Pipe smoking has really taught me some things about myself, life, people, and of course, pipes and tobacco.
At first, I would be so focused on consuming and digesting information and doing things "correctly," it was almost hard to really enjoy myself despite knowing that I enjoyed pipes and pipe tobacco. It's almost like i had to be comfortable enough in that environment, not worry about what others thought or how I looked. It's sort of like being comfortable in front of a camera and knowing the lines of a script so well that you can set it aside and experiment.
These freedoms/risks appear slowly and sometimes out of frustration. Sometimes just filling a pipe and not obsessing out it can be a revelation. The paintings didn't fall down, the pipe-police didn't storm the location, and you actually "let go" of the rules and just enjoyed! This paves the way for other risks. The first time a pipe gets hot or gurgles and unlike cigars, you set it down and enjoy conversation. Soon it is 30 minutes later, you relight that pipe and something magical happened. It doesn't matter if it's you, the pipe, or tobacco, SOMETHING happened and it was a revelation. I would NEVER let a cigar sit for that long and relight it. Letting go of those rules and allowing a set of new ones or not being obsessed with rules is the first step that allows the risk of experiment and a true treat of discovery.
Some of you may have noticed my Stonehaven post "Trading Post." This was a tobacco that I bought on a whim and gifted and shared a lot of it before ever even smoking it. This coupled with my search for an aromatic to add to my rotation was a concern.
I am not hear to bash aromatics. As a matter of fact, my limited noob experience says two things, "you can get as technical as you want about what constitutes an aromatic, but in the end, your palate and enjoyment of said tobacco decides." For instance, sweet tobaccos that don't translate their tin and room note to flavor just are NOT my thing. I have tried a more than a little and less than a lot, but it just doesn't do it for me. Then comes Stonehaven. I am lucky. I have a Quagliata that is beautiful and a great smoker and the person I bought it from used it as a Va pipe. So I got the goods. Then I start experimenting with every method of folding, cutting, and whatever else to "get it right" (see a pattern here?). I love the stuff. It is really tripping my trigger. But it's a little moist and I am not sure I have a the right method for this tobacco. What I didn't mention is I starting dealing with something i haven't had to in pipes, only in cigars. I WAS PUFFING ON THAT THING LIKE I WAS SNEAKING A CIG IN JR. HIGH! I mean, I was hot-boxing that thing like a Linda Lovelace (that was for Kyle and PB, btw)!
So yesterday I just plain rub out some tobacco and take it with me to the shop after it sat out for an hour at home. Got to the shop, filled the "Q" with the Stonehaven and lit a very mild but complex RyJ from 09. (not from the DR, either) Lovely smoke and my palate was wide awake and not trashed (it was a panatella). So I am on a mission. Just light the *ucker and take your time, enjoy. You aren't in the "joint" (anymore) and nobody is going to take it from you.....SLOW DOWN.
What took place was one of the most enjoyable smokes I have ever had and all sorts of flavored bubbled to the surface. And guess what? Very few relights and never got hot. Bite? FORGET IT.
So what does this all mean? It means, at least for me, pipe-smoking is a journey. You can look at that journey as a burden or be frustrated by not knowing when it will end or languish in the cynicism of you know it all, whatever. For me, I am so excited by the fact that given my short time in this hobby, I am experiencing an excitement that actually makes me enjoy smoking even more!
Not too long ago, Jack, aka, Simple Man gifted me my first cob and a sampler of Burleys. I read John's treatise on Cobs and you know what? He was right, they were BOTH right. That cob smokes like a heavyweight champ. So whenever someone sees me at the shop and asks why I am smoking that cob with all the new pipes I have been buying, I always say, "because this tobacco was made for this pipe, buy one and see for yourself."
For all the other noobs out there who are reading this, stick with it. Finding the right tobacco and pipe, and way to smoke it may be a process and take some time, but it is an exciting period and the rewards are immense.
Finally, you get to do it with some of the wisest gentleman who are more generous in spirit and deed than some family. I really wish me could do meet-ups more often, but that is another post.
I know this post is reminiscent of many that have come before it. There is nothing new here. But it is my love letter to BoB, pipes, and tobacco and the enjoyment and comfort I have received. You might laugh, but in some ways I think I am a better person. Not for smoking, but being a member of this community and learning as many lessons about life as I have about pipe smoking.
Only the best!
Jack
At first, I would be so focused on consuming and digesting information and doing things "correctly," it was almost hard to really enjoy myself despite knowing that I enjoyed pipes and pipe tobacco. It's almost like i had to be comfortable enough in that environment, not worry about what others thought or how I looked. It's sort of like being comfortable in front of a camera and knowing the lines of a script so well that you can set it aside and experiment.
These freedoms/risks appear slowly and sometimes out of frustration. Sometimes just filling a pipe and not obsessing out it can be a revelation. The paintings didn't fall down, the pipe-police didn't storm the location, and you actually "let go" of the rules and just enjoyed! This paves the way for other risks. The first time a pipe gets hot or gurgles and unlike cigars, you set it down and enjoy conversation. Soon it is 30 minutes later, you relight that pipe and something magical happened. It doesn't matter if it's you, the pipe, or tobacco, SOMETHING happened and it was a revelation. I would NEVER let a cigar sit for that long and relight it. Letting go of those rules and allowing a set of new ones or not being obsessed with rules is the first step that allows the risk of experiment and a true treat of discovery.
Some of you may have noticed my Stonehaven post "Trading Post." This was a tobacco that I bought on a whim and gifted and shared a lot of it before ever even smoking it. This coupled with my search for an aromatic to add to my rotation was a concern.
I am not hear to bash aromatics. As a matter of fact, my limited noob experience says two things, "you can get as technical as you want about what constitutes an aromatic, but in the end, your palate and enjoyment of said tobacco decides." For instance, sweet tobaccos that don't translate their tin and room note to flavor just are NOT my thing. I have tried a more than a little and less than a lot, but it just doesn't do it for me. Then comes Stonehaven. I am lucky. I have a Quagliata that is beautiful and a great smoker and the person I bought it from used it as a Va pipe. So I got the goods. Then I start experimenting with every method of folding, cutting, and whatever else to "get it right" (see a pattern here?). I love the stuff. It is really tripping my trigger. But it's a little moist and I am not sure I have a the right method for this tobacco. What I didn't mention is I starting dealing with something i haven't had to in pipes, only in cigars. I WAS PUFFING ON THAT THING LIKE I WAS SNEAKING A CIG IN JR. HIGH! I mean, I was hot-boxing that thing like a Linda Lovelace (that was for Kyle and PB, btw)!
So yesterday I just plain rub out some tobacco and take it with me to the shop after it sat out for an hour at home. Got to the shop, filled the "Q" with the Stonehaven and lit a very mild but complex RyJ from 09. (not from the DR, either) Lovely smoke and my palate was wide awake and not trashed (it was a panatella). So I am on a mission. Just light the *ucker and take your time, enjoy. You aren't in the "joint" (anymore) and nobody is going to take it from you.....SLOW DOWN.
What took place was one of the most enjoyable smokes I have ever had and all sorts of flavored bubbled to the surface. And guess what? Very few relights and never got hot. Bite? FORGET IT.
So what does this all mean? It means, at least for me, pipe-smoking is a journey. You can look at that journey as a burden or be frustrated by not knowing when it will end or languish in the cynicism of you know it all, whatever. For me, I am so excited by the fact that given my short time in this hobby, I am experiencing an excitement that actually makes me enjoy smoking even more!
Not too long ago, Jack, aka, Simple Man gifted me my first cob and a sampler of Burleys. I read John's treatise on Cobs and you know what? He was right, they were BOTH right. That cob smokes like a heavyweight champ. So whenever someone sees me at the shop and asks why I am smoking that cob with all the new pipes I have been buying, I always say, "because this tobacco was made for this pipe, buy one and see for yourself."
For all the other noobs out there who are reading this, stick with it. Finding the right tobacco and pipe, and way to smoke it may be a process and take some time, but it is an exciting period and the rewards are immense.
Finally, you get to do it with some of the wisest gentleman who are more generous in spirit and deed than some family. I really wish me could do meet-ups more often, but that is another post.
I know this post is reminiscent of many that have come before it. There is nothing new here. But it is my love letter to BoB, pipes, and tobacco and the enjoyment and comfort I have received. You might laugh, but in some ways I think I am a better person. Not for smoking, but being a member of this community and learning as many lessons about life as I have about pipe smoking.
Only the best!
Jack