Jeroen van Brussel

Since I feel I went through the 1st. newbie stage and I'm very , very sure pipe smoking will be something for life, I'd like some recommendations on expanding my pipe and tobacco collection (and knowledge ). For the past 2 weeks I have been buying more different tobacco's and also my first English blend : Savinelli English Mixture, which I very much enjoy smoking. The incense-like taste is very mild and , how shall I say, err... well, just great! Is this the Latakia ?

Therefore I made a small and simple sorta poll, with which I hope to get a good picture of what a more seasoned pipe smoker is smoking. I'd like some arguments with your recommendations, if it's not too much asked. Also, is there anyone out there who could give me a short but clear 'lesson' in cake-building/maintenance/faults to avoid?

1. Your 3 most favorite English blends
2. Your 3 most  favorite Aromatics
3. Your 3 most  favorite pipe manufacturer / pipe model
4. Anything else that springs to mind.

Austin

I can only recommend a few since my experience is limited.

Aromatic

• Mac Barrens Original (pure heaven)
• Check Mate
• bulk black Cavendish from Sleuth & Statesman, Toronto

Latakia

• Mephisto, GL Pease   (known to induce absolute clarity of thought)
• Black Forest, The Pipe Room.com (Strong & smooth)

John Offerdahl

English... I am more a Virginia smoker. Settle for those here?

• McClelland's 5100, 2035, and Dark Star
• Mac Baren's Dark Twist
• McCranie's Red Flake

Aromatics

• CAO's Sweet Vanilla Honeydew
• Reiner's Yellow Label
• and the dreaded and despised (by some) Dan Tobacco's Da Vinci.

Pipes: I'm a fan of Peterson's pipes. Jan Zeman makes pipes that cost about a third of what they SHOULD cost. And even though I don't own one I'll go out on a limb and say that Mark Tinsky's are on my favorite list anyway (gonna own one someday when I have money.)

lordmargate

Favorite english blends(in no particular order):

• Dunhill 965
• Frog Morton
• Margate
• Penzance
• Mephisto
• Pirate Kake

Favorite aromatic:

• Stokkebye French vanilla

3 favorite pipe makers (in order of preference):

• Dunhill
• Castello
• Ser Jacopo

Timo Metzemakers

I'm not sure if I qualify as a "seasoned pipe smoker", but here's what I like (currently)...

English

• Latakia blends
  • GLP Renaissance
  • Schürch Torina
  • Schürch Onyx
  • GLP Samarra
• Without Latakia
  • Sam Gawith Best Brown Flake
  • G&H Brown Flake
  • G&H Sweet Rum Twist
  • GLP Cairo

Aromatics

• G&H Bob's Chocolate Flake
• Coniston Cut Plug
• Rum Flake
• What can I say?  You simply *have* to try every tobacco made by Greg Pease and Hans Schürch.  I also like both Gawiths myself, but they might not be everybody's cup of tea.

Pipes

• Corn cobs: great smokers, unbeatable price, and I think they look great, albeit in a grungy kind of way.
• Courrieu: I own many Courrieus, they're available locally, cheap, and are pretty decent little smokers.  They're machine made but I don't mind.

sceny

English

• GLPease Caravan
• McClelland Arcadia
• S. Gawith Commonwealth
• GLPease Samarra

Aromatic

• CAO(?) Blue Note
• Any of the McClelland Bulks
• C&D Cross Eyed Cricket

Pipes

• Tinsky
• Talbert
• Savinelli

firedancer

Okay, if I'm going to smoke anything that has latakia, it's going to be Brigadier.  It has just enought latakia for you to get the flavor, but not so much as to overpower you.  Now, there's my dear old Barbary Coast. Technically, it's not an aromatic, but it is flavored with a touch of brandy, and it is absolutely delicious, and you have to remember that this recommendation comes from a smoker of aromatics.  Speaking of which, I'm having sort of an identity crisis.  I love C. and D. 902 which is flavored with blackberry brandy.  From time to time, I like a session with Solani Green Label, which is very sweet and flavored with apple.  Davidov Cool Mixture is very nice and light, and Lane Limited has some nice vanillas which I visit occasionally.  Reiner Yellow Star is flavored with rum and vanilla, and I like that a lot.  Having said all that, I guess that I'm still looking around.  I really should take notes, for there are a passle of tobaccos out there that I want to try.  Truly, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

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