What's Your Goal

[aggravatedfarmer]

I have no real goal. I like trying new blends and make sure to buy new blends with each order. My regulars are OGS, Escudo, FVF, Frog Morton series, st jame flake, r-blend. Last order I put sixpence, gaslight, Balkan supreme, bb1938 match, xxx blend, stockbeye navy flake, etcetera. Now I have more regulars and some to open from time to time. Point is, I know what I like. I plan out my smokes and I like coming back to familiar blends and exploring new ones. Regardless if I dislike them.

 

[billinsfl]

My goal I suppose is to find more time to smoke and enjoy what I already have.

 

[rhoadsie]

At the risk of having my reasoning questioned (probably already has, oh well), I am intent on trying a variety of blends even though I have a set of favorites. For example, I'm participating in the October Tobacco Crawl to try some of Mr. Pease's blends. I do this, exploring a variety, because of the sheer number of blends currently at our fingertips. I don't think variety will always be available and I am quite comfortable settling into a few (or one) favorite blends as times change and tobacco likely becomes scarce. That being said, I am not beholden to the pipe, tobacco or nicotine and if the cost or availability of enjoying favorite blend(s) or variety becomes difficult, I will walk away a happy man having enjoyed the experience.

 

[fordm60]

My goal is try the older famous blends, that still exist and are still in production. I want try the newer blends. I am still searching. I cannot say, "This" is the best blend forever and for sure until, I have a well rounded education in all forms of pipe tobacco. So it is with heavy heart and stern mind that I continue to smoke my way through the hardships, trials and tribulations down the road to my pipe smoker PhD. Let me tell you it is rough, having to smoke, 3,5,7, sometimes over 10 bowls a day to get this education!!

 

[mortonbriar]

Great question Warren, and interesting array of answers too.
I am a long time piper in the sense that I will be piping for a long time (I guess that could be a goal, but only in the vague big picture way that it is a goal for me to enjoy long life) as far as piping time that has already passed however I am only 6 years in.
I keep a simple spreadsheet of every blend I try, there has been about 50 so far. Of the 50 there are 30 I would not bother buying again, but I did enjoy most of them as they were smoked. I have a friend who likes to collect interesting shells and rocks from the beach, he picks up one at a time as he strolls and drops it again if he finds something he finds more interesting, so each stroll he comes out with just one thing, but it passed through an elimination process on the way, I think this is kind of what I do with tins of tobacco to find ones that I would buy/smoke/cellar more of.
I have another spreadsheet of blends to try that is twice as long as my blends tried list, so my stroll on the beach is far from over.
Isaac

 

[deathmetal]

I have a friend who likes to collect interesting shells and rocks from the beach, he picks up one at a time as he strolls and drops it again if he finds something he finds more interesting, so each stroll he comes out with just one thing

Sort of a one-item bubble sort. I like it.

 

[bigpond]

My goal is to get that sucker fired up without singing my eyebrows. One day.

 

[warren]

I'm intrigued at the different motivations. Especially when one has a well established rotation of blends and they still keep trying new ones. I'm impressed also with those of you who are finding your "taste niche" as you muddle along. I think with tobacco, muddling is good.

 

[rigmedic1]

I think I had tried about a dozen different blends in the first 25 years since I picked up the pipe. There were two favorites I had, and I was fairly content with those. One day, on a whim, I tried Dunhill 965, my first English blend ever. Well, let me tell you, I had no idea that tobacco could be that good.

So, in the past 10 years I have tried over 250 different blends, including some that I made up either intentionally or by accident. There is a tin of Mr. Pease's newest awaiting my return home in two weeks, and I am looking forward to that. Life is too short to stick to one blend, because that next one might be just that much better.

 

[jpmcwjr]

My goal is to create a cellar of stuff I really like, but to do that, I have to keep searching, narrowing down prospects as I go. Since I started just 18 months ago, I must have tried 40 blends, starting with recommendations from the two B+Ms in my area, and moving to TR, here, and the Tobacco Crawl. My first online orders were largely stuff that were mistakes, but now I seem to be on the straight and narrow and have just started a very modest cellar, maybe 3-4 pounds total! And a few pounds of stuff I don't care for.
The journey of exploration is good, and I am learning all the time. Well, half the time!

 

[okiescout]

Great topic Warren.
I always try to order a tin of something new when stocking up on my regular blends. I've found more than a few duds, but I've also discovered a few great blends which have became regulars.

Bingo, Dave.
Like Pruss, I have not smoked for my entire life, having once left and returned to the pipe later in my life. Having said that, variety is the spice of life, as someone once said (anyway it works for me). Even a dud sometimes preps me to really enjoy it more when I light up an old favorite. Then again they are making so many new blends today and for me, in smoking anyway, it is fun to try new things. The content of my cellar has tipped over to VA and VaPer tobacco in the last several years but I still like aromatics and find a new blend of all of these from time to time with the helpful reviews of some of the members on the forum.

 

[stickframer]

While not a long time piper, I would say my explorations are goal oriented.
I would like to settle on 4 or 5 English/Orientals of varying strength ie: lighter taste in the morning up to full flavor at night. I'm about finished my explorations of the genre but I still think I will try a new blend now and then just for variety.
It's about the same for darker VA's, find 4 or 5 dependable smokes and cellar accordingly.
I don't focus on cut at all, but with rare exceptions I notice I'm avoiding heavily topped blends, so that plays a part.
As a newer piper who has an Internet connection, it's my feeling that I could easily become overwhelmed with all that's out there, so I certainly try to proceed with a goal, or at least a direction, in mind.
There are 1000s of great blends, but I don't want to be forever sampling, I'd like to settle down with 8 or 10 trusted blends and be satisfied, with tins of each on hand always, and a couple others in the cellar for variety.
Great thread.

 

[derfatdutchman]

I look at my journey through the different blends like travel. I love to travel, seeing new things, tasting new tastes. Trying a new blend is like this, a new experience a new taste. Even though I like to travel I like coming home to the known and comforting. Like home I have three blends that are my go to blends. They are like home known and comforting. Among the new blends there may be another one that becomes a go to blend, the journey continues.

 

[drezz01]

-Living in Canada, that's a bit of a dream to be honest, not a goal.
--I'm in Canada too. This is doable. You just have to order appropriately and commit to a long-term game.

If I have a goal, it's to simultaneously work on a cellar (to combat rising taxes and the potential of further regulations to cut off our supply from the States) as I'm exploring new blends.
Typically, when I feel I can afford it, I will order 4 50g tins. Of those, one is usually a duplicate of a blend I have tried and liked for the purpose of cellaring. I suspect this ratio of new-to-try versus to-cellar blends will start to equal out shortly. Eventually it will likely be more like 3 tins to cellar, one to try. Hopefully the border stays open that long!

 

[samcoffeeman]

My goal is to find a selection of tobaccos that I enjoy very much. Enough types that I have a variety without being overwhelmed by choices. Currently my main cellar has Capstans Gold and Blue, ODF, McConnell Scottish Cake, Aylesbury Luxury Flake, F&T CVP, Wessex BCDF, FVF, Escudo and Stonehaven. These are tobaccos I have decided to cellar multiple tins of with intent to age and enjoy. I have multiple other tins I am trying while these are aging. I also am doing an experiment with aged tobaccos vs fresher tobaccos. I have 10+ year old tins of F&T CVP and Escudo. I occasionally will purchase a very aged tin of tobacco, as I did from Pipestud a little while back. I've had mixed experience, most have just been a muddled experience, however one tin, which is at least 50 years old and probably much older, a cutter top, has been incredibly fantastic.

 

[phred]

I would say that my goal is to develop my palate for tobacco to approximately the same level as my palate for beer and whisky has developed. I'm not much of a wine drinker, so right now my tobacco palate is probably slightly ahead of my "I like heavier reds and sweeter whites" wine palate... :D
Once I get there, I'll probably settle in with a selection of favorite exemplar blends (Escudo, LBF, Black House, Prince Albert, 1-Q, maybe a cherry blend, and a straight Virginia or two - subject to change as I work my way through my backlog ans start in on Pease blends, D&R, and C&D) and then pick up other tins as the mood strikes me.

 

[brudnod]

Plenty of tobacco blends; less time to smoke them...

 

[warren]

I think it fair to say that most have, or are looking for, a couple of favorites while maintaining a willingness to explore something new now and then. Just reading the forum one xould formulate the opinion that only few members are happily adhering to a couple of favorites. A general reading of the forum would leave me to believe that most are trying to test drive as many blends as possible.
My eyes are opened! Thanks!

 

[gloucesterman]

I most often stick to one of several favorite blends but I will sometimes experiment within a type. That is I try another English/Balkan blend or a new Vaper. For years I smoked nothing but one of Peretti's bulk blends(Century). It's this site that has me trying new things because of the reviews and curiosity they engender.

 

[gloucesterman]

double post. Fat fingers!