Learning the Different Types of Tobacco

[Rikeshar]

So, still being pretty new to pipe tobacco, the descriptions of blends mentioning such and such percentage of this tobacco, and such and such percentage of another don't mean a whole lot to me yet. I was wondering if I, (on behalf of us newer Brothers) could get a list of different blends that exemplify a single certain type of tobacco?

For example, if I want to know what a typical Virginia tastes like, or Oriental, or Burley etc. what blends give the most "pure" taste of each of these types?

 

[tiltjlp]

Well, for pure a pure Virginia, my own Quadruple Virginia is just that, a mixture of four different Virginias and nothing else. It's available from 4noggins.

 

[taharris]

Here is a good article on the subject.

http://www.pipesmoking.net/pipesmoking06.php

Todd

 

[ruraldean]

Have a word with Rich of 4Noggins and I'm sure he'll send you samples of each of the pure tobaccos normally used for blending. you can smoke them individually (although one or two are really just condiments) then you can experiment yourself on mixing the flavours and compare them with known blends.

I did this and it's a fruitful experience, and fun too.

 

[Rikeshar]

They will do this? That's awesome! I'll have to drop them a line!

 

[Storm_Crow]

It's a bit tough since most baccy's you'll buy are mixtures, and even when you buy one that is VA only (for instance) the fact is the various kinds of VA taste as differently from one another as they for from burley.

As an example, here's a list of VAs that are quite different from one another:

sweet and pruny: Marlin Flake

earthy: Kendal Plug

hay-like: Union Square

bright and tangy: Gold Brick

strong and cigar-like: Brown Bogie

 

[idbowman]

This is pretty tricky business...not only because there are so many different tobaccos with different burning/flavor characteristics, but because we all "experience" taste differently. Scroll through some of the threads here where someone has asked for the best kind of 'X'. There is no such thing as consensus among pipe smokers (well...where tobacco is concerned, anyway).

Here's a link to a fairly recent thread that sort of gets at what you're looking for - but I suggest you scroll to the bottom of the thread and read Kyle's response first.

https://www.brothersofbriar.com/t17815-touchstone-blends-for-newbies?highlight=touchstone#220199

 

[Anonymous]

Bearing in mind that many of the tobaccos people cite as, for example, "Virginia"s, are actually blends based on Virginias.

It can be helpful to check the manufacturers' ingredients lists @ Tobacco reviews, although these aren't necessarily complete lists either.

:face:

 

[monbla256]

So, still being pretty new to pipe tobacco, the descriptions of blends mentioning such and such percentage of this tobacco, and such and such percentage of another don't mean a whole lot to me yet. I was wondering if I, (on behalf of us newer Brothers) could get a list of different blends that exemplify a single certain type of tobacco?

For example, if I want to know what a typical Virginia tastes like, or Oriental, or Burley etc. what blends give the most "pure" taste of each of these types?

The reality of what you are asking cannot be answered. ALL responses are based on subjective IMPRESSIONS we all learn and develop. MY definition of a pure Va 'bac would be X, the next guy's would be Y etc. It is not a B&W type of thing. There are many recomended blends here, try aquiring maybe 3 or 4 of them, smoke them completely in several different pipes and THEn see if you might have a better idea. Remember, there is no hurry, you have the rest of your life to learn. I've been smoking for sveral decades now, and I'm STILL learning