Thoughts on Pipe Dedication to Tobacco Families?

[ZeroContent]

I'm starting to add more non-english blends into my rotation and I'm curious what others do in regards to dedicating pipes to certain blend families. Right now I have a rotation of pipes that I use just for latakia blends then a rotation i use for all other non-aros. So VA, VaPers and Burleys all share the same pipes. I'm wondering if I should further break up my dedications. Can't really decide. I don't smoke aros so no worries on those. I'd just steal one of my wife's pipes if I, for whatever reason, wanted to smoke an aro.

 

[ftrplt]

I do have a few briars that I use exclusively for Burley/s. Otherwise, I subscribe to the old adage "take out pipe, put tobacco in pipe, light pipe, smoke pipe!!" :cheers: FTRPLT

I should have added that on the uber rare occasion that I smoke a true aromatic, I use a cob!!!

 

[Richard Burley]

Other than keeping aromatics away from my better pipes, I don't dedicate. Any crossover tastes don't bother me. A hint of latakia in my PA? No problem.

 

[monbla256]

Other than keeping aromatics away from my better pipes, I don't dedicate. Any crossover tastes don't bother me. A hint of latakia in my PA? No problem.  

This 100% !! :twisted: And since I only smoke one aro once in awhile, a cob works for that !! This "dedication" thing takes a pleasant daily activity and complicates it. Remember K.I.S.S. ! :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Idlefellow]

..."take out pipe, put tobacco in pipe, light pipe, smoke pipe!!"

Yup!!

 

[Brewdude]

I have one or two pipes that are dedicated to Lat blends. They don't see much use these days, but the bowls do exude a smoky character. So I avoid using these for straight 'ginnys/VaPers and the like.

I've found a couple good matches for several specific blends which I've dedicated them to. At least at this point.

Apart from that, no.


Cheers,

RR

 

[Zeno Marx]

Predetermining a pipe to a type of tobacco seems asinine to me.  Once you smoke a bunch of different blends and types in it, and if it proves to not serve a certain type well, then I get it.  Otherwise, it's just some oddball form of pretentious masturbatory bullpucky.

 

[RDPipes]

I've dedicate 7 pipes to Escudo ONLY and I have one for Lat's and 6 others for what ever I feel like smoking at the time. But, have been known to smoke other tobaccos in the Lat pipe but, oddly enough I'm just weird anyway.  :fpalm:

No Lakelands ever touch my pipes though.

I reckon it all depends on how sensitive your taste buds are.

 

[Brewdude]

I've dedicate 7 pipes to Escudo ONLY and I have one for Lat's and 6 others for what ever I feel like smoking at the time. But, have been known to smoke other tobaccos in the Lat pipe but, oddly enough I'm just weird anyway.  :fpalm:

No Lakelands ever touch my pipes though.

I reckon it all depends on how sensitive your taste buds are.

You and me both, Ron!

And this is not to dis those who embrace Lakeland blends. Just my preference, mind. Make that clear!


Cheers,

RR

 

[ZeroContent]

Alright. Guess I'll keep my current lat/non-lat system.

 

[MisterE]

Unless you have a butt-load of pipes, genre dedication is probably the most practical. I have a few pipes that are absoutely spectacular with specific tobaccos so those are dedicated. The rest i keep within the Va, Vaper, and English categories. The dark fired blend I'll smoke in the Vaper pipes. JKP, ODF etc...

It's only as complicated as you want to make it.

 

[Ozark Wizard]

Since I do enjoy a few aromatics, and they are different from each other, I do have strict dedication assigned. Otherwise Lats go in Lat experienced pipes, the rest go in whatever pipe I have in rotation.

 

[Jevverrett]

I have some I use for dfk, burley blends and va/per, most of my pipes are for English/Balkan blends and some for the few aros I smoke now. I find some pipes work better for some things during the break in process. Cobs work well for most things, but take an aros' ghost in to the bone. Aside from that, I have some pipes that are for home or going out where I can smoke one and some for work.

 

[acaciavet]

I usually smoke Lat or Burleys and they go well in the same pipe.However i do love Creme Burley and that Ghosts,So I have four pipes dedicated to that blend.

 

[DrT999]

Well, Lakelands DO touch about 1/3 of my pipes, and I rarely smoke much else in those. As for the others, one is dedicated to Latakia blends, but only because those smoke so well in that particular pipe. Latakia blends, rum, VaPers, straight up blends, they all pretty much cross-pollinate.

 

[Dutch]

There are definitely some blends that smoke better out of certain pipes. It's more a matter of trial and error in sampling pipes and tobaccos from your own collection. Simply put, no one can give you specific advice on matching a particular pipe shape to a particular tobacco IMO. However, I do like larger bowled wide and deep pipes for Latakia blends.

I'll give an example here. I have 2 pipes I have dedicated to Latakia blends. One is a Moretti nosewarmer chimney, and a Barling's billiard. Both have inside bowl dimensions that are similar, giving the illusion that both will provide a similar result with the same blend.

However, after smoking 2 different Lat blends in these pipes, I have come to the conclusion that flavor wise, matching them specifically provides a much more flavorful smoke. In the Moretti, I experience much more flavor with MacBaren Vintage Syrian, than I do in the Barling's, however with Butera Pelican, the flavor is much more pronounced in the Barling's.

Having said that, it would be in most cases a mistake to just pick a pipe to dedicate to a particular blend, without first dedicating it to a particular genre IMO. By dedicating a new pipe to a specific genre, you give yourself the ability to sample a wide variety of blends, without the worry of ghosting from other blends outside that genre.

My strategy, is to dedicate a pipe to a particular genre, and sample a wide variety of blends from that genre, until I find one that provides the elusive transcendental experience. Until then, I continue to enjoy a variety of blends in the same pipe.

It should be pointed out, that I consider Red Virginia's a separate genre from VaPer's, so I am not just separating Virginia's from Latakia's.

When it comes to Aro's, I smoke very few, but when I find one that I really like, I usually dedicate a cob. I like Royal Yacht so much, I dedicated 2 cobs, so I could bounce back and forth between drying times.

 

[Idlefellow]

OK, for the uninformed (of which I may be the only): what are "Lakelands"?

 

[d4klutz]

I have one or two pipes that are dedicated to Lat blends. They don't see much use these days, but the bowls do exude a smoky character. So I avoid using these for straight 'ginnys/VaPers and the like.

I've found a couple good matches for several specific blends which I've dedicated them to. At least at this point.

Apart from that, no.


Cheers,

RR

This exactly. I have one pipe that is dedicated to lat blends, as that is what it smokes best. I have one pipe dedicated to Dan Tobacco Devil's Holiday, as that is the ONLY blend that it smokes well. (dont ask me why, it just does) I usually smoke whatever in whatever, and I smoke a generous cross section of aros, va's, and va/per's. The only thing I won't smoke in my briars is a lakeland blend. That goes in a cob.

 

[DrT999]

OK, for the informed (of which I may be the only): what are "Lakelands"?

Basically, this term refers to types of flavored tobaccos from Samuel Gawith and Gawith Hoggarth, both in Kendal, England (which is in the Lake District of the UK, hence 'Lakeland' blend).  Samuel Gawith blends in this category (in my experience, but there are blends I haven't tried yet) tend to be herbal flavored to a degree -- tonquin (1792 Flake, Westmoreland Mixture, Kendal Cream Flake) or lemon grass (Grousemoor, the 'Special' Flakes) for examples, although some also remind me of spices (RB Plug for example).  The Gawith Hoggarth Lakelands tend more towards floral and similar essences -- Grasmere is flavored with Rose & Geranium, Ennerdale, those florals and others but mainly Almond. To me, the order of strengthening flavors for G&H Lakelands would be Louisiana Flake (their VaPer); Glengarry Flake; Bob's Chocolate Flake (florals and chocolate aren't for everyone; for a straighter chocolate try their Scotch Flake Aromatic/Scented, which has more of a chocolate flavor than their blends with chocolate in the name); Brown Irish Sweet Chocolate Rose; Brown Flake Aromatic/Scented;  Dark Plug Rose Geranium; Grasmere Flake; #7 Broken Flake; Bosun Cut Plug; Ennerdale; Coniston Cut Plug.

GH Balkan Mixture & Flake have what to me comes across a slight pine/menthol taste, but I wouldn't call that a Lakeland.

 

[fsu92john]

I only have pipes set aside for tobacco types leave a lingering and possibly overpowering aroma and flavor in the bowl--Lakeland-style scented blends, Latakia mixtures, and heavy aromatics. The vast majority of my pipes are promiscuous in the types of tobacco they receive for smoking, since I mostly smoke Virginia- and Burley-based stuff. I don't hesitate to smoke Perique blends or Kentucky or even lightly flavored stuff like University Flake in any of these pipes.