Thanks Shooter.
I might give it a shot again. What type (flavor) of tobacco would you recommend, and do you pair pipe's and beer?
I like the sweeter vanilla'ish scents I think.
I do pair pipes and beer, but am somewhat careful on how I do that, sometimes they can clash. I enjoy a simpler straight tobacco flavor along with a malty beer and shy away from aromatics with beer or something like a double IPA with a pipe. I was enjoying a stout the other day with a bowl of Blackpool, a licorice cased tobacco that has sort of a molasses quality. It was a nice combination.
I don’t want to steer this thread too far from cigars and I’m still fairly new to pipes myself and not an expert, but here’s a quick breakdown of the major pipe tobacco categories:
Virginia or Virginia/Perique Blends – I smoke only a few of these and have a preference for Virginia/perique blends over straight Virginias. They do tend to burn hot, but can have a sweetness to them, the perique can sometimes add a spiciness or even a fruity quality, depending on how it’s used. Blends I’ve tried and enjoy include Stokkebye’s Luxury Bullseye Flake and Anniversary Kake.
English/Balkan Blends – Usually include latakia, which is a tobacco that is smoked over a wood fire and often a mixture of Orientals, particularly in Balkan style blends. Many people love these blends, while others find the latakia overpowering. I enjoy Squadron Leader and Penzance, but they can be hard to find. McClelland’s Frog Morton is also an easy to find English that is a little lower in the level of latakia.
Aromatics – What many people think of when they think of pipe tobacco. The Virginia and English blends also don’t have a great smell, or room note, which is not a problem for the smoker, but not as pleasant for others in the area. Aromatics can run the gamut from vanilla and cherry to rum or coconut. A word of caution though, many aromatics smell great, but often have little flavor. In particular, not tasting like they smell. A few that do have the flavor are Boswell’s Berry Cobbler and MacBaren’s Vanilla Cream.
It sounds to me like you’re probably thinking of aromatics. There are some over-the-counter/drugstore blends that actually aren’t too bad. Captain Black is a decent vanilla tobacco, some claim it has a bit of a chemical taste, but it has never bothered me. It smells nice, but it also doesn’t overwhelm me with flavor. I understand Lane’s 1-Q is a less processed alternative, but have not tried it. Simple blends like Prince Albert or Carter Hall are also fine if you’re just looking for a simple straightforward blend that has a tobacco flavor. A final note, corn cob pipes are not to be overlooked and are an excellent way to get into the hobby, just make sure they are Missouri Meerschaum brand pipes. So, there you go, more information then you probably wanted, but there it is.
