My first smoke of real pipe tobacco

[Perique]

As I said in my new member intro, I'm a recovering cigarette smoker who picked up the pipe on/off about a year ago and for some reason has recently got the pipe bug. Bad. Not sure why this happens, but it appears to be rather obsessive.
Anyway, been smoking OTC blends for the past month or so and last night picked up a tin of Dunhill Early Morning Pipe.
All I can say is "wow". I don't have the pipe vocabulary to describe this so maybe a few of you can help me. But as I'm sitting here smoking a bowl along with a cup of good coffee, a whole new world of tobacco appreciation is opening up to me. I'm excited to continue exploring this world.
I'm open to further recommendations.
Thanks y'all.

 

[marmal4de]

Badass, welcome to the fold.

 

[schmitzbitz]

Awesome, welcome to a whole new world of flavour my friend. If you are looking to expand from EMP somewhat, I would suggest checking out:

McClellands Three Oaks Syrian - a nice introduction to Syrian Latakia

Dunhill Nightcap - A heavier English blend, with a touch of Perique (and don't worry about the nicotine, as a smoker it will be like candy to you!)

Hearth and Home Black House - A stout and spicy Oriental forward Balkan style blend

GL Pease Westminister - A good standard English type blend

Hermit Tobacco (C&D) Captain Earles Ten Russians - A serious Latakia bomb

Peterson Irish Flake - High nicotine dark fired wonderfulness

Peterson University Flake - See above, but with a nice berry casing added (smells AND tastes great)

G&H Bob's Chocolate Flake - As above, with a hint of Lakelands essence; very tasty stuff

Orlik Golden Sliced - Straight Va flavour

McClellands St. James Woods - Stout and sweet VaPer
This should give you some good examples of the different types of blends available to you - of course, this list is by no means comprehensive; Lane, PS, VS, GF Germain, Sterling/Dominion/1776, etc all make good blends - these are just what I think of when I think of benchmark blends.

 

[Perique]

Thanks much for the recommendations! I read somewhere that Please's Chelsea Morning was similar EMP. Comments on this? I also keep reading about the Frog Morton blends. Flavorful enough for a weaning cig smoker? I'll be getting to work on your list above pronto.

 

[hobojoe]

I just started in feb. given different tobaccos- and bought some and otc.

The St. James Woods is the one i use to reflect-lay back-It does not wear you out.

I thank Schmitzbitz for the recommendation.

i still have lanes 1Q for wife's benefit but me St. James.

Joe St

 

[tiltjlp]

BTW, what makes you think OTCs aren't "real" tobacco?

 

[marmal4de]

Uh oh, don't poke the JLP bear! To reconcile, you must immediately swear fealty to corncob pipes and Carter Hall.

:rofl:

 

[judcole]

For a solid all day English, I would recommend Peterson Old Dublin. For more complex latakia blends, McCranie's Murdock's Pipe and Hearth & Home Larry's Blend are great. Old Dublin is much easier to find tan the other two.

 

[atuukson]

Beck's Ol' Limey Bastard

 

[mattia76]

Try some of Hearth and Home's Anniversary Kake for a sweet and spicy blend that actually tastes like it smells. Fantastic.

 

[whitebriar]

My first smoke of real pipe tobacco

Hmmmm???

 

[markw4mms]

First off, welcome aboard! EMP is a good blend, and I see you have already been given some good suggestions to try, but I wouldn't say OTC's aren't "real" tobacco, some of them are quite good,(CH comes to mind first),and are readily available, and inexpensive to boot.

 

[Perique]

Easy guys. By "real tobacco" I mean not heavily processed with preservatives and etc. I am a Prince Albert fan and also like Captain Black white for the room note. But there's a world of difference, at least to me, in nuance and flavors with my first non-OTC.

 

[bigvan]

Welcome to the big boys' table, sothron.

 

[spyder71]

First, Way cool that you like the English blend!

Second, I happen to think a cob full of PA is a pretty "real" piping experience :puffpipe:

Welcome to the world of pipes!

 

[tiltjlp]

sothron, sorry to see you've bought all the hype. Enjoy your Special, high priced blends. But, as someone suggested, you don't have to like cobs and Carter Hall. but it's a shame to see anyone discount them without first hand experience.

 

[bigvan]

Yes, OTC are "tobaccos", and a box of Franzia is "wine" and a Big Mac is "beef".
Gentlemen, life is too short to drink cheap wine, eat fast food, or smoke pedestrian tobaccos. They are unsatisfying, uninspired and appeal to the lowest common denominator. It's not about hype, it's about quality.
Sorry, but I've been holding that in for awhile.
And now back to banality...

 

[olderthandirt]

...appeal to the lowest common denominator...

...And now back to banality...

Ouch?

 

[markw4mms]

Yes, OTC are "tobaccos", and a box of Franzia is "wine" and a Big Mac is "beef".
Gentlemen, life is too short to drink cheap wine, eat fast food, or smoke pedestrian tobaccos. They are unsatisfying, uninspired and appeal to the lowest common denominator. It's not about hype, it's about quality.
Sorry, but I've been holding that in for awhile.
And now back to banality...

First off, let me say that I wasn't trying to be hard on sothron about the OTC thing. Having said that, I agree that there is a difference in quality between OTC's and tinned tobacco or even bulk from a quality tobacconist. I smoke a lot of English blends, and an occasional aro, I have 4 or 5 tins of really great toby on hand right now,and if I had the funds to, I would almost always choose any of the GLP or McC stuff over an OTC. However, there is something to said for being able to run down to your local drug or grocery store and being able to snag a decent, inexpensive smoke, especially if you're on a limited budget like I am. YMMV

 

[nmbigfoot02]

Congrats sothvan for finding a tobacco you can truly enjoy! We should all be so lucky.
That being said, when it comes to something as individual as the sense of taste/smell and preference for different tobaccos, there are no absolutes. Smoke what you like, like what you smoke, and try to understand that your tastes are not the same as everyone else. You may not agree with other's preferences, but there's no reason to disrespect people because they may differ from your own.