Strong Virginias

[Sig]

I'm trying to get off of a 17 years old cigarette habit. I get anxiety ridden within hours of not smoking. I find pipe smoking very satisfying as far as premium tobacco taste. but I cannot find one with strong nicotine to calm my addiction. But I'm still searching. I hope someone can suggest something.

I'm not giving you medical advice, but, here is how a friend of mine kicked a 40 year cigarette habit....and it involves pipes.
First of all, this guy smoked 3+ packs of Marlboro Reds for 40 years. From the instant he woke up, until he went to bed. He would also get up at least 2x a night to use the bathroom and have a smoke. His home, his cloths and he smelled of a dirty ashtray...always.
He once left the hospital with a bowel obstruction because he wanted a smoke. Later he returned in an ambulance and ended up on life support for 11 days due to a perforated bowel and sepsis, which caused his liver and kidneys to shut down.....because he wanted a cigarette.
Anyways, he wanted to switch to a pipe, so I gave him some advice.
Like you, he wasn't satisfied with the nicotene amount in pipe tobacco.
He began using Zyn nicotene pouches ONLY while smoking a pipe, about 5x a day. He started on the higher nicotine Zyn, then after a month dropped to the lower nicotine pouches.
After a month of that, he used a pouch with every other pipe.....then every third......
He got down to one Zyn pouch a day and 5-8 pipe loads a day.....which is where he is now. It's been about 9 months without a cigarette.
For him it was lowering the nicotine intake, but not completely shutting it down. He is absolutely convinced his body will not live without SOME nicotine.
This worked for an absolute nicotine monster to get off cigs.
Now if they just made alcohol pouches this dude would be golden. ......not even joking.

 

[Edwoooo]

I'm not giving you medical advice, but, here is how a friend of mine kicked a 40 year cigarette habit....and it involves pipes.
First of all, this guy smoked 3+ packs of Marlboro Reds for 40 years. From the instant he woke up, until he went to bed. He would also get up at least 2x a night to use the bathroom and have a smoke. His home, his cloths and he smelled of a dirty ashtray...always.
He once left the hospital with a bowel obstruction because he wanted a smoke. Later he returned in an ambulance and ended up on life support for 11 days due to a perforated bowel and sepsis, which caused his liver and kidneys to shut down.....because he wanted a cigarette.
Anyways, he wanted to switch to a pipe, so I gave him some advice.
Like you, he wasn't satisfied with the nicotene amount in pipe tobacco.
He began using Zyn nicotene pouches ONLY while smoking a pipe, about 5x a day. He started on the higher nicotine Zyn, then after a month dropped to the lower nicotine pouches.
After a month of that, he used a pouch with every other pipe.....then every third......
He got down to one Zyn pouch a day and 5-8 pipe loads a day.....which is where he is now. It's been about 9 months without a cigarette.
For him it was lowering the nicotine intake, but not completely shutting it down. He is absolutely convinced his body will not live without SOME nicotine.
This worked for an absolute nicotine monster to get off cigs.
Now if they just made alcohol pouches this dude would be golden. ......not even joking.

nice template. I may go the same direction. I used Cigs as anxiety coping means.

 

[camaguey]

I'm trying to get off of a 17 years old cigarette habit. I get anxiety ridden within hours of not smoking. I find pipe smoking very satisfying as far as premium tobacco taste. but I cannot find one with strong nicotine to calm my addiction. But I'm still searching. I hope someone can suggest something.

I understand perfectly for what you are passing trough. Try some strong alkalinic blend based on burley . No flake or cake. Light it and smoke it for about the same time that it takes to consume a cigarette. After some time you want another cigarette and then repeat the procedure. Repeat it as often as cigarettes you are used to smoke. Do not break it from scratch. I mean , you may consume 1 or 2 cigarettes in between (for me worked to have one in the morning). I still have a cigarette in the morning but for the rest of the day i continue with my pipe until night where i smoke an after dinner cigar. After several days you may notice that you did the crossover with no pain and then you may continue smoking your pipe for longer periods of time. It is essential that you smoke your pipe in a proper way (not like a cigarette). It worked for me and for several others that i suggested this method. Ounce you are a pipe smoker you can try other blends like english,vapers,etc. and then you can explore the flake and cakes. Good luck.

 

[larryspencer]

I would try G&H, Dark Birdseye, Virginia/Burley, quite the smoke.

 

[buckaroo]

I'll try the 5 bros. BTW, anyone here has ordered stuff from Cigarstandard.com? wondering if it's legit.

Yeah, legit. Based out here in CA. Good CS too.

 

[Edwoooo]

Yeah, legit. Based out here in CA. Good CS too.

have you visited the place? I think it is legit, but it is so hard finding information on it. anyways, I did get an email back from them, they sound decent.

 

[Edwoooo]

I understand perfectly for what you are passing trough. Try some strong alkalinic blend based on burley . No flake or cake. Light it and smoke it for about the same time that it takes to consume a cigarette. After some time you want another cigarette and then repeat the procedure. Repeat it as often as cigarettes you are used to smoke. Do not break it from scratch. I mean , you may consume 1 or 2 cigarettes in between (for me worked to have one in the morning). I still have a cigarette in the morning but for the rest of the day i continue with my pipe until night where i smoke an after dinner cigar. After several days you may notice that you did the crossover with no pain and then you may continue smoking your pipe for longer periods of time. It is essential that you smoke your pipe in a proper way (not like a cigarette). It worked for me and for several others that i suggested this method. Ounce you are a pipe smoker you can try other blends like english,vapers,etc. and then you can explore the flake and cakes. Good luck.

thanks. I think 5 bros with this method might just be my ticket.

 

[Sobrbiker]

thanks. I think 5 bros with this method might just be my ticket.

As a guy that loves my nic, but is not drawn to most American burley blends of strength, I’ve got to second Five Brothers. It is perfect for the role of a non-extended “not sitting in my smoking robe in the library, enjoying a group 5 pipe for hours” nic fix, especially in a smaller pipe.
GH&Co Dark BirdsEye is stellar in that role as well, and very good as an extended make also-not too expensive in bulk.

 

[hoipolloiglasgow]

Try Peretti’s Royal. It’s very tasty and a medium blend, but it has decent nicotine. A bit more than Nightcap. Never have found Nightcap to be in the strong nicotine range rather a solid medium.

 

[jaytex1969]

There are a few varieties that were cultivated in Africa and Asia that will wallop your head... particularly African Virginias. It is not a brightleaf, like we would call a "Virginia", but it is of that strain. And, there are others, in a category we (pipesmokers) would call Imperial Virginias, referring to those tobaccos cultivated by the British Empire, when they had one.

Forgive the thread drift. (actually, it's what I do!)

Could you expound upon the difference between the African and Imperial labels? I always thought Imperials also encompassed the African stuff. Thanks.

 

[Butter Side Down]

It'll be hard to find much in the English and Balkan vein that matches the nic hit of RY. Mainly because the accepted wisdom is that Latakia and Orientals are just generally much lower in nicotine.

The only thing I can think of in that direction... and this is based entirely on the reviews and not personal experience, so take it for what it's worth... is Sillem's Commodore Flake. From the description, it's something like 50% Latakia and 50% strong dark leaf (ala Irish Flake). If you look on tobacco reviews, more than a few people describe it as quite stout and potent. But with the absence of any Oriental, you'd have to go in knowing it's going to be a different experience than your standard English. I actually have a tin somewhere. Maybe this will be a good excuse to twist it open.

As far as other strong stuff that's tasty in general, there have already been a lot of good options that I can second, like 5 brothers, dark bird's eye, brown rope (and its cousin, brown bogie), and Irish flake.

In addition to well as those, I'll toss out HH Old dark fired and HH Bold Kentucky too.

If you're just looking for THE STRONGEST TOBACCO EVER!!!, then Dark Flake Unscented is about the only thing I've ever tried that's made me feel dizzy enough I thought I should probably sit back down for a while after smoking it. And I smoked unfiltered cigarettes for many years so I have a pretty strong nicotine craving/tolerance.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Forgive the thread drift. (actually, it's what I do!)

Could you expound upon the difference between the African and Imperial labels? I always thought Imperials also encompassed the African stuff. Thanks.



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African Virginia is a dark variety of Virginia,,, now it is debatable whether those are true bright leaf or a flu curable variety or not, technically. But, to my understanding, all of these fall under the Imperial term. But, I'll bet it was an Englishman that came up with that term.

 

[beefeater33]

Get yourself some Mac Barens Rustica….. nicotine aplenty!

 

[Sobrbiker]

African Virginia is a dark variety of Virginia,,, now it is debatable whether those are true bright leaf or a flu curable variety or not, technically. But, to my understanding, all of these fall under the Imperial term. But, I'll bet it was an Englishman that came up with that term.

Regardless, they’re strong and tasty in my opinion!

 

[bullet08]

I don't know. I think Lat blends aren't really going for nic strength. Rather they are going for Lat bomb. There are rather wonderful Lat blends that emphasize the other aspect of the blend without going too easy on Lat. But really haven't seen Lat blend that's known for it's Virginia content.

 

[dingdong]

People say Five Brothers is one of the strongest. And it's pretty cheap.

Yes I agree with this. Too strong for me in fact.

 

[Sobrbiker]

I’ve been playing around with D&R Three Sails. Being a shag Virginia with moderate nic strength, I was hoping it would scratch the same itch the OP seems to be looking to address. Fresh, it’s very dry and can be pretty “zingy” on its own, but I’m having success blending with it and I hear age does it good.

 

[SmokingInTheWind]

I’ve been playing around with D&R Three Sails. Being a shag Virginia with moderate nic strength, I was hoping it would scratch the same itch the OP seems to be looking to address. Fresh, it’s very dry and can be pretty “zingy” on its own, but I’m having success blending with it and I hear age does it good.

I agree on Three Sails. recently bought a couple ounces. I like it straight or with 25% Five Brothers mixed in for extra body and nic hit. My next TAD order will include a pound or two of Three Sails. I also plan on ordering a pound of D&R Ryback to tryout. It is a shag cut, burley, DFK, Virginia blend with a medium nic strength. The shag cuts are so easy to smoke. Not much thought or planning required. Straight from the jar into any pipe and go.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

I agree on Three Sails. recently bought a couple ounces. I like it straight or with 25% Five Brothers mixed in for extra body and nic hit. My next TAD order will include a pound or two of Three Sails. I also plan on ordering a pound of D&R Ryback to tryout. It is a shag cut, burley, DFK, Virginia blend with a medium nic strength. The shag cuts are so easy to smoke. Not much thought or planning required. Straight from the jar into any pipe and go.

Better hurry, I've seen some bad signs about the supply of the remaining D&R bags.

 

[BingBong]

He is absolutely convinced his body will not live without SOME nicotine.

And he is correct. It is vitamin B3. Vitamins are not optional, "vital amines" unabbreviated.