I envy the pipe smokers that find contentment in one blend. I actively try to stick to a few favorites but some novelty always comes up!
Unfaithful to a Blend?
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exactly! Try spreading it out on a parchment lined baking sheet with some moist paper towel on top. I also like to add a few drops of scotch in a mason jar and firmly tighten the lid. Your humour should then be rehydrated enough to smoke.
My late dad smoked Ogden's Walnut Flake almost exclusively. And why not? It was a fabulous blend; actually is still a fabulous blend, now called "Original Flake" and manufactured by MacBaren, with no discernible difference in smell or taste from the Ogden version.
One of my clinic patients has smoked only Revor Plug for the past 40 years (and why not!). This is interesting because Revor was originally crafted in Glasgow, before production was moved to Manchester. It is now blended by GH&Co in Kendal and my patient swore that it is exactly the same as it was 40 years ago.......thank goodness!!
With the fantastic range of blends readily available today I couldn't possibly stick to a single blend, but with a gun held to my head I would have to say Germain's Rich Dark Flake (which Mr Inks says is almost identical to Stonehaven!!)
One of my clinic patients has smoked only Revor Plug for the past 40 years (and why not!). This is interesting because Revor was originally crafted in Glasgow, before production was moved to Manchester. It is now blended by GH&Co in Kendal and my patient swore that it is exactly the same as it was 40 years ago.......thank goodness!!
With the fantastic range of blends readily available today I couldn't possibly stick to a single blend, but with a gun held to my head I would have to say Germain's Rich Dark Flake (which Mr Inks says is almost identical to Stonehaven!!)
Started pipe-smoking in 1966. Codger blends and OTC bulk were only blends that I knew existed. Almost every piper smoked these aromatics back in the day. They were cheap, and always available in pouch or cans. Mail ordering never occurred to me as a tool for searching for new, and better, blends. In the early '90s I discovered De La Concha, Wilkes, Nat Sherman, and re-discovered Barclay Rex for my adventures into different tobacco selections. Zeroed in on a few mixtures from Wilkes as my favorite blends ("Gotham Court", and used "High Hat" as a treat). This was back in the days before computers were available. The real tobacco world opened up for me when I joined the "International Coterie of Pipe-Smokers" and received Tom Dunne's: "The Pipe-Smoker's Ephemeris". I'd spend hours reading all about the many exotic blends, but it took joining the "New York Pipe Club" for me to smoke some samples of all the various mixtures.
Years later, ordering some different mixtures off the computer has opened up the tobacco world to all pipe-smokers. The varieties, and choices are staggering, and endless. But, my "questing days" and curiosity are winding down. Like me. After sample-smoking and tasting a little of this, and trying some of that, you kind of get to know what strips your gears, and then, you stick to what makes you happy. Now, I mostly smoke my own HGL/cigar-leaf concoction, and I'm happy about it. It always scratches my itch.
They say variety is the spice of life, but.... there's no place like home.
Frank
NYC
Years later, ordering some different mixtures off the computer has opened up the tobacco world to all pipe-smokers. The varieties, and choices are staggering, and endless. But, my "questing days" and curiosity are winding down. Like me. After sample-smoking and tasting a little of this, and trying some of that, you kind of get to know what strips your gears, and then, you stick to what makes you happy. Now, I mostly smoke my own HGL/cigar-leaf concoction, and I'm happy about it. It always scratches my itch.
They say variety is the spice of life, but.... there's no place like home.
Frank
NYC
flakyjakey..... Ummmmmm????...."Ogden's Original Walnut Flake". You got me intrigued. But I think it's going to be hard to find in the USA. 
(
Frank
NYC
(Frank
NYC
Frank -
"Original Flake pipe tobacco is an exceptionally cool, slow burning flake, which is spiced with Burley and Dark-Fired tobaccos which produce a rich and distinctive aroma. Ideal for those smokers who appreciate the full bodied rich flavor of choice leaves spiced with burley and fire-cured tobaccos.
50g Pouch.
PLEASE NOTE : PREVIOUSLY CALLED 'WALNUT FLAKE' "
I buy it from "Mysmoking Shop" in the UK. They don't ship to US, but perhaps it can be sourced elsewhere?
Chris
Edit - the reason the name was changed had nothing to do with MacBaren, it was simply the result of the silly new UK rules - as if the word "walnut" would have droves of teenagers trampling the old codgers to buy it!!
"Original Flake pipe tobacco is an exceptionally cool, slow burning flake, which is spiced with Burley and Dark-Fired tobaccos which produce a rich and distinctive aroma. Ideal for those smokers who appreciate the full bodied rich flavor of choice leaves spiced with burley and fire-cured tobaccos.
50g Pouch.
PLEASE NOTE : PREVIOUSLY CALLED 'WALNUT FLAKE' "
I buy it from "Mysmoking Shop" in the UK. They don't ship to US, but perhaps it can be sourced elsewhere?
Chris
Edit - the reason the name was changed had nothing to do with MacBaren, it was simply the result of the silly new UK rules - as if the word "walnut" would have droves of teenagers trampling the old codgers to buy it!!
flaky...
Thanks for the tips. Tobacco Reviews note that Mac Baren makes it...but still can't find it in The States. At least, not yet. Bet forum members will know where I need to look.
Frank
NYC
Thanks for the tips. Tobacco Reviews note that Mac Baren makes it...but still can't find it in The States. At least, not yet. Bet forum members will know where I need to look.
Frank
NYC
"We should all get together for lunch sometime. I'll bring the desert."
Seacaptain, would that be the Gobi Desert or the Sahara Desert :wink:
Regards,
Jay.
Seacaptain, would that be the Gobi Desert or the Sahara Desert :wink:
Regards,
Jay.
The comment about Revor is rather interesting. I have tried it several times over the years and its just not for me. One mans meat is another poison so to speak. However, the last time I purchased a bunch of the stuff the 'plug' came out the packet like a massive flake as opposed to a plug in the style of a Condor or Warrior plug. I seem to remember giving them to a forum member as even Weezel didn't care to smoke the wretched stuff.
Revor is "meat" to me, and to many others. It is not really a 'true' plug, as in the hard-pressed Irish plugs. Somewhere between a crumble cake and a plug perhaps?
This one was a thinker and have pretty thought about this one since you have posted it. It really depends on the person. How open minded is the person when it comes to blends. I have one friend that buys nothing but Captain Black Cherry and have tried taking him to tobacco shops to show him that there is a lot more out there besides that one brand and blend. Now given this friend I also had to throw a box of matches at when at the amazement of us sitting at the house watching TCM in the corner of my eye seeing him grab a torch out of his pocket and bring it close to the rim of his new basket pipe and try to light it.
I would guess the percentage would probably be about 33% dedicated to one blend/brand. It would have to be a really good blend/brand before I could settle down and say "yep this is it. This is the one."
I would guess the percentage would probably be about 33% dedicated to one blend/brand. It would have to be a really good blend/brand before I could settle down and say "yep this is it. This is the one."
I have an old buddy (I use that term loosely, ha ha) that I check in on frequently to make sure he is still alive and bitter as hell. Honestly, I think there is truth to some guys just being too mean to die, ha ha.
But, he only smokes Prince Albert in his one pipe, all of his waking hours. He thinks I am stupid for having more than one pipe and smoking more than just one blend. But, he thinks everyone is stupid for whatever reason crosses his mind. I love that guy.
but, my uncles were the same... no, not angry old men. My uncles were gentlemen, but they only smoked one blend in one pipe all day, day in and day out. Then when it was no longer functional, or caked over, or clogged, they'd toss it and get a new one. I don't remember the blend they smoked, but I am pretty sure that they smoked Grabows, and they were also known to carve a pipe also. But, they had no notion of the pipe being anything other than a disposable smoking implement. I never even remember seeing a pipe cleaner. They may have used them, but if they did, I just don't remember it.
Me, I came from decades of smoking only Camel Lights. So, at first I thought that the idea was to find that one blend to chain myself to, but in exploring as many as possible to find one, I just started enjoying always tasting something new. This is also why I am saddened when we lose a blend or a namebrand or a company, but there are plenty of other fish in the sea. Always new flavors, tasting how age has changed old ones that I have enjoyed, and tasting how the blend just may have changed in general. I don't want to ever be chained to a brand again. Pipesmoking is freedom! Viva le Pipa!!
But, he only smokes Prince Albert in his one pipe, all of his waking hours. He thinks I am stupid for having more than one pipe and smoking more than just one blend. But, he thinks everyone is stupid for whatever reason crosses his mind. I love that guy.
but, my uncles were the same... no, not angry old men. My uncles were gentlemen, but they only smoked one blend in one pipe all day, day in and day out. Then when it was no longer functional, or caked over, or clogged, they'd toss it and get a new one. I don't remember the blend they smoked, but I am pretty sure that they smoked Grabows, and they were also known to carve a pipe also. But, they had no notion of the pipe being anything other than a disposable smoking implement. I never even remember seeing a pipe cleaner. They may have used them, but if they did, I just don't remember it.
Me, I came from decades of smoking only Camel Lights. So, at first I thought that the idea was to find that one blend to chain myself to, but in exploring as many as possible to find one, I just started enjoying always tasting something new. This is also why I am saddened when we lose a blend or a namebrand or a company, but there are plenty of other fish in the sea. Always new flavors, tasting how age has changed old ones that I have enjoyed, and tasting how the blend just may have changed in general. I don't want to ever be chained to a brand again. Pipesmoking is freedom! Viva le Pipa!!
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