Tasting tobacco

[donperique]

Hi everybody,
I often wonder what people mean when they talk about how they taste tobacco. For me, it's first of all a matter of what I realize with my nose - not so much what can be perceived by mouth. According to my knowledge, there are only a few receptors for the main flavors in the mouth so I'm always a little bit surprised - and confused - when somebody describes a flavor by what he has realized on his tongue.
So is there anybody out here that understand what I mean - or should I better call for the doctor?

 

[spartacus]

Try Retro Haling.
Video for retro hale

 

[willyspiper]

Personally, my ability to "taste" the tobacco just started after 6 months. After buying many different types and blends, I started to discern differences and finally characters like fruitiness, nuttiness, pine, hay, and a host of different flavors among them. Trying a latakia seemed to kick off the senses for me for some reason.
All this DOES involve retro haling as well.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

No, you are totally correct. I remember thinking the same thing in the first days. First, if you are smoking an aromatic, you probably aren't smoking very tasty tobacco. Aromatics, by their name means they are meant to be smelled more than tasted.
Before long one specific person will come along and tell us that we are wrong and he is right on this, ha ha.
But, olfactory and taste buds are linked. Smell compliments our tastes and visa versa. But, it will take time. When you get into Englishes and Virginias, you will have to train your senses to pick up subtle flavors.

Aromatics, are harder, because of the types of tobaccos used and the heavy toppings. You will sense them more through your nose... but all new pipe smokers tend to not be able to smell their own room notes. You will find countless threads in the past on here where we discuss this phenomena.
So, maybe try a non-aromatic, and be patient. You have to train your brain to detect flavors, sort of like how you have to adjust your brain to see those 3D magic Eye posters. But, this will be much easier with non-aros.
Now, you won't immediately have a reference for describing the flavors, because we are talking about smoke, in which we don't have a unique vocabulary for. So, we use other metaphors and similes... Grassy, lemony, earthy, leathery... etc... Like we do with wines. And, of course the tobacco doesn't taste like lemons. But, it is the closest thing we have to communicate the flavors. It takes some brain training, but it will come to you.
However, we do have some members who never taste anything, and they talk about how the reviews are crazy and wines only ever taste like wine. But, I am certain that guys like that just never allow themselves to taste the subtle flavors. Or, maybe their brains are different.
Maybe try reading reviews while smoking the blend, and trying to pick out things other people have tasted. But, some reviewers are insane, so stick to Jim's reviews or Pipestud's.
Just stick with it, and diversify your tobacco selections. It'll come to you.

 

[donperique]

What does "retro haling" mean (sorry, no native speaker) ?
I agree, it takes time to develop a sense for certain flavors - but again: What do you really perceive by mouth?

 

[crashthegrey]

I agree with Cosmic. Smoke many different varieties of tobacco blends, and read others' reviews. Maybe it is mass hysteria, but you'll start to pick out those "flavors" as you go. Over time. I don't care how we are tasting them, whether through the nose, mouth, or some combination of both, all I know is that they are there, and it takes time and experience, development and experimenting, to get there.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Tongue combined with your nose. Try tasting a steak with a clothes pin on your nose, or tasting the differences between an orange and a lime without your nose. It takes both, working together.
Until you get the subtle nuances down, just forget about retro-hailing. IMO. It overwhelms my senses and makes it so that I taste less after the initial retro-hail. But, try it if you want. I'm just not sure how helpful it is in the long run. It will come in handy from time to time though, and it does have value... especially in getting a nic kick. ::

 

[lawdawg]

+1 on what Cosmic and Crash said.
You are 100% correct and there is probably nothing wrong with your taste buds. As I recall it, your taste buds can only taste four "flavors": sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. The nuance is all olfactory. For the sake of comparison, try holding your nose while you eat some sort of food that you really like. It will taste bland.

 

[donperique]

@Cosmic
Thanks for your comment!
I'm smoking for a year now, mainly English Blends. I can determine certain flavors - but only, if I use my nose by 'puffing' out. Without my nose, I would probably taste nothing ...

 

[cosmicfolklore]

If you are enjoying your pipe without tasting things the same way "everyone" else does, then just keep enjoying it for your own pleasures. Besides, not "everyone" does taste things. We get lots of members who will continuously complain that they don't understand this or that being tasted. So, you are not alone.
No one has said that you have to fit the same mold as the Jims or Pipestuds of the world. If you find pleasure in it, then good for you.

 

[donperique]

I know understand what 'retro hailing' means: That's exactly, what I'm already doing all the time

 

[cosmicfolklore]

That's exactly, what I'm already doing all the time

...which could be impairing your ability to taste. I liken it to tasting a pickle by taking a single bite, verses dunking your head in a pickle barrel. Or, a sip of wine for tasting, verses chugging a beerbong full of wine. It overwhelms your senses, but whatever works...

 

[trouttimes]

Cosmic is 100% right. It takes time. For me, there were blends I got nothing out of but when I came back to them years later...wam! There it was. Just like tasting wine, you have to develop or train to fine the underlying taste.

 

[olkofri]

I try to avoid retohaling, as I've sinus problems. It does happen incidentally/accidentally every now and then, though, mostly with cigars but with my pipe as well. With cigars, I don't mind the retrohale as it allows me to 'taste' (more like a mixture of taste and feel) the spiciness of the tobacco. Maybe VaPer blends are s'posed to be retrohaled too... others would know more about this.
Takes a while for the whole taste aparatus to train for tobacco, though. I started with an aromatic (Lane 1-Q), and I could taste nothing for the first month or so. Tongue bite was also getting in the way. Eventually, though, I could finally taste a nuttiness in the blend, in spite of the bite. I knew then I was catching on. Now, I'm one of those weirdos who can taste what an aro smells like.

 

[leafsmoker]

I also retrohale...but I tried something different lately. Instead of clenching pipe regular and letting the middle and back of the tongue taste it, I closed my mouth and had my teeth together and put my pipe tip in front of my teeth and inhaled, and I was able to get another flavor profile I never had before.I think the tip of the tongue brought the sweet notes forward. I do not do it often, but is something to have fun with while smoking. 8O

 

[scloyd]

When I smoke JC Smyrna I taste something floral or incense. I don't know what it is but that is the best way I can describe it and I like it.
I've been smoking now for about 10 months and I struggle everytime with tastes. I'm hoping eventually I'll be able taste more...until then I'm still enjoying the pipe.

 

[denholrl]

Try tasting it as you would taste wine. Smack your lips. Suck in some air. Exhale some through you nose. The key is to expose as many receptors as possible to the smoke and to smoke mindfully, focusing on the pipe and the smoke. Puff slowly. Enjoy!

 

[cajomu]

If you can taste things like bread, cheese, steak, chicken soup, apple pie, etc., there is no reason you can't taste tobacco.
If you find that all blends seem to taste the same, try cleaning your pipes. Nothing interferes with the admittedly delicate tastes of tobacco like oils and tars in your pipe.