Nightcap and Nicotine

[Bacco and Bacon]

I just cracked my first tin of Peterson’s Nightcap and enjoyed my first smoke thoroughly. And it certainly lived up to its reputation as being strong in the nicotine department.
The back of the tin reads:

“Latakia, Orient tobacco with small leaves and Perique. Mixed cut.”

My question is: which tobacco provides the substantial nic hit? From what I read, orientals including latakia are very light in nicotine. I am aware that perique has a lot of nicotine, but the taste of perique in this blend is subtle, so how much can be in there?

My other favorite heavy english blend is Dan Tobacco London Blend No. 1000. It has just as much nicotine in it as Nightcap, to my head, but it does not have Perique in it, but does have Virginia.

I am just curious how they are able to get so much nicotine in these blends that are predominantly made from oriental tobaccos.

 

[STP]

Nightcap is one of my favorites. Not sure where the nic is coming from, but it’s there

 

[karam]

If I remember correctly, Nightcap is supposed to have 10% Perique. About where the nicotine claim is coming from, my theory is that non-experienced pipe smokers and newbies confuse full-tasting (which it is) with nicotine-rich (which it is not). I've smoked just Nightcap for 10 years, it's rich and delicious, it's got body and the Latakia is just right (for me), but it's pretty light in fact.

I am just curious how they are able to get so much nicotine in these blends that are predominantly made from oriental tobaccos.

They don't. I don't know the Dan London Blend No.1000 If you want nicotine rich tobacco try MacB HH Rustica, or DFK bombs like G&H Dark Bird's Eye, SG 1792

 

[mso489]

Good question. One of my genuine nicotine buzzes was from Nightcap, my first bowl, smoked on the front porch at night. Yes sir. And so to bed. But in a good way. I guess it must be the base Virginia tobacco, though I don't associate Virginia with a heavy nic hit. It's far from the strongest tobacco I've smoked, but I waltzed in there with a big bowl smoked steadily and there it was.

 

[Bacco and Bacon]

Good question. One of my genuine nicotine buzzes was from Nightcap, my first bowl, smoked on the front porch at night. Yes sir. And so to bed. But in a good way. I guess it must be the base Virginia tobacco, though I don't associate Virginia with a heavy nic hit. It's far from the strongest tobacco I've smoked, but I waltzed in there with a big bowl smoked steadily and there it was.

I presumed it had Virginia in it, like you say, that is what surprised me when I read the back of the tin and it only mentioned Latakia, orientals and perique. That is what peaked my curiosity enough to ask this question.

 

[Bacco and Bacon]

If I remember correctly, Nightcap is supposed to have 10% Perique. About where the nicotine claim is coming from, my theory is that non-experienced pipe smokers and newbies confuse full-tasting (which it is) with nicotine-rich (which it is not). I've smoked just Nightcap for 10 years, it's rich and delicious, it's got body and the Latakia is just right (for me), but it's pretty light in fact.


They don't. I don't know the Dan London Blend No.1000 If you want nicotine rich tobacco try MacB HH Rustica, or DFK bombs like G&H Dark Bird's Eye, SG 1792

Yes I really enjoy it, but, as you describe, I am relatively inexperienced, so I did notice the nicotine and had to set it down midway and come back to it. I would assume I would have to be very careful with the tobaccos you described as being strong ?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

There are Virginias harvested higher up on the stalk that are mostly used in the cigarettes industry that have quite a wallop of nicotine, but I've always speculated that it had some burley in it. Just because it's not listed on the label doesn't mean it's not in there. But, really... all of us on the forum have no 100% correct answer. We can only speculate. Maybe someone can contact STG and get their blender to post.

 

[kcghost]

I don't get much of a nic hit from NightCap which I dearly love. Rustica on the other hand requires a full heavy meal before I tackle it.

 

[Jaylotw]

I never considered Nightcap to be a heavy hitter nicotine wise, but compared to most English blends it's a touch stronger. It's the Perique. Quiet Nights is in the same boat.

Perique and Burley can both alter the PH of a blend, causing not only less tongue bite but also allowing more of the nicotine present in other components to be absorbed more readily. A lot of VA leaf has much more nicotine than we expect, but since the big sugar content changes the PH (I think more acidic, I don't remember) we can't absorb it as readily and assume that most straight VAs are low in nicotine.

The same happens in English blends, excepting that Latakia and Orientals have less nicotine than the others, but the VA has quite a bit. Add enough Perique (or Burley) to affect the PH, and you'll feel more of a nic hit.

 

[turtlehead]

just picked up some Nightcap. Curious to give it a go and see if I pickup the nic hit. I hadn't smoked for a while and my first bowl back to pipes hit me, but since then, I feel like I'm building a tolerance again

 

[jiminy]

Nightcap was one of the first tobacco's I ever smoked. I had bought a basket pipe and some basic house blend from a shop, but my brother gifted me a tin of Nightcap. I knew nothing about smoking, and certainly nothing about tobacco, but I don't recall it hammering me from the nicotine (and I am no heavyweight in that category). Mind you, I only smoked it a couple times a week, and never on an empty stomach.

 

[anotherbob]

nicotine and nicotine absorption are two different things. Often really enjoying a blend can get you to smoke slightly faster which gets more nicotine in you faster.

 

[warren]

Indeed, it a nic hit is what you are after, smoke your pipe on very empty stomach, use a heavy nicotine blend. Enjoy!!!

 

[autococker07]

I avoided nightcap for years, due to the "High nicotine" (I am very susceptible to nicotine, and don't like it). I got a tin and tried it last month, and absolutely love it, no nic hits, perfect balance, I really see what everyone raves about..... it is now one of my favorites.

 

[chopper]

When I was 14yo, a mate and I would head into the city to tobacconists on Saturdays and buy really strong smokes like Gitanes, Gudum Garam, Bentoel, Temple Bar, Sobranie, American produced smokes like Camel and Pall Mall and cigars.
Regularly from that time I'd smoke a half-corona or corona cigar.
Not once can I recall ever being affected by nicotine.

Since I switched exclusively to a pipe over 11 years ago, I intentionally choose blends with mild nicotine [I was seriously addicted to cigarettes so I needed to get that monkey off my back]
The odd thing is that now when a mate offers me a bowl of his blends that have mild to medium or slightly higher levels of nicotine, I really feel it.
Just a few puffs and I start to notice it.
Even though I smoke mild blends, I don't understand why it affects me differently now since I do smoke several bowls a day which should give me at least a little tolerance to nicotine.

Blends with decent levels of Vit N would probably turn me green.

 

[eljimmy]

I didn't think Nightcap was that strong in the Nicotine department but I did have some trippy dreams when I smoked it. Hahaha! Now, G&H Dark Birds Eye.... that one got me a bit.

 

[autococker07]

When I was 14yo, a mate and I would head into the city to tobacconists on Saturdays and buy really strong smokes like Gitanes, Gudum Garam, Bentoel, Temple Bar, Sobranie, American produced smokes like Camel and Pall Mall and cigars.
Regularly from that time I'd smoke a half-corona or corona cigar.
Not once can I recall ever being affected by nicotine.

Since I switched exclusively to a pipe over 11 years ago, I intentionally choose blends with mild nicotine [I was seriously addicted to cigarettes so I needed to get that monkey off my back]
The odd thing is that now when a mate offers me a bowl of his blends that have mild to medium or slightly higher levels of nicotine, I really feel it.
Just a few puffs and I start to notice it.
Even though I smoke mild blends, I don't understand why it affects me differently now since I do smoke several bowls a day which should give me at least a little tolerance to nicotine.

Blends with decent levels of Vit N would probably turn me green.

That's really strange..... I enjoy strong cigars on rare occasions, and a buddy that is now gone has sat with me and INHALED an entire partagas lusitania (Churchill size cigar)..... that guy used to smoke 3 packs a day and love love loved the vitamin N...... just thinking about that gets me queasy.