So What's the Deal With Captain Black
- Thread starter zonomo
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Not to mention all those college profs and students! I took up the pipe because, in those ancient of days (1968), it was part of being a "college man" in my eyes. And Campbell's in East Lansing opened my senses to blends that you couldn't find in drug stores. I wish I had kept a log, and tried more blends. Names long gone were in that store - State Express, John Cotton, Four Square - Dunhill blends that are now gone,like Ye Olde Signe - and I am sure there were others. But my budget was pretty tight, which meant 1 tin at a time, and if I found something I liked, I smoked a bunch of it.
So based on your financial constraints at the time Jud, did that make you not a "real" pipe smoker because you only smoked cheaper tobaccos? I hate being called a noob and talked down to because I might like a certain blend. And if some of the stats are correct and 80% of pipe smokers smoke aromatics does that mean that you "hobbyists" who wouldn't sully themselves by smoking an aro or an OTC aren't really pipe smokers? Maybe you should all just call yourselfs pipe hobbyists instead and leave us poor uneducated masses to enjoy ourselves to our pipe smoking.
LOL Mike, that's pretty much how I handled it in High School too! I preferred to punch them. Agreed there are snobs in every walk of life, also reverse snobs as well. If you prefer cobs, good on ya! If you want to spend $3000 on a hand made artisan pipe, good on ya! To each their own, but don't you dare try to tell me I'm not a "real" pipe smoker because I'm new and I smoke the occasional aro or OTC. I take my pipes pretty seriously and love the relaxing nature of them, as far as I'm concerned I'm a pipe smoker (albeit a new one).
I think of a hobbyist as someone who enjoys something, spends time and money on it. I think of a Serious person as someone who not only does those things, but also is interested in many aspects of said hobby, such as its history, how its made, societal issues, learning everything they possibly can about something, etc. By my definition, I am a BMW Hobbyist but a Serious Pipe smoker. I've watch more dang videos on pipe making, tobacco harvesting. Watched a ton of reviews on tobaccos that I don't even think I'll ever try. I just dig pipes and happen to dig aros.
I'm with you Zonomo! I've never spent as much time researching something as I have with my pipes, I love the rich history. And I too love me some good aros!!!
What's wrong with being a noob? I don't consider that an insult,or anything to be ashamed of. We all were, once. I made a joke (did you see the smiley?), teasing Zo a bit because is new to the pipe. Lots of guys start with aros and then move away from them.
I started with drugstore aros, and moved to Sail and Troost. At some point - don't remember when - I was in Campbell's, smoking Balkan Sobranie Original and Presbyterian Mixture and State Express London, and others I don't remember. I was not a hobbyist, but I was a more experienced pipe smoker,whose tastes had changed.
I have said, in this forum, many times: "Smoke the best tobacco you can afford, in the best pipes you can afford." If all you can afford is a Dr. Grabow and Carter Hall, then smoke and enjoy. If you wanna smoke aros, then smoke the best ones you can afford. Buy some McClelland or Peterson or whatever. Captain Black and Borkum Riff and other such blends are not good tobacco. You like 'em, that's fine. But they still are crap.
I started with drugstore aros, and moved to Sail and Troost. At some point - don't remember when - I was in Campbell's, smoking Balkan Sobranie Original and Presbyterian Mixture and State Express London, and others I don't remember. I was not a hobbyist, but I was a more experienced pipe smoker,whose tastes had changed.
I have said, in this forum, many times: "Smoke the best tobacco you can afford, in the best pipes you can afford." If all you can afford is a Dr. Grabow and Carter Hall, then smoke and enjoy. If you wanna smoke aros, then smoke the best ones you can afford. Buy some McClelland or Peterson or whatever. Captain Black and Borkum Riff and other such blends are not good tobacco. You like 'em, that's fine. But they still are crap.
I started out, back in the day, on the Cap'n. I loved CBW, but hated Gold, Royal, and Cherry. Nowadays I'm mainly a committed English blend smoker, but I can still smoke, and enjoy, CBW. Everyone likes different things.
Being a man means enjoying what you like and not giving a damn what anyone else thinks about it! XD
Being a man means enjoying what you like and not giving a damn what anyone else thinks about it! XD
I smoke the captain black gold every now and then...it's kinda like diet pepsi for me, sometimes I just crave the tang of aspartame in my drink. Usually the craving goes away after a bowl or two and the jar gets thrown back in the cellar. I've had the same jar of captain black for a year now and maybe smoke a bowl or two every two or three months, thus far it's held up pretty well, which is good because when I crave it nothing else will do, and when I don't it burns like the fires of Mordor to smoke it :lol:
So after a drugstore search in vain and the very kind offer from a few nice folks here, I decided to just order some. BTW, Kevin's review sealed it for me. Seemed fair and balanced. Given that I have some awesome tobaccos, it will probably be my "Car Tobacco" or when I have non-anti-hate-monger-kill.all.the.smoker.types in the room.
Funnily enough, it was Campbell's in East Lansing that sold me my first pipe and tobacco in 1996. When I tried to buy the pouch of Balkan Sobranie, the counter man recommended one of the "Christmas" aromatics lined up on the wall. Fine memories of a fine store. But definitely sold me the tongue burner
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