Question For Everyone New And Old.

[judcole]

I can't imagine being a one blend guy. I enjoy exploring different tastes.
That being said, I don't think I have to try everything. Maybe part of that is because I am not looking for that One Blend I can smoke to the exclusion of all others. To each his own.

 

[saltedplug]

At one point, when I was trying to be a purist and had 70 pipes, I really tried to dedicate pipes, which to me was a very pure practice. I even had two or three multi-pipe groups dedicated to a single blend so that I could always smoke dedicated rested pipes even if I was smoking the same blend across multiple days. Then I "quit" and sold everything, and then six months later started again and bought it all back. Somewhere in these transitions I stopped dedicating. I really couldn't taste much carryover unless I had been smoking latakia.

 

[boston]

Starting out, a person new to pipes and tobacco will likely benefit from many blends to choose from. Over time they will find the ones that are best for their personal preference. I tried many blends, cellared many tins of blends that I thought at the time were the best, only to discover later some blends I prefer even more. Now I can reference a smaller group of blends I find reliable and well suited to my personal preference, and would be happy to live with. Perhaps it's like other things where we spend years exploring and then find what suits us best.

 

[BROBS]

I have a huge cellar of stuff I like, stuff I thought I'd like, and stuff I haven't even tried yet.

 

[cshubhra]

I have 100+ blends in my cellar and I have smoked 50+ blends. Now it is starting to converge, but it will be a lot of further trial an error, before everything falls into place.

My first (and only convergence) is in the Balkan category. I like Smokers Haven Exotique, Smokers Haven Our Best Blend, Margate and Blackhouse. However, only one smoke of Arango Balkan Supreme made me understand that I am getting almost similar tobacco at a cheap bulk price. This made me cellar deep in the Balkan area with Arango Balkan Supreme, supported by Smokers Haven, Margate and Blackhouse tins, and a few others with excellent reviews which I have not tried yet.

The second story (also in the English/Balkan category is of divergence. Based on my early smoking experiences I loved Nightcap and London Mixture. However I smoked them so long ago, I am not completely sure my taste has converged in that area. I will get reacquainted with them at some point in the future and hopefully those pieces would fall into place again.

I am still trying to converge in the Va / VaPer genre. While Reiner Long Golden Flake is the current favorite, I don’t think I am ready to converge yet.

Burley is new to me, and I like burley whenever I am looking for a simple smoke, without a flavor overload. Lots of Burley I am trying now, and waiting to be tasted

Finally ... Lakelands and Aromatics. I initially did not like aromatics, and will never like most of them. However, I enjoy Lakelands occasionally and I have been relooking at some Aromatics with a Burley base. Lakelands offer fantastic change of pace, and I am liking some burley forward aromatics occasionally.

Maybe another 100 tobacco tastings and everything will fall into place.

 

[krizzose]

I enjoy the variety, and I have dozens of jarred open tins of various blends. I still find it exciting to try a new blend occasionally. However, I bet 75% of my bowls are of the same 5 or 6 blends

 

[anotherbob]

thanks everyone. I find these little minutiae of pipe smoking very interesting. Funny thing is how well I got my answer. Basically it sounds like people love variety in general but would still love the pipe with less choice.

 

[weezell]

At one point, when I was trying to be a purist and had 70 pipes, I really tried to dedicate pipes, which to me was a very pure practice. I even had two or three multi-pipe groups dedicated to a single blend so that I could always smoke dedicated rested pipes even if I was smoking the same blend across multiple days. Then I "quit" and sold everything, and then six months later started again and bought it all back. Somewhere in these transitions I stopped dedicating. I really couldn't taste much carryover unless I had been smoking latakia.

So I take it your back Brother??...

 

[saltedplug]

Yes, I am, but if I can't behave or if being here becomes a reason to resume smoking,, I'll leave, again. I've been on pipe forums since 2002, and it's hard habit to put down.

 

[weezell]

Stay strong, I always liked your input...(Well, most the time)...

 

[jpmcwjr]

I enjoy the variety, and I have dozens of jarred open tins of various blends. I still find it exciting to try a new blend occasionally. However, I bet 75% of my bowls are of the same 5 or 6 blends

About the same here. I'd be content if instead of thousands of blends, we had just 47 of the best blends being made currently. (47 is THE answer.)

 

[gervais]

I have not tried a fraction of the blends out there, but I know I enjoy Va's, and the occasional English. I really like the "pureness" of a good Virginia.

 

[kurtbob]

I will smoke damn near anything once. Have 5 or so going at any one time but there are always 2 the same, War horse Bar and Hal O’The Wynd.

 

[olkofri]

Up to this point, in my ~28 months of smoking, I have never restocked or reordered any given blend.

 

[Jef]

I have two different blends that I smoke and enjoy. However I usually get an ounce of something different to try. You just never know when you may discover another favorite.
Jef

 

[olkofri]

Actually, what I said earlier might not be entirely accurate. I did buy another tin of Warhorse Green from a fellow piper, and two tins of aged Nightcap from him too after I had purchased one from 4noggins (or was it before?). I made all these re-purchases before I had actually tried said blends for the first time; so kind of a grey area in terms of re-stocking: I didn't buy more because I liked them, but because I love the tin art on Nightcap and the tin note of Warhorse. Neither blend is a favourite: in my 28 months I've had only two mini-bowls of Nightcap and one of Warhorse Green. Yeah, if you ask me, I wasn't restocking.

 

[J.Henry845]

I am at a point where I know what I like, and can be perfectly OK with a limited selection of blends. I have been restocking and cellaring the same 12-15 blends for the last couple of years with only an occasional deviation.

I find there are many blends within the same genre that scratch the same itch.

It is also immensely satisfying when you get familiar with a blend to the point where packing/smoking that blend just right on a consistent basis becomes second nature.

 

[Sitka]

I haven't been smoking a pipe for long and at first I was amazed at the variety of blends available. I like to order every month and always try something new. Getting into Burley now.

I have found some tobacco I don't want to do without. Arango Balkan Supreme, H&H Old Dark Fired, Presbyterian, Chelsea Morning, Gaslight, Luxury Bullseye Flake and Engine #99 for now. Plan on stocking up on some Navy Flake as well.

I don't think I would like smoking just one blend. Sometimes I want a smoky Balkan with a dram. Other times I want some Golden Sliced with some Bourbon. I always want some Chelsea Morning with my coffee though.

 

[blackpowderpiper]

I have certain tobaccos that I consider essential and really enjoy the variety of blends that are currently available. However, I enjoy the taste of tobacco and with few exceptions, if a tobacco blend is comprised of quality components, and does not offend my senses, I can learn to enjoy most anything. I imagine if we were suddenly thrust into a world where the only tobaccos available were a couple of blends being sold at the local grocery, or some dark fired being hand rolled out of some farmers barn, most would likely learn to adapt. I'm pretty sure I would.

 

[mso489]

Between the rise of artisan blending and online retail, we are in a golden age of pipe tobacco. I don't think there has been anything quite like this, even at some royal court. I'm enjoying it. If the vast variety diminishes somewhat, I think most of us would adapt, although it might subdue our interest somewhat. Life is like that; go with the flow.