Mine was a vanilla blend from a local shop. I smoked three bowls of it then bought a latakia blend, and I've never looked back!
Your First Blend
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My first blend is OOP.... Walgreen's Golden Burley. Great stuff, for an introduction. It prepared me for the glories of Old Joe Krantz.
I have no idea at all. It was 1982 and I decided to go buy a pipe because it appealed to me. Went to a local pipe shop, and after buying my pipe, a Savinelli second, he said go sniff the tobaccos in the big jars, and he'd give me a couple of oz. of whatever smelled good to me. I have no recollection of what it was, but it must have not been too bad, as I kept on smoking pipes.
I went to a tobacco shop and asked the guy what he recommended and he gave me an ounce of a vanilla flavored ribbon cut blend.
This was about eleven years ago, but looking back on it, it was probably 1Q.
This was about eleven years ago, but looking back on it, it was probably 1Q.
My first purchased blends were purchased under different names, as most B&Ms re-label major bulks. The first three I acquired were Lane 1Q, Lane MV-1000, and whatever the bulk is on TinderBox's "Rum Runner". Prior to that, I think the very first pipe tobacco I had ever smoke was a bit of Captain Black Gold, before I decided to get into it seriously. To this day, I keep MV-1000 and 1Q on hand, and occasionally grab some CBG. With no TinderBox around me anymore, Rum Runner is 'out of reach', unless I've had the bulk without realizing it.
First blend I ever smoked was called Peach Melba from a local shop in San Marcos TX. I was in college and remember feeling very smart for smoking a pipe. Feelings can be misleading! But the blend must of been ok I don't remember any tongue bite, just that I didn't yet know about tampers. After that it was about 14 years before I picked a pipe up again. I bought a starter pack from P&C and got some pouch vanilla brand, I quickly purchased an ounce of Nightcap and it's been downhill ever since!
Way back in 1970 when I began smoking a pipe, I picked up a large tin of Middleton's Cherry and smoked that until it was gone. I then went in search of something better so I ended up going through all of the many drug store blends available at that time. I tried SWR, Half and Half, Carter Hall, Flying Dutchman, Amphora, Scandavinak, Apple, and finally settled on Borkum Riff, which at that time was a very good tobacco. I stayed with Borkum Riff until it began to decline in quality and switched off to certain aromatics again, like Dan's Blue Note. About 15 years ago I found that I dearly loved Virginia/Perique tobacco and settled on McClelland 2015 as the tobacco to stick with. It was rather inexpensive in 5 pound bags, so I purchased as much as I could and stored it in mason jars. I am now smoking tobacco that has been aging for the past decade or so. Except for the occasional tin of Escudo or an occasional pouch of something I wish to revisit, I have not had to purchase any tobacco in about 7 years. I figure I am good for another few years worth of free smoking if I actually pace myself.
My first attempt at smoking a pipe "for real" involved one of my Dad's pipes and a pouch of Paladin Black Cherry. I packed tight, scorched the rim lighting with a Djeep butane lighter (Dad never said anything about the burnt pipe ... he was mostly a non-smoker, maybe sneaking in a bowl in his library once a year, and unattached to his modest rotation). It tasted more like a cigar than cherries to my inexperienced palate, but it was fun smoking that pipe and it felt good and the Paladin cherry bomb smelled great to me.
Already a cigarette smoker when I picked up my first pipe, I chose a couple ounces of a house cherry blend based on that earlier trial (pretty certain it was Lane Ltd. Very Cherry). Because I liked Drum cigarette baccy (and I'm talking Dutch Douwe Egberts Drum, not the Belamorkanal shavings Republic Tobacco sells as Drum in the U.S. these days), I also bought a couple ounces of a pipe cut house halfzware (never did learn who made it; it wouldn't have occurred to me to ask back then). The first couple bowls I burned in that pipe were from the cherry. Didn't take long for me to figure out that I could mix them together for better effect. :
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Already a cigarette smoker when I picked up my first pipe, I chose a couple ounces of a house cherry blend based on that earlier trial (pretty certain it was Lane Ltd. Very Cherry). Because I liked Drum cigarette baccy (and I'm talking Dutch Douwe Egberts Drum, not the Belamorkanal shavings Republic Tobacco sells as Drum in the U.S. these days), I also bought a couple ounces of a pipe cut house halfzware (never did learn who made it; it wouldn't have occurred to me to ask back then). The first couple bowls I burned in that pipe were from the cherry. Didn't take long for me to figure out that I could mix them together for better effect. :
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First blend, back in 1965, Rum & Maple. I smoked it regularly until someone recommended Dunhill My Mixture 965. I never looked back from then.
I bought my fist pipe and tobacco during a port call in Ft Lauderdale FL from a mall tobacconist the name of which I've completely forgotten. The pipe was a basket billiard, I don't remember what I paid for it, but it's long gone. I bought a big bag of one of their house blends that was a cherry aromatic. I don't remember loving it, but I wouldn't have known good from bad then anyway. When that was gone I smoked the usual gamut of drug store blends and was (and am) quite happy with most of them. It was quite a while before I discovered "boutique tobaccos", had no idea they existed.
I bought my first pipe and tobacco at a smoke shop. He told me the blend was RYO, I should have taken his suggestion to upgrade to Captain Black. It was horrible. My wife told me to scatter it around her rose bushes to keep the stray cats away. (It worked!) Luckily the pipe cracked in half a couple days later.
Then I found a pipe at an estate sale for $10. I went to a cigar shop and imposed on the clerk to advise me on which tobacco to get. "This is what you want." I also got a cherry blend. No idea what they were. They are still jarred in my stash. Might need to revisit them. I also found this site. Later that year, I went to my first Chicago Pipe Show. I think I have learned some things over the last few years.
Then I found a pipe at an estate sale for $10. I went to a cigar shop and imposed on the clerk to advise me on which tobacco to get. "This is what you want." I also got a cherry blend. No idea what they were. They are still jarred in my stash. Might need to revisit them. I also found this site. Later that year, I went to my first Chicago Pipe Show. I think I have learned some things over the last few years.
It was the first of the year, three years ago. Decided to start smoking a pipe for relaxation. Went to my local Rite Aid, and purchased a MM Legend, and a pouch of Price Albert. Smoked super fast, and got the pipe burning hot. Tasted of nothing but ash, and got a serious case of the nicotine spins.
Eventually learned how to smoke properly from the boards, and still greatly enjoy the burley based OTCs like Prince Albert, Carter Hall, and SWR.
Eventually learned how to smoke properly from the boards, and still greatly enjoy the burley based OTCs like Prince Albert, Carter Hall, and SWR.
A little late to the party, but...
After I found out my father used to smoke a pipe, I found his old pipes in his garage and took them into my own hands. Went to our local B&M and bought an ounce of what smelled best to me -- Sutliff Vanilla Custard. It's been two years and I'm now more of a non-aro fan (as the story goes for many pipe smokers), but I may have to revisit it at some point in time for a little nostalgia. I remember it actually being pretty good.
After I found out my father used to smoke a pipe, I found his old pipes in his garage and took them into my own hands. Went to our local B&M and bought an ounce of what smelled best to me -- Sutliff Vanilla Custard. It's been two years and I'm now more of a non-aro fan (as the story goes for many pipe smokers), but I may have to revisit it at some point in time for a little nostalgia. I remember it actually being pretty good.
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