Why are aros so disrespected?

[bolson]

I am a neophyte smoker, but I do like the aros better than traditional tobaccys. Just wondering why they seem to be somewhat disrespected in the pipe world? I certainly appreciate the forum and all the advice I have found on this site. I found 4 new blends that I really like and it is totally based on information I found here. Thanks for providing such a good platform for new smokers.

My name is Brant.....and I smoke aromatics.....for now.

 

[RDPipes]

I reckon, and I say that because I didn't start off them aro's is that most do and our taste buds change in time wanting something else (at least some of us). That and this is my personal opinion, is that there just too dad-burn goopy and really make a mess out of a pipes draft hole to clean up at the end of the month.

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

Coming from someone who is a tobacco omnivore, I have nothing against aromatics. I do prefer blends that are not terribly sauced up, but there are a couple of really sauced up mixtures that I do enjoy from time to time.

I have always said, smoke what you enjoy. The only person that it matters is the smoker "you."

Just out of curiousity, which blends are you smoking?

 

[MichaelM]

I don't know that I've seen much evidence that they are disrespected. Some of the top selling tobaccos are aromatics. Personally I have never found an aro that didn't eventually taste like an oily chemical spill, but that hasn't prevented me from trying a lot of them over the years. There are non-aromatic tobaccos that I dislike as much or more so. Smoke what you like. What other people think is often unimportant.
Mike.

 

[puros_bran]

Maybe if they'd get a job, start hanging out with decent tobaccos, and lay off the sauce a bit they'd be respectable?

 

[bolson]

Drums and Beer,

I just received LJ Perretti #432 and Coffee. Also purchased 4noggins Three Blind Moose and Thomas Blend. Have not tried the Coffee blend yet, but the other 3 I will be ordering more for sure.

Thanks for the input on my aro question.

B

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

Drums and Beer,

I just received LJ Perretti #432 and Coffee.  Also purchased 4noggins Three Blind Moose and Thomas Blend.  Have not tried the Coffee blend yet, but the other 3 I will be ordering more for sure.

Thanks for the input on my aro question.

B

I do enjoy Peretti's Coffee blend, although I didn't find a trace of "coffee" flavor in it. Their Boston's Best Cavendish is excellent as well. Heck Peretti's blends are top notch all around. I love their burley mixtures. Their seasonal blend "Thanksgiving Day" is a great treat.

Haven't tried the 432. Isn't that the coconut flavored mixture?

 

[monbla256]

Other than some of the wet . hot smoking characteristics that many Aro's have as compared to many of the English/Balkan and straight 'Ginny weed blends/mixtures, the only reason I've observed is that of some snobbery as to being a "pure" pipe smoker that some folks exhibit. I don't know what the numbers are as to poundage of Aros vs "pure" 'baccy blends/mixtures are but I'd bet there are MORE Aro's sold overall!! for myself, I started with an old OTC straight Burley blend then got exposed to English/Balkans and then staright 'ginny weed and that's where I've been for the past 2 + decades. I say smoke what rings your bell and to h**l with 'em !! :twisted: :twisted:

 

[JimInks]

Other than some of the wet . hot smoking characteristics that many Aro's have as compared to many of the English/Balkan and straight 'Ginny weed blends/mixtures, the only reason I've observed is that of some snobbery as to being a "pure" pipe smoker that some folks exhibit. I don't know what the numbers are as to poundage of Aros vs "pure" 'baccy blends/mixtures are but I'd bet there are MORE Aro's sold overall!! for myself, I started with an old OTC straight Burley blend then got exposed to English/Balkans and then staright 'ginny weed and that's where I've been for the past 2 + decades. I say smoke what rings your bell and to h**l with 'em !! :twisted: :twisted:

Russ Ouellette and retired Sutliff blender Carl McAllister both told me that aros are about 90% of the market. Yeah, there are pipe tobacco snobs are, and that's their problem. I agree with you that people should smoke what they want, when they want, and in the kind of pipe they want, and if there are snobs who don't like it, they should respectfully exhibit silence on the matter. In a way, we do make it other people's business when we write about what we smoke, and I suppose that leaves people wide open for comment. But, I don't care much for a subjective rating system regarding what tobacco and what pipe people "should" use, and disparagingly categorizing them in a personal manner.

 

[eklektos44]

Other than some of the wet . hot smoking characteristics that many Aro's have as compared to many of the English/Balkan and straight 'Ginny weed blends/mixtures, the only reason I've observed is that of some snobbery as to being a "pure" pipe smoker that some folks exhibit. I don't know what the numbers are as to poundage of Aros vs "pure" 'baccy blends/mixtures are but I'd bet there are MORE Aro's sold overall!! for myself, I started with an old OTC straight Burley blend then got exposed to English/Balkans and then staright 'ginny weed and that's where I've been for the past 2 + decades. I say smoke what rings your bell and to h**l with 'em !! :twisted: :twisted:

Russ Ouellette and retired Sutliff blender Carl McAllister both told me that aros are about 90% of the market. Yeah, there are pipe tobacco snobs are, and that's their problem. I agree with you that people should smoke what they want, when they want, and in the kind of pipe they want, and if there are snobs who don't like it, they should respectfully exhibit silence on the matter. In a way, we do make it other people's business when we write about what we smoke, and I suppose that leaves people wide open for comment. But, I don't care much for a subjective rating system regarding what tobacco and what pipe people "should" use, and disparagingly categorizing them in a personal manner.

Jim, let me ask you a question. Most pipes will smoke well if the airway is drilled properly and sufficient, or at least that's been my experience. So do you think that many of the problems people have is more related to the moisture content of the tobacco? Either too wet or dry?

 

[JimInks]

Other than some of the wet . hot smoking characteristics that many Aro's have as compared to many of the English/Balkan and straight 'Ginny weed blends/mixtures, the only reason I've observed is that of some snobbery as to being a "pure" pipe smoker that some folks exhibit. I don't know what the numbers are as to poundage of Aros vs "pure" 'baccy blends/mixtures are but I'd bet there are MORE Aro's sold overall!! for myself, I started with an old OTC straight Burley blend then got exposed to English/Balkans and then staright 'ginny weed and that's where I've been for the past 2 + decades. I say smoke what rings your bell and to h**l with 'em !! :twisted: :twisted:

Russ Ouellette and retired Sutliff blender Carl McAllister both told me that aros are about 90% of the market. Yeah, there are pipe tobacco snobs are, and that's their problem. I agree with you that people should smoke what they want, when they want, and in the kind of pipe they want, and if there are snobs who don't like it, they should respectfully exhibit silence on the matter. In a way, we do make it other people's business when we write about what we smoke, and I suppose that leaves people wide open for comment. But, I don't care much for a subjective rating system regarding what tobacco and what pipe people "should" use, and disparagingly categorizing them in a personal manner.

Jim, let me ask you a question. Most pipes will smoke well if the airway is drilled properly and sufficient, or at least that's been my experience. So do you think that many of the problems people have is more related to the moisture content of the tobacco? Either too wet or dry?

If the pipe is properly drilled with a decent air path, then the moisture content of the tobacco is definitely a part of the problem if the tobacco is moist or sopping wet. But I would also say if the smoker is a "wet smoker", that person will add to the problem as well. If the person is a fast puffer, moisture will condense at a faster rate as well. A slow to moderate pace produces less moisture; maybe not a lot less, but it will reduce it a little. Amazingly, there are smokers who hardly or don't use a pipe cleaner while they smoke, which certainly can cause one to have a real wet smoke.

I don't care much for bone dry tobacco much because I think you get more flavor with a little moisture. And fast puffers risk a greater chance of tongue bite with dry tobacco. But even smoking dry tobacco, depending on what kind of puffer you are, can produce at least a little moisture, though perhaps not enough to cause a problem.

And the cut of the tobacco makes a difference, too. Flakes and plugs hold more water than ribbon or shag cut. Coarse cut is in the middle as is cube cut. It's best to pack moist tobacco products loosely. You'll get less wetness and a better draw and probably fewer relights, too. And you'll usually avoid a hard core of tobacco at the bottom of your bowl.

 

[Dutch]

bolson, I think it comes down to a basic chemical reaction with the individual smoker.

My experience with aromatics is that most of them rob, plunder, and pillage my tongue and mouth overall.

Also, they don't really benefit from extended ageing in my cellar, and my cellar is one aspect of pipe smoking that adds a fantastic dimension to the hobby. The experience of cracking open an aged tin and getting the first whiff, is as satisfying as adding a rare or unique briar to the pipe rack.

As for the snobbery aspect, I really dislike the experience I have sometimes had when visiting my local tobacconist. I have found these people to be higher in number amongst cigar smokers than pipe smokers, and it has little to do with the particular pipe tobacco or cigar they are smoking. These people just tend to gravitate towards the rarest tobacco products, because they think it will make them even more elite than their three masters degrees in chemistry, physics, and engineering, or the countries they conquered prior to the end of their glorious military career.

 

[DrT999]

Define 'aro'? I think those who put down 'aros' think of them of consisting of the cheapest combinations of low-grade cavendish and chemical flavors. The term includes a lot of other blends!

 

[Richard Burley]

Why are aros so disrespected? It just looks that way. The preponderance of commentary focuses on tobacco base flavors, burn characteristics, cut, nicotine content, blend ratios, etc. If the discussion were about aromatics, the top flavoring would seem to be the focus, and the commentary would be even more frou-frou than it already is. I already smoke with one pinky fully erect. Discussing anise versus licorice with lavender would probably arouse my other and compromise my grip on whatever I was doing with my other hand while perusing this fine forum.

For the record, I do like C & D's Autumn Evening. But I think of it as dessert to the main course.

 

[eklektos44]

I see nothing wrong with aro's, I smoke mostly English but sometimes an aro is a nice change of pace. I know someone who loves mixture 79, and I've smoked it without problems. It's just not my cup of tea. But I like things that others don't like, it's a matter of individual taste. If the tobacco is too moist, and I store mine a little moist, I take out enough for a bowl and spread it on a paper towel let it dry a bit. In fact rolling it around with my fingers is part of the preliminaries I enjoy. It seems to work for me.

 

[bolson]

Thanks for all the input. I really appreciate the discussion and various opinions. I do hate the dreaded goopy mess of some of the really wet blends and I do avoid them like the plague. The ones I got from LJ Perretti and 4 Noggins do not have that problem. I enjoy the smoking experience for the nice aroma of the tobacco, the peaceful time to think and the always present beverage of choice to round out the moment. It is like a 45 minute vacation....or maybe an hour.

I am not a pipe snob, but I love my Cavicchi's because they represent high quality craftsmanship and aesthetically pleasing lines. A nice pipe, a nice aroma and a good beverage = a happy me. :cheers:

 

[idbowman]

I don't know that I've seen much evidence that they are disrespected.  Some of the top selling tobaccos are aromatics. .

I agree.  I think a few things are at play - first, a lot smokers (myself included) start with aromatics and end up swinging towards non-aro blends (latakia, virginia, burley, or otherwise).  Not too long ago, there seemed to be some correlation in the online pipe community that, because of this "natural" transition, an aro smoker was likely inexperienced, while a non-aro smoker was more likely to be a more "matured" smoker.  I agree that there was a sort of stigma that seemed to go along with that a while back.

But I don't think that's really the case anymore, tbh.  I think the hobby-at-large has come to recognized that some folks START with the non-aromatic tobaccos, some start with aros and stay there, and still others (most, I'd wager) end up smoking one genre more than the rest but still smokes a little bit of everything from time to time.


I think the fact that so many aromatics are among the top selling blends in the world says that the aromatic smoker is in good, and abundant company.



And this, too:

Define 'aro'? I think those who put down 'aros' think of them of consisting of the cheapest combinations of low-grade cavendish and chemical flavors. The term includes a lot of other blends!

 

[Ozark Wizard]

I am a neophyte smoker, but I do like the aros better than traditional tobaccys.  Just wondering why they seem to be somewhat disrespected in the pipe world?  I certainly appreciate the forum and all the advice I have found on this site.  I found 4 new blends that I really like and it is totally based on information I found here.  Thanks for providing such a good platform for new smokers.

My name is Brant.....and I smoke aromatics.....for now.

In my experience, close to half of the ones I've tried I didn't like for one reason or another. Also, they tend to leave a lot of moisture in a pipe, which can be damaging to the wood long term. Then there's the effect of 'ghosting', the leaving of scents or flavours in the pipes that really never go away, thus, if you try to smoke something else in them, they will have an unpredictable influence on your smoking experience...

If nothing else, they will be a good reason to expand your pipe collection, as you may want to dedicate pipe to aro.....

I've got family in Reno, and I've been told Reno is so close to Hell on a clear day you can see Sparks...

Smirk.......

 

[RobJ]

I disrespected an aro once but ended up in Sister Mary Rodger's office, so never again. Doing the Stations of The Cross on your knees on a marble floor isn't something you want to do more than once.

 

[eklektos44]

I disrespected an aro once but ended up in Sister Mary Rodger's office, so never again. Doing the Stations of The Cross on your knees on a marble floor isn't something you want to do more than once.

Ouch! Tough school.... :affraid: