Planning return to piping with a change in direction.
- Thread starter BigDragongly
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Straight VA, like Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake, have a fairly bold white pepper aspect (to my palate).
I can't say I've ever had its older form, but it's one of my favourite tobaccos and one I intend to keep in rotation
I got a Legend Corn Cob Pipe from Missouri Meerschaum.
Of the 3 that I picked up, I easily enjoy the Haunted Bookstore the most. I suppose that I'm picking up pepper from the perique but it seems to be well balanced with the rest of the blend.
The Stokkebye Luxury flake isn't nearly as interesting but it isn't unpleasant either. Boring? Maybe. But not bad.
Voodoo Queen? I don't like this one. It is way too peppery/spicy for my current taste. I think that I could have also appreciated a bit more Latakia. It's possible that there would have been enough Latakia had it not been outweighed by the perique.
The Stokkebye Luxury flake isn't nearly as interesting but it isn't unpleasant either. Boring? Maybe. But not bad.
Voodoo Queen? I don't like this one. It is way too peppery/spicy for my current taste. I think that I could have also appreciated a bit more Latakia. It's possible that there would have been enough Latakia had it not been outweighed by the perique.
I think that I'd like to find a vapr that didn't have any more perique in it than the haunted bookshop has in it. Just though to add interest. On paper, red and maybe dark virginias are what I think that I'm looking for in a Virginia. I like the dark fruit and molasses type flavor a lot. Citrus could also be welcome. Grassy/hay flavors seem less interesting on paper. I accept that a master blender will have a better idea in what works well together that I do. I'm all for naturally sweet notes. I'm not really interested in flavor altering additives. I'm also pretty sure that Cavendish isn't my thing. In fact, it might have been big driver of why I'm not really interested in aromatics.
Wondering what recommendations that I might find in the ballpark of what I have just described. Bulk options probably best for now. Thanks!
Wondering what recommendations that I might find in the ballpark of what I have just described. Bulk options probably best for now. Thanks!
I agree with the added suggestion of a vaper. While you are ordering Peterson grab a tin of Deluxe Navy Rolls. Great stuff. It should fill the bill for your desire for natural sweetness.
It's a long way between me and trying out all the different cavendish blends out there, but every one I've tried over the past few years seemed to be all gooped up with propylene glycol, and never dried out (even the one baggie I left open for a month). Hard to get lit, and hard to keep lit.
Tried one of the dark-fired Virginias a while back, found I didn't like it very much, and for the hell of it threw the rest of it into a jar with the goopy cavendish I still had, mixing them together. Taste was acceptable, and it burned OK.
Tried one of the dark-fired Virginias a while back, found I didn't like it very much, and for the hell of it threw the rest of it into a jar with the goopy cavendish I still had, mixing them together. Taste was acceptable, and it burned OK.
If you really like Haunted Bookshop and are digging the burley, i'd also second Solani Aged Burley Flake as a recommendation, in addition to Wessex Burley Slice and H & H Burley Flake.
A good Va/Per w/ lighter perique and great flavor: Former's Cross Grain Flake, or for a touch more perique Former's Straight Grain. Also Escudo and maybe try a navy blend or two such as Mac Baren Navy Flake or GLP Windjammer.
Above all, enjoy the journey! Lots to explore.
A good Va/Per w/ lighter perique and great flavor: Former's Cross Grain Flake, or for a touch more perique Former's Straight Grain. Also Escudo and maybe try a navy blend or two such as Mac Baren Navy Flake or GLP Windjammer.
Above all, enjoy the journey! Lots to explore.
Looking for one more recommendation for now. I would like to try something with Oriental in it but not in English. It's not that I didn't care for the Latakia that was in the voodoo Queen, but I didn't particularly enjoy waking up this morning with it still tasting strongly in my mouth despite having brushed my teeth really well before bed. Perhaps a red or other dark Virginia with a tiny bit of perique and maybe some Oriental? Or maybe just a Virginia and Oriental? I don't know. Thank you.
Recommendations for bulk blends would be appreciated over those from tins for now. Thank you.
Recommendations for bulk blends would be appreciated over those from tins for now. Thank you.
For a VA/Per blend that's the latter, and gently sparing with the perique so it won't scream through your sinuses, I'd suggest Charatan Rolls, Peterson's Irish Cask or Robert McConnell's Scottish Cake.
You can try C&D Oriental Silk, I like it.
One word: Twilight. (Matured VA, Oriental and Perique) It's bulk and it's good stuff.
Some other ones of this genre for later if you dig the non-lat orientals: Luminaire, Miskatonic, Geometrie, Temple Bar and Embarcedero...to name a few.
Also, someone suggested looking into the Amphora stuff: VA, Burley and Kentucky blends are all ones i've tried and agree; a cheap way to sample a few down-the-middle styles. They are all in my regular rotation as well. Hope this helps!
My view is more simple, you should like basic aromatics, and if you don’t, maybe pipe smoking isn’t for you,,, Yes j-rk offs online go on about how bad they are, but a real pipe smoker would still prefer them to nothing. Tongue bite is generally part of the beginning of the process, like muscle pain after weight lifting, my worst was with high end Virginias…
The formula is simple. If you have tongue bite the next day, drink water to soothe the pain, and take time off until it heals. Then try again until you build a tolerance, if you don’t maybe it’s not for you…. It could be only 3 bowls a month at the beginning, or even at all.
The formula is simple. If you have tongue bite the next day, drink water to soothe the pain, and take time off until it heals. Then try again until you build a tolerance, if you don’t maybe it’s not for you…. It could be only 3 bowls a month at the beginning, or even at all.
I really like Peterson's (formerly Dunhill) Elizabethan Mixture - a rather gentle VaPer.
Sutcliff's Match Victorian is supposedly a match for the previously Murray-produced Elizabethan Mixture. And it's touted by some as better than the current STG-produced version.
And it is available in bulk
Amphora Brown Original is burley forward with a hint of Orientals in itIf you really like Haunted Bookshop and are digging the burley, i'd also second Solani Aged Burley Flake as a recommendation, in addition to Wessex Burley Slice and H & H Burley Flake.
A good Va/Per w/ lighter perique and great flavor: Former's Cross Grain Flake, or for a touch more perique Former's Straight Grain. Also Escudo and maybe try a navy blend or two such as Mac Baren Navy Flake or GLP Windjammer.
Above all, enjoy the journey! Lots to explore.
Interesting discovery. I stopped at the local shop again and was allowed to sample some other blends. I tried a straight red Virginia, a cube cut Burley, and another blend that I think had Virginia, Burley, Cavendish, and maybe a bit of Oriental. I left with 2 ounces of Burley and realized that I'm not crazy about Virginia it at least blends that have a lot of Virginia in them. I was told that my cube cut might have a bit of Virginia in it and perhaps a bit of casing but I couldn't taste any casing at all. I think I'm going to stick with Burley dominant blends for now. I might have to check into SWR while I'm at it. 
I’d like to weigh in as a newer smoker. I often find that the lighter colored virginias are what gives me tough bite. Especially when they haven’t been pressed in any way. From my experience in trying out new blends and from what I can gather online in my quest to educate myself about all things pipes and tobacco I’ve come to believe that anything pressed into a cake, flake, or plug is going to have less rough edges, will have more flavor, and will most likely cause less tongue bite. If I’m wrong in any way then maybe one of the more experienced Piping wizards here will chime in and tell me I’m wrong and why. This type of thread is exactly why I love being a member here. Great people on a quest to learn their own lessons asking great questions that warrant great responses. These get me thinking about my own experiences and inspire me to respond and hopefully get some feedback myself.
BigDragonfly I hope you find what it is your pallet prefers. It’s always interesting to me to hear what others experiences are. And I hope you don’t mind that I’ve sort of asked a question of my own in your thread. Happy piping sir!
BigDragonfly I hope you find what it is your pallet prefers. It’s always interesting to me to hear what others experiences are. And I hope you don’t mind that I’ve sort of asked a question of my own in your thread. Happy piping sir!
Thank you for sharing your experiences and insight!I’d like to weigh in as a newer smoker. I often find that the lighter colored virginias are what gives me tough bite. Especially when they haven’t been pressed in any way. From my experience in trying out new blends and from what I can gather online in my quest to educate myself about all things pipes and tobacco I’ve come to believe that anything pressed into a cake, flake, or plug is going to have less rough edges, will have more flavor, and will most likely cause less tongue bite. If I’m wrong in any way then maybe one of the more experienced Piping wizards here will chime in and tell me I’m wrong and why. This type of thread is exactly why I love being a member here. Great people on a quest to learn their own lessons asking great questions that warrant great responses. These get me thinking about my own experiences and inspire me to respond and hopefully get some feedback myself.
BigDragonfly I hope you find what it is your pallet prefers. It’s always interesting to me to hear what others experiences are. And I hope you don’t mind that I’ve sort of asked a question of my own in your thread. Happy piping sir!