Pipe Rotation and Blend Advice/Recommendations?

[endlesssouth]

I’m relatively new to the world of pipe smoking and have two pipes in my collection. Currently working through two bulk blends from my local B&M. One described as rubbed out virginia cakes, steamed virginias & bright virginia flake. The other is a light and dark cavendish mix that was most compared to Captain Black Royal. Like both of them, though still breaking in the new pipes and getting a taste for it all.

Question I have are:
1. Is it best to smoke these blends in separate pipes or is it alright to smoke out of the same one? Guess I’m concerned about ghosting.
2. How would you go about adding new blends to try to get a feel for what you like best?
3. Any recommendations on what to try next are more than welcome!

I’m sure I’m overthinking/reading too much into it some, but looking forward to hearing your thoughts and any advice you have. Thanks in advance!

 

[elvishrunes]

1-yes and no, depending on if you care about a tiny amount of residual flavor, myself I do not and only dedicate one pipe to an English out of 30 or 40, solely out of autistic habit, not flavour, smoking preference actually.

2-At your stage try anything, but a more experienced smoker will generally have a target. TocaccoReviews.com doesn’t work in some places helps and Smokingpipes.com to read reviews.

3-Try an English like Old Dublin, as you have already had a Virginia flake and aro.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

1. Most people (at least I think) dedicate certain pipes to aromatics. I don't go as far as some do. Some folks have Virginia pipes, burley pipes, VaPer pipes, English pipes etc.
I do have pipes that I only smoke aromatics out of. Of course I only smoke one aromatic, so they're basically dedicated to one particular blend.
But the rest of my pipes, I smoke whatever I want out of them. I guess I just want to watch the world burn. lol

2. I'm of the opinion that new pipe smokers should try a couple of blends from each type of tobacco. Pick out a couple of Virginias, try some burleys, try some dark fired Kentucky, try some blends with Latakia. You'll get a grasp of what tobaccos you like and you can delve further into those.

3. I always tell new people to try Orlik Golden Sliced because that's the first tobacco that I tried that I genuinely loved. I had about given up on smoking a pipe when I tried it, and it changed everything.

 

[Gabes]

1. Usually it is advised to have dedicated pipes for aromatics and English blends. If you rest your pipe properly it should not be much of an issue, though (unless you pledge your loyalty to pure virginias, I guess).
2. Try those with good reviews first.
3. Ennerdale (it is always hit or miss, people either love it, or hate it) and Kendal Kentucky (smokes smoothly and it will help you decide if you should try other nic-loaded tobacco, or not). Squadron leader (to see if latakia is your thing or not). Early morning pipe, probably? I didn't like Peterson's take on this blend, but there are plenty of other Dunhill replacements out there. There are so much excellent tobaccos, it is really hard to list them all here.

 

[fireground_piper]

I pretty much smoke 2 pipes and everything goes into them. I don’t build up cake and don’t experience much ghosting at all.

I think finding a blender/manufacture house is as important as a particular genre. Finding the ones that work for you helps find a direction.

 

[Brad H]

I’m relatively new to the world of pipe smoking and have two pipes in my collection. Currently working through two bulk blends from my local B&M. One described as rubbed out virginia cakes, steamed virginias & bright virginia flake. The other is a light and dark cavendish mix that was most compared to Captain Black Royal. Like both of them, though still breaking in the new pipes and getting a taste for it all.

Question I have are:
1. Is it best to smoke these blends in separate pipes or is it alright to smoke out of the same one? Guess I’m concerned about ghosting.
2. How would you go about adding new blends to try to get a feel for what you like best?
3. Any recommendations on what to try next are more than welcome!

I’m sure I’m overthinking/reading too much into it some, but looking forward to hearing your thoughts and any advice you have. Thanks in advance!

I have 2 pipes dedicated to Lakeland blends. Otherwise just jam it in a pipe and smoke it. Lakeland will ghost a pipe quickly in my opinion.
Add new blends in when you can. The more blends you try, the more you will find what you like.
An English blend will give you a difference experience in pipe tobacco from what you said your current blends are. Maybe you like it or maybe you don’t. Never know what you like until you try them.

Think of smoking as Pokémon, you want to catch them all.

 

[Pooh-Bah]

In order...
1- Generally I'll smoke anything in any of my pipes, with one exception: Everything that'll ghost like the Dickens (War Horse, Lakelands, etc) always goes into the same pipe, so my meerschaum billiard is basically a haunted house.

2- Browse online stores, look at tobacco reviews, and see what people are saying in the WAYS threads on this forum. Sometimes just buy a tin or an ounce because you like the name.

3- I'll recommend Crooner as a simple and well-behaved blend with some wholesome natural fragrance from the nice smelling grass they mix in.

 

[rakovsky]

I’m relatively new to the world of pipe smoking and have two pipes in my collection. Currently working through two bulk blends from my local B&M. One described as rubbed out virginia cakes, steamed virginias & bright virginia flake. The other is a light and dark cavendish mix that was most compared to Captain Black Royal. Like both of them, though still breaking in the new pipes and getting a taste for it all.

Question I have are:
1. Is it best to smoke these blends in separate pipes or is it alright to smoke out of the same one? Guess I’m concerned about ghosting.
2. How would you go about adding new blends to try to get a feel for what you like best?
3. Any recommendations on what to try next are more than welcome!

1. Whether you smoke them out of the same pipe or different depends on how much you would dislike a marginal leftover smell. Personally I have a full bent Grabow that I have smoked 50+ blends out of- aromatics, Latakia, Perique, Grousemoor. It's a workhorse, I swab it with overproof rum, and count ghosting toward the pipe's character.
But it's more standard advice to separate your aromatic blends and smoke them in a different pipe from your Latakia blends.
2. Try samples from different types. Some stores have jars they let you sample out of.
Personally I like grouping blends by themes that I'm into. Sometimes that leads me to try very unconventional blends, but it's still pretty fun that way.

3. Try an English blend with Latakia, and a blend with Perique. I recall St. James Flake having perique. I think more pipe smokers should try an Oriental blend with no Latakia because Latakia has its own unique musty smell. But Orientals and Englishes on the market usually have Latakia.

I also think that pipers should have an OTC burley blend like Prince Albert for deghosting. That is, swabbing with overproof liquor and then smoking 3 to 10 bowls of burleys I found to be a great way to deghost.

The third thing more pipers could try would be adding some legal Native herbs like sage and mint to their blends. It's not very common but is a Native American tradition.

 

[tschiraldi]

Virginias have a lighter flavor than Latakia, Perique, Lakelands, and Aromatics, so you will get some of the previous blends flavor when you put a Virginia in the same pipe. I’m a Virginia lover, and want the pure taste of Virginia blends when I smoke them, so I don’t smoke anything in pipes I smoke Virginia in, but that can be difficult if you only have two pipes. There are no rules. If it doesn’t bother you then go for it!