tobacco suggestions...

[smurph]

ok... perhaps not the best subject as it's pretty personal and everyone has their own taste. Personally... I enjoy aromatics. Ok... I can't lie - i've never tried anything but Peterson's Sunset Breeze. I do enjoy it and as a new pipe smoker i'm uncertain what else I should try.

In my fine city we have several pipe shops - some have been around forever. Unfortunately pipes and tobacco are very expensive - i'm sure it's similar to what dubinthedam experiences in his city. I was looking at bulk tobacco and it's $0.65 per 1 gram. So $32.50 Canadian per 50 grams ($27.20 USD). I paid $28 for that tin of Sunset Breeze. And a cheap Medico pipe runs about $40 !!

So... here's the scoop. My wife is off to Vegas in a couple of weeks and she doesn't mind doing some shopping for me. I think if I was to get some new pipes, I may as well just order them online as it's not much more. But the tobacco is probably much cheaper and she can bring back 200 grams duty free. Any suggestions??


Looking forward to hearing what you have to say ...


Smurph

[uvacom]

I dunno...my inclination would be to get 4 50g tins that are just classics, so you can try some quality non-aromatics. My suggestions based on my experience thus far would be esoterica penzance, gawith full virginia flake, AC Peterson Escudo, and maybe something like GL Pease Cumberland. None of those tobaccos are anything like sunset breeze, and they are all on the fuller-bodied end of the spectrum. But IMHO, while the flavors are fuller, they are also more pleasurable and better smoking/less bite than any aromatic.

[8ball917]

I have just recently entered Va/Per land, and I have fallen in love with SG St James Flake. I started off with Aromatics, but have moved on to English and Virginia blends.

[Zeabed]

Aside from Cumberland, another great G.L. Pease instant classic is Westminster. But visiting tobaccoreviews.com for a list of various impressions on all these blends would be useful, as the reviewers express why they like (or dislike) a particular blend. By reading them you could have a better idea of any potential appeal. For example, if you have been smoking an aromatic with low nicotine, you may want to consider non-aromatic blends that are not too high on the N-vitamin quotient, as you may not be ready for that.

[dmkerr]

Smurphy, if you can PM (send me a personal message) do so with your address and I'll shoot you out some tobacco samplers. If you cannot, send me an email at dmkerr2000@yahoo.com with that info and I'll fix you up with 4-5 different blends to try. I've sent 'baccy to a chap in Canada before and I can get it to you without any problems on your part. $27 for 50 grams of pipe tobacco - well, that hurts me just thinking about it!

[AcworthAl]

I have smoked AC Peterson Escudo and it is very good. However, Iwan Ries sells an IRC Virginia flake that in my opinion is much better and a whole lot cheaper. I believe Tobacco Reviews give the IRC Virginia flake four stars.

[DeadFrog]

Yup, not cheap up here that's for sure. For me it's been either collect pipes and smoke the same baccy, or buy only a few pipes and buy more tobacco. I decided to build a decent collection of pipes first. Now that I've done that I can begrudgingly pay our insane prices for tins of baccy. I'll probably do an online order and just hope for the best when it arrives. Even if the shipment is assessed by customs, it should still be slightly cheaper than buying from a B&M.

[Bermac]

It is a gamble on what can happen with duties. USPS is better than Fedx or UPS for getting away without paying duties.

[postoak]

How about just sending her to a Vegas drugstore for some Captain Black (White)? This is a mild aromatic which doesn't bite or smoke wet like the full-blown aromatics. Being an OTC blend, it is, obviously, very inexpensive.

[smurph]

Great responses!! I belong to many forums and ensure the 'search' button is used but sometimes it's good to re-hash out the info again - and lots of good suggestions.

I have smoked cigars off and on for 20 years and decided I was tired of the room note. Some can have a honey-like odor - others... not so much. So to keep my own 'honey', I decided a pipe was in order and hence why I started with the aromatics. I've been to the tobacco review site and i'll have to check it out again. I was just concerned about buying a tin of something that would smoke like a cigar or cigarettes.

And you're right Zeabed, I don't think i'm ready for something with too much vitamin N. While i'm slightly concerned with the health risks with any type of smoking, I still make a decision to do it as I enjoy it. But if one can do it with a little less risk... .

I've ordered a few things from the US such as motorcycle parts, clothing, etc. and always use USPS. Even better when it's 'made in the usa'. Then NAFTA helps us out .

I'm just about to order a couple of pipes from the US. I've looked on Ebay but one can get hosed if one doesn't know everything about the product. I do tend to research things to death so i've acquired 'mucho info' over the past couple of weeks. But with the amount of time I spend on the laptop looking at ebay and other pipe sites, I need to just buy something and go spend some time with my wife!! I digress... I'll most likely use Frenchy's or iwanries as it's still 50% cheaper than buying local.

And aromatics bite more than non-aromatics - good to know. I did experience a bit of bite the last few nights. Nothing crazy but it was still present.

Hey Deadfrog - good to see another Canuck. Where have you been purchasing your pipes from? Local B&M or online? I think you're right about ordering some tins of baccy online. I've read that most orders just go right through without incident. Also.. most companies allow you to refuse the order if you get to the post office and realize you owe some insane amount in duties. You'd just be out the shipping. Worth it imo.

Thanks again... off to the review site (Work... who wants to work...)

[Requiem]

Well, if you are looking for something kind of sweet/honey like, you are probably looking for Virginia tobacco's...
Try, for example, MacBaren's Virginia nº1 (available world wide, and quite honey like), Rattrays Old Gowrie (or siblings Marlin Flake or Hal'O The Wynd), SG Best Brown Flake, or the stronger SG Full Virginia Flake...

You might also enjoy some Virginia/Perique blends, like Scottish Cake, SG St. James Flake and many others people will post next.

It´s all good stuff.

[DeadFrog]

Originally Posted by smurph

Hey Deadfrog - good to see another Canuck. Where have you been purchasing your pipes from? Local B&M or online? I think you're right about ordering some tins of baccy online. I've read that most orders just go right through without incident. Also.. most companies allow you to refuse the order if you get to the post office and realize you owe some insane amount in duties. You'd just be out the shipping. Worth it imo.

Thanks again... off to the review site (Work... who wants to work...)

Almost all of my pies have been bought off ebay from US sellers. All shipped USPS with no problems. I bought a few off a fellow member here and have bought a couple from a local B&M as well. I have yet to by tobacco from any online vendors yet, all my purchases have been from local B&Ms, that's why I don't have that much at the moment. I've heard that 4Noggins is a great vendor to deal with for us Canucks, so I'll probably place and order with them first.

The wife and I are going to Vegas in August for a wedding, so hopefully I can get everyone I'm going down with to bring back some tobacco for me as part of their personal exemption.

EDIT: Also, I'm mostly an aromatic smoker and wanted to try something else. A fellow pipe smoker recommended Frog Morton by McClelland. It's a nice mellow smoke with no tongue bite. It's my favourite so far. The wife even likes the room note on it.

[Mister Moo]

You need to join the NST.

[smurph]

Originally Posted by Mister Moo

You need to join the NST.

National Standard Thread ??

[JohnnyFlake]

Originally Posted by smurph

ok... perhaps not the best subject as it's pretty personal and everyone has their own taste. Personally... I enjoy aromatics. Ok... I can't lie - i've never tried anything but Peterson's Sunset Breeze. I do enjoy it and as a new pipe smoker i'm uncertain what else I should try.

In my fine city we have several pipe shops - some have been around forever. Unfortunately pipes and tobacco are very expensive - i'm sure it's similar to what dubinthedam experiences in his city. I was looking at bulk tobacco and it's $0.65 per 1 gram. So $32.50 Canadian per 50 grams ($27.20 USD). I paid $28 for that tin of Sunset Breeze. And a cheap Medico pipe runs about $40 !!

So... here's the scoop. My wife is off to Vegas in a couple of weeks and she doesn't mind doing some shopping for me. I think if I was to get some new pipes, I may as well just order them online as it's not much more. But the tobacco is probably much cheaper and she can bring back 200 grams duty free. Any suggestions??


Looking forward to hearing what you have to say ...


Smurph

Smurph,

PM me your addy or email me, whichever works for you and I'll send you a couple of very common, classic blends to try out. I've had very good success sending tobaccos to Canadian friends.