Tried another pipe today, this time a burley to make sure it wasn't just a virginia thing.. nope. Not quite as ashy but still not there. Tried the other pipes, too (put aside when taste was flat), and still nothin. After some consideration and recollecting, I now think it is a symptom of allergy/hayfever (it's that time of year). A few years back, something similar happened -- I could not taste red wine (and other things) at all--just 'nothing' and started right after inhaling a cottonwood fluff which set me off with a new allergy I never had before. SIX WEEKS I could not enjoy anything to do with wine and I was getting kind of down about it let me tell you. I imagine many here are similar: tasting tobaccos, much like wines, spirits and, well, everything...we DO taste discrete differences, we do ENJOY the differences, it MATTERS... Finally, Senses Returned and Life was Grand Again! This is probably (must be!) similar. So. Started up the allergy pills yesterday so maybe in a couple more days, taste will return... I hope!