Is This Normal?

[PApiper63]

Title edited. No all caps. See Rule 9.

I am a relatively new pipe smoker(about 2 years) but smoked cigars for several years. In the last 2 years I have put many miles on some inexpensive estate pipes. Recently I bought my first new pipe, a large Boswell. I smoked my first bowl in it which was Boswells Northwoods, a ribbon cut. It was a great smoke...took about an hour with 3 relights.
My next bowl was Seattle Pipe Clubs Plum Pudding which is a flake, infact the first flake tobacco I have smoked.
It was an unexpected experience. The smoke was GREAT and took about two hours with only one relight.
For those of you with more experience than me, I have a few questions.
1. Is it common for flake to burn so much longer or is it that Plum Pudding is slow burning?
2. I REALLY liked Plum Pudding. Do you have any other recommendations for flake tobaccos that have as much flavor as PP.

 

[sardonicus87]

A little of both, a maybe "normal" as in "not uncommon", but not always.

Flakes, even when rubbed out, generally tend to burn slower in general than ribbon, they're still more condensed than ribbon even rubbed out.

A lot of blends though burn at different rates even with the same cut, depending on a large variety of factors, like components, moisture content, changes in the user (you might tend to smoke certain blends slower just instinctively).

As far as flavorful... that's broad, there's lots of flavorful tobaccos that taste nothing like Plum Pudding. What specifically do you like about it? Plum Pudding is an English blend... there are other English blends that can be similar in various ways. I haven't had the regular Plum Pudding, only the "Special Reserve" version. But knowing more specifically what you like about it can net you better recommendations.

 

[PApiper63]

A little of both, a maybe "normal" as in "not uncommon", but not always.

Flakes, even when rubbed out, generally tend to burn slower in general than ribbon, they're still more condensed than ribbon even rubbed out.

A lot of blends though burn at different rates even with the same cut, depending on a large variety of factors, like components, moisture content, changes in the user (you might tend to smoke certain blends slower just instinctively).

As far as flavorful... that's broad, there's lots of flavorful tobaccos that taste nothing like Plum Pudding. What specifically do you like about it? Plum Pudding is an English blend... there are other English blends that can be similar in various ways. I haven't had the regular Plum Pudding, only the "Special Reserve" version. But knowing more specifically what you like about it can net you better recommendations.

Thank you for the quick reply. I have been smoking lots of aromatics and the Northwoods and particularly the Plum Pudding seemed a bit stronger with more of a flavor punch. I really enjoy the aromatics but also enjoyed the richer flavors of the other blends I mentioned. I would like to explore some blends that have more flavor.
I must admit that, to varying degrees, I have enjoyed most tobaccos, even the OTC blends. Burleys, English, aromatics all have
Something to offer I recently had some Haunted Bookshop and that was a nice change as well. Im sure my tastes will become more focused as I go but for now I seem to enjoy everything...except 5 Brothers. Not my thing.

 

[sardonicus87]

Try G. L. Pease Quiet Nights (English).

 

[PA Piper Mike]

Try G. L. Pease Quiet Nights (English).

+1 for GLP Quiet Nights

Also, if you liked SPC PP...try their Plum Pudding Special Reserve. It more expensive but I like it better than the regular Plum Pudding.

 

[minerLuke]

If you like the SPC Plum Pudding you might like to try Bengal Slices, a very flavourful English style blend with a light topping.

 

[OzPiper]

1. Is it common for flake to burn so much longer or is it that Plum Pudding is slow burning?
2. I REALLY liked Plum Pudding. Do you have any other recommendations for flake tobaccos that have as much flavor as PP

1. Different presentations will burn at different rates
Shag burns fastest, followed by ribbon cut. With flakes it depends on whether you rub them out fully, cube cut or fold and stuff.

Other factors : how dry you get the tobacco, the ambient humidity, how loosely you pack and how you tamp

2. If you like Seattle Pipe Club’s Plum Pudding, try the Seattle Pipe Club’s Mississippi River Reserve.
I find this to have more complex flavours than their Plum Pudding Reserve

 

[VDL_Piper]

Plum Pudding is a Balkan so perhaps try Mac Baren Balkan Blend. Its a ribbon cut but has a full flavour profile like Plum Pudding sans the Perique

 

[mortonbriar]

Flake that is stuffed, or at least not too rubbed out does smoke slow...but it is also quite a lot of tobacco, because of the density. If you smoked 2 bowls of ribbon, or 3 bowls of shag in the same time frame maybe it would all be about the same weight as one bowl of stuffed/broken flake. I am not using accurately measured ratios here, just numbers to present the idea.

 

[Sigmund]

If you want another Latakia blend that is different than Plum Pudding give HH Latakia Flake a try. Rub it out (but be careful to not turn it to dust, dry it a bit and fire it up. It has sweeter notes than Plum Pudding...well, its just different and very enjoyable. Its not an aromatic but it might bridge the differences between your aros and balkans. Its also a very slow burner so Id start in a smaller bowl. If you fill a big bowl you will be smoking it all day. For me one of the small flakes burns in excess of 45 minutes.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

I smoke Seattle Pipe Club Plum Pudding (or one of its variants) at least once a month. As a crumble cake, it is definitely a bit denser and slower burning than many cuts—in the pipe that I dedicate to it (which has a very deep chamber), I get five to five and a half hours of smoking time when lightly rubbed out; a ribbon cut would never last that long.

 

[BingBong]

Yes.

 

[PaulRVA]

I’ve learned over time that depending on how fine the rub out is really determines the length of smoking time and relights.

GL Pease Quiet Nights is a similar blend that you may enjoy as well but if rubbed out too fine it can act up and cause issues with relights.

Bengal Slices is another great blend thats worth a go!

I guess the end result for me is less is more when rubbing out flake. I try to rub them open a little and let them dry twice as long as I planned for them to dry out and then stuff and “gently” tamp down below the rim. With this method I find no relights are necessary and burn time is increased considerably. YMMV!

 

[FLDRD]

I don't know exactly what it is about them, but as a generality, I find the Sutliff crumble cakes to provide a little something "extra", more full, a better mouth-feel of some kind. I wish I knew exactly what it was so I could seek it better... There may be something like that going on for you. As you go along your journey, see if there is something extra for you based on the presentation style.

 

[Singularis]

The fact that you are a relatively new smoker who enjoys stronger flavored blends like Plum Pudding and taking 1-2 hours to smoke a bowl (with so few relights) means that you are doing some things right, in my opinion. Sitting and slow smoking gets the most flavor and satisfaction out of your pipe experience. Good on you. Again, those are my two cents and you’ll no doubt find plenty of cantankerously divergent opinions about that on this site.

GL Pease Quiet Nights is probably a decent comparison to Plum Pudding, though I find the two blends quite different in many respects. But I highly recommend all of Pease’s blends. Here’s a starting point for other blends that are either flake, cake, or plug that have latakia:

https://www.smokingpipes.com/search/the-tobacco-locator.cfm?brandTin=49&cut=15&cut=12&cut=14&component=4&sortOpt=default&displayNum=24

Happy piping and keep smoking slow!

 

[PApiper63]

The fact that you are a relatively new smoker who enjoys stronger flavored blends like Plum Pudding and taking 1-2 hours to smoke a bowl (with so few relights) means that you are doing some things right, in my opinion. Sitting and slow smoking gets the most flavor and satisfaction out of your pipe experience. Good on you. Again, those are my two cents and you’ll no doubt find plenty of cantankerously divergent opinions about that on this site.

GL Pease Quiet Nights is probably a decent comparison to Plum Pudding, though I find the two blends quite different in many respects. But I highly recommend all of Pease’s blends. Here’s a starting point for other blends that are either flake, cake, or plug that have latakia:

https://www.smokingpipes.com/search/the-tobacco-locator.cfm?brandTin=49&cut=15&cut=12&cut=14&component=4&sortOpt=default&displayNum=24

Happy piping and keep smoking slows

Thank you for your kind words. Once I learned about the breath method it changed my smoking. Finding a pace and cadence made such a difference. I haven't smoked a cigar in months. The subtle flavors of pipe tobacco are a good fit for me. I also am grateful for the community of pipe smokers.

 

[elvishrunes]

Except for English, I recommend Peterson Nightcap as an English, more Smokey less sweet than Plum, if you don’t like heavy smoke then disregard it, I ONLY buy flakes now. Richer flavour, slower burning for sure because of compression, and thicker mouthfeel. Took me about a decade to figure that out, clearly you’re faster. Gawith flakes are great.

 

[Living Luggage]

If you like the SPC Plum Pudding you might like to try Bengal Slices, a very flavourful English style blend with a light topping.

To me, Bengal Slices ( black label ) is in a class by itself. It is a masterpiece.

 

[DurinsRest]

I feel like flake burns better for me IMO but that could just be prefernce. And if you like plum pudding try the reserve and bourbon barrel plum puddings, bengal slices, nightcap, And some orlik DSK if you can get your hands on some.

 

[LongIslandPiper]

Title edited. No all caps. See Rule 9.

I am a relatively new pipe smoker(about 2 years) but smoked cigars for several years. In the last 2 years I have put many miles on some inexpensive estate pipes. Recently I bought my first new pipe, a large Boswell. I smoked my first bowl in it which was Boswells Northwoods, a ribbon cut. It was a great smoke...took about an hour with 3 relights.
My next bowl was Seattle Pipe Clubs Plum Pudding which is a flake, infact the first flake tobacco I have smoked.
It was an unexpected experience. The smoke was GREAT and took about two hours with only one relight.
For those of you with more experience than me, I have a few questions.
1. Is it common for flake to burn so much longer or is it that Plum Pudding is slow burning?
2. I REALLY liked Plum Pudding. Do you have any other recommendations for flake tobaccos that have as much flavor as PP.

So many flakes for much time lol. With as much flavor I would suggest you try
1) C&D Star of the East flake (not the ready rubbed!)
2) samuel Gawith Sam’s Flake
3) Danish pipe shop Brown sugar flake
4) Peterson Irish flake
5) LJPeretti flake
6) Dan tobacco Mallard flake (with or without perique)
7) Stokkebye Lux Navy flake
I can keep going but you get the idea
And my all time favorite
8) Samuel Gawith 1792 Flake!!!