Which Do You Choose First, The Pipe or The Tobacco?

[jmatt]

Tobacco first unless I have a particular length of time I plan to smoke. So if I specifically want a 30 minute or a 120 minute smoke I might pick a suitable pipe I know I can get that time out of and then I'll pick a matching tobacco.

 

[agnosticpipe]

All are real well reasoned answers, and I'm surprised that there is that much variety, but then we're a varied bunch. Reading this I also realized that I do some of all of them more than I thought! Obviously, there is no right way or wrong way to choose, but lots of pipes and tobaccos makes life interesting for sure.

 

[tinsel]

I choose the pipe first so that I can keep them rotated properly. I don't have near as many pipes as other members. I have about 20. Half are cobs. Out of the other 10 or so, about 6 get smoked really regularly.
I pretty much ONLY smoke VAs or VAPERS, so I can usually smoke just about whatever I want in whatever pipe is up next in the rotation. The only exceptions are when I get a hankering for Nightcap or some other lat blend, or very occasionally a burley blend.
On those occasions, I have 2 pipes dedicated to lat blends. Burleys don't usually ghost for me, so I can smoke them in whatever pipe is up next in the rotation.

 

[judcole]

I maintain a pretty strict rotation of my pipes, so I get the day's pipes out, and then the tobaccos. ::

 

[jerwynn]

I never paid attention but after reading this, I took stock for several smokes. It turns out I ALWAYS pick out the tobacco first... and it can take awhile to plumb my moods, open jars and sniff, test atmospherics - barometry - ambient temps and humidity, wind direction, gravitational flux, red-shift, auras and spirits, and finally hitting the one that makes my mind go "Ahhhhhhhhhh, this is The Chosen One for tonight!" Then I have to go through all the same bullsht to select just the perfect pipe for whatever tobacco was just pre-ordained. But to me, this is all part of the fun of it all! (These routines do make it harder to get through a B&M in less than 6 hours though, if that.)

 

[jpmcwjr]

Never thought about it until now. Kinda like asking a golfer if he breathes in or out as he's putting!
I tend to choose the pipe first—depends whether I am about to walk, or drive, or sit— and how long I plan to smoke.

 

[derfatdutchman]

It is an interesting question that I had to think about. I have to say I normally pick out a pipe first and then a blend. The one thing I don't do is smoke an English blend in one of the pipes I smoke VaPer's in or vice versa. If I have a craving for something specific I will grab a pipe for that style of blend.

 

[hakchuma]

Pretty much all/any variations in search of a result and more than the approach.

 

[weezell]

Around the house, it is most of the time a Meerschaum then tobacco. Going out, its tobacco then pipe...

 

[jvnshr]

I choose the pipe first so that I can keep them rotated properly. I don't have near as many pipes as other members. I have about 20.

Exactly, but I have only 7 pipes. So I have to choose the pipe first as well.

 

[tmb152]

Tobacco first. After all, the pipe is just a delivery tool. Whichever I choose, I have several pipes for each type so that no matter which I used last, I can rotate another pipe into use. And you learn a lot about your pipes this way, as patterns develop for which smoke best for whatever situation.

 

[jpmcwjr]

After all, the pipe is just a delivery tool.

Sacrilege! OMG, really?
OK, pulling your chain a bit, but for many of us, a pipe, while foremost a delivery tool, goes well beyond that.

 

[hextor]

It depends, I tend to chose the tobacco first, but if its a special occasion i will take time to chose the perfect pipe to smoke on that day.

 

[sablebrush52]

Nine times out of ten it's the tobacco first.

 

[stoker]

tobacco

 

[yaddy306]

Tobacco first.

 

[sallow]

Pipes are in a rotation so that takes the choice out of it for the most part.
I then choose a tobacco that is open (usually I have 3 or four tins that are open) and 'fits' the pipe

 

[kalvort]

Tobacco first, unless it's a new pipe that I just received, or as someone here said a special occasion, then it will be the pipe first.

 

[tmb152]

Sacrilege! OMG, really?
OK, pulling your chain a bit, but for many of us, a pipe, while foremost a delivery tool, goes well beyond that.

Maybe that wasn't worded as well as it could have been. I LOVE pipes, I love the art in pipes. I am an artisan myself and appreciate the craftsmanship in nice ones. I have pipes of practically every kind, material and style. Every pipe I own I bought for some aspect of its beauty, so I choose the tobacco first because no matter what pipe goes with it, I will surely enjoy it! And I have enough pipes that I don't have to worry about smoking them in rotation--- part of the fun is smoking the pipe that fits the tobacco and the mood best, even if you've smoked it three times since you last smoked another. That alone tells you something about your pipes. . . .
In fact, I keep records of which tobaccos have gone exceptionally well with which pipes. But each different pipe brings something unique and special to the smoking experience otherwise it isn't worth keeping! But ultimately, I choose the tobacco FIRST on any given occasion as the pipe (however non-utilitarian it may be) is primarily the means of delivery, and all of my pipes are good smokers.
Regards,
WayneG

 

[hiplainsdrifter]

Tobacco!