Not Getting Any Taste

[pipingprofessor]

Greetings Pipe Community,
I am a brand new pipe smoker who picked up the habit after a few years enjoying cigars. I was hoping to get some advice from those more seasoned than I.
I am having troubles getting any taste from the pipe tobacco I am smoking. I just do not seem to taste anything. I am smoking both Frog Morton and Dunhill Nightap out of my corn cob that I bought. Could any of you guide me toward the light?
Pipingprofessor

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It's like one of those Magic Eye 3D posters they used to have in the malls in the 80's and 90's, where you have to unfocus your eyes and clear your brain till... bingo, you see a tree and a shoe. So, first put that rare as shit Frog Morton up. McClellands has gone tits up, and you don't want to waste that stuff on your novice tongue. You can put it in a Mason jar, it'll wait for you.
Then clean the pipe, fill your pipe, and then take a sip out of it before touching fire to it. It should give you the resistance of sucking a soda through a straw. Not and empty cup, nor a milkshake. A soda would be perfect.
Then after a few puffs to get it going, just let your pipe hang in your clench, savor it slowly. Don't puff big cigar smoke. Just let the smoke trickle slowly. Smoke it on the verge of going out.
Just relax, turn your brain off, and eventually... bingo, you'll see a tree or a shoe. I mean, you'll taste new exotic flavors from the tobacco that you may have never tasted before.
Good luck, and after you start tasting stuff, go back to the frog. Sip slowly, no puffs, you'll thank me one day. ::

 

[theloniousmonkfish]

You didn't tell him to dry out the tobacco?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Crap, yes, I knew I forgot something. Dry dry dry!!! Thanks Thelonious, you got my back. ::

 

[theloniousmonkfish]

Happens to the best, no worries

 

[pipesticks]

Great advice from you two guys....especially the not wasting Froggie part! Should we recommend Five Brothers? 8O

 

[cosmicfolklore]

No, after Five Brothers, no one can taste anything, at least until after a nap. ::

 

[pipesmokingtom]

So, first put that rare as shit Frog Morton up. McClellands has gone tits up, and you don't want to waste that stuff on your novice tongue. You can put it in a Mason jar, it'll wait for you.

Wisdom. Also - points for "tits up."
For our novice: light carefully, sip slowly. Don't puff and blow, puff and blow - draw continuously and slowly in to your mouth while breathing through your nose for 2 or 3 breaths, then exhale the smoke from your mouth through your nose on the last exhale. Do this just vigorously enough to keep the pipe lit, but no more. Don't fear the pipe going out. Barely lit pipe tobacco is happy tobacco.

 

[mso489]

Since it's a sensory experience, no one can open a magic door. Pipes aren't cigars. But pipe tobacco is pretty flavorful. I'd start with non-aromatic blends. I'd avoid cigar leaf blends to avoid confusion -- they still won't taste like smoking a cigar. Nightcap is a good start; if you can't taste it now, put it in a jar and try later. Other full strength blends that might unfold for you would be Cornell & Diehl Big'n'Burley or Dark Burley, and maybe some of the dark-fired blends. Buy in small quantities for a year or two, to feel around for what might come through for you. I think you're still looking for a cigar-type smoke, and this is just a different deal. Take your time, and I think it may come to you. At least at present, pipe smoking is much more economical/cost-effective than cigars, and to my mind, offers much wider variety. You can mix your own blends, for example. Welcome aboard, and good luck. Let us know how it works out for you.

 

[pipingprofessor]

Wow everybody. Thank you so much for the quick advice. Mso489, I will certainly try out those blends you recommended. One of the reasons I wanted to get into pipe smoking was its cost effectiveness.
As far as drying out the tobacco, how do I go about doing that before storing it away in my mason jar?

 

[jpmcwjr]

Unless the tobacco is noticeably moist, just pack it tightly in mason jars as is.
Drying the tobacco—at my house anyway—takes place in small jars that I open to a relative humidity (RH) in my house around 45%. A few hours later the top layer reduces from ca. 80% RH (typical of Dunhill blends I've tried) to about 70%, on the border of being dry enough for a good smoke. (Somewhere between 55% and 65 % RH is ideal for most blends, most smokers). For quicker drying, spread a bowl or two's worth on a paper towel, counter top, bowl, etc., or even microwave if in a hurry or your humidity level is high where you live.
RH is measured around 70º F-> at way higher or lower temps the readings change a lot. RH is a proxy for absolute moisture content, but few of us have that expensive equipment. Hygrometers can be had for as little as $5.00.

 

[luigi]

Another way to dry tobacco is to load a pipe some time (maybe a few hours) before smoking. It's worth to try.

 

[Civil War]

Short answer to your question you are smoking too quickly, causing the tobacco to get too hot. If you are coming from cigars you are puffing a pipe like a cigar. Pipes don't work that way. Look up the breath method, there are several videos. Pipe smoking is not like cigar smoking. I smoke both and they are different.

 

[saltedplug]

Cosmic is on point, especially going slow. I'd add relax and have fun.

 

[midwestpipesmoker70]

Looks like everything is covered here although I had never heard of the comparison of learning to smoke a pipe to a magic eye poster. :rofl: I had forgot about those. It took me forever to see the sunken ship in one I was staring at back then. Must have been around 1990. Ahh the college days.

 

[dottiewarden]

The Latakia in Nightcap can kill your taste buds if you're huffing the pipe. Everything tastes like ash with Lat burnout. Drop the heavy English blends and try Early Morning Pipe as it is mild and forgiving. If you don't get flavor out of Nightcap your tastebuds are cooked. I recommend taking a few weeks off and coming back with a mild blend and follow the wisdom provided above. Just my 2 cents as I know from experience what Latakia can do to the tastebuds. Welcome to the community. ::

 

[danish]

I would suggest that you, as a beginner, try a normal size straight billiard briar pipe of good quality, I find some of my non-aromatic virginia flakes somewhat 'neutral' in corn cobs. If the bite of the stem is too thick/high, you may smoke wet and if you have sensitive teeth or dislike the plastic feeling, choose ebonite/vulcanite stems.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I'm curious now... forgive my ignorance, but what is the "normal size"?

 

[danish]

'Normal' size classic French/English billiard is approx. 5.5-6 inches long and weighing less than approx. 1.25 oz. :nana:

 

[mso489]

Maybe Danish freehands in the eighties increased the size of pipe bowls somewhat. I do notice in photographs from the past, the fashion seemed to be for modest size chambers, small Group 4's or Group 3's. I've found with a proliferation of pipes that the various sizes all have use. Small pipes with flake/plug/rope can give long smokes, and are great for sampling and short smokes, whereas big pipes can provide long contemplative sessions, and all pipes can be packed with partial bowls as wanted. Heavier pipes smoke better when mostly hand-held, whereas light weights are better clenchers, of course.