Smoking Half a Bowl and Finishing it Later

[OldWill]

We used to have a member and moderator, Lawrence, who was also lived near me that used to save his dottles and smoke them latter. Apparently Sherlock Holmes was famous for doing this, but also many other pipesmokers of old. It's not just a matter of being thrifty, but the dottle is stoved tobacco, so it is sweeter and more flavorful... according to these guys.
Me? Well, I am not a fan of getting all smelly by handling smelly ashtray smelling dottle, and I have hundreds of pounds of tobaccos at my beck and call. But, my hats are off to those connoisseurs of such.

I save Virginia dottles and resmoke them occasionally. I find them enjoyable. I find this does not work at all with heavy aros.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I find this does not work at all with heavy aros.

I was really just talking about the real pipe tobaccos.

 

[Peter - CCB]

I do it every day There’s too many times I have to put a pipe down for 15 minutes or 3 hours. It’s not like cIgars at all. I’ve got a ton of tobacco too so it’s not a conserving thing. Just no need to repack imo

 

[GabrielSTB]

I usually don’t do it on purpose. Sometimes I’ll get busy halfway through a bowl and return to it later. Sometimes it’s become worse, sometimes it hasn’t changed at all. There is one blend, however, that always tastes better to me after a rest halfway through.

Captain Earle’s Ten Russians smoked partially before going to sleep then finishing the remainder the next morning is a magical experience. The heavy latakia content seems to keep the blend from souring and additionally all the other components begin to shine. It’s been a while since I’ve done this I’ll have to try it again soon.

 

[OSOBUCO]

all the time esp if a bowl is giving me fits wrt # of relights. The next day is is often more cooperative presumably due to dryness

 

[Epip Oc'Cabot]

I will enjoy a second half of a bowl when it happens. I do not do this consistently…… much of the time I complete a bowl when I start. But if I do not, and it rests for a while…. I tend to enjoy the second 1/2 because to me it has its own different, nuanced flavors that are usually enjoyable and interesting. So, for me it is not something I purposefully seek to do, but it does occur and is enjoyable to me.

However, if for some reason, YOU do not like it, there is no harm or foul in knocking out the half spent bowlful and reloading with fresh…. if that is your preference.

 

[Scottishgaucho]

I very rarely smoke a full bowl at 'one sitting' as I've either got other things to do or have satisfied my need half way through. I don't have a problem returning to finish it even if it's the next day. I can't say it tastes better or worse no matter the blend.

 

[marconi]

I do this with Virginia blends when I load a large bowl of FVF I plan to smoke it in two halves, the second half always seems sweeter.This I find is true with some English,Balkan blends.

 

[FLDRD]

I tend to enjoy the last part of the smoke the best, doesn't matter if it's in one sitting or even a different day. Seems most of the flavors have married and concentrated in the best fashion.

The first 1/5 or 1/4 is always "off" compared to what I get further along.

 

[Puffaluffaguss]

Before I start my workday I load a bowl and smoke it till I get to my first stop. Then I set it down for a few dozen stops pick it up and light it again. I can say some blends like G.H Louisiana Flake is really good for that. But an English blend like C&D engine 99 not so much kinda gets a bit harsh. If I do this at home I scratch off the first layer of ash until I see some fresh tobacco. Not all the way to clean tobacco, jut to where there is no white ash. Then that bowl becomes something great but you gotta remove the white ash before you light up that seconed half.

 

[NC TX ID pipeman]

If i smoke during the day I plan to smoke the whole bowl...90% of the time if anything comes up for me to do it have to wait...I just do not like leaving my pipe unfinished...Its like you do not leave your morning coffee and come back to it later..No way..

 

[Franco Pipenbeans]

We used to have a member and moderator, Lawrence, who was also lived near me that used to save his dottles and smoke them latter. Apparently Sherlock Holmes was famous for doing this, but also many other pipesmokers of old. It's not just a matter of being thrifty, but the dottle is stoved tobacco, so it is sweeter and more flavorful... according to these guys.
Me? Well, I am not a fan of getting all smelly by handling smelly ashtray smelling dottle, and I have hundreds of pounds of tobaccos at my beck and call. But, my hats are off to those connoisseurs of such.

I’ve known aged family members do similar with Woodbines, Park Drive and other filterless cigarettes. I always used to think that was a grim way to smoke but each to their own.

 

[AJL67]

I’ve known aged family members do similar with Woodbines, Park Drive and other filterless cigarettes. I always used to think that was a grim way to smoke but each to their own.

Yes but with cigarettes, i smoked for more decades than i car to count and that just seems like smoking cigarette butts out of an ashtray at a party when it’s 3am and everyone is out of smokes, can’t say i had fond memories of a wonderful smoking experience in those cases, filtered or no. ?

 

[dcicero]

Title edited for caps. Rule 9. -jpm

... do any of you guys do this?

I seem to remember many years ago, someone online suggesting that the second half of the bowl is far superior to the first, especially if left for a few hours.

To me it just seems a bit more sour and not as nice. But maybe that's just in my head.

What do you think?

Depends on the blend for me. Like St Bruno, no way. But I've had good luck with others.

 

[Franco Pipenbeans]

Yes but with cigarettes, i smoked for more decades than i car to count and that just seems like smoking cigarette butts out of an ashtray at a party when it’s 3am and everyone is out of smokes, can’t say i had fond memories of a wonderful smoking experience in those cases, filtered or no. ?

Agreed. It’s probably why I don’t smoke down to the bottom of the bowl; surely nothing good can be down there?
Each to their own though.

 

[marconi]

With some blends mainly Virginia I smoke half a bowl and leave the rest for later always tastes sweeter IMO.FVF is one example.Can work with English blends EMP, doesn't work with Burley blends in my experience they tend to taste bitter.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Agreed. It’s probably why I don’t smoke down to the bottom of the bowl; surely nothing good can be down there?

Can be?? In my experience, most times there's just fine to very good "down there"! You have to load dry and smoke dry.

And there are other reasons to smoke it down to near the heel unrelated to immediate pleasure; see up thread.

 

[Honkytonk Man]

Like many of the guys who already responded, I end up doing it out of necessity, rather than wanting to. Last evening, having got home from work, I packed a bowl in my ODA 840, probably smoked half the bowl before calling quits. The weather had turned worse (rainy season here just now) and I was finding no pleasure sitting outside, although somewhat sheltered, getting wet and blown around (which ain't good for the pipe anyway).
I re-lit the bowl this morning, and no issues with taste or otherwise. Smoking Escudo, BTW.
And for the meteorologically inclined, it's still raining and windy as hell!

 

[crashthegrey]

As stated, this is a form of DGT. While some love it, some of us just do not enjoy it. I've done it out of forgetfulness or just not wanting to waste some treasured tobacco that I just forgot about when I had to get up and do something. While it does vary by tobacco and not every experience has been completely awful, in general I am not a fan.

 

[OldCaptainTheo]

When I'm working in the mornings I usually first light a bowl at 07:00 and I'm smoking it on and off until 17:00. I found no ill effects, on the contrary. I mostly smoke Virginias. With Latakia I found the occasional acrid note, but nothing that will ruin a bowl.