In your experience, what tobacco caused the most severe Tongue Bite?

opipeman

What was the most wicked tongue bite tobacco you ever smoked?

motie2

Middleton’s Cherry Blend.

Bites like a barracuda.

PappyJoe

I agree with @motie2. Middleton's Cherry almost made me quit pipe smoking.

motie2

Runner up would be John Rolfe Peach Brandy. the first blend I tried in 1964. Cherry Blend was the second. I went from bad to worse.

opipeman

@motie2, @PappyJoe;
I agree with both of your selections, but I have some of my nomination that I am hydrating and will try for the second time in 56 years. I will post my results.

motie2

@opipeman

Great idea! Thanks!

ghostsofpompeii

I also agree with @motie2 and @PappyJoe - I started smoking Middleton's Cherry Blend and then switched over to John Rolfe Peach Brandy and things didn't get much better. After a while I assumed this was part of pipe smoking. I was pretty young and inexperienced at the time - but since then I've tried it again, and the results are pretty much the same.

mapletop

I too tried Middleton's when I was first experimenting with a pipe and I agree with all of you, didn't try a pipe again for a couple years after that experience.

PappyJoe

It wasn’t just the bite, but the soapy aftertaste that got me. It kept me afraid to try some Lakeland blends for years. Now I like Lakeland blends because I found they don’t taste nearly as bad. 

motie2

I dunno, @PappyJoe .... I've found Lakeland-type blends leave me smelling like a nicotine addicted grandmother.

PappyJoe

@motie2
I can see that with some of them. But there are a few that don't have that "old lady powder" smell. 

It's amazing how you can smell some of these old ladies coming from 50 feet away.

motie2

@PappyJoe

While not exactly a Lakeland, I have the same problem with Erinmore.

motie2

While we're talking about tongue bite/burn.....

(From an old pdf)

<<Whether you're already an experienced pipe smoker or just a starry-eyed beginner, you've probably heard about tongue burn – the bane of pipe smokers everywhere. Don't worry, it happens to just about everyone at some point or another in the beginning. Tongue burn definitely sucks, so we've pulled together some tips in the hopes that you'll be able to avoid them altogether.

Develop Your Technique

You may be asking, "How does one puff hot smoke without burning oneself?"

The answer, my friend, is technique. In short, don't pull so hard. Over-smoking draws in more air, creating a bigger flame, and thus generating more heat, steam, and smoke capable of burning your mouth. Smoking your pipe with slower, more controlled pulls will keep the flame alight without forcing it to scorch the entire bowl, giving you that cool air of sophistication that separates dorky novices from debonair pipesmen. Mastering a controlled technique goes a long way towards never having to worry about tongue burn again.

Watch Out For Moisture

Excessive moisture is the biggest culprit behind tongue burn cases in smokers. Blends that are still extremely moist generate very high temperature steam when lit and stoked, especially when stoked excessively. This leads to the standard burn we've grown to loathe.

Another issue to look out for is moisture getting trapped in the pipe itself. We recommend periodic cleanings with a pipe cleaner. If you definitely prefer your blends moist and fresh, but are tired of being burned, grab a pipe with a filter and puff away to your content. Honestly, 9 times out of 10, if you're suffering from constant tongue burn, you're having a moisture issue and should probably dry your blends a little more and be sure to keep your pipe clear of moisture.

Adjust Your Blends

Now things get a little more technical. Tongue burn is the result of a chemical burn to the mouth. The question to understand in order to avoid the burn is, what causes this to occur at all?  Research pins the blame on the differing pH characteristics inherent in individual blends, which react with people's mouths differently. Plainly stated, some blends may just be too "spicy" for some people. Of course, not everyone is susceptible to tongue burn just like everyone isn't allergic to peanuts. The key here is understanding what applies to you.

To combat this, we recommend adjusting your blend for a more balanced pH, as well as staying away from acidic drinks during and just after smoking. Acidic blends like Virginias can offset more alkaline blends like Burleys. Try experimenting with different percentages to find a blend that's right for you.

Treat Yourself

So, now you know what tongue burn is and how to avoid it. But what if you already have one? What if you're the poor soul who stumbled upon this article seeking a cure? Fear not friend, we've got that too.

Aside from drinking water constantly as a way of life, we also recommend drinking it during and after a good smoke.>>

opipeman

@motie2;
Good information for any piper. Even I forget or just don't focus on the smoke at hand, but there are still some tobacs that char the tongue no matter how careful you are.

motie2

<< The only aromatic I’d caution against is the infamous cherry blend. Ah, cherry blends, they are a mystery that has yet to be solved. We all want to like cherry blends, because after all, who doesn’t like cherries? Yet for some reason, cherry blends happen to bite pipe smokers like nothing else. I would do some research into a cherry tobacco before buying a tin, otherwise you might end up tossing what you have away in frustration (or to gift to an unsuspecting newbie). >>

— From @thebadgerpiper’s most recent blog entry
https://thebadgerpiper.wordpress.com/2020/06/07/so-you-started-smoking-a-pipe-now-what/

opipeman

I have completed my hydration and sampling of my nomination for the most severe tongue burner. I was apparently mistaken about this tobacco.  Either it wasn't this brand (keep in mind that it has been 56 years) or my pipe smoking skills have improved or the tobacco has improved with age. The tin I have has been in my stash before Bar Codes and Warning Labels, but I have no idea where I got it or when. I'm sure I didn't buy it, so maybe it was a gift.
The tobacco smoked cool and didn't have much of a taste and no room note. The tobacco I am talking about is "Flying Dutchman". There was no after taste, but I did notice that my tongue felt somewhat oily. 
I'd love to hear your thoughts on "Flying Dutchman".

ghostsofpompeii

When I think of Lakeland blends I immediately think of Mixture 79.

opipeman

@ghostsofpompeii
Now that you mention Mixture 79, I agree. Bought a pouch once and only tried a couple of bowls.

PappyJoe

Mixture 79 is another old codger blend I threw out after one bowl back in the 70s.

motie2

Friends don't let friends smoke Mixture 79

opipeman

There seems to be a lot of agreement on Cherry Blend, Peach Blend, and Mixture 79. Some folks must like them, as they are still around. They can't stay around on a one and done basis. So, I have to ask, who smokes them?

Kmhartle

Mixture 79 is the only tobacco that I've encountered that's drastically improved by throwing it away. I didn't even want to contaminate my frankenblend container with the stuff. 

opipeman

So, has anyone ever tried "Flying Dutchman"?

motie2

@opipeman

I have. It was one of the tobaccos that I tried in my first pipe life (1964-1984). 

Didn't care for it....

mapletop

Wasn't a fan either

AnantaAndroscoggin

I think I may have smoked my way through a tin of Flying Dutchman sometime in the mid 1970s. Don't remember much about it other than the translation "Fleigelende Hollander." Spelling probably horribly mangled.

motie2

Flying Dutchman put me in mind of Sail, as I recall......

opipeman

"Sail", now that I think about it, rather than "Flying Dutchman" it might have been "Sail' that my friend gave me a bowl to try. His exact words I will never forget, "You have to have hair on your tongue to smoke this stuff". I think after 50 plus years my tongue still burns.

AnantaAndroscoggin

Or, as my dad was wont to occasionally declare about something distasteful: "It's good for what ails you. It makes the hair grow on your teeth."

mfresa

My father in law used to smoke Flying Dutchman.  He was in the British Army and was stationed in Malaya.

opipeman

I dug out some Field and Stream and it has a nasty disposition! I had forgotten how anti-tongue it was.