| Author | Message | ||
     ratfusion Member Username: Ratfusion Post Number: 1 Registered: 01-2007 |
Hello everyone, I just recently got into pipe smoking, and have only been able to find aromatics locally. I've enjoyed 1-Q and RHQ-3 for aroma, but theres very little perceivable taste to me. From what I've read here this is a common opinion of aromatics. I've been through tobaccoreviews.com and a lot of the suggestions here, and I decided to order a few of the most reccomended tins, and I tried to get 3 different blends, a strong virginia, a latakia blend, and a perique blend. Tomorrow the big brown truck should bring me: Rattrays Hal 'O the Wynd Esosterica Penzance and Pease's Haddo's Delight Which should I try first for my first 'four star' smoke? | ||
| Amos Manchild Member Username: Lobo Post Number: 56 Registered: 04-2005 |
Excellent choices. I'd use three different pipes and start with HOTW since it won't overwhelm your taste buds for subsequent smoking, but dry it to avoid tongue bite if it is not well aged. Second I'd go for the Penzance - there is a lot more complexity than the HOTW but not overbearing (some Latakia blends can have a lingering aftertaste.) I'd save the Haddo's for last as Perique seems to sometimes numb my tongue and it would be difficult to taste other tobaccos right afterwards. | ||
| Todd Bannard Member Username: Sasquatch Post Number: 292 Registered: 05-2006 |
Wow that's 3 big-leaguers. Hal'O the Wind gets my nod cuz it's from Rattray. | ||
| Joe Patterson Member Username: Zerovektor Post Number: 265 Registered: 01-2005 |
ratfusion (great name by the way), I'd say you chose three of the most popular blends for each of the categories you mentioned (a strong virginia, a latakia blend, and a perique blend). I can't say I much care for Haddo's as Va/per's go (2015 or St. James Woods would have been my picks from McClelland), but I'd start with that one -- the lightest in flavor to me. Hal would have to be next and then finish with the Penzance. I'll also say that if you plan to smoke these in the same day, you might actually be doing yourself a dis-service -- tastebud overload, I mean. I might give wach a day to a week for testing and then move on to the next. Good luck and Good puffing! Joe P | ||
| Felix Member Username: Felix Post Number: 65 Registered: 09-2006 |
Penzance Jump right in and learn how to rub out those superb 4-star flakes. It's one of the easiest Latakias to keep going once you get it properly packed and lit. And a favorite of moderator Mel's, IIRC. | ||
| Bill Kellman Member Username: Tennessee_texan Post Number: 64 Registered: 01-2006 |
Penzance. It will be hard to beat. | ||
| George Simpson Member Username: Simp Post Number: 126 Registered: 11-2005 |
I agree with with Felix and Bill. Go with Penzance. It is yummy  | ||
| Robert Bittner Member Username: Rmbittner Post Number: 158 Registered: 01-2005 |
Ratfusion: Yeah, you've got three fantastic tobaccos here (although Haddo's is too heavy on the perique for my constitution). You may have already popped your first tin by the time this reply appears, but I'll give you my recommendations anyway. I definitely wouldn't recommend trying all three in the same day. But for the last year and a half, my favorite tobacco -- by far -- has been Penzance, and I don't seem to be tiring of it yet. (Which is good, since I've got about 30 tins cellared.) I don't think of it as being as heavy, or as latakia-heavy, as some other smokers do, but it may be overload if you're brand new to latakia. I don't think you could go wrong to start here. I haven't opened my tin of Hal o' the Wind yet, but I love Rattray's Old Gowrie (my current favorite Virginia flake), and I'd expect HOTW to be a very enjoyable smoke. Make this number #2. As for Haddo's... Some folks, myself included, find that a little perique goes a very long way. In general, I think Greg Pease tends to go overboard on perique in his perique blends -- he clearly loves the stuff, and there's no denying that it adds a layer of richness that nothing else can -- but if your body is going to rebel, you'll know it by the time you're halfway through a bowl of Haddo's. (Head and stomach will spin.) So, with that in mind, I'd suggest saving this one till last, and taking it slowly. Do keep in mind that you're jumping into some fairly weighty blends here. But, my, what wonderful choices. I hope you'll enjoy them all. Bob | ||
| ratfusion Member Username: Ratfusion Post Number: 2 Registered: 01-2007 |
I was looking for some strong rich smokes, as i seem to loose a few layers of flavor from smoking cigarettes. I'm considering replacing cigarettes with just the pipe soon, if I can find a good refreshing morning smoke. So far I've tried Haddos and hal o the wynd. I really like haddos, I was almost shocked when it started to be distinctly spicy-hot. Its just a fascinating flavor I want to spend more time with. Hal 'o the wynd i'm working on the first bowl now, very smooth, I'm having troubles keeping it lit.. I see a lot of people recommend letting it dry a bit, I'll try that. I'm very excited about penzance as well, I'm saving it for first thing tomorrow morning when my taste buds are all at full strength. Any tips with rubbing out the tobacco? First of this style I've had. | ||
| Felix Member Username: Felix Post Number: 69 Registered: 09-2006 |
>> Any tips with rubbing out the tobacco? Try THIS. | ||
| Robert Bittner Member Username: Rmbittner Post Number: 163 Registered: 01-2005 |
Ratfusion: That "spicy-hot" sensation you got from Haddo's was due to the perique. Perique is a condiment tobacco (a little can go a looong way) that, in addition to spice can also definitely give you a powerful nicotine jolt. (Since you're coming from cigarettes, it may not actually feel so "powerful" after all.) If you find that you love perique, I don't think any other blender today is offering as many perique blends as G.L. Pease. As for rubbing out Penzance... I've found that it crumbles softly in the palm (it's much more like a crumble cake than a flake that has to really be worked over to come apart). I enjoy crumbling some up completely and combining that with some that's less rubbed out. I'm guessing that Penzance's emphasis on Oriental tobaccos might make it the refreshing morning smoke you're looking for. Enjoy! Bob Bob | ||
| Joel Strecker Member Username: Lester_j_corke Post Number: 67 Registered: 02-2005 |
ratfusion, if you search the forum you should find several posts where one of our moderators (Mr. Schwartz) describes prepping and loading Penzance in detail. His method with Penzance works well for me, so I recommend it to you. Joel | ||
| Kevin Durling Member Username: Briar_fox Post Number: 48 Registered: 11-2006 |
I find that I really enjoy the Peterson University flake, I don't rub it out all the way, and for something stronger (as I used to smoke cigarettes also) I like some Arcadia, some folks talk about it having a bite but I've never experienced any with it, even while smoking it quite vigorously. Just some Ideas, oh yeah, the Peterson rubs out very easily ans smells wonderful although thats just my opinion. |