Minimal Happiness Requirements?

[Smokeybandit]

Out of curiosity, for someone such as myself who is an unapologetic Captain Black enjoyer, how similar is Visions of Celephaïs to Captain Black Grape? I've never had CB Grape before since it's last production was a bit before my time in the hobby but a grape pipe tobacco sounds pretty interesting, and whenever I hear it brought up folks always talk of the mythical Grape version as if it's the Esoterica of the Captain Black lineup. I'd like to try something at least somewhat similar!



Oh hey, that's been my everyday RYO blend for close to a decade! I only tried it in a pipe once and wasn't a big fan, but that was a long while ago and my tastes have changed a fair bit since then so I should probably give it another go.

Same, I just recently quit RYO and decided to try in a pipe and wow, very different taste and so sweet.

 

[anotherbob]

Don't get Visions of Celephaïs then, much stronger. Less badmouthing by those that hadn't smoked it wouldn't have hurt either.

both sound great and grape smells amazing. I would have loved to try it. Really shocked me though how interesting the aroma was.

 

[Waning Embers]

how similar is Visions of Celephaïs to Captain Black Grape?

Celephaïs is a grape bomb.

whenever I hear it brought up folks always talk of the mythical Grape version as if it's the Esoterica of the Captain Black lineup.

I've not found much of Esoterica to be enjoyable enough to highly rank it as such but CBG is my favorite Captain Black.

 

[Waning Embers]

@spearheadbill

Get help.

 

[MisterBadger]

"Oi vay" conveys dismay and disapproval.

I can't agree. Being Yiddish for 'woe', ('veh') is what one might say when imagining - as a Va/Per smoker, for example - that Captain Black Grape was the only tobacco available. To anyone. Ever. Similarly, a heavy aromatics afficionado might equally disparage a straight dark fired Kentucky.

Disparagement is simply a negative personal, evaluation and therefore understood to be subjective, and it is not at all the same as disapproval, which would be like suggesting that G&H Dark Plug should be reclassified as a Class A drug, or that all those who smoke it are degenerates.

I've been extremely rude about some tobacco blends I've reviewed, but to date no one has, um, disparaged me for it, or accused me of being disapproving. But neither I nor Spearheadbill have been rude about anyone who actually enjoys such a blend. There's no accounting for tastes, as folks say.

In Welsh, we say "Ych a fi" (pronounced 'Ugh a vee', meaning, literally, "Yuck to me"). This I take to be the context of Spearheadbill's expostulation.

 

[BriaronBoerum]

Still going through new blends and getting to know familiar ones, but let's see, if we're looking mainly at satisfying, easily available smokes:

OGS
PS LTF and LBF, Marlin Flake
MacC Scottish Flake, Peterson University Flake
GLP Windjammer, Ellipsis Flake
Arango Balkan Supreme, C & D Stratfordshire,
Lane HGL, Sillem's Black
C & D Crooner,
Rattray's Bagpiper's Dream,
and I'll throw in GH Bosun Flake, even though it's anything but easily available.

 

[MisterBadger]

Still going through new blends and getting to know familiar ones, but let's see, if we're looking mainly at satisfying, easily available smokes:

OGS
PS LTF and LBF, Marlin Flake
MacC Scottish Flake, Peterson University Flake
GLP Windjammer, Ellipsis Flake
Arango Balkan Supreme, C & D Stratfordshire,
Lane HGL, Sillem's Black
C & D Crooner,
Rattray's Bagpiper's Dream,
and I'll throw in GH Bosun Flake, even though it's anything but easily available.

Blimey! 15 blends! You're no minimalist, are you?

 

[spearheadbill]

I can't agree. Being Yiddish for 'woe', ('veh') is what one might say when imagining - as a Va/Per smoker, for example - that Captain Black Grape was the only tobacco available. To anyone. Ever. Similarly, a heavy aromatics afficionado might equally disparage a straight dark fired Kentucky.

Disparagement is simply a negative personal, evaluation and therefore understood to be subjective, and it is not at all the same as disapproval, which would be like suggesting that G&H Dark Plug should be reclassified as a Class A drug, or that all those who smoke it are degenerates.

I've been extremely rude about some tobacco blends I've reviewed, but to date no one has, um, disparaged me for it, or accused me of being disapproving. But neither I nor Spearheadbill have been rude about anyone who actually enjoys such a blend. There's no accounting for tastes, as folks say.

In Welsh, we say "Ych a fi" (pronounced 'Ugh a vee', meaning, literally, "Yuck to me"). This I take to be the context of Spearheadbill's expostulation.

Thank you Mister, having made many disparaging remarks in my long life I was almost miffed at his hostile response to my innocuous statement. Now if I had said that he was vulgar, raffish, uncivilized or uncouth? those would have been "fighting words" but I would never use such terms for someone who simply chooses to smoke repugnant tobacco for pipes.

 

[Wapask]

Lifetime supplies of the following blends would scratch all my itches forever I figure.

1792 Flake
Salty Dogs
Escudo
GL Pease Triple Play
Peterson Nightcap

 

[telescopes]

It should come as no surprise that my own blend would be first, my dad's blend, and then John Denger's Black Maria. Each of these blends has been severely blown apart due to the wreckage of Sutliff. I do enjoy Esoterica blends and I have 22 lbs of their blends - that will carry me forward for quite a while.

 

[GardenStateoftheArtBriar]

Some holiday drama is always a nice touch and aside

 

[spearheadbill]

It should come as no surprise that my own blend would be first, my dad's blend, and then John Denger's Black Maria. Each of these blends has been severely blown apart due to the wreckage of Sutliff. I do enjoy Esoterica blends and I have 22 lbs of their blends - that will carry me forward for quite a while.

I only keep B.K. Flakes and Dorchester. The rest get auctioned off to the highest bidder.

 

[spearheadbill]

Some holiday drama is always a nice touch and aside

Just like home!

 

[telescopes]

I have both Visions of Celephaïs and Captain Black Grape. The latter is way more Grape... which is the consensus of most people I know. But, not everyone ...

 

[krizzose]

McClelland Navy Cavendish
Mac Baren Navy Flake
Mac Baren Vanilla Cream Flake
GLP Windjammer
Rattray’s Marlin Flake
Uhle’s Perfection Plug Burley

 

[dottlejockey]

Travelling with a handful of meers and say 10-15 blends has taught me that i can, indeed, be satisfied with less than my normal whimsical journeys through mass diversity. That being said, i'm always happier to be back to my variety of briars and jars upon my return.

But the minimum to be happy would include 2 or 3 of my favorite Burley blends (as a base):
Pegasus, Burley Flake #1, Semois
A small assortment of Orientals:
Luminaire, Oriental Dusk, Twilight
Some excellent and diverse VA choices:
Kendal No.7 (SG VA), Kendal Dark, Opening Night, Haymaker
A selection of top-notch VA/Per offerings:
Penny Farthing, Exclusive, Director's Cut
And a few others:
Aus Dem Krater Plug, Dockworker, Night Owl

If i had these, 2-3 nice meers and say 15 or so of my favorite briars, i could probably consider myself a happy smoker...maybe even privileged.

 

[MisterBadger]

Travelling with a handful of meers and say 10-15 blends has taught me that i can, indeed, be satisfied with less than my normal whimsical journeys through mass diversity. That being said, i'm always happier to be back to my variety of briars and jars upon my return.

But the minimum to be happy would include 2 or 3 of my favorite Burley blends (as a base):
Pegasus, Burley Flake #1, Semois
A small assortment of Orientals:
Luminaire, Oriental Dusk, Twilight
Some excellent and diverse VA choices:
Kendal No.7 (SG VA), Kendal Dark, Opening Night, Haymaker
A selection of top-notch VA/Per offerings:
Penny Farthing, Exclusive, Director's Cut
And a few others:
Aus Dem Krater Plug, Dockworker, Night Owl

If i had these, 2-3 nice meers and say 15 or so of my favorite briars, i could probably consider myself a happy smoker...maybe even privileged.

Hmmm. *16* essential blends. Another non-minimalist, I see. Should we all die and end up going to Vietnamese Heaven through some celestial administrative error and where the only smoke is Thuoc Lao, there'll be much weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth