Pipe Flavor Terms?

[RudyH]

Related to pipe tobacco flavors, I see a lot of terms that I don't understand, but would like to. For example, what does "tangy" mean? and how is it different from "spicy"? I also don't understand "sweet" because I've experienced plenty of tobacco flavored with sweet things, but I would not describe the flavor of the smoke as sweet because it is not actually sweet, like sugar or other sweet foods.

Wine tasters have a lot of information about what they mean by flavor names. Is there such information for pipe tobacco?

 

[canucklehead]

The three you gave as examples are relatively straightforward, they mean exactly what they normally mean in food terms. Some tobaccos do taste noticeably sweet in the actual smoke, or have an acidic/sour tang, or a tingly peppery spice. Some red Virginias, for example, are tangy, sweet, and spicy.

Most pipe tobacco "flavours" that people describe are more accurately aromas, like when people say "earthy" they mean the smell of dirt, not the taste.

 

[mso489]

This gets into semantics and linguistics and will drive you to the Oxford English Dictionary. I think it helps to read a trusted reviewer on blends you already know to see if you can pick up his or her usages, what they call spicy and what they call tangy for example ... or whatever vocabulary they use regularly.

It's a little like reading poetry. You have to read some Robert Frost to get the idea of where he is coming from, how he uses words, and just how subtle and complex he is. He never bought the idea that "good fences make good neighbors," and yet if you read the poem closely, neither does he dismiss it entirely. Subtle. People who cite that line as the idea of the poem miss the point entirely.

 

[CallMeSangy]

What I would say would be the same as Canucklehead, though when I taste earth I do mean I taste dirt.

 

[cigrmaster]

I would first learn how to smoke a pipe properly so it doesn't get hot and smoke dry with no flavor, or smoke a wet tobacco which also can kill flavor if you don't know what you are doing. Go slow, first look for some sweet, flavors, maybe some stewed fruits, maybe molasses, maybe some smoky flavors, maybe be some citrus. If you don't have a good cherry and you have not gotten a good light, start over. But always check the draw.

Half way you may have to dump ash. I use the pick end of my tamper, gently stir the ash and then slowly tilt the pipe so the ash goes into the ashtray. I then use the other end of my tamper to scrape the sides and then tamp down ready for another light. I check the draw of course as it has become habit and I don't have to think about it.

All of out taste buds are so different what I taste in a blend you may not. The one thing I would suggest is pay attention to every smoke. How did you pack it. What it humid or dry or perfect. Did you check the draw before lighting as you want a certain amount of resistance as I do because if I don't pack the pipe tight enough I have to keep lighting because the bowl is too loose.
You also have to not get discouraged, pipe smoking is an art and it takes time. After 20 plus years I learned something new yesterday and I pretty surprised but also grateful I can still learn new things at this site.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Related to pipe tobacco flavors, I see a lot of terms that I don't understand, but would like to. For example, what does "tangy" mean? and how is it different from "spicy"? I also don't understand "sweet" because I've experienced plenty of tobacco flavored with sweet things, but I would not describe the flavor of the smoke as sweet because it is not actually sweet, like sugar or other sweet foods.

Wine tasters have a lot of information about what they mean by flavor names. Is there such information for pipe tobacco?

Then you perceive it differently - just like tin note.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Welcome to individual subjectivity.

 

[vosBghos]

This gets into semantics and linguistics and will drive you to the Oxford English Dictionary. I think it helps to read a trusted reviewer on blends you already know to see if you can pick up his or her usages, what they call spicy and what they call tangy for example ... or whatever vocabulary they use regularly.

It's a little like reading poetry. You have to read some Robert Frost to get the idea of where he is coming from, how he uses words, and just how subtle and complex he is. He never bought the idea that "good fences make good neighbors," and yet if you read the poem closely, neither does he dismiss it entirely. Subtle. People who cite that line as the idea of the poem miss the point entirely.

Very astute observations these

 

[bullet08]

i fully understand why this is being asked and how it might help others. But like mentioned above, taste is highly subjective. Some reviews are more informative than the others. If first one you are reading uses a lot of words that doesn't make sense to you, just skip to next review. In the end, you are the person that will decide what the blend is like. When I first started, I just looked for a simple information as in "great smoke". Used to buy blends with more reviews with "great smoke". Then once I found blends that I actually like, started looking into blends with similar characteristics. My taste buds are not super sensitive like some respected reviewers, and won't pick out even 1/4 of things they notice. What I look for is simple "great smoke" for myself. And most of those descriptions are exactly that.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I was at a coffee tasting event, where they told us that under extracted coffee was was sour and over extracted coffee was bitter, and then we tasted. It was amazing how many people couldn't differentiate sour verses bitter. Not everyone is going to immediately click with the language of reviews. It takes some time and practice at tasting.
The language is not perfect, but it is the best that we have using words to translate tastes.

 

[Andriko]

All pipe tobaccos, when smoked, taste to me like tobacco, just in different ways.

 

[LotusEater]

Like others have said taste and the words used to describe them are very subjective. I’d suggest trying some straight Verginias , Orientals and Burleys to compare the flavors you get from them. Then you can cross reference your experience with those of experienced reviewers if you want.
You should be able to notice the difference between stewed fruit and citrus and figure out what is meant by earthy, smokey or sweet.
Whatever you do don’t get discouraged if you can’t taste the nuances that some describe in their reviews. For my part I can’t taste half (or more) of what others describe . Find out what you like from more basic blends and look for others with similar constituents.

 

[warren]

Like others have said taste and the words used to describe them are very subjective.

Add the fact, "Everybody's palate is different." Now you understand why so many agree, it's best to find a reviewer whose palate is close to yours and stick with such.

Just as there is a bit of a learning curve to the pipe, the same must be said about "training one's palate" and understanding, perhaps most important, the term subjectivity.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Subjectivity comes in on whether a Virginia tastes good or not, or whether you prefer the taste of latakia. But whether somethin tastes more like orange than lemon is rather objective. I read Jim's reviews, but I never pay attention to whether he likes or hates something. I read that something is grassy with hints of hay, and I get grassy with hints of hay. Everyone does... except... some people can't taste things, whether it is from just not being mindful or just having destroyed their taste buds from years of hard drink, hard smoke, and poor health and hygiene.
But, I am not sure that is subjective. If someone can't answer what is 2+2, that doesn't mean that the answer is subject. It might just mean they don't understand math.

 

[ClenchedBilliard]

I’ve came across a myriad of “sweet” flavors in tobacco. I’ve had orientals that have tasted like cane sugar, some like honey. I’ve had virginias that tasted like baked goods, everything from doughnuts to cinnamon rolls. There’s been fruits, molasses, and god only knows what other flavors my battered senses have found. If it weren’t for Covid and years spent in a chlorine plant there’s no telling what Other flavors I’m missing out on!

 

[Chaukisch]

I can agree with everyone in here.
Don't let others dictate or even lecture you on your taste, find your own sense of it.
I'm about a year into pipe smoking and in my opinion it's the best method for tasting tobacco, bar none.
My taste palette isn't worth much but it's definitely expanding through tobacco, I can feel and of course taste it.

It's an acquired taste and needs time to develop and for everyone at his own pace.
Be joyful, keep your mind open and dive in, come and explore this foggy moor.

 

[vosBghos]

Like others have said taste and the words used to describe them are very subjective. I’d suggest trying some straight Verginias , Orientals and Burleys to compare the flavors you get from them. Then you can cross reference your experience with those of experienced reviewers if you want.
You should be able to notice the difference between stewed fruit and citrus and figure out what is meant by earthy, smokey or sweet.
Whatever you do don’t get discouraged if you can’t taste the nuances that some describe in their reviews. For my part I can’t taste half (or more) of what others describe . Find out what you like from more basic blends and look for others with similar constituents.

This, I have checked out red VA , Bright VA, Dark VA, on their own and now I can pick them out in a blend , same with various Burleys and a couple Orientals. It really helps develop one’s palate.

 

[PipeIT]

The three you gave as examples are relatively straightforward, they mean exactly what they normally mean in food terms. Some tobaccos do taste noticeably sweet in the actual smoke, or have an acidic/sour tang, or a tingly peppery spice. Some red Virginias, for example, are tangy, sweet, and spicy.

Most pipe tobacco "flavours" that people describe are more accurately aromas, like when people say "earthy" they mean the smell of dirt, not the taste.

Just as said, look at it like food.

But, when I say earthy, I’m talking taste not smell, I also see others talk as tastes too for describing earthy tones.

The smell of dirt has never once crossed my mind. The Earthy I experience, comes across more vegetation/herbal/floral tasting.

Solani Aged Burley, as an example, has a very nice, strong presence of Earthy notes...

 

[kola]

In my early years I didn't get all caught up on descriptive terms for different blends. I just knew what I liked and smoked those blends. It was much later that I started picking out all the little flavors and such. And to be honest I still don't get some of the descriptions a lot of people use.

Treat tobacco like food. If you like it, eat it. If you can pick out 347 intricate flavors well go for it. And if you can pick out just a few, that's cool too. Pipe smoking is about enjoying the smoke. If you want to describe it, great. If not, that's great too.