Tobacco Recommendations for a Beginner.

[viera92]

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title ( See Rule 9 )

Hello everyone, in 2013 I tried pipe smoking for the first time and came to this forum asking for some recommendations after having a really BAD time with tongue bite with lane limited 1Q.

After all the recommendations I got, I bought 3 other tobaccos:
1. 4noggings Trout Stream (an aromatic cavendish)
2. Lane limited BCA (again an aromatic cavendish)
3. Lane limited HGL (an "English aromatic" with Cavendish, Burley, Latakia and Virginia)

I quit smoking pipe after that, even after following all the recommendations about drying the tobacco, slow down, pack loosely, tamper less, smoke cooler, etc etc. the tongue bite was HORRIBLE. Not sure why I said otherwise in that post.

I stored those 3 tobaccos in a ziploc bag and then inside a glass container.
3 days ago, I smoked a cigar with some family members and it was very pleasant and thought "maybe I should clean my old pipe and try pipe smoking again".

The next day I cleaned the pipe and got out those tabaccos I had stored, by the way, seems like they were well stored because they seemed fine, not moist but not bone dry and the smell in the bag is wonderful.

So, I packed my pipe with HGL, the "hybrid" or "english aromatic" that is supposed to give less bite... oh boy, since the very first sip when pre-lighting it I got that sensation, and thought "this is going to hurt in 5-10 minutes", and it did.
I also got a very bad ash taste, like when you sip with the pipe off, but probably because I didn't deep clean the pipe and had all those ash tastes absorbed in the wood. I'm already in the process of deep cleaning it in hope that ash taste goes away.

I'm pretty sure is the tobacco and not my technique.
I'm going to give it one last chance and I'm kindly asking for recommendations, I will not buy more than 2 or 3 bulk tobaccos if there's a risk of wasting money.

I'm not actually a regular smoker but considering that I really enjoy cigars like twice a year or so (because its expensive), do you have any recommendations?

I will probably stay away from aromatics.

I also read that probably the Burley is one of the culprits as well, and the 4 tobaccos I've tried have burley (seems like cavendish is a type of burley)
Someone also said Virginias tend to bite as well but according to this doc. http://www.diamantstudios.ca/Tobi/Tongue_Bite.pdf its only because you smoke it to fast (...I hope because a lot of the best selling ones are virginias).

Lastly, I want something that doesn't smells like cigarettes, preferably with a good smell but with a non aromatic that's probably too much to ask.

So,
Any recommendation for a tobacco that I can buy in bulk, online, non aromatic, without burley, preferably good room note and that you can say "this definitely will not give tongue bite".

I'm very sorry for the long post, but I found it useful to give all that information.

 

[ashdigger]

HGL is pretty forgiving. I urge you to watch videos on YouTube about beginning cadence.

If your cadence is off Virginia’s will rip your tongue out of your skull. Just my humble opinion.

Another thing that might help. Is go to a drug store and grab a Dr. Grabow filter pipe or a Cob with filter.

Also, focus on how you light the pipe. Believe it or not too much flame and you’ll burn your tongue pronto.

 

[PipeIT]

One last chance and giving up!

The world of Pipes is not like cigars, there’s a bigger art form to pipes, but it’s not complicated.

Any decent pipe tobacco of any blend you smoke, as long as you light it easily, don’t torch up the entire bowl in one big glowing ember, and ‘Sip’ it slowly and easily won’t bite.

We need to back up the conversation, because of the ‘One last chance’ you mentioned.

1. Why do you want to smoke a pipe?
2. Has there ever been any pipe tobacco you enjoyed?
3. Are you interested in the Hobby of Pipes, the History, Art, etc.?

So if you are into this, take a big breath, step back a little and relax, because if you want to get into pipes, it’s not complicated, it just takes a little effort and practice, with the willingness to go down this road, with such a vast area to explore.

Now you mentioned you smoked a cigar and it was fine, so I’m assuming you don’t have an overly sensitive tongue as the issue.

I say it might be best to share first with everyone these things.

1. What pipes are you smoking from, how old are they, how do you store and dry them out, and do you think you cleaned them ok, how did you clean them?

2. When you light the tobacco, how long do you hold a flame to it?

3. When you take a puff and notice tongue bite, how big of a puff would you explain you are taking? Would it be as much smoke like a cigarette or cigar, you blow out of your mouth?

Hang in there, think about it like learning a craft, a skill, some hobby, it takes sometime to get the hang of things!

P.S. This might look like a lot of work, what I said, it’s not. Smoking a pipe is easy, it just takes practice! ?

 

[viera92]

HGL is pretty forgiving. I urge you to watch videos on YouTube about beginning cadence.

If your cadence is off Virginia’s will rip your tongue out of your skull. Just my humble opinion.

Another thing that might help. Is go to a drug store and grab a Dr. Grabow filter pipe or a Cob with filter.

Also, focus on how you light the pipe. Believe it or not too much flame and you’ll burn your tongue pronto.

I find it hard to believe its a temperature problem, I get the feeling since the very first puff when everything is cooler.

 

[viera92]

One last chance and giving up!

The world of Pipes is not like cigars, there’s a bigger art form to pipes, but it’s not complicated.

Any decent pipe tobacco of any blend you smoke, as long as you light it easily, don’t torch up the entire bowl in one big glowing ember, and ‘Sip’ it slowly and easily won’t bite.

We need to back up the conversation, because of the ‘One last chance’ you mentioned.

1. Why do you want to smoke a pipe?
2. Has there ever been any pipe tobacco you enjoyed?
3. Are you interested in the Hobby or Pipes, the History, Art, etc.?

So if you are into this, take a big breath, step back a little and relax, because if you want to get into pipes, it’s not complicated, it just takes a little effort and practice, with the willingness to go, down this road, with such a vast area to the explore.

Now you mentioned you smoked a cigar and it was fine, so I’m assuming you don’t have an overly sensitive tongue as the issue.

I say it might be best to share first with everyone these things.

1. What pipes are you smoking from?

2. When you light the tobacco, how long do you hold a flame to it?

3. When you take a puff and notice tongue bite, how big of a puff would you explain you are taking? Would it be as much smoke like a cigarette or cigar, you blow out of your mouth?

Hang in there, think about it like learning a craft, a skill, some hobby, it takes sometime to get the hang of things!

First of all thanks. will try to reply to everything.

1. Why do you want to smoke a pipe? Not sure actually, I had this admiration to pipes and cigars since I was a kid, I found the "act" relaxing, maybe not so much with the product itself.
2. Has there ever been any pipe tobacco you enjoyed? No, I've only tried those 4 and can't recall enjoying them, the tongue bite and the ashy taste makes it not so enjoyable.
3. Are you interested in the Hobby or Pipes, the History, Art, etc.? Hobby

1. What pipes are you smoking from? I have only 1 pipe, its an "Omega Dr. Grabow"
2. When you light the tobacco, how long do you hold a flame to it? Like 1 sec per "sip" and then get the flame away, and I do like 3 sips before getting the match off.
3. When you take a puff and notice tongue bite, how big of a puff would you explain you are taking? Would it be as much smoke like a cigarette or cigar, you blow out of your mouth? I try to take little sips, no way near like a cigar, and I don't smoke cigarettes so can't tell about those. Yes I tend to blow out from my mouth, from time to time from the nose.

 

[PipeIT]

@viera92

By the way, Welcome back!

I was editing over my last post, have a look at it now.

 

[ashdigger]

I find it hard to believe its a temperature problem, I get the feeling since the very first puff when everything is cooler.

Steam being driven off isn’t perceptible, until it is.

Seriously watch some YouTube videos. I nearly burned my fave off until I watched videos and went to a real tobacconist and asked help.

You’re not unique in your issue.

 

[PipeIT]

@viera92

Ahh only the 1 Pipe.

You could have a bad pipe, no matter how inexpensive or a expensive, there are pipes that end up not being great smokers.

Your Grabow, might be the culprit here!

Without another pipe to smoke and test from makes it hard to tell.

You really should consider getting another pipe, there are many great pipes for sale that are inexpensive on SmokingPipes.

Be sure to read the article, ‘The Myth of Brand and Maker in Pipesmoking’, by Dr. Fred Hanna.

Myth of Brand and Maker in Pipe Smoking

Here’s an article about him on SmokingPipes.com, he‘s we’ll respected in the pipe world.

Meet Fred Hanna, Doctor of Pipes | Smokingpipes.com

Read our interview with Fred Hanna, Doctor of Pipes and author of Pipe focused books such as <em>The Perfect Smoke</em>.

www.smokingpipes.com

 

[PipeIT]

The forum Edit time ran out, and I forgot to mention.

If you are going to be a pipe smoker, you need a few pipes, just for the fact, to let them rest and dry out for a few days before smoking them again.

Smoking a Briar pipe, it introduces moisture into the pipe, and Briar needs a drying rest time before smoking again.

So if you want to smoke all the time you need a few pipes.

I let my pipes dry for 2-3 days, what I do is smell the inside of the chamber, when it starts to take on a sweeter smell.

A pipe you just smoked, smell the chamber, then set it down, smell it again in 1 day, 2, etc., it will get sweeter smelling, and that is when I smoke it again. To me, this means the Briar has dried/cured out nicely to give a nice smoke again.

 

[jttnk]

Cobs are Great for learning. Great later on too!

 

[viera92]

Firs of all thanks a lot for the fast replies. I need to sleep now but I will consider buying a cob as well to try if the problem is the pipe.

 

[elvishrunes]

I burn a hot hard smoked pipe, and only recall one type of tobacco that gave me bite... Virginia-Perique, although it could have been the brand.

My go to for years was Peterson Old Dublin, a very rounded English blend, that might work. Not sure if it’s available in bulk, but who cares if it’s only to try out.

 

[jpmcwjr]

You sound as if you might be an English blend type of guy. No burleys, restrained VA for most, and the addition of lovely, smokey Latakia.

And it's way simpler than some make it.

 

[Lawyer66]

I find that a slow cadence and a good pack usually seals the deal for an enjoyable smoke.

 

[shermnatman]

I agree that it's good to start with a Grabow or Cob; and I further agree with Ash about starting with a Lane Limited mixture along the lines of HGL; and others, such as 1-Q or RLP-6. They are all quite forgiving to the Beginner, provided you aren't sucking on your stem like a frantic Hoover vacuum cleaner; and none of these Lane Limited mixtures will leave you with the feeling of: "tastes like nothing but hot air which burns my tongue"; which their overly-soaked in PG, commercial drug-store versions/variations may more than likely do to you.

I can't even image how many potential pipe-smokers never made it out of the gate since they didn't begin with a more refined and gentler mixture like those mentioned above; and instead, sadly, simply grabbed something like Captain Black; merely because it was right there in front of them in their local drug store.

I wish you the best in your experiments; and please, for now anyway, stay away from most of the drug store/gas station stuff. - Sherm Natman

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

Whatever you do, make sure you get a G.L. Pease blend with Latakia in it (e.g. Gaslight).
I know HGL has "some" Latakia, but compared to that the Pease blends are an entirely different genre of tobacco.
Depending on how much you like campfires this could turn your opinion around instantly (like Laphroaig does for Scotch).

 

[Thehogfatherpdx]

I’m fairly new to pipe smoking myself and still learning the ins and outs of packing, smoking rhythm, and moisture etc. but I really like potlatch from Seattle pipe club as an easy, plug and play smoke. Its a Balkan mixture with a little bit of everything in it so there’s plenty of depth, and it’s a ribbon cut so it smokes easily. I like smoking it in a new pipe because no matter how well the pipe smokes the tobacco is enjoyable.

As someone else suggested, you pretty much can’t go wrong with anything by GL Pease. his blends are playful and engaging in a way that draws you in and takes you somewhere. They always leave a lasting impression.

 

[jei64822]

I'd recommend carter hall. It's very forgiving. I tried starting with virginia flakes and hated it. Carter Hall let me get the mechanics of pipe smoking down.

 

[tomatamot]

............................................................................................................ and please, for now anyway, stay away from most of the drug store/gas station stuff. - Sherm Natman

???

 

[shermnatman]

... let me get the mechanics of pipe smoking down.

YES! That is the whole key of the thing with new-to-be pipe smokers, to: "get the mechanics of pipe smoking down."; the pipe tobacco itself should not be the stumbling block - or worse, barricade - which stops that goal from being met.

While there are certainly much more flavorful, adventerous, multi-dimensional blends out there; however, I really can't think of anything more forgiving and neutral than Lane Limited 1-Q.

So it is for that reason, and that reason alone, why I think it is a very good choice for the beginner to use as "training wheels" while learning the mechanics of pipe smoking; with very little chance of misadventure - before one embarks on more sophisticated taste adventures. Besides, it's a pretty tasty smoke with very little in the blend to potentially offend the individual palate with. - Sherm Natman