A Month of English

Mangoandy

I've been smoking a pipe since the mid 1980's. My palate was never really refined and I often missed what others picked up in a bowl of tobacco. So, based on some good advice from the boys over at The Country Squire Podcast (HT: to JD) and in order to improve my palate and really train myself to taste the differences in tobacco, I committed to smoking just english tobacco for an entire month. 

My experiment was this: I chose to smoke (mostly) only tinned tobaccos. I opened and jarred the following tobaccos allowing them to breathe before smoking: Dunhill MM965, The Apertif, EMP, Night Cap as well as C&D Mississippi Mud, G.L. Pease Maltese Falcon and one bulk McClelland 5110. I smoked them in the morning, afternoon, evening. I enjoyed them in a variety of settings. From lunting in nature to sauntering in my local neighborhood to quiet reflection with scripture, good books, jazz and scotch whiskey to delightful reflection of the day with good friends, my wife and my dogs.

The results were magical. Midway through the month, I began to recognize what I appreciate in a good english tobacco. I began to develop a taste for the different components and recognize the nuances that many have spoken about in tobacco reviews and comments about favorite blends and favorite blenders. 

I had two disturbing setbacks. First, I fell in love with McClellands 5110. The stoved virginia makes this delicious and adds to an addicting room note (I'd walk back into the garage after smoking this blend and immediately want more). How depressing is it to fall in love with something when you can no longer get it. Second, my wife hates the smell of english tobaccos in the air and in my beard (I don't think I need to explain the ultimate result of this setback).

On Easter (April 1), I loaded up a bowl of Dunhill Three Year Matured Virginia to begin my month of Virginia/VaPers and WOW could I smell and taste the overwhelming sweetness that I had been missing during my prior habit of jumping around english, aromatic, and straight virginia blends. 

If you are struggling to appreciate the intricacies of pipe tobacco, I recommend trying this experiment and letting me know how it works for you.

Keep your pipes lit my friends! - Fletch

Woodsman

@Mangoandy Some good advice, I smoke mainly English and SWMBO doesn't like it as well, but being that our dog tangled with a Skunk the Proper English doesn't smell bad at all.

Bentbrier

@Woodsman lol a skunk definitely can change someone's perspective of how a good English blend smells.  The nice earthy scent of latakia combined with a sweet note of Virginia is better than a skunked dog smell any day of the week.

Bentbrier

@Mangoandy great advice.  Been smoking a pipe off and on since the 80's as well.  Your advice sounds like a great way to recalibrate my palate. 

jfreedy

@Mangoandy — Like you and @Bentbrier I also started smoking a pipe in the mid 80s... what was going on in the mid 80s? I was 18 when I started and now at age 50 I’m finally able to appreciate and pick up on the nuances that non-aros offer. I’ve been smoking mostly English/Scottish & Vapers this past year. I think I’ll do your experiment to see how it impacts my pallet. I’ll start with nothin-but-English until mid May.

Bentbrier

@jfreedy there was a pipe boom in the eighties before it was taken over by the cigar craze.

TaylorJDutton

I may need to do this for Virginia blends, i like them, but i struggle to find some nuance, the flavors tend to be lighter and i can’t pick them out.