Smoking Tobacco Based on the Season - Yes or No?

[admin]

We often hear of some people that prefer Latakia blends in the winter and Virginia blends in the summer, or something like that. Then there are folks that smoke the same tobacco day in and day out.

A funny thing happened to Master Tobacco Blender G.L. Pease during the change of the seasons. To find out what, check out his March column for PipesMagazine.com at the link below.

FOMO​

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[sablebrush52]

Greg is a very engaging writer and this is one of his best pieces.
As for the seasonality of blend types, it’s never made sense to me, so I always smoke whatever I get a hankering to smoke whenever I get a hankering to smoke it.

 

[Choatecav]

My pipe smoking was so sporadic over the years and since I have begun a regular practice, I have not had enough time to establish a trend or preference. So, I will be very interested in hearing what some of the "veterans" have to say on this.
I do love my Virginia's and my VaPer's, though......

 

[elvishrunes]

I don’t necessarily appreciate being told when and what to smoke, in which pipes, so that answers that. But even from a practical point of view a heavy Lat blend tastes as good to me July 4th, as December 4th. I smoke everything all year, and it’s more about stuff I like, not the seasons. But I get the logic, cold smoky fall, ect

 

[kcghost]

I guess you could say I smoke the same tobaccos year-round: Six Pence, Stone Henge, and an occasional Windjammer and Westchester. I also smoke some C&D's Mad Fiddler Flake and some of Mac Baren's HH Rustica. I have no to reason to change.

 

[sardonicus87]

As someone that only smokes outside, I do have some seasonal preferences, and it's much the same, but not by genre.

Burley for me is mostly fine all year except winter, though it hits better in spring and summer. I've noticed in winter, for some reason all blends seem to be slightly muted for the most part, which doesn't play well to how delicate burley can be. It doesn't take much to blow out the subtle flavor of burley outside of Kentucky/ODF. But the smell of flowers in bloom in spring really complements perfectly what I get from burley (which I know everyone else gets a "chocolatey/nutty" taste, but I always got a delicate floral taste—kind of like how properly brewed coffee can be sweet without added sugar or milk; but to many, coffee is always bitter without added flavoring regardless of type or roast).

Beyond that, it's not about the genre. When it's hot and humid (and it gets very hot and humid here), I do prefer lighter and sweeter blends regardless of whether they're aros, English, burley or VA.

In winter, I know a lot prefer some spicier and breadier VAs, especially near Christmas, but those blends have never been my cup of tea regardless of time of year. But in winter, anything goes except burley.

Spring and fall are prime time for everything regardless of heft, profile or genre.

That's just me though.

 

[Buckeyestime]

I am open to anything at anytime as the mood hits, but I do have a tendency to smoke Latakia more in the colder months just I have the tendency to drink peatier scotch in the same weather.

VA and burley are similar to bourbon - any and all times are open season. Cheers

 

[Lumbridge]

I pretty much smoke whatever I want whenever I want, but when it's hot out, I tend to reach past the heavy latakia-bombs for the Virginias, burleys, and aromatics. No hard and fast rules, though. If I find myself wanting some Pirate Kake in August, then I'll have some.

 

[seabee1999]

I have very few Latakia type blends. Even the ones I do have, I tend to smoke them independent of the weather. I’ll smoke them if I want a more robust smoke. The majority of the blends I do have are VAs and VaPers. So they are enjoyed year round.

 

[burleybreath]

I'll smoke what I want and when I want, by Gawd!!! And let no man stand between me an my whiskey!

 

[Choatecav]

I have very few Latakia type blends. Even the ones I do have, I tend to smoke them independent of the weather. I’ll smoke them if I want a more robust smoke. The majority of the blends I do have are VAs and VaPers. So they are enjoyed year round.

Your tastes seem similar to mine. I think I'll just stay with what I like and to heck with the weather, ha.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I live in a year round mild climate, so no seasonality here.

Edit: I tried to leave a comment, but that page/site doesn't recognize my pipesmagazine credentials. Something to do with WordPress I think.

 

[verporchting]

I just smoke whatever I feel like at the moment. The only exception is something like Sleepy Hollow just calls to me around October or November - maybe like a holiday association or such.

 

[Bbailey324]

I smoke the same cross section of blends year round but I do have seasonal preferences. I lean more towards VaPers in the warmer months but in cooler months default to English blends. Same codger blends year round.

 

[redz]

Pretty much Virginias, vapers, or vaburs all year long. Might go for a straight Virginia early in the morning, vaper or vabur midday, and something with a little latakia at night though.

 

[renfield]

Not by conscious choice but I probably smoke fewer blends with Latakia in the warm months. Eventually I lean more into cigars when it’s too warm and humid to enjoy a pipe.

 

[tmcg81]

I typically smoke whatever I feel like smoking, but in the colder months I do find myself being drawn to English blends slightly more than in the summer. But even in the summertime, sometimes only a bowl of Westminster will do. That's really the only English I smoke year round. Fall, winter, and spring, I smoke a variety of latakia blends.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Very deciduous weather here but no affect on my smoking preferences.

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

Yes. Warm seasons, I reach for more straight virginias and oriental blends. Cold season, I dig into the darker blends - DFK, stoved virgins, dome burkeys. I like a heavier smoke most of the year, but hot days here in the south I prefer a lighter smoke.
VaPers year round though. They have no boundaries in my rotation

 

[proteus]

I've smoked indoors but now since a while I've only smoked outside. Temps down to 28F I've been outside in winter and up to 85F outside with high humidity in the summer. I've smoked 507C in winter and noticed more of the spicy flavors than summer and tried Commonwealth in summer and noticed a much more pronounced smokiness. I've noticed just after a summer rain smoking perique is different experience. I used to be a seasonal smoker but now smoke what suits me when ever. Even found some new combinations of tobacco and weather.