Seems like the other guys have got you pretty well covered, but I would like to add that your distaste for flavored cigars should not lead you to think that you will dislike flavored pipe tobacco! They're two very different worlds.
Sam Gawith Full Virginia
- Thread starter yagger
- Start date
- Status
I was a cigar smoker for 25 plus years and the blend that got me to love pipe tobacco was Escudo. It is sweet and spicy, easily available and a world class blend. I think if you use the cube cut method with the three stage packing method, you will have good results. Read all you can on pipe smoking because there really is a large learning curve compared to cigars.
Agreed!
I started with aromatics and now I find I never smoke them. Carter Hall has never done me wrong but it may not work for you as I have heard the criticism that it tastes like cigarettes. I find that it burns well, tastes nice (a bit sweet), and doesn't bite. There are certainly hundreds of "better" blends but its still good in my book. Oh and its dirt cheap so if its not your thing chuck it.
Unlike some others here, I've found SG Full Virginia Flake to be a fairly easy tobacco to love. For me, it's not "full" at all -- at least, not in the nicotine sense (and I'm fairly sensitive to nicotine) -- and it has never been a "biter." By comparison, I've found it to be a smoother smoke than Rattray's Old Gowrie, which is another excellent Virginia blend. Old Gowrie requires a bit more thought and care when smoking; FVF is simply a sit-back-and-enjoy kind of smoke.
At least that's how it has played out for me. YMMV.
Bob
At least that's how it has played out for me. YMMV.
Bob
Cobs usually smoke better than most any pipe out there. I have several pipes some more expensive than others, but a new mm cob will usually smoke by far better.
That being said you should probably get a good toby for beginners. Some thing mild and well behaved like lane 1q, or half and half. There is an art to it and round 1 is not always pleasant.
That being said you should probably get a good toby for beginners. Some thing mild and well behaved like lane 1q, or half and half. There is an art to it and round 1 is not always pleasant.
Great advice from everyone on this forum as always and welcome to the hobby!
I have personally been given a huge amount of advice from all walks of life on here and I can't be thankful enough so now I will try and give some back!
It's fairly strange, I've never had any problems with FVF, no burn/bite (as others have said, and for me, it's mostly caused by high moisture levels - very common with SG blends)always an easy smoke and stays lit, not to mention it makes a lovely all day smoke.
For me to really enjoy this blend however, it does in my own opinion need a little aging to get a nice sweetness from the tobacco (others love it fresh from the tin though!) I gave it a year (accidently forgot about it) and it really came out to make a lovely pure VA smoke!
I highly recommend you visit tobaccoreviews.com, they have most all tobacco's with thousands of reviews.
It all depends what you want from your hobby the 3 main types of tobacco (although note there are more) Pure Virginias – Virginia tobacco which contains natural sugars making for a slightly sweet smoke, English - smoky, full bodied, can be high in nicotine, leathery, creamy often have depth to them, and lastly Aromatics - Tobacco cased with flavours: Berry, alcohol, menthol, fruits, nuts the list is endless!
More importantly than anything, don't get put off by the challenges you face, constant relights, tongue bite/burn, frustration, tasteless tobacco's, confusion etc.
All of this will improve in time; heck things have changed a huge amount in a year and a half for me!
As you develop your pallet, flavours will just spring up from nowhere randomly while smoking and grace your mouth with flavours you could never pick up before – it’s strange yet immensely satisfying!
PS, If you want to smoke flakes and like the look of Peterson they do a Tankard in smooth or rusticated finish, I have the latter and it smokes FVF like a dream
PS MM corncob's are great I have 6 - one to try Pure Va's, one for trying new VaP's, one for trying new English blends, one for aromatics, one for oriental's and one spare
I have personally been given a huge amount of advice from all walks of life on here and I can't be thankful enough so now I will try and give some back!
It's fairly strange, I've never had any problems with FVF, no burn/bite (as others have said, and for me, it's mostly caused by high moisture levels - very common with SG blends)always an easy smoke and stays lit, not to mention it makes a lovely all day smoke.
For me to really enjoy this blend however, it does in my own opinion need a little aging to get a nice sweetness from the tobacco (others love it fresh from the tin though!) I gave it a year (accidently forgot about it) and it really came out to make a lovely pure VA smoke!
I highly recommend you visit tobaccoreviews.com, they have most all tobacco's with thousands of reviews.
It all depends what you want from your hobby the 3 main types of tobacco (although note there are more) Pure Virginias – Virginia tobacco which contains natural sugars making for a slightly sweet smoke, English - smoky, full bodied, can be high in nicotine, leathery, creamy often have depth to them, and lastly Aromatics - Tobacco cased with flavours: Berry, alcohol, menthol, fruits, nuts the list is endless!
More importantly than anything, don't get put off by the challenges you face, constant relights, tongue bite/burn, frustration, tasteless tobacco's, confusion etc.
All of this will improve in time; heck things have changed a huge amount in a year and a half for me!
As you develop your pallet, flavours will just spring up from nowhere randomly while smoking and grace your mouth with flavours you could never pick up before – it’s strange yet immensely satisfying!
PS, If you want to smoke flakes and like the look of Peterson they do a Tankard in smooth or rusticated finish, I have the latter and it smokes FVF like a dream
PS MM corncob's are great I have 6 - one to try Pure Va's, one for trying new VaP's, one for trying new English blends, one for aromatics, one for oriental's and one spare
- Status