Where is the taste?

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pan1k

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Hey all,

First post here. I usually smoke aromatic blends, I don't smoke often, maybe once a week. I have tried Captain Black White/Blue, Lord Methleys and some 1Q. People describe them as sweet or sugary, but I don't taste much. They all seem to just have a tobacco taste, rather flat. I don't know if it's my packing or lighting technique that causes it, I don't get much smoke except for the char light and my pipe keeps going out, I have to relight it 4 or 5 times. I have no problem with coffee tastes or other things, so what gives?

I got some english style tobacco non aromatic. I might try that this weekend. :!:
 
What are your expectations in regard to how it should taste? If you assume it will taste exactly like it smells, you're in for some disappointment. I mean, it is tobacco, so...it's gonna taste like tobacco. 8)

Have you tried different packing/lighting methods?
 
I would think it should have some flavor.. I don't get tongue bite, and I don't let the bowl overheat. I also found out that you don't blowtorch the tobacco directly, that you draw the flame in. That made some difference there. I find that I need to keep puffing to get any smoke. Perhaps it's not lit correctly? I'm just throwing things out there. I usually go by the 1/3's method. I fill up the first one till its overflowing and then tamp down to 1/3'd etc.
 
"Blowtorch?" I assume you mean it's a cigar (jet) lighter? Soft flames (standard) lighters are a lot easier on pipes and their tobacco. That might be part of it. Use even a simple Bic and see if that helps, too. Try packing and tamping very little, even if you use the 3-step/Frank method. If it's too dense, it'll be a bear to keep lit and will subsequently not deliver any flavor. :lol: 8)
 
No cigar lighter. I have a Bic and a Medico Cavalier pipe. I'll try less tamping. It smells great though. Time to experiment! I really want to get a proper pipe lighter tho..
 
Some guys here swear by Bics. I have "mini Bics" that seem easier to handle and get the flame down into the bowl...lighters are a whole 'nother ball of wax...some are awful, some are wonderful. The IMCO G77R (which is getting mighty hard to find in some places) is one I reach for a lot, and they aren't expensive.

Yeah, try out some different packing/tamping methods and let us know. 8)
 
pan1k":c9509xw1 said:
No cigar lighter. I have a Bic and a Medico Cavalier pipe. I'll try less tamping. It smells great though. Time to experiment! I really want to get a proper pipe lighter tho..
Click to expand...
I've used BIC, a standard Zippo, and even wooden matches - all with good success. I just used whatever I had laying around at that time. I don't like pressurized Butane lighters, seems to be too hot a flame - not to mention how easy it is to char the rim of the pipe.

Kyle is 100% Correct - mini BICs are great!
 
Welcome to the group! I tried the airpocket method (with 1Q) last night while mowing the lawn, and it worked surprisingly well - even in my Viking Classic. I don't generally look for taste, but I do hold the briar to my nose occasionally for the "smell", which is a large part of taste for me.
 
My advice is to use the gravity fill method. Just fill halfway with loose tobacco, then tap (not tamp) the pipe to let that settle. Repeat until you are full of UN-tamped tobacco. Then use your finger to gently pack the whole bowl a bit below the rim, it will expand when you light it. Use matches if you can, and only apply the flame to the tobacco as necessary for ignition. Then raise the heat above the bowl so you are getting hot air into the bowl to support the combustion. Aromatic flavor comes from the heat vaporization of the casings on the tobacco, not the combustion. So you'll want to have a nice burning coal that is providing downward heat to release the aromatic flavorants. For the most part, you'll only get flavored burn to just past halfway then it will be mostly tobacco flavor.

The three step method works for many, however, for me I have found it can be difficult with aromatics. Since the moisture content tends to be a bit higher to support the casing. This can cause the combustion to extinguish resulting in repeated application of flame directly to the tobacco thereby causing the casing to be burnt rather than vaporized.

Just my experience, your mileage may vary. I do recommend trying this and the pocket method, I have had very good luck with pocket method. The theory is you are creating a condensation chamber beneath the tobacco (as you are not pushing the tobacco to the bottom of the bowl). The downside is once you tamp a few times you'll collapse the pocket.

Smoking only once per week can make this a long process, but try using different packing and lighting methods. If you are really having trouble with staying lit, leave out some tobacco for an hour or more to dry out a bit. Welcome to the forum and keep sharing your journey, we've all been there and are happy to learn and share.
 
pan1k, I'll offer you the advice my dad gave me back in 1959. I still use his pointers, and never have any problems. For best results, try using all of the pointers for a dozen or so smokes, and see if you notice an improvement.


The Vernon Cool & Dry Method


Dry your tobacco more than you think you need to.
Pack looser than you think you need to.
Smoke slower than you think you need to.
Tamp less, and more lightly, than you think you need to.
Clean your pipes after every smoke, using pipe spirits.
 
Be careful when you light or re-light the pipe.

If you get too energetic you'll nuke your taste buds ability to taste sweet in the smoke.
Your tongue won't feel burnt or bitten but the ability to taste sweet in the smoke will go bye-bye for awhile.
You'll still be able to taste sweet food and drink but not sweet tobacco smoke.
This is how it is for me and for several other people I've talked to about it.

Slow down on the lights/re-lights and puff gently. Use as many charring lights as it takes to get the tobacco burning evenly and then continue to smoke slowly.
I used to have the same problems you describe when I smoked virginias. Now that I've learned this I no longer have the problem UNLESS I get distracted and re-light too fast/hard.

You can think I'm fruitier than a nut cake if you want to but try what I just told you while thinking it. You may just get a nice surprise.
 
....hey, at least we're not asking you to kill a virgin at midnight and drench her in a sacrificed chicken... that's that OTHER forum... (but we won't judge you if you're into that...) :lol:

Apparently what I've been doing is the "gravity fill" method all this time. Huh. Now I know. It seems to work. Just started doing it that way on a whim some months ago.

8)
 
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