Taste Issues

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ITSETTLE

ITSETTLE

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Fellow Pipers,

I am having something strange happen lately. During the past week, I have not been able to taste anything when I am smoking. Have anyone of you guys ever had this happen to you? Is there something I can do to fix this?
 
Yes, I have had this happen to me. The only cure I've found is time. I generally smoke heavy Latakia blends when this happens. At least I taste something. For me, it usually lasts about two weeks.

Also, I have heard that sinus infections will do this also. You might make sure that's not the problem.
 
Are you able to taste the food you eat? If that is effected as well I'd check with your doctor as it can be an indication of something internal. Otherwise just start smoking LOTS of Royal Blend all the time :p
 
I do not have any sinus issues, or a cold. I am able to taste everything fine as far as food and drink goes. I just placed an order for some tobacco with some LAT in it to see if that helps.
 
If Latakia blends don't fix it, I'm not sure what to tell you.

I think it was Boxerbuddy that said if you have a "leather tongue" to give yourself a good, solid "tongue brushing," paste and all, rinse and wait about a day, and it brightens things up a bit. I have done this once in a while when the pipe-taste-doldrums set in and it worked a charm.

Another thing I do frequently due to allergies is use a simple nasal saline spray (Ayr is a good one) in the morning--opens up the passages a bit and flushes out congestion and any excess coating (nasty to say, sorry) that may hinder taste. Olfactory and tongue are interconnected pretty closely.

Hope you find something that works. 8)
 
I recently reached a point where (1) I couldn't taste certain flavors in EMP and (2) every heavy latakia mixture I was smoking tasted the same. The change in EMP was half me and half the tobacco aging in a way that took some edges off. The rest seemed to be tongue bite or, perhaps, tongue fatigue. What worked for me was to abstain from the latakia blends for a while and to smoke burley, VA, VA/Per, aromatic--anything not latakia--and to smoke a lot less frequently. I took most of a week off and afterwards just smoked a bowl or two very, very gently per day. Biotiene mouthwash helped a lot, too.

I don't know if any of those approaches would be helpful for you, but I found that after a couple of weeks, I could taste all the subtleties of blends (including latakia mixtures) again. Good luck with it.
 
Due to sinus issues, I had gone through a period of a few weeks with deadened taste buds.
I held off smoking any Penzance during that time, as the lack of taste, coupled with the inability to smell anything meant that it would have been a waste smoking any of that fine blend.
Luckily, the sinuses have cleared, and I can look forward to enjoying life again to it's fullest, including Penzance, and my beloved Nightcap!
 
For me, indulging too much in rich full bodied bends will leave practically everything tasteless for a day or two. Tobacco that is. Time heals everything (except aging).
 
When I get to where I can't taste the virginias I smoke Carter Hall exclusively. Don't get me wrong...I'm not saying that Carter Hall isn't a good smoke...I'm just saying that when I can't taste virginias I can taste Carter Hall. If you can't taste it you waste it!
 
Like William above, I find changing the type of tobacco I'm smoking helps "excite" my taste buds all over again. I've been primarily enjoying Virginias for over a year and even my favorites seemed to have lost their taste. I'm working on several latakia blends for the past few weeks and they taste very good.

But beyond changing blends, I've also had periods where no tobaccos seemed to interest me. Just laying off or cutting back seems to help for me. I think I tend to fry my tongue and it basically needs a rest.

Natch
 
Take a week off, clean your pipes, buy a new pipe for yourself and viola! Good as new. At least for me.
 
Spring is coming. Humidity is up a bit from winter low. Your pipes may have more moisture than usual in them. Lot's of things suddenly taste wrong. I switch blends more this time of year.
 
Brothers,

I talked with the nurse at my work and she told me to buy a product called Gly-Oxide. I bought this last night, used it with my normal tooth paste, woke up this morning had a bowl and everything is back to normal.
 
Call it sensory overload; I've had it happen many times and live in constant fear of it, vis-a-vis pipesmoking. Otherwise, I would smoke even more that I do now. I cannot stand to smoke when I have a cold. I wait until the cold has completely run its course, then wait another week or so. That first pipe is friggin' AWESOME! It's nothing at all like day-to-day smoking. My point is that the taste buds seem to dull with overuse, and I hate it--but whatcha gonna do, except moderate your usage?

(Fortunately, I rarely get colds. Otherwise, I'd hang myself.)
 
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