Rotation?

[rupertus]

Hello all,
Just restarted smoking pipes again after 20 yr absence and found this great site. Question on a "rotation" that I see in tobacco reviews. How many tobaccos are usually in a "rotation" of tobacco? >5 or obviously as many as you want? I keep the tobacco, mostly aromatics, in baggies from P+C or in tins. Mason jars recommended if supply lasts less than 3 mos? Lastly, suggestions for tobacco, not perfumey aromatic, but nutty and somewhat sweet, not with latakia or perique. Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

HELLLLLLO!
I don't have a tobacco rotation. I have a couple dozen blends open in jars at any given time and I smoke what I want when I want. Generally, I smoke Virginias early and Latakia late, but as far as what blends I smoke on rainy days or Mondays or leap days... No plan.
I'll leave the recommendations to others.

 

[Chasing Embers]

As many as you want my friend. I keep all of my tobacco in unopened tins or jars after opening. Cornell & Diehl's Pegasus sounds like a non aromatic you would enjoy. Welcome to the forum!

 

[dottiewarden]

Lastly, suggestions for tobacco, not perfumey aromatic, but nutty and somewhat sweet, not with latakia or perique.

Golden Extra by Mac Baren.
This is a Burley forward blend, not too sweet, with a nutty flavor!
Welcome aboard rupertus.

 

[pagan]

As many as you want, I like many blends and have several open tins that I select from as I feel the "urge" or "craving", want something different, open another blend

 

[rupertus]

Thanks a lot for your replies. Appreciate the thoughts. I am trying real hard to enjoy VaPer, trying a McCelland mix right now. Also am trying Russ Oellette Fiddlesticks but find it very tough, tastes a bit like bandaids. There has got to something I am missing with the latakia blends...Anyway, thanks again, guys!
Chris

 

[pipesmokingtom]

I am trying real hard to enjoy VaPer

That's part of the problem with Virginias, I've found over the years. Trying too hard makes you miss what makes them good.
Slow and steady wins the race, don't expect to be overwhelmed with flavor, and don't try and make them something they are not.
As far as the Latakia goes, maybe try and pick up a blend with Syrian Latakia, like a HH Vintage Syrian or something. You might just not like Latakia, and that's OK. Plenty of people don't.

 

[agnosticpipe]

Welcome! Like others have said, keep as many as you want opened and jarred up to smoke. I probably have too many open, 60+, but I like variety. Some I smoke and find I don't care for, so I just leave it jarred up and come back a year or so later and try again. Sometimes it still is something not to my liking so I'll just give it away. Others I smoke and I go WOW, why haven't I been smoking this? It's all fun and games and an enjoyable pastime, so do whatever you like.
Blends I personally like that you might like are found at "Just for Him", an online seller under that name that carries some of their own blends that have small amounts of latakia in them but are a little sweet and still taste like tobacco. Try Shortcut to Mushrooms, or Whiskey Biscuit Gravy, they're a nice smoke in spite of the crazy names.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

Whiskey Biscuit Gravy sounds like a great Southern rock band that may have opened for Skynyrd back in the day or something.

 

[dottiewarden]

Sweet Home Alabama

 

[warren]

Rotating blends? Sounds like something written by a purveyor of blends. I usually have two to four blends open and pick whatever strikes my interest. Might be a tin or pouch of something in the truck or camera bag. I smoke what's available and at hand. If I get into a rut I like, a tin won't last me more than a day.

 

[dottiewarden]

If I get into a rut I like, a tin won't last me more than a day.

I smoke an average of six 50 gram tins per year!

 

[rupertus]

I guess expectations get in the way. I will take VaPers and latakias as they are and try some different ones. Thanks for the Just for Him suggestion. Sounds interesting.

 

[mso489]

Welcome. Since you're just getting back to a pipe, I think four or five blends as a rotation would be pleasant. You can burrow through just one blend at a time, but most of us don't. After a while, you may find you accumulate a surprising (inordinate?) number of blends, sealed tins, opened tins, jars, etc. I have a number of full strength blends on hand, mostly non-aromatic. But there are plenty of pleasing, tobacco forward aromatics that I find good. Lately, Royal Yacht; you may want to wait a while before sampling that. Also, on the mild side, I find Iwan Ries Three Star Blue, a real old time blend, tasty, and a recent blend from from PC/Russ O. Log Cabin's good, even if not aromatic -- mild and an American classic Va/Bur/Cavendish.

 

[rupertus]

Great suggestions. I will give those a try and keep sampling! There is a lot out there. Seems like so much more than years back!

 

[mackeson]

Sometimes I only rotate through 4 or 5 for a couple weeks. Other times, like now, I actively smoke over a dozen differnt blends in a week.

 

[tinsel]

I smoke an average of six 50 gram tins per year!

I envy your bank account, sir :D
Hard to say how many tins a week/month I smoke since I smoke a lot of bulk tobacco as well, but I'd say I'm not too far behind Warren. I'd estimate I average about an ounce or a little under an ounce per day. Some days less, some more.

 

[shutterbugg]

The only type of blends I can see justifies having more than one are aros, as there are so many different sauces. I admit to having 4 aros on hand currently, although 2 are rarely smoked and won't be repurchased.
Otherwise I need only one English (Nightcap), one Scottish (Aperitif) and one non-Aro (DNR). And no Lakelands, cause, well those are just gross. Although my SG Chocolate Flake has a whiff of it from being in the same building.