Full Flavor Low nicotine recommendations??

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DrumsAndBeer

DrumsAndBeer

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Good afternoon BoB,

I recently experienced an episode of Vitamin N overage so severe I am still reeling from thinking about it. Needless to say I won't be suckling up to her seductive bosom any time soon again. And I'll be saving my favorite heavy hitters to smoke after a steak, mashed potatoes and ale type feast.

In the meantime I am looking to compile a list of tasty of recommendations, preferably non-aromatic blends that are on the low and I mean LOW end of the nicotine spectrum. I love Latakia & Virginias of all sorts. I can take or leave Perique, although I do get along fine with Long Golden Flake. I read an interesting post from a year back or so regarding the nicotine content of various tobaccos, and though I regularly smoke and enjoy Aged Burley Flake, I am afraid old Kentucky might have been the culprit behind my woes the other night.

Anyway, given the amount of cash one can drop giving various mixtures a try, I thought I'd compile a list of baccys prior to spending away.

Thanks in advance.

Chris
 
That's a tough one. The baccaweed seems to affect different people in different ways, sometimes on different days.

I always found Union Square to be pretty mellow and full of flavor, but others consider it a powerhouse. I know Storm Front and other cigar blends are sometimes a little less nicotinized, but then again, that's just me.

Oriental-based stuff might be the way to go, but other than McC's bulk "Oriental Cavendish," I don't know what else to suggest in that area, and that stuff is a little on the sweet side. Maybe MM965? Pembroke? Magnum Opus?

I got a nic hangover from Jackknife due to overindulgence. Hopefully the first (and last) time. 8)
 
Kyle Weiss":8ac1ayqz said:
That's a tough one. The baccaweed seems to affect different people in different ways, sometimes on different days.

I always found Union Square to be pretty mellow and full of flavor, but others consider it a powerhouse. I know Storm Front and other cigar blends are sometimes a little less nicotinized, but then again, that's just me.

Oriental-based stuff might be the way to go, but other than McC's bulk "Oriental Cavendish," I don't know what else to suggest in that area, and that stuff is a little on the sweet side. Maybe MM965? Pembroke? Magnum Opus?

I got a nic hangover from Jackknife due to overindulgence. Hopefully the first (and last) time. 8)
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I have a few unopened cans of Magnum Opus, perhaps I should dig in.

I have never had MM965, although oddly enough it was a 965 clone that had me reeling the other night.
 
Having been a cig smoker in the past ( and still once in awhile when I really want a nic hit) I've yet to find a pipe tobacco that has as much of a nic level as I would want when i want it. But that is ME. Everyone's different so it would be very hard to give much of a factual recomendation in this area, but if you are wanting some va based, full lat flavored 'bacs there are three which I find really nice and all are domestic and AVAILABLE at reasonable $s :p
My first choice would be Royal Blend from Peretti's in Boston, next Oriental #14 from McClellands and finally one I've recently found to be great, Ashbury from our friend Mr. Pease. All of these are Va based, smooth, full English/Balkan blends done in the manner of these blends "back in the day" when the famous ones were just that :p
 
Frog Morton (original) seems to have very little nicotine to me and it has quite a bit of flavor.
 
Several years ago i developed a sensitivity to nicotine and had to quit smoking some of my favorite tobaccos. During my search for low nicotine full flavored blends, I found the Synjeco Web Site to be very helpful. They rate some of the more popular brands from 1 to 10 in nicotine strength and seem to be pretty accurate. One of the best blends I found is F&T Cut Va Plug.

Good luck in your search.

Jim...my ha'pence
 
aadelma":ur4302n4 said:
Frog Morton (original) seems to have very little nicotine to me and it has quite a bit of flavor.
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This.

Regular FM -- mild to moderate

OTT -- mild

ATP -- mild to moderate

OTB -- I haven't tried, but I assume mild - moderate

Another thing worth mentioning, try half-loading bowls, or sit down the pipe and extend your stay a little. Metabolizing the nicotine takes some time, and everyone's body works differently. I, too, used to smoke death sticks, so my experience with nicotine is kind of like hopping on a bike after so many years.

8)
 
Rob_In_MO":wbyzsjzb said:
Erinmore Flake. No Latakia, but a great blend and not too much Vitamin N.
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Isn't that stuff a whole drawer full of Old Lady Lakeland's death flowers, though?
 
Well Thanks everyone for the replies so far and for the suggestions.

Ol'Dawg, thanks for the link to Synjeco's site. It was interesting to read about the blends that I have enjoyed trouble free and see what category their strength rating fell into. Too bad they don't have ratings listed for more brands (Esoterica, McClelland).

Here's a nice bit of info I found on nicotine levels related to tobacco types, their sugar content and how they are cured - http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/tobacco-basics-nicotine-amp-sugar-content-curing-methods

The last two tobaccos that gave me a drubbing contain a good amount of Air cured burley - the venerable Stonehaven, and Beck's Ol' Limey Bastard which was so delicious that I was drooling like a raving lunatic while smoking it.

However two of my absolute favorite go-to any time problem free smokes contain air cured burley - Solani ABF and Silver Flake 660. Go figure. :scratch:
 
Nice article/list. I hadn't read that one. It spits in the face of other books/writ I've come across trying to classify the same thing, but they never separate the curing process--they only talk about the tobacco varietal. Although there was a heady debate recently where a member (who I think rage quit) insisted curing equaled varietal. While partially right, he brought up a good point about how important curing is to the end product, and by that, the sugars and nicotine levels.

I used to obsess about not taking in too much nicotine because I was convinced I would get hooked on the pipe like a gnawing fiend like I did with cigarettes. Today, I smoke some pretty heavy "N" mixes and blends with no problems, and even go up to a week without a pipe. Likely, my body just had to get used to the fact this nicotine stuff was going to be there once in a while, and it (fortunately) deals with it accordingly. Call it a tolerance, call it experience, whatever.

Your body will let you know when you've gone too far. 8)

Taking a page from Yak's recent posts, if Solani makes a no-problem smoke, I say stick with it. Maybe take your time a little more or fill half-bowls, as mentioned. *shrug*
 
I am trying to avoid Lady N because of irregular heart rhythms. Her is a list I put together from others comments and some of my own experience *.

Mc Clelland Collector Series: Three Oaks Syrian *
GL Pease: Union Square also Meridian*
W. O. Larsen Signature*
H&H's Sweet & Savory (Oriental and Perique blend)
Lane's BCA and 1Q
Altadis Blue Note ? reviews not good
MB Vanilla Creme
Ferndown Mild Brown*
Frog Morton
Hearth & Home Sweet & Savory

I would add Dunhill Early Morning Pipe but others have reacted badly to it. Go figure.

:sunny:
 
I've had good luck with SPC's Plum Pudding and GLP's Meridian for full-flavored latakia mixtures / non-nicotine-coma blends. Having not tried Nightcap yet, I can say that I haven't had trouble with any latakia blends, as far as nicotine goes. ;)

What gives me trouble--I think--is the flue-cured stuff, so I'm cautious with blends which contain those. Even SG's Best Brown Flake can make the walls melt and it's technically a 'medium-strength' tobacco. (For comparison, Marlin Flake and Escudo are everyday smokes for me.) I'm sure you know the usual precautions: eat something before you smoke, have some sugar on hand (I go for milk and sugar tea), sit down, smoke slowly, smoke strong stuff in smaller amounts, etc.

Anyway, just my limited (and likely inaccurate) experience--hope something in there is helpful for you. Part of the fun is figuring out one's unique responses to various tobaccos. Happy puffing!

 
A very good latakia blend that has tons of flavor and doesnt have a nicotine hit (to me anyway) is Esotericas Margate...also from Esoterica is Dorchester a virginia with a hint of perique. I do feel the nic in Dorchester but nothing major. And if you really like latakia, C&Ds Pirate Kake has a very heavy latakia flavor but is actually quite mild
 
Lonered, I'm glad someone else thinks of Union Square as a low-nic, high-flavor bacca. I love the stuff, and it's always been there for me when I wanted a smoke but needed a break from the usual suspects. Or just because I really wanted to smoke some Union Square. 8)
 
Excellent suggestions. I am making a list & checking it twice. Based on my usual everyday taste in baccy so far I have -

Union Square
Frog Morton
3 Oaks Syrian
Meridian (seems to be getting multiple mentions)
Plum Pudding
H&H Sweet & Savory

Anyone have any experience with Piccadilly?
 
Piccadilly is very good, imho.

Lat is used very lightly, but it's a nice, cool, and pleasant smoke (good "first bowl of the day" kinda smoke)...for me it was one of the "bridge the gap to Latakia" blends. As far as your concerns go, it's definitely nice 'n easy in the nicotine department, as well. I can't imagine you'd smoke this and find the room spinning.
 
Full Disclosure : I haven't read every word of every post in this thread and deeply pondered it. But I suspect I don't really have to because the answer is so simple and self-evident :

Identify the tobaccos you really, really like

and smoke them in smaller pipes.

Shapes like apples & princes with chamber inside diameters = .75 " tops.

You'll be glad you did. :cheers:

:face:
 
Yak":amlgq3gq said:
Full Disclosure : I haven't read every word of every post in this thread and deeply pondered it. But I suspect I don't really have to because the answer is so simple and self-evident :

Identify the tobaccos you really, really like

and smoke them in smaller pipes.

Shapes like apples & princes with chamber inside diameters = .75 " tops.

You'll be glad you did. :cheers:

:face:
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Great advice Yak. I love Stonehaven and it kills me because it gives me the fits. Coniston Cut Plug as well. But I have been packing half bowls, eating before hand, and drinking ales along with them, or tea with lemonade if it's midday and it's been a bit better. But boy I'll tell you nicotine really does wrong, in a bad, bad way.
 
Those cool old Dunhill group 2 pipes are perfect for this. They're small but not ridiculously small. Fill the pipe and in 20 minutes you're done.

I personally have several pipes that would be between a group 2 and a group 3, and I smoke my stronger blends in them exclusively. The other piece of advice to go along with that is to still smoke em slowly, learn to sip. Let the pipe go out, who cares. This whole business about getting a pipe lit with two matches and keeping it going until it's done is pure silliness. Sip your tobacco smoke for a while and let it go out. Relight it when you're ready to relight it. You'll enjoy your smoke more as you'll be smoking at your pace, not the pipe's pace, and lady N won't be so likely to sneak up and whack you in the gut.
 
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