SuppressedRage, I think I heard Plum pudding recommended by Pastor Pipes on Youtube (the only Youtube pipe vids I watch) thanks for that, its on the shortlist for sure.
Before an almost three decade hiatus, I was an enthusiastic smoker of British/Oriental blends and VaPers. My favorites were Balkan Sobranie, Dunhill Aperitif, and Copes Escudo. I loved smoking tobacco. I loved my pipes.
I resumed pipe smoking just over a year ago and found myself drawn to sweet smelling, heavily cased aromatic blends; stuff I would have rejected as garbage thirty years ago. I've tried today's Escudo; I've tried White Knight. I even tried a tin of Erinmore flake, on my way to my top three.... for now:
1) Barbados Plantation (Sutliff)
2) Molto Dolce (Sutliff)
3) Maple Street (Sutliff)
Is this senility? Am I just a newbie again? Or an unconscious shill for Sutliff? Is this the pH thing again? What happened?
At the moment I think that I enjoy smoking my pipes, but I don't really-only-kinda-sorta care for tobacco anymore.
For a starter kit I would go with 3 easy to get but different blends that hit a wide spectrum: Sir Walter Raleigh, Captain Black (white pouch), John Bull. That should give them an idea of what taste fits them and where to explore first.
For the aromatic smoker I'd pick Russ' Monthly Blend "Warm-Up" from P&C ... Sutliff's "Molto Dolce" or "Crème Brulee (which I swear are one in the same), and Sutliff Vanilla Custard. A strong runner-up would be Sutliff Chocolate Mousse.
@motie2, those are just a few I am currently fond of. Here is a link to my tobacco cellar, if you are interested in seeing what I have accumulated over the years.
Has anyone tried, and can recommend the East India Trading Company (Hansotia) Officers blend. Looks like something I would like, but on some reviews it is fairly consistently described as wet. That does not on its' own bother me as I usually dry the tobaccos out before loading and smoking. I wonder how this compares in flavor and aroma to Lane BCA or Lane RLP-6 both of which are two of my favorites.
@xDutchx That is quite an impressive system you have set up. You've taking your hobby to a complete other level. You've got a better inventory analysis system then we did at the Steel Mill working with a multi-million dollar budget. .
@motie2, I started cellaring around 10 years ago. Before that, I just bought a few tins at a time, and smoked them fairly quickly. I remember reading an article by Rick Newcombe, that predicted the current turn of events, and I started prepping for the pipe tobacco apocalypse.
@ghostsofpompeii, these online tobacco cellar sites make it super easy to keep up with inventory and rotation. I would have quite a mess, were it not for the gracious folks at tobaccocellar.com
Comments
1. Hearth & Home Magnum Opus
2. Dunhill's De Luxe Navy Rolls (although I hear Peter Stokkebye makes a great VaPer coin with a cavendish center, and right now there's a great deal on them at P&C http://www.pipesandcigars.com/pipe-tobacco/39991/peter-stokkebye-luxury-bulls-eye-flake/#p-96447 )
3. Cornell & Diehl Autumn Evening
Mississippi River - English
1Q - Aromatic
Captain Black Royal - OTC
That should give them an idea of what taste fits them and where to explore first.
I overlooked the number 3 in the original post, so I listed a few fave's that come to mind.....
G.L. Pease Sixpence
MacBaren HH Vintage Syrian
McClelland Blackwoods Flake (aged as long as your willpower will allow)
McClelland Christmas Cheer (aged as long as your willpower will allow)
MacBaren HH Old Dark Fired
McCranies Red Flake (aged as long as your willpower will allow)
Butera Pelican
Samuel Gawith Brown #4 Kendal Twist
Gawith and Hoggarth Black Irish X
G. L. Pease JackKnife Plug
@motie2, those are just a few I am currently fond of. Here is a link to my tobacco cellar, if you are interested in seeing what I have accumulated over the years.
http://www.tobaccocellar.com/Dutch
http://www.tobaccocellar,com/Dutch
@motie2, I started cellaring around 10 years ago. Before that, I just bought a few tins at a time, and smoked them fairly quickly. I remember reading an article by Rick Newcombe, that predicted the current turn of events, and I started prepping for the pipe tobacco apocalypse.
@ghostsofpompeii, these online tobacco cellar sites make it super easy to keep up with inventory and rotation. I would have quite a mess, were it not for the gracious folks at tobaccocellar.com