Help

Joined : 15 Dec 2007 Posts : 38

While I hate to introduce science into the enjoyment of pipe smoking, I would like to see a spread sheet that list the various styles of pipe tobacco and their components. This information would be a big help both in identifying what you like in a blend and knowing where to start when you are considering a new blend.
For example, the tobacco review site lists 35 GLP blends. Where do you start? Do you just read other people reviews and try blends that others like, or is there a better way?
Has anyone made a spread sheet with this information?
Thanks,
Bub

Subject: Re: Help Wed Jan 30, 2008 11:20 pm

Yo Bub, This is pipe smoking, not astro-science, step up to the plate learn by trying, you will make mistakes but come up with some winners, Ken.
Pacem en Puffing! tongue

Subject: Re: Help Wed Jan 30, 2008 11:26 pm

Bub,
My advice to you is to get active in your local pipe club.There you'll be able to try a wide variety of blends with no investment.****Where are you located anyway?******

Also you may want to join Mikem's box pass list...It's a great chance to sample dozens of blends.Hurry though! it's limited to 25 participants!!!!! see the link below...

http://www.brothersofbriar.com/mike-s-world-f19/

Best,
Dock
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My Pipe Rack: http://s221.photobucket.com/albums/dd193/DockJPerry/?start=0

Joined : 11 Dec 2007 Posts : 49

Subject: Re: Help Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:43 am

I have never seen any spread sheets on the subject but what I will usually do is listen to peoples reviews on different blends and give them a try. The best learning tool that I have ever experienced and what opened a whole new world for me was joining my first box pass many moons ago on the Knox board. I had smoked Lane 1Q for longer than I want to remember when my eyes were opened up to all of the different types of blends out there. You really get to try out a lot of different types of blends during a pass. It is much cheaper than going out and buying a bunch of tins to find out you don't like certain types of blends. Smoking Pipes and Mars Cigars on the web also usually have pretty good descriptions of whats in the different blends. If you know what type of blend you like (Virginia, Virginia/Perique, or English) this might also help you in what you are looking for.

If you are lucky enough to have a nice pipe shop (not a cigar shop) near you I would encourage you to visit them as much as possible. I was lucky to have several here in Phoenix and learned a lot from them. One in particular had the owners father who worked there who was a long time pipe smoker. He was the best teacher I have ever had the privilege in knowing when it had anything to do with pipes or blends. Good luck in your quest.
_________________
Arizona, where the temperature is always warm but the pipe smoking is always cool. Mikem

I highly recommend Scott Bundy at www.piperestore.com for all of your pipe cleaning and restoration work.

Subject: Re: Help Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:08 am

Between the blend component descriptions and the search feature at Tobacco Reviews. the data's all pretty much there waiting for you.

What a Face

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All the old cliches are true.
That's why they're cliches.

Subject: Re: Help Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:05 am

Bub,

A few more suggestions....

1. Attend one or more of the upcoming pipe shows. Many of the tobacco dealers provide free samples, their advertising literature and can answer any other questions you might have.

2. Search the tobacco section of the Knox Board archives. I think there are about 50 pages of topic threads and contain a world of valuable information about blenders, individual tobacco types and particular blend reviews. I found more valuable and accurate information there than any other place.

For example if you search for "Briar Fox" in the tobacco forum, you'll find this thread-- http://forums.knoxcigar.net/viewtopic.php?t=2443

3. With tobaccoreviews.com, you'll find that some/many of the blends are no longer made or imported. Also some are bulks that have been renamed by a local tobacco shop. You'll also find there are some contradictory reviews of a particular blend, not to mention ego mania and tobacco bashing.

Good luck in your quest!

Jim
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Not all rainbows end in a pot of gold.

Joined : 15 Dec 2007 Posts : 38

I really appreciate everyones helpful comments, but I still would like to see a spreadsheet.
Maybe there just isn't one.
Thanks again,
Bub

Subject: Re: Help Thu Jan 31, 2008 6:09 pm

Bub,

Here is the link to Tobaccoreviews.com.

http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/
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Mark Twain

Italian Stallion Joined : 09 Dec 2007 Posts : 2102

You will find that your learning curve will be a steep one. There's no substitute for experience. I have yet to see something like a spread sheet.

Blend descriptions are a good indication of what's in them. They can be had at any e-tailers web site.

I THINK what you are asking is how will you know before buying if you will like it. Blend descriptions, tobaccoreviews,com, experience and reading boards such as this one will give you a tremendous amount of knowledge in a very short period of time.

One strategy, helpful to me, is to research something you currently like on tr.com and try to isolate a reviewer or two that "describes" it approximating what YOU experienced from it. Once you have identified a few reviewers who are consistent with your tastes then look for them in other reviews.

Also, come on this board and say "Hey, I like this,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,what are some similar blends."

By all means, pull up members cellars posted here and you will see common threads running through them.