My virginity has been taken ...

[franzkfk]

... metaphorically speaking

I have tried my first bowl.

Bought one of these: https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/Brigham/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=564035

I have bought some tobacco that has been recommended to me by RookieGuy80 (thank you). Unfortunately, pipe went through customs faster than the tobacco recommended, so I have bought 10g of this: Consummate Gentleman - Ashton Pipe Tobacco | Smokingpipes.com - https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipe-tobacco/ashton/consummate-gentleman-50g/product_id/16409 because I was eager to try it.

Pros:
The experience itself was great.
I felt very good. Probably much better "appeasement" than a cigar.

Cons:
As I am unexperienced I have made probably a lot of mistakes. I have packed it loose. Sometimes I have heard a noise when I was taking draw. Also I had to relight it quite often.
I didn't like the blend either :D I mean ... the experience was great, but the blend was ... fine, but it wasn't "my" taste I think. Can you tell me more about my choice? I thought I was going for a "standard" tobacco. Sometimes it tasted good, sometimes not that much.

So that was it.

I am going to try those blends that RookieGuy80 recommended and tell you more after that.

Thanks again for everything.


L.

 

[Pooh-Bah]

Taste will vary throughout the bowl, depending on puffing speed and how the individual components ended up distributed.
From my own year-or-two of experience, Englishes seem to be better in colder weather when the latakia smokiness will activate caveman brain.
"Oog. Smoker taste good fire. Winter spirits defeated by magic smoke. Smoker still cold though."

Noise when you draw on it - if it sounded kinda wet, tobacco might could've used a bit more time to dry out, or you're puffing too often.
Not an expert, disregard my advice if someone contradicts me.

I've been on a big Crooner kick lately - Deertongue gives it a consistent hint of flavor (floral? vanilla? cinnamon? Idunno) which seems more resistant to my own incompetence than an English or an aromatic is.

 

[PA Piper Mike]

I'm not sure what your tobacco tastes are, but I would definitely suggest trying a variety of bulk blends, from aromatics, Virginias, burleys, etc. just to see where your tastes lie. I love English blends, but I can't speak for Consummate Gent, since I've never had it. There are plenty of good ones out there, but English blends "can" be a little pungent to start with.

Buy a few 1oz bulk blends of the popular blends and start there.

What kind of noise did you hear? I will occasionally get either a gurgling or hissing sound which normally means the tobacco in the bowl is starting to steam. When you empty your bowl, it'll be wet and any leftover tobacco will be soaked. If this is what you're getting, try drying the tobacco out some. And sip...(aka puff slowly...this coming from a freight train-er).

 

[kcghost]

Well, you at least didn't overpack your pipe. That a is a great lesson to learn. Now you have get on the smoke slower and easier bandwagon. Then you have to learn what tobaccos are easy to light and which are not. It will be nothing short of a miracle if you learn to light any tobacco in two lights. Stick with it and don't get discouraged by relights.

 

[NC TX ID pipeman]

Congratulations to the first bowl!!You will never forgot that oneAll the right habits will come to you with experience..Nobody need to teach you but its a plus..try different tobaccos,dryness of it, different packing,diff. pipes ,smoke in different weather,humidity etc..you will learn and enjoy it...

 

[bullet08]

A ton of choices out there. Consummate Gentlemen is a rather mild and popular blend. Latakia gives instant feedback unlike other tobacco. But, if you just started smoking pipe, it might be best getting codger blends and practice smoking Once you get the cadence down, go back to Consummate Gentlemen again. Sometimes the pipe will gurgle, or whistle. Get a pipe cleaner and run through to clean out the moisture.

 

[franzkfk]

Sound was a whistle.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

I still recommend everyone try out a Missouri Meerschaum at least once: https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/Missourimeerschaum/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=168613

The basic plastic stem of a Missouri Meerschaum is actually one of the best designed stems ever mounted on a pipe, they leave a very open air channel which makes the draw very easy.
Some people don't like the draw so open, personally I won't smoke a pipe until I've re-drilled the stem to imitate a Cob.

 

[RookieGuy80]

That's great! You had a pro, that's better than my first time I tried to smoke a pipe. Keep it up and watch those cons one by one fall by the wayside. As you go, try the pipe both with and without the rock maple insert.

 

[sparker69]

..

I have bought some tobacco that has been recommended to me by RookieGuy80 (thank you). Unfortunately, pipe went through customs faster than the tobacco recommended,

I'm guessing that you're in Canada?

What kind of taste would you be looking for? What cigars were you smoking? When I first started, I tried different blends to start to educate my tastebuds to be able to pick out different tobaccos. I found that helpful.

 

[SaxonX]

Have to admit I don't like Consumate gentlemen either nor the popular Early Morning Pipe.....try a few sample packs ... After three years I now have my favourites but I also have some shelved tins I will give away when I find another local pipe smoker

 

[monty55]

Sound was a whistle.

That doesn't sound right. Did you pass a pipe cleaner through the pipe and stem before smoking it? Sometimes a small piece of stem or debris can be lodged in there. See if you can trace down where exactly the whistle is coming from.

Welcome aboard! Just keep trying different blends. It won't be long till you try another pipe as well. I'd recommend a Missouri Meerschaum.

@Old_Newby is selling samples at a good price on the Tobacco For Sale area. It would be a good way to get a large selection of samples for a small price.

 

[Old_Newby]

I am still selling sample kits if interested DM me. My beginner input is get a MM Gentlemen Cobb. It can be used with a filter or without and is low cost. I don’t have a Brigham but it has a proprietary filter system that could be causing the whistle sound, not sure. The suggestion to try bulks is great idea and my personal advice is buy 1 ounce each of these bulks.

Peter Stokkebye or Newminster #400,402,&403. This covers the Virginias.

Then bulk Match Ready Rub codger, and C&D Haunted Bookshop for burleys.

Then HH Old Dark fired for Kentucky.

Then PS17 and 52 covers the English.

These 8 are all bulks and will give you a good idea of what you like. Noting I did not list any of the aromatics because I don’t like them myself but you might.

Another idea that gives you a broad sample would be buy the Amphora 5 pouch Kit. The Virginia, Burley, Kentucky, English, and Cavindish will all be enjoyable and represents those genres very well.

Either bulk option above is about $40.

If you want a 100+ blends sample kit that includes more tin based blends and some more expensive and harder to find blends I do sell them with about 8 grams per blend which is about 3 bowls in MM Gentlemen.

 

[alwayslit]

The first won't be your best by a long shot but it sounds like you're well on your way to enjoying piping.

 

[Lucashly]

A ton of choices out there. Consummate Gentlemen is a rather mild and popular blend. Latakia gives instant feedback unlike other tobacco. But, if you just started smoking pipe, it might be best getting codger blends and practice smoking Once you get the cadence down, go back to Consummate Gentlemen again. Sometimes the pipe will gurgle, or whistle. Get a pipe cleaner and run through to clean out the moisture.

I agree you should consider a Latakia blend. It smokes cool and tends to have fewer relights. Also dry your tobacco more than you think you should, not to the point that it snaps like a potato chip, but close.

 

[DeerparkDays]

I would highly recommend buying one of Old_Newby's Super Sampler kits, you will get around 140 different samples for an extremely good price.
I'm currently working through my pack, and smoking from it right now.

Good luck to you.

 

[crashthegrey]

Try all the tobacco. Buy a ton more pipes. Keep it up.