Which tobacco?

[crusse]

After browsing through this sub-forum, I've decided to turn to the darkside and try smoking a pipe. I can't afford to smoke decent cigars every day, and I'm impressed by the wide (and slightly bewildering) range of pipe baccies on offer. So I've ordered a Missouri Meerschaum corn cob pipe, but I don't know which baccy to try first? St Bruno seems to be popular here, but on the 'Tobacco Reviews' website they mention a blend called 'Brown Bogie' (unappealing name, I know) by Gawith Hoggarth, which apparently tastes like cigars!? http://tobaccoreviews.com/blend_deta...PHA=B&TID=2020. You can order it from mysmokingshop.

Has anyone here tried this tobacco? I'm intrigued by the reviews and by the fact that it comes woven as a rope! Does it really taste like cigars, and if so, which cigars? Any advice would be much appreciated.

[Pipe Dude]

I haven't tried BB, but generally pipe baccies containing cigar leaf don't generally taste like cigars much. It just adds a depth of flavour and more 'creaminess' to the smoke.

St Bruno Flake is much nicer than the Ready Rubbed version, imho, and a decent start. Generally, tinned baccies are 'nicer'. Try some Dunhills?

[Andy W]

brown bogie can be a bit strong, not sure if this is where I would start. If buying from a supermarket give the St Bruno flake a go, if buying over the internet try some Dunhill Flake or if you want something with a flavor try Sunset Breeze.

[Smallclub]

I agree, forget the Brown Bogie and try St Bruno flake, it's a very good blend that can be smoked any time of the day…
I believe you don't realize how strong these dark fired tobaccos (Brown Bogie, Black Twist, Brown Rope, etc.) can be. They really have an impact on your body. You should try a sample before you make a purchase.

[Pandyboy]

Dunhill 965 is a good started baccy or I like Davidoff blue mix.

[crusse]

Ok, I will start with St Bruno and Dunhill and see how I like them, Brown bogie looks (and sounds) a bit intimidating to start with. I can't wait for my pipe to turn up! Thanks for the advice guys...I will post feedback about how I find pipe-smoking compared to cigars.

[crusse]

So I finally got my corncob pipe in the mail and I've got to say that I've really enjoyed smoking it. It took me a while to get the nack of keeping it lit for more than 10 seconds but I worked it out after a few days. I bought a few tobaccos to sample - St Bruno is very 'fruitcakey', it reminds me of Christmas. Dunhill 965 is a nice mild smoke, but my favourite so far has to be Erinmore Flake. I can't get enough of the stuff!

[Pipe Dude]

Erinmore certainly is unique - some say it tastes of pineapple but I reckon Juicy Fruit chewing gum. The flake is so much better than the ready rubbed too.

Don't worry about keeping it lit. Re-lights are a fact of life for pipe smokers. Better to not let the pipe get too hot than to keep it burning fiercely.

Another worthy pouch blend is Walnut Flake, as is Condor Long Cut (basically a flake).

[crusse]

Yeah I love the fruitness of that Erinmore. I shall put Walnut Flake and Condor on my to-try list.

I just can't believe how many pipe tobaccos there are out there. I used to smoke roll-ups (gave up 2 years ago) and there are about 5 readily available brands to choose from. I've browsed the mysmokingshop website and there are literally hundreds of different pipe tobaccos! Plus pipe tobaccos are way more flavoursome and satisfying...I don't get why more people don't smoke a pipe.

I'm 25 and most of my friends think that I'm weird for smoking cigars and now a pipe, but I reckon they're missing out (although I might kill someone the next time they tell me that my cigar or pipe stinks when they're smoking a cigarette).

[Pipe Dude]

Just don't ever try Clan or Gold Block... they're a whole world of tongue bite. As for the number of pipe baccies, it's well into the thousands

http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/browse_all.cfm

4184 and rising!

[crusse]

duly noted....looks like I have my work cut out to sample all those baccies.

[Smallclub]

I just can't believe how many pipe tobaccos there are out there.

Yes it's amazing isn't it? The fact that you like something like St Bruno is a good point. Try to stick to blends that are not artificially sweetened, and a new world of flavors will open to you, and incidentally your ability to assess a fine cigar will be improved.

[captain duff]

My best advice would be to sample very widely until you find what works for you (although you can be sure this will shift over time!). Of course getting 25 or 50 gram tins or packets to try stuff out is very expensive, so definately go down the sampler route such as these:

http://www.smoke-king.co.uk/acatalog/Tin_-_Packet_Samples.html

http://www.eacarey.co.uk/shop/tobacco.html?tobacco_style=98

http://cigars.gauntleys.com/search.php?gq=&f=producttype%3Atobacco%2Ctobacco_packtype%3ALoose,producer:Pipe+Tobacco+Sampler+Packs&o=popularity

If you are used to cigars then something like Gauntley's own Nottingham Blend made with cuban cigar leaf could be a useful starting point for spicey flavour. St Bruno as you have mentioned is very good (and of course widely available) but not to everyone's taste (I love it myself). Due to the high tax in the UK there is not very much difference in price between a cheapo blend (e.g., Clan) and a very good 'expensive' one (Dunhill etc.) so bear that in mind and aim for the better quality for a extra one or two quid for a 50g tin.

[crusse]

[QUOTE=captain duff;168893]My best advice would be to sample very widely until you find what works for you (although you can be sure this will shift over time!). Of course getting 25 or 50 gram tins or packets to try stuff out is very expensive, so definately go down the sampler route such as these:

http://www.smoke-king.co.uk/acatalog/Tin_-_Packet_Samples.html

http://www.eacarey.co.uk/shop/tobacco.html?tobacco_style=98

http://cigars.gauntleys.com/search.p...s&o=popularity

Wow you must have been reading my mind! I ordered ten 5g samples of different tobaccos from Smoke King a couple of days ago, and I'm now happily smoking my way through them. But I still haven't found a better any-time pipe tobacco than St Bruno. I have to be in the right mood for strong aromatics, and the blend made with cigar leaf that I tried (Gawith's sliced brown I think?) was nice but too strong to smoke regularly. I also tried Gawith's Balkan Mixture and found it revolting. It reminded me of the smell of creosote! Still, trying out all these different baccies is a lot of fun.

[Smallclub]

I also tried Gawith's Balkan Mixture and found it revolting. It reminded me of the smell of creosote!

Then you don't like latakia, or at least blends with a high % of latakia.
(about latakia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latakia_%28tobacco%29)
If you want to try latakia blended with a much lighter hand I recommend Samuel Gawith's Skiff Mixture and Dunhill Early Morning Pipe.