Recent Memorable Smokes

[hoosierpipeguy]

I enjoy just about every bowl I smoke. Occasionally though, there's one that stands out for whatever reason; timing, occasion, food/drink, company, etc.. I also think there are simply times when your palate is more friendly towards tobacco. Yesterday morning I smoked a bowl of HH Pure Virginia that was simply superb. 3 years old, I acquired it in a recent trade. I actually nuked it for 12 seconds which usually seems to take a bit away. The tobacco was quite dry after the microwave and loaded easily. Loaded it into an IMP Meer. Sweet, sweet and smooth!

Last night I loaded up a bowl of McClelland 40th Anniversary in an Alden. This ton is about 80% gone, been open 6 months and it's perfectly dry. Oh my. A second succulent bowl the same day. This bowl took around two hours to complete. Once I got it going, it burned well enough too require minimal flights. Burned to a fine Ash which is a bit unusual for thick McClelland Virginia Flakes. Made me want to cry for not buying 100 tins while I had the chance.

Two incredible bowls in the same day, very, very unusual.

 

[Charlie718]

That Alden is a great looking pipe. I have a tin of HH Pure Virginia I haven’t tried yet, after reading this I think tomorrow night I will try it.

 

[dcon]

That HH Pure VA just keeps getting better and better. I had a bowl of 2020 Cringle Flake this morning and there is no such thing as a bad bowl of that.

 

[fireground_piper]

The HH Pure Virginia is so good, I need to keep putting more of it away.

A month or so ago I had my first bowl of Union Square as I was trying to find just a very clean VA to stock up on that's available alongside HH Pure Virginia. It was a perfect smoke, both flavor and mechanics and ended up being exactly what I was looking for. I currently have 2 pounds of it because of that and it's on the to buy list for more.

 

[kcghost]

You can't beat 40th Anniversary in an Alden pipe!

 

[briarbuck]

Like the Alden a lot. Reminds me of Rads work.

 

[bullet08]

Whenever sun's shining, tobacco tastes great. About two weeks ago, packed Peterson House Pipe with Balkan Supreme. Not sure what it was, but the smoke was heavenly.

 

[F4RM3R]

Not a bowl in particular, but I recently made a whole leaf blend that was a stoved plug with red Virginia, prelip oriental and perique and it really hit the spot. I was getting a bit tired of the Kentucky heavy blends which are my staple and this was a nice change of pace, especially with the warmer weather. I'll be cooking up alot of more of that va or per style.

 

[Charlie718]

Oops wrong thread, that’ll teach me to post and work at the same time lol.

 

[Ahi Ka]

For some reason, it’s either the change of season, maybe the new tooth paste I’m using, or just having more smoking time under my belt, but every smoke this last month is just kicking arse. I’m getting flavour out of Latakia, dfk and Virginia forward blends that I never knew was there.

Last week I had one of those special smokes sitting under a tree hiding from the light drizzle. It was some 1792 in a cob. First time the blend has really clicked for me. Once the bowl had finished I looked a couple of times to double check there was no tobacco left.

 

[Grangerous]

Earlier tonight, on a whim, I took half of a Peterson University Flake, rubbed it out well and mixed it 50/50 with Granger and loaded up. Clenched it unlit for a while to enjoy and get a sense of the flavors. Most enjoyable combination. I took the other half of the flake, repeated the above and have another loaded and ready for tomorrow.

I generally parfait my tobaccos; bottom half Granger, something else to try on top when I’m in that mood. I rarely experiment with mixing blends. I’d rather experience each blend alone. But that was nice ?

 

[Servant King]

The sample of Stonehaven I christened my just-acquired Savinelli Miele 611 KS Dublin with was pretty freakin' fantastic. Dried it out very briefly, about 10-15 mins., and...just heaven. I like Virginia/Burleys most during spring and autumn, so the change of season thing that @Ahi Ka mentioned is certainly noticeable on my end. But I'm not going down the Esoterica road, by any stretch (famous last words?). Drew Estate Gatsby Luxury Flake is on deck for tomorrow's bowl, and I think it'll be just as stellar. Hoping, anyway...

 

[Sincerely]

Rubbed out half a Byronic Slice in a custom made Bing from a nice older gent from Canada, let it rest in the cigar humidor overnight and the next day it might as well have been a Christmas Cheer -- deep, dark, stewy fruits.

Enjoyed it in the front yard with some church family who were planning out our new front yard community garden and between the smoke and the sunset and the little kids and dogs running around -- that's the good life my friends.

 

[craig61a]

 

[Ahi Ka]

Not a bowl in particular, but I recently made a whole leaf blend that was a stoved plug with red Virginia, prelip oriental and perique and it really hit the spot. I was getting a bit tired of the Kentucky heavy blends which are my staple and this was a nice change of pace, especially with the warmer weather. I'll be cooking up alot of more of that va or per style.

What was your recipe? I have all of those components sitting here

 

[verporchting]

Just finished a bowl of F&T Cut Virginia Plug in a Comoy Canadian that just couldn’t have been any better. I just sat relaxing in my chair, sipping a Pilsner and doing nothing much at all. I suppose I relit the pipe a time or two but I didn’t really pay much attention. When I hit the end it was just ashes and I was a bit surprised how long I’d been sitting there spaced out and daydreaming. Enchanting. If I had tried I don’t think it could’ve been any more pleasant, but I suppose the fact that I wasn’t even paying attention was the primary factor in such a relaxing experience.

 

[GCW]

Had a memorable smoke with a discontinued blend recently:


(not my photo)

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I was packing stuff up for the move and ran across a small jar of 2013 St James Flake that stuck to my palm. Popped the lid and loaded up a Goussard after nuking it for 11 seconds. I was pleasantly surprised with how the perique had transformed from in your face peppery to a very pleasant spicy fruity flavored. A third memorable bowl in two days, I'm a happy man right now.

 

[brian64]

I also think there are simply times when your palate is more friendly towards tobacco.

This is what I seem to notice that makes the difference more often than it being due to the pipe or the blend. Sometimes related to what I've had to eat or drink, and sometimes not sure what it is...but there are those stand-out smokes...and they are quite wonderful.

 

[beezer]

I had some time to relax earlier in the week and fired up a bowl of MacBaren ODF flake that I bought back in 2013. My regular smoking spot is my screened in sun room off the back deck. With the sun rising and the birds chirping away on three sides of me it was a wonderful hour of peace and quiet from what was otherwise a busy week.

The aged ODF is one of my favorites. The rough edges (to me) have smoothed out and it has retained the stoutness in the Vitamin N while mellowing some. Top 3 morning blends for me.