Overdrying Aromatics

[olkofri]

For quality aros you can try Mac Baren's. Vanilla Cream, Original Choice, or even their 7 Seas line (although these leave more moisture in the bowl than others: remember: the 7 Seas line is MB's more classy counterpart to Craptain Black). Vauen makes some top notch aromatics. Basically, avoid OTC crap like CB and Borkum Riff and you're fine. Just smoke them slowly and you'll avoid bite. I still dry my aros a bit, just not to the same degree I dry Englishes or VAs or the other types. If they crack and pop when lighting them, so what.

 

[Seeker81]

Sounds good alaskanpiper. Think I'll try it without the drying in the Alco (Falcon). That should remove any chance of gurgling at least. Have to say I did enjoy the RY better before drying it. Also I think I'll pick up some McBaren Vanilla Flake next time I'm in my B&M and will eventually get round to Bagpipers dream...

@chasingembers: I'd be curious to know if you would recommend any aromatics and what kind of drying would you give them. I know that you normally recommend to err on the side of too dry when preparing tobacco, does this apply to aros as well?

 

[Seeker81]

For quality aros you can try Mac Baren's. Vanilla Cream, Original Choice, or even their 7 Seas line (although these leave more moisture in the bowl than others: remember: the 7 Seas line is MB's more classy counterpart to Craptain Black). Vauen makes some top notch aromatics. Basically, avoid OTC crap like CB and Borkum Riff and you're fine. Just smoke them slowly and you'll avoid bite. I still dry my aros a bit, just not to the same degree I dry Englishes or VAs or the other types. If they crack and pop when lighting them, so what.

I'm quickly developing a shopping list here ha ha

 

[sablebrush52]

There's no "one size fits all" answer. Some smokers are reluctant to perform any drying because they don't want to lose any of the strength of the topping and are less concerned about the flavors of the underlying tobaccos. Others look for a balance point that works for them.
I do dry the few aros that I still smoke, though I dry them less than I dry Virginias, etc. I'm going for a balance between the topping and the base tobacco that most satisfies me. And that balance can vary, even with the same blend. For example, I often smoke St. Bruno straight out of the pouch without drying it and sometimes I dry it to adjust the balances to what I want at that moment.

 

[alaskanpiper]

There's no "one size fits all" answer. Some smokers are reluctant to perform any drying because they don't want to lose any of the strength of the topping and are less concerned about the flavors of the underlying tobaccos. Others look for a balance point that works for them.
I do dry the few aros that I still smoke, though I dry them less than I dry Virginias, etc. I'm going for a balance between the topping and the base tobacco that most satisfies me. And that balance can vary, even with the same blend. For example, I often smoke St. Bruno straight out of the pouch without drying it and sometimes I dry it to adjust the balances to what I want at that moment.

This is really the right answer.

 

[Seeker81]

There's no "one size fits all" answer. Some smokers are reluctant to perform any drying because they don't want to lose any of the strength of the topping and are less concerned about the flavors of the underlying tobaccos. Others look for a balance point that works for them.
I do dry the few aros that I still smoke, though I dry them less than I dry Virginias, etc. I'm going for a balance between the topping and the base tobacco that most satisfies me. And that balance can vary, even with the same blend. For example, I often smoke St. Bruno straight out of the pouch without drying it and sometimes I dry it to adjust the balances to what I want at that moment.

Trial, error, and experimentation. It seems to be the name of the game. I must try St. Brunos. I mean they sell it in the supermarkets over here. If I ever get stuck in a Dawn of the Dead situation. At least I've got St. Bruno's, provided I'm carrying a pipe ha ha

 

[Chasing Embers]

does this apply to aros as well?

Indeed it does.?

 

[Seeker81]

Just packed the Alco/Falcon with some RY straight out of my jar. So no real drying at all, it was jarred straight after the tin was cracked open.
Immediately upon lighting I taste the plum much more stronger and also... the smoke from the first two minutes of smoking is cold. Not just cool, non-hot, but rather it feels like a cool breeze coming down the stem. This is interesting and I have experienced this before with other pipes sometimes... odd.
The pipe went out fairly quickly but this is understandable since the tobacco is still fairly moist... For a couple of minutes at a time I seem to be able to smoke at a reasonably slow steady rate without puffing too hard or fast while the smoke is not biting and it full and flavoursome... then the amount of smoke starts to diminish and the pipe seems to be straining to smoke easily, I let it go out and sit for a minute or two then relight. This I'm guessing is the dampness.

It seems what I am doing is lighting the pipe and getting a good smoke from the immediately lit tobacco and also charring the tobacco sitting underneath. Prepping it for the next relight. I am happy to smoke this way, although it is different...

Plenty of sizzling going on as reach the latter half of the bowl and the pipe does go out quicker and quite abruptly, I am also starting to feel a bit of bite. (The moisture is getting chased to the bottom of bowl and becoming more intense)

Yes the pipe is becoming harder to keep lit and requires more puffing... it it also starting to taste a bit sour.
I think I'm done here and there is still quite a bit of tobacco at the bottom of the chamber (I don't like waste).

CONCLUSION: More flavour and an enjoyable smoke throughout the first half of the bowl. OK if you don't mind a short smoke with a few relights and wasting some tobacco. Not for me though... Increase drying time ha ha.

(Thanks for indulging me here)

 

[Seeker81]

UPDATE: On emptying the pipe, it turns out I didn't waste as much tobacco as I imagined... in fact virtually none was wasted... I hadn't been tamping enough.

 

[rushx9]

Even though RY claims to be an aromatic, it's basically the same signature fermented plum/apricot topping used on other Dunhill blends like Ready Rubbed and Standard Mixture, etc.. Maybe some fermented tobacco juice to emulate a perique flavor. Most people don't consider the other blends aros, just lightly topped english-style tobacco. I think all the Dunhill blends go through an interesting change during the first week after opening where the topping flashes away and the tobacco character starts to shine.