Your "Go-To" Blends

[erichbaumer]

I'm getting to the point where I'm ready to ease back on the sampling and stick with some favorites, at least with latakia blends. Nightcap has already made the list, I order more in almost every shipment. Star of the East and Westminster are also becoming regulars. There are more I want to try, but I'll be doing so gradually to make more room for the "go to" blends. However, I'm about to repeat the whole process with VaPers this summer, if I end up liking them. Long story short, I enjoy having favorites and will probably smoke them the most with something different every once in a while to keep things interesting.

 

[igloo]

I like to try everything but Rattray's Three Noggin's is my favorite .

 

[rmbittner]

I like to try everything but Rattray's Three Noggin's is my favorite .

Great to hear! Not many others here talk about the Rattray's blends, but I've enjoyed almost every one I've tried. 3 Noggins is near the top of that list, as are Black Mallory, Old Gowrie, Accountants Mixture, Marlin Flake, and Hal o' the Wynd (and the last two do get a lot of attention here). But for me the top spot goes to Jocks Mixture. . .
Bob

 

[seanlamb63]

For me it would be either McClelland’s Deep Hollow or FMOTT; both of these can be smoked any time of the day and have never disappointed me.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

Since I've only been smoking a pipe for 2 years I don't really have a go to blend, but I do love Mississippi River and my own creation, Metalhead Blend II. I could smoke those two all the time.

 

[kenoshakid]

I'm kind of a newb, too, but I'll give you my .02. First, as long as my local B&M stocks Penzance, I'll always keep some open and ready to smoke. Everything else varies, for me. Trucha, I recommend that you visit tobaccoreviews.com and browse around to find something that suits your tastes. There are A LOT of reviews on that site, and with a little serendipity you're bound to find something you like. As for me, I pretty much started with G. L. Pease blends and they have never disappointed me, so you could start there. My favorites that I've tried include Abingdon, Maltese Falcon, Jack Knife, Haddo's Delight, and Fillmore. Also, I've been told that you can't go wrong with McClelland. The only blend of theirs that I've tried is 3 Oaks Syrian but it was fantastic. Good luck on your search!

 

[smokedragon]

If you like aros try some of the Boswell blends. My staple is No Bite, but I also like his Bear Blend.

 

[nightmarejones]

I have only had my local B&M blends,more or less,They do have a knock off of Lane's Blue note that I have on hand at all times along with their blend "Mornin' Mist" which is a blend of VA's with a light aromatic. I do have to say that I gravitate to dark Cavendish blends but not anything with Latakia(I learned that lesson early on),It's not terrible but just not for me.

 

[juni]

Two blends I rely on: Half&Half and Peterson's Irish Oak.

Sometimes blends: Irish Flake and University Flake.

 

[trucha]

Thanks for all the replies. The reason I ask is when I first started smoking a pipe about 5 years ago the person at my BM told me most seasoned pipe smokers just smoke one "go to" blend. He told me not to mix tobaccos in the same pipe. He told me he could save me a lot of trouble in trying different stuff because most people end up smoking 1q. So for 5 years I just smoked that. Until I stumbled onto this forum and now realize there is a whole world that I was missing. So far I've tried about 20 blends and have to say that Orlik, Escudo and EMP are my clear favorites. I can't even smell the 1q anymore.

 

[oklansas]

I thought 1Q was the be all end all until I put my Peterson Old Dublin in the right pipe...whew!

 

[kashmir]

For the first ten years, it was Prince Albert and Captain Black White. The next ten yrs. were spent exploring. The past 10 or fifteen yrs. its been Latakia forward blends. Balkans and English, if you will. I stick with Westminster, Star of the East, Pirate Kake, Dunhill's EMP, London Mixture and Nightcap. Escudo on ocassion. My cellar is knee deep in those.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

I think some tobacconists do a real dis-service to new pipe smokers by telling the person to just smoke one blend. With all the different blends it would take forever to try and sample them all. No better time then now to start that process. Exploring different tobaccos is one of the best things about the hobby.

 

[tbradsim1]

After being away from the pipe for 40 yrs I didn"t know where to start, knew I smoked Carter Hall way back when, the reviews and fellows talking about Nitecap made my journey to this tobbaco and I loved it, now I will say something you will think strange but I experimented with tobbacos based on what I had in common with some forum members, worked for me, only didn"t like one Flake a member suggested, not too bad, had never smoked Flakes and Bent Mikes tutorial on cubeing made all the difference, before you knew it I had 5 or 6 blends I loved and went from there. This forum has my, may I say it, love and affection, there I said it. That"s my story and I"m sticking to it. :clap:

 

[ffmurray]

I stick with my favorites but Im always trying new stuff, you never know when your tastes are going to change or you will discover something new!

 

[vamike]

I am a new piper and have only tried the OTC baccys. I keep Carter Hall and CB Gold around.

 

[bphilli75]

I started pipes about three years ago. For almost two years, I stuck pretty much exclusively to two house blends from my local tobacconist. They are mild aromatics. My favorite of the two is called "Closest to Captain Black." Lately though, I have been trying lots of new blends and found I am kind of fickle. I keep hoping I find that blend that just grabs me and won't let go. Yet when I think I have, then after a few days, I have a hankering for something different. I have never tried an OTC blend. No snobbery intended, I just never have. I want to give the Captain Black Dark a go, and I have a sample of Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic on the way. I also want to try the Lane 1Q.
Lately I've been rotating Dan's Blue Note, Frog Morton's Cellar and Dunhill My Mixture 965.

 

[easterntraveler]

Every time I make a large purchase I always throw 2 to 5 tins of something I have not tried into the mix

 

[J. Mayo]

My most consistent, no BS blend is always Lane's 1Q. Doesn't require hardly any attention and is a real crowd pleaser. That being said, when I have time to sit down, relax, and enjoy my favorite lately has been H&H Anniversary Cake.

 

[ciderguy]

I always try new blends just like I always try new ciders or new restaurants. However, I always have an open jar of Red Cake 5100, an open tub of Carter Hall, and an open tin of GLP Cairo. Those three are my go-to tobaccos. When I experiment, I normally try to stay within a category (aro / VA / English / etc.). Lately its been aromatics, and I've tried Dan's Da Vinci & Blue Note as well as a couple from a local shop that hand blends.