They Taste the Same

[devilanse]

hello everyone i am a brand new piper here i put myself together my own beginner kit a couple of meershaum corn cobs 1 bent stem and 1 curved to figure out which i liked better and i bought a bag of meershaum great dane,half and half,and cao black. and i cant tell the difference in taste? i have dont alot of reading on the subject i have tried puffing slowly and slower and trying to define a flavor and for the life of me i cant tell the difference, now i do have a custom briar pipe enroute from eric paulson perhaps the pipe makes a difference idk but i will try i also have 3 more samples coming from CI but i cant remember what they are. in my own time i have tried all or most of the things required to enjoy the pipe thing i realize its only been a week or two but i got alot of practice in them two weeks haha any suggestions? glad to be here
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[michaelmirza]

It takes a bit of time to develop the palette for different tastes. I've been smoking since April and I feel like I'm only just now beginning to really be able to appreciate differences in tastes between blends. Give it time, but don't puff too hard trying to find flavor, or you'll burn your time. It'll come. And welcome!

 

[derfargin]

First let me say, welcome to the forums, and welcome to a whole new world of adventure.
Lots of beginning pipe smokers are drawn in by the aromatic blends, the ones you've listed are just that. Aromatics, and the best way to enjoy those(my opinion) is to have a friend come over. Then pack a full bowl of any of those blends, and then hand the pipe over to your friend to smoke while you sit and bask in the lovely aromas of said blend. Remember, a blend that has a vanilla top note, will most likley NOT taste like Vanilla, in the sense of like you would if you were to eat something vanilla flavored.
Buy a few samples of non-aromatic blends. C&D and Hearth and Home varieties have great bulk blends that are inexpensive, and you can buy in 1 oz lots. Look for a Virginia, Perique blend, or an "english" blend that contains latakia. Don't forget a blend that has burley in it as well. C&D has one called Epiphany that has all that I mentioned. I think then you might start to taste tobacco.
Also make sure you don't smoke fast, doing so just heats up the pipe and that causes any tobacco (non-aro's included) to loose flavor.
As for different pipe materials having an effect on tobacco taste, those are subtle ones that you'll pick up as you progress in your pipe smoking. What does contribute more to flavor is the actual bowl shape(interior) conical, or tall narrow, or short and wide bowls. You can put a blend of tobacco in those 3 different shaped bowls, and have a different smoking experience from that one blend. Again, these are going to be small differences but ones you'll be able to pick up as you continue your piping career.
I've really only scratched the surface, and this is what I've picked up by reading on the forums here, and my own experience.
Good luck to you.

 

[jvnshr]

I would suggest use of capitalization and punctuation marks before Kevin edits your post or Warren shoots you. Welcome to the forum.

 

[fordm60]

jvnshr outstanding! Literally laughed out loud!! "or Warren shoots you" :rofl:

 

[admin]

Thanks for being a member and participating.
Thread title fixed.
Please use your Shift key in body text as well.
Please see rule 9 here along with the rest of the forum rules
Thanks!

 

[okiescout]

I would suggest use of capitalization and punctuation marks before Kevin edits your post or Warren shoots you. :rofl:
Hey, that is what keeps it readable.
To the op: Load up a pipe with any blend you want and load another with a different blend. Start smoking one. After it is going well smoke several minutes then set it down and light the other. Switch back at some point. I believe you will find a difference you can taste. It takes time to cultivate your tongue and brain. Many of us are still learning. Pipe smoking is not for the impatient smoker.

Not saying you are, just saying that it is a process. There is much to learn of the art to fine tuning your end of the pipe. I am not trying to make it complicated. I just believe that as long as you are willing to try new tobacco and continue to enjoy the ones you like, and do so at a relaxed pace, you will find that your appreciation of the pipe will grow. Just my 2 cents.

 

[woodsroad]

Question for ya' devilanse: Do you taste the difference between different craft beers?

 

[jpmcwjr]

Yes, welcome to the forum!
I might suggest that the tobaccos you've mentioned are too wet out of the block, and judicious drying before loading will help in taste and easier smoking.

 

[davidintexas]

In my experience it just took time for my tongue to get used to the different tastes of tobaccos. The more often you smoke the quicker this process may take. With me being only a couple of times a week smoker, it took a while. Also, the slower you smoke, (sip, don't puff) the better you will be able to discern different tastes. Welcome to the forums, and be patient with your self

 

[andrew]

The real question is are you enjoying it? If you're enjoying it then don't worry too much. It also takes about 10 bowls to "break in" a corncob, I find new corncobs have a taste that impacts the flavors, so you may be tasting the beginning of the break in process.

 

[nsfisher]

Takes time mate. Stick with er

 

[hawke]

Here are 3 non-aromatic products you should be able to taste a distinct difference in taste between all of them.
Peter Stokkebye Luxury Twist Flake

Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Louisiana Perique Flake

Dunhill Nightcap

 

[rigmedic1]

I am not familiar with all the blends that you have tried, but I can offer this advice: sample one tobacco each morning, first thing, before having a coffee or tea or breakfast. Your best bet is a fresh, clean palate. Rinse with a little fresh water every now and then during the smoke. I would suggest also trying each without the filter as well, unless you already have unfiltered cobs. Make notes. Go slowly and sip. Afterwards, compare the notes and see if you find a few differences. Half and Half and CAO may have some preservatives that are masking the flavors, and you may therefore think they both taste the same. Give your tongue a chance to pick out the differences.

I have found that too many different tobaccos in one day tend to taste the same.

 

[phil67]

Just keep at it and you'll eventually be able to discern some difference in taste. Most newbies start out with aromatics which, in my opinion, is a big mistake. They damn well smell good in the tin and have a nice room note, but they NEVER transfer the same taste as to what you smell. That, and aside from the fact, is that many of them are adulterated with syrupy crap which makes it even much more difficult for someone new to smoking a pipe to be able to keep it lit.

perhaps the pipe makes a difference

No it doesn't, except with certain tobacco's i.e. flakes, plugs etc., but not so much to do with taste but that's further down the road for you. I'm not going to give any suggestions on what to smoke as I think it's foolish other than to suggest that you try and stay away from all of the touted and sickly candy flavored aromatic tobacco's. All smell... no taste. Other than that, and as others have stated, it would be much appreciated if you took the time to use proper capitalization and punctuation as it makes it much easier for all of us to read. Other than that... welcome to the site! :wink:

 

[jruthledge]

Welcome. Some others have mentioned it, but I'll also say that I think the blends you've got there might be fairly similar and a little tougher to tell apart for a new pipe smoker, and that something with latakia would probably provide a stronger contrast. Dunhill Nightcap is definitely a classic in this category. If you tried some of that along side what you've got, especially with Okiescout's suggestion of actually trying them out at the same time, I bet you'd taste a difference right away.

 

[devilanse]

Well thanks for the info. Do i have to be politically correct here? Because i am not. If my penmanship is a problem, i guess ill have to keep quiet here as i am afraid after time yalls ears may start to bleed. Again thanks for the info

 

[jpmcwjr]

PC? Nah. But jest plain cussin' for the sake of it ain't appreciated. OTOH, writing in a clear manner is gentlemanly, and using normal English grammar is almost required, but punctuation and capitalization is mandated. So, stick around and write down your musings!

 

[mortonbriar]

Do i have to be politically correct here?

Only as correct as a politician. Or did you mean hair? in which case you may have been trumped.
As for the puffing and flavor tasting, give it time, your cobs will be fine once you get into the swing of it all, maybe in the meantime just puff through one pouch/tin until its finished, that way you wont have to worry about comparisons in the short term...
Isaac

 

[devilanse]

Thanks.