Quote:
Originally Posted by Emjaysmash
 Go with a Cobb Pipe first |
Folks who are not-in-the-know may dismiss corncob pipes as silly but, make no mistake, they very satisfying pipes for novices and experts alike. They are ideal for smoking inexpensive, popular burley blends (Carter Hall, Prince Albert, etc.) and the heavily aromatic tobaccos (cherry, peach, vanilla, etc.) that many novices favor. Cobs also work very well with Virginia tobaccos, Virginia/Perique blends and Virginia/burley blends. A cob can be smoked repeatedly without the dry-out time briar requires; they tend to smoke cool; and they have no break-in issues beyond burning out the wood stem and, maybe, tasting a hint of corn from the first bowl or two. And, at $5.00/copy, it doesn't matter if you drop it - over and over. The only drawback, if you consider it one, is that cobs don't hold a big fill of tobacco. Speaking for myself, I like a 20-30 minute smoke the Legend provides; the larger chambered Great Dane is good for 30-45 minutes which I find just right.
A meerschaum pipe shares characteristics with a cob (no ghosting of flavors, no issues with moisture, relatively cool smoking, not terribly expensive) but, made of clay, won't bounce if you drop it. If you prefer to start with a meer, make sure it comes with a fitted hardshell case. They do not "soften" a smoke like a cob or briar will - the flavor is "right there" where you can taste it.
