Tongue Fatigue

[damacene]

Hello everyone

I've been smoking a pipe and lurking these forums off and on a little over a decade. I recently decided to take the occasional pipe up a few levels and have been smoking daily. I've been smoking a lot of C&D burleys as of late but today decided to sample a few different types of blends. I started today with a mild Lane Aromatic then moved on to the new limited batch C&D Balkan(fantastic smoke) midday then late afternoon smoked a bowl of my beloved Old Joe Krantz and a few hours later decided to cap off the evening with some GL Pease Quiet Nights. All was well until I couldn't sleep and thought I'd sneak out for a pipe of one of my favorite blends Mcconnell's Original Oriental. I literally couldn't taste anything. Granted it's a subtle blend but I questioned if I had the rona...no flavor at all. Did I just burn out my tastebuds with too much variety or is there no going back after smoking an intense blend prior to a more mild one? I used a different pipe for each blend except for the two in the beginning of the day. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[jndyer]

Likely just tongue fatigue. I have had this happen to me, especially if I have a later afternoon/evening strong tobacco and then later have something quite a bit lighter. I should add that this typically is on a day that I have had 2-3 more pipefuls more than I typically enjoy.

One more thought, since you were sneaking in one last bowl after bedtime, it is possible that you were rushing your final smoked a bit hot.

 

[TheWhale13]

Just don't smoke so much.

 

[AJL67]

I find this happens and sometimes it’s just planning out the bowls, heavy days of smoking i start mild and build the rotation in strength as i go. At cigar herfs with 50 friends I’ll smoke or try a dozen sticks in a day, learned to plan better, nothing worse than bring in your 7th cigar and someone hands you a 1492 or something stupid and not being able to taste it because your tastebuds are fried.

 

[AJL67]

I should also say when i drink coffee sometimes with a pipe the acidity messes with my tongue and tastes, not as big a problem with cigars but with a pipe it can make a huge difference, tea doesn’t have that affect so at some point i switch to a nice hot cup of Irish Breakfast tea.

 

[Nicolasylvain]

Dont smoke pipes daily if its not proving to be such a wonderful experience

Or maybe you can do it more regularly but with filters

Perhaps have a cigar or snuff or nothing, instead, do some pipe maintenance on your off days

Enjoy the pipe more on the days you do pick it up for a smoke

Whatever works for you, everyones different

 

[blackpowderpiper]

You may need to build up slowly. Perhaps a bowl or maybe two a day, or one bowl every other day. If you haven't been smoking a pipe regularly, sometimes it takes a few days to condition your tongue and allow your palate to adjust to the new flavors.

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

Another thought is to plan your smokes like a wine or beer flight, from lightest/sweetest to strongest.

With alcohol, you typically start with champagne or whites and move down the line to dark reds or porters. With beer, it's lagers to stouts or the hoppy IPA's last.

For tobacco, I tend to start with an aromatic or sweet/light Virginia and work may way through to Irish Flake or Latakia (if in the mood), with an occasional cigarette to jump start the heart.

Of course there are no rules, but this helps with tounge fatigue or leather tounge.

 

[damacene]

Just don't smoke so much.

probably more truth here than I'd like to admit

 

[damacene]

I should also say when i drink coffee sometimes with a pipe the acidity messes with my tongue and tastes, not as big a problem with cigars but with a pipe it can make a huge difference, tea doesn’t have that affect so at some point i switch to a nice hot cup of Irish Breakfast tea.

That makes a lot of sense. I was mainly drinking cold brew durring the day but had a citrusy wheat beer later in the night.

 

[damacene]

Another thought is to plan your smokes like a wine or beer flight, from lightest/sweetest to strongest.

With alcohol, you typically start with champagne or whites and move down the line to dark reds or porters. With beer, it's lagers to stouts or the hoppy IPA's last.

For tobacco, I tend to start with an aromatic or sweet/light Virginia and work may way through to Irish Flake or Latakia (if in the mood), with an occasional cigarette to jump start the heart.

Of course there are no rules, but this helps with tounge fatigue or leather tounge.

I'm thinking you're probably right on this. What's funny is I can smoke burley irregardless of strength all day and not have any problems. It's starting to make sense why those old codger blends advertised themselves as "mellow all day smokes that never bite". Once I have a bowl of latakia there's no going back for the rest of the day.

 

[kcghost]

Sometimes the old taste buds just tell you enough is enough. Smoke less or smoke slower are reasonable solutions to your problem.

 

[Honkytonk Man]

A little too much in a day?

 

[sparker69]

Another thought is to plan your smokes like a wine or beer flight, from lightest/sweetest to strongest.

With alcohol, you typically start with champagne or whites and move down the line to dark reds or porters. With beer, it's lagers to stouts or the hoppy IPA's last.

For tobacco, I tend to start with an aromatic or sweet/light Virginia and work may way through to Irish Flake or Latakia (if in the mood), with an occasional cigarette to jump start the heart.

Of course there are no rules, but this helps with tounge fatigue or leather tounge.

Ooh - that's interesting for the wine. I learned the opposite order: there is a French saying that I can translate: "White on red, (ie. following), nothing 'moves'. Red on white everything 'flees' (ie. comes up)."

 

[edger]

Since you got up to smoke that last bowl, perhaps tooth paste and mouthwash left your tongue sensitive?

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

Ooh - that's interesting for the wine. I learned the opposite order: there is a French saying that I can translate: "White on red, (ie. following), nothing 'moves'. Red on white everything 'flees' (ie. comes up)."

I was unaware of the opposite, but have taken a wine tasting class for personal development as I didn't care much for wine (and still don't).

Perhaps a wine connoisseur could briefly chime in since I would like to know the proper order regardless.

 

[Egg Shen]

Are you hydrated? Under-hydration can mess with your taste. Caffeine tobacco and alcohol all dehydrate.

 

[sparker69]

I was unaware of the opposite, but have taken a wine tasting class for personal development as I didn't care much for wine (and still don't).

Perhaps a wine connoisseur could briefly chime in since I would like to know the proper order regardless.

Actually, they might just be taking in different contexts. Mine is associated with getting sick from drinking too much, versus tasting. And makes me think of a French film, Babette's Feast, where they go, if I remember correctly, in the order that you mentioned.

 

[anotherbob]

I find I don't get this if I slow down and sip. Doesn't matter how much I smoke either.

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

I find I don't get this if I slow down and sip. Doesn't matter how much I smoke either.

Same here. I smoke all day with no flavor issues. But I also don't jump around from latakia to Burley to VA, etc.
I almost exclusively smoke VA based blends with some Burley and orientals thrown in there occasionally.
I would imagine throwing latakia and aromatics into a daily smoking routine could fatigue your taste buds eventually.