Good Evening Gentlemen,

I'm definitely a newbie here at BoB and in a lot of ways I'm still a newbie to pipe smoking. Although I have smoked a pipe off and on for 20 years, I have never stayed with it long enough to really get into it and learn - (thus my reason for joining the BoB).

As my chosen username might suggest I do love me some OTC Carter Hall.

But I would like to try something other than a simple OTC brand of tobacco.

So I'm looking for recommendations from you, my brothers.

What might I enjoy as a newbie?

I am open to try most anything.

Love, Peace and Bicycle Grease,
Frank

Here is a nice article. Some basic information and blend recommendations from a master. Be sure to check out Greg's web site and his writings. Granted, he is recommending his own blends. Use them as a guide for similar blends and I think you will be on the right track. It is simply amazing to me that most blends from many blenders do not taste exactly alike, given the limited number of component tobaccos to work with.

http://pipesmagazine.com/python/manufacturer-retailer-spotlight/interview-with-greg-pease-of-gl-pease-tobacco-part-1/

Havent tried CH, but my understanding is that it's main feature is burley. If you dig that flavor and would be interested in exploring some other perhaps higher quality and more intersting burley blends, then i would suggest blends from Uhles tobacco shop. I think they are in wisconsin if i remember correctly. You would have to call them to order since although they have a website, you cant order the tobacco online, or at least couldnt last time i checked. Its definitely worththe call though. My favorites from them are their blend #300, crushed white burley, and perfection plug.

Now that i think about it, i'm glad you posted this thread since it reminds me that i need to replenish my uhles stash

Other than that, i would say to try any and everything you can get your hands on! Do a forum search for "favorite blends" or something similar. Make a list of ones that show up often in peoples posts. Maybe you will get lucky and some generous brother will be in a mood to send you a few samples of some stuff to test drive, so to speak. If not, then send me a PM with your mailing addy and i can mayne find some stuff to send ya.

His Chelsea Morning blend looks very interesting.

Frost

Thank you for the direction. I did just check Uhles and you are right about ordering online (unless you are a wholesaler). There stuff looks VERY interesting!

PM sent

If you like Carter Hall you should try 5 Brothers which is another OTC but I like it better than CH. A Virginia that is easy to smoke is McClelland 5100. If you want a nice and sweet smelling Cavendish try McClelland VBC (Vanilla Black Cavendish). In general, McClelland 51xx bulks are good for me. C&D Grand Orientals are also good.

You need some exposure to different tobacco types and will want to pay attention to manufacturer and tobacco type content. After a while you will find if you like aromatics or straight tobaccos, Virginia, Burley, Orientals, Turkish, Cavendish, Perique, Latakia....

It was a long hard road until I started paying attention to Manufacturer and tobacco type. You will also need to learn about tobacco type, cut, and bowl size.

I like Cavendish in a short wide bowl, Virginia in a tall medium bowl, Oriental in a small bowl, and burly in a cob. This is just general rule of thumb for me. It varies for some different cuts, blends and in general everyone smokes different.

I was on a cross country trip and stopped at a few tobacco shops picking up 3 or 4, 2 oz samples. I worked with the shop owners to get the manufacturer and bulk blend names. From this it became easy to tell Lane from McClelland from C&D, from Mac Baren. And while I started as an aromatic smoker, now I prefer Virginia and Full English.

Hang in there, it takes a while and you will get a lot on pointers that work for others but not for you. My son and I do not pack our bowls the same. To each his own.

Frank, you could spend a small fortune if you take everyone's advice, which is usually nothing more than everyone's favorites. OTCs make up most pf what I smoke, and after 52 years, they're still some of the best blends around if you prefer burley blends.

OTCs I like, in addition to Carter Hall, are Sir Walter Raleigh/SWR, Velvet, Granger, and Ky Club Mixture, which is called an aromatic, but isn't, not in the current definition of aromatics. You might also like 2 Mac Baren burley blends, Burley London blend and Norwood, both which come in 100g/3.5oz tins at very reasonable prices. While I deal with 4noggins http://www.4noggins.com/index.aspx a lot, Mars stocks everything I mentioned. http://www.marscigars.com/

prosmoking

Thaank you for the detailed and insightful help. Very much appreciated.

I have not seen or heard of % Brothers but will check it out.

I have seen other brothers here often mention McClelland so it looks like it is pretty high on several peoples list.

Can I say that I feel a bit overwhelmed? *laugh*

This time around I have the support of the BoB and a desire to be patient with the process.

*firing up a bowl of CH as I read on*

tiltjlp

Thanks again for help - you have been amazing!

I just spent the past 45 minutes on both of the sites you referenced. LOVE the 4noggins site. Nice, well articulated site with lots of product and GREAT prices.

I have both of them bookmarked and will be referencing them often I'm sure.

The Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic sounds very interesting - do you smoke it or the regular?

Since tiltjlp is too modest to recommend his own blends , I will take the opportunity to do so since they are very good

They are available at the 4noggins site under John Patton..I've got a goodly amount of the Storm Front and Virginia Squire at home so I'll try to remember to send you some of each, since both are a must try in my opinion.

If you're looking for something to help you branch away from "simple" OTC blends, I'd recommend Middleton's Walnut. While still an OTC, it's a real kitchen sink - containing Burley, Kentucky, Cavendish, Virginia, Latakia, Turkish, and Maryland tobaccos. It's not overly complex, slightly sweet and very smooth.

Another suggestion is to peruse the TobaccoReviews.com website. You'll find tons of real world reviews. A good place to start is to look up Carter Hall - see which reviewers rate it highly - then see what other blends those same people enjoy. This is what I did what I wanted to branch out.

Frost

Thanks for that - I would certainly enjoy giving them a whirl!

tiltjlp

Your response brings up a question I've been pondering about aromatics versus non aromatics.

Is the main difference between them the aroma put off into the room - or is it a matter of taste?

Do people smoke and like aromatics simply because of the smell they put off or is there more to the difference?

Does that make sense?

tslots

The Walnut sounds very interesting with such a complex mixture

and thank you for the review site - I'll sit down and have a look through it.