New tobaccos for a Newbie

[NickM]

Hey all

I'm interested in some suggestions for smooth smoking mild tobaccos. Alittle more specific than Verginas or English. Whats on in tin my friends?

And if theres some time left. Best pipe for under $120? Depending on what answers i get i'll take that subject to the round table. I'm parcial to Pokers :heart:

Smoke Happy my friends

 

[Fishfuzz]

Do you have a well stocked local shop for tobacco? If so, you might start there, sampling as many bulk offerings as they have. Your preferences for particular styles will help us guide you.

I started out with the typical Lane offerings (lighter aromatics), and now favor blends such as Stormfront, Squadron Leader, and SG Navy Flake. Blends I was fearful of originally, but with the help of this board, sampled and loved.

As for the best value, I wish someone had prompted me to buy a Missouri Meerschaum Cob with a Walker stem before I headed down the briar path. I could have saved myself a nice chunck of change.

If you follow the guide posted here, a cob really can serve as an excellent starting point while you research your first briars. They are also great for sampling multiple tobaccos without potentially ghosting.

http://www.corncobpipe.com/

http://www.walkerbriarworks.com/html/_forever__stems.html

Welcome to the group!

 

[NickM]

Thanks fish,
I unfortunately have no pipe tobbaco shop near me that i know of. Its mostly cigars and the like. This was a large reason for my post!!! I have been leery of some of the large tobacco review sites. On their recomondation i bought a tin of Dunhill Navy roll. (i dont have the tin at this moment) Many of the reviews claimed what i was looking for in a tobacco so i jumped at it.
When i opened the tin and took a wiff i had to rub my eyes to see if i was still in the house or inside of a horse stable. Consequently I lit some up in a new cob after about 15 minutes of air drying it. Ill be darned if it didn't taste the same way it smelled. I hope it was just a fowled tin.

Thank you for the advise on inexpencive pipes. I've had some amazing smokes out of my MM cobs!!! Any sugestions on value for money on briar?

 

[Fishfuzz]

What part of the world are you in?

Did the tin look like this?

Can't say I have tried this blend myself, but you may have dived right into the deep.

Perhaps a visit to the other side of the pool might help. If you aren't opposed to a little cigar leaf, I would try Stormfront, and if this also offends, we can look further.

http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend_detail.cfm?ALPHA=S&TID=3110

http://www.4noggins.com/johnpattonsstormfront.aspx

If you order some and don't care for it, one of us will happily buy or trade for the difference.

As for briars, I prefer to put my money into estates (or preowned). Smokingpipes.com and VikingClubPipes.com might get your creative juices going. eBay (or ePrey, as some would call it) also offers various estate levels, but you can quickly run afoul of bad pipes or overpriced "gems" if you don't stick with the most solid resellers.

Check out our Towne Crier section for members posting to eBay and their own stores.

 

[kaiser83]

I personally always recommend McClelland Frog Morton for brand new folks...and everyone else for that matter. Decent pipes under 150....take a look at Stanwell, Peterson, Brebbia, and Mario Grandi. Mario Grandi is only sold new through their eBay store and their seller name is futurepipes.

 

[Dave_In_Philly]

I suggest:

English: Peterson's Old Dublin
VA: McClelland's Blackwoods Flake
VA/Per: Peter Stokkebye Luxury Navy Flake (only available in bulk) or Escudo
OTC Burley: Carter Hall - (typically still available at many drugstores)

Best factory pipes for <$120 - Peterson or Savinelli; though if you're patient, occasionally one of our pipe making BoBs will have handmade pipes for around that price in the town crier section. You can't go wrong either way.

- Just my humble opinion.

 

[monbla256]

My first recomendation would be for Savinelli for your briar. They have one of the widest variety of finishes and styles for <$120.00 available in new pipes and they tend to ALL be good value for the $s.
My tobacco recomendations would be for
English/Balkan : L.J. Peretti's Royal Bland
Va/Va Aro : McClellands Fragrant Matured 2000
Va : McClelland's Blackwoods Flake
JMHO

 

[NickM]

What part of the world are you in?

Im on Long Island. I did alittle more digging and found what seems to be a promising pipe shop although they too seem to specialize in cigars.

Thats the same tin all right!!!...I might as well stick it in a mason jar, let it age and try again later!! I do tend to jump in over my head from time to time :silent:

Thanks very much for the advice guys!!! When i decide on which to get i'll post a pick of it!!

Yall have made an overwhelming expirience more managable!!!

Smoke Happy!!!

 

[Kyle Weiss]

There's a bunch of pipes available under $120. My only qualm with Savinelli is people I talk to that get started with 'em is they have problems with the 6mm "balsa filters" that are constructed with them, and find them a pain in the arse--but Savs are good pipes. Stanwell, Viking, Nording, Neerup, Brebbia, Peterson are all unique, good brands, too, at that price (and often, lower).

You can't do cheaper than the Missouri Meerschaum cob, though. I love those little things.

Frog Morton, McClelland Fragrant Matured 2000, Rattray's Brown Clunee, and GL Pease Union Square are all very honest, mild tobaccos that will give you a taste of the realms you can expect, if you ask me.

8)

 

[monbla256]

There's a bunch of pipes available under $120. My only qualm with Savinelli is people I talk to that get started with 'em is they have problems with the 6mm "balsa filters" that are constructed with them, and find them a pain in the arse--but Savs are good pipes quote]

Not all Sav's come with balsa filters and you don't have to use 'em if they do. I have several Sav's I bought new and have never used the filters in 'em and they smoke just fine

 

[gravel]

I'll add my voice to Frog Morton as a good starter. I'll add if you get it, smoke it until the tin is empty. This will help you get acquainted with a great blend, help you identify what you like about it, and possibly eliminate some variables as you figure out the mechanics of pipe smoking.

 

[Brewdude]

There's a bunch of pipes available under $120. My only qualm with Savinelli is people I talk to that get started with 'em is they have problems with the 6mm "balsa filters" that are constructed with them, and find them a pain in the arse--but Savs are good pipes quote]

Not all Sav's come with balsa filters and you don't have to use 'em if they do. I have several Sav's I bought new and have never used the filters in 'em and they smoke just fine

Never could see what difference the balsa filters made myself. In fact they always seemed to make matters worse in many ways as they got gummed up after a couple bowls. Once I ditched them everything improved. In fact my new Sav 320 Sistina Author came with one but it won't be used.

Cheers,

RR

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Not all Sav's come with balsa filters and you don't have to use 'em if they do. I have several Sav's I bought new and have never used the filters in 'em and they smoke just fine

Yes, but mind you and your 40 years (I said it, I know, I said it) that's a bit more time to get used to the nuances of such a pipe, filters or no filters. Filterless filter pipes are trickier to smoke for a new guy. Or, as mentioned, get a standard-drilled setup. It's too bad, my Tinder Box gets hardly any non-filter Savs. I like them, but I dislike filter pipes. A lot.

8)

 

[Sloppy Joe Hemingway]

Being new to pipe smoking, I've recently gone through the same experience you're going through. I'll echo the sentiments given for Frog Morton and Union Square. Fantastic tobaccos. Whatever pipe you get, spend the most you can afford for a quality pipe. I know that doesn't sound very helpful, but take my experience. I bought a cheap $20 "briar" with a plastic stem that almost turned me off pipe smoking because of the horrid flavors the pipe itself added. My next pipe was an estate meer that I found for just over $100. My world changed when I smoked with this. It was like day and night. The same tobacco I hated in my cheap pipe became absolutely amazing in a good pipe!

 

[Kyle Weiss]

...however...

If you know what you're looking for, and can find a briar basket pipe ($30 cheapie/bargain pipe at an actual tobacco store) that's drilled satisfactorily (right draw, draft hole in the right position in the bowl) and has a good stem (mortise/tenon meet with no gaps at the end, draw isn't too constricted) you can end up with a darned good pipe for not much money.

Even when you're not new any longer, often it's luck of the draw no matter who you are. Best case scenario, you can find a maker/carver with enough consistency that matches your pipe smoking style so you won't have to grope around in the proverbial dark. If they're not expensive, so much the better.

Todd Harris (taharris) around here carves my best-smoking pipes, and they're reasonably priced.

What a world, huh? Almost too many choices. Welcome to the fun! :lol:

8)

 

[Irish Mike]

Nick, unfortunately the choices for a B&M with good pipe and tobacco selections here on Long Island are fairly limited. I know of 2 cigar shops here in Nassau County that do have a limited pipe selection as well as a small offering of tinned and bulk tobaccos. If you are interested PM me I will send you the info on the shops.

 

[srfulton]

I say just find one you like and can afford and buy it. Read read and read. buy another and sometime later you will decide which pipe you like best. That is what I did and now have 4 or 5 pipes that I will have to trade or sell because I found the type and style I like over all others. Check out ebay too. Good luck.

 

[Sloppy Joe Hemingway]

...however...

If you know what you're looking for, and can find a briar basket pipe ($30 cheapie/bargain pipe at an actual tobacco store) that's drilled satisfactorily (right draw, draft hole in the right position in the bowl) and has a good stem (mortise/tenon meet with no gaps at the end, draw isn't too constricted) you can end up with a darned good pipe for not much money.

Even when you're not new any longer, often it's luck of the draw no matter who you are. Best case scenario, you can find a maker/carver with enough consistency that matches your pipe smoking style so you won't have to grope around in the proverbial dark. If they're not expensive, so much the better.

Todd Harris (taharris) around here carves my best-smoking pipes, and they're reasonably priced.

What a world, huh? Almost too many choices. Welcome to the fun! :lol:

8)

I seldom know what I'm looking for! :lol: For me, the experimentation is part of the fun around here. I just try to keep my mouth shut and my ears open!

 

[gospelman]

For a step into the English experience, you might try Greg Pease's Westminster. It's one of my favorites. A good Virginia would be Old Gowrie, in my opinion. But there is a big ol' world of blends to try, and the fun is in the search!

Mike