Am I Expecting too Much?

[Ultravox]

I'm not certain that I should admit to this for fear of being branded a philistine, but I simply cannot seem to differentiate - concerning flavours - between the tobaccos that I've smoked. If it were not for the different cuts and unlit olfactory properties of each of the (very selected) tobaccos that I've smoked thus far I don't have any cause to believe I would be able to tell one apart from the other.

As it stands, I've smoked: C&D's Morley's Best; C&D's Pennington Gap; McC's 2015; an English and a Virginia blend from 4noggins. I've smoked through the whole quantity of each blend before moving onto the next but I'm unsure if this is the best approach.

Having read copious amounts of posts on here and other boards and many reviews on tobacco reviews I definitely feel that I'm missing out on something everytime I smoke some tobacco.

Every blend so far, if I were to have smoked a bowl of each consecutively, has merged into one, so to speak, producing almost identical flavours. I would have thought that after having smoked a Va/Per, a Burley, an English and an Aromatic I would be capable of setting each apart. This, unfortunately, is not the case.

Understandably, at least in my eyes, this is somewhat frustrating. New and experienced smokers alike at CS claim to be enjoying bounteous flavours in their tobacco that I just can't detect. So, my questions are: am I expecting too much so early on in the hobby? is it a matter of persevering? should I branch out on the range of tobacco that I smoke, rather than one blend at a time? or should I just put this down as, disappointingly, something that is not for me?

I approached this hobby with much enthusiasm and at present I feel rather let down. Perhaps I built my hopes up too much after reading other people's opinions. If this is the case though, I would have expected to be capable of ascertaining the fundamentals of each category of tobacco. I don't surmise that I'll ever reach the heights of tasting 7 year old Madagascan vanilla but I certainly wish to pick up on the basics at least.

[IHT]

are you still smoking cigars the same day you're smoking a pipe?
if so, stop doing that.
if not, i can't help ya.

[canadasmokes]

ahahaha it is all smoke, you have to keep smoking and get past the general smoke taste and you will notice a diffference. You cannot tell me a good quality virginia and dutch masters tastes the same.

Do you Snork? For the nose is really the king of all tasters.
Do you have a sense in pipe tobacco of mild to full? Spicy?



How do you taste cigars? Do they all taste the same?


You may have a young palatte or just a bad taster. It does take some time to pick up on some flavors so it might be better to smoke one style for a while then change to see if any thing is different.

[tedski]

Maybe your tastebuds are just a bit overwhelmed right now. Try taking a break from all tobacco for a week. Then come back and give it another try.

Also realize that not everyone can distinguish the many flavors in many pipe tobaccos. They are much more subtle than cigars. So it's probably best that you don't go in expecting too much. Relax and just try to enjoy the smoke for what it provides.

Lastly, don't smoke your pipe after a rich or spicy meal ... and don't drink something strong while smoking that could overwhelm the flavors. I prefer iced tea or water.

[EvanS]

I had some similar when I first started the pipe, and looking back can see that the dulled sense I got from the pipe can be directly attributed to:

1) Intermixing too much cigars and cigarettes with the pipe. Both the pipe and the cigarettes would seem to taste of the cigars.

2) Smoking too hot, which tended to make the "blend" fall apart. The blend of the various components of a pipe tobacco can really make the whole greater than the sum of the parts. Imagine unwrapping a cigar and just smoking the binder. Or even smoking a cigar too hot...they ALL will turn oily and bitter in the same manner.

that's my experience

[Ultravox]

Originally Posted by IHT

are you still smoking cigars the same day you're smoking a pipe?

Originally Posted by Root

Do you Snork? For the nose is really the king of all tasters.
Do you have a sense in pipe tobacco of mild to full? Spicy?

How do you taste cigars? Do they all taste the same?

You may have a young palatte or just a bad taster.

First off, I haven't smoked a cigar since May and even that was the first in quite some time. When I did smoke cigars I encountered numerous flavours that I thought would carry over to pipe tobacco.
When I 'snork', although the taste is different to that when I don't, it still tastes relatively indistinguishable.
Now, spice is one of the paramount differences that I can notice. The 2015 that I'm smoking currently appears peppery on my tongue and, at times, in the back of my throat in comparison to the burley blends.

I know that it's quite contradistinctive but I'm highly into tasting beer. Beer is something that is quite untroublesome for me in terms of picking out the various taste properties.

[Big T]

Don't give up on it, UV. The flavor distinctions can be subtle at times. Instead of smoking only one blend at at time, you may want to try mixing things up. Sometimes the way you smoke a particular blend can also have an effect on the taste. For example, I've found with Christmas Cheer (which has become one of my favorites) that taking smaller, quick puffs really brings out the flavors. Try experimenting with your puffs and see if it makes any difference.
Also, not sure if you have trouble with allergies/sinuses, but that's something that can greatly diminish the taste. When I have a flare up, I'll take Benadryl or Sudafed to clear things up before I smoke-or just won't smoke that day.
Good Luck!

[pierredekat]

Are you expecting too much? Not at all.

You might want to look at some possible culprits:
* Your sinuses are clogged (how's food tasting to you these days?)
* Your brain's not wired-in right now to your taste receptors (clear your head of all life's worries and enjoy)
* Residue from previous tobaccos coming back to haunt you (dedicate certain pipes to certain tobaccos)
* Poor pipe design (get your hands on a pipe with a draft hole you can almost breathe through and no metal gizmos messing up the airflow)
* Poor packing technique
* Smoking too hot (see what EvanS said)
* Etc.

[agony]

I kinda know how you feel, as I'm new to pipes as well, though versed enough in cigars. When I first picked up the pipe, it tasted totally different than cigars, in that the tactile feeling was different (plastic bit vs. cigar leaf in the lips). And the smoke was of a different character too. To me, pipes seemed closer to cigarette tobacco than cigar tobacco. At first anyway.

For the past couple days I've been smoking Old Gowrie, and the first bowl disappointed me....I thought it tasted like Half and Half!

But the more English blends with latakia are quite different, and the taste was quite evident. The nose does play as much if not the most important part when I'm differntiating between tastes, moreso than the taste buds alone.

[Ultravox]

I believe that I've partly identified the sources of my problems. Firstly, I'm taking a day or three away from smoking in order to allow my tastebuds to recuperate. Secondly, whenever I smoke I'm pretty sure that I do so far too hurriedly just to keep the tobacco ablaze; often resulting in massive gobfuls of smoke, which I believe to be overwhelming my palate. Finally, I'm considering placing an order comprised primarily of aromatics: Plumcake; Butternut Burley; Vanilla Cream; Autumn Evening; Bob's Chocolate Flake (if anyone can suggest alternatives that are available from 4noggins, by all means go ahead). This is because I've never smoked an aromatic tobacco. I dived straight into a burley and didn't give aromatics a second look due to the poor reputation of the heavily cased and artificially sweetened cheap blends.

I think I may have given the wrong impression in my initial post. I do, despite everything being relatively monotone, enjoy smoking a pipe. The taste I do detect isn't bad, I was just expecting something more diverse. I like the relaxation qualities of pipe smoking and the aesthetics etc. of the hobby. I'm going to persevere and continue to (hopefully) develop an appropriate technique and with any luck, in time, I will be capable of fully appreciating what pipe tobacco has to offer me.

[Bruce]

I have to tell you, it took me quite a while to fully appreciate the pipe and flavors. One day, probably after a month of continually trying, it all came together and the experience was very rewarding!

A lot of experimentation with smoking technique, packing, lighting, ect. took place before I finally "got it".

Hang in there, one day it will come to you, I guarantee, it will put a big smile on your face!

[Blaylock]

When I first started with cigars, I smoked flavored ones. When I first started with pipes, I smoked aromatics. I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

I would also suggest to any new pipe smoker getting a cheap "drugstore" blend and smoke it in your pipe until you get used to the mechanics of pipe smoking. I don't think you can really appreciate the flavors of pipe tobacco until you learn how to dry, pack, tamp, and puff properly. Once you're comfortable with all that, then you can focus on the flavors.

I'd buy small quantities (1-2 oz) of bulk tobacco at first. You'll probably find some you like and some you don't. Also remember that aromatics need alot more dry time before smoking.

Hope your "plan" turns out more rewarding for ya!

[Bruce]

You may want to try an English blend, along with a good VaPer first.
Most cigar smokers that make the switch find English blends more satisfying at first because of the full flavors.

Virginias take longer to "get the hang of". But when you do finally get it, you may find yourself gravitating towards straight Virginias and VaPers.
I love the sweetness of a well aged Virginia. When I have a taste for this, nothing else satisfies!

[The Professor]

Originally Posted by Bruce

You may want to try an English blend, along with a good VaPer first.
Most cigar smokers that make the switch find English blends more satisfying at first because of the full flavors.

Virginias take longer to "get the hang of". But when you do finally get it, you may find yourself gravitating towards straight Virginias and VaPers.
I love the sweetness of a well aged Virginia. When I have a taste for this, nothing else satisfies!

I agree 100% with Bruce. This is exactly the trajectory I'm taking. That said, I *do* continue to get the occasional hankerin' for a nice English blend from time to time -- but the strongest ones are a bit too much for me. Then again, I may change my mind about that once winter rolls around -- English blends remind me of campfires, which are somewhat comforting on a cool/cold night.