Something To Consider

[verporchting]

Decades ago I only had about six pipes. The local newsstand had a dozen blends, most of which I liked just fine, although I usually smoked 2-3 more often than the others. My normal routine was to buy an ounce or two and smoke just that until gone.

Years passed and I somehow accumulated a massive cellar with a wide variety and purely ridiculous number of lovely pipes. I smoked anything that took my fancy in any pipe that seemed like what would be enjoyable at the moment.

Works for me.

Recently I’ve been smoking one or two pipes with a single blend for a week or two more or less exclusively.

Also works for me.

What I’ve found is that I’m enjoying this change up and learning more about the flavors and the individual personalities of both the pipes and the tobaccos.

It’s been interesting and it reminds me of simpler times. Don’t know how long it will continue but so far I’m enjoying the experience.

Don’t think I’ll ever become a one blend guy - or even one genre - but I’m pretty pleased with this and it’s rather forcing me to get to know my pipes in a good way. I feel good about that.

Just a random musing as I enjoy a couple Savinelli pipes and an open tin of OGS today. Next week it’ll be something different but I’ll decide what combination then.

Anyone else do this? Might be a worthwhile endeavor if you are so inclined. Or not.

Hope you all are keeping it smokey.

(Damn, I miss Sante and Weezell and many other forum friends who are no longer with us.)

 

[FLDRD]

I enjoy going through phases. I can become enthralled with a blend but that never lasts. If I push too much of a good thing - it fades fast or rebels and I have to change it up. But I do like when I find something I can repeat for several days. Otherwise, variety is my thing.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Anyone else do this?

I usually only smoke two pipes and Engine 382. The unusual times are when I smoke something else.

 

[OzPiper]

Far, far too many pipes for one who only smokes on the weekends
I have over 60 different blends open.
Variety is the spice of my life

I have enjoyed the few times when I've smoked the same blend in 2 different pipes end to end.
Brought home the differences (or similarities) between those pipes
I should experiment more

 

[huntertrw]

verporchting:

It seems that you have discovered something that Henry David Thoreau gave voice to long ago. In Walden he wrote, in part:

"...Our life is frittered away by detail. An honest man has hardly need to count more than his ten fingers, or in extreme cases he may add his ten toes, and lump the rest. Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million, count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb nail. In the midst of this chopping sea of civilized life, such are the clouds and storms and quicksands and thousand-and-one items to be allowed for, that a man has to live, if he would not founder and go to the bottom and not make his port at all, by dead reckoning, and he must be a great calculator indeed who succeeds. Simplify, simplify. Instead of three meals a day, if it be necessary eat but one; instead of a hundred dishes, five; and reduce other things in proportion..."

Sage advice, say I.

 

[bullet08]

Simple things are good. But I prefer complex blends. At the same time, I don't like smoking complex blends back to back. So, without meaning to, things get complex all by themselves.

 

[anotherbob]

Decades ago I only had about six pipes. The local newsstand had a dozen blends, most of which I liked just fine, although I usually smoked 2-3 more often than the others. My normal routine was to buy an ounce or two and smoke just that until gone.

Years passed and I somehow accumulated a massive cellar with a wide variety and purely ridiculous number of lovely pipes. I smoked anything that took my fancy in any pipe that seemed like what would be enjoyable at the moment.

Works for me.

Recently I’ve been smoking one or two pipes with a single blend for a week or two more or less exclusively.

Also works for me.

What I’ve found is that I’m enjoying this change up and learning more about the flavors and the individual personalities of both the pipes and the tobaccos.

It’s been interesting and it reminds me of simpler times. Don’t know how long it will continue but so far I’m enjoying the experience.

Don’t think I’ll ever become a one blend guy - or even one genre - but I’m pretty pleased with this and it’s rather forcing me to get to know my pipes in a good way. I feel good about that.

Just a random musing as I enjoy a couple Savinelli pipes and an open tin of OGS today. Next week it’ll be something different but I’ll decide what combination then.

Anyone else do this? Might be a worthwhile endeavor if you are so inclined. Or not.

Hope you all are keeping it smokey.

(Damn, I miss Sante and Weezell and many other forum friends who are no longer with us.)

I feel like chasing all the different blends out there is a fools errand. So many blends don't shine until you get to know them and get used to smoking them. I honestly get more suprised wow this stuff is great from the standard regular rotation then I do from something I have never had before.

 

[AJL67]

I smoke one or two tobaccos a week, maybe 10 days, usually a VA and a VaPer. This mixed in with a cigar now and then, a nice mild to medium cigar really brings out the notes in the pipe tobacco to me.

 

[Sobrbiker]

The only thing consistent with me is my inconsistency, but I’m new to all this…

 

[Peter Turbo]

I really need to stick to one blend until its gone or I’ll never get through what I have. Around 250 blends in jars, the variety is nice but also can be annoying at times searching for what I’m in the mood for. I really need to sell some off.

 

[elvishrunes]

I own maybe 30 pipes, but only smoke 4 right now, and one of those mostly for the last 6 months, but I have more pipes to buy that is for sure. And I usually hit 2-3 blends at once until there is just one bowl left in the jar, one scrap to hold onto I guess. Also better stuff comes in I like more.

 

[Oddball]

now that I am 75% over my FOMO on blends and pipe shapes, this works pretty well for me. I have enough blends to have variety for a while. I do sometimes wish I could pinpoint the ones that really work for me and stick to buying them, but collecting is part of the fun.

 

[kcghost]

I keep the four or five blends on hand at all times and smoke then in the five or six pipes are my current favorites. I have about fifty pipes around to choose from. It is a lot easier keeping the cellar full that rather than having to keep track of a fifty or so blends. But if it works for you then it works for me.

 

[PA Piper Mike]

I find it tough to stick with 1 blend. Mostly because I don't have a whole lot of free time. So when I can smoke, I usually sneak them in here and there. For those smokes, I don't like smoking anything elaborate, give me Chatham Manor, Haunted Bookshop, Pegasus, or a simple areo. When I have the time to sit back and relax, that's when I'll bust out 1 of the 50+ more complex blends and savor.

As for pipes, I have close to 50 pipes now and I smoke about 5-7 of them constantly, 10 of them occasionally and the rest on rare occasions.

When all the kids are out of the house or when I retire, I might be more inclined to give that idea a go.

 

[LeafErikson]

I only smoke a handful of pipes and a handful of blends. I have a pipe rack with 10 spots and (excluding a few cobs not on the rack) if my rack is full I don't get any new pipes. I've lost, broken, thrown away, sold, or given away a few pipes over the years that I've replaced but I try not to have more than 12-15 pipes including cobs. I only smoke a handful of simple burley/virginia based blends. I keep it very simple. I think the only aro I smoke is SWR aromatic which doesn't ghost too bad.

 

[LeafErikson]

I honestly get more suprised wow this stuff is great from the standard regular rotation then I do from something I have never had before.

Very true. Also tobacco is farmed and components change over time as they run out. Pegasus purchased in 2018 might not have the same crop of virginias used as the 2023 batch. Even your favorite blends will likely change slightly year to year.

 

[Egg Shen]

verporchting:

It seems that you have discovered something that Henry David Thoreau gave voice to long ago. In Walden he wrote, in part:

"...Our life is frittered away by detail. An honest man has hardly need to count more than his ten fingers, or in extreme cases he may add his ten toes, and lump the rest. Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million, count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb nail. In the midst of this chopping sea of civilized life, such are the clouds and storms and quicksands and thousand-and-one items to be allowed for, that a man has to live, if he would not founder and go to the bottom and not make his port at all, by dead reckoning, and he must be a great calculator indeed who succeeds. Simplify, simplify. Instead of three meals a day, if it be necessary eat but one; instead of a hundred dishes, five; and reduce other things in proportion..."

Sage advice, say I.

Brevity was not his strength

 

[anotherbob]

Very true. Also tobacco is farmed and components change over time as they run out. Pegasus purchased in 2018 might not have the same crop of virginias used as the 2023 batch. Even your favorite blends will likely change slightly year to year.

Mass commercialism encourage consistency over quality. Which is understandable but it's still nice to have products that have that natural quality of variations.

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

I smoke VaPers daily, and usually a straight VA in the morning. My "change up bowl" is usually my night cap. That's when I dig up a cased blend, Burley or something out of the norm for me.
Pipes? I have many pipes but really only smoke ~8 of them consistently. This is decided by on what kind of blend and desired length of smoke. I don't tend to smoke a large variety of pipes, more so a variety of tobaccos.

 

[anotherbob]

I have to add that I do need the occasional shake up. Every couple of months I need to smoke something I have not had before or not had in a long time. Weirdly it kind of refreshes the palate and then the regulars are just great again. And yes that tin will be the majority of what I smoke for the next week and some change. Almost doesn't matter what it is. Just something exotic to me.