Query on Aromatics Tasting or Smelling Bad

[jravenwood]

Perhaps try ordering it next from a different vendor, if still smells bad then you’ll know for sure.
I’m actually having a same experience with a lane product. My last order from p and c, the leaf smelled completely different like it had gone bad. I have a bit coming from SP so I’ll see what happens!

 

[Mister Meerschàum]

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.

Thanks!

 

[Mister Meerschàum]

Perhaps try ordering it next from a different vendor, if still smells bad then you’ll know for sure.
I’m actually having a same experience with a lane product. My last order from p and c, the leaf smelled completely different like it had gone bad. I have a bit coming from SP so I’ll see what happens!

Let me know if that helps. Lane 1Q is still decent, but it doesn’t taste or smell quite as good as it used to to me either.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

If it were a tin of tobacco, I would be more shocked. But, with bulks, especially if you are only buying a small size, under a pound, I'm not surprised. You have no idea how they store the bags, how long they've been serving out of that bag, or whether the bag has been butted up against a latakia bomb or next to their cat box. I mean, we all hope that they bag was in a humidor or somewhere where the humidity is controlled, and preserved as best as possible. But, it's luck of a draw most times.

 

[Mister Meerschàum]

If it were a tin of tobacco, I would be more shocked. But, with bulks, especially if you are only buying a small size, under a pound, I'm not surprised. You have no idea how they store the bags, how long they've been serving out of that bag, or whether the bag has been butted up against a latakia bomb or next to their cat box. I mean, we all hope that they bag was in a humidor or somewhere where the humidity is controlled, and preserved as best as possible. But, it's luck of a draw most times.

Very true.

 

[wyfbane]

If it were a tin of tobacco, I would be more shocked. But, with bulks, especially if you are only buying a small size, under a pound, I'm not surprised. You have no idea how they store the bags, how long they've been serving out of that bag, or whether the bag has been butted up against a latakia bomb or next to their cat box. I mean, we all hope that they bag was in a humidor or somewhere where the humidity is controlled, and preserved as best as possible. But, it's luck of a draw most times.

+1

 

[mso489]

About 40 years ago, when I first bought a pipe from Tinder Box and mostly smoked their "house blends," which are major blends renamed, I smoked aromatics, and after a while they left a bad after taste and didn't taste or smell that good. I smoked a little less and that helped, but not completely.

At this point, I think you'd do well to try some mild non-aromatic blends, mild burleys or Virginias, in rotation with your aromatics or in place of them for a while. Unless you are nicotine dependent, a vacation from your pipes for a while might help too. Change a few things and see if that brings the enjoyment back around.

 

[kcghost]

Well, as the song says, "Only you...."

 

[didimauw]

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?

This is a good idea. My wife can smell the difference in a dirty pipe actually. I just like using warm water to clean my pipes.

 

[OzPiper]

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.

^^^^ This
Most likely to be crud in the shank, mortise or stem of your pipe than an issue with the tobacco.

Lots of threads on how to deep clean pipes here
Alcohol soaked pipe cleaners and q-tips are the go AFTER you have reamed out all the tars

 

[wernerat]

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.

I guessing you smoke honestly the wrong Aros maybe in eu we are more lucky picking Aros.

 

[Davy]

I have noticed changes in Amphora Full Aroma, Original Blend and Black Cavendish. Tobacco compositions seem to be different as well as the pouch aromas, especially with the BC. To the point I didn't buy them anymore.
I have opened a few pouches of Captain Black (Gold, Royal and Regular) very recently and the pouch aroma and taste are much more subdued. I don't know if it's because the pouches have been sitting for a long time on the shelf or simply because there have been changes brought to the recipes.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

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

Haha, no doubt!

 

[wernerat]

I have noticed changes in Amphora Full Aroma, Original Blend and Black Cavendish. Tobacco compositions seem to be different as well as the pouch aromas, especially with the BC. To the point I didn't buy them anymore.
I have opened a few pouches of Captain Black (Gold, Royal and Regular) very recently and the pouch aroma and taste are much more subdued. I don't know if it's because the pouches have been sitting for a long time on the shelf or simply because there have been changes brought to the recipes.

I don't know if that could be a reason. But also tobacco is a natural plant which will differ from year to year. At least with good vine differes from year to year a bit.
Although that it now tastes awful sounds not as the reason. But again who knows.
Would be interesting if you get an older cellered tobacco of this brand and try it.
It would solve probably a lot regarding the taste.

Also another reason could be that you smoke regularly other tobaccos and the changed again to aros.

I can only say it for cigarettes. I smoke a natural brand called manitou since I got hooked to natural virgina tobaccos of this brand every other cigarettes stink for me and smell awful. People offer other industrial cigarettes and I refuse they are just so chemical to me.

 

[anotherbob]

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?

that was my first guess. It can take a while for it to build up that bad but oh boy when it does.

 

[anotherbob]

I don't know if that could be a reason. But also tobacco is a natural plant which will differ from year to year. At least with good vine differes from year to year a bit.
Although that it now tastes awful sounds not as the reason. But again who knows.
Would be interesting if you get an older cellered tobacco of this brand and try it.
It would solve probably a lot regarding the taste.

Also another reason could be that you smoke regularly other tobaccos and the changed again to aros.

I can only say it for cigarettes. I smoke a natural brand called manitou since I got hooked to natural virgina tobaccos of this brand every other cigarettes stink for me and smell awful. People offer other industrial cigarettes and I refuse they are just so chemical to me.

and then they have to try and blend it so it tastes the same as before. Kind of amazing they can keep things as consistent as they do.

 

[Mister Meerschàum]

I guessing you smoke honestly the wrong Aros maybe in eu we are more lucky picking Aros.

Maybe. These used to be good up until the lockdowns started...

 

[Mister Meerschàum]

I don't know if that could be a reason. But also tobacco is a natural plant which will differ from year to year. At least with good vine differes from year to year a bit.
Although that it now tastes awful sounds not as the reason. But again who knows.
Would be interesting if you get an older cellered tobacco of this brand and try it.
It would solve probably a lot regarding the taste.

Also another reason could be that you smoke regularly other tobaccos and the changed again to aros.

I can only say it for cigarettes. I smoke a natural brand called manitou since I got hooked to natural virgina tobaccos of this brand every other cigarettes stink for me and smell awful. People offer other industrial cigarettes and I refuse they are just so chemical to me.

Could be...I would like to try some of the cellared versions to compare. As far as smoking other versions, I had been pretty much sticking to 2 different cherry ones, Lane 1Q, and RLP6 because the family used to like the smell. I didn’t really start branching out again until these started tasting differently. The one that still tastes and smells just as good as ever is Old Toby.

 

[captpat]

What do you mean by "starting"? I thought that's how they always tasted.

 

[Mister Meerschàum]

Well, I’ve tried thoroughly cleaning my pipes, but the Cherry Jubilee didn’t get any better. I wrote another email to C&D, and just got a response yesterday. Jeremy Reeves said he had been traveling, but will look into it when he gets back.