How to tell a flavored from a straight tobacco

[DubintheDam]

I just want to clear up the English naming thing...generally it refers to a blend with latakia...BUT it can also be used to refer to VA flakes with very little casing....this are often referred to as "VA flakes made in an English style". This cause confusion for most...but it's just the way it is.

Lastly, I can't say this enough....the best way to know what to smoke in what pipe....is...to smoke it and then decide what it's dominant flavour is and then smoke it in a pipe that you use for those kinda flavors.

I dedicate a pipe to Erinmore because although it is an aromatic, there is no other that really tastes like it. To have the idea that it is an aromatic so I will smoke it in my aromatic pipe...is frankly not a great way to approach the problem.

Likewise some aromatics are very blackberry in taste, some are very vanilla in taste...

[SmokinJohnny]

I've read up on the subject a bit and still get somewhat confused by it all. It is often said beginning smokers should start with aromatics and work there way into non aromatics. Developing the pallete thingy is also mentioned too.

I could be half wet here. My take from it all, and I've experienced some of this in my own puffing adventures, is that aromatics give the beginning smoker instant gratification with artificial flavoring. However, his virgin pallete won't extract the natural flavorings in non aromatics such as english blends. In some cases, his pallet takes a hammering.

Sometimes, I have to smoke five or six bowls of a new non aromatic blend before my pallete thingy will extract the natural flavors. With aromatics, I get the instant taste. Because my samplings are limited to a handful of aromatic and non aromatic blends, I am probably half wet in my thinking.

I only take my reading so far. It's gets to the point of "Hey, stop reading and start puffing whatever turns my crank".

[Mad Hatter]

Personally I think the 'start with aromatics' philosophy is BS. After trying OTC burleys several times over several years I finally discovered english blends and that was when I actually became a pipe smoker. After that I caught onto MacBaren blends, Plumcake and then Scottish Blend. It wasn't until two or three years later when I bought an Ebay estate that had been used for aros that I finally ordered some aromatics, PS Champaign and McC Georgian Cream but even then it was only a few months until that aromatic pipe was switched to an english smoker. Now it seems my english pipes sit lonely and neglected

[SmokinJohnny]

Personally I think the 'start with aromatics' philosophy is BS. After trying OTC burleys several times over several years I finally discovered english blends and that was when I actually became a pipe smoker.

I think I know where you are coming from. It wasn't until recently, I tried a couple balkan blends and became truely seduced by pipe smoking like never before. No more than two bowls a day is the limit however and I switch to something else. Otherwise my mouth gets a hangover and I won't smoke a pipe for three days. Why that is, I don't know. Just is. LOL.

[KinnScience]

Originally Posted by DubintheDam

I just want to clear up the English naming thing...generally it refers to a blend with latakia...BUT it can also be used to refer to VA flakes with very little casing....this are often referred to as "VA flakes made in an English style". This cause confusion for most...but it's just the way it is.

Lastly, I can't say this enough....the best way to know what to smoke in what pipe....is...to smoke it and then decide what it's dominant flavour is and then smoke it in a pipe that you use for those kinda flavors.

I dedicate a pipe to Erinmore because although it is an aromatic, there is no other that really tastes like it. To have the idea that it is an aromatic so I will smoke it in my aromatic pipe...is frankly not a great way to approach the problem.

Likewise some aromatics are very blackberry in taste, some are very vanilla in taste...

Thanks for your input ...and to everyone else also. I do have one question:

You say "VA flakes" .... would that also mean a "ready rubbed" Va like MacBaren #1? I realize this is probably a stupid question... but I haven'' opened any tobacco that is still in "flake" form ... (I am assuming I understand that flake means tobacco pressed and cut into thin sheets).

BTW, I received more of the pipes I had previously purchased ... Fri and Sat. I still have some coming in.... when I finish receiving everything I'll have the following: 5 Jobeys, 1 Jobey Dansk, 1 Barling, 1 Savinelli Herc, 1 Nording Giant, 2 Larocs, 1 Cassano, 1 Jean Claude, 1 Brebbia, 1 Bjarne, 2 Stanwells, 1 Karl Eric, 1 Kaywoodie Meer lined (still new/unsmoked believe it or not.. don't ask me why I picked that up), 2 meer blocks, 7 cobs, and about 10 unmarked and estate pipes. I ended up sending the Nording Moss back as it had a pinhole so I have to replace that one (yup .. very tiny .. on the neck.. Milan was very nice about me returning it).

I just had to share this .. I'm very pleased with my starter collection. I'll get photos as soon as I get my den remodeled and my racks set up. BTW, I really enjoyed seeing your collection on Youtube .. wow, talk about a collection!

[DubintheDam]

Flake means sliced...many blends are broken flakes....they have been made into slices, then broken up and put in the tin. Ready rubbed is a term often used but can be confusing, because many still need further rubbing out. Shag Cut is loose strings of baccy, and only needs to be untangled a little.

Top tip on your new collection....try to break in only a few pipes at a time, say four or five. Pipes don't taste so good when new, even when used they need to be cleaned a lot and smoked back into something that tastes good. After you've got 4 or 5 tasting half good, then add a new one to your rotation every week or so.....adjusting selection of baccy until it starts to feel right for that kinda pipe.

As mentioned before trying to decide what blend you will smoke in the 20 odd pipes before you actually smoke then for 10 or 20 bowls is not going to help you enjoy smoking 20 pipes. I usually have one pipe I'm working on breaking in at any given time, and I usually have several that are still developing their own character and taste even after two years.

[KinnScience]

Originally Posted by DubintheDam

Top tip on your new collection....try to break in only a few pipes at a time, say four or five. Pipes don't taste so good when new, even when used they need to be cleaned a lot and smoked back into something that tastes good. After you've got 4 or 5 tasting half good, then add a new one to your rotation every week or so.....adjusting selection of baccy until it starts to feel right for that kinda pipe.

As mentioned before trying to decide what blend you will smoke in the 20 odd pipes before you actually smoke then for 10 or 20 bowls is not going to help you enjoy smoking 20 pipes. I usually have one pipe I'm working on breaking in at any given time, and I usually have several that are still developing their own character and taste even after two years.

Thanks, I'll definitely take that advice. I read somewhere that it is best to let a pipe cool on a 3-4 or even 7 day rotation. However, if I do that with new pipes ... it will take me until I'm 90 to break anything in. I guess I'm asking: When a pipe is new, does it still need as much cooling off time as a pipe that is broken in? Can I (indeed should I ) smoke my new pipes with only a 24 hour cool down?

[DubintheDam]

Originally Posted by KinnScience

Thanks, I'll definitely take that advice. I read somewhere that it is best to let a pipe cool on a 3-4 or even 7 day rotation. However, if I do that with new pipes ... it will take me until I'm 90 to break anything in. I guess I'm asking: When a pipe is new, does it still need as much cooling off time as a pipe that is broken in? Can I (indeed should I ) smoke my new pipes with only a 24 hour cool down?

It's even more important to let the pipe rest and dry with a new pipe...24hrs is fine, 48 is better...they say?

[KinnScience]

Originally Posted by DubintheDam

As mentioned before trying to decide what blend you will smoke in the 20 odd pipes before you actually smoke then for 10 or 20 bowls is not going to help you enjoy smoking 20 pipes. I usually have one pipe I'm working on breaking in at any given time, and I usually have several that are still developing their own character and taste even after two years.

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Forgot to tell you, I'm using a spreadsheet

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[doublebassmusician]

Does Va/Per mean Virginia and Perique?

[RJpuffs]

Originally Posted by doublebassmusician

Does Va/Per mean Virginia and Perique?

Yup ...

And a Burley + Perique blend gives us a ... BurPer