BoB's Essential Tobaccos for the Beginner Pipe Smoker

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PipeGeek

PipeGeek

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This is an idea I came up with as I was pondering the topic of what tobaccos I should spend my limited discretionary income on. I figure I'm not alone in that I want to explore different types of tobacco, but have limited funds and even more limited experience in choosing tobacco.

I figure among the BoB community there must be a wealth of experience with pipe tobacco, and though everyone is different and has a favorite tobacco and a preferred style/cut/blend/etc., there must be a core canon of representative tobaccos that could be recommended to the beginner smoker to get them started in the right direction when departing on their journey to pipe smoking bliss.

So I come to you, the BoB community, to see if there is some consensus on the matter. Anything is fair game, but I submit the following guidelines as to choices you might recommend:

  1. Affordability. Limited funds is a core issue.
  2. Availability. I personally would be put off by "it's awesome, but you can't get it anymore/have to wait 6 months to get it". It should be something a new smoker can get today even if they don't know a guy who knows a guy...
  3. Accessibility. Generally, I'm working on the assumption that a new smoker would need to work their way up to strong smelling, very bold full body and high nicotine tobaccos. It should be something that has a broader appeal.

Given all this, what do you think? Does this sound like a worthwhile project? Which tobaccos would you submit to the list?

Here is a list of tobaccos from this thread with links to them on tobaccoreviews.com coming after I reach 7 days. Search the thread for member comments.

English Blends
Artisan's Blend (Ashton)
Balken Sasieni (Balken Sasieni)
York Full Mixture (Compton's of Galashiels)
Epiphany (Cornell & Diehl)
Star of the East (Cornell & Diehl)
Old Ironsides (Dan Tobacco)
Standard Mixture (Dunhill)
London Mixture (Dunhill)
Penzance (Esoterica Tobacciana)
Chelsea Morning (G. L. Pease)
Maltese Falcon (G. L. Pease)
Oddysey (G. L. Pease)
Quiet Nights (G. L. Pease)
Own Mixture No. 88 (Ilsted)
Dorisco Mixture (James Fox)
Father Dempsey (Kramer's Pipe and Tobacco Shop)
Cooper (Low Country Pipe & Cigar)
Bombay Court (McClelland)
Oriental #14 (McClelland)
Royal Blend - (Peretti)
Sunza Bitches (pipesandcigars.com)
Marlin Flake (Rattray)
Red Rapparee (Rattray)
Scottish Cake (Robert McConnell)
Skiff Mixture (Samuel Gawith)
VR Blend (SHPC)
Deacon's Downfall (Two Friends)
Bishop's Move (Uhle's)
Presbyterian Mixture (William P. Solomon)

Virginia Blends
No. 109 (Astleys)
Opening Night (Cornell & Diehl)
Cut Virginia Plug (Fribourg & Treyer)
Filmore (G. L. Pease)
Union Square (G. L. Pease)
Hunter Blend: Beagle (Nording)
HH Mature Virginia (Mac Baren)
Blackwood Flake (McClelland)
No. 2010 Classic Virginia (McClelland)
Virginia Woods (McClelland)
Quail Run (McCranie's)
Golden Sliced (Orlik)
Golden Glow / Medium Virginia (Samuel Gawith)

Burley Blends
Old Joe Krantz (Cornell & Diehl)
Barbary Coast (G. L. Pease)
Storm Front (John Patton)
Burley London Blend (Mac Baren)
656: Aged Burley Flake (Solani)
Grandfather Blend (Tobacco Barn)
Blend 00 (Uhle's)
Burley Slice (Wessex)

Aromatics
Autumn Evening (Cornell & Diehl)
1-Q (Lane Limited)
BCA (Lane Limited)


 
I think it could be a worthwhile project, perhaps for you yourself, but this is assuming there's some "standard track" that new pipe smokers should (or shouldn't) be on. I'll try to help clarify some of the caveats involved in your proposed task, maybe it'll help define it--

1) Affordability: Well, there's multiple parts to this. Are you talking about buying at a B&M (brick & mortar) store or online? Online is obviously going to give you a better price, but you can't try-before-you buy nearly as easily. Price often will also reflect quality. You can go to DrugMart et al and get a large bag of "Sugar Brown Burley" or something for $10. You can get a tin of McClelland, Sam Gawith or Dunhill for $10. So--with location AND quality in mind, what does "affordability" mean?

2) Availability: A bit more straightforward...or is it? Again, B&M or online? There's only a few makers' tobacco blends that are "unavailable" much of the time, Esoterica and Sam Gawith stuff being the two main culprits--and it's only certain blends of theirs. Again, with that in mind, I have to mention the reason why these blends are hard to get. One, they're pretty good. Seasoned smokers have decided they're Pipe Ambrosia. That means it took them a while to get there--it doesn't necessarily mean a new smoker is going to understand why such a rare tabak is so good, so coveting it as "the best" is a misnomer. Also, bacca hoarders looking to make a buck or be neurotic contribute to the problem, but that's just for the sake of mentioning it. So, you may or may not be missing anything by seeing that "out of stock" tag on a tobacco--there's PLENTY of fish in the sea--you just gotta start someplace.

3) Accessibility: Aside from this being a cute list alliteration, it has something to do with...ascending to some higher level of pipe tobacco strength? :lol: To me, there is no "up" or "down" with pipe smoking, it is about quality. If you start with quality, you can either turn the volume up or down, but it's the "music" you're listening to that matters. Rather than ears, though, it's to your tongue, and it helps to know this when discussing it with others. If you want tobacco that's just strong in nicotine and some kind of colloquial burning strength, well, you need not go further than that bag of "Sugar Brown Burley" from the local RX Mart. That shit'll smoke hotter than a whore in church, and likely give you a buzz to boot. You're going to end up liking what you like, unless you're terribly gullible or susceptible to hype, but there's not much advice for that here. There is no "finish line" with pipe smoking--it's just about the simplicity of relaxing with that blend and that pipe you've worked some time and effort at perfecting.

I guess the point of my answers here are, just get out there and try stuff. You're not going to do yourself favors by trying to save two bucks. You're not going to go broke by spending two more--if you're looking to a luxury hobby like pipe smoking, it means you have a few dollars to...burn. Finding tobacco isn't a problem, you just have to commit to a decision, maybe get a sampler pack or two from some major online retailer, or head into a B&M tobacconist and ask for samples (they will give them to you). This is also not karate lessons--you don't get belts and awards for progressing further into the hobby, you don't get better by repetition alone. It's a hobby at your pace, by your design, by (and ultimately for) your pleasure.

Sorry for the lack of actual suggestions (and giving somewhat unsolicited advice), but it's like person A asking person B what person A is in the mood for regarding a meal--and expecting the "right answer"...kind of a tough task. A lot of folks suggest aromatics, but I think that's a very limited and short-sighted answer. Sure, they're often tame, but they often aren't very quality tobacco. Maybe you like Virginias or Burleys and don't even know it. Maybe you're a Perique or a Latakia lover--only one way to find out! Just ask for a mild version of one of these. Truth to tell, your smoking method and experience in the long run will do you the most benefit in how these tobaccos react to you--which is an entirely different subject. Tongue bite being a common problem--the fault of tobacco or the user? Again, different subject, but still related.

Don't be systematic, have fun. Relax. Keeping notes, studying a little and being organized is probably a good idea, though--just realize this is a pleasant time-out in life, not the actual game. 8)

 
I think this is a great idea!

I used to guide beginners right to aromatics, but I now think that is wrong. Start with light English blends and go from there.

Here is what I recommend new guys start with:

GLP Quiet Nights

It's a light English that doesn't skimp on flavor. You won't be overwhelmed and I think that you may find this blend stays with you well into the hobby.

If you enjoy Quiet Nights, you can start exploring other tasty English blends, such as GLP Barbary Coast or McClelland's Bombay Court which has a magnificent flavor a touch more strength than Quiet Nights.

I also recommend trying a VA blend after you've gone through a few tins of the above mentioned. They're a bit more subtle in flavor (sometimes) and take a bit more care when smoking, but they will reward you with practice.

Readily available VA blends that I personally recommend are:

Orlik Golden Sliced and GLP Union Square. Both are unique in flavor and are very pleasant. OGS has a bit of a nic hit though, so be cautious when loading a bowl with it.

From there, branch out and experiment with what you like the most. If none of the above strikes your fancy, maybe you're a burley man, in which case I suggest you buy pounds of Storm Front. You might also discover that you prefer aromatics. I'm not an aromatic afficionado, so I can't provide a lot of help in that regard.

Them's my 2 cents!
 
Definitely OGS, I'd add C&D Star of the East as a nice strong Latakia blend. I also think every new smoker owes it to himself to smoke at least one pouch of Prince Albert or Carter Hall.
 
My point was more to have a list of tobaccos that would be safe to recommend to a new smoker that wouldn't be too expensive, too hard to get or too... outlandish, maybe, for the new pipe smoker.

For me, 50g/2oz is a perfectly acceptable amount for trying out a tobacco. As I've learned from reading reviews here and other places, you can't get a sense of a tobacco from one pipe's worth. Most places I've seen offer their tobaccos in 50g/2oz tins/bags, so whether it's a local or online purchase, this is great in my opinion.

As an example of cost, some of the Dunhill blends go for $10-12 dollars locally and online. I don't see that as too expensive for a new smoker. One the Cornell & Diehl site, their most expensive 2oz price is $15 for their G.L.Pease Blends. I don't see that as overly expensive, though it's 33% more than their cheapest $11.25 tobacco. What I was trying to avoid was tobaccos that are, say, $50 for 2oz, or only come in 1 pound tins so that you have to fork over $45 just to try it. So it doesn't necessarily have to be CHEAP tobacco, just not overly expensive.

Accessibility will be, of course, subjective. While something like Dunhill Night Cap might be a good candidate (50g, $10-$12, good example of mild flavored full body strong English blend), something like a Cornell & Diehl Billy Budd might be too over the top in nicotine and Latakia to recommend to a new smoker. This is just an example I came up with off the top of my head, but I think it illustrates the idea.

And I so no reason why it should be limited to local vs. online purchase. If I can go to a reputable online vendor and buy it and have it shipped, that's perfectly "available" in my opinion.
 
Well, no need to continue beyond what I already proposed, but my post was a "food for thought" rather than a "black and white, this or that" kind of thing. The local places and online both have their merits and drawbacks, for example. As for tobacco cost, I don't know of too many tobacco tins that are $50/2oz (aside from rare/collectible tins), and not very many that are available only in bulk, in 1lb capacities. I doubt that will be a problem. Your nicotine tolerance is individual, as will be your taste--as noted. 8)

There's no limitations or rules to pipe smoking or tobacco trying, something either works for someone or it doesn't. If something is amiss, one can either try to fix it, ask for suggestions (and apply them) or continue having problems (if any). The discovery part of the hobby is extremely exciting, and vast--no secret there. :lol:

Try, try, try. Yeah, and keep notes if you can.

I guess I went a little overboard and overwhelmed the sentiment with overkill. Again. :lol:

8)
 
Here.
Ashton Artisans Blend
Balken Sasieni
Cornell & Diehl Star of the East
Dan Old Ironsides
Esoterica Penzance
Fribourg & Treyer Cut Virginia Plug
GL Pease Oddysey
Hearth & Home Frenchys Sunzabitches
Ilsted #88
James J Fox Dorisco
Kramers Father Dempsey
Low Country Cooper
McConnell Scottish Cake
Nording Hunter Beagle
Orlik Golden Sliced
Presbyterian Mixture
Quail Run by McCranies
Ratrays Marlin Flake
Solani. Aged Burley Flake
Two Friends Deacons Downfall
Uhles Bishops Move
VR Blend SHPC
Wessex Burley Slice
black irish X Gawith Hoggarth ( don't do it noob, I just needed an X)
York Full Mixture. Comptons
Find your own Z lazy arse.













 
It's a tough thing to do because (1) the novice smoker is working on a learning curve built on a subjective canvas in flux - in otherwords, he's learning as his senses adapt to the tobaccos, and any ind of settling in usually takes quite some time. (2) The old codgers here who've been smoking a long time have probably moved away from the easier, more palatable blends and have settled into bolder choices.

However, given that the novice smoker is being properly counselled on how to pack properly and slowly smoke a pipe, I offer these as good starting points based on availability, ease of use, Palatability to the newbie. They won't neccessarily be my favorites, as many of my favorites are either difficult to obtain at times or quite strong tobaccos.

Virginia:

Samuel Gawith's Golden Glow, or Medium Virginia. These are the same exact thing, the former is tinned, the latter sold in bulk. True, it can sometimes be a bit of a wait to find it on an E-tailer's shelf, but I'd be remiss in not mentioning the single finest Virginia tobacco out there, IMHO.

Astley's 109. Not too strong, not too difficult to deal with, but fantastic and readily available.

Mac Baren HH Virginia. Available everywhere, cheap, no bite, mild. Actually, if a new smoker wanted to try a Virginia for the first time, this is probably what I'd throw at him. It's mild, it's easy to handle, it won't beat the poor devil up with bite/burn/strength. Will burn in just about any kind of pipe without protest.

Burley.

Uhle's 00. If Prince Albert were not a PG infused mass produced watered down version of what it probably once was, it would be this. This is the Ne Plus Ultra of straight, unadulterated burleys. A simple soft pack and off you go. A great tobacco to learn on, as it produces glorious flavors if sipped. It begs to be savored.

Mac Baren Burley London Blend. Cheap, easy, tasty. It wind the No Brainer award for what to smoke when you don't know what to smoke. Great stuff.

English.

GL Pease Maltese Falcon. Big, bold, flavorful, but not terribly overpowering. Available most everywhere. You want latakia but want more than just latakia? This is the baby.

SG Skiff, a low layakia high Turkish English. Again, could be tough at times to find, but it's not terribly expensive, when retailers have a stock of SG tobaccos they usually have Skiff, and it behaves very well in a pipe.

Aromatics.

Don't do it, it will just ghost up your pipe, give you tongue burn and make you reconsider smoking a pipe at all.


 
Puff Daddy":29ptfc2x said:
Aromatics.

Don't do it, it will just ghost up your pipe, give you tongue burn and make you reconsider smoking a pipe at all.
Click to expand...

Disagree. Well, not on the ghosting of the pipes, but I think it's worthwhile for a new smoker to try an aro or two. If $8-$13 isn't too expensive for tobacco, a new smoker may want to consider investing in an inexpensive cob in that price range and try an aro. This may not be for the "brand new" newbie, but worth some time a few months in. After all, some pipe smokers do prefer Aros to other options.

I think Lane's 1Q and BCA are good options in this category. They are inexpensive, inoffensive, readily available, not quick to bite, and they can be de-ghosted after just a few bowls.
 
Kyle Weiss":mqhbri7z said:
I guess I went a little overboard and overwhelmed the sentiment with overkill. Again. :lol:
Click to expand...
Sometimes overkill can be a good thing. :)
 
puros_bran":2pzz9vpu said:
Here.
(*snip*)
Click to expand...
:shock: Whoa.


Great list. Could I convince you to categorize these somewhat? 8)

I'll do my best to keep a running list. I'll get back on it later tonight when I can break away from the work day.

EDIT: I took a shot at categorizing these. Feedback is appreciated. :)
 
Puff Daddy":vyf7uc06 said:
given that the novice smoker is being properly counselled on how to pack properly and slowly smoke a pipe, I offer these as good starting points based on availability, ease of use, Palatability to the newbie.
Click to expand...
Exactly what I was shooting for.
 
Just to clarify about Storm Front: I wouldn't categorize it as being a strong English blend, but a great medium bodied Burley blend. Not that strong on nicotine to me, but big on flavor. I personally don't get a real nic hit off of it, but I may have dulled my nicotine receptors over the last few years. :p
 
JHVH1 is watching--ever present, beware to the pink boys.

Also, Storm Front is amazing...in addition, get yourself a Missouri Meerschaum cob to compliment it--cheap and a good smoke. 8)
 
They were catorgorized. A-almost Z. And yes I have smoked them.
TobaccoReviews.com, Blenders Description, etc will explain the rest.
They are all medium to full flavored. The one thing I've learned is to give a Noob something he can sink his teeth into. If you mispack these blends you will still get flavor. Maybe not optimum but you won't burn your mouth to the ground seeking it.

I advise against noobs trying aro's. (PDiddy disagrees with my definition but I think it's right). I love aro's. Dark flake scented, coconut twist, etc that's some food stuff. But aro's ARE an experienced pipers joy, not a guy still trying to figure it all out. He's begging for burn.

Start at A, end at Y. It doesn't matter what 'genre' we try to stuff it in, you'll have a broad range of experience with manufacturers from all over the place with alot of differing styles even within the 'genre'.

Do your ABC's. Class dismissed.
 
alfredo_buscatti":rzzogc2u said:
Addressing tobacco quality rather than type or blend, Pease wrote here:

<*clipped cuz I can't even post links in quoted text yet*>

Look for the section:

What kind of tobaccos do you recommend for the beginner?
Click to expand...
Awesome link, and not just for the section you referenced! :D
 
Pease's pipeweed is flat-out amazing, runs the gamut from aro to Balkan, simple to complex, mild to bold. 8) No question of quality on his end, you just gotta find one that's for you.
 
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