Tropic smoke

[treebarksap]

I was spending some time in Germany, smoking a good deal of Marlin Flake and enjoying a little snow. It was excellent, well balanced, cool and slightly sweet. At least that was how I remembered it two days ago.

Literally, from one day to the next, the blend became steamy and lost almost all of the charm. It wasn't from my preferences gradually changing with the seasons and the only thing I can attribute it to is the abrupt change from winter to summer with 30 degree heat and 50% humidity.

I can't seem to figure how this can happen. It's the same tin, same moisture content, and same pipe. Anyone else have a blend change so abruptly with the temperature? I had no idea that ambient temperature could affect a blend so much until this happened. I'm pretty sure it's not in my head, as all the variables except the temperature are the same. Anyone have any techniques for summer smoking? This one seems to have turned into a steamy fireball and I've got 8 tins of it socked away in my luggage...

 

[spartan]

That's a damn shame.
I say smoke another blend for a week or so and re-visit this one. Just to make sure it's the temp change and not something to do with your pallet getting tired of the blend after so much in a row smoking.
I've had off days with a few blends due to body chemistry, or getting over or coming down with the sickness (Disturbed ref )
I guess if you smoked indoors there wouldn't be a problem as long as you could control the humidity.
Maybe it's like drinking a hot cup of coffe when it's 110 degrees outside? Yuck.
Except we can't chill our tobacco to suit our needs now can we?

 

[cedeks]

One i had an excellent bowl or two from a newly opened MB navy flake. Revisiting it the second day was one of the worst experiences of smoking for me since it tasted like a piece of coil burning in my mouth, and the rest of the box tasted the same. So I think some times the flavour or quality of tobacco might change if not stored correctly.
Rothnh.... I agree with you regarding storing tobacco in a controlled environment, but smoking it in controlled one is very hard if not impossible specially if you will smoke it outside or in a smoking room.

 

[cedeks]

First of all I trust you in this and trust your experience in pipe smoking in general. However, after thinking about it more I rarely had the will or experience of smoking pipe in this kind of environment. That is the main reason that I lower my smoking time and bowls in summer specially if I am in hot and humid country. Usually pipe smoking is always related in my mind with cool or even cold weather much more than hot and humid.

 

[jhclark]

Except we can't chill our tobacco to suit our needs now can we?

I think that's called a hookah Wonderful thing in the summertime... Wish I still had mine... Then again, you don't get the same kind of funny looks from your in-laws that you do when they see you with a pipe...

 

[cedeks]

Hookah is my summer pipe also... specially in an outdoor picnic or in hookah place (restaurant or coffee shop) . Excellent chilling activity for summer night

 

[ohin3]

I live in Nova Scotia and I can tell you for sure that humidity levels will change any tobacco from great to a hot bloated steamy mess. I am from Ohio and never had an issue with tobaccos that were slightly damp. Just spread them out on a piece of paper for an hour and voila, ready to smoke. Here I can leave a flake of Marlin Flake on a sheet of paper for 3 days and not only is it not dry, it has picked up some moisture. I have found that, as mentioned above, toasting your tobacco makes a HUGE difference. I put my oven on 180 for 10 - 15 min and then turn it off. Spread tobacco on tin foil and place it in the oven for 2 - 5 min. Works like a charm every time.