***What Are You Smoking, August 2023?***

[HawkeyeLinus]

Finished off the evening returning calls from family with the Doug Finlay @doug535 Chubby Apple and Tupelo Honey.

 

[Scottmi]

Pegasus in a L'Anatra.

beautiful pipe! I really like 'brushed' rustications

 

[Akoni808]

Good school...I'm a Baptist but of the Reformed variety. I just graduated in May from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with my MDiv.

That’s awesome, congrats brother! Praying for your ministry. I’m PCA, and on the home stretch for completing my MDiv.

 

[tmcg81]

ODF in a Briarworks bent apple.

 

[gnatjulio]

Solani Virginia Flake in a Savinelli Oscar

 

[rsshreck32]

Having some Pegasus in a Rossi Billiard. It was quite the chore getting the kids in bed tonight! Time to relax!

 

[JimRoseLV]

Second bowl of the night is some SPC Virginia Jazz.

 

[Terry Lennox]

Dunhill Flake from 2011 purchased from the Danish Pipe Shop back when they still shipped baccy to the USA. In a made in France Saint Claude long stemmed apple I bought from the closeout page of P&C. Sublime Dunhill Flake. A little dry out of the tin after all these years (those square tins leak after a few years.) But smooth and creamy and sweet. So good I may order a new sleeve of the Flake (now Peterson's) just to have more on hand.

Just adding: I know some find Flake boring and prefer something a bit more bold like HH Pure Virginia, but for me Dunhill/Peterson Flake is perfect mild to medium subtle Virginia. Mellow and easy going.

 

[DeaconPiper]

It's 107 during the day and about 90 at night. So, nothing yet. But winds should blow into the valley by Friday, putting a pinch of my first tin of White Knight into my bowl.

 

[didimauw]

First bowl in a new Astas Meer. Briar Fox.

 

[Steddy]

First bowl in a new Astas Meer. Briar Fox.
View attachment 240286

Thanks for cleaning your nose for the post, I can’t help but look.

 

[warren99]

Father Dempsey in a Tonni Nielsen No. 3 cherrywood.

 

[didimauw]

Thanks for cleaning your nose for the post, I can’t help but look.

I get that a lot.

 

[Steddy]

GL Pease Quiet Nights in a Savinelli Spring 316 KS.

 

[JimInks]

Moments after I posted my last smoke this afternoon, fierce storms knocked out the power to over 30,000 residences today including ours. Finally came back on a little after a half hour ago. Just glad we didn't lose any food. Half way through this bowl of Sutliff Presbyterian in a straight dark brown and tan rusticated Peterson 2023 Saint Patrick’s Day 264 Canadian with an Irish flag colored ferrule and tapered black acrylic stem. Ice water and bergs is my drink.

 

[JimInks]

Passing the first third of this bowl of year 2016 Peter Heinrichs Dark Strong Kentucky in an undated family era Sasieni Natural Four Dot Grosvenor smooth medium brown quarter bend bulldog with a black tapered vulcanite stem.

 

[MidnightPuff]

Smoking Crooner in a cob.

 

[JOHN72]

Took the afternoon off because it’s my birthday and …… mowed, played with dogs, harvested peppers, potatoes and onions, lol, pretty exciting. Now getting down to relaxing for an hour or so - Peterson ‘22 PPN Pub and We Three Kings - nothing celebratory, just had it loaded up last night and got too busy to enjoy it, haha. View attachment 240221

Happy Birthday.

 

[Tom-202]

It's a little difficult to advise you because body chemistry determines our individual experiences. I think you are on the right track because you have determined that Quiet Nights suits you best among those you mentioned. If you are missing anything, it's the experience you will gain by trying different blends. That was the first and most important thing I learned as a pipe smoker.

Don't rush anything. You'll figure out what works best for you in time just as you have discovered that Latakia forward English blends are working well for you. Write tasting notes on each blend you try. Update when necessary. While you are making decisions, don't drink anything flavored when you smoke so your senses won't be compromised.

Here's a couple of examples for you: If a blend you really like has red Virginia as the lead Virginia, and you don't feel that way when bright Virginia leads, that automatically gives you a step up on what blend to choose. If you determine you can't handle more than a mild dose of perique, you'll know what to avoid. The same goes for Orientals.

As for aromatics, if you don't like peaches, you won't like a peach blend. Try those that have a topping that is attractive to you. If you don't want toppings to drown out the tobacco flavor, then don't buy aro-bombs. Because I know a fair number of smokers want to know things like that, I always state how much toppings affect tobacco flavor in aros.

Hope this helps you.

It does help. And I am taking notes, and only drinking water.

My first foray into smoking was about 6 years ago, and at that time, I ventured as far as Autuum Evening, which was and remains my favorite aromatic. I‘ve since enjoyed a few of the 7 Seas blends.

I’ve tried some experiments like with cherry flavored tobacco. So I bought a tin of Blood Cult Moon and some Lane Limited cherry and some Sutliff cherry. The Blood Cult was too much — it was spot on a cherry-chocolate cordial but way too sweet. The Lane was fine, but the Sutliff in my mouth shined — tasty, not overpowered, yum. I know everyone is different.

I rate each tin or bulk (in baggies). From very good, to good +, to good, to ok +, to ok, to so-so, to awful. Seven rough categories. My thinking is keep all of it and get into blending this and that later. I tried some Izmir Turkish the other day — I didn’t think it was too strong, but I could see blending it with some of the ones I like the least.

A really fun adventure for a retired guy!

Thanks again.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

2014 Aylesbury Luxury Flake in a Rubio.