What To Smoke When? How Do You Decide?

[bobpnm]

This is a question for those of you who smoke multiple bowls a day. How do you decide what you are going to smoke and in what order? - bp

 

[thesmokindragon]

Normally I choose to smoke a stronger VaPer, VaBur or VaPer/Bur

in the AM as my first smoke with a good triple espresso on the side

to get the day going...but sometimes I will also choose a light English

like Dunhill EMP, really depends on my mood
On lunch break I smoke a straight Virginia flake ( cube cut prep) in

a smaller featherweight pipe as my break time is very limited ... When

I can't smoke for the rest of the day, I do a lil snuff ; SG, F&T's or

perhaps some Posche or Bernard's as well...mmm lady Nic how

I love u ;-)
At night it will be a richer Full English of perhaps a Balkan blend with

Single malt scotch or a bourbon on the side to finish the day...
Sometimes I might stick with Virginia blends for weeks on end,

as MC states you need a good solid four days at least to adjust

and pickup the subtle flavors of the V blends, which is very true

and I have tested this theory out several times ;-) tough work but

somebody has to do it
Now season and weather also help me choose, super cold days

call for rich/Full English or Balkans anytime of day , while hot

summer temps call for pure Vs perhaps or a VaPer
No right or wrong way, when it comes down to it...it is what works

for you ;-)

 

[moses]

+1 on the end of thesmokingdragon's post: I have no real system. I smoke what tickles my fancy when smoke time comes.

 

[withnail]

For me it depends on the time of day and how much I crave the warm embrace of Old Mother Nicotine. I still sometime smoke the occasional hand rolled cigarette (although I am becoming ever more aware of the chemical taste in OTC roll-up tobacco. I might have to try Natural American Spirit) so enjoy that vitamin N feeling.
I start the day with something my taste buds find reasonably mild, such as Early Morning Pipe or University Flake and work up from there. By the afternoon I'm on Brown Twist and a heavy Perique blend in the evening.

 

[ohin3]

So many variables...no rhyme or reason to my smoking habits...depends on time of day, mood, weather, time of year...etc...I can start the day with an English then switch to an aromatic for noon and then to more English or a straight Va in the evening...all depends on what strikes me. Would love to actually keep track of it and see if there is some sort of pattern.

 

[numbersix]

So many variables...no rhyme or reason to my smoking habits...depends on time of day, mood, weather, time of year...etc

+1
I don't have that many varieties, but if I am smoking indoors, I'll favor an aromatic. If out on the deck, I'll might smoke an english blend.

 

[chubbster]

New here.
I keep a limited variety, and only have two pipes, so it's never a hard decision.

 

[mso489]

I always think I am going to follow logic, as in, brighter tobaccos in the morning, and the fuller blends

with more nicotine at night. But instead, it seems to be mostly inspirational. Sometimes I want a

blast in the morning, and only a sedate tobacco, maybe unblended Virginia, at night. I guess that's

the art of pipe smoking. And you don't have to placate others, as with food.

 

[morton]

Welcome chubbster! I'm like ohin, whatever tickles my fancy. Sometimes its the pipe I've pulled from the rack and the tobacco that goes best with it. Sometimes I go to the cabinet and try one I haven't had or one I haven't had for some time and then choose the pipe. It would be interesting, as ohin says, to see if there's a pattern or not. Unfortunately, I'm too lazy to go to the trouble - I'll just smoke and enjoy instead.

 

[jah76]

I like VaPers early in the morning and late at night. Recently I've found myself reaching for Chelsea Morning in the afternoon. Light and sweet with minimum fuss. Gives me a break and doesn't give me a English/Balkan tongue overload that numbs my taste buds.

 

[bobpnm]

Thanks for all the responses! For many years, I smoked one cigar a day and that in the evening. I find that I am enjoying the pipe so much more that I am smoking more often. Wondering if some have a strategy or preferred progression for type of blends they will smoke in a day and the reasoning behind it. Right now I'm just sort of randomly picking something to smoke.

 

[moses]

@withnail

I still sometime smoke the occasional hand rolled cigarette (although I am becoming ever more aware of the chemical taste in OTC roll-up tobacco. I might have to try Natural American Spirit)

Yeah, I'm in your same boat. I rock RYO's when time for a pipe is lacking. American spirits are pretty alright; best cig's I've found, anyway. The perique blend is especially delightful. I've heard it's not too bad in a pipe, either.

 

[uberam3rica]

I don't really have a method. Sometimes I'm just in the mood for a certain blend

 

[captainbob]

I smoke three blends every day. I dedicate several pipes to each blend as each blend is very unique. Generally, I first pick the blend and then one of the dedicated pipes. For me the rotation of pipes and blends is very important. It keeps my taste buds alive and my pipes tasting real good. Been doing this for many years now and it works well for me. It also means that I carry a briefcase of pipes and tobacco when travelling away from office or home. I never have less than three pipes with me and my three different blends on a normal day.

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[judcole]

I usually smoke 3 bowls a day, and I have a practice I rather like. I like to start the day with a latakia blend. Usually, not always, that's HH Vintage Syrian, although Highland Mix from McCranie's has just been added as a morning fave.

After lunch, I like a Virginia or a burley - it's more apt to be a burley in the summer.

Evenings, it's back to latakia. This could be anything from the open latakia blends on my shelf.

If I happen to smoke another bowl during the day, it could be anything.

 

[foggymountain]

A light tobacco for the first 3 smokes, such as Scotch cake in a Dunhill Root Briar. Then something heavier for a few smokes, maybe Stokkebye Eng Oriental, then heavier yet into the evening. Dunhill Nightcap or 965, Blackhouse, Syrian 3 oaks are favorites. And maybe some Flake, Old Dark Fired or Dunhill before sleeping. Darker pipes towards evening.

 

[john218]

In the past, I just packed a bowl of whatever appealed to me at the time, but lately, I've been getting more analytical, thanks to this forum.
My favorite blends have been English/Oriental blends, but I've started exploring the Virginia and Vaper blends as an alternative.
I started out this morning with a bowl of Escudo Navy Deluxe. I am not sure yet whether I like Escudo or Solani 633 better, so tonight I am smoking the Solani as a comparison. I ordered Solani Silver Flake and Fribourg and Treyer's Full Virginia Flake, so in the next few weeks, I plan on smoking just those four blends to concentrate on the differences between them.