Struggling With Dunhill's Early Morning Pipe
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Interesting, I find EMP a bit too light and bland. Nightcap is too stiff. So, I mix them at 50% and it is wonderful (like my other favorite, MM965, less the Black Cavendish).
It's the bright va's, it's not like other va's, it's got a real punch to it. I'd say try a 50 gram tin, I knew what to expect so I just got a half pound the first time and then loved it so much I got a pound the next time.
You may want to try Dunhill's London Mixture which is a little more interesting than EMP. London Mixture is a combination of Virginia, a little latakia and Turkish tobaccos. The latakia is not dominant and the Virginia and Turkish really shin through the blend.
I'm not a big latakia lover so EMP is a nice move towards English blends for me. I've also had MacBaren's Plumcake which I find to be similar to EMP but with a rum casing that makes it just a little different.
Why fight it? Pipe smoking is supposed to be a pleasure, not an ordeal. There are so many blends to choose from. And you
aren't being supervised and graded on how strong a blend you must enjoy. Many find Frog Morton Original a pleasing but
milder smoke. There are dozens of refined non-aromatic blends to choose from, and even more aromatics, many of them
mild and not over-flavored. I'd start with the premise that you don't smoke anything that isn't enjoyable and appealing.
From time to time, venture out into something that might be a little more challenging, and see how it goes. If it is harsh,
age it and/or mix it to tune it down. This is one area in life, as in few others, where your being pleased and happy is the
whole point. If you aren't, don't proceed with that tobacco.
aren't being supervised and graded on how strong a blend you must enjoy. Many find Frog Morton Original a pleasing but
milder smoke. There are dozens of refined non-aromatic blends to choose from, and even more aromatics, many of them
mild and not over-flavored. I'd start with the premise that you don't smoke anything that isn't enjoyable and appealing.
From time to time, venture out into something that might be a little more challenging, and see how it goes. If it is harsh,
age it and/or mix it to tune it down. This is one area in life, as in few others, where your being pleased and happy is the
whole point. If you aren't, don't proceed with that tobacco.
EMP is harsh to me. Almost like cigarettes and it has somewhat of an ashtray taste. I never connected with it. :?
Like Andrew, I'm the minority that finds EMP robust. And this coming from a full-fledged nicotine addict (history of RYO, day-time dipper, etc). Though I mean "robust" as a compliment. It's not a regular blend for me as I prefer other styles. But I would never turn down EMP. The advice to jar it and come back in 6 mos to a year is solid.
As the experts have said, better a bit dry. I enjoy the blend, but do not find it to be terribly mild.
I like it on the moist side, drier makes it even stronger, it's like with el ricon de la pipa #1, I don't like it dry, but with moisture it adds a smoothness with lemony flavours. It's like with EMP for me, it's got way less punch when it's at the right moisture and brings out the flavours better. The first time I tried EMP it was a tin the tobacconist had opened, like a big tin that must of had good age on it because it hadn't sold for so long, so it had age, it was too strong for me to try and buy it again, I tried it again after 3 years of pipe smoking and loved the sharpness of it. You shouldn't try to learn to enjoy certain blends with the amount of blends out there you could love at first puff. Don't try to "get it". It's like with scotch, there's some single malts people will love or hate, doesn't matter the age or quality.
I recently tried this blend again, this time a bit on the dry side. I must say, it was much better. I also found that smoking it not just slow, but extremely slow was also key. The floral bitterness was still there for me. However, there was that wood-like flavor pitchfork described and I found myself focusing on that particular profile. And like many have said, EMP is a one-trick-pony. But overall, much more enjoyable.
The reason I'm persistent with this blend is because of its history; I make no apologies for that. It is important for me as a pipe enthusiast to work with a blend even if it is more difficult to appreciate, and especially if the blend has a storied history. That moment of enjoyment I had with this blend the other day was worth going through that "harsh" initial experience. I'm learning to refine my approach and I being rewarded for my persistence. It like this, if a golfer found a particular course challenging, say Augusta, should he pack up his clubs and never return to that course, or should he keep going for that green jacket?
The reason I'm persistent with this blend is because of its history; I make no apologies for that. It is important for me as a pipe enthusiast to work with a blend even if it is more difficult to appreciate, and especially if the blend has a storied history. That moment of enjoyment I had with this blend the other day was worth going through that "harsh" initial experience. I'm learning to refine my approach and I being rewarded for my persistence. It like this, if a golfer found a particular course challenging, say Augusta, should he pack up his clubs and never return to that course, or should he keep going for that green jacket?
I haven't tried EMP yet, but I do have some Hearth & Home "Daybreak", which was intended to replicate EMP's characteristics and flavor - and I like it a lot. I've been comparing and contrasting other Latakia/English blends in order to distinguish the subtleties, and Daybreak is on the lighter end, just as EMP is described (as well as Frog Morton, which I've just recently tried) - perhaps it is the perceived lack of Latakia flavor that is causing your negative initial reaction.
As for the question of whether to pack it in or keep trying, it depends greatly on one's goals. If your goal is to find a blend that you enjoy, then by all means pack it in if something just doesn't work for you after a tin or two, and try something else. Life's too short to spend a lot of time being miserable on purpose. :D
On the other hand, if your goal is to understand a particular blend (even if it's one you don't personally like that much), then perseverance through the initial adversity is a good thing. I don't particularly enjoy hip-hop or rap music, but I have learned to appreciate its place in modern popular culture, and I know enough about its history to understand why it sounds the way it does. And now that I've done that, I can get back to my beloved 1970's hardcore punk... :D
As for the question of whether to pack it in or keep trying, it depends greatly on one's goals. If your goal is to find a blend that you enjoy, then by all means pack it in if something just doesn't work for you after a tin or two, and try something else. Life's too short to spend a lot of time being miserable on purpose. :D
On the other hand, if your goal is to understand a particular blend (even if it's one you don't personally like that much), then perseverance through the initial adversity is a good thing. I don't particularly enjoy hip-hop or rap music, but I have learned to appreciate its place in modern popular culture, and I know enough about its history to understand why it sounds the way it does. And now that I've done that, I can get back to my beloved 1970's hardcore punk... :D
Smoking slowly seems to do the trick. I'm getting some wonderful flavors. A very enjoyable blend! Thanks for the help, guys!
Sam
Sam
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