Why are aros so disrespected?

[RobJ]

Those Felician Sisters new how to keep guys in line for sure.

:lol!:

 

[monbla256]

Aah!! Parochial school!! Didn't ya love it !! You protestants have missed out on a real experience :twisted: :twisted:

 

[RobJ]

I was "asked' to not return to the school by no less than the Parish Pastor. The charges against me included being the class clown, willfully depriving others of their learning, (by my incessant need to entertain my classmates), and just having too much fun in general. Oh and being contrary (when he said that I respond that I disagreed). I was found guilty as charged of course and sent on to the "pagan" public school.

The interesting thing I found was that public school was about 2 years behind where I was so for nearly 2 years I really didn't do anything but take a test now and then until the class caught up to me.

Pipe related - I had my first experience in pipe smoking whilst attending 10th grade at public school and was sucking on ice cubes for about a week as a result. Darn Paladin Black Cherry aro.

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

One thing I will also add (sorry no Catholic School stories to report), is related to what Ian mentioned, and that's that most piper's start off with aromatics and let's face it, pipe smoking takes some time to get used to. Proper practices to employ, various techniques to learn, flavors to develop a taste for, learning to smoke SLOW, yada yada... etc...

A lot aromatics are pretty unforgiving and if you're bad at smoking a pipe your gonna suffer the consequences that come with burning the sweet sugary stuff as well as a good portion of milder lightly nuanced natural stuff.

Over the last couple of years I have come back around to some aromatics that I originally didn't care for only to realize that I was a lousy inexperienced pipe smoker when I first passed judgement on those blends.

By the way, I have experienced the exact same thing with humble Burley's, straight VA's and Mac Baren blends.

I used to blame my tongue burn on Mac Bite, turns out my technique Mac Sucked..

 

[RobJ]

I agree totally. I really didn't start enjoying pipe smoking until I actually learned how to do it properly, and indeed blamed the blends for what turned out to be my ignorance.

I had a similar experience; going back years later to try aro blends that killed me on the first go 'round. I have a few aros on my list of go to blends.

 

[Dutch]

Some of the comments others have made, have caused me to remember a conversation I had with a local tobacconist back in the 80's. He explained to me when I first started smoking cigars, that over a period of 2 or 3 years, my palate would develop. This would allow me to taste more complexity in a cigar, as well as accustom my palate to more full bodied cigars, which in the beginning I didn't enjoy at all.

I suppose this is exactly why some new smokers gravitate to ACID cigars, as well as aromatic pipe tobaccos, simply because in the beginning they are much easier for them to enjoy.

Fast forward a few years, and when they experiment with a variety of tobaccos, the aro's fall by the wayside, once their palate has fully developed, and their tobacco tolerance has increased.

Maybe, I dunno. I'm no expert but I have talked to 1 or 2.

 

[monbla256]

Oh MAN !! I was hoping this thread was going somewhere with the Parochial schools tales but OK, back to 'baccy. Though I did not really ever try to many Aro's when I started ( I was given my initial instruction in pipe smoking by a Captain in 'Nam who was a CONFIRMED Granger smoker and that's what I started with :twisted: ) only really trying some later when I was moving away from my Granger. I still have a few Aro's that I keep on hand and do enjoy on occasion. I think much of what Dutch said about learning smoking technique has a lot to do with being able to enjoy a GOOD Aro and I do feel ther are some GOOD ones out there alongside some really horendous sugar loaded topped stuff !! If one is wanting something sweet and sweeter in aroma, there are many straight Va's out there that can provide that without the excess topping as one finds in many of the lesser quality ARO'S ! Since pipe smoking is, or I hope would be, activity not HOBBY, I say give ALL varieties of blends/mixtures a try and take your time as you have a LIFETIME for this !! And remember when it stops becoming a pleasurable activity then maybe it's not meant to be!! :twisted: :twisted: As always, ONWARD THRU THE FOG :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

[puros_bran]

I smoke some Aros and they are anything but 'starter blends'

The idea of Aros for starters, regardless of quality, is ridiculous anyway.. Give them a strong flavored tobacco that won't burn their mouth because they are puffing like a train trying to taste something. Of course every 'starter' is different but for most Penzance types are actually the perfect starter blends.. Huge favors, low-mid nicotine.. hand a former cig smoker Dark Birdseye or Kendall Kentucky type blends and you've probably won them over.

 

[Ozark Wizard]

You know, this thread coaxed me into dragging out my aro pipes and digging for my jars of aromatics.....

Turns out, if I approach them like I would a Virginia blend, they behave nicely enough, (except for those few that just don't play nice), and the ratio is actually about 60 percent yum to 40 percent miss. There is still the issue of excessive moisture toward the end of the bowl, but more than likely it is an issue of PG rather than my cadence. (Obviously, it cannot possibly be my fault)((Smirk)).

Like someone had mentioned before, if it floats your boat, enjoy it. If it doesn't work for you, pass......

 

[Dutch]

Come to think of it, in my cellar I have some Samuel Gawith Bracken Flake, Frog Morton, and Dunhill Royal Yacht, all of which are listed as aromatics. All three agree with my mouth.

Also, I have a friend who I just introduced to pipe smoking, and he is having a blast. I gifted him a tin of Frog Morton, which he says he loves. However, his wife says it smells like a burn pile.

So if it doesn't tear up his mouth, and it doesn't smell good to the wife, what about it is aromatic? :|

 

[Brewdude]

I started with an aro - Uhle's 255 - what my late Pap smoked exclusively as far as I can remember. And I figured if it was good enough for Pap it was good enough for me.

Actually I didn't realize it was an aro back then since I was new to the pipe and wasn't conversant in the the categories or lingo. All I knew is that I liked it. Still smoke it, occasionally.

Things change. Now I'm pretty much a straight 'ginny/VaPer guy. Occasionally dip into some Sammy G's Firedance when the mood strikes, and of course Uhle's 255.

Never was drawn to any of the OTC staples like Borkum Riff or the like. And knowing what I do now about those and the high PG/sugar content it's likely I never will either. Did try out a vanilla blend once and found it soapy and awful.

Guess I'm not an aro guy, but have no issues with anyone who enjoys them. As has been noted it seems as though like the vast majority of pipe weed sold are aros. And pipe sites like this and others seem to focus on non-aros. So it seems we are a minority!


Cheers,

RR

 

[Ozark Wizard]

Come to think of it, in my cellar I have some Samuel Gawith Bracken Flake, Frog Morton, and Dunhill Royal Yacht, all of which are listed as aromatics. All three agree with my mouth.

Also, I have a friend who I just introduced to pipe smoking, and he is having a blast. I gifted him a tin of Frog Morton, which he says he loves. However, his wife says it smells like a burn pile.

So if it doesn't tear up his mouth, and it doesn't smell good to the wife, what about it is aromatic? :|

I guess anything that has a scent is aromatic, in some way........

 

[juanmedusa]

I think many Lakeland blends are aromatics. Aside from the traditional flavoring style, they tend to separate themselves because there is a better representation of the tobaccos in the taste and a more direct correlation between the nicotine strength and the taste strength. Those are the things that when missing in an aromatic I will tend to not like it. There are, of course, gross low quality aromatics but if you're making a cheap low quality tobacco you'd be inclined to flavor it to make it palatable. So some of those bad aromatics are really just bad tobaccos that get flavored but are judged under the umbrella of aromatics.

 

[monbla256]

Come to think of it, in my cellar I have some Samuel Gawith Bracken Flake, Frog Morton, and Dunhill Royal Yacht, all of which are listed as aromatics. All three agree with my mouth.

Also, I have a friend who I just introduced to pipe smoking, and he is having a blast. I gifted him a tin of Frog Morton, which he says he loves. However, his wife says it smells like a burn pile.

So if it doesn't tear up his mouth, and it doesn't smell good to the wife, what about it is aromatic? :|

I guess anything that has a scent is aromatic, in some way........

Scent = Aroma so with that as a definition, seeing as ALL blends /mixtures have an Aroma so in reality ALL variety of blends/mixtures are AROMATIC !! We ALL are smoking AROS !! :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Fazby]

My only complaint with aros is that many are WAY too light in flavor. I end up puffing harder trying to get some flavor, tobacco or otherwise, from a bland tobacco. The initial light is nice, but then it is as if there is nothing there but heat.

I decided to attack some aros by courtesy of the Chicago Pipe show this year. I grabbed a number of cherry blends and some vanilla blends, along with some corn cobs.

Half the samples were of the "not much there" category, but I have found a few that are satisfying. I am still in the process of picking a winner, which will then be purchased.

Thank you CPCC!

 

[puros_bran]

I think many Lakeland blends are aromatics. Aside from the traditional flavoring style, they tend to separate themselves because there is a better representation of the tobaccos in the taste and a more direct correlation between the nicotine strength and the taste strength. Those are the things that when missing in an aromatic I will tend to not like it. There are, of course, gross low quality aromatics but if you're making a cheap low quality tobacco you'd be inclined to flavor it to make it palatable. So some of those bad aromatics are really just bad tobaccos that get flavored but are judged under the umbrella of aromatics.

Of course Lakelands are aromatics. I've argued with some on here in the past on that very matter. Look it's base processed tobaccos, with substance added to enhance flavor and aroma.

On the other hand I disagree with the argument that "all tobaccos have casings therefore all tobaccos are aromatics". For one I don't know of a single person in the industry that agrees with that statement. Secondly, it's a ridiculous assertion that casings applied to all tobaccos in processing are some how equal to post processing applications.

Aromatics have the reputation they have because the casings and toppings are often applied to inferior tobaccos. Such is not the case with the offerings from McClellands, GH&Co, GL Pease, Esoterica, and on and on. Is it fair? I don't know, maybe? With such winners like Walnut and Kentucky Club in the English category I guess we shouldn't be to quick to toss entire categories under the bus.

 

[Storm_Crow]

I do enjoy aromatics, but I tend to prefer semi-aromatics. The reason I tend to avoid the blends that are nothing more than flavoring impregnated Cavendish is that while the flavor is often pleasant enough, I'm also a texture kinda guy, and straight aros tend to lack substance..like flavored air. Add a little Kentucky, for instance, and the smoke eats more like a meal. A little of that stuff goes a long way too....at least for me since I'm not a big fan of nicotine powerhouses.