Is it the pipe or tobacco, or operator error?

[SouthernPiper]

As some of you may know, I have just picked up pipe smoking again. I smoked before, for a couple of months last year. I got a chance to try 5 or 6 different types of tobacco. I only found two that I absolutely loved. One was McClelland's bulk blend 5110, and the other is Maple Street (from Altadis/Sutliff Private Stock). The other blends I tried, I got nothing but tongue bite and horrible ash tray taste. Anyway, the latter is where I'm at again. All I have is MacBaren's Honey and Chocolate, and Astley's 109, which is a flake (the guy at the pipe shop thought it was broken flake when he sold it to me). Also, I'm smoking in a brand new pipe, so that may be another problem.

So what is a guy supposed to do? How can I stop the month old ash tray taste?

 

[Sasquatch]

Not all blends work for all people, but the generic advice is smoke slower. If you heat tobacco up you get steam - hot water and C02 and not much else. The more you suck at it to "get flavor" the hotter it gets. The trouble is that if you burn too hot, you break down all the sugar molecules and other flavorful oils etc that supply the "taste" in the smoke. If you roast those too hot, they disappear.

So slow it down to almost going out, where your pipe is not more than even lukewarm, even if you smoke for an hour. If it goes out once or twice, you are doing it just right.

BUT like I say - some blends just don't agree with everyone, and there's nothing you can do for some of theem.

 

[CLRV]

I second Sas' comments completely.

Additionally, you might think about trying a bunch of different tobaccos. I searched around on the forum here for past "These are considered the really good tobaccos" threads and chose a few from each major category (VA/Vapers/English/Oriental). I ignored aromatics, mostly because I found them to be absurdly punishing as far as ashtray taste, tongue bite, and over heating. I personally find them to be even more of a pain to keep under control than my former nemesis, the Virginia Flake.

The most tolerant to technique building, in my experience, were the english and orientals. Latakia is a very cool burning tobacco and allows for over puffing and a slow refinement of process. Virginias will rear up, bite your tongue, and slap you like the female lead in a Blacksploitation picture if you overheat it at all. Eventually (as in last week, lol) I tried the Va/VApers again and they have opened up to me, sweet and clean. Granted, I pack and light the stuff as if it is radioactive TNT, but that helps keep it cool.

If nothing else, the pipe is the most demanding of patience and time out of all of the tobacco delivery systems. All I can say, in closing, is keep trying, have patience, and it'll open up one day.

 

[Harlock999]

Virginias will rear up, bite your tongue, and slap you like the female lead in a Blacksploitation picture if you overheat it at all.

I like the analogy, good stuff! :afro:

 

[TreverT]

Everything the Yeti said is right on. Plus, I just find that tobaccos are like movies and books for me - I try a lot, but don't find many I really love. The majority of the time, my reaction is either "Too biting/harsh" or "Ugh, the flavor!". When you find ones that agree with you, treasure them. At the recent TAPS show, I got to try C&D's English Chocolate blend, and wow, that was the best tobacco I've had in probably a couple of years, at least. When you find the ones that fit you, you'll know it!

 

[Sasquatch]

Huh. I guess if you make enough blends one of 'em is bound to not taste like burning donkey hair, but it took 'em long enough. :elephant:

 

[shootist51]

I would say about 90% operator. Don't get discouraged, though, cause there is a real learning curve to pipe smoking.
First off, different tobaccos smoke different ways. I have found that the english and balkan blends tend to produce much more smoke than the virginias. This causes an inexperienced smoker to really puff virginias in an effort to duplicate the copious smoke of the english and balkans, causing a bad case of tongue scorch! Virginia tobacco should be SIPPED. This means that it really only smolders in the bowl, but this releases the great flavors we talk about with virginias.
Second, most tobacco, out of the tin, is too moist to really provide the type of smoke that most of us relish. Dry it out a bit. You should be able to pick up a bowl of tobacco that springs back after squeezing, but it should not clump. Dryer is usually better, as long as it doesn't crumble into dust.
Third, pack your bowl loosely. You can always tamp a bit more if necessary, but if you start out too tightly packed, about all you can do is dump and start over. I was always taught that when you draw on your pipe after loading, it should be like sipping milk through a straw.

MOST IMPORTANTLY!!!! sip your smoke.

This has been more instrumental to my enjoyment of pipe smoking than any single bit of advice I have ever received. If you have to relight, do it. Do it as often as necessary. Matches are cheap. Never let your pipe get hot enough to feel uncomfortable in your hand, or on your cheek. If your pipe begins to feel too warm, set it down and relight after it cools completely down. This offers an additional treat, as particularly with virginias, this can be the best part of the smoke.

Lastly, try all of the different blends that you can, but the ones that really sing, cellar those, particularly Virginias as the only get better with age.

I've not said anything about aromatics. I only smoke a couple, and those very infrequently, but the points made above also apply, however I don't believe that ageing does them any good, but nor does it do them any harm and they too are only going to go up in price.
Find the blends that you most enjoy and do just that enjoy them. Try different packing methods, but err on the lighter side. Find what works for you.

 

[Harlock999]

I would say about 90% operator. Don't get discouraged, though, cause there is a real learning curve to pipe smoking.
First off, different tobaccos smoke different ways. I have found that the english and balkan blends tend to produce much more smoke than the virginias. This causes an inexperienced smoker to really puff virginias in an effort to duplicate the copious smoke of the english and balkans, causing a bad case of tongue scorch! Virginia tobacco should be SIPPED.

Third, pack your bowl loosely. You can always tamp a bit more if necessary, but if you start out too tightly packed, about all you can do is dump and start over. I was always taught that when you draw on your pipe after loading, it should be like sipping milk through a straw.

MOST IMPORTANTLY!!!! sip your smoke.

This has been more instrumental to my enjoyment of pipe smoking than any single bit of advice I have ever received. If you have to relight, do it. Do it as often as necessary. Matches are cheap. Never let your pipe get hot enough to feel uncomfortable in your hand, or on your cheek. If your pipe begins to feel too warm, set it down and relight after it cools completely down. This offers an additional treat, as particularly with virginias, this can be the best part of the smoke.

Very good advice, and well said. Thank you!

 

[SouthernPiper]

Latakia burning cool is a good explanation for the 5110 blend being so good. But what I don't get is the maple street, which is clearly an aro, I could puff that stuff like I was sparking a bong, and never got anything close to tongue bite. That's why I'm so amazed and confused at the same time

 

[shootist51]

Latakia burning cool is a good explanation for the 5110 blend being so good. But what I don't get is the maple street, which is clearly an aro, I could puff that stuff like I was sparking a bong, and never got anything close to tongue bite. That's why I'm so amazed and confused at the same time

Well, like my ole granma used to say...The sun shines on every dogs butt sooner er later.

Figure out just exactly what you done on these blends and don't ever do any different, and stick to these blends. If their doin great for ya then everything else is just popcorn.