What Pipes or Pipe Tobacco did you smoke today? (2024-2025)
- Thread starter Sid.Stavros
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Controlled Chaos
Well-Known Member
Mostly red Virginia, the rest is lemon. Cased with diluted apple cider vinegar, pressed, and placed into the oven at 170°F for a half hour. Has a grassy apricot smell and taste. Very nice with Grey Goose on the rocks with a cucumber slice outside on a warm day
I'm a baseball fan, so while watching, I smoked my 5th rendition of my tribute blend...
My pipes need lots of cleaning... Too much bitterness.
However, looking past the bitterness, I made the mistake of greatly increasing the base blend, reducing the burley, and slightly reducing the Smyrna. Wanted to try it out just for the heck of it - mostly just to have a more even 16 part blend. However, decreasing both Smyrna and burley caused the lovely flavor I was wanting to subside...
The earthy nutty tones of each went away. However, the throat hit definitely subsided and I started to get a slight tongue bite.
In my next rendition, I will be slightly increasing burley, returning Smyrna back to it's previous %, and backing off the base blend a bit.
I'm curious about greatly increasing Smyrna... Not sure I want to take that plunge just yet, but it may be just what I am looking for.
Btw, that's a mini hardwood pipe.
Sid.Stavros
Well-Known Member
Ladies & Gentlemen, with the grace of God i am back with you, healthy and strong! I took 27 sea baths, remained in purpose unshaven for 16 days, drank a lot of beer-wine-ouzo, ate a lot of ice cream-pizza-souvlaki. I fed some stray cats, saved the life of a cicada that was drowning in the sea, luckily i didn't get sunburned, ruined a pair of flip-flops and forgot to bring 2 lighters (Zippo-Torch) with me and had trouble lighting up my pipe when it blew air on the beach Cafe.
This is my humble Summer straw hats collection.
I am smoking Captain Black Gold.
This is my humble Summer straw hats collection.
I am smoking Captain Black Gold.
Sid.Stavros
Well-Known Member
GreenDragon
Well-Known Member
It’s been a while since I had my pipes out, so mixed up a batch of Pearl of Shibam and burned some brush that had been accumulating during our recent dry spell.
Sid.Stavros
Well-Known Member
Good morning from Athens-Greece, we have sun and 95 'F here.
This morning it was Balkan Sobranie in a Peterson’s P-lip Dublin. Tonight it’s a flake of PS 400, with a good dollop of my home grown Samsun mixed in, in a restored Dr. Grabow Golden Duke. Not bad at all.
I just finished up wrapping up a tightly wrapped stick of about 70/30 home grown Virginia and Samsun, just to see how it tastes. Wrapped it in a couple layers of elastic cord and tossed it in the back set of my truck to bask in the nice hot interior for a while. No idea how long I should leave it in there.
I just finished up wrapping up a tightly wrapped stick of about 70/30 home grown Virginia and Samsun, just to see how it tastes. Wrapped it in a couple layers of elastic cord and tossed it in the back set of my truck to bask in the nice hot interior for a while. No idea how long I should leave it in there.
Sid.Stavros
Well-Known Member
Good morning from Athens-Greece, we have sun and 87 'F here.
I am smoking Michael Apitz Caramelo.
I am smoking Michael Apitz Caramelo.
Sid.Stavros
Well-Known Member
'Dayyy from Athens-Greece, we have sun and 93 'F here.
Captain Black White.
Captain Black White.
I picked today to start some miniature batch experiments (10 grams each) based primarily on an oriental. I ended up picking Prilep. It seemed right that I should smoke a bowl straight before making some blends. I’m now on my third bowl of straight Prilep and I haven’t blended anything yet. I’m smoking it in a Karlheinz Joura.
Living it up...Good morning from Athens-Greece, we have sun and 87 'F here.
I am smoking Michael Apitz Caramelo.
I wonder a few of things... if you don't mind me asking.
What is that delicious looking rich drink?
What is the white stem made of?
I noticed a trend with your beads... what are they for, and why are they always oriented the same way in the photos? It appears to be more meaningful than some trinket.
It certainly adds nice contrast and color to your photos.
Alpine
Moderator
That “delicious looking rich drink” is a double espresso, served with a separated glass of cold water. It’s common both in Italy and Greece. Obviously, a double espresso in front of the Greek sea has a completely different taste than the same coffee drunk in Milan central railway station I bet….
pier
pier
Enjoying an 8th rendition of a tribute blend I made downwind from my company (pictured).
This blend has notes of Earth, smoke, wood, toast, and chocolate. Complex, smooth smoke that was really enjoyable.
TL;DR
I enjoyed blend #7 yesterday. Lighter on the latakia, allowing more of the Orientals to shine. It reminded me of the smells of a warm cozy kitchen as breakfast is being cooked. #7 is going to be my "breakfast" tribute.
#8 might be my "fishing" tribute, one to smoke through the day while out on the water.
#6 was lighter on the base (Earthy and sweet) blend and heavier on the latakia and Orientals, so it gave a great room note and after taste that was less complex. Might be my "campfire" tribute.
#6 and #8 are very similar, but different enough to compliment each other.
I assume I will start my day with #7, move to #8, then end with #6.
All of this is cased lightly with WLT's #1 and #2 casings (where appropriate) and blended as is without any top notes. I think this qualifies as near enough to a true Balkan that I can call it that. It is a very smooth smoke. Kept at an rH of 62-65%.
This blend has notes of Earth, smoke, wood, toast, and chocolate. Complex, smooth smoke that was really enjoyable.
TL;DR
I enjoyed blend #7 yesterday. Lighter on the latakia, allowing more of the Orientals to shine. It reminded me of the smells of a warm cozy kitchen as breakfast is being cooked. #7 is going to be my "breakfast" tribute.
#8 might be my "fishing" tribute, one to smoke through the day while out on the water.
#6 was lighter on the base (Earthy and sweet) blend and heavier on the latakia and Orientals, so it gave a great room note and after taste that was less complex. Might be my "campfire" tribute.
#6 and #8 are very similar, but different enough to compliment each other.
I assume I will start my day with #7, move to #8, then end with #6.
All of this is cased lightly with WLT's #1 and #2 casings (where appropriate) and blended as is without any top notes. I think this qualifies as near enough to a true Balkan that I can call it that. It is a very smooth smoke. Kept at an rH of 62-65%.
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So that was on the 23rd. This afternoon I pulled it out of the truck and unwrapped it. The roll/carotte had a deep brown color and was still quite moist. After unwrapping it, I used my new ulu knife to slice it into coins as thin as I could make them. Some I split in half, the rest I left whole. Dumped the whole pile into a mason jar but left the lid off, so I can let it dry for a couple days to prevent mold.
I rubbed out and dried some to try out. It’s got a rich molasses aroma, even though I never used anything to case it other than water. Loaded it into a big Dr. Grabow billiard and… it’s really nice. Smooth, very VA but with no bite and a little extra from the Samsun. It’s not the least bit harsh or rough. I could get used to this. I’m sure it will get even better with some more aging; this leaf was all harvested well under a year ago after all. I’m thinking this little experiment has been a success. I wonder if a regular pressing would be just as good or not. The elastic cord wrapping did put quite a bit of pressure on the leaf - the plastic wrap was brown and gummy when I peeled it off. I think I’ve got enough leaf left to make about a year’s supply of it at my current rate of consumption.
Wish I could pull an espresso like that... mine are not nearly as rich.
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