@PappyJoe I meant keeping it sealed and cellared for six months, will it dry out if I keep it in the original tin with the lid on? Generally once I open a tin I smoke it daily until it is gone so I have never really tried shelving something in a tin before.
@paulwansing - All Frog Morton comes in the tins that are sealed with a pull-top under a plastic lid. Once you break the vacuum seal and open the tobacco it will start drying out with the plastic lid on it. If you don't break the seal and just cellar it, it will not dry out.
@PappyJoe What I mean is should I move the opened Frog to a mason jar or will it be ok with the plastic lid? I have spare mason jars in the house but I figured the plastic lid on the tin would work ok...
Agreed SERENTIL.....just like "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", tobacco favorites like any foods or drinks are in the "taste buds and ofactory receptors of the imbiber". I read a lot of tobacco reviews and very often I do not agree with other opinions....but they are just that, opinions. I recognize that, and if I am at great personal disagreement I will search more reviews. I very seldom allow a blend to live or die in my interest based on these reviews unless they get bombed by many for reasons that are understandable by me. I find many tobaccos that are very popular by many to not be my kind of smoke. Likewise an awful lot of fellow smokers may not like what I smoke. But having said that I am, and expect to continue to be on a lifelong search for "my" perfect tobacco, over rated by many or not. Being as much fun as it is to be searching, I suppose I will not admit that I hope I never find it.
Just read a similar discussion on another pipe forum. Let me say, that I'm glad the membership of This Pipe Life doesn't seem to get severe wedgies when topics like this come up. I see a civil discussion with out the name calling or indignation.
The most overrated tobacco? That's an easy one to answer. W.O. Larsen 2015 Hand Pressed Blend going for an astronomical price of $9,999.99. So no matter how wonderful a blend t might be it has to be 'hands down' at the top of this 'most overrated pipe tobacco' list for the sheer audacity of charging that much for pipe tobacco if nothing else.
@Philip, 5110 would definitely be closer to FM Across the Pond, than FM Cellar. However IMO, it more closely parallels Boswell's Northwoods than any offering in the FM line.
Thanks Mr. Dutch, I think I'll give that a try. I'll also throw a few boxes of the W.O. Larsen hand pressed on the order as well to see if it lives up to the hype. Hopefully it won't be on backorder. I hate that.
@motie2 I wonder if they think that little 2 minute video would be the eye opening experience justifying the cost and make the viewer say ... "Oh that explains the high price. Now I completely understand why it cost $9,999.99. The process was just so difficult and time consuming."
@PappyJoe I believe know very well the site and thread of which you speak, I avoid that site now because of the "I'm an expert" mentality that comes across on so many topics over there. I stick around TPL because the threads are just good solid tobacco discussion filled with opinions as opposed to "facts". I am a firm believer in the only rule being the one I saw or heard from someone a while back - "smoke what you like and like what you smoke" I'm glad to have stumbled onto this website, I have learned quite a bit from the pipers on here
@paulwansing - I belong to 2 other pipe smoker forums. They are both filled with knowledge and enjoy visiting them and reading the latest. Recently they have both had issues with topics that get out of hand or are insulting to members though. Fortunately they have good moderators (which TPL hasn't seen the need for yet) who will shut down those threads quickly.
Lately though I am finding fewer and fewer new topics that interest me on those forums but as I said, they are filled with knowledge and are good places to go for information like tobacco reviews.
Well I feel that experienced pipe smokers have a responsibility to help others along the way. It doesn't cost us anything and I'm often pleasantly surprised to find new methods and I'm always quick to thank them.
Esoterica just dropped some product on the market and being new I decided to jump on the hype train. I was given a sample of Margate and Stonehaven a while back. Margate hits all the marks in what I like in an English blend so the bag purchase was a must. I've smoked the Stonehaven three or four times and just don't like it. I can't figure out what it is about it but it's not my thing so I left it for others to purchase. I decided to purchase a tin of Dorchester and bag of Tilbury without trying them. I've smoked three bowls of the Dorchester and like the Stonehaven I'm not impressed. Into the cellar, jarred, it goes to see if I like it with more age on it. I'm currently smoking my first bowl of Tilbury. I wasn't impressed at first but it's getting better the longer I smoke it. I've got it jarred but will keep one out to smoke on and see how it turns out.
I guess I'm reviving and older thread here, but I just tried "Haunted Bookshop" and sadly discovered it wasn't for me. I find it strange as I enjoy Burley on a daily basis, PA is one of my favorites but to me Haunted Bookshop was just not what I was expecting. I tried cobs and different shaped briars, tried slowing and speeding up my smoking but it never really wow'ed me. I wouldn't say it is overrated because I'm sure there are those who smoke it as an all day blend but I just don't understand the blend I guess. I ended up folding it into a tub of half and half and calling it a day. Next up on my summertime blend to try list is "Easy Times" from C&D, another burley that has some pretty high praise on tobacco reviews.
Frankly, I just don't "get" Erinmore, although I admit I prefer the mixture to the flake. I smoke it and am left with the sense of meh: neither fish nor fowl. If this is what's available, I'll forgoe smoking.
@Woodsman I have some FM Cellar that I plan to allow to sit for quite a while before I pop the tin. The regular FM was not one I would buy again but Cellar seems to get higher praise that FM so I figured it was worth a shot
@motie2 I feel the same way about erinmore, didn't love it, didn't hate it either. And that fruit note no one can seam to put their finger on, it's mango. Apparently no one in America has eaten one.
As I've mentioned here in the past, I absolutely love MM 965. More specifically, I Love the Match of MM 965 from P&C. I've got a tin of the Real stuff and the pound or so of the Match that I've jarred up. I smoke the match almost exclusively. Prolly need to pop the tin and give it another try.... Ya know, just to be fair and all. :P
As to the Frog Mortons... I've only smoked the original and the Across the Pond. I love the original, and really like ATP. But I should probably add that I let them all dry out pretty well before smoking em.
In the Esoterica line I've only tried Margate and Stonehaven. The Margate is a hit with me. Sings all the right notes. I've only tried the Stonehaven 3 times and have been left disappointed.
Surprises for me were some of the Lane and D&R blends I picked up at the TAPS pipe show in Raleigh last month.
D&R hits, in no logical order...
London Dock English Hooplah Raccoons Accent
All different and great smokes in their own right.
I just went back and re-read all the comments posted in this thread. I think we need an adjustment made to the title of this topic because in reality there is no over-rated tobaccos because it's all a matter of personal tastes and experience as to whether we like a tobacco or not. I think what we are really talking about here are over-hyped pipe tobaccos.
In my pipe smoking experience there are many pipe tobaccos which I don't like. On the other hand, those very tobaccos net many positive reviews from other smokers. For example, I don't particularly care much for Dunhill tobaccos. They aren't bad but they don't suit my tastes. So, in my opinion, they are over-hyped. I wouldn't tell anyone to not smoke them nor would I criticize them . I just don't buy them.
The same is true to OTCs like Prince Albert, Half & Half and Carter Hall. I've smoked them all. In a pinch, I would smoke them again. But I know pipe smokers who love them and smoke them on a regular basis.
Bottom line is that there are no really stinking bad pipe tobacco. Some are just hyped more than others.
Agree with several, a tobacco being " overrated " is really a subjective matter. The great thing about pipe tobaccos is that there is something or in most cases quite a few things to satisfy anyone. Don't like aromatics, other fine tobaccos are available. If you personally like certain tobaccos, the merits of those should be sufficient, as being the best, that is a real stretch.
Comments
Well I feel that experienced pipe smokers have a responsibility to help others along the way. It doesn't cost us anything and I'm often pleasantly surprised to find new methods and I'm always quick to thank them.
As to the Frog Mortons... I've only smoked the original and the Across the Pond. I love the original, and really like ATP. But I should probably add that I let them all dry out pretty well before smoking em.
In the Esoterica line I've only tried Margate and Stonehaven. The Margate is a hit with me. Sings all the right notes. I've only tried the Stonehaven 3 times and have been left disappointed.
Surprises for me were some of the Lane and D&R blends I picked up at the TAPS pipe show in Raleigh last month.
D&R hits, in no logical order...
London Dock
English Hooplah
Raccoons Accent
All different and great smokes in their own right.
Lane hits, in no particular order...
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