What's in your pipe today?

[BrewMeister]

Well today I decided to try a second bowl of one of the new line of tobaccos I received. I smoked a bowl of this immediately after receiving the order, had a deal of time keeping it lit and it was not too fantastic, IMO.

Anywho, after learning of the "Achim Frank Fill" method, (thanks CuppaJack) I decided to give this tobacco another go this morning. So here goes.

As you can see on the label it is an English Mottled Flake.

It comes rather moist and sliced like a loaf of bread. The flakes don't separate as easily as bread however, you have to work at them a bit to convince them to separate.

So a pulled off two slices and rubbed them out, to make a start for my Frank Fill.

It took about four slices to fill the Boswell. It lit very easily. Much easier than the the first time, when I just stuffed the bowl. It smoked more evenly and did have a bit more flavor. All though still nothing to write home about.

One noticeable thing this time was how white the top ash was. It burned rather nicely, I had to do a few re-lights, but all in all much better than the first bowl. It wouldn't be the first bowl I'd reach for, not much flavor. IMO.

 

[LilBastage]

Well today I decided to try a second bowl of one of the new line of tobaccos I received. I smoked a bowl of this immediately after receiving the order, had a deal of time keeping it lit and it was not too fantastic, IMO.

Anywho, after learning of the "Achim Frank Fill" method, (thanks CuppaJack) I decided to give this tobacco another go this morning. So here goes.

As you can see on the label it is an English Mottled Flake.

It comes rather moist and sliced like a loaf of bread. The flakes don't separate as easily as bread however, you have to work at them a bit to convince them to separate.

So a pulled off two slices and rubbed them out, to make a start for my Frank Fill.

It took about four slices to fill the Boswell. It lit very easily. Much easier than the the first time, when I just stuffed the bowl. It smoked more evenly and did have a bit more flavor. All though still nothing to write home about.

One noticeable thing this time was how white the top ash was. It burned rather nicely, I had to do a few re-lights, but all in all much better than the first bowl. It wouldn't be the first bowl I'd reach for, not much flavor. IMO.

Interesting, Tim. This tobacco is absolutely raved about all over the internet. For many it is the be all, end all pipe tobacco. It is #1 on my "To Try" list because of that. It's good to hear another opinion. I hope to get an order together here pretty soon which will contain this tobacco. I had been advised to order a large qty as I would surely go gaga over it. I'm thinking now just a tin will be sufficient to ascertain whether it is for me or not.

Opening my tin of Westminster this weekend. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[cuppajack]

When I first picked up piping back in like '97 Penzance was THE tobacco that got all the love on A.S.P. and Pipes.org, and i was so excited to finally find a tin of it at my local.

I ended up trading that tin to another ASP member after 3-4 bowls. I just couldn't stomach the stuff! And I really wanted to like it, but it made me ill.

So try a tin before buying in bulk for the cellar!

I've been having real trouble getting back into the 'groove' of properlly packing the pipe, and both the 3-layer and frank's method have been giving me very mixed results... In order to appease my tongue I decided to try a technique that I learned when I was first trying to pick up the pipe in college and chopped the tobacco before filling.

Basically I pulled out a wad of Northwoods and roughly chopped it into 1/4 inch squares. Then gravity filled the bowl, packed down to 1/2 full, fill, pack, fill pack.

This seems to even-out the layers and gives you an idea for how much tobacco you should be jamming into the bowl... It worked pretty well... I'm still breaking in the pipe that I used though, so the bottom of the bowl smoked wet and I had trouble with it.

 

[LilBastage]

Cracked open that Westminster this weekend. It was quite good after letting it dry out a little (and I mean a little). Very flavorful and a middle of the road nicotine kick, but it's not overpowering at all. The room note ain't all that great, but it's a very good smoke.

 

[cuppajack]

Nice.
How does it compare to the Northwoods from Boswell?

 

[LilBastage]

Nice.
How does it compare to the Northwoods from Boswell?

I found it to be a little smoother and a little lighter on the tongue, if that makes sense. For me Northwoods seems a fuller smoke, almost chewy. The Westminster feels a little less rough around the edges and not quite as in your face. It's kind of like the difference between young VSGs (Northwoods) and VSGs with a year or two under their belts (Westminster). I think they're both quite good.

 

[BrewMeister]

Well onward into my initial impressions of new-found pipe tobacco. Today I fired up a second bowl of NIGHTCAP, which was gifted to me by a fine BOTL (Thanks Dan).

The most difficult part when I first tried to fire up a bowl of this, was to get the dang can open. :laugh: Anyway, I succeeded!

It has a very nice presentation, and aroma.

I did the "Frank Fill" on my CAO Meerschaum , which I also bought from Boswells.

It lit off very easily with my torch, and it has a very clean taste, with a bit of a spruce overtone. A little bite on the tongue, which may be more from the Meerschaum, than the blend.
All in all, it is a very nice smoke. (Although much better in my Boswell pipe) :thumbs: Much preferred to the Penzance.

 

[LilBastage]

Well onward into my initial impressions of new-found pipe tobacco. Today I fired up a second bowl of NIGHTCAP, which was gifted to me by a fine BOTL (Thanks Dan).

The most difficult part when I first tried to fire up a bowl of this, was to get the dang can open. :laugh: Anyway, I succeeded!

It has a very nice presentation, and aroma.

I did the "Frank Fill" on my CAO Meerschaum , which I also bought from Boswells.

It lit off very easily with my torch, and it has a very clean taste, with a bit of a spruce overtone. A little bite on the tongue, which may be more from the Meerschaum, than the blend.
All in all, it is a very nice smoke. (Although much better in my Boswell pipe) :thumbs: Much preferred to the Penzance.

Was this the "new" Nightcap or the original? I only ask because there appears to be quite the difference according to most who have had both.

It's on my list!

 

[BrewMeister]

Was this the "new" Nightcap or the original? I only ask because there appears to be quite the difference according to most who have had both.

It's on my list!

Danged if I know Alan??? If you can't tell by the picture, and if Mr Wolf doesn't know, then I have no idea. ???

 

[cuppajack]

It doesn't have the sleepy bear on the tin that I remember my last tin having (in '97) so the packaging is at least different.

Those Dunhill tins are a real challenge to get open. You certainly need a pipe-load to relax after attacking one.

 

[LilBastage]

Was this the "new" Nightcap or the original? I only ask because there appears to be quite the difference according to most who have had both.

It's on my list!

Danged if I know Alan??? If you can't tell by the picture, and if Mr Wolf doesn't know, then I have no idea. ???

The tin picture didn't load for me the first time. Now that I see it I think it's the newer version. I think the older version says "Made in the UK' or instead of "Made in the EU" around the top edge. The bottom of the tin is also telling. If it has a raised rim away from the edge, it's the older stuff.

I was just curious. From what I understand the older stuff is pretty much gone if you don't already have it in your cellar.

 

[cuppajack]

Smoked my first bowl of GL Pease Haddo's Delight in my trusty Beefeater bulldog.

Interesting tobak. Started off extremely fruity. Strong plumb flavors dominated the first 1/4 bowl. That mellowed out and some spice started to come though. The last 1/4 bowl before the heel was mellow on the pallet but had a luxuriously mouth-feel and a good dose of Nic.

The burley in the blend gave the bowl a nice body that I had been missing in some of the lighter blends that I'd been smoking.

It was fresh from a (2 year old) tin though, and smoked a little (ok, a lot) wet.

My first experience with a blend by Greg Pease, and it did not disappoint. I have an 8-tin sampler on the way from Cornell and Diehl and I can't wait to try some of his other blends.

 

[cuppajack]

Just recieved 2 GL Pease samplers direct for C&D today, and could not resist trying out a bowl on my lunch break.

So I rubbed out a scant bowl of 'Filmore' and loaded up. Its been many years since I've smoked a pressed-flake, but the pack went much easier than I remember and the initial lights took me through 1/2 the bowl.

The perique come through very strongly on top of a rich VA base which reminded me of a fine RYO cigarette tobacco (in a good way.)

 

[LilBastage]

Just recieved 2 GL Pease samplers direct for C&D today, and could not resist trying out a bowl on my lunch break.

So I rubbed out a scant bowl of 'Filmore' and loaded up. Its been many years since I've smoked a pressed-flake, but the pack went much easier than I remember and the initial lights took me through 1/2 the bowl.

The perique come through very strongly on top of a rich VA base which reminded me of a fine RYO cigarette tobacco (in a good way.)

Careful, you're going to turn into a PeaseHead!

I think once I get the Christmas shopping done I'm just going to order a tin of each of his blends. (The blends still in production. I'm not paying $100 for a tin of Renaissance no matter how good it is.) It may take me a while to get through them all, but it sounds like they all have at least some redeeming value. If not, they should be easy to gift. If Westminster is any indication of the overall quality of his lines, then it will just be a matter of taste.

 

[aeroswat]

Alan
rereading old threads and come across this one, I really like Penzance and will include a small sampler in the box pass for you to try, before you buy a tin, as for what's in my pipe, a bowl of Penzance

 

[LilBastage]

Alan
rereading old threads and come across this one, I really like Penzance and will include a small sampler in the box pass for you to try, before you buy a tin, as for what's in my pipe, a bowl of Penzance

Very generous, thank you! I'm really looking forward to trying it after hearing so much about it.

:thumbs:

 

[Kayak_Rat]

Popped open a tin of Murrays Nightcap. Reading the last few entries set me in the mood for this blend.

 

[BrewMeister]

Thanks to extremely generous BOTL (Thanks CuppaJack) I recently received some Hoya De Monterey pipe tobacco that Johnny-O recently offered. So I anxiously rubbed out a bowl this morning. It was like no other pipe tobacco I've seen or tried. It is in a caked form and extremely dry and in small flakes again, unlike any other tobaccos I've tried.

The cake.

Rubbed out.

In the bowl.

Fired the bowl up and it lit very easily, it generated tons of smoke. It was a very "clean" taste, not a ton of flavor. A bit peppery on the tongue, and didn't burn hot as I thought it might. Still finishing the bowl. I'm a bit undecided on my satisfaction with it. It was good, just not a "blow your socks off" smoke. Perhaps I need to try a few more bowls to be definitive about my preference.

 

[LilBastage]

Mine is on the way!

It looks very cigar leaf like. Does it have that type of flavor profile? Similar to a HdM cigar?

My curiosity is certainly brewing now...

 

[BrewMeister]

Mine is on the way!

It looks very cigar leaf like. Does it have that type of flavor profile? Similar to a HdM cigar?

My curiosity is certainly brewing now...

Now that you mention it, as a matter of fact, it did have a bit of a cigar profile. It should be interesting to hear everyone else's opinion.