When in Doubt, Dry It Out

[Old_Newby]

As a new smoker I buy a lot of 1oz samples. I get the vanilla, chocolate, cherry, apple, or cookie flavors to try like many newbies do. I have tried a couple of them but was not that impressed. They would not stay lit, seemed to get hot, and lacked any flavor. However yesterday I decided to try Sutliff Chocolate Mouse but also took some out and let it dry in an open tin for an hour prior. Although I read and heard to dry it I just never planned ahead and did it.

What a difference it makes. It lit and burned well. I enjoyed the hint of the cocoa flavor and sweetness. It did NOT bite or ever burned hot. Maybe because it’s all cavendish. I even smoked it in my cheap pear pipe.

Outside in my yard standing in a damp misty drizzle chugging away on a bowl of chocolate with no worries about cadence or technique. Heck I even dumped the ashes, fluffed the dottle, and kept going. Had some wet crackles lighting the dottle but it burned another delicious 5 minutes.

Point of the story is try this one, and if you have other wet goops try them again after a good drying out. I am going back to my Vanilla Custard for a retry.

 

[WVOldFart]

It makes a difference. If I know what I plan to smoke the next day, I lay out some of the tobacco to dry overnight. It may seem a little dry, but you will find that it packs better, it tastes better and it doesn't burn hot. It is all in what you find works for you.

 

[dctune]

Just want to jump in here and say there’s absolutely zero shame in smoking aromatics. I’ve even heard @Chasing Embers suggest aromatics are more properly appreciated by experienced smokers.

I recently had a conversation with tobacconist Jeff Schwab at his Lexington,KY shop. He said he had a guy in recently purchasing some of his aromatic blends, when another customer walked up and said, “You’re not a real pipe smoker unless you smoke Englishes.”

Now, Jeff’s an interesting guy, & he doesn’t put up with stuff when it irks him. He worked as a narcotics LEO in South Florida for 20 years before he returned to KY to take over his dad’s shop. And this comment irked him. He said he told the guy to bugger off. Said something like, “Yeah right. That’s why we’ve been in business for 50 years and have only ever had 3 Englishes on our tobacco bar of around 30 blends.” They have lifetime customers who exclusively smoke aromatics.

Moral of the story: don’t disparage yourself as a noob for smoking aromatics. Smoke what you like! Smoke what tastes great to YOU! And btw, even if you feel like a noob, well I say great! The world needs MORE pipe smokers, not less. If more people enjoyed pipe tobaccos, it’d probably fix a lot of society’s problems. It’d for sure relax some folks enough to more rationally and productively address them.

 

[kcghost]

There's too few of us pipe smokers around. Let people enjoy whatever they want and get along with them.

 

[anotherbob]

Just want to jump in here and say there’s absolutely zero shame in smoking aromatics. I’ve even heard @Chasing Embers suggest aromatics are more properly appreciated by experienced smokers.

I recently had a conversation with tobacconist Jeff Schwab at his Lexington,KY shop. He said he had a guy in recently purchasing some of his aromatic blends, when another customer walked up and said, “You’re not a real pipe smoker unless you smoke Englishes.”

Now, Jeff’s an interesting guy, & he doesn’t put up with stuff when it irks him. He worked as a narcotics LEO in South Florida for 20 years before he returned to KY to take over his dad’s shop. And this comment irked him. He said he told the guy to bugger off. Said something like, “Yeah right. That’s why we’ve been in business for 50 years and have only ever had 3 Englishes on our tobacco bar of around 30 blends.” They have lifetime customers who exclusively smoke aromatics.

Moral of the story: don’t disparage yourself as a noob for smoking aromatics. Smoke what you like! Smoke what tastes great to YOU! And btw, even if you feel like a noob, well I say great! The world needs MORE pipe smokers, not less. If more people enjoyed pipe tobaccos, it’d probably fix a lot of society’s problems. It’d for sure relax some folks enough to more rationally and productively address them.

i always find that one funny englishes are flavored. Just in a more old school way.

 

[Hobbs]

Like you, I an new to pipe smoking and started with Aros. Was also disappointed by not tasting what I was smelling.
I am trying other varieties of English, Virginias, etc so cannot obviously give a definitive answer.
I tried Molto Dolce and really liked it as I could detect a nice sweet flavor, subtle as it was. But subsequent bowls did not give me that taste.
Experimentation…gotta love it.

 

[OSOBUCO]

I am also new to the pipe - well kinda - I used to enjoy a bowl fishing now and then in the 90s but nothing serious. Now I am jumping head first into the hobby and having a lot of fun. For me sometimes I get great flavor but other times its like I am smoking "Forest Floor Blend" and theres nothing but misc leaf and twig smokiness. The latter happens esp if I dry too much. If I leave a bowl out overnight it gets crispy and i can hear it crunch as I pack - I am high in the mountains and the humidity is extremely low here. Anyway at that dryness I do not get any flavor. Too wet and I get flavor but only a half a bowl before it's so soggy that I can't keep it lit. I am smoking Aros and non aros and mostly buying small amounts (1-2oz) as I want to try a lot this year and then settle in on a few favorites.

 

[mikecronis]

Strangely, I do just the opposite and have done so for almost 30 years now. My pipes never need a re-light. I never dry it out because it tastes like stale bread otherwise and burns too hot that way.

 

[OSOBUCO]

Strangely, I do just the opposite and have done so for almost 30 years now. My pipes never need a re-light. I never dry it out because it tastes like stale bread otherwise and burns too hot that way.

But you’re a wizard! My pipe always goes out and if I smoke it hard it doesn’t but then I get raging tongue bite

 

[monty55]

But you’re a wizard! My pipe always goes out and if I smoke it hard it doesn’t but then I get raging tongue bite

Do not fret over this. I know plenty of experienced pipe smokers who relight several times, myself included. There are a lot of variables. Just keep on smoking... eventually, everything will fall into place and you will be one with your pipe. And nobody here will judge you for relighting a bowl, or for what you like to smoke. And if they do, tell them to go pound sand!

 

[motie2]

I bgan smoking a pipe in 1964 when I entered seminary. Most of us who smoked were pipers. This was before the internet, and none of our pipe “experts” (upperclassmen) ever talked about drying tobacco. Humidifying dried out tobacco, yes, but we all assumed that what came in a tin was “fresh” and ready to smoke. We were morons. I didn’t start drying my tobacco until 2016.

 

[anotherbob]

I bgan smoking a pipe in 1964 when I entered seminary. Most of us who smoked were pipers. This was before the internet, and none of our pipe “experts” (upperclassmen) ever talked about drying tobacco. Humidifying dried out tobacco, yes, but we all assumed that what came in a tin was “fresh” and ready to smoke. We were morons. I didn’t start drying my tobacco until 2016.

yeah I found out about drying tobacco by accident. Had a tin which I forgot about for a while and it was really dry. I thought I'll smoke it and if it's as bad as I expected I could dump it. Nope it was one of the best smokes I had. After that started drying them out and haven't looked back.

 

[chopper]

I recently had a conversation with tobacconist Jeff Schwab at his Lexington,KY shop. He said he had a guy in recently purchasing some of his aromatic blends, when another customer walked up and said, “You’re not a real pipe smoker unless you smoke Englishes.”

We have a word for those who think that their personal tastes or way of doing things is the 'proper' or only correct way; a wanker.

Like the obese former colleague who had the unpleasant habit of obnoxiously putting down others for adding tomato sauce to a meat pie, a mixer to a bourbon or scotch or sugar and/or milk to coffee.

It was one of those little irritancies that has a cumulative effect to the point where one day he loudly uttered once too often when he took his first slurp of his unsweetened black coffee "Ahh, a proper coffee!" to which I responded "Look fatso, you've proved beyond doubt that you're a wanker. There's no need to keep reminding us".

The office exploded in laughter while Fatso went a deep shade of red.

What Fatso needed to hear was that we all have different tastes therefore there is no 'right' or 'wrong'.
I enjoy most genres of mild blends and appreciate having a variety from which to choose depending on my mood.
Not that there's anything 'wrong' with those who stick to one genre or one blend or plugs or ropes that would turn me green.

As long as one enjoys whatever suits their tastes is all that matters. To each his own.

 

[OSOBUCO]

We have a word for those who think that their personal tastes or way of doing things is the 'proper' or only correct way; a wanker.

Like the obese former colleague who had the unpleasant habit of obnoxiously putting down others for adding tomato sauce to a meat pie, a mixer to a bourbon or scotch or sugar and/or milk to coffee.

It was one of those little irritancies that has a cumulative effect to the point where one day he loudly uttered once too often when he took his first slurp of his unsweetened black coffee "Ahh, a proper coffee!" to which I responded "Look fatso, you've proved beyond doubt that you're a wanker. There's no need to keep reminding us".

The office exploded in laughter while Fatso went a deep shade of red.

What Fatso needed to hear was that we all have different tastes therefore there is no 'right' or 'wrong'.
I enjoy most genres of mild blends and appreciate having a variety from which to choose depending on my mood.
Not that there's anything 'wrong' with those who stick to one genre or one blend or plugs or ropes that would turn me green.

As long as one enjoys whatever suits their tastes is all that matters. To each his own.

Well… you call someone “fatso” in the states and you will be fired on the spot in most places these days.

 

[jiminy]

As long as one enjoys whatever suits their tastes is all that matters. To each his own.

Yup, that is true. Smoke it wet, smoke it dry, smoke it in-between... Whatever works for you. Same with filters, what type of tobacco, etc.

 

[Hobbs]

Since the weather here in NY has been bad, anytime there is a decent day I light up. Being fairly new I have been trying many different brands but yesterday, I too, stumbled into the “dry-it-out” family.

Due to senioritis which causes me to forget, I may put the tobacco out for an hour before smoking. It has been enjoyable and re-lights are a minimum.
But yesterday I actually remembered to put out my almost empty tin of Molto Dolce and it dried for over three hours. I have to admit that it was the most enjoyable smoke yet. Burned beautifully requiring only two re-lights. And the bowl seemed to go on forever in my MM Cob.

Am hoping that some day when seniortis isn’t looking, I’ll remember to put some out the night before.

 

[chopper]

Well… you call someone “fatso” in the states and you will be fired on the spot in most places these days.

Seriously? How sad. Sounds like people there need to take a spoonful of cement and HTFU
Thankfully workplaces aren't so overly sensitive here in Oz.
My boss had a good chuckle himself.

Fatso often tried to bully others to get his own way and was less than honest.
We were all sick of him.

A few weeks later he claimed that he had been made a better offer elsewhere in an attempt to get a pay rise.
The boss said 'I'd hate to hold you back', shook his hand and wished him well.
We all had a good laugh at that one.

 

[Micklander]

I’ve been smoking for a few months now and haven’t really tried drying my tobacco yet. I think I’ll put some out ahead of lunch and see how it treats me.

 

[kola]

I no longer can enjoy 99% of true aromatic blends and they never seemed to dry out anyways as many were sopped in PG. And then there's he goop issue in your pipe (i.e Molto Dulce) They are crowd pleasers if you are around other people though. My aromatic ship sailed years ago but it's still the top selling blends.

My idea of a good aromatic is Haddos Delight, University Flake and Margate... very subtle in the aro department.

With a few exceptions, I'm not into the "dry it out" camp. For me the more dried out it is the less flavor I get. And overly dry (to a crisp) is pretty much tasteless. I don't mind re-lights either.
YMMV.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Margate an aromatic? Who knew?!