SMOKE WITH ME | How To Detect & Taste More Flavors In Pipe Blends 

Thanks!

You took me back to 1969 sometime near Thanksgiving. I was at my Grandfather's for dinner. My Grandmother and my Great Aunt had been in the kitchen all day, I was, of course, being a nuisance. At dinner, my Grandfather over-ruled my Mom and let me have a half glass of wine - Manoshevitz wine. Then he and I went out to the back yard. I sat in a chair next to him and we had a chat about family history, why families are important, why a man should have a family, and that I should always listen to my Grandmother, Mother, and future wife. You know the old happy wife, happy life chestnut. I don't know what brand he was puffing, but the smell has stayed with me for all of these years. I'm 68 now and crying my eyes out. Thank you.

After over 35 years of smoking a pipe I thought I knew what I was doing. I definitely smoke too fast. Just now I’m sipping and it’s a HUGE difference. Thank you for these videos so informative. Love it!

Man those sausages look good. One more day and then it's the Easter season. And then... meat is back on the menu boys! 😂

I have a handful of “favorite” presenters in the YTPC, but you’re at the top of the list. Wonderful substance/content and a brilliant personality. Thank you, Kevin, for all you do. Blessings!

This will probably be the ultimate pipe tobacco taste video many thousands will keep coming back to. I have a feeling. Great video, great advice, much appreciated by myself, a new pipe collector, maker, and smoker.

My wife and I love watching your videos before bed with some nighttime bowls! Tonight I enjoyed Peter Stokkebye's Luxury Navy Flake. And my wife had Mac Baren's Scottish Blend with a dab of Latakia mixed in 🤠

Enjoying the new Seattle Pipe Club Gentlemens Rum Vanilla in a cob. Happy Easter to you!

I first smoked a pipe 6 years ago and I'm getting back into it now. I'm enjoying your videos so far, you are good at presenting information. I have a bad habit of inhaling sometimes though, I'm used to vaping so I kind of crave that throat hit. I'd like to get to the point where I can just enjoy pipes the way they should be enjoyed, so I can just relax and not be addicted to it. Keep on doing what you're doing man, I dig the corduroy jacket btw.

You are the Bob Ross of pipes! Love relaxing to your videos.

Literally the video I was looking for. You never disappoint hobbiton!

We can finally get Orlik Golden Sliced in the UK hurray!!! Happened in the last two weeks 😊 we still can’t get capstan flake blue or gold in the UK 😢 going to Germany soon so will buy some there

I smoked my first ever pipe this morning. I got a Shire Cobbit pipe and tried cult blood red moon. As I sipped my coffee in between puffs, the flavor from the tobacco seemed to pop with the coffee. Chery chocolate coffee is certainly welcome in my world. Just being out and watching the mallards fight and posture at one another and listening to the song birds calling was a joy. I dont think pipes will be a regular thing for me, but your advice to slow down and enjoy an experience, I agree with whole-heartedly and I think many people need to make that a regular habit weather thats with a pipe, cup of coffee, or however they want. I think for me I might enjoy keeping pipes a special occasion thing, maybe around holidays. I enjoyed the blood red moon, and I have some plum pudding to try. Thanks for the content, and happy Easter!

Excellent video, Kevin. Thank you for making it. Even as a twenty year pipe smoker, I learned several new insights. As a new presenter on the YTPC, recently I had someone saying this exact thing to me in my comments: "All I taste is ash and hot air." From now on, I am going to refer people to this video. Superbly done my friend, and Happy Easter to you and your family. Cheers, Justin

it's been 24 years and I stopped looking for the nuances a long time ago. now my decision is simple. Either I like it as a whole or I don't 🙂

New piper here, thank you for the tips. Two years ago I got the dreaded covid and only in the last couple of months have I 90% of my taste and smell back. I thought pipe smoking would kick start them back to 100. In some way it has, today I tried some Virginia and honey blend, I slowed the smoke and could pick out the honey and nutty flavour, very nice. Cheers. Happy Easter 😀

I’ve started my pipe journey now. I smoked my first bought pipe (Molina Pippino) the other day and reviewed Sherlock Holmes. I have now found a little groove of how to pack and smoke a pipe. Especially with a breathing technique I saw from someone else on RU-vid. I’m enjoying it a lot better than I was previously. Definitely picking up on the notes I smelt in the tin now.

A must view video for novice and veteran pipe smokers. It's likely the best ever done on the subject. Many thanks and blessings to you and yours!

a great point you made about tasting wine, whiskey, coffee etc... I'm sure most, if not, all of us remember tasting these things for the first time and having wine taste like "wine" and coffee tasting like "coffee" and surely, pipe tobacco tasting like "ash." but it seems like you eventually have an aha moment, where you're able to break through and start to "get it." I come from the wine industry and certainly remember being in college and having a Beaujolais for the first time and being like oh my god, this isn't just wine. I can taste a banana note! clear as day! (thanks to carbonic maceration that many of those wines undergo!) and i also very clearly remember the first bowl i had where i got it. Orlik golden sliced in my bing's favorite pipe and it just exploded with nuances. Right at the point when i was ready to give up on pipe smoking. But that little moment saved me and from then on i was able to develop my tobacco palate. (Much in part thanks to many of your earlier videos too!) Cheers Kevin.

Excellent video. Watching this while smoking Holger Dansk Mango and Vanilla in a Peterson Irish Harp Canadian with a clean nose.

As a very new pipe smoker I enjoyed this, thank you for sharing some enlightenment. There are lots of videos on what sort of pipes there are, and what blends of tobacco, but very few on how to actually enjoy the experience to the best extent. It’s a pleasure listening to you. You have a kind way of teaching.

Nice selection of irish and scottish whiskies!

Fairly new to the pipe life but just wanted to thank you. Your just an all around nice guy and tho knowledgeable easy to listen to.

Mac baren dark twist for me today. Fantastic video

Very stressful time for me and this video was very relaxing ❤

I can say without a doubt that slowing down is a very important tip for beginner pipe smokers. Pipe smoking as a concept almost demands that you slow down both with your smoking and in your mind. When I got my first pipe, I was about 20 years old and went to a local cigar & pipe shop and got a corn cob pipe and a house blend that I don't remember much about. I was fresh off a heart break (I asked a girl out and she rejected me, big stuff for someone so young lol) and wanted to try something new to cheer myself up. I later got a tin of Frogmorton on the Bayou (a blend I miss dearly) and smoked it infrequently over the next couple years before not touching my pipe until January of this year. I got several house blends and a new churchwarden from The Country Squire in Jackson, MS. Here we are nearly 6 months later and I'm attempting to get over the loss of a years long relationship that hit me quite hard at first. Pipe smoking the last two weeks has allowed me to slow down at the end of my days and contemplate everything I'm going through. I can see where I went wrong and where my former partner went wrong as well. It's helped me make peace with the situation and begin the healing process. Today, I went on my back porch and smoked a bowl of the "whatever" from The Country Squire out of my old corn cob while reading a book. I felt truly at peace. I had to relight my pipe several times because I would light it, puff for a few seconds, then set it down while I read more in the book. The entire process was very relaxing and helped to bring me peace when I need it most. I've seen some people online imply that to be a "good" pipe smoker you have to be able to light a pipe and smoke it all the way to the bottom without relighting. I can tell you from experience that I have never enjoyed my pipe more than when I just took my time and relit it whenever it happened to need it. Slowing down and just enjoying the moment has not only improved my enjoyment of pipe smoking, but my enjoyment of life as a whole as well. Anyway, I've rambled on quite enough. Thank you for this video my friend and keep up the great work! TLDR: Just slow down. It'll help you enjoy both pipe smoking and your life as a whole.

When I first started getting into whiskey one trick I was taught was to take a sip and roll it around your mouth which just tased like alcohol then after that sip it seemed to avoid the alcohol burn. My buddy would do something similar with cheap vodka then start drinking whiskey. Pipes are still new to me and I have yet to venture past half and half but tomorrow I have some autumns evening and quiet nights arriving so excited to start slowly branching out.

Thank you! This was exactly the video/topic I needed right now. Have just picked up smoking again after a good decade of nothing. Just the pipe this time though, and no yucky cigarettes… I’m way to stressed out these days, and I really missed my pipe, sitting down alone in peace and just relax. Chill out. Cool down. Not really think, at least not about daily stuff. And I think you just told me that when I do this, I actually don’t, yet. Relax I mean. I definitely try to, but I probably don’t. ‘Cause most I just taste ash, and I definitely get close to tongue bite. I’m guessing my stress levels push my cadence up too fast. Thank you! I will try focusing on this through my next bowl. And try to remember the meditative breathing techniques that I learned in my previous job as a social worker at a youth center. Those were good times. Happy piping!

As a semi experienced pipe and cigar smoker, I thought I knew it all. This was a fantastic explanation!! Learned a ton! Thank you

Más de 30 años fumando la pipa y contigo sigo aprendiendo en cada video. Es maravilloso escuchar tus descripciones, experiencias y además con esa sencillez, fluidez y humildad. Gracias, gracias!!!!!😊

Great video! Slow is the way to go. It took me a long time to realize this. I used to puff like a freight train, lol. Pipe smoking can be an art.

Sitting out here with no wind blowing, the suns down and that warm weather is here! with a Dr grabow smoking some nightcap, always happy to see you upload a new video! I know it’ll be a chill smoke everytime

Peterson night cap in a corn cob .. New piper here in Lancashire England really enjoying your videos Kevin they are informative and relaxing and really helping my journey Best wishes Phil

Years into the hobby of pipe smoking and I still have to consciously slow myself down. Although, I have learned that a characteristic of my favorite blends is being able to puff like a dragon in them to get huge clouds of smoke and still enjoy the flavor. 😊 Great, informative video sir! And that pamphlet is fantastic! Lol

I remember when I asked you a year or so ago if you would dedicate a video on tasting pipe tobacco. Well, now it is here. It is a wonderful video with great information. Thank you so much Kevin. Many blessings to you and your loved ones.

I was thrilled to hear you on the recent Pipes Magazine Podcast and had to smoke with you once again. I just finished filming my own 5 blends for spring video and am enjoying some EMP out of my Peterson B11 smooth fishtail. Thanks for another great video.

Puffing on some bayou morning flake in a Lorenzetti pipe. Thanks for the company my brother. ✌️

Smoking some Royal Yacht in a Ukrainian pear wood. Great video. Happy Easter.

I’m smoking Capstan Gold for the first time, thanks to you. It’s smooth and very easy to smoke. Can’t wait to spend more time with this blend! Thank you!

I love the smoke with me series. It gives me something I don’t have to really watch but just listen to which is great for me. It give me time to just enjoy my smoke. Great video !

This is the ultimate Pipe/Tobacco guide. [sic]

Kevin. This was one of your most useful videos for me. I’m still having trouble tasting different things in the tobacco. Have a great Resurrection Sunday. God bless you. John.

I learned how to smoke last week. I was smoking Petersons Irish Whiskey and i forced myself to slow down because o was gettin bit like crazy and dry mouth. It was a turning point ill always remember. Now i mix it with golden slice, 9/16 irish 7/16 orlick. Its absolutely amazing. ALSO right after a good firm tamp I get the coolest and sweetest smoke. I giggle while i smoke now because i finally figured it out in week 6 or 7. Its so damn good omg. I was smoking too fast because i started on Old Dark Fired which has zero bite, i was just rippin clouds of that while getting beat up by everything else.

Your videos were recommended to me for getting started and you’re helping me so much 3 weeks in (long time cigar smoker). You really took me back 30 years when I was a teen visiting my best friends family in searcy (spelling?).

It's great to have a new video!!

Apparently i somehow missed this one when it came out! Great content Kevin, great suggestions.

Enjoying your video as I enjoy the first bowl Of Palmetto Balkan v2. Very lovely blend Dave

Man this video is a game changer. I’ve been piping for almost a year now and i am discovering some nuances that i’ve never felt thanks to you. Thanks again and much love from France! Lorris

I dont even smoke pipes (YET), but I'm the type that will do all my due diligence before embarking on a new hobby. Your videos are extremely calming and packed with knowledge. They not only teach me, but help me fall asleep. I love your vibes. When you were talking about living with a very sensitive sense of smell, it really hit home for me. I've spent my whole life catching scents nobody else seems to be aware of! You were speaking my language! I appreciate how much you love your pipes and baccy - its contagious. Keep up the fine work! PS: Side note: I love the ambient sounds of your videos, especially the nature. The birds singing clear as crystal really is...*chefs kiss*

Kevin, again, you put together one of the BEST instructional videos ever! I feel like I just went through a college pipe-smoking 101 class! Amazing! This is definitely one video that I will have to replay a couple of times to really get all the details down (before the final exam! Ha ha!). Truly, this was a wonderfully helpful video. Before I started watching, I was outside smoking my Savinelli churchwarden (601) with a blend from my local tobacco shop called Santa's Secret. It is truly one blend that I can actually taste something...it has a strong minty flavor which is actually really good and I found it really goes good with some coffee. I definitely would like to pick up even more of the flavors in it and taking it slow is really what I have to learn to do the most. The smells of tobacco are what really brought me to take up smoking a pipe and I really do feel like I can pick up on the smells a lot...oddly though, it seems like I smell everything a little less when I'm actually smoking. But, when I'm done I can really pick up on the smoke on my fingertips and clothing even more so than when I was actually smoking. But, knowing that, seems like a good start to knowing more about everything in general and starting to pick up on other things along the way! Thank you, thank you, thank you for such a wonderful video and happy piping to you! Happy Easter to you and your family as well!

Awesome video. This is super helpful for new pipe smokers as well as seasoned. I know I learned a ton.

It's a beautiful day here in NC. Smoking Christmas Spice blend in my big Peterson Pub pipe.

Good afternoon Kevin. First off those are some excellent looking brats. Smoking G & H Brown Flake Aromatic in MM General cob. It was very interesting when my niece, who enjoys wine tasting, smoked a pipe with her husband, my brother and myself. She was picking out all of the various flavors she was getting. Now you are giving me something to practice with "slow cooking". Excellent excellent video. I enjoyed and learned something from this. Load the brats on a bun and que the happy music.

Man, such an informative video. I'm only started pipes last June, and I definitely was smoking too fast, and taking too big of puffs, instead of "sipping" my pipes. Not keeping the tobacco cool, burning off all the flavors, is probably why I get that "hot air" feeling so much, on blends that others can detect tons of flavors. Thank you for explaining the "why", that probably happens. I appreciate you taking the time to teach us newbies, and help us learn, so we can improve our piping experience. God bless you, Kevin. I hope you and your family have a blessed and happy Easter. Take care, Sir! Edit: That pamphlet is awesome! Has a 50's vibe to it. I like it! PS. I'm smoking Cult Blood Red Moon, out of a Missouri Meershaum BWC #10.

Well thank you Kevin. What a great video. I smoked Petersons Connoisseurs Choice on my Savinelli 673 Oceano with a coffee at 4:45 am in Kentucky at a hotel listening to planes pass by and watched your video. The palate has a lot to do with it and slowing down. Happy piping friend.

The thing about the temperature of your tongue FINALLY answered a question I have been unable to answer for the past month of trying to get into pipe smoking. No one really truly explained just how cool you have to be. Now to figure out my packing to be able to actually smoke that slow and cool....I've gotten actually cool extremely flavorful smoke once for a couple of minutes. Since then, I've been trying to figure out if that period is what I should be looking for all the time.

I'm smoking a Cornell and Dill cob with a house blend from a local shop vanilla custard. It's one of my favorites

Really enjoying this series! While listening I smoke some Lane 1-Q in the MM Charles Towne Cobbler!

I really appreciate your time and effort into the vids you produce….keep up the good work Kevin!

Smoking Chelsea Morning, really enjoy your videos. Keep up the great work!

As I watch this I’m smoking Peterson Early Morning Pipe, the pipe is a 1950’s era Castello that was my grandfathers pipe.

W.O. Larson Signature in a rusticated Medico half bent. Love the videos. Just started my pipe journey about 4 or 5 months ago. I've been a cigar smoker for over 30 years. Gave this a try so my wife would sit with me in the evening and I wouldn't offend her nose.

Hi Kevin! I’m enjoying some Boswell’s no bite delight. I’m a new piper, but and old school coffee and whiskey drinker. I can taste some coffee notes in this blend. It’s really pleasant.

Learning how to taste and pick out flavor notes changed everything for me. Once it hit me, I understood immediately why others enjoyed pipe smoking. I’m having some classic Lane 1 Q in kind of a squat Rhodesian. Great video buddy as always! I don’t comment super often but know that I enjoy your videos my friend. Best Regards, - Chris

What a great entertaining, educational and inspiring video! Thanks!

Fantastic video of this topic. While smoking one of my favourites, the Mac Baren Navy Flake I switched from a Talisker Port Ruighe to an ice cold Tanqueray Gin Tonic and my smoke really improved. ☺️ I will definitely get some clay pipes (as they are are made still here in Germany). They seem to be the neutral studio monitor compared to hifi speakers - the briar pipe. 😉 Btw. It's 10 PM here and while sitting on my porch an thunderstorm takes place and lightning flashes interrupt your your video. Really atmospheric!

I’m so happy to see that you have a new video! So glad to see you back!

Smoking Captain Peg n Gold, a local blend similar to Lane 1Q, in a Peterson 307 System. I struggle tasting all the flavors, but I’m working on it.

This is a great, well-thought-out video! Your paced, easy going presentation is as helpful as the actual tips you offer.

You deserve your own tv show. Excellent production! Congrats!

Excellent video: Incredible effort in making it, no doubt.

I actually don't have too much trouble catching the small changes in flavors throughout my smoke. That being said this was a fantastic video! Keep up the good work!

Boswells Premium Burley, in a Cobbit Shire...because it smokes smoother in a cob! I also have to take tiny sips to avoid tongue irritation. So, this blend is teaching me how to slow down & manage the bowl! 👍👍

Thanks!

Very informative, thank you. I plan to start with the PS 24 and see what I can taste.

Enjoyed your video, smoking some LJ Peretti London Flake on a nice breezy afternoon in NC

Thank You for great instruction and the reassurance of taking it slow.

This morning I am smoking what is quickly becoming my favorite blend Cult Blood Red Moon it pairs nicely with my morning coffee it’s truly quite delightful

Very helpful Kevin , thx . Also loved the birds singing in the background

Good to smoke with you Kevin. Thank you sir.

You are so welcome sir!

New piper here. As an audio engineer, hearing you compare the clay pipe to the mixing experience was a great suprise! I find myself thinking often that "it'd be really nice to smoke a bowl with Hobbiton Piper!". Smoking Buttered Rum in a Dr. Grabow Golden Duke. Can't wait to drive down to my local tobacconist to grab some more blends.

I see those special edition Tolkien books in the back! My wife bought me the same set for Christmas!

Wow, what an amazing video. I've been smoking for a year now. This one video taught me so much. And very well explained. Thank you so much. Keep up the great work. You seem to be a very genuine man.

One thing that’s helped me is to periodically smell the open tin/jar/bag of the tobacco, as I’m smoking to get that more assertive smell

Smoking: Early Morning Pipe Out of: Missouri Meerschaum Legend Rob Roy At first I was sort of intimidated by blends with Latakia in them. Because I saw where a lot of people mentioned a flavor of "campfire smoke". Doesn't sound that great to me. But as time went on, I was just curious. So I researched what the best "starter" Latakia blend was. I landed on EMP. I was blown away by the tin note. What is this sorcery?! It's like smelling smoked meat. The flavor when smoking is indeed a bit smoky, but in the smoked meat sort of savory way. With some sort of sour note. I love it. When I went to The Briary in Birmingham, AL I smelled all of their "house" blends and the ones that were English with Latakia, all gave me the same vibe. Sweet, sour, smoky meat! I think I am going to start ordering straight pure blends so I can understand each tobacco on its own as you suggested in this video. So far the only tobacco I am not keen on seemingly is Burley. I got Half and Half - don't like it. I got some blend called Buttered Rum (I think it's Super Value) don't like it! You are right about the retrohale though... when I retrohale Orlik Golden Sliced it burnnnnsssss. Is it the Perique?!

Thank you so much for this fantastic video. My main problem is putting names to flavors that I get and I can’t describe the flavor to someone else. I’ll start doing what you recommended.

I was just smoking an old standby - Half & Half - while I watched this. But your advice helped me pick up a few flavor notes that helped me enjoy it far more than I have in the past. Having the water handy worked wonders, too. Gotta get me one of those clay pipes!

Most excellent!! Thank you for posting the video !

Thank you for your wonderful pipe video. I had never thought deeply about the physiological phenomena and adaptations that occur in my body when I enjoy pipe smoking. I will continue to watch this video from time to time to help me enjoy pipe smoking even more.

AWESOME video!! I'm a new piper, been only six months. Thank you for getting me to slow down when smoking. WOW, what a world of difference the flavors are now! I feel like they are almost a different tobacco all together. Thanks for sharing your knowledge from your experience.🙂👌

You get me every time I see the grill section of the video!!!! You do a great job at making it look good sir! Thank you for the video!

Watched the whole thing while sipping on capstan gold which is my "ketchup" blend 😂 from my luletasi pipe. Coming to pipe smoking as a bitcoiner is easier to remember that patience is key. Great video which I watched multiple times it seems. 🖖

Ardbeg… the best. Loving the channel and the flat cap - from the home of the cap, North Yorkshire. My dad smoked Capstan. The world is a smaller place these days!

This was so enjoyable, educational, and encouraging all at the same time! Thanks!

Hello fellow drummer! Thank you for sharing your time and smoke! Smoking the C&D 2024 St. Patrick’s Day Reserve. Despite it being a “rare” blend, I love the strong hazelnut and vanilla flavors.

fantastic lecture! thank you

Excellent video, really appreciate the time you spent on this video. Have a great day Brother.

Your right on the strong sense of smell, It's a curse most of the time. I've packed some French Creek from the Junction in my new Cobbit pipe. Thanks for the video. P.S. I use a clay pipe when doing Muttnchop's blend club or a new blend.

I am smoking some Elizabethan Mixture in my recently acquired Peterson 2016 St. Patrick's Day briar. My father with me is also smoking Elizabethan Mixture, though in a Missouri Meerschaum corncob.