I recently got my grandfather's pipes out and decided to try it. I have been a cigarette smoker for 30 years. What is a good tobacco for someone switching from cigarettes? I have tried several types and I thought I would like a straight burley but it didn't do much for me. Latakia and perique both don't taste great to me after trying them. I seem to like black Cavendish a lot but I've read it's not normally a tobacco that cigarette smokers take to. Any suggestions?
New Pipe Smoker: Tobacco Choices
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As a former smoker I’ll suggest Bayou Morning. OTC brands Borkum Riff Original, Sir Walter Raleigh, Half & Half.
Get yourself a few ounces of Old Joe Krantz. It's not the strongest tobacco out there but it's fairly strong. Start smoking your pipe before the nicotine monkeys completely get out of their cage. It will take time for the nicotine to absorb via the pipe unlike the immediate hit of cigarettes. It's a battle of wills that you must be determined to win. At any rate, it's good tobacco and will perhaps help you cut back on the coffin nails.
If your ever able, Kendall Dark Vintage Cut or shag cut is a smooth delicious tobacco chock full of nicotine. Good luck.
If your ever able, Kendall Dark Vintage Cut or shag cut is a smooth delicious tobacco chock full of nicotine. Good luck.
Woops, should have read more closely. Old Joe has a good amount of Perique in it. Perhaps Peterson Irish Flake or HH Bold Kentucky or Old Dark Fired. Their good stout, proper tobaccos.
Also, the Gawith and Hoggarth ropes/twists (Brown Irish and Black Irish) are good strong tobaccos as well.
Also, the Gawith and Hoggarth ropes/twists (Brown Irish and Black Irish) are good strong tobaccos as well.
Orlik Golden Sliced
Macbaren HH Pure Virginia
Capstan blue or yellow
C&D Yorktown
Macbaren HH Pure Virginia
Capstan blue or yellow
C&D Yorktown
Are you inhaling? If so, Half and Half in a filtered pipe has done it for a couple friends of mine. You also may not want to try to suck down some of the suggestions above, such as HH Old Dark Fired, almost like inhaling a cigar. If not, all above are good suggestions, I'll add Briar Fox (which you probably can inhale if you want as well).
Thank you for the advice. I've really cut back on the cigarettes. Sometimes only 2 a day now instead of 2 packs. I'm really enjoying the pipes. Hopefully I'll find that one tobacco that just clicks when I try it. I have to work on not puffing like a mad man too!!
Coming from cigarettes, more accustomed to the milder smoke of a cigarette, and if you want to transition easier over, you are better off smoking straight Virginia blends, or with some Turkish in the blends, along with Cavendish as you mentioned.
Smokingpipes.com aka SPC around here, when you look at the tobacco, look at the ‘Family’ listing on the website, like this Orlik is a Virgina.
www.smokingpipes.com
I’d be really be surprised as a cigarette smoker if you didn’t like Orlik Golden Sliced, it’s really nice.
Virginia’s PH balance also makes them more susceptible to bite, so rub out flakes, and let them dry, time will depend on your relative humidity. Basically starting out, you pinch a clump between your fingers, it should start feeling a bit crispy, but not turning to dust. If it feels moist and springy to the touch, it might be to moist. Slightly drier starting out with VAs is always the safer route to take.
Then don’t pack to hard, and sip and puff slowly, you’re not smoking cigarettes and cigars, pipes are to be sipped and savored, and the slower and more sipping, the more flavors you will notice.
And don’t worry about keeping a pipe lit, it’s not a big deal, and depending on the complexity of a blend, to much fire and heat destroy flavors. I personally only light, take a few sips, let the pipe go out cool down and repeat when I’m ready.
These are also good blends...
Telegraph Hill - It has Perique but this is a mild blend, really nice.
Union Square
www.smokingpipes.com
Smokingpipes.com aka SPC around here, when you look at the tobacco, look at the ‘Family’ listing on the website, like this Orlik is a Virgina.
Golden Sliced 100g - Orlik Pipe Tobacco | Smokingpipes.com
Comprising Virginia with a touch of Perique, Orlik's Golden Sliced pipe tobacco is naturally sweet and smooth, and immensely popular worldwide.
www.smokingpipes.com
I’d be really be surprised as a cigarette smoker if you didn’t like Orlik Golden Sliced, it’s really nice.
Virginia’s PH balance also makes them more susceptible to bite, so rub out flakes, and let them dry, time will depend on your relative humidity. Basically starting out, you pinch a clump between your fingers, it should start feeling a bit crispy, but not turning to dust. If it feels moist and springy to the touch, it might be to moist. Slightly drier starting out with VAs is always the safer route to take.
Then don’t pack to hard, and sip and puff slowly, you’re not smoking cigarettes and cigars, pipes are to be sipped and savored, and the slower and more sipping, the more flavors you will notice.
And don’t worry about keeping a pipe lit, it’s not a big deal, and depending on the complexity of a blend, to much fire and heat destroy flavors. I personally only light, take a few sips, let the pipe go out cool down and repeat when I’m ready.
These are also good blends...
Telegraph Hill - It has Perique but this is a mild blend, really nice.
Union Square
G. L. Pease Union Square 2oz — At Smokingpipes.com
A blended, sliced cake of high-grade VA leaf, from sweet brights to deep, earthy reds, without the added sugars and flavorings common to many Virginia flakes.
www.smokingpipes.com
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If you like a Cavendish why not smoke it and not worry about whether or not it supposedly is a "cigarette smokers take to" blend?
From there you can start trying various Cavendish heavy blends and branch out.
^^^^Coming from cigarettes, more accustomed to the milder smoke of a cigarette, and if you want to transition easier over, you are better off smoking straight Virginia blends, or with some Turkish in the blends, along with Cavendish as you mentioned.
Smokingpipes.com aka SPC around here, when you look at the tobacco, look at the ‘Family’ listing on the website, like this Orlik is a Virgina.
Golden Sliced 100g - Orlik Pipe Tobacco | Smokingpipes.com
Comprising Virginia with a touch of Perique, Orlik's Golden Sliced pipe tobacco is naturally sweet and smooth, and immensely popular worldwide.
I’d be really be surprised as a cigarette smoker if you didn’t like Orlik Golden Sliced, it’s really nice.
Virginia’s PH balance also makes them more susceptible to bite, so rub out flakes, and let them dry, time will depend on your relative humidity. Basically starting out, you pinch a clump between your fingers, it should start feeling a bit crispy, but not turning to dust. If it feels moist and springy to the touch, it might be to moist. Slightly drier starting out with VAs is always the safer route to take.
Then don’t pack to hard, and sip and puff slowly, you’re not smoking cigarettes and cigars, pipes are to be sipped and savored, and the slower and more sipping, the more flavors you will notice.
And don’t worry about keeping a pipe lit, it’s not a big deal, and depending on the complexity of a blend, to much fire and heat destroy flavors. I personally only light, take a few sips, let the pipe go out cool down and repeat when I’m ready.
These are also good blends...
Telegraph Hill - It has Perique but this is a mild blend, really nice.
Union Square
G. L. Pease Union Square 2oz — At Smokingpipes.com
A blended, sliced cake of high-grade VA leaf, from sweet brights to deep, earthy reds, without the added sugars and flavorings common to many Virginia flakes.
+1 - great advice
I did read that about Orlik and planned on trying it too. There are so many different pipe tobaccos! It can be a little overwhelming for a newbie!Coming from cigarettes, more accustomed to the milder smoke of a cigarette, and if you want to transition easier over, you are better off smoking straight Virginia blends, or with some Turkish in the blends, along with Cavendish as you mentioned.
Smokingpipes.com aka SPC around here, when you look at the tobacco, look at the ‘Family’ listing on the website, like this Orlik is a Virgina.
Golden Sliced 100g - Orlik Pipe Tobacco | Smokingpipes.com
Comprising Virginia with a touch of Perique, Orlik's Golden Sliced pipe tobacco is naturally sweet and smooth, and immensely popular worldwide.
I’d be really be surprised as a cigarette smoker if you didn’t like Orlik Golden Sliced, it’s really nice.
Virginia’s PH balance also makes them more susceptible to bite, so rub out flakes, and let them dry, time will depend on your relative humidity. Basically starting out, you pinch a clump between your fingers, it should start feeling a bit crispy, but not turning to dust. If it feels moist and springy to the touch, it might be to moist. Slightly drier starting out with VAs is always the safer route to take.
Then don’t pack to hard, and sip and puff slowly, you’re not smoking cigarettes and cigars, pipes are to be sipped and savored, and the slower and more sipping, the more flavors you will notice.
And don’t worry about keeping a pipe lit, it’s not a big deal, and depending on the complexity of a blend, to much fire and heat destroy flavors. I personally only light, take a few sips, let the pipe go out cool down and repeat when I’m ready.
These are also good blends...
Telegraph Hill - It has Perique but this is a mild blend, really nice.
Union Square
G. L. Pease Union Square 2oz — At Smokingpipes.com
A blended, sliced cake of high-grade VA leaf, from sweet brights to deep, earthy reds, without the added sugars and flavorings common to many Virginia flakes.
No problem, I'm definitely enjoying the experience. I can't believe how much more relaxing a pipe can be. When the mill is running good and I have spare time I'll sit outside our machine shop and enjoy a smoke and if something does break down, after the repair is complete, the pipe sure does the trick!
Another tobacco which might appeal to you is Boswells Smokers Choice.
Well with the internet and technology today, there’s a whole world out there full of blends, you could probably spend your entire life trying.
I personally always try out new blends, I don’t eat chicken every day, LOL
Also a cig smoker, Bayou Morning, and Haunted Book shop.
You have two things going on. You are weaning from cigarettes (I think) and trying to find blends you like in the process. It may be a little difficult to decide which pipe blends are tasty to you in this transition. You have to get used to not inhaling much or at all. Some people sometimes or always retrohale, that is exhale through their nasal passages. I don't, but that may be a transitional way to get into pipe smoking.
I think you may have to sample around quite a bit. Keep trying burley based blends, and burley with light flavoring, Cavendish can be good, with or without flavoring, not to be dismissed at all. English blends often have Latakia and Perique, but can be burley based or have burley as a condiment, and vary a great deal, some with little or no Lat or Perique, so try around.
Don't buy much of anything, but sample around a lot. Buy bulk (tobacco in baggies) an ounce or two at a time, or in pouches, or one tin at a time, until you get acclimated, and I wouldn't buy too much of any one blend while you are still sampling widely; you may not like a blend after an ounce or two.
I like Peterson Irish Flake and 3-P, both burley rich, but also try some single leaf Virginia and Virginia based blends. For now, just enjoy the exploration.
I think you may have to sample around quite a bit. Keep trying burley based blends, and burley with light flavoring, Cavendish can be good, with or without flavoring, not to be dismissed at all. English blends often have Latakia and Perique, but can be burley based or have burley as a condiment, and vary a great deal, some with little or no Lat or Perique, so try around.
Don't buy much of anything, but sample around a lot. Buy bulk (tobacco in baggies) an ounce or two at a time, or in pouches, or one tin at a time, until you get acclimated, and I wouldn't buy too much of any one blend while you are still sampling widely; you may not like a blend after an ounce or two.
I like Peterson Irish Flake and 3-P, both burley rich, but also try some single leaf Virginia and Virginia based blends. For now, just enjoy the exploration.
Get a pack of Camel unfiltered. Take the paper off and smoke it. That's as closest to smoking cig in pipe. If you are looking for some pipe tobacco, none will be like a good ole cig smoke. I smoke Marlboro, and love it. But it's completely different from pipe smoke. Cig for the quick fix. Pipe smoke for the pure enjoyment of pipe tobacco, and relaxation. If you are inquiring about possible pipe tobacco choice, that's hard to make. I have different palate. But Carter Hall is usually a solid suggestion all around.