Where is the Flavor?

[Singularis]

If by “taste” you mean the phenomenal effect of the smoke aroma on the palate, then I guess I taste everywhere in my mouth. But truthfully, I mostly only sense some sweetness or bitterness or sourness (or savoriness and saltiness from latakia and dark fired) on the tongue, depending on the leaf or blend being smoked, or what point of the bowl I’m at, or how hard I’m smoking. The enjoyment I get from smoking is almost entirely from the exhaled smoke in the air around my head. It’s more noticeable in still air, of course, which for me means in the garage or outdoors in mostly windless conditions. Now, I do get some aromas and tastes from the smoke on my tongue or retrohaled, but it’s just not quite the same as the exhaled smoke that hangs in the air. In other words, it’s the “room note” smoke that I most like about smoking a pipe, yes, even with strong latakia blends.

For instance, I smoked a small bowl of 4 year old Bijou in a meer this afternoon in the 80 degree, sunny, dry, slightly breezy weather, and it was exquisite (perhaps best bowl of Bijou I’ve had), but I think it was due to the way the smoke lingered and smelled simply divine. But I also tasted a sweetness that complemented the classic Virginia aromas beautifully.

 

[milk]

If by “taste” you mean the phenomenal effect of the smoke aroma on the palate, then I guess I taste everywhere in my mouth. But truthfully, I mostly only sense some sweetness or bitterness or sourness (or savoriness and saltiness from latakia and dark fired) on the tongue, depending on the leaf or blend being smoked, or what point of the bowl I’m at, or how hard I’m smoking. The enjoyment I get from smoking is almost entirely from the exhaled smoke in the air around my head. It’s more noticeable in still air, of course, which for me means in the garage or outdoors in mostly windless conditions. Now, I do get some aromas and tastes from the smoke on my tongue or retrohaled, but it’s just not quite the same as the exhaled smoke that hangs in the air. In other words, it’s the “room note” smoke that I most like about smoking a pipe, yes, even with strong latakia blends.

For instance, I smoked a small bowl of 4 year old Bijou in a meer this afternoon in the 80 degree, sunny, dry, slightly breezy weather, and it was exquisite (perhaps best bowl of Bijou I’ve had), but I think it was due to the way the smoke lingered and smelled simply divine. But I also tasted a sweetness that complemented the classic Virginia aromas beautifully.

This makes me say, “see how different everyone is?” Interesting!

 

[BriarsAndBottles]

I get the best flavor when I look straight up at the sky when exhaling, like back of my head touching the top of my spine. Maybe because it passes by my nose, but give that a try.

 

[renfield]

Sometimes drawing the smoke into my mouth with my lips slightly parted to allow extra air in allows me to get a better sense of the taste. Either cooling, dilution of the smoke or just more turbulent flow. Doesn’t work on everything but it’s worth a try.

 

[milk]

I get the best flavor when I look straight up at the sky when exhaling, like back of my head touching the top of my spine. Maybe because it passes by my nose, but give that a try.

Plum pudding special reserve flake and that does add something!

 

[milk]

I can tell you why this post has been really helpful and why it my help other newbies. It seems we shouldn’t look for taste on the tongue at all. The more you relax and enjoy the retrohale, the more you pick up subtle flavors. It might not be only the retrohale, but I’m noticing as I smoke this Plum Pudding special reserve that more flavors are coming into focus by trying less and by relaxing more. Last night I smoked this and got no flavor. Today is different. It’s full of flavors and I can see why it’s considered such a complex smoke. I think I can that my palette will become more sensitive.

 

[BriarsAndBottles]

I can tell you why this post has been really helpful and why it my help other newbies. It seems we shouldn’t look for taste on the tongue at all. The more you relax and enjoy the retrohale, the more you pick up subtle flavors. It might not be only the retrohale, but I’m noticing as I smoke this Plum Pudding special reserve that more flavors are coming into focus by trying less and by relaxing more. Last night I smoked this and got no flavor. Today is different. It’s full of flavors and I can see why it’s considered such a complex smoke. I think I can that my palette will become more sensitive.

I agree this has been a nice post to read. Sometimes it’s comforting to know you aren’t the only crazy one whose mileage may vary night to night. I can smoke the same tobacco in the same pipe and have a totally different experience. It’s like a lot of hobbies where it’s those moments when the stars align and all is right with the world that keep you coming back even it’s it’s 1/10 or even less. If you have a great smoke just once, that’s enough to keep you coming back because you know it can be done. And when you least expect it, there it is.

 

[bullet08]

This thread remind me of people who are tone deaf. There are people who can hear music, but can't reproduce it or sing along. I asked them to sing in their head and they can't. Just the way they are wired. I can't believe some pipe smokers can't pick up taste with their tongue, but I guess they are just wired differently.

 

[Akoni808]

I get plenty of flavor just puffing. I get even more retrohaling. It might just be more/less sensitive palates. (Even when I had Covid with strong flu like symptoms, I never lost the ability to taste). My friend tells me he can’t pick out any flavors even after smoking a pipe for close to a year. It’s also true that some blends are just bland.

 

[milk]

This thread remind me of people who are tone deaf. There are people who can hear music, but can't reproduce it or sing along. I asked them to sing in their head and they can't. Just the way they are wired. I can't believe some pipe smokers can't pick up taste with their tongue, but I guess they are just wired differently.

At the moment I can’t. But maybe it’ll come. I do notice I picked up a lot of flavors just because I stopped trying and focused on the nose. Actually, the plum pudding left a wonderful aftertaste on my tongue that I’ve had all day. Maybe I’ll develop it then.

 

[fishmansf]

I noticed when I started pipe smoking that I could detect all the flavor of the tobacco by directing smoke to one specific spot near the end of my tongue. That also inevitably led to burn. Recently, I’ve really started enjoying smoking much more as I’ve stopped puffing almost completely. I get plenty of smoke by doing nothing and going about my business of relaxing with the pipe in my mouth. I puff a little, once in a while, just to push it, but that’s rare. I do get some flavor but when the pipe has just gone out I direct the hot air towards that spot near the tip of my tongue and there’s all that flavor again, for a second. I’m just curious if experienced pipe-smokers just get flavor everywhere, maybe as their taste develops over time they’re more sensitive to all the flavors? I guess so, otherwise there wouldn’t be a p-lip. I should note that medications for migraines have caused me dry-mouth issues and that should improve as I’m going to change my Rx. But this is a long-standing issue/question I’ve had. Flavor everywhere? Any takers on this newbie question?

Like others have been saying, I hardly get any flavor unless I retrohale. Burley and Latakia are quite obvious but can't distinguish little flavors unless I retrohale.

 

[JRW11b]

I snork. I taste. Simple as.

 

[AcesAndEights]

I snork. I taste. Simple as.

I’m a big snorker.

 

[starrynight]

I mean, the breathe method changed everything for me. I think I’ve said this before, but certain blends actually taste like strawberry jam spread over pastries, with a caramel drizzle, and the flavor just doesn’t go away… I don’t even taste smoke. I know it’s there, but my mind doesn’t notice it. All of this came from the breathe method as before, lots of hot air haha…

 

[Zamora]

I used to struggle to get flavor but I've found the breath method really helps with tasting, it also helps keep your pipe lit. Takes some practive and I'm still learning but it's absolutely worth the effort. Check out Muttnchop Piper's videos about it on YouTube if you haven't yet

 

[sleepy57]

That could be. If so, it would have been from back in February. It’s hard because I’m also on migraine meds that dry my mouth and Japan gives 20% of its population, including me, extreme tree allergies in March and antihistamines made that worse (I’ve lived in Japan for more than 15 years). I’ve lowered everything and stopped allergy meds and feel better. I was sick with a long “cold” in February. It could have been COVID. I just came from the Dr about just starting to get tinnitus. Honestly, I’ve had enough of doctors hemming and hawing and telling me shoganai (“nothing to be done”). I mean, what will they do now anyway? If it was Covid, won’t it improve over time? I think I read that it does.

Yes, if You had Covid Virus it may take up to six months to regain your taste sensitivity back

 

[Doctor Chopper]

Agree with above, wish to add some anatomy.

Taste perception is almost exclusively on the tongue, with a minor amount on the uvula and soft palate and pharynx. While retrohaling may make contact with the receptors of the soft palate contributing to taste, the contribution is mostly through smell.

The tongue has areas that more concentration of certain taste receptors, although this is just areas of higher concentration and is not exclusive. Directing the smoke on an certain area of the tongue may change the flavor of tobacco for this reason - notice sweet is on the tip of the tongue for you Aromatic lovers.



That being said, our perception of taste is more than stimulation of the taste buds exclusively. Smells are huge as most are alluding to above. Consistency can contribute, although smoke is fairly uniform. Our vision / mood / preconceived notions / history of tasting over a lifetime are also important. The brain uses many sources of input to determine the final "taste" that is experienced.

Sorry if this is long and boring.

-Doc

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Smells are huge as most are alluding to above.

I agree completely. When I was having a hard time tasting tobaccos, someone suggested that I go to coffee and wine tastings. There I learned that without smell, lemons and limes taste exactly the same. It's actually a very unpleasant taste without the nose.
While snorking, passing smoke through the nose, is a common way of enhancing taste, as an all day smoker, I find that it overwhelms my sinuses, so that I can no longer taste. It also aggravates my sinuses and brings on sinusitis, leading to an upper respiratory infection.
I find that just smelling without drawing the smoke directly through my nose is enough.

It was at the tastings that I also learned that I was a super taster. I had no idea before. I just thought everyone tasted how bitter carrots were and just ignored it, ha ha. Some foods just overwhelm me.

 

[DedHed Piper]

I always try to find a spot with no wind and then I hang the pipe in my mouth and relax. It's some sort of breathing method where the smoke slowly fills my mouth (and here come some detailed shit) in the end of that filling I let some air in between the lips, wine tasting style, then I let some out through the mouth and into my nose (french inhale), when just a whiff has entered the nose I push it out and retrohale the last bit of smoke.

Its sort of an automatic thing but it feels like I taste the smoke from every possible angle.

If I had just sucked it into the mouth and pushed it out I believe I wouldn't have smoked pipe. I catch very little of the beautiful nuances that way.

 

[justscience]

I'm reading this thread while smoking a refill bowl of WCC's Rhythm and Blues mixed Virginia leaf blend, amazed by flavors previously unnoticed. It's in a recently purchased Sav 320ks pipe with a large (for me) bowl that apparently allows a slow smolder better than my usual porch pipes. Bowl geometry has a large effect on taste, I'm (re)learning.