What to Look for In Tobacco?

[Topcat85]

So far I have one tobacco, Gawith Hoggarth American coffee and cream. I kinda taste the flavours (oddly after I finish smoking).

My question is, what should I look for when choosing my next tobacco.

any tips would be good, or would I be better buying the sample packs for now?

 

[fireground_piper]

Do some samples in different genres is my suggestion. Aros, Virginias, Burley, english. Find out what appeals or doesn't appeal to you on a broader spectrum.

 

[Mtlpiper]

Welcome to pipe smoking.

I'd agree with the sample packs - if you have no clue, it's best to try a bunch. You'll also still be developing your smoking ability too, smoking a pipe is a strange art that requires practice.

I can only recommend things that I've smoked and enjoyed (which is almost zero aromatics). So bear in mind these suggestions are all 'natural' tobaccos with only minor toppings or casings.

Forgive the huge list, but I think it gives an idea of where I've drifted.

I've put some really strong stuff in here - which might make you turn a bit green, so I'll indicate the strong ones:

• English Oriental:
  • Peterson Nightcap (strong)
  • Plum Pudding (Special Reserve)
• Balkan:
  • Cornel & Diehl's Vieux Carré
  • Rattray's Red Rapparee
  • Robert McConnel's Oriental
• English/Irish Plugs / ropes:
  • Gawith & Hoggarth's Dark Plug or Bosun Plug (strong)
  • War Horse Bar (strong - also not really a plug)
  • War Horse Green (very strong - Lakeland)
  • G&H Brown Bogie (rope, v.strong)
• VA/Per (Virginia / Perique) or Va/Bur (Virginia / Burley blends
  • Solani 633: Virginia Flake
  • Escudo / De Luxe Navy Rolls (very similar)
  • Solani 660: Silver Flake
  • Robert McConnell's Scottish Flake
• Pure Virginia:
  • SG Full Virginia Flake
  • HH Pure Virginia
  • Orlik's Golden Sliced
  • Germain's Best Brown
  • Peter Stokkebye's Luxury Twist Flake
  • Capstan Blue (or gold, which is milder)
• Burley / Dark Fired Kentucky:
  • Solani Aged Burley Flake
  • Mac Baren HH Old Dark Fired
  • Mac Baren HH Bold Kentucky (strong)
  • Peter Heinrich's Dark Strong Flake (really lovely blend).
• Lakelands:
  • Erinmore Flake
  • St.Bruno (ready rubbed is cheaper/more available than flake)
  • G&H Bob's Chocolate Flake (stunning tobacco, closest to an aromatic that I smoke).

I really can't recommend any aromatics as I avoid them, but I've enjoyed Eilleen's dream and Cult's Blood Red Moon is very popular. I do love Bob's chocolate Flake from G&H.

Taste and experiment and go with what you enjoy.

 

[Perique]

Welcome to pipe smoking.

I'd agree with the sample packs - if you have no clue, it's best to try a bunch. You'll also still be developing your smoking ability too, smoking a pipe is a strange art that requires practice.

I can only recommend things that I've smoked and enjoyed (which is almost zero aromatics). So bear in mind these suggestions are all 'natural' tobaccos with only minor toppings or casings.

Forgive the huge list, but I think it gives an idea of where I've drifted.

I've put some really strong stuff in here - which might make you turn a bit green, so I'll indicate the strong ones:

• English Oriental:
  • Peterson Nightcap (strong)
  • Plum Pudding (Special Reserve)
• Balkan:
  • Cornel & Diehl's Vieux Carré
  • Rattray's Red Rapparee
  • Robert McConnel's Oriental
• English/Irish Plugs / ropes:
  • Gawith & Hoggarth's Dark Plug or Bosun Plug (strong)
  • War Horse Bar (strong - also not really a plug)
  • War Horse Green (very strong - Lakeland)
  • G&H Brown Bogie (rope, v.strong)
• VA/Per (Virginia / Perique) or Va/Bur (Virginia / Burley blends
  • Solani 633: Virginia Flake
  • Escudo / De Luxe Navy Rolls (very similar)
  • Solani 660: Silver Flake
  • Robert McConnell's Scottish Flake
• Pure Virginia:
  • SG Full Virginia Flake
  • HH Pure Virginia
  • Orlik's Golden Sliced
  • Germain's Best Brown
  • Peter Stokkebye's Luxury Twist Flake
  • Capstan Blue (or gold, which is milder)
• Burley / Dark Fired Kentucky:
  • Solani Aged Burley Flake
  • Mac Baren HH Old Dark Fired
  • Mac Baren HH Bold Kentucky (strong)
  • Peter Heinrich's Dark Strong Flake (really lovely blend).
• Lakelands:
  • Erinmore Flake
  • St.Bruno (ready rubbed is cheaper/more available than flake)
  • G&H Bob's Chocolate Flake (stunning tobacco, closest to an aromatic that I smoke).

I really can't recommend any aromatics as I avoid them, but I've enjoyed Eilleen's dream and Cult's Blood Red Moon is very popular. I do love Bob's chocolate Flake from G&H.

Taste and experiment and go with what you enjoy.

Wow. What an awesome list. Should be stickied for new pipe smokers.

I would simply add that smokers, at least in the US, should take advantage of the classic American blending houses: Peretti, Wilke, Uhle’s. Lots of magic there. So I’ll offer a few suggestions:

Peretti Tashkent, for a world class oriental, and Royal, for an unobjectionable English.

Wilke Bestmake, for American/English perfection, and No. 191 (for one of the best aromatics in existence today)

Uhle’s 00, for one of the best burley‘s you’ll find anywhere.

Many many more from these venerable tobacconists, but this is a good starter list.

 

[OzPiper]

The choice of tobacco blends available is immense and bewildering for a novice.
I was very lucky in having some samples gifted to me by a mate when I started with a pipe again some years ago.
Boswells Pipes and Tobacco have various sampler packs of their own blends. They provide excellent and friendly service.
A good way to find out which genre you prefer, then you can branch out from there.
Tobacco Reviews is an excellent reference site.

 

[biz]

Do some samples in different genres is my suggestion. Aros, Virginias, Burley, english. Find out what appeals or doesn't appeal to you on a broader spectrum.

This

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Buy a blend from each genre. Try to determine the genre(s) you like. Them buy from those. Don't over think it.

 

[mtwaller]

Try small, then buy it all. I think that’s the prevailing wisdom from almost every seasoned piper on here. By that I mean, try small quantities of different styles of blends. If you find something you love, STOCK UP big time.

Once you know sort of what you like, If you find a genre that you love, say English blends as an example. I wouldn’t hesitate one second to buy a few tins of a quality English that you’ve never tried. If it doesn’t jive, you can always trade it on the forum for something else that you’d probably like.

This is just my two cents from personal experience. Obviously, don’t purchase recklessly or above your means. It’s good to set a weekly/monthly/yearly budget for such things. Cheers!

 

[anotherbob]

just buy some. The thing is you will find ones you like but the bottom level of pipe tobacco is still pretty good.

 

[bayareabriar]

When I first started, I shied away from aromatics or super strong tobaccos because I thought only leather tongues appreciated them.

I was pretty wrong. Lol.

One of the best things you can do, after you sample is to give your feedback to the community. Tell us your experience and what was good or bad.

For example: I thought Kramer’s English was strong shit for me. And was hesitant if I was going to enjoy it. A community member commented how it calms down once opened. And he was right. So I have it another try with a new perspective.

Sample and share. And send what you don’t like to me.

 

[bullet08]

Just get some Balkan Supreme and you are set.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

A good friend sent me some half and half. Then I heard of smoked tobacco aka Latakia.

Then a member here introduced me to retrohaling which allows the smoker to taste.

Proceed from there…..??

 

[Charlie718]

I started off picking up different types of blends all from C&D because A) they have so many blends B) I figured they’d use the same tobacco’s for all there blends and I’d have consistency. After I found what I liked I then started trying different blenders to see how they differ from C&D’s versions.

 

[kcghost]

Well, you have to start somewhere and Mtlpiper's list is as good as any. Pick one out of each section and give it a try.

 

[RookieGuy]

When I started, I got into a website and spent $150 in 1oz samples. Most I liked, some I didn't. But from there I was able to start setting what family of tobacco I liked. From there I was able to start narrowing down what I was looking for.

You've gotten great advice. So now is the time to go nuts sampling. And, again, come back with tasting notes. With information like "In this blend, I like this but didn't care for that", the guys here can really be helpful. Enjoy the journey!

 

[chopper]

To add to the advise already given; your tastes will change, not only newbies but also experienced pipe smokers go through stages.

Personally I went off aromatics a few years back.
In time I found aromatics, like Butternut Burley and MacBaren Vanilla Cream for example, that I now really enjoy once or twice a day.

There's such a thing as palette fatigue - mixing up the genres through the day prevents this, for me at least.

When you find a blend not to your liking, just jar it and shove it in a cupboard. You well might find that as your palette develops that you'll like it down the road.

Also, some blends taste a lot better after the tin or bag has been opened for several days. Not sure why but it's worth keeping in mind. [Whenever I open up a new blend, I'm now in the habit of trying it in a small bowl, then try it again a week later - more often than not the 2nd bowl tastes much better]

My favourite non-aromatic is a blend that I've not heard mentioned here before; Jesses Own, a 4noggins house blend [The original owner was a right dickhead but he knew how to blend tobacco]
Jesses Own is a rather mild well balanced blend, surprisingly since it contains Virginia, Turkish/Oriental, Maryland, Perique and Latakia.
It would be a great introduction to Latakia and Perique since both are used as condiments.

 

[chopper]

Palate fatigue, not "palette", ^^^^ doh!

 

[chopper]

When I started, I got into a website and spent $150 in 1oz samples. Most I liked, some I didn't. But from there I was able to start setting what family of tobacco I liked. From there I was able to start narrowing down what I was looking for.

You've gotten great advice. So now is the time to go nuts sampling. And, again, come back with tasting notes. With information like "In this blend, I like this but didn't care for that", the guys here can really be helpful. Enjoy the journey!

Taking notes is a good idea but I'm way too 'can't be bothered' [lazy? who said that?] to write tasting notes but one of our strongest senses related to memory is our sense of smell.

For example; there's a blend that can only be bought in Australia - Dr Pats Irish Mixture.
My 4th grade teacher occasionally smoked a bowl during the lunch break. The smell in the room upon our return was a real treat.

I'm not good at recognising toppings or describing a blends taste, other than the basics [sweet, sour, tangy etc which is why keeping tasting notes would be minimal at best] and was unable to describe DPIM when asked by JimInks.

When I opened a tin of Orlik Racing Green last year, the tin note triggered the memory of DPIM immediately, which appears to have the same topping.

ORG has a better cut and a better mix of leaf than Dr Pats. It is one of my favourite aromatics.

When I pull out a blend that's been hiding deep in the back of my cupboard, just smelling the blend triggers my memory instantly, reminding me what aspects of the blend didn't please me at the time when first tried.

 

[karam]

Welcome to pipe smoking.

I'd agree with the sample packs - if you have no clue, it's best to try a bunch. You'll also still be developing your smoking ability too, smoking a pipe is a strange art that requires practice.

I can only recommend things that I've smoked and enjoyed (which is almost zero aromatics). So bear in mind these suggestions are all 'natural' tobaccos with only minor toppings or casings.

Forgive the huge list, but I think it gives an idea of where I've drifted.

I've put some really strong stuff in here - which might make you turn a bit green, so I'll indicate the strong ones:

• English Oriental:
  • Peterson Nightcap (strong)
  • Plum Pudding (Special Reserve)
• Balkan:
  • Cornel & Diehl's Vieux Carré
  • Rattray's Red Rapparee
  • Robert McConnel's Oriental
• English/Irish Plugs / ropes:
  • Gawith & Hoggarth's Dark Plug or Bosun Plug (strong)
  • War Horse Bar (strong - also not really a plug)
  • War Horse Green (very strong - Lakeland)
  • G&H Brown Bogie (rope, v.strong)
• VA/Per (Virginia / Perique) or Va/Bur (Virginia / Burley blends
  • Solani 633: Virginia Flake
  • Escudo / De Luxe Navy Rolls (very similar)
  • Solani 660: Silver Flake
  • Robert McConnell's Scottish Flake
• Pure Virginia:
  • SG Full Virginia Flake
  • HH Pure Virginia
  • Orlik's Golden Sliced
  • Germain's Best Brown
  • Peter Stokkebye's Luxury Twist Flake
  • Capstan Blue (or gold, which is milder)
• Burley / Dark Fired Kentucky:
  • Solani Aged Burley Flake
  • Mac Baren HH Old Dark Fired
  • Mac Baren HH Bold Kentucky (strong)
  • Peter Heinrich's Dark Strong Flake (really lovely blend).
• Lakelands:
  • Erinmore Flake
  • St.Bruno (ready rubbed is cheaper/more available than flake)
  • G&H Bob's Chocolate Flake (stunning tobacco, closest to an aromatic that I smoke).

I really can't recommend any aromatics as I avoid them, but I've enjoyed Eilleen's dream and Cult's Blood Red Moon is very popular. I do love Bob's chocolate Flake from G&H.

Taste and experiment and go with what you enjoy.

That's a great list, OP you can go a very long way trying some of these tobaccos and find your way around different genres.

I'd like to add a couple of Lakelands that are very much worth it, but OP bear in mind they are pretty polarizing: those of us who like them, we really love them, those who don't can't stomach their idea.

Samuel Gawith 1792 Flake: strong tobacco, strongly flavoured with tonquin bean (think warm vanilla, some earthyness, musk, hints of clove and cinnamon).
Gawith & Hoggarth Dark Flake Scented: another strong tobacco, strongly flavoured with geranium oil
Gawith & Hoggarth: Ennerdale flake: strong tobacco with a very complex added flavouring: floral, almond, vanilla, some earthy musky scent - unique.

 

[ncshawn]

Like others have said you should try a blend of the different categories. Virginia, VaPer, English/Balkan, Burley and then expand from there.