What brings the flavor out?

[eaglerico]

I have been doing a lot of sampling here lately and I have to say that I can not "taste" most of what is described in the different blends. Earlier today I was sitting out on the patio drinking a beer and smoking a pipe. I took a puff right after taking a big swig of my beer and all of a sudden could "taste" a lot of the vanilla tones that were described in the current blend. (Bella Vanilla)
Is this usual or have just had a few to many beers ::

 

[pstlpkr]

No not unusual. One should always have either a cold drink of some kind or a hot cup of coffee.

Also, you may consider that swapping up types of tobacco too often may be an issue as well.

One thing I do is to smoke primarily 1Q as a "go to" smoke then only one or maybe two of the more "exotic" blends after at the end of the day. I find that I can taste the more subtle flavors with greater clarity than if I constantly change up tobaccos.

 

[hobie1dog]

a drink always helps to cleanse the palate(so to speak).

 

[tedswearingen]

Sound advice from Lawrence. Part of identifying the flavors we find in the smoke are born out of this 'relative' taste-sensory experience. Pairing flavors is a crucial part of the process to evolve one's palate, whether this be in regards to pipe tobacco and a beverage or coffee and a scone.
I like to smoke in threesomes. I smoke a base blend all day, something usually light, for a few weeks (Recently this has been Carter Hall). On top of that I'll smoke something with Latakia once or twice a day, often an English mix or Turkish mix, something that tastes fancy once in awhile (a favored Hermit blend, for instance). My third blend is usually something I'm trying for the first time or a blend I didn't like the first time; something outside of my cellar and rotation (today this has been Black Sea Sokhoum). I move on from these blends pretty fast (3-5 bowls) unless it captures my attention and ends up in the cellar. This plays out for a few months or until I'm smoking a new base mix. I smoke 4-8 bowls a day. Didn't intend for this routine to be so complicated, just ended up there and it works for me.
Just smoke different leaf varieties of numerous curing process and this type of 'epiphany' is bound to happen.

 

[fred]

Yep, keeping the palate hydrated is going to help, and has already been

stated, pairing beverage with a blend can also enhance the smoking experience.

 

[romeowood]

I was halfway through a tin of Eileen's Dream, and although it was a pleasant flavor, I didn't find 'white chocolate truffle' or 'irish cream' in there...it just seemed like a vanilla-ish, pleasant smoke...

then it hit me--the tobacco in the jar that i opened was a knockout aroma, rich with irish cream and--holy crap!--white chocolate truffles. Now every time i smoke it, as I am at this very moment, I'm treated to the flavors as advertised, as well as a delightfully nutty background tobacco flavor.

The ephemeral nature of this pastime is what keeps us hooked...it's a voyage of never-ending discovery.

 

[eaglerico]

I have to say it is nice see that I was not off my rocker when I had my " discovery." I also think it made my beer taste better. I was drinking a strawberry Abitta beer. It was the first time I tasted the strawberry in the beer.

 

[titanicexplorer]

Great question! I tend to be a beer man, and always have a beer with my pipe- I'm not too fond of hard liquor- but I heard as a cigar goes well with brandy, so brandy and pipes might also be a good mix...

 

[bowhatchie]

In my humble opinion.... Scotch goes well with anything.........

 

[lagavulin92]

Most Scotches (single malts) I drink are have a rather unique character so I do need to think about which one I pair with which tobacco. Blends are much easier because they cover a wider range of aromas. But beer is great because it also cleanses the palate (you don't drink that much Scotch).

 

[marmal4de]

In my humble opinion.... Scotch goes well with anything.

I agree, the peatier and smokier the better.

 

[classicgeek]

It's also about slowing down. Puffing too hard means the temperatures are too high in the ember and the tastes you want to "release" are getting charred instead. IMHO. I have a busy life that does not permit me a lot of time to sit and smoke (hence the small number of bowls per week), but I do try to make sure that when I do, I give myself enough time that I'm not puffing quickly. It's on those slow smokes when I'm really nursing it along that the real flavors jump out and it's wonderful. Had an amazing experience like that with Mac Baren Plumcake last week.
Simon

 

[sockmonkey]

Funny, I had a very similar experience this past Sunday with my coffee.
Took a sip after smoking 1Q on the patio for a little while and my palate suddenly rippled with all sorts of different flavors. Just about the time I'd identify one, it would whirl away and be replaced by something new.
Wow, is that vanilla? *whoosh*

Wait, when did I put Kahlua in this? *whoosh*

Honey! *whoosh*

Hmm, a kind of berry? *whoosh*
The whole experience made me a bit giddy, so I made my wife come outside and try it.
Much to her credit, she humored me and took a few puffs, then sipped her coffee.

After which she gave me a look as if I were wearing my pants on my head and simply walked back into the house.
Guess it takes a little while for the palate to work it all out.

 

[cortezattic]

Lot's of good advice here. I see there's some critical smoking going on in our little community. :lol:
Low temperature and slow smoking seem to enhance the total experience more than anything else.

Along with this I try to involve my sense of smell by moving the smoke stream through the nostrils

(in both directions), and letting it settle in and around the upper palate.
Some time ago, I think it was someone at McClelland's -- or maybe it was G.L. Pease -- who advised

that a blend reveals itself with increasing clarity as time and familiarity increase. So sticking with

a blend for several bowls may pay dividends.
The use of a "reference smoke", as described by Lawrence and Ted Swearingen does reveal some

differences in a compare-and-contrast way; but for me this doesn't enhance the experience of the

individual blend that I'm trying to focus on. YMMV too! Probing for these flavors is where the fun is at,

as Jeremiah observes.

 

[kf5eqv]

All good things to know. I'm still pretty new, and have mostly been bouncing around and experimenting with the different house blends at my local shop.
I have noticed that the blends that are easiest to taste, tend to bite a little bit easier as well. Is this normal or is it mostly just me being new?
Also, I see people mention that smoking cool improves flavor, but in my limited personal experience, smoking TOO cool can detract from flavor as well, leaving a more ashy, almost stale taste to the smoke.

 

[titanicexplorer]

In a way, smoking a good pipe is like appreciating a good piece of art or music- there are many layers to explore. I imagine Cigar smokers experience something similar

 

[shillelagh3]

It's interesting that I checked this thread today, because I was having similar issues. I've just recently begun experimenting with English blends, and I've enjoyed the English I have so much that I've really limited myself to it for the last few smokes (Like Simon, I don't get to smoke very often; maybe once or twice a week at best.). Yesterday, I wanted to relax with my favorite aromatic, Peterson's Connoisseur's Choice. I was getting no flavor whatsoever from it. Great aroma. No flavor. I recalled getting a good taste from it in the past (after all, it is my favorite) and was wondering what happened. All I ever smoke in that particular pipe is CC, so it wasn't a ghosting issue. At one point, I thought I'd just killed my tastebuds with English, but knew that wasn't possible. I wonder if my tastebuds just expect that rich English flavor and, if they don't get it, they just quit on me. Maybe it's something like smelling an apple and biting into an onion or something like that. I was drinking John Power, but that usually doesn't affect it. Who knows?

 

[python]

Shillelagh3 Said: At one point, I thought I'd just killed my tastebuds with English, but knew that wasn't possible.

Actually it is possible, to an extent. I have heard this from many a smoker who smoke primarily Latakia blends. We had a discussion about it a long time a go here in the forums and it prompted a member, Sinistertopiary, to write this blog post.
http://pipesmagazine.com/sinistertopiary/pipe-smoking/impugn-my-tastebuds-will-you/

 

[fatman]

Not much too add, 'cept I commend those who can drink beer while enjoying a bowl! I just can't do it. But a good whiskey or whisky, a nice wine or port goes well w/both bowl an cigar! Coffee and lat weed are made for each other as well.

 

[jcsoldit]

Smoking slow or as some call it sipping helps. This is something that I really have to work at myself. Pairing with the right beverage also can make a difference.
Here is a few pairing I really enjoy.
Just about any blend with good single malt.
A strong English or Balkan with a peaty single malt like Lagavulin, the smoky peat and the Latakia really work well together.
Black Coffee and a nice nutty burley or one of my favorite old school morning blends like Sugar Barrel.
Coffee with a little cream and McB Vanilla Cream, Pennsylvania Dutch Treat, or Shortcut To Mushrooms.
Red wine with Stokkebye Luxury Bullseye Flake, Park-Lane Red Paramour, Bob’s Chocolate Flake.
I'm not sure this is what you were looking for, but what the heck give a couple a try.
Enjoy... ::