My first order in 12 years ... advice needed please.

[aquadoc]

Due to reasons beyond my control, I have been pipeless and without sweet smoke in my life for a little over a decade. I hope to begin building a pipe rotation of 3 to 7 pipes soon and will be making my first tobacco order next week. I have narrowed my choices down to the following.
Can those of you with far more experience than me give my order an eye and tell me where you see overlap and help me eliminate or add where you think I have holes or too much of a good thing. My habits were mostly English with the occasional Aromatic as a changeup when the mood hit. I am a whisky sipper with coffee being often alternated at the same time with Irish/Scotch/Bourbon. Definitely open to suggestions.
My order as it stands (I am ordering tins or a few ounces to start):
1. Cornell and Diehl Tuskegee Airman

2. McClelland Club Rich Virginia Ribbon

3. McClelland Frog Morton Cellar

4. Scottys Trout Stream

5. McClelland Blackwoods

6. MacBaren HH Acadian Perique
On the fence:

Mac Baren 7 Seas Royal Blend

Dunhill Early Morning Pipe

Just for Him Shortcut to Mushroom
Thanks for any help and opinions.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

The McClelland choices are all terrific.
As far as aromatics go, I haven't smoked any in a good while BUT when I did, I enjoyed the 7 Seas varieties especially the Royal.

 

[fitzy]

I wasn't crazy about any of the 7 seas.
All your McClelland choices are great. Particularly FM cellar.
Also I would say Stokkebye luxury twist flake is great and all the McClelland bulk broken flakes.
Oh and I would definitely say any of the Hearth & Home marque series like Blackhouse, Magnum Opus, Viprati and White Knight.
I almost forgot Black Frigate.

 

[aquadoc]

I have changed my list to the following:
1. McClelland Club Rich Virginia Ribbon

2. McClelland Frog Morton Cellar

3. Scottys Trout Stream

4. McClelland Blackwoods

5. Cornell & Diehl Black Frigate
Will check out the Hearth and Home offerings.

 

[woodsroad]

If your tastes run to English, with the occasional aromatic, then you might enjoy Bengal Slices.

 

[lucky695]

nice plug Dan... but +1 ^
I would keep the Nightcap on th elist as well

 

[woodsroad]

I try to be understated, Lucky!
Nightcap is a must.

Buy a pound or more now, before it goes poof.

 

[aquadoc]

Changed again:
1. Dunhill Nightcap

2. McClelland Frog Morton Cellar

3. Scottys Trout Stream

4. McClelland Blackwoods

5. Orlik Golden Slice
I still want to add one more "acceptable", non-cherry or medicinal tasting Aro but cannot decide. Something with rum or vanilla or both.

 

[murica]

Gawith and Hoggarth make some great aromatics that you can buy bulk for a great price.
Its not a traditional recommendation, but if you like it, there's a whole world of them to explore. And the theyre available most places.

 

[aquadoc]

I will check them out but think I will hold with these 5 for now from a budget perspective. Now to grab some pipes. Thanks everyone.

 

[colorduke]

Grab some cobs then you can buy more tobacco.

 

[kanse]

MacBaren HH Old Dark Fired.

I enjoy VaKens with my coffee.

I'd suggest Irish Flake too, if you can handle the nicotine.

But by all means, try some Kentucky.

 

[mso489]

Each to their own, but for a tobacco-forward aromatic in rotation with non-aros, I like Iwan Ries Three Star Blue, which is also available at smokingpipes.com, depending on which retailer you're using. Or, Edward G. Rboinson is highly recommended by jiminks on Forums, and I also enjoy it.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"Due to reasons beyond my control, I have been pipeless and without sweet smoke in my life for a little over a decade."
So you got a 'ten stretch' at San Quentin then...ouch :wink:
Seriously though, welcome to the forum, you will get plenty of (mostly) useful advice from the guys on here. Sadly as your preferences lean towards the aromatic side of things I am unable to advise you but should you ever move onto tobacco flavoured blends then I would be only too happy to make suggestions.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[aquadoc]

Actually, a 10 stretch in San Quentin might have been preferable to my first marriage.... but no, the last 10-12 years have been great...it was the previous 10 that did the damage. :/ Can't help but laugh now.
As for Aros...they are more for breaking my lovely "newish" partner in crime into the sweet life of smoke. She is fairly tolerant of my habits but this one is new to her and I do not want to overwhelm her with a latakia/virginia/perique fog that has her running for the hills. I would like to keep her around. I think an Aro or 2 will help smooth the seas, so to speak. I will have to take walks or sit-tos outside with my "real" smoke. Also, I have been away long enough that I am going to slowly move into Vitamin N forward blends. After much reading, the Frog series seems like a good start and Nightcap and Blackwoods are a bit more heavy. The Slice and Trout are simply to pave the way. Nothing more or less. Any advice is welcome... I have a dedicated notebook that I am using for notes, recommendations from folks here. No good shops to found around these parts.

 

[agnosticpipe]

Hi and welcome, I think your selections are fine, but I would give Shortcut to Mushrooms and/or Whiskey Biscuit Gravy which is similar a try. They both have a great room note too. These two are a couple of my favorite crossover blends. I always have them in the rotation. Good luck with your selections, but I don't see how you can go wrong with what you're considering so far.

 

[aquadoc]

Who carries Shortcut to Mushrooms? I have 2 separate orders with SmokingPipes and Pipes and Cigars and neither carry STM or WBG.

 

[kanse]

Molto Dolce will make her happy.

 

[shaintiques]

Shortcut is Justforhim.com.

 

[thesmokindragon]

+1 on cobs - get a bunch of them cheap - maybe also a nice Meer, which you really don't have to rest - Also some good machine made pipes like Savs, Stanwells, etc. have always served me well when I was starting out.
Now on to the bacci - some cornerstones for me ( see below list ), my tastes are Vs, VaPers, English and Balkins - I tend to stay away from Aro stuff while I like the smell they are soaked and smoke hot/steam so that will give you nasty tongue burn - I would run your bacci a lil more on the dry side after being away for away until you get your sip'in pace back.
Any MC blend are outstanding , but again get that sip'in pace or they will hurt you if not dry enough; Tudor Castle

Dunhill Flake

A & C Petersen: Escudo Navy Deluxe

G.L. Pease Haddo's Delight

G.L. Pease's Odyssey

Dunhill EMP ( Great pick BTW ) I really enjoy this blend

C&D Blends; Billy Budd, Crooked Lane, First Responders, Night Train, SOE Flake, Lunchtime Blues, Morning Drive

Low Country's Cooper, Waccamaw

Rattray's: Marlin Flake

Peterson: University Flake