Tobacco Recommendations?

[fumarillo]

Howdy. Although I've enjoyed pipe smoking on and off for about 20 years I was never quite educated about it. Now that I'm making the switch over from cigarettes to the pipe for good, I'm looking for some recommendations about which tobaccos to experiment with.
My daily smoke is Peterson Irish Oak, partly because it does possess a cigaretty flavour and is heavy on the nicotine. I smoke it in a smaller sized pipe so I can get more bowls in during the day. Not every day I smoke an aromatic like Ashton Rainy Day, but I don't have much of a sweet tooth.
I'd appreciate some recommendations for something similar to Irish Oak but maybe just a tad bit milder in the N department but still with a cigary/cigaretty vibe.
I'm not too clear on the nomenclature yet. I think the blends that fall into this category are considered Va/Per? Since I haven't tried any straight unblended tobacco I don't fully know the difference between burley, virginia etc.
I am fairly certain that one thing I do not fancy at all is latakia - my only experience with it so far has been Frog Morton which I found absolutely unpalatable to my taste - felt like ketchup and bbq sauce to me. Is this considered an English blend? If so, I can't handle that taste. But some of the Irish or Scottish blends is right up my alley.
Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[igloo]

Try Bayou Morning or Old Joe Krantz these two should be up your alley .

 

[cortezattic]

Some blends that I think would serve the cigarette-to-pipe transition are:

(None of these are aromatics, or particularly sweet, however...)

• 
  
  Prince Albert
  
  Ashton's Gold Rush
  
  JF Germain's Royal Jersey Perique Mixture
  
  Daughters & Ryan's Rimboché SJ
  
  John Patton's Quadruple Virginia, and Cool Hand Fluke (from 4noggins' bulk section)
  
  C&D's Haunted Bookshop (a milder version of the OJK that Igloo mentioned)
  
  GL Pease's Cumberland

In the left hand column of this page you'll find links to reputable site sponsors, for your convenience.

Outwest Tobacco will put together 1 oz. packages of their bulk blends -- very convenient; and

PipesAndCigars.com has a do-it-yourself sampler option for some of their bulk offerings.

 

[lordnoble]

That ketchup/BBQ business you mention is more of a McClelland thing than an English thing.
-Jason

 

[marmal4de]

That ketchup/BBQ business you mention is more of a McClelland thing than an English thing.

I love how Mcclelland virginias smell like ketchup!

 

[cortezattic]

Marmal4de must have been my smoking guru in a previous life. ::

Lot's of people hate that tang; I enjoy it.

 

[marmal4de]

Cortez, we do seem to have similar tastes, are you sure you weren't my smoking guru?

 

[fumarillo]

Thanks for the tips. I'm smoking a bent Savinelli that I fancy which I packed with Gold Rush as we speak. Nice in the evening but still a little too aromatic for what I'm looking for in that middle of the road category.
What's a good "English" blend for a noob that doesn't reek of the ketchup flavour that some fancy but which is anathema to some (yours truly).

 

[marmal4de]

Try Dunhill's Early Morning Pipe, there is latakia present, but not in the forefront of the flavour (for me anyways).

 

[lagavulin92]

Welcome in the forum fumarillo!
I think you are one the right track with VaPer when you want a transition.

At least those tobaccos are used in more premium cigs.
I'd recommend you Rattray's Hal O The Wynd. It's rather strong but it burns so slowly that it makes a medium-strength impression. Put it in a sqatter pipe chamber and you'll be very happy. It contains fire-cured Kentucky, so I guess that will even more imitate cig smoke, but in a pleasant way. Latakia is smoky, too, but not like the smoke you are used to.
Oh, and don't hate cig smokers once you are past your cigarette chapter even though you know better. Ex-smoking h8ters are threatening our lovely pastime.

 

[twss]

I really think haddo's delight is something you would like. That, or jack knife plug.

 

[schmitzbitz]

VaPers really do hit the spot when I'm craving a cigarette; lately I've really been enjoying Dunhill Navy Deluxe rolls. If you can get over the ketchup smell (note: not ketchup flavour!), I would also highly recommend trying some McClellands Tudor Castle, the Orientals really take it to the next level.
As Marm said, EMP is damn tasty too - it was my transition blend from aros and basic OTC burleys to the wonderful world of orientals and latakia containing blends.

 

[fumarillo]

Wow! Thanks for all the awesome tips. And no, I won't be hating on the cigarette smokers by any means, I think I can even allow myself one every few days or so just to remind me of how distasteful it is compared to the briar - but I'm definitely a let and let live bloke, and and the anti smoking thing is really out of control IMO.
Hit up a couple of tobacconists in my neck of the woods to look if they had some of the suggestions - slim picking in re to the recommendations. The two within a decent distance mostly make their business from either pot paraphernilia and/or hookah stuff for the Middle Eastern and Armenian communities. Luckily one shop will be getting some Dunhill tins in sometime in the future but I'll be doing most of my shopping online. The bloke at one of the shops did recommend "Treasures of Ireland" Limerick flake which I picked up and just smoked one bowl of. Fabulous! Not exactly what I was searching for but somehow close. It said straight Virginia flake but definitely had some kind of casing I can't put my finger on and a bit of perique. Then they had house blends they called English 1, English 2, 3, etc which smelled like A-!, HP, Heinz, etc. Who knows, maybe I'll develop a taste for that stuff one day. But thanks again for the great suggestions. I still don't fully know the difference between Latakia and Perique but I think the latter is what I fancy over the former.

 

[abecox]

To me C&D Good Morning tastes like a really classy cigarette, but thats just me.

 

[krgulick]

I would suggest stogie by pipesandcigars.com for the "cigary" type blend. They also have some other blends that you may want to sample. They are very customer friendly as well.

 

[miltiades]

I will appreciate some recommedations for an aromatic blend consisting of burlay ,Virginia ,cavendish (fruit flavors and dark chocolate).

Thanks in advance

 

[marmal4de]

I will appreciate some recommedations for an aromatic blend consisting of burlay ,Virginia ,cavendish (fruit flavors and dark chocolate).

I just ordered sone baccy 'Epiphany' by C&D.It has burley, virginias, lightly cased cavendish (I have heard plum, or cherry), with sprinkles of perique, and latakia to taste.

 

[pauls]

Try the Dunhill Early Morning a searlier recommended, it is my primary choice of smoke and is a mild, tasty finish.

 

[viceroy]

not a big English tobacco smoker but Shortcut to Mushrooms from Justforhim is amazing

 

[marmal4de]

Shortcut to Mushrooms

I need to try this.