Self review: Requiem

[Doctor Humo]

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[Requiem]

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[Doctor Humo]

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[Requiem]

Back to my pipe journal:

Since the nice weather is back, I've been smoking outdoors more often. Ironically, since I picked up the pipe, by October 2008, my poor wife had to tolerate many latakia bowls but now, that I smoke more on the open air, virginias are my main choise. She already asked why don´t I smoke the "not so smelly tobaccos" all the time...

(sunday morning smoke - Old Gowrie in a small Big Ben billiard)


Clearly, I find latakias great for the colder days but, under the sun, virginias are much more appealing, and latakias get relegated to late in night.
Smoking outdoors, no matter what the temperature is, also have a big impact on how the tobacco tastes. Unless there is no wind at all, or just a moderate breeze, it´s much more difficult to taste all the nuances of whatever I'm smoking. I´m currently trying to figure out which blends are my favorite under those conditions, and which I'll reserve for indoor smoking only.

Outdoors/indoors also affects the pipe choise. So far (unless there's no wind) I think taller pipes are best suited for smoking outside. My Peterson billiard with the P-lip, which I never fully enjoyed when sitting at the couch, is a favorite when sitting outside the coffee shop, while the exact opposite occurs with my Savinelli 320.

Like almost everything else related to pipe smoking, this conclusions or impressions are purely subjective and very prone to change at any time. That´s precisely one of the wonderfull things about this hobby and, I guess, one of the main arguments to classify it as an art. One's interpretation of the instrument (the pipe) and melody (the baccy) is constantly changing as the pipester walks the path. Even the most experienced smoker will probably discover something new every time he lights a pipe, which may very well implie he'll never stop being in love with this misterious, mistfull habit.

[Zeabed]

Originally Posted by Requiem

Back to my pipe journal:

Since the nice weather is back, I've been smoking outdoors more often. Ironically, since I picked up the pipe, by October 2008, my poor wife had to tolerate many latakia bowls but now, that I smoke more on the open air, virginias are my main choise. She already asked why don´t I smoke the "not so smelly tobaccos" all the time...

Requiem, I feel your pain; I like latakia and perique as condiments in tobacco blends. My lady friend (I'm too old to call them 'girl friends' any more) has the same reaction as your wife. I tell her that one person's mau cheiro is another's heavenly aroma. At least for me, living in Florida, I could smoke outside all through the winter, which is also the dry season here. But now the weather has changed, on both counts, as it is getting hot and humid and the rains are coming. So I've gotta think of something quick.

[Requiem]

Ei, "mau cheiro"...?! You speak portuguese?

[Zeabed]

Originally Posted by Requiem

Ei, "mau cheiro"...?! You speak portuguese?

Sorry, Requiem, but either I don't have PM privileges yet, or o meu velho cerebro nao understands how to do it. So I'll have to temporarily hijack your thread to answer your question.

Ainda falou um bocandinho, mais ou menos, com o zutaque fechado do Porto. Morei la dois anos, 1979-1981. Foi vice consul dos Estados Unidos no Porto. Gostei immenso. I also visited Lisboa, the Minho, Aveiro, muitas freguesias, etc. One of my favorite places were those marisqueiras in Matosinhos. Nao vou-me alembrar, because then I begin to salivate. Tive uma paixao por o bacalhau com natas! Also, I still have the complete works of Luis Vaz de Camoes and Eca de Queiroz (sorry, there's no cedilha on my keyboard) here at home. Ainda tenho muitas saudades de Portugal. The eeriest thing, Requiem, is that according to one genealogical version of my ancestry, my last name originated in Guimaraes! When I was in Porto I did not know this, but I visited G. many times and 'felt very much at home' there, if you know what I mean... E verdade! Unfortunately, they closed down the U.S. Consulate in Porto around 1990. Not my fault, though. That was years after I left...
Muito prazer em conhecelo. Well, that's enough of torturing the beautiful Portuguese language. Ah, "Amor e fogo..." That guy was a genius.
Ed

[Cigary]

Being Portuguese myself ( Dad was full blooded and mom was Heinz 57 ) I was around Dads family quite a bit and always heard a lot of their sayings. I finally was able to visit Portugal awhile back,,amazing country and I will return. You have a really good thread going here and like the pipe you have,,,I used to smoke pipes quite a bit and want to return to that in the near future. My problem as to why I gave it up was that I developed TMJ and it was hard trying to hold the pipe without clenching. That was 15 years ago and will try again soon as soon as I get another pipe.

[Zeabed]

Thank you for your PM, Requiem. And thank you also Mr. Moo. I won't be able to post PMs until my first month is over, from what I understand. I'll send one to each of you guys then.

[Requiem]

I really enjoy smoking and am well aware I´m deeply addicted.
Probably, my health is already suffering from 20 years of cigarettes, and smoking will, most likely, kill me unless something else does first...
The very first thing I do right after getting up from bed is to light a cig (or two), and smoking is also the last action of my day.
I smoke at home, office and car. Only go to restaurants, pubs, clubs or coffee houses which are smoke friendly.

(late afternoon, after a stressfull day. Peterson billiard/Squadron Leader)


Dinner parties are common at my place, not only because I have lots of fun while cooking but also because most of my friends houses are balcony smoking only places. However, in special occasions at some friend's home he/she says "Go ahead and lite the pipe, I like pipe tobacco smell"... Oh boy, I guess he/she had never smell a non-aromatic before.
Reactions usually go from "hhmm, pfff, nice... (false answer)" to "man, that smells like burning tyres".

Because I only smoke non-aromatics, I also feel a little shy about lighting the pipe at a crowded restaurant or pub, as I'm affraid it will disturb others.
Nowadays, pipe smoking isn´t as popular as it was 40, 60 or 100 years ago, so I think every pipester has (kind of) the responsability to be an ambassador of this generically not well known art.
One can achieve that not only through his social public behavior, by being a true gentleman, but mainly by proportioning others a pleasant first impression, which mainly comes from a pleasant room note.

That said, I need to find one or two aromatic blends suitable for my taste and with a nice room note.
Requirements are: available at europe (no US brands) medium (or medium-light) strenght; as natural as possible tobacco flavor; pleasant room note;

I´m waiting a sample of SG Fire Dance Flake, and my next order will include SG Kendal Cream Flake.
What blends do you suggest I should try?

[Requiem]

Getting into aromatics, even if only ocasionally, means I'll have to dedicate some pipes to those blends. Owning just a few pipes, it means I'll need to buy more...
Top of the list, right now, is a Stanwell HCA churchwarden, but that will be reserved to virginias (or vapers).
Probably, the wiser deal I can make, regarding pipes for aros, is to buy a meershaum. With one of those to smoke at home and one briar to smoke outside I should be fine.

However, if lately I've learned a lot about briar pipes, I know almost nothing about meershaums.
-What are the best brands?
-What are the best price/quality ones?
-Are there any advantages/disadvantages on the latice cut?
-What should I look for, when buying a meer?
-What about the "it won't colour nice if touched by the hands" stuff? Not being a clencher (I suffer from bruxism - grind my teeth during sleep -will write about that later) should I get a glove to handle the meershaum pipe?

Browsing my favorite online shops I found two nice lines, both showing pipes costing around €70:

This is from TML:




This is from a line produced by a german pipe shop:

described as followed:

A hand made meerschaum pipe in top quality. Made in Turkey from best blockmeerschaum. The stem is made from amberoid and has a fishtail bit.
The pipe comes in a suitable case.
We use only best natural blocks of meerschaum for the carving of our perfect pipes. Our pipes are not a product of a " mass - production". Each of your orders shall be custom carved by our "professional craftmans". Due to the craftsman's style there might be slight differences between these "hand-carwed artwork pipes".
Sometimes, the "fossil own" stains, spots or foreign materials like sand are found in natural meerschaum stones. These things appear during the carving. This is not a disadvantage, but reverse, it is a sign, that the material is the real natural meerschaum.


Hmm, lots of research to do, I guess. Me likes that.

[Doctor Humo]

Hi Gustavo,
Did you received my emails??
I sent the package wensday, any news?
I received your samples last week, I haven't been able to try them, that's why i hadent posted any coments.
I hope to read your notes on what I sent, ande the extra goodies.

[Requiem]

I´m going to Spain for a few days, just to relax and, hopefully, get my hands on a few Dunhill tins... although I think Nightcap is not available all the rest is.
Paul Olsen MOB Balkan is also on my to buy list and... the list of tobaccos sold in Spain includes a certain Balcan Sobranie... is this the famous one or a copy (with a C replacing the K)?

ps- yes, it´s a fake, so I don´t think it's worth a try.

[Doctor Humo]

Originally Posted by Requiem

I´m going to Spain for a few days, just to relax and, hopefully, get my hands on a few Dunhill tins... although I think Nightcap is not available all the rest is.
Paul Olsen MOB Balkan is also on my to buy list and... the list of tobaccos sold in Spain includes a certain Balcan Sobranie... is this the famous one or a copy (with a C replacing the K)?

ps- yes, it´s a fake, so I don´t think it's worth a try.

My friend Requiem,
I don't know if balcan sobranie it's a fake or not because even though it's on the list I haven't found it in any spanish store. I guess i'ts a glitch in the list.
I buy my tobacco from a store in Madrid that is said to be the sore that most pipe tobaco sells in Spain and they haven't seen any sobranie for a while now. Where in Spain are you going to spend your days?
Maybe I can recomend a couple of stores.

[Requiem]

Hello Doctor,
I´m at A Coruña right now. Arrived today by mid-afternoon, after stoping at a nice tobacco shop at Tui (a border town). I'll stay here until Saturday or Sunday, not sure yet.
I´ve been sending you e-mails, with my thoughts about the tobaccos I already tried from your generous samples, but probably you didn't received them...
At Tui I bought:

5 Dunhill Standard Mixture 50g. tins
5 Dunhill Early Morning Pipe 50g. tins
1 Peterson Sherlock Holmes 50g. tin
1 Capstan Mild Navy Cut 50g. tin
1 Paul Olsen MOB Balkan 100g. tin

All new tobaccos to me, except the MOB Balkan I had already tried from your samples, for the total price of € 77 Couldn´t be happier.

The lady who owns the shop was really busy, taking care of a dozen portuguese customers who were there (I bet more then 100 portuguese went there today), as the 10th of June is national holliday as well as the 11th. I'll be calling her soon, or will pass by when I travel back home, to find out if she can become my main tobacco dealer... half the price from England or Germany!
Already tried a bowl of Standard Mixture and loved it. Tomorrow will find out about EMP.

Next week I'll post some photos of my smokes at beautifull A Coruña.