. As a new pipe smokers, you won't notice much as to the flavors and so on, so why waste on expensive blends? Also, if you want something that will leave definite impression, Latakia containing blends like English/Balkan will work. They burn less hotter than VA. But this is just a possible suggestion. You can smoke anything you want. Some might bite, and some might not. Everyone's palate is different, and we can't tell what will happen to you with certain blends.
The best option is my favorite blend, others might disagree, but that is because they are wrong... lol. But in all seriousness, that's is a really tough question to answer. I smoked black cavendish exclusively for several months and then bought a bunch of random stuff. I like to switch it up and go from one end of the tobacco spectrum to the other, many people have one "style" of tobacco they stick to and don't deviate much from.
It might help to look at it this way: What drew you in to pipe smoking? Have you consumed other tobacco products before, if so what were your thoughts on those? Have you been around other pipe smokers before, if so what were your thoughts on those?
Without any of that information it is kind of tough to offer any suggestions but I would go out on a limb and say something with Orientals/Latakia/WhiteBurley simply because they are on the lower end of the nicotine spectrum and Virginias tend to burn a little hotter, but with that said you can still get a pretty intense buzz going smoking straight orientals and damage a pipe smoking straight latakia. I would however go out on a limb and avoid anything really heavy in Perique, Kentucky or Rustica because of their nicotine contents.
Maybe it would help if you could describe what you want/expect it to smell/taste like.
It might help to look at it this way: What drew you in to pipe smoking? Have you consumed other tobacco products before, if so what were your thoughts on those? Have you been around other pipe smokers before, if so what were your thoughts on those?
Without any of that information it is kind of tough to offer any suggestions but I would go out on a limb and say something with Orientals/Latakia/WhiteBurley simply because they are on the lower end of the nicotine spectrum and Virginias tend to burn a little hotter, but with that said you can still get a pretty intense buzz going smoking straight orientals and damage a pipe smoking straight latakia. I would however go out on a limb and avoid anything really heavy in Perique, Kentucky or Rustica because of their nicotine contents.
Maybe it would help if you could describe what you want/expect it to smell/taste like.
The only general consensus you'll find in this forum is we like smoking pipes. Experiment with some different blend types to determine what you like. And that's likely to change with time.
Shag cuts are easiest to keep alight - requires less relights. Flakes are the most difficult for beginners
A lot of beginners start off with aromatics because of the pleasant room note.
But they often cause tongue bite
As will Virginias for some.
I find Latakia and Oriental (English/Balkans) easiest to start with.
They are also very flavoursome.
The room note is another thing altogether
A lot of beginners start off with aromatics because of the pleasant room note.
But they often cause tongue bite
As will Virginias for some.
I find Latakia and Oriental (English/Balkans) easiest to start with.
They are also very flavoursome.
The room note is another thing altogether
My Mixture 965 was my first love. I always suggest that folks start there.
Cult Blood Red Moon if you're into added flavoring.
Cult Blood Red Moon if you're into added flavoring.
Smoke what you will at least think you will enjoy. There’s no use smoking anything just because someone says it burns well and you can scorch your tongue with anything.
I only used the term because I saw it elsewhere. Pardon my ignorance.
It's all good, it's kind of a running inside joke amongst us pipers.
I gave my boys a tub of SWR when they started smoking pipes.
Try one of the “codger” blends. Granger, Prince Albert, Half n Half, etc.
Burleys are pretty forgiving.
Burleys are pretty forgiving.
Not a joke. Definition of a piper is just that someone who plays bagpipes. We are pipe smokers. And I am a piper also. I have played bagpipes for over 20 years before stopping.
My reason for pointing out this is simple. I have this strange feeling some new folks do not want to associate themselves with smoking. Calling pipe smoking something other than pipe smoking. Hobby, collecting, piping.. If a person likes pipe smoking then accept the fact it is smoking. If he feels that smoking is so shameful he can't even call it what it is, maybe he shouldn't smoke. It's simple problem with a simple solution. Smoking might not be popular, or healthy, but a person should not feel so bad about it he will have to name it something else. If they feel so bad, quit.
I would suggest getting a tub of Carter Hall or Prince Albert and a cob, but that's just my opinion. It doesn't get much simpler and easier than that. Still my go-to smoke the majority of the time.
Yea, I get your point about bagpipes, I have seen numerous other posts from multiple users on the forum correcting people. I saw an opportunity to throw it out again and I took it, it was all in jest, apologies. The whole "piping" thing seems to be an annoyance of quite a few here.
I had never thought about it as an attempt to distance oneself from being a smoker, an interesting thought for sure. And as such, not clarifying that whenever it arises, on the off chance it that is their reasoning, would be doing them a massive disservice by allowing them to delude themselves into thinking they aren't a smoker. I originally thought chastising people for calling it piping to be nitpicking over semantics, but you have actually changed my mind.
Another motivation to consider however, (and this may just be me because I have a terrible job where I am surrounded by ignorant, socially toxic, drug addled degenerates that still live with their parents) is I personally refer to myself as a "smoker" or I specifically say "I smoke A pipe" when asked. Primarily due to the ridiculous amount of times I have had some adult child/group of adult children give me the whole "are you a pipe smoker?", "do you like smoking pipe?", "I always thought you were a pipe smoker teehee" or something to that affect. Look up "pipe smoker" on urban dictionary if you don't follow what they are trying to get at.
But all in all, I agree, let's not put lipstick on a pig, we are all smokers. However, some that side step the term "pipe smoker" may do so for several reasons.
+1 vote for 965
-1 vote for aromatics/otc blends
I've had a similar question floating around in my head as well. My approach has mostly been finding a blend from each of the major leaf types (latakia, VA, burley, etc) and then giving them a go. Sometimes you get a blend that leaves your mouth feeling like you just smoked a bowl of BBQ sauce, other times the whole bowl was just hot-ish air. I've found it can kinda be like trying new drinks where it isn't until you try something that you truly know what it's like. Fruit juice and rum can both be categorized as sweet but they're far from the same.
I think Carter Hall was my savior. I didn't have a terrible time starting out, but my third or fourth blend was Carter hall. And then it was "oh....ok....now I get it"
So I always suggest the codger blends to new smokers.
At the risk of sounding crass, I must say, fkin’ A right!
