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Apr 2, 2024
23
109
Eastern CT
Hi,
I'm a beginning pipe smoker of about 12 years. Not that I smoked much for the last 10 or so, but I recently got back into it. I like to smoke a pipe when I go for a walk in the woods. I got into the hobby in a kind of backwards way. Growing up, I never used tobacco of any kind and never gave any thought to trying it. Then one day I read an article in a magazine called The Backwoodsman about producing your own tobacco, which the author smoked in a pipe. I was fascinated. I bought some tobacco seeds the following spring, and grew, harvested, and cured a few pounds of tobacco. I flavored some if it with whiskey, vanilla extract, and a touch of maple syrup. Then I bought a pipe, a Missouri Meerschaum Country Gentleman. I tried some of the tobacco and surprisingly enjoyed it even though I packed too tight and smoked too fast.

For various reasons, smoking and hiking both became inconvenient and I didn't touch the pipe for 10 years. Recently it became convenient again. I still have most of the tobacco I grew, whole leaves in a cardboard box in the closet. I assume, stale beyond any chance of reviving it. I never bought any commercially produced tobacco until a couple weeks ago. I was sort of hoping that my home brewed tobacco was actually terrible and that the store bought stuff would be worlds better, but it actually wasn't, so against all odds I guess I did a decent job with my homemade aromatic blend. Then again, all I can get from my local smoke shop is Captain Black and Half & Half, so hopefully some of the more high-end blends actually are better than my homemade stuff. I'm about to venture out in search of tobacco shops with a better selection soon, or order some online if I can't find any. Just getting it online would be easier, but hunting down some good stuff from a brick and mortar is part of the fun.
 

bpinkstaff

Might Stick Around
Apr 2, 2024
80
74
Rockton, il
Hi,
I'm a beginning pipe smoker of about 12 years. Not that I smoked much for the last 10 or so, but I recently got back into it. I like to smoke a pipe when I go for a walk in the woods. I got into the hobby in a kind of backwards way. Growing up, I never used tobacco of any kind and never gave any thought to trying it. Then one day I read an article in a magazine called The Backwoodsman about producing your own tobacco, which the author smoked in a pipe. I was fascinated. I bought some tobacco seeds the following spring, and grew, harvested, and cured a few pounds of tobacco. I flavored some if it with whiskey, vanilla extract, and a touch of maple syrup. Then I bought a pipe, a Missouri Meerschaum Country Gentleman. I tried some of the tobacco and surprisingly enjoyed it even though I packed too tight and smoked too fast.

For various reasons, smoking and hiking both became inconvenient and I didn't touch the pipe for 10 years. Recently it became convenient again. I still have most of the tobacco I grew, whole leaves in a cardboard box in the closet. I assume, stale beyond any chance of reviving it. I never bought any commercially produced tobacco until a couple weeks ago. I was sort of hoping that my home brewed tobacco was actually terrible and that the store bought stuff would be worlds better, but it actually wasn't, so against all odds I guess I did a decent job with my homemade aromatic blend. Then again, all I can get from my local smoke shop is Captain Black and Half & Half, so hopefully some of the more high-end blends actually are better than my homemade stuff. I'm about to venture out in search of tobacco shops with a better selection soon, or order some online if I can't find any. Just getting it online would be easier, but hunting down some good stuff from a brick and mortar is part of the fun.
Welcome
 
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Non-Mentholated Black Man

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 4, 2024
100
212
Where Texas Began
Welcome from the Birthplace of Texas.


I concur with and co-sign to the advice given by the ever increasingly esteemed WVOldFart.

Until quite recently, I had been smoking the same handful of blends (10-12) for decades.
That number has quadrupled over the past few months with a single purchase from an online retailer
and I have been quite pleased with the decision to sample new tobacco(s).
 
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Apr 2, 2024
23
109
Eastern CT
Welcome from Connecticut!

Where do you shop in Eastern CT? I'm from Farmington but get out to Storrs quite often. Always looking for a pipe/cigar shop!
The only place I have been to so far is a "Smoker's Discount World" in Plainfield. All they have for pipe tobacco is Captain Black, Half and Half, and Borkum Riff. A couple promising leads I've found are Carolina Tobacco Emporium in Manchester, and Connecticut Valley Tobacconist in Enfield. Both kind of a long drive for me, but I'll check them out eventually. I've lived in CT all my life, but I'm a Rhode Islander by blood. We rarely drive more than 15 minutes to get anywhere, lol.
 
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