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Right Tobacco, Wrong Pipe
Mangoandy
Master
in Tobacco Talk
For those of you who collect and smoke a variety of pipes, you already know that not every pipe smokes the same. From the heat of the bowl to the draw through the draft hole, I have favorites that regularly make it into my rotation and I have those that really just look pretty in a pipe rack. As I've read through the forums about favorite OTC, English, Aromatic blends and then the advice for new smokers to always give a failed tobacco one more chance after allowing it to age or rest or breathe, I realize that it might be good to make note of great smoking experiences.
So, I have a little notebook and anytime I really like a particular tobacco, I make a note of how I am smoking it (pipe, pace, etc...). As many of you know, some tobaccos just don't hold up. I don't want to offend anyone on the forum, especially if you have life-long favorites or memories tied into the smell of pipe smoke from a father or grandfather. But, there are just some tobaccos that don't leave me with a "cherry" disposition (see what I did there).
I have found out that tobaccos I did not like in one pipe, perform wonderfully in another pipe. This is yet another reason I have multiple great smokers in my rotation.
Example: the first time I tried Frog Morton on the Bayou, it was an okay smoke in a cob. Then, one night I showed up at my local pipe club and one of the members was going on and on about FMOTB as his favorite. I could not believe it, so I tried again in a small sand blasted Savinelli/Dry system. Holy smokes! The heavens opened up and I had one of the best and most flavor-filled smokes I had experienced to that point. The Virginia was mellow the Latakia added body and the gentle Perique popped as I smoked through this entire bowl over an hour or more.
My point: It may take more than one pipe to know whether or not you like/don't like a certain blend!
Just my 2 cents.
Comments
So now it just sits In a box. Probably never going to smoke it again.
This aspect of pipe smoking, is absolute justification when your significant other asks, "Do you really need another pipe?"
To which you can adamantly reply, "Yes dear, I really do!"
Keep in mind though, that the current exchange rate is 1 pipe for every 3 pair of shoes.
In most cases, the size of the chamber, (width as well as depth) can have a dramatic effect on the smoking experience. In some rare cases, a particular piece of briar can be inferior, making it unfit to smoke any blend.
I always dedicate a pipe to a particular genre initially, and may at some point down the road dedicate it to a particular blend, after smoking a variety of blends from that genre. To simply dedicate a pipe to a particular blend without experimentation, would most likely cheat the smoker from finding the best blends to smoke in a particular pipe.
The reason I do like to dedicate pipes to certain blends, is because when you smoke a pipe, you will invariably smoke the cake along with the tobacco. A dedicated pipe will give you more of the pure flavor, a particular tobacco in a dedicated pipe can offer.
I just tried Newminster Luxury Navy Flake in an IRC 3 Star Meerschaum lined bent Bulldog, I've enjoyed it in briars and cobs but, Apparently the lining made it hot and dull. I never tried it in a Meerschaum and now probably wont.