When in Doubt, Dry It Out

[OSOBUCO]

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.

Yes...seriously. Freedom of speech has all but disappeared here. One wrong word or misperceived word and you will be labeled as something terrible and sometimes even worse. I just keep my mouth shut these days and when I run into wankers I just smile and walk away.

I best stop now before I get labeled.

 

[kola]

Margate an aromatic? Who knew?!

Apologies, I meant Pembroke, with the cognac topping.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Apologies, I meant Pembroke, with the cognac topping.

Whew! Thanks. Nice to know I am not going nuts this moment! The main reason I don't like Pembroke!

 

[zitotczito]

When I first started piping, I thought when the Aro was cherry or vanilla, I expected that to be the flavor and the only one. I was too new to figure that there were other flavors and types of tobacco blended in there as well. Who knew, and I am still a noob compared to jiminks.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

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.

I knew one old neighbor of mine who never seemed to be drying out his tobacco, as I recall he used to do this codger scoop packing , quick lighting and thats what all he did, he owned significant collection of more or less fine briar pipes but all he smoked was Clan Aromatic & Half & Half

 

[Old_Newby]

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.

As time passes and I trial more blends I too am starting to dislike 99% of aros. It’s for the smellers, not the tasters. There are a few codgers that I can partake but most that smell good are topped with food smelling perfume that is not a pleasant flavor in the mouth.

 

[TheWhale13]

To be completely honest I don't even find drying out necessary at all. I mainly smoke meerschaum so that may make a difference but everything smokes the same either way basically and I don't have to wait for the tobacco to dry.

 

[GawithPiper]

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.

Wow over night? I do at least a hour. It doesn’t get to dry being out that long?

 

[WVOldFart]

Wow over night? I do at least a hour. It doesn’t get to dry being out that long?

It works for me. Try it, you'll like it. The tobacco is dry, but it packs easily, burns without a lot of relights, doesn't burn hot and has more flavor. IMHO.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

somehow it usually turns out that if I do not take my time and leave my tobacco to dry out for at least for 15-30min I will ,in all probability to face some light tongue bite /tingle once I'm done smoking

 

[telescopes]

Aromatics keep our access to good tobaccos possible. It makes no sense to bash them.

 

[GawithPiper]

It works for me. Try it, you'll like it. The tobacco is dry, but it packs easily, burns without a lot of relights, doesn't burn hot and has more flavor. IMHO.

That go for all tobacco cuts like ribbon and shag too?

 

[sablebrush52]

That go for all tobacco cuts like ribbon and shag too?

For me, yes. But it's more about the type of blend, Virginia, Burley, Aromatic, English than about the cut. My experience is that Virginias do better when smoked very dry, whatever the format be, Aros require more moisture to keep the toppings present during the smoke, English do well whether moist or dry, but there again, better dry, etc, etc.

 

[GawithPiper]

For me, yes. But it's more about the type of blend, Virginia, Burley, Aromatic, English than about the cut. My experience is that Virginias do better when smoked very dry, whatever the format be, Aros require more moisture to keep the toppings present during the smoke, English do well whether moist or dry, but there again, better dry, etc, etc.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[motie2]

Back in seminary, in the late ‘60’s, there was no one to tell us that some tobacco came too wet, and some came too dry. The upperclassmen didn’t know, and the facultywasn’t talking. It wasn’t until my second pipe life, in 2016 when Itook up the pipe again after giving it up in 1984, that I heard about drying and rehydration. Gamechanger!

And since retiring to my present community in northern NJ eight years ago, I have never seen a pipe smokerin the wild….. lunting, as it were.

 

[bbqpiper]

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.

Great advice. I wish I had listened/read this when I first started smoking. For the longest time I thought properly dried tobacco was too dry. quite a bit of tongue/roof burn later I now dry out almost every tobacco I smoke.

 

[North of the Border Piper]

It depends. It always does.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Back in seminary, in the late ‘60’s, there was no one to tell us that some tobacco came too wet, and some came too dry. The upperclassmen didn’t know, and the facultywasn’t talking. It wasn’t until my second pipe life, in 2016 when Itook up the pipe again after giving it up in 1984, that I heard about drying and rehydration. Gamechanger!

And since retiring to my present community in northern NJ eight years ago, I have never seen a pipe smokerin the wild….. lunting, as it were.

How far North? I used to live in Orange County, NY, just across the border from NJ.

Please put your location in your Profile, as people are forgetful.
Why: It will save time for others as to where you live when you mention local stores, weather, tobacco prices, availability, regulations, location of photos, wildfires, air quality, etc. In many instances that saves time for those who read your posts, and for you in not having to reply to inquiries. .
How:
Under your avatar, (top right, left most of three symbols) you choose "Account Details", which brings up "My Account". "My Location" is halfway down. Whatever you're comfortable with- town, city, county, state. province, etc.