Why Do Aromatics Have a Bad Rap?

[birdog]

the challenge for me with Lane and Sutliff aromatics is getting them dry enough.... heavily laden with PG, I have to often put them in a 300 degree oven in a loose wrap of tin foil, often for up to 30 to 40 minutes...keep checking, when taken out and the vapor comes off, feel it, if the stickiness is gone and seems dry enough to burn well, upon cooling, bag it , or put it in a sealed jar...then they level of humidity will stay if kept in a 70 degree or so room.....I don't need to do this with Watch City Blends, and with Boswells, I can let them just air dry at room temps to get it right. These have been my experiences. OTC Carter Hall and PA right out of the tub, don't need these treatments.

 

[Sigmund]

Ive been trying a lot of the HU blends since Im in Europe and its a lot easier to get. They make some nice flavored tobaccos. Im not likely to smoke it every day but their Moroccan Bazaar blend is cerrtainly topped a LOT. But ya know what...its still good and enjoyable. You can also still taste good quality tobacco in there as well.

I think aros get a bad wrap becuase some folks think they are purists and there is snob appeal. Also a lot of old aros were simply garbage tobacco (shreded cardboard) with a bunch of flamable toppings.

Im no purist. I want to enjoy myself and if its having a bunch of spices on my tobacco at times then so be it. There are enough people making quality blends that there is no reason to outlaw one in your cellar or secretly smoke it when your buddies arent around ....while sipping an unbrella drink

 

[Jbrewer2002]

I’m not against aros by any means. Just seems to me that the more cavendish they have the less I like them. I like aros that maintain a nice tobacco flavor along with the added flavors.

 

[Sigmund]

Yes...the ones I have been trying have ample virginia. Quite bright.
Just lit some up. Tastes like the holidays

 

[cosmicfolklore]

@sablebrush52 @yanoJL
I don't deny at all that aromatics are the most smoked pipe tobacco. Wine coolers and flavored drinks also sell way more than unblended wines.
It is that these forums are mostly peopled by those who use the social nature of non-aromatics to discuss these types of blends. You do not see wine cooler clubs nor mixed drink tastings very often. They may happen, but I've never heard of such. Wine tastings, bourbon tastings, scotch clubs etc... people bond over these products that have set rules that apply to production. Like cigar clubs and cigar tastings. No one holds an expansive tasting for cherry cigars.

Now, I am avoiding "thinking" and/or saying that these rule restricted products, like bourbons, cigars, and non-aromatics are any "better" than the flavored ones. But... here on the forums, the majority are non-aromatic smokers. Pipe clubs are mostly non-aromatic smokers. That does not mean that I or any of the rest might not enjoy an aromatic occasionally. What I do mean is that aromatics just do not, for some strange reason, allow themself easily for sociability amongst other smokers. There are many reasons, but my guess is that the main one is that if you gathered 50 aromatic smokers and had them group up to which flavors, brands, or styles of tobacco, there would be 50 different types represented. You just don't see "cherry aromatic flake smokers" all gather for clubs. They'd be driving from all over the world to meet. Plus, what are they going to talk about? Non-aros, bourbons, wines, and cigars are open to seedstock, regional discussions, tons of discussed and explored flavor notes, even just within straight Virginias.

There is nothing wrong with being an aromatic smoker on this forum. But, as with everywhere men gather, get used to some ball busting. And, this is not misogynistic. I've seen women at bourbon, and cigar club bust balls with the rest. Do you think women bourbon fans aren't making fun of women with buggies full of wine coolers at the grocers? It just happens, and it's fun. It's a part of any social group dynamic. Over my years of being on here, I've heard a lot of guys quit the forum because they hear someone say something that they feel insulted by... and I just think it's part of this new generation to look for things to be insulted by. Maybe, maybe not. But, that is just what I have gleaned from experience of being here and in other smoking and drinking social groups.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

@sablebrush52 @yanoJL
I don't deny at all that aromatics are the most smoked pipe tobacco. Wine coolers and flavored drinks also sell way more than unblended wines.
It is that these forums are mostly peopled by those who use the social nature of non-aromatics to discuss these types of blends.

Do you think there is possibly a distinction between active (meaning posting/vocal) members and members in general? And I see a fair amount of aros posted as part of WAYS posts as well. Doesn't matter to me either, but I'm wondering if its really that heavily weighted towards non-aros?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Do you think there is possibly a distinction between active (meaning posting/vocal) members and members in general? And I see a fair amount of aros posted as part of WAYS posts as well. Doesn't matter to me either, but I'm wondering if its really that heavily weighted towards non-aros?

my opinion is just that... but, I do form my opinion based on what I see.
Do you think there is possibly a distinction between active (meaning posting/vocal) members and members in general?
Sure, but I may not be understanding the question. So, I will assume you mean why aromatic smokers tend not to be vocal? I've seen very few aromatic tasting threads. Why? I can only guess that there isn't a lot you can say beyond, do you taste the flavorings. Yes/no... if they were going to get into what the leaf under the flavorings tasted like, they would probably be more inclined to smoke non-aros. Just my guess.

but I'm wondering if its really that heavily weighted towards non-aros? I only go to the WAYS threads a few times a month. But, I imagine it is like a smoking lounge, and I have been to many. You may see a few guys smoke an aromatic in one. But, they don't participate much in discussions that guys have over the tobaccos. I imagine this is from just not being schooled in non-aromatic things.
Does a typical cherry aro smoker really research tobacco cultivation, curing, processing very deeply? I don't know. Maybe, but then why aren't they smoking these?

When Russ was on here, he used to have threads on what the flavorings are, and those threads perked interest.

But, yes on here, most of the vocal users of this forum are non-aromatic smokers, for the very reasons I have mentioned. We are a very teeny tiny subsection of a much larger consumer group that mostly doesn't care about the things we talk about. So do, but mostly aromatic smokers are more vastly men who buy a pouch and go home and smoke once a day, week, or month, while watching TV or tying flies for all I know. But, the forums by their very nature are more about things that would appeal to non-aro smokers.

No one ever has a thread about which pipe shape and size is better for aromatics, because.... phtttt, hell if I know. Any of them pretty much will work.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

When I took a few moths and decided to explore Vanilla blends, taste test them, write up reviews of them. I found that if I came here, either I felt like what I was doing wouldn't be interesting here, and reading the other threads made me want to try non-aros to join in on the discussion.
My conclusion was that vanilla aromatics weren't worth my further attention. I posted my results to pretty much crickets. A few aromatic smokers chimed in, but for the most part, what the hell is there to talk about with aromatics. Especially since we have to guess what the hell companies are adding to tobaccos to give them that flavor.

Lakelands are a little different. Mostly because of perception. And, to my understanding with the products constantly shifting in what they add and how they taste, it's damned near impossible to discuss them, because we are all smoking something different. Maybe once they get this all straightened out, and it has been straightened out for a few years, maybe we can come back to them. Just the way I see it.

 

[El Capitán]

the challenge for me with Lane and Sutliff aromatics is getting them dry enough.... heavily laden with PG, I have to often put them in a 300 degree oven in a loose wrap of tin foil, often for up to 30 to 40 minutes...keep checking, when taken out and the vapor comes off, feel it, if the stickiness is gone and seems dry enough to burn well, upon cooling, bag it , or put it in a sealed jar...then they level of humidity will stay if kept in a 70 degree or so room.....I don't need to do this with Watch City Blends, and with Boswells, I can let them just air dry at room temps to get it right. These have been my experiences. OTC Carter Hall and PA right out of the tub, don't need these treatments.

Never had an issue with smoking Sutliff straight out of the bag without drying. It burns evenly for me with no relights.

 

[bullet08]

Because aromatics attract elementary school kids to try pipe smoking? How can 3rd grade kids resist those yummy Lakeland blends that remind them of grandma's Sunday dresses? Or is it Vanilla flavor that brings back the memories of sexy rump from French Riviera? Screw vape. Pipe is the future!

 

[karam]

I'm smoking SG 1792 flake right now, which is most definitely an "English" but it no way an aro. Unless you count tonquin as an aromat which I don't.

What do you count it as then? It's an artificial addition, no tobacco I know of tastes like tonquin when prepared from the plant. Also 1792 is most definitely not an English blend. It is English in terms of where it's made but the underlying tobacco is mostly Dark Fired Kentucky (not from Kentucky though but from Tanzania!) and Virginia (unclear where from). English blends have Latakia. 1792 is DFK (Gawith) aromatic.

Aromatic was originally used to describe Latakia blends, starting life as Oriental tobaccos (ie Balkans, Turkey, Middle East) which if smoked solo and uncased develop a great deal of unusual flavours not found in Virginia and Burley, like cumin, incense, aniseed. I have some Greek Basma from Wolfway in my drawers, you wouldn't believe how complex it is, it's like smoking a blend and yet it's a rough cut, uncased (confirmed with the manufacturer) single leaf. In addition, "aromatic" just means "fragrant", reinforcing the origin of the term.

Nowadays "aromatic" is commonly understood to refer to low-quality cavendish (burley) OTCs drenched in PG. Gawith differ by using very good quality tobacco as a base and allowing you to taste the underlying tobacco while smoking. Nobody does scented (my preferred term) tobacco as well as they do.

Also, on topic, many less experienced smokers don't like scented blends because they haven't learnt to smoke slowly, hence burning their mouth with acrid smoke. Many experienced smokers really like many "aromatics". Some in either group just like straight tobacco. All good.

 

[El Capitán]

Because aromatics attract elementary school kids to try pipe smoking? How can 3rd grade kids resist those yummy Lakeland blends that remind them of grandma's Sunday dresses? Or is it Vanilla flavor that brings back the memories of sexy rump from French Riviera? Screw vape. Pipe is the future!

PWO
Pipe World Order
Too Sweet
Pipe 4 Life

 

[kg.legat0]

This thread has been an interesting read. I have found my enjoyment of aromatics to only be enhanced over time. That said, there are a number of aromatic blends that are very 'meh' even when smoked slowly. Oddly, I find this to be a real hit-or-miss ordeal though ...even more oddly, I have found that some value blends (Smoker's Pride Vanilla Cav. and Black Cav.) age wonderfully - the blue bag SP Vanilla Cav. actually has some really killer natural tobacco flavor to it...much to my surprise.

If enjoying fruity/sweet tobaccos warrants some ribbing, I am all about it lol

People like what they like and tastes vary widely - it's what has gotten us to the point where we have so many choices that we end up in conversations like this thread ...I see this only as a good thing.

Also, there is indeed a lot of disdain for 'goopy' aromatics - this is really a great reason for smoking certain blends in certain pipes. In my experience, I have found that aromatics really kinda shine in pipes that are mainly used for aromatic blends ...I also don't smoke aros in my meers... those are just for Va's/VaPers.

At any rate, I think aros get so much 'hate' because they are considered beginner tobaccos, but, are not, in fact, best suited towards beginners (as has been mentioned). I think they are marketed as beginner tobaccos because a newer smoker is going to catch a lot less hell for taking up a hobby that smells like freshly baked cookies rather than something stout and natural.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

This thread has been an interesting read. I have found my enjoyment of aromatics to only be enhanced over time. That said, there are a number of aromatic blends that are very 'meh' even when smoked slowly. Oddly, I find this to be a real hit-or-miss ordeal though ...even more oddly, I have found that some value blends (Smoker's Pride Vanilla Cav. and Black Cav.) age wonderfully - the blue bag SP Vanilla Cav. actually has some really killer natural tobacco flavor to it...much to my surprise.

If enjoying fruity/sweet tobaccos warrants some ribbing, I am all about it lol

People like what they like and tastes vary widely - it's what has gotten us to the point where we have so many choices that we end up in conversations like this thread ...I see this only as a good thing.

Also, there is indeed a lot of disdain for 'goopy' aromatics - this is really a great reason for smoking certain blends in certain pipes. In my experience, I have found that aromatics really kinda shine in pipes that are mainly used for aromatic blends ...I also don't smoke aros in my meers... those are just for Va's/VaPers.

At any rate, I think aros get so much 'hate' because they are considered beginner tobaccos, but, are not, in fact, best suited towards beginners (as has been mentioned). I think they are marketed as beginner tobaccos because a newer smoker is going to catch a lot less hell for taking up a hobby that smells like freshly baked cookies rather than something stout and natural.

Just liking aros doesn't make you an exclusive aromatic smoker. I smoke aromatics occasionally, and you mention that you have pipes dedicated to VAs and VAPERs, so you have a lot to bond with guys over in the threads. I think that this is a little different than someone who only smokes aromatics, without any knowledge of non aros.

 

[kg.legat0]

Just liking aros doesn't make you an exclusive aromatic smoker. I smoke aromatics occasionally, and you mention that you have pipes dedicated to VAs and VAPERs, so you have a lot to bond with guys over in the threads. I think that this is a little different than someone who only smokes aromatics, without any knowledge of non aros.

Definitely! I do agree with the idea that we don't see a lot of exclusive aro-only smokers here ...it seems like these folks have to exist in droves, but, they might not have as much to chat about on a forum like this.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Also, without coming to the forums, it's really difficult to know even what non-aromatics are, or the genres. I remember when I first got into pipes, I knew that aromatics just weren't going to keep me interested for long. I scanned the sites that I saw sold tobaccos, before smokingpipes.com had the tobacco locator, I just didn't know where to start. I remember ordering a few Sutliff blends that mentioned tobacco taste, but ended up getting a butternut burley and one that tasted like peaches, and it was difficult to know which ones weren't cased.
It wasn't till I visited the Briary and a guy from Lane tobaccos was there, and believe it or not, he helped me pick a few Virginias out. So, it is funny that a Lane guy pointed me towards pure tobacco tastes, ha ha.

Now, I think it is a little easier to find non-aros, with youtube, forums, and even the seller's websites do a much better job of describing blends. Although, I do wish they would come up with a category for ones with absolutely no casings, to better help[ us find these.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

...it seems like these folks have to exist in droves, but, they might not have as much to chat about on a forum like this.

That, and believe it or not, some guys just smoke and don't have any desire to chat about smoking. some days, I have a lot of respect for these guys, especially over the guys who get all butt hurt on a smoking website.

 

[sablebrush52]

But, as with everywhere men gather, get used to some ball busting. And, this is not misogynistic.

Ball busting not misogynistic? I would hope not. That's just a bit too gender bending.

here are many reasons, but my guess is that the main one is that if you gathered 50 aromatic smokers and had them group up to which flavors, brands, or styles of tobacco, there would be 50 different types represented.

Possibly true, but suppose that we had a thread on the differences between Middleton's Cherry and HU Cherry Saronno? Might be interesting. It would certainly be different.

Boy, could this forum use some more variety.

We are a very teeny tiny subsection of a much larger consumer group that mostly doesn't care about the things we talk about.

That's for sure. However, we're really mostly aware only of this tiny ecosystem, hence my earlier observation that some of the attitude is the result of ignorance, perhaps better expressed as parochialism. Could we be in danger of becoming so inbred that we end up being our own grandpa?

It's particularly ironic that some so called "aro haters" (most of them are gone from this forum) would then go on extol an aromatic blend that they didn't know was aromatic. It's not any different that the ad hominem Suttlif haters who would unequivocally condemn any tobacco that Sutliff had touched, largely because they were totally ignorant on the extent of Sutliff's activities beyond the scope of the aromatics they released under their own label.

BTW, that "90% of all sales are aromatics" came from Russ, along with several other people with whom I've spoken at different times and places.

At any rate, I think aros get so much 'hate' because they are considered beginner tobaccos, but, are not, in fact, best suited towards beginners (as has been mentioned). I think they are marketed as beginner tobaccos because a newer smoker is going to catch a lot less hell for taking up a hobby that smells like freshly baked cookies rather than something stout and natural.

All good points. Burley and English blends may be better genres for beginners than Aromatics.

For me, after all of the hurley burley it comes down to this. Smoke what you like.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It's particularly ironic that some so called "aro haters" (most of them are gone from this forum) would then go on extol an aromatic blend that they didn't know was aromatic.

I don’t doubt for a moment that everything said to be hated is enjoyed by them at least a little. Mostly things like this are meant in machisimo hyperbole. I’ll make a humorous quip about “weak wristed aromatic smokers,” and then immediately help someone find an aromatic. When I was busting on cob smokers, I was also posting pictures cobs that I had banded.

Aromatics are never my first choice, nor even all that interesting to me. But, I’ll try one. I usually end up throwing them away before I can finish a tin…. But, I’m also not marching in front of stores with a sign to get rid of them.

We also make fun of latakia a lot, burning tires and all.

Someone who seriously hates a brand or genre, to the point where they seriously get mad when it’s brought up would just be sad.
However, back when Kevin had to make a post for us to stop making fun of aromatic smokers because they were writing him to say that their feelings were hurt was kind of kind of hilarious, considering what was actually being posted.

Many things get dogpiled and ball busted on here, but we still get posts about why we hate aromatics? I’m not sure what to say about that.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

To answer the OP question, I think some pipe smokers feel that aromatics are a lesser quality tobacco masked with over produced flavors. However, that isn't always the case, but for some blends it definitely is the case. People probably don't want aromatics in their Secret Santa, because they either don't want what they think is an inferior tobacco, or if they do enjoy aromatics, they have a particular taste and only enjoy certain blends and don't want something they might not enjoy.

There are obviously a lot of aromatic tobaccos on the market, and some are way better than others. Some are really goopy, many lose their flavor halfway through the bowl, some have a chemical taste instead of a natural flavor, and some just aren't good. They also don't keep as long in your cellar if you're into cellaring tobaccos. However, there are a lot of good aromatics out there, and they're very popular among many pipe smokers, so if you like them, then smoke them. Sometimes it takes a lot of sampling to find the good ones or at least the ones that you find to be enjoyable.

For me I started out smoking aromatics, and then transitioned to English/Balken, Virginia, and some Burley blends. I found that I just enjoy those blends over aromatics, but I still smoke some aromatics from time to time. For me I keep certain aromatics on hand for those times that I want to enjoy an aromatic. I know the ones I like and primarily stick to those, but I'm not so snobbish to not try something if it sounds good.