Latest Pipe-Related Purchase Thread

[RevSmoke]

Originally Posted by nutcracker

Tod - the English blends I've had from them are tasty and have been benign on the bite front. Don't know about the aros, other than Thanksgiving, which I was cautious with, but seemed fine.

It has been at least 17 years since I visited the shop, probably more, so I do not remember what blends I tried.

But there is another caveat, I have come a long way in my pipe smoking and so I have my general go-to blends, not really ranging much outside that.

This does not mean that I do not like to try new stuff, but I do not actively look for new things to try, that zeal has sort of left me (at least for right now). And even when I do try new things, I confine that to the "genres"/types of blends that I prefer, avoiding those things of which I am not a fan.

I avoid Burley blends, they NEVER did much for me. While I might try one, it takes serious twisting on the part of someone to get me to do so - usually involving a firearm and the side of my head.

Orientals also never really tripped my trigger much. I can tolerate a little in a blend that is predominantly something else, but...

I do have a couple of aromatics hanging around, but they usually only get dragged out when I want to please those around me. As I have gotten curmudgeonly, that happens less frequently. And, for me to have one, the top note has got to be done with a delicate hand, and I prefer to have it done to good Virginias to begin.

Lastly, there are what people have come to refer to as English blends, that is, blends with some measure of Latakia in them. I used to love these. I have a few around, but I rarely dip into them anymore, and they do not have the same appeal.

I love straight Virginia blends and VaPers (Virginia/Perique), they are almost solely what I smoke. I have tried literally, hundreds of such, and my cellar contains those which have pleased me the most. I like trying them, but then I end up comparing them to what I do have.

I smoke a pipe once or twice a week, if even that during some seasons. For this reason, 50g or 100g lasts quite a while. Having 4 or 5 things open is a lot wiser than 10-20 (yes, I did that for a long time, sometimes even more) if your consumption rate is like mine.

Wow, did this ramble on.

Peace of the Lord be with you.