More samples to try

[JamesA]

Just got these samples from Smoke King, great service. They all smell amazing.

Mick McQuaid Plug
Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake
Samuel Gawith 1792 Flake
Dunhill Royal Yacht
Dunhill Early Morning
Dunhill Night Cap

2012-10-29 20.10.26.jpg

Hard to get a good picture but im sure you get the idea

How do I prepare the Plug, 1792 and Full Virginia to smoke, they look more like bark than tobacco...

[donkeydrop]

I keep looking at those sample packs at smoke king is each little pack just enough to fill your pipe? (I know dependant on size of your pipe mine is a falcon) Im terrible with grams still work in ounces or fractions of ounces

[Puff Scotty]

I'm no expert with a pipe James but had some good advice from a friend when I first tried it...might be sooo wrong but for what it's worth:

Flake baccies can be rubbed out between your hands before stuffing your bowl...or...folded & poked in!
I was told this could make a difference to the flavour but being honest I never noticed a difference...
There again, the guys teaching me were a piss taking bunch of squaddies so.....who knows

[donkeydrop]

plug tobacco can be cut up with a cigar cutter into disks then pulled apart with your fingers that's what I was told (or is that twists)

[JamesA]

Thanks chaps, will give it a go when I have some time to enjoy them.

Pretty sure you would get at least 2 fills out of a sample pack DD, does depend on your pipe and how you fill it tho I guess.

[Burner]

Slice the plug tobacco with a knife into thin slices - Then rub it out between your palms. The flakes will not smoke well if you fold and stuff them. Dry them a bit and rub them out. 1792 is very strong btw

[Eddie]

I fold and stuff or canon ball them. If you look up these methods on youtube you will be able to get it right.

[JamesA]

Thanks Eddie, think im going to try some of the 1792 in a mo. May need to fire up the moka pot first as its a tad cold out tonight!

[Smallclub]

Pretty sure you would get at least 2 fills out of a sample pack DD, does depend on your pipe and how you fill it tho I guess.

a "normal" pipe is about 3g of tobacco (it's the quantity used in pipe smoking contests). A small bowl, like that of a corn-cob pipe, contains about 2g max (less, I think).
A 5g sampler= 2 full bowls, 3 small bowls.

[Inst4nt]

Smoke king seem to have stopped selling samplers. For a novice pipe smoker, I'm disappointed. Ah well.

[DavidD]

Don't rely too much on samples. Small quantities of tobacco dry out very easily. You may have identified one or more from the earlier samples but why not find a tobacconist who sells loose tobacco and ask for 10g at a time - they shouldn't mind. Give each jar a good nose and select on the basis of what you smell. As a novice, don't go for a Virginia as it will burn your tongue and spoil your enjoyment. The darker the tobacco, the better the taste.

[donkeydrop]

I looked at smoke king and as well as not doing the samplers he has really cut down his cigar range

[senor_robusto]

i'm not sure what you guys are looking at, but when i checked this evening, smoke-king is most definitely still doing his samples:
http://www.smoke-king.co.uk/acatalog...o_samples.html

i'm gonna order up some in the next day or so.....alex

[Inst4nt]

Don't rely too much on samples. Small quantities of tobacco dry out very easily. You may have identified one or more from the earlier samples but why not find a tobacconist who sells loose tobacco and ask for 10g at a time - they shouldn't mind. Give each jar a good nose and select on the basis of what you smell. As a novice, don't go for a Virginia as it will burn your tongue and spoil your enjoyment. The darker the tobacco, the better the taste.

Thanks, David for the advice. The problem I've found with samples is that when you really like one, it runs out too quickly. I'm slowly finding my feet.

[DavidD]

You won't have a problem getting 50g of any of the samples you list. I smoked Mick McQuaid for years - a very good tobacco - and I occasionally have a bowlfull even now. Alex has already waxed lyrical on the Dunhill Nightcap - another I enjoy from time to time. However, they are two very different tobaccos and shouldn't be smoked in the same pipe.