New Pipe Smoker - Tobaccos To Try

[galeon]

Hey everyone. I'm decently new to pipe smoking, but I'm looking to try new blends. Here's what I have now:
Orlik Golden Sliced

Frog Morton

Dunhill Nightcap

Blackwoods Flake
I'm incredibly fond of the Nightcap and Frog Morton. I hadn't had much success with the Golden Sliced 'til last night when I finally found a packing method that worked for me, but it still isn't the greatest smoke for me. I enjoy the Blackwoods Flake, but I've been having trouble drying it out to the perfect dryness for a cool, dry, tasty smoke. I have a tin of EMP, Irish Flake, and HH Acadian Perique coming in tonight when I get off work. I'll post my opinions of these when I get a chance to smoke all three (later tonight :D)
I'm planning on buying these baccys soon:
McClelland 5100

Escudo

GL Pease: Odyssey

Squadron Leader (When I can find it)

FVF (When I can find it)

Penzance (Again, when I can find it)
Are these good baccys to get some exposures to the different types of blends out there? And if not, what are some better things to try? And I'm not a fan of aromatics, even though that's what I started smoking.
-Stephen

 

[bigmike]

First, Welcome to the Forum.
Be prepared for as many different opinions as there are pipe tobaccos. Many fine people in here will give reviews on their experience with different pipe tobacco and then you can choose which ones you want to try.
Your acquisition and future buy list is certinaly a great start in my book.........
Enjoy........ ::

 

[dervis]

Welcome! Penzance is on your list so its of course a winner.

 

[galeon]

Thanks guys. What's the best way of acquiring Penzance, FVF, and Squadron Leader? I'm on a couple of sites' email lists, but is there any more that I could be doing?

 

[crpntr1]

A couple places I looked have sl in stock if you get a pound of it...

 

[galeon]

Not sure if I could justify buying a pound of SL without having tried it first, especially while I'm still trying to sample around. About how often do SG's like SL and FVF stock?
-Stephen

 

[checotah]

Welcome to both the forum and to piping.

I'm incredibly fond of the Nightcap and Frog Morton.

Interesting, in that I find the two somewhat different, Nightcap being what I consider a traditional English and FM a milder, good entry English blend. I, too, like them both very much. Staying in the English blends, you might enjoy GLP's Westminister, another traditional English blend that's been one of my favorites for quite some time. And on the milder side, Seattle Pipe Club's Mississipi River and Plum Pudding. A "not-quite-English-but-very-similar" (my view only) is Dunhill's My Mixture 965, a Cavendish/Latakia/Oriental blend that has also been one of my favorites for some time.
Another blend I'm recently enjoying is Bald Headed Teacher from 4Noggins, a Burley/Virgina blend with just a touch of Latakia. And there's always Carter Hall, a "drugstore" blend that has been around for years, a good Burley flavor.
There are also the Virginia/Perique blends that I am just starting to explore, having smoked mostly English blends for 40 years.
As already mentioned, you will get as many answers to your questions as there are posters. These are just some of mine.
Keep us aprised of your journey through the wonderland of pipe tobacco.

 

[judcole]

Welcome aboard. Your list looks like a good start. I would add Peterson's Old Dublin for an English blend. Enjoy the journey. :puffey:

 

[galeon]

I was considering trying the 965 and I believe the local B&M carries it. However, it's just way too expensive to buy tobacco local in California. I'll also probably buy 2 tins of the GLP Westminster and the Odyssey. One to try and one to let sit for a while. Looking at some descriptions of the Plum Pudding is making my mouth water. I'm seriously going to give it a try. Probably 4 oz of it or so.
I'll try to keep you all updated on how my tastes change. I should be sitting in my study smoking a bowl full of the Irish Flake getting my fill of Vitamin N.

 

[jameral]

Welcome galeon! Your off to a great start with your baccy choices IMHO. Some of those are my favorites.

What's the best way of acquiring Penzance, FVF, and Squadron Leader?

Patience and vigilance. You have to wait till someone has them in stock and then be ready to pounce on them before they're gone. Pipesandcigars.com has bulk Squadron Leader in stock here.

 

[gnatjulio]

Welcome. Ive been diggin the C&D Mississippi Mud and Billy Budd not to mention H&H Blackhouse.

 

[hobie1dog]

Thanks guys. What's the best way of acquiring Penzance, FVF, and Squadron Leader? I'm on a couple of sites' email lists, but is there any more that I could be doing?

Do a search on the web of every pipe shop that you can find....call them WEEKLY. If you depend on just calling the 4 biggest places or wait till you get notified that they have stock, you're gonna be disappointed. The smaller B&M shops that also have websites, or just give out their phone numbers are the ones where you pick up strays that they get coming in....most of those blends have limited distribution.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

Can't help too much in non-aromatic blends. I can say that I enjoy Frog Morton on the Bayou which is a Balkan/Perique blend. Also Robert McConnell's Scottish Cake is a pretty good Perique blend as well, I believe it's a Virginia/Perique.

 

[galeon]

Patience and vigilance. You have to wait till someone has them in stock and then be ready to pounce on them before they're gone. Pipesandcigars.com has bulk Squadron Leader in stock here.

I just grabbed 4oz and can't wait until it gets here. Hopefully I enjoy it so I can purchase some more and start stashing it away in my vault.

Do a search on the web of every pipe shop that you can find....call them WEEKLY. If you depend on just calling the 4 biggest places or wait till you get notified that they have stock, you're gonna be disappointed. The smaller B&M shops that also have websites, or just give out their phone numbers are the ones where you pick up strays that they get coming in....most of those blends have limited distribution.

I'll start making a list. I just hope I don't get stuck with a ton of a blend that I don't like, but I'm afraid if I don't jump on the first opportunity to get some, another one might not come for a while. I guess if I really don't like it, I'll always be able to trade it here for something new or difficult to find.
As for the tobaccos I got in last night after work, I had the time to smoke at least a full bowl of all three and I have to say, the Irish Flake REALLY knocked me on my ass. It was one of the most delicious smokes I've had thus far, but man did it make me light headed. Very similar to my first full cigar on my 18th birthday a while back. Definitely going to buy some to stash away when my next TAD hits. As for the EMP, I really enjoyed smoking it, had a good amount of Vitamin N, but I still prefer the Nightcap. Seems to be my morning AND night blend. As far as the HH Acadian Perique, the first thing I noticed when I opened the tin was the strange smell. I had my wife smell it and she agreed it smelled strange (Something about reminds her of the cow pasture back home or something). Anyway, after delving into the tin and gravity loading, I lit her up and was immediately surprised by the taste. Nothing even close to the smell. This is a great blend for me and I will be experimenting with more blends like it in the future. Burnt all the way to the heel with one relight (Is this just an easy to burn baccy, or is my technique improving?).
Anyone have any more suggestions based on me really enjoying the Acadian and the Irish Flake?
-Stephen

 

[gwynclan]

Don't worrie about getting to much of a special blend, they are trading gold on this forum. Welcome and cheers

 

[ohiopuffer]

Checkout Boswells tobaccos I have been trying to sample all of their tobaccos and have some of their Northwoods on the way.Every tobacco I have tried of theirs has been good.

 

[cigrmaster]

You are definitely off to a good start. When smoking flakes such as the Orlick, I rub it out good and then let it dry for about an hour before loading, that should get it to burn nicely for you.

 

[taerin]

I got weened off the Frog Morton to Squadron Leader myself... Then I went to VA's which I also love. For Squadron Leader, 4noggins has it. It burns way better than the Frog and has a really interesting flavor to it, I don't really know which one I love more and I will probabley continue to have both Frog Morton and Squadron Leader on hand...