Tongue Bite..Va\Per recommendations?

[ApexAZ]

Well I dusted off the not-so-old cobs and bought a few tins of baccy. I decided I wanted to try a Va\Per since I generally gravitate toward the latkia blends and thought I'd try something different. I got a tin of GLP Stratford and enjoy it very much, but learning very quickly that I have to limit it, as well as very delicately nurse the bowl to keep it as cool as possible, otherwise my tongue will pay dearly.

I also bought a tin of GLP Barbary Coast, which seems much more forgiving on my tongue; presumably because it's a burley dominant blend.

Although I'm still fairly new to pipe smoking, I'm fairly confident that I'm not smoking too aggressively, or too hot. I believe my tongue is just more sensitive to the Virginia tobaccos.

With that said, can some of you with experience in the Va\Per department please recommend some high quality Virginia Perique blends that aren't so harsh? If such a thing exists... Thanks!

[Col. Kurtz]

I'm not sure what causes tonge bite, but dunhill Elizabethan mixture can sting me from time to time. I can't recall being bitten from any of the vaper flakes I have tried, though I think escudo has the potential. I enjoy G&H Louisiana flake, PS luxury navy flake, PS luxury twist, McClelland 22, and Beacon Extra. None of those have hurt me yet.

Now, if I could find a nice latakia flake...

[RevSmoke]

Originally Posted by ApexAZ

Well I dusted off the not-so-old cobs and bought a few tins of baccy. I decided I wanted to try a Va\Per since I generally gravitate toward the latkia blends and thought I'd try something different. I got a tin of GLP Stratford and enjoy it very much, but learning very quickly that I have to limit it, as well as very delicately nurse the bowl to keep it as cool as possible, otherwise my tongue will pay dearly.

I also bought a tin of GLP Barbary Coast, which seems much more forgiving on my tongue; presumably because it's a burley dominant blend.

Although I'm still fairly new to pipe smoking, I'm fairly confident that I'm not smoking too aggressively, or too hot. I believe my tongue is just more sensitive to the Virginia tobaccos.

With that said, can some of you with experience in the Va\Per department please recommend some high quality Virginia Perique blends that aren't so harsh? If such a thing exists... Thanks!

Well, this is a tough one. GLP usually has no problem with tongue bite. So, I am going to ask a couple questions.

1) Are you a cigar smoker? I ask because many of those who are transitioning from cigars or from Latakia blends to Virginias or VaPers, expect high volumes of smoke because that is what they were getting. It may be that someone is smoking harder than they realize, just to produce the amount of smoke the want, and it can happen without the smoker even realizing it.

1a) Virginia are the pipe tobacco with the highest natural sugar content, and they naturally burn hotter. Burley has arguable the lowest sugar content, and therefore cools a blend.

2) Have you any other brands that have caused you tongue bite? I ask because everybody's chemical composition is different. It is because of that some people have a different response to particular blenders, for whatever reason. For example, I cannot smoke anything made by MacBaren, they all fry my tongue.

I have come to really enjoy VaPers as my favorite pipe tobacco genre. I also tend to fall into the habit of smoking a bit more aggressively than I should, and have to watch myself very carefully lest I fall into that habit and fry my tongue.

So, if you want VaPers which I enjoy and find do not bite me, here they are:
Gawith & Hoggarth Louisiana Flake
Samuel Gawith St. James Flake
Escudo
Peter Stokkebye Luxury Navy Flake

Hope that helps.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

Todd

[RevSmoke]

Originally Posted by Col. Kurtz

Now, if I could find a nice latakia flake...

Cornell & Diehl Pirate Kake. (OK, it is a kake and not a flake, but close enough.)

[WaRevo]

Originally Posted by Col. Kurtz

Now, if I could find a nice latakia flake...

I don't know if you have tried Brebbie Latakia Flake? I thought it was a nice Flake.

F&K Lancer Slices is almost a flake (Broken Flake). Loved by many

Only ones I can think of right now

James

[ApexAZ]

I see that Escudo a lot on tobacco reviews, so maybe I'll give that a go.

With the GLP Stratford I tend to use a faster cadence with very shallow puffs. Maybe a small puff every 2-3 seconds. The amount of smoke I blow out is very similar to when the weather is cool enough to start frosting your breath. It's a very low volume of smoke. Even still, I can feel it working on my tongue from the moment I light it. I get a sense of pins and needles and a scratchy sensation.

I got some GH Nougat aromatic. I haven't really cared for it too much and have only smoked a few bowls. I don't think it really gave me any problems though.

English blends seem to work well for me and I've never had a problem with Frog Morton. I smoked a bowl of On the Town last night and really had no issues whatsoever. In fact, I can smoke this a little faster and draw deeper into the bowl. The Barbary Coast is similar in that it doesn't seem to bother me.

I have a couple jars of PS proper english blend and that doesn't smoke as smoothly as the frog morton either. It's been a while, but I seem to recall it giving me trouble

I feel as though it's not a burn from temperature so much as more of an allergic reaction. I say this because I have an allergy to certain nuts and the sensation is very similar. I just wonder if my mouth objects to certain tobaccos.

[ApexAZ]

By the way, what affect does aging have on Virginia blends? I've read they get sweeter over time, so does that mean the sugar content rises and therefore burns hotter?

[WaRevo]

I am not an Expert even smoking for the last 25 years I am far from it. I don't know about the allergic aspect of smoking tobaccos. I do know that I have some pipes I can't smoke some tobaccos through the way I like to smoke them anyway. I tend to smoke faster then most.
Some tobaccos I love the taste in many pipes and most Aromatics I have to smoke them in larger bowl packed lighter, and smoke slower. If I am smoking them in a meerschaum or Cob let me at it no issues at all.
It has been about 4 years now since my last bad Burn. One that made me stay away from a pipe for a couple of weeks. Not only my tongue but my mouth was on FIRE. Now days I clean my pipes more then I should and don't have sour pipes or have I had a bad bite. Also I found out that if I dry my tobaccos some in the day that I am going to smoke them that I don't have this Bite. I know it isn't the same for everyone as not everyone knows what or when they will smoke. however I would say if you have some wet tobacco and you feel it needs to be dried out some. take some out and let it sit. Once it is dry enough put it in a Jar or old tin or even a bag and smoke the dried one first.

I love Aromatics. I don't mind that others don't like them. I don't smoke for others I smoke for me.

In closing, I want to ask if you have tried some of the Hearth & Home blends? Some people think they are to dry but IMHO I think they are perfect and I have yet to find one that has ever given me bite or burn no matter how HOT I smoke them. I can smoke them so hot that you wouldn't want to touch the pipe and no burn/bite in EVERY PIPE I have smoked them in it is the same. SP and p&c both sell them P&C would be best bet for all blends seeing is blended there.

James

[WaRevo]

Oh and one more thing I like about Hearth & Home. With the Tobaccos being drier. When you get 2oz it isn't really 1.5oz when dried it is 2oz. Wet tobacco weigh more and losing .5oz may be to much loss but you get the point you will loose some weight when the tobacco dries out

James

[ApexAZ]

Thank you, James. I will check out pipes and cigars and try their blends.

It's so weird how I can smoke 5 cigars in a day and nub them down to nothing more than a smoldering cherry and have no problems except burning my lips, yet certain pipe tobaccos wreck my tongue.

Sometimes the bottom of my tongue even gets inflamed and painful.

Maybe I should try some of the cigar blends.

[WaRevo]

Hearth & Home has Stogie. That is a nice Tobacco as well. I have heard others that can't stand smoking cigar tobacco in the pipe. I smoke both cigars and Pipes and I have had some cigars burn..... Most times it is just Draw issues...... then I just send a poker down the cigar and good....

James

[RevSmoke]

Originally Posted by ApexAZ

I see that Escudo a lot on tobacco reviews, so maybe I'll give that a go.

With the GLP Stratford I tend to use a faster cadence with very shallow puffs. Maybe a small puff every 2-3 seconds. The amount of smoke I blow out is very similar to when the weather is cool enough to start frosting your breath. It's a very low volume of smoke. Even still, I can feel it working on my tongue from the moment I light it. I get a sense of pins and needles and a scratchy sensation.

I got some GH Nougat aromatic. I haven't really cared for it too much and have only smoked a few bowls. I don't think it really gave me any problems though.

English blends seem to work well for me and I've never had a problem with Frog Morton. I smoked a bowl of On the Town last night and really had no issues whatsoever. In fact, I can smoke this a little faster and draw deeper into the bowl. The Barbary Coast is similar in that it doesn't seem to bother me.

I have a couple jars of PS proper english blend and that doesn't smoke as smoothly as the frog morton either. It's been a while, but I seem to recall it giving me trouble

I feel as though it's not a burn from temperature so much as more of an allergic reaction. I say this because I have an allergy to certain nuts and the sensation is very similar. I just wonder if my mouth objects to certain tobaccos.

At a puff every 2-3 seconds, you are smoking way to fast. I do not think it is allergy, although it might be. I leave my pipe in my mouth, and I do a puff every 30-45 seconds. If I am talking with the pipe in my mouth, I do even fewer puffs as the air is enough to keep it burning.

Here is another thought, sometimes it is the pipe. Certain pipes smoke certain blends well, but other blends not so well - not every pipe is a VaPer pipe. VAs and VaPers I smoke in smaller bowls.

[RevSmoke]

Originally Posted by ApexAZ

By the way, what affect does aging have on Virginia blends? I've read they get sweeter over time, so does that mean the sugar content rises and therefore burns hotter?

They age like a cigar or good wine, not sweeter so much as becoming richer in flavor. In 5 years, I have had sugar crystals appear on flakes. You can tell the difference, that it is not mold because you can see the crystals shimmer.

It does not smoke hotter, but it does almost smoke richer, if I can say it that way.

[RevSmoke]

OH yeah, another suggestion is, dry out your blends a bit before smoking them.

Also, make sure your pipes are dry, and have had a chance to dry completely before filling them to smoke again.

And, as James has suggested, clean your pipes regularly.

As you are smoking a bowl, if you have a gurgle, run a pipe cleaner through the pipe, it should pass completely through (do not take the bit out of the pipe while you are smoking it - EVER!!!).

By the way, I forgot Hearth and Home Anniversary Kake, and Cornell and Diehl's Night Train and Back Porch.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

[ApexAZ]

I guess I could have explained that better; I don't puff on it continuously. I puff until it restokes the bowl, which I would say requires several puffs taken every few seconds. Then I let it rest awhile. I am still trying to find that sweet spot where it doesn't extinguish. I usually have to relight at least twice, sometimes more. I'm still trying to get the bowl packing down.

[RevSmoke]

Originally Posted by ApexAZ

I guess I could have explained that better; I don't puff on it continuously. I puff until it restokes the bowl, which I would say requires several puffs taken every few seconds. Then I let it rest awhile. I am still trying to find that sweet spot where it doesn't extinguish. I usually have to relight at least twice, sometimes more. I'm still trying to get the bowl packing down.

Don't be afraid of relighting, it is OK. Sometimes it is because the moisture content of the tobacco is too high.

[ApexAZ]

Okay, how dry should it be? According to GLP website it should be like 10-15% and the tobacco shouldn't clump when you pinch it. I can follow that well enough, but how do I know if it's too dry?

Thanks for your help.

[ApexAZ]

I bought a tin of the Escudo Navy Deluxe and the Sam Gawith St. James. I also bought a smooth Peterson System Pipe (307).

Hoping this briar will work better than my savinelli.

[RevSmoke]

Originally Posted by ApexAZ

Okay, how dry should it be? According to GLP website it should be like 10-15% and the tobacco shouldn't clump when you pinch it. I can follow that well enough, but how do I know if it's too dry?

Thanks for your help.

It is too dry if becomes dust when you pinch it.

As with much of this, what works for you might not work for me and vice versa.

Also, each individual tobacco needs to determine who dry it should be. For example. I find I like G&H Louisiana Flake drier than I like PS Luxury Navy Flake. I like my "English" blends even drier than my Virginias and VaPers.

So, experiment and have fun doing so.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

[ApexAZ]

Originally Posted by RevSmoke

It is too dry if becomes dust when you pinch it.

As with much of this, what works for you might not work for me and vice versa.

Also, each individual tobacco needs to determine who dry it should be. For example. I find I like G&H Louisiana Flake drier than I like PS Luxury Navy Flake. I like my "English" blends even drier than my Virginias and VaPers.

So, experiment and have fun doing so.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

Thank you, Todd. I appreciate yours and others help!

I think the Peterson pipe has a fairly large bowl, so I'm thinking I might get a smaller "pot" style pipe to dedicate to VaPer's.

Not sure if this is considered a pot, but it seems to have a shallow bowl:

http://www.peterson.ie/p/5308/303-rustic