If you could only smoke one blend...

[Gimlet]

What would it be?

I'm sure this has been asked before but if so a search isn't going to find the thread so I'll ask it again.

If you had to pick just one blend to smoke for the rest of your smoking days, what would you choose?

I was thinking about this last night looking at the collection of tins on my table and thinking about the cost of all my experimentations.
It would have to be repeat all-day smokeable without becoming boring or stripping my throat, smooth and cool, but with plenty of flavour that develops as it smokes and ideally something that changed and improved with maturing.

I love my various robust Kendal flakes, but I'm not sure I could smoke just one of them all day every day. I much enjoy my early morning go-to, a GH black cavendish aro. It's a nice way to start the day but it's not particularly complex. And I'm very fond of the Peterson perique blends I've got into recently.

But from what I've tried so far, I'd go with Solani aged burley flake. Not the strongest or most highly flavoured, but doughy sweet and smooth as cream with just a hint of perique-like pepperiness. It never disappoints.

If I was put on the stop here and now to choose one from what I've got on the table, the Solani ABF would win it.

What about you?

 

[JackOrion]

Bengal slices. I’m sure a straight Virginia would have longer legs but those slices are just too good

 

[Servant King]

SWRA

 

[camaguey]

My personal blend. An english or scotish with cigar leaf and some neutral cavendish to soften the edges. Usually old aged 965 to avoid the use of the extra cavendish and around 25% of cigar leaf.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

If I "had" to smoke only one blend... I wouldn't. No matter how much I like a blend, I know for certain that I would hate it after smoking it over and over in a day. It would just be less stressful to quit, or switch to cigars.

 

[MattRVA]

I’d probably choose Kendal Mixed.

 

[Green Hill piper]

I smoke a pipe for the enjoyment of being able to choose a different blend at different times a day, the variety of different brands and complexity of light vs. heavy nicotine content. If I only had one blend to smoke that would be boring and I might as well just smoke cigarettes. As the saying goes "Show me a supermodel and I'll show you a guy who is tired of screwing her". If I absolutely had to only smoke only one it would be MacBaren Plumcake for me.

 

[El Capitán]

Sutliff Mark Twain or Half and Half would be my go to.

 

[Gimlet]

I smoke a pipe for the enjoyment of being able to choose a different blend at different times a day, the variety of different brands and complexity of light vs. heavy nicotine content. If I only had one blend to smoke that would be boring and I might as well just smoke cigarettes. As the saying goes "Show me a supermodel and I'll show you a guy who is tired of screwing her". If I absolutely had to only smoke only one it would be MacBaren Plumcake for me.

I thought that too. But since trying the ABF I believe I could do it. But then I don't smoke for the nicotine. The thought of smoking a cigarette again leaves me cold. But it's a fair point and if I was restricted to one blend I would smoke far less, but never cigarettes.

Saying that, as I type I'm smoking some Coniston cut plug aromatic and the thought that I'd never be able to smoke it again is appalling..

 

[Chasing Embers]

What I tend to smoke the majority of the time. ribbon cut Yenidje. I'd replace all of my tobacco with it were it still easily available.

 

[yanoJL]

Newminster 400 Superior Navy Flake

But, as @cosmicfolklore wrote, even that would become tiresome and I would not be a smoker for very long.

 

[pipingfool]

That's a very difficult question for me as I really like variety. But if I HAD to smoke only one blend, then it would probably something that offers more than just one dimension depending on the age.

For me, that would probably be PS Luxury Navy Flake. I wouldn't necessarily call it my favorite. Maybe not even in my top 5 blends of all time. But it probably changes the most of any other blend in my cellar with age.

When it's young, it is bright, sweet and almost aromatic in character. But as it ages it develops deeper more nuanced flavors more akin to a darker Va/Per blend.

So in essence, I could smoke the same blend, but depending on the age I would get very different flavor profiles so I can still enjoy the variety of flavors that I like.

 

[El Capitán]

Newminster 400 Superior Navy Flake

But, as @cosmicfolklore wrote, even that would become tiresome and I would not be a smoker for very long.

I can't say if I'd get tired of it since I enjoy the process of smoking.

 

[kcghost]

G.L. Pease's Six Pence.

 

[Green Hill piper]

I thought that too. But since trying the ABF I believe I could do it. But then I don't smoke for the nicotine. The thought of smoking a cigarette again leaves me cold. But it's a fair point and if I was restricted to one blend I would smoke far less, but never cigarettes.

Saying that, as I type I'm smoking some Coniston cut plug aromatic and the thought that I'd never be able to smoke it again is appalling..

You always think that when you first find a "Oh wow" blend. Try smoking only that blend for a month and you will be itching to mix it up.

 

[brooklynpiper]

To answer like a crazy person

Something I could age
Something I could stove or bake in the tin
Something unflavored so I could flavor it
Something I could separate out the constituents and smoke in different proportions

 

[Green Hill piper]

You always think that when you first find a "Oh wow" blend. Try smoking only that blend for a month and you will be itching to mix it up.

Back when there was a limited variety and no Internet access most guys settled for a certain blend and stuck with it. With today's multitude of different tobacco and being able to have it zoomed to your front door at the click of a mouse I believe you would be selling your self short to only stick with one blend. Half the fun of smoking is to be able to try different things. Beer though is a different story. For me one brand rules them all

 

[JOHN72]

​

Cornell & Diehl Yorktown..............

 

[SBC]

I'm not 100% certain, but Salty Dogs is a contender.

 

[SBC]

​

Cornell & Diehl Yorktown..............

I'm trying again!