Query on Aromatics Tasting or Smelling Bad

[Mister Meerschàum]

Title edited for caps and brevity. Original:

"Is it just me or has anyone else noticed aromatics starting to taste and smell bad?"

Greetings fellow pipe smokers. Has anyone noticed a change in the aromatic tobaccos over the last year? For example, one of my favorite aromatic tobaccos used to be Cherry Jubilee by Cornell & Diehl. Family members and friends loved it when I smoked this blend. As soon as I opened the jar, a lovely cherry smell filled the room. It had a very pleasant cherry taste, and everyone I was around would mention how much they liked the smell of the smoke. Then in late 2020, it all changed. I have bought it 3 different times since then, and each time it is the same. There is only a faint whiff of cherry when I open the package, it has a nasty burnt taste that almost makes me sick, and anyone who smells the smoke says it smells horrible. I can’t even smell a whiff of cherry in the smoke anymore. Lane 1Q, Lane Very Cherry, and Sutliff Sp3 don’t smell or taste as good either. It’s the same for most of my former favorite aromatics, although most are not near as bad as the Cherry Jubilee and are still smokable. I have tried many suggestions with moisture levels, changing the way I light, etc.; but nothing helps. I don’t know many pipe smokers in my area, but I ran into a guy a few days ago who said he and his friends are experiencing the same thing. I tried contacting Cornell & Diehl, but when I asked if the recipe or process has been changed, they won’t respond to me anymore. The only really good aromatic I can still find is Old Toby from the Country Squire in Mississippi. (Positively delightful smoke!) Has anyone here had the same problem? Any recommendations for replacements?

 

[AJL67]

Well i haven’t smelled you so still could be both!

 

[Peter Turbo]

Thanks for that wall of text and its just you.

 

[wyfbane]

Sounds like you may have had a life change or even a quiet bout of the Rona that has changed your palette. C'est la vie. Luckily you still have some good tasting tobacco around and.many more you could try out.

 

[fireground_piper]

All of mine are unchanged and most of them come from the house of C&D with the exception of the Mac Baren vanilla trio.

 

[Mister Meerschàum]

Sounds like you may have had a life change or even a quiet bout of the Rona that has changed your palette. C'est la vie. Luckily you still have some good tasting tobacco around and.many more you could try out.

Life has been about the same, but it’s possible something has changed my palette. A few tobaccos still taste the same, so I thought I could rule out that option, but you may be right.

 

[Mister Meerschàum]

Does

Sounds like you may have had a life change or even a quiet bout of the Rona that has changed your palette. C'est la vie. Luckily you still have some good tasting tobacco around and.many more you could try out.

Doesn’t explain why family and friends who used to love those smells now think they are disgusting though...

 

[TheIronMonkey]

Is it possible there's some gunk trapped in the mortise of your pipe and it's altering the smoke coming out of your mouth?

 

[Mister Meerschàum]

Is it possible there's some gunk trapped in the mortise of your pipe and it's altering the smoke coming out of your mouth?

I can give my pipes a good cleaning and find out. Should I be using anything to clean out the inside of the pipe stem instead of just running a pipe cleaner through?

 

[shermnatman]

... I tried contacting Cornell & Diehl, but when I asked if the recipe or process has been changed, they won’t respond to me anymore.

I'm really surprised to read this, as Jeremy Reeves usually answers these types of customer questions concerning their blends personally.

While YMMV, in every email exchange I have enjoyed with him in the past, he's been not only highly responsive; but moreover, as transparent as one can be without giving-away specific and detailed trade information - which is understandable; but, not the same thing as failing to reply.

Why not try writing C&D one more time; but this time, in a brand new email, and see if what happens. - Sherm Natman

 

[Mister Meerschàum]

Worth a shot. No one from C&D was impolite, just stopped responding.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I think that before we can respond, we need to get someone else to confirm that they notice a change as well. I don't entirely discount your post, but forgive me if I don't just take your word at face value. There are more people who smoke aromatics than non-aros, and it would seem like someone else would notice it also.

No one in my family has ever said that aros smell great when I smoke them. And, they've always had a taste like the way a candle smells just after you blow it out.

 

[Mister Meerschàum]

I'm really surprised to read this, as Jeremy Reeves usually answers these types of customer questions concerning their blends personally.

While YMMV, in every email exchange I have enjoyed with him in the past, he's been not only highly responsive; but moreover, as transparent as one can be without giving-away specific and detailed trade information - which is understandable; but, not the same thing as failing to reply.

Why not try writing C&D one more time; but this time, in a brand new email, and see if what happens. - Sherm Natman

All of the last batches of the Cherry Jubilee have been fairly dry as well.

 

[Mister Meerschàum]

F

I think that before we can respond, we need to get someone else to confirm that they notice a change as well. I don't entirely discount your post, but forgive me if I don't just take your word at face value. There are more people who smoke aromatics than non-aros, and it would seem like someone else would notice it also.

No one in my family has ever said that aros smell great when I smoke them. And, they've always had a taste like the way a candle smells just after you blow it out.

Fair enough. I only can speak about my experience, those of a few other pipe smokers I’ve met, and those around me. Maybe our experience is unique, so we will see if anyone on here has had a similar one. As I mentioned, the Cherry Jubilee has been pretty dry the last couple times. Not quite papery to the touch, but close.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Since Cherry Jubilee is just sold as a bulk blend, it could be that you're getting your cut from the last of a bag that has been setting open for a long while. Just a thought.

 

[shermnatman]

All of the last batches of the Cherry Jubilee have been fairly dry as well.

? ... I am puzzled as to what this has to do with my suggestion to re-write C&D again with your simply stated question seeking to confirm or deny a change in formula/topping of Cherry Jubilee in a brand-new email.


Let us know if you get a reply; and, if so, what they said.

Thanks. - Sherm Natman

 

[Mister Meerschàum]

? ... I am puzzled as to what this has to do with my suggestion to re-write C&D again with your simply stated question seeking to confirm or deny a change in formula/topping of Cherry Jubilee in a breand-new email.

Let us know if you get a reply; and, if so, what they said.

Thanks. - Sherm

Sorry, it was just a change I noticed. I had asked C&D about it and if I should try to humidify it a little more - ideal moisture levels, etc. I’ll try to email them again. The first email chain probably slipped through the cracks.

 

[MattRVA]

I wonder if there was a tweak to the recipe because of supply chain issues… probably not. Hopefully you’ll figure it out.

 

[fireground_piper]

Since Cherry Jubilee is just sold as a bulk blend, it could be that you're getting your cut from the last of a bag that has been setting open for a long while. Just a thought.

Definitely could be a culprit. I know I would only buy the bags of Mac Baren vanilla from the busiest retailers with the hope that I could get the freshest bags possible, specifically to avoid this problem.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

I can give my pipes a good cleaning and find out. Should I be using anything to clean out the inside of the pipe stem instead of just running a pipe cleaner through?

Tobacco juice and crud can get caked in the area inside the shank (the mortise) where the face of the stem/tenon meets the pipe inside. Use a flashlight and see if brown or black gunk is caked up in that area. That build up can get very nasty and sour. With Meerschaum, you'll need to be extra careful scraping it out. With briar pipes, I use a dull, thin blade to gently scrape out as much crud as possible before I swab with an Everclear soaked Q-tip.