Looking for Tobacco Advice

[smittyd]

I am a new pipe smoker and I have only tried 2 tobacco. One was Half and half , it was ok then I was given a tin of Dunhill Navy Flake and..... I am in love. I am looking to branch out in the non aromatics any suggestions

 

[cigrmaster]

If you love Dunhill Flake here are some others that are in the same range. All of these suggestions are in stock at smokingpipes.com a site sponsor.
Astleys no 44 Dark Flake

Capstan Blue Flake

Wessex Brigade Campaign Dark Flake.
You might also like a Virginia/Perique blend such as

Dunhill Navy Rolls

Solani 633
A Virginia/Burley blend which you also might like:

Mac Baren Old Dark Fired

Solani Silver Flake

Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky

 

[thesmokindragon]

Well, I'm sure you will get lots of suggestions on this thread - here are some to start, based on your experience with

Dunhill Navy Flake. I could go on and on with great blends that I have enjoyed and would suggest trying, so I will list a few that should keep you plenty busy ::
Some suggestions of blends that I really enjoy and IMHO are worth trying;
~ Dunhill: Flake and Dark Flake
~ A & C Petersen: Escudo Navy Deluxe ( there is a 10% off sale right now on this blend at smokingpipes.com )
~ Peterson: University Flake
~ Cornell & Diehl: Mad Fiddler Flake
~ Cornell & Diehl: Dreams of Kadath
~ G. L. Pease: Jackknife Ready Rubbed
~ G. L. Pease: Temple Bar
~ Solani: Silver Label - 660
~ Solani: Virginia Flake - 633
~ Solani: Aged Burley Flake - 656
~ Samuel Gawith: St. James Flake; make sure to dry this as they tend to come pretty wet - I like cube cutting this one
~ Samuel Gawith: Full Virginia Flake; make sure to dry this as they tend to come pretty wet - I like cube cutting this one

 

[steamboat]

I would recommend McClelland and C&D non aromatics for a new piper. There blends are relatively dry and smoke with ease. The Samual Gawith blends i would avoid due to 2 reasons. The first is that there extremely difficult to find, and second super tedious to smoke. They require major drying and preparation. I have been smoking pipes for 7 years and 1792 will still be a nightmare to keep lit. The Solani blends are also difficult to find.

 

[cigrmaster]

steamboat, totally agree about SG flakes. They can be a bitch to get right. Sp has both Solani's in stock and rarely go out of stock for very long. I never had a problem finding them between SP,PC,4noggins,Mars.

 

[seacaptain]

I gravitated toward Wessex Red, Gold and Campaign Brigade.

 

[aldecaker]

Well, if you're willing to give Half & Half a solid "OK", then there's a wide field of stuff you're gonna absolutely love!
Are you willing to give anything with Latakia in it a go? There's a ton of great Lat blends out there.

 

[cigrmaster]

cigarboxgypsy, I smoke it right out of the tin with no drying time. I cube cut it and just smoke away. Relights are no big deal, I relight at least a few times a bowl. I forget to puff when I am typing so my pipe goes out, no biggie. If it is smoking hot, try different pipes and maybe packing methods. If you pack it too loose, it will burn hot. I use a 3-4 step method and check the draw on the 3rd and 4th. I want there to be a little resistance before I light up. I use group 4-5 size bowls, Dublins, Apples, Rhody, Billiards.

 

[whitebar]

There are some really good suggestions offered here. They should keep you busy for quite some time. Have fun!

 

[judcole]

One more flake suggestion I have is Sutliff Virginia Slices.

 

[pagan]

I always recommend Boswell Northwoods to a new smoker, or get the Boswell English sampler, cant miss with that one

 

[mso489]

You might buy a variety of kinds of blends in bulk in small quantity, an ounce at a time. Virginias, Virginia Perique, burley blends (C&D makes good ones), English, Balkan, Scottish, flake, Cavendish, rope, plug, and see what you like. Save what you don't like in jars and try again later; your tastes will change. I'd buy only small quantities for about two years, to learn what you like, and what you grow to like. Try mixing some, too. It's an adventure.

 

[renfield]

^^^ mso489 speaks words of wisdom. I really can’t say it any better.
One to put on the list would be Peter Stokkebye Cube Cut. An easy smoking burley that makes a nice easy intro both to burleys and the cube cut presentation. Available in bulk so you can get a single ounce.
I’d also second the advice to hold off on the Gawith flakes for a while. Most of these seem to have a fair amount of asbestos in them.

 

[twosheds1]

I agree with mso, but I would also try going to your local tobacconist and checking out what they have for sale, and asking them for recommendations. What's great about that is that you can examine and smell the tobaccos and make a decision based on that. And don't be afraid to tell them you're a newby: the tobacconist I frequent is happy to help out new pipe smokers. They even sell sampler packs of their various blends that they sell in bulk, so you're not committed to a large quantity of something you might not like. If you do get stuck with something, I'm sure someone here would take it off your hands.

 

[spartan99]

I tried to choose these with accessibility and availability in mind. PS:LNF is a perennial sales king for a reason, so if you like the Dunhill flake, it's a great next stop. Crown Achievement is probably too strong for a first English, so try the other two first. Enthusiast burleys aren't the most accessible blends. Pegasus is as good a place to start as any, even though it's a full-flavored blend. Do NOT start with Haunted Bookshop.
Virginias:

Peter Stokkebye: Luxury Navy Flake

Lane Limited: 125th Anniversary

Cornell & Diehl: Yorktown
English:

Cornell & Diehl: Stratfordshire

Rattray's: Black Mallory

Lane Limited: Crown Achievement
OTC/Codger Burley:

Lane Limited: Ready Rubbed
Fancy Burley:

Cornell & Diehl: Pegasus

 

[unkleyoda]

I’d also second the advice to hold off on the Gawith flakes for a while. Most of these seem to have a fair amount of asbestos in them.

Is that why I have such a hard time getting SG flakes to burn?

 

[jpmcwjr]

Indeed. In addition to being highly toxic, asbestos holds moisture in very well.