Packing Aromatic Tobacco

dstrib

how you do pack your aromatic tobacco?

I find that I need to pack my aromatics looser than other blends. This may have been common knowledge to some yet I had to find out with trial and error. Also some people may not even have to change the way they pack the pipe for aromatic tobacco. I will note that most of my pipes have the same basic bowl size which probably also impacts the way you pack a blend.

PappyJoe

I pack all my tobacco by touch. When it feels the right firmness (which is subjective) I know its packed right. Works the same now matter what type of tobacco. 

JosiahWN

For me it's not so much how I pack it at the start, but how I tend to it throughout the smoke. I always pay more attention and give more care to aromatics to avoid tongue bite and gurgle.

drac2485

I am just like @pappyjoe I just go by touch but I also dry draw to test the draw and see if its too loose or to tight of a draw.  I'm still learning so I don't always get a perfect bowl but I also err on the side of to loose because I can always use the tamper to pack it tighter.

thesubcon

I just pack it by unlit draw. It's been the best for me.

PipeProfessor

I pack mine looser than with English blends, but still test the draw.

Topaz75

I agree with PappyJoe, in that if it feels right it probably is right. If it's packed too loosely, it's not going to burn very well and you'll have to do a lot of relighting. You can easily improve the draw with a pick if you find it necessary.

judandhispipe

I am not much of  an aro smoker, but I know that MacBaren's suggests packing their traditional blends a bit looser than you might otherwise.

Subtilis87

I pack my aromatics the same way as other types of tobacco, as long as I give them a good drying out.  If I don't dry them out I have to pack a little looser.

ghostsofpompeii

Skimming through the archive when I came across this thread. Never noticed aromatics to be much different in terms of packing. The only times I've had to change my normal packing routine is with cube cut tobacco which can plug up the draft hole a bit easier than shag cut tobacco. My Christmas blend C&D Corn Cob Pipe & Button Nose is a cube cut blend that usually requires me ramming a pipe cleaner all the way through the stem into the bowl when I pack, to make sure the draft hole isn't plugged. Then I remove the pipe cleaner and check the draw, and that usually does the trick. Seldom if ever have to do that with a shag cut tobacco.