The White Goddess and the Black Lord

[Dandy Pipesmoker]

I know, it sounds like the title of a fairy tale or an epic tale. Instead, I want to tell you about a recent discovery of mine: I love the marriage between Meerschaum pipes and Latakia.

For many years I have been looking for the best combinations of my beloved blends with Latakia and my favorite briar pipes. I have tried all shapes and sizes, many different brands and countries of origin and sometimes with good results.
I tried blends of different producers, of different cuts, of different percentages of Latakia and other tobaccos and I thought I had found my way.

Then I started experimenting and appreciating Meerschaum pipes more and more, discovering that the combination with oriental and Latakia blends in Meerschaum is the best for me. I can pick out more nuances and Latakia's heavier blends are more interesting if a little toned down.

I also smoke other tobaccos in Merrschaum but I decided to dedicate a pipe to the classic English blends and one to the darker ones.

I don't know if the same thing has happened to some of you, perhaps with other blends, after years of smoking you discover a new combination more suited to your tastes ...

 

[jttnk]

Oh great, now my mind is spinning, I need a new Meer!

 

[craig61a]

I thought this thread was gonna be about a toilet bowl...

 

[Chasing Embers]

A meerschaum will smoke like that for some time, even muting flavors of some blends. Once the chambers of the start to become more and more saturated with oils and tar from the tobacco, there's not much difference between them and briar.

 

[ofafeather]

Some people have mentioned morta and Latakia in a similar vein though I haven’t tried it.

 

[Dandy Pipesmoker]

A meerschaum will smoke like that for some time, even muting flavors of some blends. Once the chambers of the start to become more and more saturated with oils and tar from the tobacco, there's not much difference between them and briar.

Interesting. Didn't know about that. So you dedicate meerschaum pipes like many do with briars? Is there any tobacco genre that you find worth trying in a Meer? Thanks

 

[Chasing Embers]

Interesting. Didn't know about that. So you dedicate meerschaum pipes like many do with briars? Is there any tobacco genre that you find worth trying in a Meer? Thanks

I primarily smoke Virginias, Virginia/Orientals, straight Orientals, and aromatics. Other than the hand feel of meerschaum, I find that they smoke fairly similar to any other pipe material and have found that technique greatly affects the smoking more than the pipe itself.

 

[pruss]

I actually bought my meer for the purpose of being able to smoke Oriental heavy tobaccos without having them ghost my other pipes. Embers, your comment about Meer muting some flavours is interesting. I may have to acquire a new Meer to try it out. Oh darn… but it’s for science. ?

 

[Chasing Embers]

I may have to acquire a new Meer to try it out. Oh darn… but it’s for science.

Yeah, this was the result of one pipe starting in the summer of 2020.



Other than Weavers and Everetts, I'm limiting future purchases to well carver meerschaum skulls. Contrary to common belief, meerschaum pipe also ghost.

 

[pruss]

It’s true, they do, but that ghost is pretty easy to bust… I’m also not likely to smoke Eileen’s Dream or Cherry Anything in it… so I’m totally fine with residual Oriental #40 cross contaminating whatever comes next.

I only have the one Weaver… ? But I love it.

— PRuss