First, my disclaimer: I’m about to disclose a personal habit that may be unconscionable to others. But it is something I do after packing every bowl, and I am curious to know if others do it as well. For context, we have the well-established tin note and room note, and I posit that we have a thumb note after packing a pipe. The thumb note describes the scent and taste of the thumb that protects the freshly packed bowl before the false light (or char). For example, I fill my bowl at my second-floor study and then carry the pipe to my ground-floor smoking spot; in transit, while protecting the bowl with my thumb and carrying my pipe to my smoking area, my thumb absorbs the scent and flavor of the freshly packed bowl; I find great pleasure in sniffing the amora and tasting the raw flavor of the tobacco I’m about to smoke. My peers often chide me, “you’re an old man that still sucks his thumb." Still, I counter this observation with just another “sense” to increase the enjoyment of the tobacco I’ve selected for the smoke...thumb note helps to internalize my smoking experience. Another example: It's hot today; the temperature is 102 degrees. I chose the Presbyterian mix to smoke, staying clear of my Latakia heavy mixtures (saved for cooler temperatures). I pack my pipe, leaving a meniscus in the bowl while anticipating a full bloom at first light. The thumb note is part of the continuum towards a full-flavored smoke...before the char light, I sniff and suck my thumb, enhancing my smoking experience. So, the question is, am I just an old-man thumb sucker, or is the thumb part of the pipe-smoking experience? Or better said, is their evaluative value when packing a pipe for a smoke?
