Pipe brands and tobaccoo brand beginner suggestions thread!

[drmoriarty]

I guess I'll keep this clean cut and dry.

I'm on a journey for a new pipe and at least 3 new tobaccos.

What do you suggest?
I am getting rid of a very basic cool/mild blend of tobacco I have had since December as it just isn't good to me as a now former cigarette smoker of 3 months interestingly enough my tastes have changed.

I have interests in Dunhill Nightcap only because I've seen it so hyped I don't know much about it otherwise.
P.S

Should I worry about a ghost hit on my capri briar after having smoked an aromatic out of it months ago? Also if I haven't smoked a pipe in many months is there any process to "revive" the pipe or should I just dive in?

 

[bassbug]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but this is kinda like asking "what colour should I paint my house?"
Without knowing what you like or what you don't like, even in a most general way, I don't see how we can make a suggestion.
Pipe tobacco isn't meant to taste like cigarettes and the nicotine effect is not the same either (I used to smoke cigarettes, so I have a bit of experience with this)
I would suggest trying small sampler packs and be prepared to store away the blends that don't "do it" for you. I suspect your taste may change again in a few months.
As far as the ghosting thing, I"m sure you'll get a variety of replies, but I mix and match all my blends with all my pipes and it does not bother me a bit. YMMV

 

[wolflarsen]

My advice for a new pipe smoker is to grab any corncob pipe that you like as long as it's made by Missouri Meerschaum. Cobs are great to start with because they're cheap, functional, and don't ghost flavors from one tobacco to the next as much as briar does. If you're repulsed by a cob then Savinelli and Stanwell make great smoking pipes to fit almost any budget.
Then I'd pick up a tin each of Dunhill My Mixture 965, Cult Blood Red Moon, either Orlik Golden Sliced or Escudo, and a pouch of Carter Hall. That should keep you busy for a while and give you and idea of what some of the different genres of tobacco are all about.
I'm personally not a fan of Nightcap and recommend just smoking your pipe without worrying about "reviving" it or the ghost.

 

[techie]

I started smoking the pipe four weeks ago, so I am pretty much a beginner also. Don't worry about ghosting on your briar, just dive in. If you are on a journey for a new pipe, I recommend either a cob from Missouri Meerschaum, or a fairly inexpensive briar from a reputable retailer like SmokingPipes. I would stay away from aromatic tobaccos and concentrate on English and Virginia blends to get a feel for what appeals to you. Also, don't seek out blends based on hype. I have learned already that this can be disappointing. I believe it's helpful to research tobaccos on websites like TobaccoReviews and choose those that appeal to you.
I have found that it is important to try out a number of different blends: English, Latakia based, Balkan, Virginia based, Virginia/Perique, blends with Burley, to get an idea for what I like before experimenting with aromatics. In the past four weeks I have accumulated a bunch of these which include only one aromatic, so I don't yet have a pipe dedicated to aromatics. I tried the aromatic once in my cob just to see how different it is and haven't smoked it since. I'll tackle aromatics later.
The more important things in the beginning, from my short journey, is to get the drying, loading, lighting, tamping, and relight processes down in order to acquaint myself with the pipe smoking experience while learning the aroma and taste differences between various blends. I also understand now that this is a long, contemplative journey of discovery, and will take quite some time experimenting before I determine what my tastes are and what most appeals to me.

 

[weedsnager]

Prince Albert or carter hall should be mandatory starter tobacco. It’s decent tobacco that stays lit well, which help builds confidence and they are a good gauge for how dry your other tobacco should be before you set it on fire.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Difficult to improve on the advice from wolfarson. I don't know about the Cult Red Blood Moon though. LOL Once you've tried a few different blends of different genres, check out Tobaccoreviews.com to see what other people think. I don't know if Tobacco Reviews will always lead you to what you will like but it certainly help you avoid wasting money on some blends that most people rate poorly. Just try different stuff, be patient and enjoy the journey. Before long, you'll likely be afflicted with TAD and PAD like many of us here.

 

[tschiraldi]

Tinsociety.com

 

[3rdguy]

I would 2nd the MM cob and Prince Albert approach. Since you are starting out it should allow you a positive footing.

 

[bigpond]

In college I picked up a cob and an aro recommended by the mall tinderbox. Made it through a bowl or two and gave it away. Years later I decided to try again. Bought a pete and tins of skiff mix, squadron leader and fvf. And here I remain.

 

[delkhouri]

My advice is to get a pipe.... just about any pipe and find any pipe/tobacco shop you have nearby. If you can find a tobacconist nearby then go, bring your pipe and sample some tobaccos (they often have free samples). If they don't have free samples buy a couple making sure you have a virginia, aromatic, and english blend. Smoke them all and whichever you like best is the general genre you should pursue and get recommendations for.
One thing I have learned about pipe smoking and pipe smokers is they tend to favor a specific style of tobacco and don't love much else. I love virginias and virginia/perique blends but really dislike anything with latakia and don't much care for aromatics either.

 

[jpmcwjr]

If you have a pipe shop nearby, buy your pipe there and then get some samples and advice.

 

[mso489]

My usual advice is to keep sample blends small -- a pouch, an ounce or two bulk, or one tin. Your tastes will change, so don't stock up even if you love a blend, not for a year or two. You can go to any price point on pipes, but for starters and for thrift, a Dr. Grabow Royalton, a low price Rossi, or a low price Stanwell will do fine. If you want to start up-market and can afford it, that's fine.

 

[thehappypiper]

I love Skiff. Can't be it nearby. Have often thought about taking a trip to my favourite pipe shop in the city I used to live in, but the owner is not customer service oriented and it takes about 90 minutes each way.
My advice is to second the affordable pipe buy from smokingpipes. Even the Estate pipes section often includes unsmoked pipes.

Then I'd go to www.tobaccoreviews.com and use the advanced search to track down tobacco with higher than 3 star reviews in various categories such as

Virginia

Virginia perique

Burley

Latakia

Oriental

Flake

Plug

and of course thoroughly investigate G.L.Pease.
That should keep you going for a long while.

 

[bluto]

Looking back , I would have searched more for good quality , rare-ish flake and less emphasis on blends .