What Did You Smoke Today? (Pipe Edition)

[Pipe Smoker]

McClelland Dark Star.
This is only my 2nd bowl of this and I'm not sure what to think about it yet.

<snip>
The reviews I've done in the past have all been predictable, as I have reviewed blends that I knew that I loved.
I am going to start reviewing some that I've never tried before to try and get some good honest reviews out there that I don't have any pre formed thoughts about yet.
I think it will be fun.

I'm at the point where I smoke only tobaccos that I've had long experience with. I have enough of those for plenty of variety. I think I'd have to go through a lot of tobacco to find a new one that I'd like as well as those already in my stable.

[Cool Breeze]

I'm at the point where I smoke only tobaccos that I've had long experience with. I have enough of those for plenty of variety. I think I'd have to go through a lot of tobacco to find a new one that I'd like as well as those already in my stable.

When I've been at it a little longer, I will likely be the same.
However, my pipe smoking journey only started about 2 and a half years ago, so I haven't scratched the surface yet. I have a few staples, but each time I make an order I like to include something new to me.

[Emperor Zurg]

I'm at the point where I smoke only tobaccos that I've had long experience with. I have enough of those for plenty of variety. I think I'd have to go through a lot of tobacco to find a new one that I'd like as well as those already in my stable.

I'm sorta the opposite. I get bored quick. One blend might hit me as the all-out favorite ever and every time I think of picking up a pipe, that's the blend that comes to mind. Then suddenly I'm bored with it and switch to something different all together. I think I'd rather have a huge variety of blends I sorta like than a dump truck load of just 4 blends I just love.

[Pipe Smoker]

When I've been at it a little longer, I will likely be the same.
However, my pipe smoking journey only started about 2 and a half years ago, so I haven't scratched the surface yet. I have a few staples, but each time I make an order I like to include something new to me.

I should've added that I'll be looking forward to your reports anyway. Even though I'm trying to reduce, rather than increase, the types of tobaccos in my inventory, you might convince me to try a new one.

[Aguineapig]

I should've added that I'll be looking forward to your reports anyway. Even though I'm trying to reduce, rather than increase, the types of tobaccos in my inventory, you might convince me to try a new one.

I don't think I've ever seen you post a latakia blend, unless I ain't remembering right. Don't care for latakia?

[Haebar]

I don't think I've ever seen you post a latakia blend, unless I ain't remembering right. Don't care for latakia?

I've been smoking a blend I threw together. Had about 1.5 ounces of a gooper cherry blend, mixed with some scraps of red tip burley, Maryland, and some bright Virginia. The other tobaccos make it not so goopy. Currently smoking it in a Longchamp hexagonal nose-warmer.

[Emperor Zurg]

I've been smoking a blend I threw together. Had about 1.5 ounces of a gooper cherry blend, mixed with some scraps of red tip burley, Maryland, and some bright Virginia. The other tobaccos make it not so goopy. Currently smoking it in a Longchamp hexagonal nose-warmer.

I have a similar, cobbled concoction inspired by Freestoke (wherever he is). It's party Peter Stokkebye, Cherry Bonbon and partly Gawith Hoggarth, Black Cherry Twist (or sometimes Sweet Rum Twist). I vary the proportions based on how strong of a smoke I'm in the mood for, similar to how much sauce you'd put in a mixed drink. (I.e. The worse the day, the more fingers of sauce). In typical codger fashion, Freestoke usually cut his rope with Prince Albert, but I'm just not that big a fan of burley... plus I'm not a codger... yet.

[Pipe Smoker]

I don't think I've ever seen you post a latakia blend, unless I ain't remembering right. Don't care for latakia?

You're correct -- and very observant! Latakia mixtures have never turned my crank. We're all wired up differently. With food, for example, I don't have a sweet tooth -- I'll take a slice of good buttered sourdough or rye bread in preference to any cake.

Still, it's been years since I've tried a latakia mixture, and a couple of times I've been tempted to try Solani Gold Label English Luxury, as I've been impressed with that brand -- Solani ABF is the only burley that I like. So I think your post is the inducement I needed to get some Solani GLEL. I'm going to buy 25 tins of Dunhill Navy Rolls in the near future, and the Solani GLEL could ride along on the free shipping ticket. Thanks for the prompt!

[Bruck]

I've been smoking a blend I threw together. Had about 1.5 ounces of a gooper cherry blend, mixed with some scraps of red tip burley, Maryland, and some bright Virginia. The other tobaccos make it not so goopy. Currently smoking it in a Longchamp hexagonal nose-warmer.

And what's the verdict?

[Haebar]

And what's the verdict?

It's not bad for taking two tobaccos that are unpalatable separately and combining them into something with a hint of cherry and some real tobacco body. The Burley, Maryland and bright Virginia are just leftover flake scraps and the cherry tobacco "Hunt for Cherry" was not that enticing to smoke alone (too much humectant). The mixture smokes pretty dry and satisfies my desire for a little N factor. It tastes a little like G&H Black Cherry Twist but less refined.
I've been smoking it since last night and am putting it aside for a while to smoke some 7 year old SG FVF in a Dunhill Bruyere Canadian with a repaired shank. This is a real treat; got it in a trade on the old Puff site - fellow threw in a couple of bowls worth of flakes of it as an extra bonus.